Posts from August 2020 (Page 2)

2 Corinthians 2 opens with Paul taking up the matter first mentioned in 1 Corinthians 5, namely the withdrawal by the church from the man who had his father’s wife, sometimes described in theological circles as “church discipline.” The primary purpose of church discipline is the purify and purge the church of sin (cf 1 Cor 5:6-8). In this respect, the practice of church discipline is always successful. The secondary purpose of church discipline is to convert the sinner from…

“Paying it forward” is the idea of doing good to others, usually unknown, because you have been blessed, perhaps in some unexpected way. Someone pays for your morning coffee in the drive thru; you “pay it forward” to the car behind you or at some other time. It is similar in intent as one being “blessed to be a blessing.” In verse 3 of today’s text, we find that God is the God of all comfort. Verse 4 instructs us…

As Paul draws this epistle to a close, he gives some five final words of exhortation before he signed off. These are good reminders for all of us to bear in mind. “Watch” – Literally, to stay awake. Be vigilant! This word appears 22 times in the New Testament. In the 13 gospel appearances, it was used by the Lord himself with direct reference to watching with the intent to be ready for His coming. Peter used it in connection…

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is central to the Christian system of faith. Therefore, it seems odd that the church at Corinth would struggle with the idea of the resurrection of their own bodies to the point of dispute. Verse 35 seems to indicate that the primary point of contention or confusion was the type of body we have in the resurrection. Paul opened the discussion with the resurrection of Christ (vv 12-19). He makes the point that…

I admit it. I’ve been entertained on YouTube by the antics of those who believe they’ve been moved by the Holy Spirit. I’ve watched folks climbing over pews, falling out on the floor, racing around waving a sport coat, and even doing flips into baptistry. I’ve seen people in my own hometown taking off their socks and twirling them over their heads, all under the guise of “standing on holy ground.” I heard one of the local preachers there refer…

Without question, 1 Corinthians 13 is the great love chapter of the Bible. But before we get into the details of the text, the context must be noted. This chapter is couched within the overall context of spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 12 deals with the reception and appreciation of gifts, while chapter 14 corrects the abuses of those same gifts. In both chapters we find divine correction regarding one’s attitude toward himself and his attitude toward his brethren. Thus, chapter…

The hymn, “The Call for Workers,” opens with this line, “In the vineyard of the Lord there is work for all to do.” In the US military, for every front-line combat soldier there are numerous other service members working behind them to ensure the success of the mission. One tactic of warfare is to cut off the supply lines to front line troops. Without the vital support of those behind the front lines, the soldiers cannot sustain themselves. As a…

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul sets out to restore God’s order and plan in the area of order among the sexes. Note! There are only two 😊. From Creation, God set man as the head and leader of the home, religion, and society in general. Man was created first (Genesis 2; 1 Timothy 2:13). Woman was created for man (vv 8-9; Genesis 2:18). Woman was deceived and brought sin into the world (Genesis 3; 1 Timothy 2:14). But Paul is…

I find this line most encouraging and instructive for several reasons: This text encourages me, for it shows that God is concerned about the welfare of His people. Verses 1-2 remind us that God is not unsympathetic to our distress, for they bring to our remembrance Israel’s great deliverance from Egypt as they passed over the Red Sea on dry land, but the Egyptians were drowned in the sea. In this they were unequivocally secured in the hand of Moses.…

Chapter 9 marks an abrupt change of topic and tone. I cannot help but think this is also in response to the letter the brethren had sent him. Unbelievably, some of the Corinthian brethren were questioning Paul’s authority and liberties as an apostle of the Lord. This would continue to be a problem, as Paul would repeatedly return to this issue in his subsequent letter to the church at Corinth (cf 2 Cor 10-13). The issue at hand was the…