Truth Made Clear

Matthew 2:1-12

Gold, frankincense and myrrh are well known as the gifts of the wise men.  No doubt, these were meant to be representative of the products of the nation from which they came, and as such, they represent the first homage or respect paid by the Gentiles or the nations to the Jewish King and Messiah.  A day is coming when all people everywhere will acknowledge Him as King and Messiah.  These men were the first from among the Gentiles.

The three gifts do not mean there were three wise men, nor do we know their names.  Much ambiguity exists about the visit of the wise men because Matthew's account is brief and therefore limited in detail.  As the first representatives of the Gentiles or nations to give homage to the King of the Jews, these men represent us.  They represent the truth that God has caused light to shine in the darkness.  1 John 4:9 tells us:

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  1 John 4:9, ESV

This then is what I wish to look at today, how the love of God was made clear among us by the birth of His Son.  I believe we see this in the story of the wise men and their journey to Bethlehem.  My approach will be to consider who these wise men were, their time and place, their journey and the person all these elements led them to.  In all these things, we will see the hand of God.

Matthew 2:1 says:

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem...  Matthew 2:1, ESV

The term translated "wise men" in our Bibles is the Greek word "μάγοι" (magoi).  This is the word from which we get our word "magic" or "magician."  The term "Magi" was used in the Septuagint, by Philo, Josephus and by other writers of the New Testament era in both an evil and a good sense.  The evil sense refers to those who practiced magical arts that we would term witches or warlocks.  The good sense refers to Eastern (especially Babylonian or Persian) priests or sages, whose research seems to have embraced much deep knowledge that was a mixture of science and superstition.  While this knowledge is alluded to in the Bible, much of it remains lost to us.^[1]  However, the influences of idolatry and demons in the religion of the Babylonians and Persians were great.

Speculation and theories as to what country in the east these men came from would take volumes and many hours to cover.  At the period in question, the priestly caste of the Medes and Persians was dispersed throughout what would have been called the East.  In addition, the Jews were also dispersed throughout the same area.  This would make the knowledge of the great hope of Israel available to the sages of many places.  The oldest opinion, though on insufficient evidence, traces the origin of the wise men to Arabia.  In favor of this view is that at the time there was a close relationship between Palestine and Arabia.  In addition, from about 120 B.C. to about the sixth century A.D., the kings of Yemen held to the Jewish religion.^[2] 

Because these wise men lived in a time where the Jews were widely dispersed, and because they lived in the area of the world where these things took place, they were in a position to play a role in the story of the Gospel.  We are not told the details of who they were and how they got there, but we are told they came, worshipped and gave gifts.

The stories of the people in the Bible and history are all stories of people in the right time and place.  Abraham, Ruth, David and Esther are all stories of the right person for the time and place of God's choosing.  They did not start out that way.  Abraham was from an idolatrous nation.  Ruth was from an idolatrous people.  David was a shepherd, and Esther lived in the palace of a Pagan king, but God took each one on a journey that led to great things.  In addition, Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar and Herod all had their place in the story.  It all fit together so that as Romans 5:6 says:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Romans 5:6, NIV

We almost never know the purpose that God is working through us.  However, God has worked in each of our lives to bring us to this time and this place.  God even works in the bad things that happen.  I am not saying that the bad things are not bad.  I am saying that God works in them.  I think of Joseph, the son of Jacob, who was sold into slavery by his brothers.  Many years later, he told his brothers:

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.  Genesis 50:20, ESV

It is strange that wise men from the east should know before the people of the land that the King of the Jews had been born, but God worked through history and circumstances that these men should know.  He has done the same for you.  However, the wise men did not know all the details before they arrived.  They made a journey, a journey of hope and discovery.

They knew from the star that there had been one born who was king of the Jews.  However, they did not know where.  Thus, they went to Jerusalem.  Matthew 2:2 says they asked:

"Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?  For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."  Matthew 2:2, ESV

It was from the Jews that they then learned that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.  However, it was not just the wise men that were changed by all this.  Matthew 2:3 tells us:

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;  Matthew 2:3, ESV

The wise men did not set out to stir up trouble.  They were following the light they had.  Why were there not more who recognized His coming?  Why did not the Jewish people, the priests and scribes recognize the signs of His arrival?  Jesus said:

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.  Matthew 7:14, NIV

The wise men saw the signs.  They took these signs seriously and followed them.  It was a small gate and narrow, and it took them on a journey of discovery, growth and learning.  The priests, scribes and even the king had more opportunity to see the signs.  The priests and scribes lived and studied the scriptures that had led the wise men.  Surely, these whose very lives were immersed in the scriptures had more opportunity to see the signs.  However, their hearts were hard and they did not follow what knowledge they had.  Later on Jesus told them:

So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer.  Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you.  The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”  When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.  John 12:35-36, ESV

The Jews had the light.  The light lived among them, walked among them and talked to them.  Yet, they did not acknowledge, see or understand the light.  Jesus came to make the truth clear to them, but they were blind and could not see it.

I wonder which you and I will be.  Will we be like the wise men who responded to the truth they had, or will we be like the priests and scribes who were able to tell the wise men where to go, but did not go themselves?  It was only 5 miles.  Why did not any of the people troubled in Jerusalem go to see what the wise men were seeking?  The wise men traveled many miles, and these people could not be troubled to travel five.  This is also the reason the truth is not clear to many of our day.  Jesus taught:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."  Matthew 7:7-8, NIV

The wise men traveled seeking and they found what they were looking for.  Matthew 2:9-10 tells us:

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.  Matthew 2:9-10, NIV

God provided supernatural guidance on the last part of the journey.  This guidance led them to the place where the child was.  Their search ended in a child, a person.  They were overjoyed and they fell down and worshipped.  The NIV says they were overjoyed which is toned down from what the original says.  The original says they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy, using the strongest language possible to express the greatness of their joy.

The truth is not a philosophy, a place or a point in time.  The truth is a Person, and when the wise men reached the end of their journey they were overcome with joy at seeing the One who is the light of the world.

Jesus taught:

“I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6, NIV

God sent His Son and made manifest His love.  The wise men saw the signs and sought to know more.  In their seeking, they met the One who is the way and the truth and the life.  While all Jerusalem was troubled over what the wise men said, the wise men walked 1 hour and 50 minutes to Bethlehem to see the truth for themselves.  Why were they the only ones?

Christmas has brought us again to the star and the stable.  The One born King of the Jews invites us to come.  God has brought you to this point.  Enter at the small gate.

---

^[1] My source for this is chiefly Alfred Edersheim's work: The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, originally published in 1883, I use Barnes and Noble's Nook edition.

^[2] ibid.

Good News of Great Joy

Luke 2:8-20

As we prepare for Christmas, I want to look with you at the shepherds who were chosen to greet the Savior's birth and the message of the angels to those shepherds.

The shepherds represent the layperson, the common person.  I will take the simple approach of looking first at the shepherds and then at the good news and how it brings us great joy.

Do you have a thankless job?

Do you spend all night tending a crying baby?  Or perhaps, you spend all night out in the cold and the elements to provide for your family.  Then again, maybe you are one of the millions in America who spend all day doing a repetitive action on an assembly line.

Do your hands have calluses?

Does your back ache?

Do your feet hurt by the end of your shift?

Men and women of all times and ages have worked under varying degrees of difficulty.  Some grow bitter and cynical.  You have all seen this in someone you know.

Some give up.  Others live with overwhelming depression.  But not all; many live with joy, energy and hope.

It is possible to live in the joy of the Lord and in the victory of the Savor in the face of the trials and hardships of life.

The angels told the shepherds of good news and great joy.  This good news and great joy is for all people.  It is for you and me.

Let's look at the story of the shepherds and the angels and find this good news and great Joy.

First, let's note that the shepherds were keeping watch over their sheep at night.  The sheep required constant watch.  For this reason, the night was divided into watches.  Three, four or six hours - I do not know how long each watch was, but the text indicates the shepherds were vigilantly keeping their watch.  No executions here for falling asleep, just lost sheep, lost income and lost livelihood.

This was a night like any other night.  These people did this every night.  Backache, so what?  Feet tired~ so sorry.  Cold~ blow on your hands.  Want to sleep some more~ too bad - it's your turn on watch.  These shepherds give a good picture of the human condition.

We are no longer living in the Garden of Eden.  As a result of sin, humanity is living under the curse.  Genesis 3:16-19 tells of the curse when it says:

To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.  Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.”  And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.  By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."  Genesis 3:16-19, ESV

The shepherds represent us because as the curse promises, "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread..."  The shepherds had to keep watch because the sheep were in danger.  A wolf, a lion or even a coyote represented a threat to the sheep.  We still have to stay alert.  Whatever business a person might be in, he or she must stay alert because dangers and threats are present.  These dangers range in severity from minor losses to threats to life and limb.  Because of the curse, we have to have a military and we have to have a police force.

We look forward to a day when the curse is removed and there will be no more thieves, murderers or liars, but we will all be made holy.

The shepherds also represent us because the angel had to say, "Fear not..."  At the appearance of the angel, the text tells us that the shepherds were filled with great fear.  They were terrified.  This is again evidence of the curse and the fallen state of humanity.  Before the fall, Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden and communed with Him as friends.  Because of the fall, the glory of the Lord has become a thing of terror.

However, when God came and lived among us, nobody was afraid of Him.  He became flesh and dwelt among us and very few people responded with fear.  Nobody needed to be afraid of Jesus.  Isaiah 42:3 tells us, "a bruised reed he will not break...”  ESV  Our sin separates us from God.  Our sin makes God frightening.  The expectation of judgement creates the terror of His presence.

The good news of great joy for all people comes in at this point.  The angel said, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”  (Luke 2:11, ESV)

This good news of great joy is for us.  It is good news for all people, not just of that day but also for all ages. 

The good news starts with a Savior.  Jesus took our sins with Him to the cross.  There is no longer reason to be afraid of God or terrified at His presence.  This is also part of the meaning of the veil of the temple being torn when Jesus died on the cross.  Our sins, that which separates us from God, were done away with.  Therefore, we can enter boldly into the most holy place, into the very presence of God, without fear.

You probably know John 3:16.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16 ESV

You probably know that all you have to do to be saved is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.  But have you entered into the fullness of what God has for you?  Do you still live in fear?  Have you entered into the love of God?  Do you know what it means to be filled with the Spirit?  These and many other things are available to us as believers, but many of us stop short of entering into the fullness of our salvation.

The same God who loved us enough to give His only Son also said:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:1-2, ESV

God said this for our good.  He said this because He wants us to live with His joy and in the fullness of our salvation. 

However, it is way too easy to be conformed to this world.  We hold onto the things of this world as if they are the things that matter.  We look for the gifts, riches and pleasures of this world as if they are the important things in life.  In so doing, we forfeit the joy and pleasure of our salvation.  Oh, we are saved all right.  We will not go to hell, but the question remains, are we living in the great joy of which the angel spoke?

Because of the Savior, the thankless job can be done to the glory of God as an act of worship.  Because of the Savior, we can look forward to the day when there will be no more aching back, tired feet, sleepless nights and danger.  Because of the Savior, a day is coming when the wolf and the lamb will lie down together.  Until that day, we can trust that He is able to keep what we have committed to Him.

We still have to be alert.  The curse is not yet removed, but we can do all things to the glory of God.  Colossians 3:16-17 tells us the secret of living with joy when it says:

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.  Colossians 3:16-17, ESV

Part of the joy of this good news is the redeeming of the hard and thankless jobs that we do.  The aching back, the calluses and the long hours of work are not meaningless, but can be part of presenting our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord.  Our life should not be divided in two as if we live one part in the world and the other part in the spirit.  All that we do is both in the body and in the spirit.  If you swear, cheat and are foul, your life will bear fruit accordingly.  And, if you serve God with your whole heart during the week, this also will bear fruit.

Another part of this great joy is that the curse will one day be gone forever.  Romans 8 speaks of this when it says:

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  Romans 8:18-23

With the final removal of the curse will come our glorification.  The glory of God will be revealed in us.  It is being revealed in us as we live for Him in the fallen world, but it will be more fully revealed in that day.  Because of the Savior, we all eagerly look forward to the day when there will be no more pain, sorrow or loss.

There are two things the shepherds did that we also need to do.

First, they hurried to see this thing that had happened.  We too need to hurry to see the Savior.  We also must kneel before Him and worship.  This is where it starts.  Do you humble yourself before Him every day?

Second, when they returned, they were glorifying God and making known what had been told them about the child.  We also must make it known.  We must speak of what we have seen and heard.  Remaining silent in face of the lies, falsehood and deception that fill our world concerning our Savior is not an option.  You may not have a pulpit, but you have relationships.  Does everyone around you speak only the truth about Jesus?  Do you ever question anybody and say, "Where did you get that idea?"

The good news of great joy is for everybody, for you and for your neighbor.  Let's enter into the joy of the Lord, glorifying Him in word and deed.

Boasting

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

From His riches, God has poured out on us an amazing bounty of grace and goodness.

As an example of how God gives gifts, let's consider Abraham, who is considered the forefather of us all.

We know very little of Abraham's birth.  We know that he came from Ur of the Chaldeans.  Although we do not consider him a Babylonian, that is what Chaldeans were and that is where Abraham came from.  His father was Terah, and was possibly the one who moved Abraham and his family from Ur to Haran.  The Spirit of God says:

Yes, think about Abraham, your ancestor, and Sarah, who gave birth to your nation.  Abraham was only one man when I called him.  But when I blessed him, he became a great nation.  (Isaiah 51:2, NLT)

Because of the call of God, Abraham received promises and blessings beyond measure.  These blessings and promises were received by faith.  While Abraham yet lived, he did not see all the promises and blessings we are talking about.  God promised Abraham that He would make Abraham the father of many nations.  Abraham died long before this ever happened.  But, Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness.  (Genesis 15:6)  More than earthly or physical blessings, Abraham received blessings of an eternal and spiritual nature.  We see evidence of this in Scripture when it says:

Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.  (Hebrews 11:10, NLT)

God chose Abraham when he was far from God in a godless nation among a godless people.  God chose Abraham and made him great.  He did not choose Abraham because he was already great.

Think about when you were called.  Were you great?  Were you mighty?

1 Corinthians 1:26 asks us to consider or remember our calling.

First, consider what we receive as a part of our calling.

We receive eternal life. 

Ephesians 2:1 tells us that we were dead in our trespasses and sins.  (Ephesians 2:1)  We were lost and without hope in the world.  (Ephesians 2:12)  Our calling from God involves Him moving us out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of His beloved Son.  We were held captive by the devil to do his will.  (2 Timothy 2:26)  We were set free.  We were redeemed and made part of God's family.  We are children of God.

We are also saved from the penalty of our sins. 

Even though we freely admit that we have sinned, we have no fear of punishment because we know that by the grace of God our sins have been forgiven and we have been made clean and pure.  This is not because of what we have done.  It is based solely on what Christ did on the cross and it is ours because of the call or invitation of God.  Without this call of God, we would be condemned to an eternity in hell because of our sin and unrighteousness.

The Holy Spirit says:

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  (1 Corinthians 1:26, ESV)

The call of God is not based on our wisdom.

The call of God is not based on our power.

The call of God is not based on our birth.

We humans put much emphasis on wisdom, power and birth.

Just look in the self-help section of the bookstore.  The great number of books implies the importance of wisdom and knowledge.  There are books to tell us how to overcome numerous problems and challenges.  There are books that promise to teach us how to succeed.  There are books that promise to teach us how to be happy.  These all claim to have wisdom for our lives. 

Look at how much we invest in education and you will understand that we place a high value on wisdom and knowledge.

We also put much emphasis on power.

From the nations of the world to the living rooms of our houses, power struggles never cease.  Power is about control.  Power determines who gets resources and who gets their way.  North Korea feels they need nuclear weapons and the missile delivery systems to reach anywhere in the world, and we fear they would use them if they had them.  This is just one of many power struggles currently going on in our world.  I hope that the power struggles in our houses do not involve nuclear weapons.  But, sadly, some of us threaten to kill the relationship in order to get our way.  Make no mistake; divorce is murder -- murder of the relationship, the family and the oneness established by God.  This happens because we want control.  We want our own way.

We humans also put much emphasis on birth - heritage.

Some are born into nobility.  Unless you are born into the royal family, you do not need to worry about ever being king or queen of England.  In the same way, most of us do not need to worry about inheriting the riches of Donald Trump or Bill Gates. 

However, we are all born into families.  We are all born into nationalities and races.  We are all born into religions.  There are many who consider themselves Christians because they were born into Christian homes.  If you are born on American soil, you are automatically an American citizen.  If you are born to Asian parents, you are Asian.  There is no choice involved in this.  If your parents are not Japanese, you will never be Japanese, even if you take Japanese citizenship.  One can change their citizenship, but one cannot change their race, or the accidents of birth.

Since wisdom, power and birth are so important to us, we boast in these things.  If you do not have a college degree, you need not apply for some jobs.  If you are not powerful, you will be taken advantage of.  If you are not born into the right family, religion, race or nationality, you may be blocked from going where you want to go.

When 1 Corinthians 1:26 tells us to consider our calling, it points out that not many of us were wise, powerful or of noble birth. 

It says, "Not many.”  This would imply that some are.  These are the exceptions and if you are one of these exceptions be grateful -- grateful but not proud.  The Holy Spirit says:

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  (1 Corinthians 1:27-29 ESV)

Our boasting and reliance on human wisdom, power and birth is not good.  The Lord indicates how much He is displeased with our pride when he says:

This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord.  (Jeremiah 17:5 NLT)

We know that the new birth, our redemption and salvation do not rely on human strength.  John 1:13 says:

...who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  (John 1:13 ESV)

Wisdom has its place.  Proverbs 1:7 says:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.  (Proverbs 1:7 ESV)

It is foolish to despise wisdom.

Power has its place because God has ordained government.  Romans 13:1 says:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  (Romans 13:1 ESV)

It is foolish to despise power or authority.

Even our parentage has its place, for none of us would be where we are without it.

It is foolish to despise our heritage.

It is also foolish to boast in or put our confidence in these things.  As the passage quoted above states, "God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”  (1 Corinthians1:28-29, NLT)

All our boasting must be in the Lord.  All our confidence must be in the Lord.  This is where 1 Corinthians 1:30 takes us.  It lays out for us some of the reason we have to boast in the Lord.

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.  (1 Corinthians 1:30 ESV)

"Because of him" is referring to God the Father who has brought to nothing the wisdom, power and nobility of the world.  It is because of Him, because of His calling, that we are in Christ Jesus.  

Verse 26 calls us to consider, remember our calling.  This is where it has led us.  We started with nothing, and as a result of this calling we are now in Christ Jesus.  Look at what it says Jesus has become to us.  He has become wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.  Let's consider each of these briefly in turn.

He has become wisdom to us.  He is the mystery of God hidden from ages past.  He is the Word made flesh, the very revelation of the glory of God.

He has become righteousness to us.  He is our breastplate of righteousness; by His wounds, we are healed.  God laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He has become sanctification to us.  In Him, we are made holy, called saints and set apart for the kingdom of God.  We have an inheritance that the world has not given and the world cannot take away.

He has become redemption to us.  We were slaves to sin, but we have been set free to live for Him and by His power.  Because of Him, we belong to Jesus and to the Father and have the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Because of these things, we can boast in the Lord.  Long before Jesus was born, the prophet Jeremiah wrote:

Thus says the Lord : "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,  but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the  Lord  who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”  (Jeremiah 9:23-24 ESV)

This series has been titled, "God's Power in Perilous Times.”  One of the biggest perils for humanity is our pride.  Pride and boasting will only yield to the working of the Holy Spirit in our inner person.  Let's take 1 Corinthians 1:31 to heart.

"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
(1 Corinthians 1:31 ESV)

Wisdom and Power

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Our text today divides the world into two classes of people. 

It does not divide it by race.  The text does not divide the world by gender, nationality, political affiliation or religion.  It does not divide the world by economic status or intelligence.  All of these things are very important to us, and we spend much of our lives concerned about such things.  Politics and economics are important.  However, are they most important?  Race and gender are significant.  However, are they most significant?

Today, we are going to look at the turning point of all history.  We are going to look at what is most important and most significant.  This one thing divides the world into the "haves" and the "have nots."  This one thing divides the world into two classes of people. 

This one thing is the cross.

Those who are perishing and those who are being saved form the two classes of people.

1 Corinthians 1:18 says:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  NASB

Here we see that all people are divided into those who are perishing and those who are being saved.

We are all going to die physically.  We all know this.  However, the Bible speaks of a second death and of the judgment of God.  Hebrews 9:27 says, "...each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment..."  (NLT)  This clearly refers to judgment coming after physical death.

The Bible teaches that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  (Romans 3:23)  It also states quite plainly that "the wages of sin is death."  (Romans 6:23)  In order to understand this more completely, we can look at John 3:18 which says, "...whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." (ESV)  It is clear from the Bible that all of us have sinned and that our sin is enough to condemn us.  All humanity, without Christ, is perishing not just physically but eternally.  Hebrews 10:26-27 puts it in these terms:

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.  (NLT, https://www.bible.com/bible/116/HEB.10.26-27)

We see the evidence of evil all around us.  Murders, rapes and crimes of all kinds fill our newscasts. 

The world asks two questions that address this evil.  One question is "How can there be a God if there is so much evil in the world?"  The second question is "How can a loving God condemn anyone to Hell?

The Bible offers the best answers I have yet heard to these questions, but there is no end of debate concerning these issues.  Both the questions and the answers are as old as the Bible itself.  These and many other questions and objections have been passed around for millennium.  It is interesting to note that these two questions in particular contradict each other.  The first one complains that God is not doing anything about evil and the second one complains about God doing something about evil.  Approximately three thousand years ago, the Psalmist wrote:

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the  Lord  and against his Anointed, saying,  "Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us."  (Psalms 2:1-3, ESV, https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PSA.2.1-3)

Why is humanity so set against God?

1 Corinthians 1:21 speaks truthfully when it says:

Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.  (NLT, https://www.bible.com/bible/116/1CO.1.21)

Through human wisdom, the world rages against God.  However, God does not wish for any to perish.  He says as much in 2 Peter 3:9.  ('The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. '  https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2PE.3.9)  According to the most well-known verse in the Bible (John 3:16), in order to keep anyone from perishing, God gave His only Son, and yet as 1 Corinthians 1:18 tells us, this message is foolishness to those who are perishing.

Just as the world is divided into two classes of people, those who are perishing and those who are being saved, so also, the Church is divided along the same lines.  This is why Paul spends so much time on the distinction between the world's wisdom and God's wisdom.

Two things in the world have long been a trap for the Church.  One is the world's wisdom and the second is the world's power.  Unity of the faith means that we must discern and understand these things.  Indeed, it is a very sad truth that many call themselves Christian who deny the very master that bought them.  The Bible speaks of this when it says:

For people will be lovers of self ... having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.  Avoid such people.  (2 Timothy 3:2,5 ESV, https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2TI.3.2,5)

The Reformation happened some 500 years ago because the Roman Church had become enamored with political power and its doctrine perverted by the wisdom of the world.  These things still divide us, and must divided us.  For example, there are some that say that all roads lead to God.  They say that it does not matter what name you call Him.  We are all calling on the same God.  This might indeed sound wise to the world.  However, it denies the Master who bought us.

This is seen clearly in 1 Corinthians 1:23:

So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.'  (ESV, https://www.bible.com/bible/116/1CO.1.23)

We preach that Christ was crucified. 

The Jews have a different religion.  They do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah ("the Christ").  They are offended by claims that Jesus is the Messiah they have been promised and are waiting for.  The Muslims have a different religion and do not believe that Jesus was one with the Father, and are offended that we teach the Trinity.  The claims of Jesus to be the only way to the Father are offensive to other religions. 

For those with no religion, it is all nonsense.  Jew, Christian, Muslim or other -- we are all talking nonsense.  Many claim that we either cannot know (agnosticism), or that there simply is no God (atheism).

Perhaps it is in an effort to not be offensive to other religions, or perhaps it is in an effort to not seem foolish to the world, but to say that everyone will be saved in the end or that all roads lead to God is to ignore one of the basic truths of the Gospel.  Jesus clearly taught:

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:6 ESV, https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.14.6)

In addition, John 3:36 teaches:

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.  (ESV, https://www.bible.com/bible/59/JHN.3.36)

This is the dividing line.

We can and do enjoy rich, warm fellowship and family relationships with Christians who differ from us doctrinally.  Some speak in tongues, others do not.  Some baptize by immersion, others by sprinkling.  Some accept women as pastors, others do not.  Some believe Jesus will rapture the Church before the Tribulation, others believe He will do this at the end of the Tribulation.  While we know we are right and vigorously teach and defend our positions, we share a bond of brotherhood in Christ.  We are family.  Many of us have experienced an unexplainable sense of unity with believers of different cultures and languages, because we share a common Savior.

Jesus is what we have in common, and our faith in Jesus is the dividing line between those who are perishing and those who are being saved.  We need this dividing line because we need to know what to believe and what not to believe.  We must know where the line is drawn.  1 John 4:1-3 explains this when it says:

'Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God.  This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.  (1 John 4:1-3 ESV, https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1JN.4.1-3)

This is how we determine the truth from the lie.  This is how we measure whether a teaching is from God.  What do they say about Jesus?

Some who teach falsehood sound as if they are saying the right things about Jesus, but redefine the terms.  For example, some say He is a god but not God.  On the other hand, some say He is a god in the same way we will all one day be gods.  These and other such teachings rob the cross of its power and show that those who say such things are among those who are perishing.

Since the time of Jesus until this present day, Christians have stood on these truths and have chosen to die rather than compromise on the truth of the cross, the truth that Jesus, God's Son, died on the cross to purchase our salvation.

This truth is the very power of God for our salvation.  To add anything to it, such as the thought that any work we can do can merit our salvation, is to take away from the power of the cross, and to nullify it as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:17.

According to 1 Corinthians 1:21, the world, through its wisdom, does not know God, nor can it. 

In 60 A.D., Paul's said, "God used our foolish preaching to save those who believe."  (1 Corinthians 1:21, NLT)  Now, two thousand years later, God is using the same foolish message to save those who believe.  The world is doing all it can to stop this message.  It is ridiculed in the media.  It is ridiculed on our campuses and outlawed in our schools.  In half the countries of the world, the governments openly persecute Christians, imprisoning and in some cases executing them for holding on to this foolish message.

However, for us who know its power, we know that the very gates of hell cannot and will not stop the advance of the Gospel, because it is the very power of God for the salvation of those who believe.  Because of this, we have a unity and solidarity of faith that the world cannot understand or take away.  Truly:

This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.  (1 Corinthians 1:25 NLT, https://www.bible.com/bible/116/1CO.1.25)

We live in perilous times, but we need not fear because we have the wisdom and power of God in the message of the cross.

Christ Divided

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Acts 11:26 tells us, "It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians." (NLT)

The word "Christian" means "follower of Christ."  In 1 Corinthians 1:7-9, the Apostle Paul shows us a little of the benefits of being a follower of Christ when he says:

Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  (NLT)

With every spiritual gift having been provided and the promise that God will keep one strong, this is a privileged relationship.  One enters into this relationship with Jesus by faith.  As we are told in John 1:12:

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.  (NLT)

Many other passages of Scripture address both what it means to be a Christian and how one becomes a Christian, but the two just quoted form a good representation.  By our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God has invited us into partnership with His Son.  This partnership with His Son involves us being called His body.  1 Corinthians 12:13 says:

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.  (ESV)

We are made one in Christ.  Based on this, the Apostle makes an appeal.

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.  (1 Corinthians 1:10, ESV)

This is not a harsh scolding, but rather a gentle, loving appeal.  The Spirit comes beside us and gently calls for us to come to unity in the faith, reminding us of the name and character of our Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:10 literally says, "...through the name of our Lord, Jesus the Christ..."  The word name in this case refers to His character as made known by deeds and reputation.  Therefore, this appeal or admonition is based on the tender mercies of our Lord.  As the epistle has just pointed out, we have received God's gracious gifts, forgiveness and cleansing from our sins and partnership with Jesus.  It is based on these things that we are called to unity.

Since this is a call to unity, it is necessary that we define what is meant by unity.  The Apostle does this effectively in very few words.  First, he says, "...that you all speak the same thing..."  (1 Corinthians 1:10 literal translation)  The word used here was: 

...originally, "lay down to sleep," used later of "laying an argument to rest," i.e. bringing a message to closure; (http://biblehub.com/greek/3004.htm) 

This implies coming to agreement on the crucial matters of faith.  He further explains this when he says, "...having been knit together in the same mind and in the same judgment."  Here, in this context, mind refers to reason and judgment refers to knowledge or facts.  Therefore, taking in the knowledge we have, we are expected to arrive at a reasonable conclusion that should lay the argument to rest or bring unity.

This is precisely what the Gospel does.  We all are equal at the foot of the Cross. 

In 335 and 381 A.D., the Church crafted a statement that we all still use to summarize the basics of the faith:

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds (æons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father;

by whom all things were made;

who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and of the Virgin Mary, and was made man;

he was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father;

from thence he shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead. ;

whose kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spake by the prophets.

While this statement serves as a rudimentary statement of faith for the Christian Church, the Gospel can be summed up even more succinctly in the words of John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

However, this does not deal with all matters of faith and practice.  For this reason, we hold the Bible to be the final authority in matters of faith and practice.

Given the tremendous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, His great love and the truth and nature of the Scriptures, unity of the faith is both possible and necessary.  However, divisions are inevitable.

Later on in the letter to the Corinthian Church, Paul says:

But, of course, there must be divisions among you so that you who have God's approval will be recognized!  (1 Corinthians 11:19, NLT)

We can understand this statement more when we read passages like 2 Peter 2:1.

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.  (NLT)

Necessary divisions result from perversion of the truth of the Gospel and denying the Master, who bought us.  For example, any religion, church or teaching that denies that Jesus is God is a perversion.  1 John 4:3 makes it clear that any teaching that denies Jesus is from the spirit of the antichrist.  Unity of the faith then involves the exclusion or rejection of such heresies.

The appeal, then, that the Apostle is making is for those who are true believers in Jesus Christ.  Through people associated with Chloe, who everyone in Corinth apparently knew, Paul learned of strife in the Church.

As he addresses this strife, Paul defines the nature of the conflict.  In 1 Corinthians 1:12 he says,

What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”  (ESV)

Paul is shocked by this.  He gives the equivalent of a literary shout.  If this were a text message, it would be in all CAPS!  He says, "CHRIST IS DIVIDED!"  Our translations treat this as a question, "Is Christ divided?"  However, the original is a statement, a statement of shock and dismay.

Paul then asks some important questions.  He asks:

Was Paul crucified for you?  Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?  (1 Corinthians 1:13, ESV)

The obvious answer to these questions is "No."

Paul next spends time explaining that he baptized only a few of them.  He stresses that Christ did not send him to baptize but to announce the Good News.  In other words, Paul was not trying to gather a following for himself.  His entire purpose was to gather a following for Christ Jesus.

The problems that Paul points out specifically are strife and divisions.  He addresses these more in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 when he says:

For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?  For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?  (1 Corinthians 3:3-4, ESV)

Strife and divisions come from our flesh or from being human.  Because of this, the root of strife is hard to pinpoint.  Jealousy, greed, pride or malice could all be involved in the motive of the heart.  Some, wishing to gain a following for themselves, will cause strife.  Some, wishing to cause harm to a person or ministry, will cause strife.  Some, having pride in their superior wisdom or knowledge, will cause strife.

Whenever this happens, there must be an intervention.  Paul as an Apostle carried both the authority and responsibility to intervene.  Therefore we have the book of Corinthians.  Because of our human nature, strife is inevitable and there are battles that must be fought.  However, they must be fought without wrath, malice and all those things that characterize the flesh. Paul does not yell at the Corinthians.  He appeals to them as brothers.  In giving instructions to Timothy on pastoral leadership he says:

Never speak harshly to an older man, but appeal to him respectfully as you would to your own father. Talk to younger men as you would to your own brothers. Treat older women as you would your mother, and treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.  (1 Timothy 5:1-2, NLT)

While maintaining a gentle and humble approach, Paul makes his answer to the strife and divisions among the Corinthians.  He first points out that his ministry was not what he calls "eloquent wisdom" or "skilled speech."

The appeal of human wisdom is one of the dangers that Paul spends a lot of time on both in Corinthians and in his other letters.  He spends time on the subject in chapters 1 and 2 and then concludes chapter 3 with:

Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise.  (1 Corinthians 3:18, NLT)

To the Colossian Church he said:

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.  (Colossians 2:8, ESV)

To the Ephesian Church he said:

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.  (Ephesians 5:6, ESV)

To the Hebrews he said:

Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings...  (Hebrews 13:9, ESV)

Being led astray by "eloquent wisdom" or "skilled speech" is a real danger.  One of the early heresies in the Church was that of Gnosticism.  Gnostics claimed to possess special knowledge known only to a certain few or the enlightened.  They also taught that the body was entirely evil and that the spirit was entirely good.  This is undoubtedly an oversimplification of their teachings, but it is accurate enough to point out that "special" or "deeper" knowledge is a dangerous thing. Paul certainly had knowledge and he used it.  He says in 1 Corinthians 2:6-7:

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.  But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.  (ESV)

In addressing the divisions, Paul says that he avoided words of eloquent wisdom "lest the cross of Christ be emptied..."  (1 Corinthians 1:17, ESV)  The word he uses for emptied means nullified or made nothing.  To add anything to the gospel is to make it meaningless.

The Scriptures tell us that evil people and imposters will continue to go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13, ESV)  However, we must hold onto the simple truth of the Gospel.  We are not saved by special knowledge.  No teacher, leader, pastor or priest can save a single person.  Only Jesus saves.  We must faithfully proclaim the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation.

Colossians 2:3 tells us that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ.  In the end, He is our one and only pursuit and purpose.  When we value anything more than Christ, it will show itself in conflicts and strife, first internally and then externally.  Christ is, of course, not divided.  Therefore, strife is always a symptom of a spiritual problem.  We must begin to deal with it by returning to the cross, because only the cross has the power to heal our divisions.

We must not be like those that 2 Timothy 3:5 mentions who "...having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power."  (ESV)

Only the cross has the power to transform lives.  This is why the Apostle Paul says:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  Romans 1:16

The Church in Corinth

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

This week I read the following article on the web:

Calvary Baptist Church, a progressive Baptist landmark in the heart of downtown Washington, has named a gay couple as co-pastors.

Sally Sarratt and Maria Swearingen were presented to the congregation during worship services Sunday (Jan. 8) and are set to begin their new jobs on Feb. 26.

A spokeswoman for the congregation said she didn’t know whether a gay couple leading a church was a first for Baptists.

“We look for the best people in the world and that’s who they were,” said Carol Blythe.  “We’re very excited.”[i]

Calvary Baptist Church is very proud and happy about their choice.  For us conservatives, this is quite shocking.  We ask, “How has this come about?”  However, this is nothing new.  The Apostle Paul dealt with similar issues in the Church of his day.  Paul, in his letter to the Church in Corinth said:

¹I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do.  I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother.  ²You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame.  And you should remove this man from your fellowship.  (1 Corinthians 5:1-2, NLT)

In the Church in Corinth, a wise, understanding approach to morality and sexuality were a source of pride.  They were so proud of themselves.  We are no different.  We are proud of our wisdom.  By looking at what Paul says to the Corinthian church, we will confront the sources of conflict, immorality and false doctrines that have always plagued the Church.

At this time, I will look at the first nine verses of 1 Corinthians 1, and will take up the rest of the chapter in subsequent articles.  In the opening of his letter, the Apostle Paul expresses His thankfulness, introducing himself as the author of the letter and the Corinthian church as the recipients.  Then he takes us to the source of his confidence.  This is the approach I wish to take.  I will look first at the author, then at his recipients and finally at the source of his confidence.

First then, let us consider Paul.

In addition, we must also consider Sosthenes, because Paul lists him as a co-author.  Most of us are familiar with Paul, but not with Sosthenes.  Paul, as an Apostle, is in a unique position of authority.  The Apostles spoke with authority that is passed down only in their writings.  Their authority stems in part from the fact that they were personally trained and commissioned by Jesus.  This authority is of utmost importance, and I want to look at it more in depth.  However, Paul does not include Sosthenes to strengthen his authority.

We meet Sosthenes in Acts 18.  Paul ministered in Corinth for a year and a half before persecution from the Jews in Corinth took on a violent form.  Acts 18 lists Crispus as one of the Jews who accepted Jesus as Savior.  Crispus was the ruler of the synagogue at the time, but was replaced by Sosthenes.  At least, Acts 18:17 lists Sosthenes as ruler of the synagogue.  Sometime after the events of Acts 18, Sosthenes apparently accepted Christ and we find Paul writing with Sosthenes who he calls “our brother.” 

This is important because Paul is an outsider.  As an outsider, he was vulnerable to the accusation of not understanding the culture.  Sosthenes was not an outsider.  He was one of the Corinthians.  Paul uses a similar approach in a number of his letters, referencing others as being with him.  He does this, not to strengthen his authority, but as a softening measure.  By including local influence, he makes the authority by which he speaks more palatable, thus taking away the, “He doesn’t understand us because he is not one of us.”

Paul wrote with Divine authority.  He points this out when he says, “…chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.”  The New Testament was written by apostolic authority.  This is why Peter says:

…Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters.  Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture.  And this will result in their destruction.  (2 Peter 3:15-16, NLT)

We see in this passage that the Apostle Peter speaks of Paul’s writings as being Scripture.  The question of authority is important, because it is the foundation on which we build our faith and practice.  How are we to determine what is right and what is wrong?  According to what we just read from 2 Peter, to distort the things of Scripture will result in our destruction.  Jesus used the analogy of building with a firm foundation or with a foundation firmly planted in the sand. 

Paul, by addressing his authority in the opening of his letter, is establishing his right and responsibility to address issues in the Church.

In 2 Peter 3:2, Peter starts out by saying:

I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.  (2 Peter 3:2, NLT)

The phrase, “…what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles,” reminds us that we would not have a New Testament if it were not for the apostles.  There are histories, such as those written by Josephus, that provide evidence that what the New Testament says is historically accurate.  However, the actual teachings of Jesus are passed down to us in the writings of those who accompanied Jesus night and day for 3 years.  Thus, we can be certain that Jesus said:

For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.  These are what defile you.  Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.  (Matthew 15:19-20, NLT)

Apparently, Jesus thought adultery and sexual immorality were just as wrong as murder, theft, lying and slander.  Do we recognize Him as having authority to speak into our lives?  Do we believe that He is God?  What about His apostles?  Do they have authority?  Paul introduces himself as an apostle in order to establish his claim to authority and right/responsibility to write the letter.  Therefore, he says with the authority of Jesus:

Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God?  Don’t fool yourselves.  Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.  (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NLT)

There are several ways around this statement if we would like to justify our thievery or immorality.  We can question its authority.  We can question its authenticity or we can claim to have greater authority or wisdom.  The Corinthians were doing all three of these, but chief among them was the greater wisdom that they claimed to have developed.

We have come now to the point that it is necessary to talk about who Paul was writing to:  the Corinthians.

First, we see that the Corinthians were genuine believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul says of them:

I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people.  He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.  (1 Corinthians 1:2, NLT)

They are called holy or saints, depending on which translation one uses.  Paul also says that they have been given gracious gifts by Jesus and that God has enriched their church in every way.  We can understand then that while Paul was writing to address problems and issues in the Church at Corinth, it was because they were fellow believers and saints that he was addressing the problems.

However, they were proud of things that according to Paul would keep them from inheriting the kingdom of God.  Paul affirms that they were enriched in every way.  And, it becomes evident in the letter that follows that they had become proud of this and considered themselves superior because of it.  This pride became the source of divisions and many other problems in their fellowship.

Corinth was a trade city, and it was very prosperous.  It lay in a position between Italy and Asia that allowed it to profit by the traffic along a major trade route.  This also made it a multicultural and multiethnic center for that area of the world.  This meant that the city was a crossroads for different ideas, religions, philosophies and vices.  To behave as a Corinthian became euphemistic for behaving immorally.

Philosophically and morally, the Church in the United States has Corinthian-like influences.  Our media, our schools and many of our churches have forsaken the authority of the Apostles and of the Lord Jesus Christ for what they perceive is greater wisdom and enlightenment.

Even so, we can have the same confidence that the Apostle Paul expresses in the opening of his letter to the Corinthians.  We find this confidence in 1 Corinthians 1:7-9.

⁷Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.  ⁸He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.  ⁹God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  (NLT)

A summary statement would be, “Our confidence is in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  And, this is enough.  However, three elements of this confidence are worth considering.

First, we have every spiritual gift we need.

The Lord has poured out His Spirit and gifts on the Church in full measure.  We have gifted teachers, musicians, poets, scholars, pastors and ministries in abundance.  We have excellent Bible translations, study materials and available resources in all formats in incredible variety and abundance.  Radio programs, podcasts, YouTube and books beyond counting are available to us.  The abundance of gifts and provision both physical and spiritual that God has poured out upon His Church in the United States is truly remarkable.

However, gifts are not all that we need.  The second element in our confidence in God is His faithfulness. 

Paul says, “He will keep you strong.”

What a tremendous promise.  This promise is echoed in a number of places in the New Testament.  A favorite of mine is Philippians 1:6, which says:

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  (NLT)

This promise of God does not mean that we will not go through refining, fiery trials.  It means that God, in His faithfulness, will take us through whatever is necessary to refine, purify and sanctify us for Himself as a spotless bride.

It occurs to me to ask, “Do we want God’s gifts, or do we want God Himself?” 

Oh, for a heart for God, to love Him with heart and soul and strength as I have been commanded!  What treasure in life can compare with the treasure of knowing Jesus?

God is faithful.  We can have full confidence that He will complete the work He has begun.  But, it is important to realize what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15.

¹²Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.  ¹³But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done.  The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.  ¹⁴If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.  ¹⁵But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss.  The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.  (NLT)

What am I building with?  We must each ask ourselves this question.

Finally, a third element in our confidence is our calling.  Paul says, “…he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Like Paul, we have a calling, a purpose.

Our calling, purpose and mission give us great confidence.  My value is not found in superior wisdom or knowledge.  It is not found in my gifts or in me at all.  The calling of God fills my life with meaning, value and purpose.  Such confidence comes from having confidence in God.  This is why Paul could express such thankfulness even while writing to correct abuses, problems and divisions.

What is your confidence?

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[i] http://religionnews.com/2017/01/09/gay-couple-will-pastor-historic-baptist-dc-church/. Accessed November 15, 2017.