365 Reflections

Is it for a better sense of self? A richer, fuller experience in life to live without regret? Is it for the sake of neighbors and friends? To be upstanding in the community? Is it for your own personal conscience to be freed from the disparaging nature of sin? What is your motivation for holiness? I'm afraid we often have the wrong one, which usually leads us to a self-righteous Pharisaical hypocrisy where in "everything we do is done for men to see." Paul, on the other hand, calls the believers of Corinth to come out from the idolatry of the unbelievers in 2 Corinthians 6:14 (ESV), saying "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" Then he tells us why we should seek holiness, or separateness from the worldly influence of people apart from God... 2 Corinthians 7:1 (ESV) Since we have these promises , beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from ever...

What is your commendation list? That little pile of accomplishments on which you are basing your value and worth in life? What does it look like? Are you proud of it? Are you still working for more of it... hoping and longing to cap it all off with a spectacular grand finale? Here is Paul's commendation list: 2 Corinthians 6:3–10 (ESV) We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet no...

2 Corinthians 5:17–19 (ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. "Self" is the new religion. You have have heard of #selfies, the hashtag designation of the social media world. It's basically a cheap way to buy self-adulation. Post a self portrait on your favorite social networking site and count the likes as jewels in your self-oriented crown. Self is the new religion. Perhaps this is why "being a good person" ranks so highly as the often thought "way to get to heaven." Of course! Who makes the opinion of you being good? You. Who judges you? You do. Who tells you what is good and what is not? Why, it'...

2 Corinthians 4:8–11 (ESV) We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. Following Jesus is easy if you don't actually do anything He wants you to do. If you don't bother to share your faith, it's easy. If you don't care about others, it's easy. If you don't serve and minister to people who may disregard you and dismiss you, it's easy. If you don't offend someone with the truth, it's easy. If you don't give sacrificially of your resources and means to make an unseen but eternal difference in the kingdom or someone else's life, it's easy. If you never let the Holy Spirit ...

2 Corinthians 4:2 (ESV)   But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. Paul is in his typical defense of ministry mode with the Corinthians throughout chapter 4. They thought he lost his passion (verse 1), they considered others with "letters of recommendation" much more valuable than he, and some even claimed he was dishonest and devious in his delivery of the Word of God... That sounds laughable.  Yet we often let the laughable criticisms bug us the most. But Paul is certain to point out - he never tampered with God's Word of truth. The temptation of every preacher is to "spice" up God's Word to make it interesting. While I'm all for making the Word come alive in exposition and creativity mixed with passion, we must be careful to draw a line. At some point ...

2 Corinthians 3:16–18 (ESV) But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. Paul is spending a considerable amount of time talking about Moses' veil and what it meant. When Moses came down from the mountain after speaking with God Exodus tells us his face shone with the glory of God. But after he spoke with them, he would put a veil over his face. Why? Because the glory would fade after a while. Then he would go back up and his face would glow again, he would teach the people and then his face would fade and the veil would be put back. He was kind of like a glow in the dark light.  Why did this happen? Paul tells us it was God's way of saying everything Moses was instituting was from ...

2 Corinthians 2:12–14 (ESV) When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. 14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. Paul writes something incredibly interesting here. An open door for Him in the Lord (preaching and teaching) in Troas was given to him. Yet the circumstance was uncomfortable. Why? His partner and friend Titus was not there.   How true it is that we need our brothers/sisters in Christ!  Do you want to be effective for the Lord? Get some brothers in the battlefield. You can't do this alone. Think about this... Paul who lived and died to preach the Gospel (1 Cor. 9:16) couldn't find comfort in preaching the Gospel without his friend and partner Titus. Do you...

Paul writes about an offender in 2 Corinthians that the church must now restore. Obviously, there has been repentance and remorse of his sin, and Paul is clear, they must welcome him back to the fellowship. Many people believe this is the man from 1 Corinthians 5 in the incestuous relationship with his stepmother, but we cannot be sure. We CAN be sure it was someone who wronged Paul personally, turning many people against him and his Apostolic ministry. He was dealt with by the Corinthians with proper discipline and he now seeks restoration within the body. What does Paul say? 2 Corinthians 2:8 (ESV) So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. How would we do in Paul's place? When someone turns people against us, are we ready to beg others to forgive and love them? Or are we a bit skeptical of their remorse? Are we slightly turned off by them? Do they now wear a "scarlet letter" in our minds? We may not be nasty to them but we may simply regard them as pre...

Paul wrote a tough letter in 1 Corinthians. He wrote it to straighten out a church gone awry. It was truthful, it was brutal. It was honest, it was necessary... and most of all, it was real love. The world sells us on this sappy, touchy feely love that means nothing. Christian love, Christ-centered love is not sappy, it is saturated with truth and honesty. That's what it really means to love. Paul expresses his anguish in love for writing the first Corinthian epistle in the second cahpter of the second Corinthian epistle: 2 Corinthians 2:4 (ESV) For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. It takes real love to confront someone. That's what the Bible does for us. It touches on our weakness and exposes the soft underbelly of our sinfulness. It cuts and it ultimately heals.  We need some Pauls in our lives. People who will tell us the truth even ...

Rick Warren calls them "E.G.R.s" People with whom E xtra G race is R equired. In the Kingdom of God, that is simply the case with some churches, small groups, ministries, Pastors, and regular old Christians. Perhaps you know of one. If you don't know any, it may be you... I digress. It would appear that for the Apostle Paul, the EGRs in his life were the Christians in Corinth. Consider that he wrote letters to several churches in the New Testament. Only one church more than one letter and two of them were added to the Canon. Most historians agree there was at least one other letter from Paul to Corinth which brings their total to three.  One church, at least three letters. It seems the Corinthians were Paul's "special project" of Grace. 2 Corinthians 1:13 (ESV) For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand.... 15 Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that ...

The common saying, "God will never give you more than you can handle." Paul says that's just wrong . 2 Corinthians 1:8–9 (ESV) For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death... Paul, the powerful and mightily used Apostle of Jesus Christ. The one the Holy Spirit inspired to write almost half of the New Testament. The Apostle that brought the Gospel to the utter reaches of the world said, "We were in a place that was BEYOND OUR STRENGTH." "Beyond our strength." That sounds like more than he could handle. The thing about "Christian lingo" is that it often conflicts with scripture. It sounds good and helpful, but its not accurate and can do a lot of damage. Before you throw out that next "Christianese comfort phrase" to someone in a d...

1 Corinthians 16:15–18 (ESV)  Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— 16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people. The first converts in Ahcaia were also the hardest working. It's often true of a new Church plant. Those who were there from the beginning and have their lives changed by Christ are often the ones who do a lot of the little things that make the church go. Notice Paul tells us they devoted themselves to the SERVICE of the saints. These were die hards. They were cleaning up long after most people went home. They were staying late praying with people who were going through a tough patch. They were the ones Paul coul...

1 Corinthians 16:9 (ESV) for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. This is an incredible verse because it highlights the new reality of the resurrection presented in the Gospel. Paul fully acknowledges the open door for effective work for Christ while at the same time acknowledging those opposing him. He's making a statement only possible because of the Gospel. The Gospel is about open doors.  We have an open veil straight to the presence of God as the temple veil was torn from top to bottom at Christ's death.  We have an open grave as Christ arose 3 days later triumphant and powerful. We have an open eye to see Christ as Lord and Savior. We have the scriptures opened to us through the illumination of the Holy Spirit (see Luke 24:45). We have an open grave where death no longer has the last word. We have an open ended ticket to heaven made possible by the blood of Jesus. In evangelism, we have an open do...

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. (1 Corinthians 16:1-4 ESV) Paul ends this letter with an admonition to give to the needs of the Jerusalem saints. Interestingly enough the church there has been tossed into a financial difficulty. This is not an instruction on tithing. It is an instruction on giving to another church far away in a tough financial period. Two things on that... First: We need to stop idealizing the community of Acts 2 at the expense of our own times. Yes, they were generous and shared all their resources. But soon after there were complaints about who wasn't gettin...

The Resurrection changes everything. Especially our work ethic. Paul concludes the best exposition of the truth of the Resurrection with this verse: 1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)  Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. There comes a time in life when we have to let it all go. How are you going to handle that? If you believe on Christ for your redemption and future resurrection, then you know what you have done with your life matters for eternity. There is a reward and a purpose behind everything you do for Him. If on the other hand you live as though this life is the end, what difference does it all make? You could live like Solomon with all his wisdom, wealth and fame who looked back on life and called it vanity. A big waste of time. Everything gets old after a while. Even what you think you desperately need to be happy will eventually let you down. Only the work of th...

Do you ever try to fathom the reality of the resurrection? Seriously, it's pretty amazing. Christ has risen and so will we. Keep that on the front burner of your faith. The Corinthians lost that and so fell into discord, sin and abusive practices among themselves. Paul brings up the resurrection without request. They didn't bring up in their letter to him. After dealing with the many problems of this charismatic yet deeply flawed body of believers, he focuses their minds to the message that started it all for them. 1 Corinthians 15:1–4 (ESV)  Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the ...

Sometimes you need to be reminded what to PRAY for... Paul is going to spend the 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians convincing us to put the gift of prophecy near the top of our list! Paul tells us to desire and seek the gift of prophecy in a loving heart. 1 Corinthians 14:1 (ESV)  Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. When it comes to tongues or prophecy? Paul says choose prophecy. 1 Corinthians 14:5 (ESV) Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. (Not to be lost on that passage is Paul's desire for all of them to speak in tongues as well.) But he clearly wants them to prophesy more... 1 Corinthians 14:19 (ESV) in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. Paul uses the word for prophes...

You hear it at weddings almost 80% of the time. 1 Corinthians 13 is one of the most often read and hear passages in the Bible. And because of that, it has lost the depth, dimension and impact on many who hear it from the pulpit of those who preach on it. Let's get this straight. 1 Corinthians 13 is not lofty sentimentality or a soothing good luck speech to bride and groom. It is not a "how to be nice" passage. It is not a work of Shakespeare or beautiful poem in harmony with other forms of great literature. 1 Corinthians 13 is the very living breathing Word of God for our correction, instruction, training and reproof! It is here to equip us and bring us to the reality of all that God is in love so that we may grow in love.  God is love and love is serious business. The Greek Word "agape" used in this chapter was not a common word for Greeks in this day. It was adopted into the Greek New Testament because all other words for love fell short of the love th...

Are you spiritual? Do you consider yourself a spiritual Christ follower? There are simple tests to determine whether or not you are. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul seeks to inform a church filled with people who are very gifted in the Spirit about the reality of what being spiritual is all about. A Spirit-filled person is someone who allows the Spirit to control what they have and where they fit in the body of Christ. The gifts of the Spirit "are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills." 1 Corinthians 12:11 I think we forget the Holy Spirit is a Person. He has a will and a plan. He works through the church according to His plan to build up the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit's main objective is not to make your dreams come true. It is to build up the Body. Are we concerned for the body? Or are we concerned for ourselves? Paul make it clear the reason why you are where you are is so that you will love the body of Christ. ...

Christian unity is essential for any church. And the Corinthians didn't have it. 1 Corinthians 11:18–19 (ESV) 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. The heart of division and sectarianism in any local church is a desire for someone to "feel" or seem important. That is what Paul is saying here. They Corinthians divided among themselves in a way to look down on others. At it's heart, that is what division is about. Consider Satan - who created the first division in heaven sought to be important, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’" Isaiah 14:14. And so a third of the angels divided from the rest and fell. To remedy the division of the body, Paul brings them back to the Lord's table. Its time to r...

1 Corinthians 11 is on of the most challenging passages to interpret in all of the New Testament. Paul is going to spend a considerable amount of time discussing wearing "hats" in church. He's going to say that a woman must wear a hat and a man should never wear a hat. But how are we to interpret this in 21st-century America? 1 Corinthians 11:4–5 (ESV) Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. As always context matters. What was happening in Corinth at the time of this writing that helps us to understand the practical application for worship in the corporate setting? Corinth was made of large Greek and Roman segments of society. The Christians there came from the influence of Greek mythology and the paganism of Rome. According to the custom of the Romans, whenever a woman committed adultery her h...

It's always amazing how good things can so easily become ultimate things. There were those in the church at Corinth who felt strong enough as Christians to indulge in whatever meat was available. Just like today there are many Christians who can do some things other Christians couldn't handle due to their past addictions. But Paul warns the strong. He tells them not to get overconfident. He shows them how Israel is a great example. That thought they walked through water and were led by the cloud and saw the miracles of Moses - even still - they soon forsook God and worshipped idols soon after. The point? Idolatry is crafty. Even after you've been saved. If we have moved on from drugs, materialism, addiction, lust and other famous sins, once saved our heart goes to work fashioning newer, "more acceptable" idols for our post-conversion life. Pride, arrogance, "super" Christianity that begins to think I can do it on my own! We never come to a place whe...

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul illustrates the concept of paid church leaders using "secular industries. When someone works hard at something: farming, cooking, plowing, they are the first to share in the material reward of that work - it's called pay. He says Apostles and church leaders have the same right. But he goes deeper... 1 Corinthians 9:11 (ESV) If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? He says we planted spiritual blessings among you... that's a BIG DEAL and a HUGE BENEFIT to your life.  Because of that benefit to you we have a right to receive back material benefits from you. Why? Because God's Word sown in any context is a tremendous blessing. The problem in many churches is that they simply don't pay their pastors properly. I know, we see the rare abuses on TV from the guy probably taking advantage of the sheep to line his own pockets. But let us not put that burden on the local farmer in God...

We Christians need to get something straight. We are bound to each other. The privileges of a community where we give and receive love inevitably limits our freedom. Freedom for the Christian is not some sort of self-actualization wherein I can become the real me at the expense of others, refuse to receive correction and live how I want to live. Consider the case of 1 Corinthians 8. The chapter on food sacrificed to idols. In the church, some had no problem eating such meat while others were terribly disturbed by such an action. Paul makes clear that we understand idols are false, there is only one true God. Therefore, any meat offered to some pagan deity was actually offered to nothingness. The freedom of knowing the truth of Christ and His Gospel allowed for any Christian to eat as one wished. However, there were some in the church who were "weak". They could not allow themselves to partake due to conscience. God had saved them from idolatry. How could they continue in ...

I appreciate how the Bible gives us a very down to "Earth" picture of marriage. Marriage is of this age and ends with this age. Jesus said it and Paul backed the sentiment up in 1 Corinthians 7. 1 Corinthians 7:32–35 (ESV) I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. Paul makes clear the best and freest way to serve the Lord is apart from the responsibilities and duties of marriage. Now, I'm married and it is very easy for me to say this but m...

1 Corinthians 7:17 (ESV) Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. A great rule indeed. It should be a motto for Christians in all circles everywhere. Stop worrying about someone else's life and lead the one you have. It's been assigned by God! Evidently Paul wrote this during a period of strong anti-semitism. Some Jewish boys in Corinth were having an operation done to hide their circumcision and get ahead in society.  Could you imagine the pain and agony they went through without anesthesia just to impress others?!   But we do the same. We go through pains to please people, to make more money, to get ahead, to be important. All the while forgetting that our Lord has assigned us to where we are. You have to get to a point where you accept it. Not settling for less... no, I'm talking about being great with what God puts in your hands! You may feel gifted to do ...

It continually astounds me how often the Bible, 2000 years old now, continues to be backed up by observable science. Observable, as in we can touch and see it. Not philosophical guesstimating as to how old the Earth is. Consider the following statement from Paul to a Church filled with sexually immoral people: 1 Corinthians 6:18 (ESV) 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body . Sexual sin is different. It just is. It hurts your body. Any cursory study of the STD epidemic in the world will prove this scripture 1000% reliable. The world has no problem flaunting sexual immorality and the Church needs to have no problem talking about it plainly! Today sex sells and sells and sells. Is it any wonder why? Who does Satan hate almost as much as he hates God? You and I. What will destroy us faster than any other sin? Sexual immorality. Nevermind the diseases physically, there are co...