Coming to the Still Waters

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 15:29-34, which read,   v.29 - Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead?  If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? Chapter 15 is about the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of His followers.  This gospel has been preached by Paul to the Christians at the church in Corinth.  There are some who are following others who were teaching that Christians are not resurrected from the dead.  Paul goes through the domino effect to show that if you don't hold that domino up that Jesus taught then other dominoes of the faith fall to end up with us still being in our sins that Christ died for on the cross.  Our faith is in vain and the faith of those who have already died is also in that vain faith.  Paul takes them back to what Jesus did and what Jesus will do in the future to defeat the one, Satan, who is feeding this idea and teaching and to defeat even ...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 15:20-28, which read,   v.20-22 - But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.  For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.   Yesterday Paul gave us the domino effect of the faith when we do not hold fast to one part of it.  The Christians in the church in Corinth were not holding fast to the resurrection of the dead.  The domino effect goes like this.  If one does not believe in the resurrection of the dead then Jesus didn't resurrect from the dead.  If Jesus didn't resurrect from the dead then Paul's and Jesus' teaching was in vain.  If Paul's and Jesus' teaching was in vain then your faith is in vain.  If your faith is in vain then Paul and Jesus were false teachers for teaching the resurrection of the dead.  If Paul and Jesus were fals...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, which says,   v.12-14 - Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Yesterday Paul laid out the gospel message.  Christ died for our sins...He was buried...He was raised on the third day...He appeared...all according to the Scriptures.  This is what Paul preached to them that was not a message of his own but one given to him by Scripture and by God.  They heard or understood the message, received or agreed with the message and then stood or committed to the message.  Paul instructed them to hold fast or continually live in the message of the gospel that had been given to them. After all of that there were some among the Christians in the chu...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 15:3-11, which read, v.3-8 - For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  After He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.   Many believe that this section of Scripture may have been a congregational reading about the gospel because of its short segments and creed type format.  Each phrase is so important about Jesus and also about the reliability to verify what is being said. This was of first importance of Paul to tell the Christians in the church in Corinth about Jesus.  What he is telling them is not origina...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 15:1, 2, which read,   v.1, 2 - Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. Paul is starting to wrap up the letter to the Christians in the church of Corinth after handling many issues that were happening in the church.  Chapter 15 will deal with the resurrection of Jesus, all 58 verses. Paul starts with the phrase in verse 2 of "unless you believed in vain" and ends with the phrase in verse 58 of "knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord."   He wants to knock being vain out of the church when it comes to the subject of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and its fact in the life of the Christian. First, it has been made known to them through the telling of gospel which Paul preached to them.  Paul publicly told them a...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 14:34-40, which read,   v.34-36 The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.  If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.  Was it from you that the word of God first went forth?  Or has it come to you only? This is one passage that was tempting to skip over but here it is.  Let's keep in context to what we have been studying.  The church in Corinth has a worship service that is in chaos.  All are speaking in a tongue and there is no interpretation so it is no benefit to the body of Christ.  They are all prophesying with no reference to the Scriptures so anything is being said as prophesy.  Now Paul says that this is not only happening by the men of the church but also the women of the church. The women were doing ...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 14:26-33, which read,   v.26 - What is the outcome then, brethren?  When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation.  Let all things be done for edification. The church in Corinth has been in chaos because the spiritual gifts have become something to promote self rather than an instrument used by God to edify the body of Christ.  The love of service has been replaced by the pride of sin to create divisions and factions within the body.  Paul mentions here that "each one" is displaying all these spiritual gifts at the same time and what is the outcome?  Apparently what they are doing in the name of spiritual gifts is not edifying the body of Christ.   v.27, 28 - If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the churc...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 14:20-25, which read,   v.20 - Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. Paul is continuing his instruction on the spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit and especially the spiritual gift of tongues or languages that is tied with the spiritual gift of interpretation.  Paul is telling the Christians in the Corinthian church to be mature in their thinking about spiritual gifts, not to be childish in this matter and not let evil abound.  "Yet in evil be infants" means to let evil be as an infant that is inexperienced in practicing it.  We have seen that they have been experiencing evil even within the area of spiritual gifts because they have allow pride to cause division and factions in the church instead of love guiding the use of those spiritual gifts for the benefit of others.  v.21, 22 - In the Law it is written, "By men of strange tongues and by...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 14:13-19, which read, v.13-17 - Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.  For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.  What is the outcome then?  I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.  Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?  For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. One of the key elements of spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit to the believer is the edification of the body of Christ.  Those spiritual gifts are given for the service of others.  Those spiritual gifts, given on purpose by the Holy Spirit to bring glory to God are to care for God's family, the body of Christ, the church....

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 14:6-12, which read,   v.6-8 - But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?  Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?  For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? Let us give some review this morning.  Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit of the benefit of the body of Christ, the church.  Paul is comparing a true spiritual gift of prophecy that was a clear benefit to the body of Christ against an activity that was happening in the church in Corinth that looked like the spiritual gift of tongues but it wasn't because there was not the gift of interpretation to translate the language to benefit...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 14:1-5 which read,   v.1 - Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. The more excellent way is to have love at the core of the use of the spiritual gift given to the believer by the Holy Spirit.  Paul gave us the definition of that love in chapter 13 and closed with love being the greatest because it continues on when spiritual gifts will not be needed when the end comes and we are in the presence of the Lord.  The love guides the use of the spiritual gifts of the Spirit within the body of Christ. Paul tells all of us to pursue love.  Love knocks out pride and its effects of divisions and factions in the church.  Paul tells us all to desire earnestly spiritual gifts.  This is a desire to see them used and being a benefit to the body of Christ.  We all benefit when the spiritual gifts are used with love guiding their use. Now Paul is going to compare a r...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 13:8-13, which read,   v.8 - Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. The more excellent way given by Paul through the Scripture that is inspired and given by the Holy Spirit is that love be at the core of the believer as he or she uses that spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit.  Love is patient and kind, not jealous and arrogant, not rejoicing in unrighteousness but rejoicing in the truth and much, much more.  The love spoken of by Paul knocks out any pride being displayed when it comes to the spiritual gifts.  Paul starts this section with the fact that love never fails, it never ends.  The gift of prophecy will end because at some point all will be fulfilled.  The gift of tongues will cease because that spiritual gift sign is needed no more because there will ultimately be one la...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, which read,   Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. What is the more excellent way that Paul want us and the Christians in the Corinthian church to know about the spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit?  We found out yesterday that it is love at the core of the use of those spiritual gifts.  The church was grading spiritual gifts and using them to promote themselves rather than promoting God.  The definition of spiritual gifts was needed and also the purpose of them to serve others rather than serving oneself.  With love at the core of the use of the spiritual gifts, it drives out pride in some spiri...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, which read, If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. What is the more excellent way that Paul is going to share about the spiritual gifts? Paul has pointed out that the Christians in Corinth had desired spiritual gifts and displayed signs of spiritual gifts that can only be given by God and not created by man.  Those spiritual gifts are for God's glory and not our own.  In addition, those spiritual gifts are for the good of the body of Christ, for others, and not for ourselves.  There are various spiritual gifts placed in the body...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, which read,   v.27, 28 - Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.  And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. Paul is concluding this word picture of the physical body and its many members and how they are to work together and for the benefit of one another.  He says the physical body is to represent Christ's body, the church, and it has many members, the believers in Christ, that are to work together and for the benefit of one another. Paul then gives us another list but this time the spiritual gifts are attached to persons within the church.  Some of the list is in title form of the spiritual gifts like apostles, prophets, and teachers while others are of the action of the spiritual gifts like miracles, gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various...

Here is Buddy!!!

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 12:20-26, which read, v.20, 21 - But now there are many members, but one body.  And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the hand to the feet, "I have no need of you." Paul continues the word picture of the human body as one and its many members to relate to the body of Christ as one and its many members and their various spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit.  Yesterday the focus was that of being not content with the spiritual gift that we have been given or using it as false humility to not being useful to God or the rest of the body. Today it is using the spiritual gift to show a false superiority over another because of the spiritual gift that that you have.  I think a very important point about spiritual gifts is coming.  The spiritual gifts are of equal importance but they also have distinct roles.  The distinct roles might put some spiritual gifts more in the open but it ...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 12:14-19, which read,   v.14 - For the body is not one member, but many. This issue of the letter to the Christians in the Corinthian church is the instruction about the spiritual gifts given to believers by the Holy Spirit.  There are other manifestations of other religions and cults that have crept into the church and distinction is needed if something is of the Spirit of God or not of the Spirit of God.  The first flag was that spiritual gifts are held by those who hold that Jesus is Lord and there is no other.  The second flag is the definition of spiritual gifts that includes that they are for others and not ourselves.  The third flag is the giving of the various spiritual gifts and each is tied to the same Spirit, so they are coming from same originating source.  The fourth flag is that spiritual gifts are only held by those immersed in Christ and filled with the Spirit and not by those nominally conne...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13, which read, v.12 - For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. Paul is introducing a major illustration to help with the teaching of the spiritual gifts.  The main point here with using the word picture of the human body is that the spiritual gifts work together in the scope of the whole church like the parts of your body work together in the scope of your whole physical body. This illustration can be dived into very deeply because we cherish the members of our physical body.  We probably cherish them even more as we start to lose some of them or the use of some of the physical members of our physical bodies.  I am reminded daily of what I don't have anymore.  What a function that part of the body I don't have anymore served the whole body.  Each has a purpose, even the appendix which many thought had n...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, which read,   For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. Paul now gives us a list of some of the spiritual gifts.  The spiritual gifts are given to the believer by the Spirit with the indication over and over of the phrase, "by the same Spirit."   The Spirit gives the gifts of the spirit and also does the work of the spiritual gifts.  The believer is just a channel of the work of the Spirit through the gift of that spiritual gift to hi...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, which read,   Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.  There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Paul opened up the conversation about another issue in the Corinthian church with yesterday's devotion.  Things had crept into the church that were not of the Spirit and they needed a warning and teaching on what was of the Spirit and what was not.  The first red flag was someone saying at one point "Jesus is accursed" and then in the next breath saying "Jesus is Lord."  The pagan religions had manifestations that brought and attracted people's attention.  Where the things of the Holy Spirit just the same as those?  Paul is giving this instruction so that they would not be unaware in this matter. ...

Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 12:1-3, which read,   v.1 - Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. Paul is introducing another issue in the church in Corinth that will take up three chapters.  As with the other issues of the church, this will also be relevant to us today as the church continues to struggle with the issue of spiritual gifts or literally "pertaining to the Spirit."   I really like John MacArthur summary of what spiritual gifts are.   "Spiritual gifts are divine enablements for ministry that the Holy Spirit gives in some measure to all believers and that are to be completely under His control and used for the building of the church to God's glory." This must be another issue that Paul will have to define for the Christians in Corinth again who had many pagan religions and practices around them that focused on the supernatural and "out of body" experiences.  He did not want them ...