Examination and Salutation
Paul closes out 2nd Corinthians with a warning for the church. As we knew, they had not been doing what they should have been doing by allowing sinful ways to be accepted in their church. In 2 Corinthians 13:5 Paul says something that I think all of us need to do. He tells the church to "examine" themselves. He wants them to see for themselves if they are really with the faith. He told them to test themselves to see that Jesus is really in them. We ought to test with scripture, the Word of God. We do not test by looking at ourselves by how the world sees us but as God sees us.
Paul sends them off similarly to 1 Corinthians. He signs off the letter with encouragement. He wants to have "restoration," and encourages them to comfort and agree with one another living in peace. In verse 14, Paul says "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." May we all take some lessons from what Paul says and examine and test ourselves and also live in peace with others.
On another note, yet related, this young man Daniel says he is gay and goes to church. he says that he thinks it is okay to be Gay and be a Christian. I want to share a video I saw on Youtube from Ray Comfort as he shares the word in a very open and relaxing way. I respect the way that he did this and did not do what I have seen many do, which is openly condemn and insult people. That is not the way to win souls for Christ. Please watch
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Grace and Giving
In verse 7 Paul goes back on the sarcastic correction angle by reminding the Corinthian Christians, who have not excelled in faith, speech, knowledge and earnestness, that they should excel in in being gracious/giving grace to others. This could also have been Paul's way of saying "well if you say you have been excelling in these areas then I will take your word for it. If you excel in grace then you are following the example of Christ. Christ was very gracious unless someone was misusing the house of the Lord and twisting the word of God. That is when Christ was known to do more than just speak out.
In the next section (2 Corinthians 8:8-14) Paul deals with the topic of giving. While the Old Testament had a standard of 10% (tithe) we see in the New Testament examples of giving what you have available to give. Dave Guzik's commentary focuses on the idea of 10% being more of an expectation and being seen like a tax rather than a giving from the heart. This is where grace can abound in giving. We give graciously and not from rule or regulation but from the heart.When we go to church is out of obligation or because we want to? When we give to the church is out of what we can or is it just what we want to give? Heart check! It matters.
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Giving Up Rights
This chapter shows us how Paul is perhaps becoming frustrated to have to keep correcting things that have become excuses for the Corinthians Christians. They saw it as their right to eat meat that had been dedicated to idols, yet Paul says that they only have rights under Christ. He uses himself as an example that he has rights as a human as well, but since he is an apostle of Christ who has seen an accurate vision of Christ (post resurrection) that he submits to Christ rather than human desires and rights (1 Corinthians 9:1-7).
Paul had planted churches and decided to pay his own way through things rather than allow people to say that money was his motivation in the ministry. He points out that he has a right to do so but did not. The point here is that even though he has the right to do something, he chose not to, unlike the Corinthian Christians who had rights and gave into them rather than submit to the will of God (1 Corinthians 9:15).
Paul's final point was that athlete's do things for a prize, at the time it was a wreath. That prize does not last. But we as Christ followers "fight" for a prize that does not perish. that should be our focus on the prize that does not perish (1 Corinthians 9:26-27).
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From One God
This chapter is a short one, but let us understand one very important verse. In verse 6, Paul breaks down that there is one God who is our Father that created all things and is the reason we exist. Then he continues by telling us there is one Lord, that is Jesus, and through him (not from- see the difference) we exist and are all things. There was an issue with people dedicating food to idols and eating it and serving other "gods" but Paul needed the church to recognize that there is one God and no more.
Paul then reminds the church members in verses 7-13 that if their eating of a meat, especially one that is offered to a god and not God, then that could cause a brother to stumble. What we eat doesn't make God like us more or less, but we do need to honor God with what we eat and how much of it. In other words, we do not over eat or starve ourselves. Our body is to be a living sacrifice in all facets of life (Romans 12:1). Ultimately, we want to honor God with all we do and when it comes to eating food that was offered to idols, then a brother in Christ might see that and do the same. We honor God and we love others.
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Marriage and Living as You Are Called
Paul breaks down how men and women should treat their respective spouses. I have heard stories of spouses with holding sex from one another for whatever reason (not due to health reasons) and the marriage falls apart. I'm sure there are other reasons why it happens, but if you refuse to have sex with your spouse, what are you expecting to happen? Paul says that the wife has authority over her husband's body and the husband has authority over his wife's body. They are not to deprive one another (1 Corinthians 7:4-5). Deprivation isn't being done in love. That is often done due to bitterness, anger and unresolved hurts. We stop being loving when we no longer like that person. Also, notice that Paul did not make mention of men marrying men and women marrying women and how that should be done. Remember he has already spoken about homosexuality on numerous occasions.
Next, in 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 Paul addresses people in the church who were followers of Christ but were also confusing circumcision with being saved. It became a "Christ and", not just being saved by Grace. He mentions bondservants and how if they are that and are saved by grace then they are free in Christ. But if they get their physical freedom then they ought to take that opportunity. Serving the Lord was the priority, not your position or social standing.
Lastly, Paul discusses those who were not married. He was not speaking to the time and into the future, but specific to the time. There was a problem that he slightly touches on but doesn't go into detail. He tells them that married men are at a disadvantage in serving the Lord as they have to divide their attention to pleasing their wife and other worldly things. He is not saying that having a wife is bad or against God, but you know that if you are married, the joy of your spouse and the contentment within your marriage will be a concern that will need addressing on a regular basis. That is a fair statement, generally speaking. But, those who are not married can focus more on pleasing the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:35).
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Legality and Immorality
Paul confronts the church on trivial lawsuits. Church members were suing other church members over trivial issues. Paul asks if there is no one wise enough among them that could handle the small stuff instead of going to the outsiders/unbelievers. His point is if we cannot handle the small stuff with each other (other believers) then how can we be entrusted to judge angels. Paul even suggests that let yourself be cheated in examples like this rather than going to the courts. This does not mean in all situations we should just let others cheat us and take advantage of us. That is not God honoring, but in trivial things do not go to the courts, just let it go. We need to change the focus from what is happening to us and remember what Jesus went through so that we could be reconciled to God. He was tortured on our behalf. He could have stopped it but knew that the prophecies would be invalid and God's will would not be done. God sacrificed HUGE for us. It is time for us to start sacrificing for His glory (Romans 6:1-8).
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul really breaks it down for us telling us/the Church in Corinth who will not inherit the Kingdom of God. He tells that neither the unrighteous (those not submitted to God's will) nor the sexually immoral, nor those who have false idols, nor those who practice adultery, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor revilers (criticize in an insulting way) nor swindlers (scammers) will inherit the Kingdom of God. That is a long list? Why is it so long? I think it had to be because at the beginning of the section Paul says "do not be decived" which leads me to believe there were those who believed that they could do all those things and still get into Heaven. But I will take it a step further and say, if you do all of these things or even just one as a regular part of your life as an adopted practice, then is the Holy Spirit in you? The Holy Spirit will not lead you to scam people or cheat on your spouse or lead you to have homosexual relations. It is one thing to slip up, it is another to adopt it as part of your life and accept it and leave it for light (God) and dark (sin) cannot exist in the same place.
We are to flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18) and treat our body as a temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). That person you have been having sexual relations with, that isn't God honoring. Those drugs you have been doing are not doing anything good to your body. That is not God honoring. That food you have been eating and the exercise you have not had is not good for your body. That is not God honoring. One day we will leave this earth and we are not to ride our bodies into the ground full force but treat them well while we have them in order to show God we are thankful to him for what he gave us.
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Corinthians and Sexual Immorality
Paul also calls out another problem. Paul brings forth the issue of sexual immorality. He says even the Pagan don't practice this and here a church was welcoming a man who was engaged in sexual activity with his father's wife. Now, this could be a step mother or it could have been the man's birth mother, but either way, it was not his wife and was the wife of another man. Paul says that this person should be removed from the church. Many today would say "don't judge" and misquote Jesus and the meaning of what he was saying. We are to judge in the right spirit for those within the church.
Even though Paul wasn't there, he already passed judgement on the one who did this and said that person should be delivered to Satan. That does not mean that person needs to be a human sacrifice as per a ritual, but they need to be put out into the world which is Satan's domain.
Paul calls them out for being boastful about their ignoring this man's sin. His point is that it is not loving to accept sin of this kind into the church. We are all sinners, sure, but we cannot collectively as a church just accept sin as a-ok and ignore it like it isn't there. Paul warns us about associating with fellow Christ followers who indulge in sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, etc (1 Corinthians 5:11). We are not to judge those outside the church, but those on the inside.
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Favorites and Correction
Paul continues on the topic of favoritism and non-biblical attributes given to the teachers in the church. Being that Paul saw the dissension among these ideas he thought it wise to address it, which it was. Why see a problem and not address it? That makes no sense. The problem does not just go away if it is ignored. Problems need to be addressed and be done so respectfully. This is what we see here. Paul sees a problem in the church and brings it to light, not just from worldly teaching and what seems rational, but also what is spirit led. In 1 Corinthians 4:7, Paul points out that the church members also have gifts from God that help them in their lives, but as they should not be bragging about them, then they should not be comparing one teacher/leader to another as it pertains to the church.
1 Corinthians 4:14, I have heard people say that Paul was getting arrogant and shaming people in his letter to the Corinthians. I do not see it that way and neither did Paul. It was not a letter laced with insults and tirades. It was a letter that was written to correct what was breaking. If a parent tells a child to stop a behavior or they will get in trouble, the child can feel shamed but that does not mean that was the parent's intent. If you boss wants to correct a way that you take meeting notes, stock shelves or speak with customers, the intent is to correct, not to shame. We have to see the whole picture not just how we feel. Just because we feel something it doesn't mean that was the intent.
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God's Workers and Fields
In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul tells the church in Corinth that they are not yet spiritual people, yet they are of the flesh. Paul could only teach them with spiritual milk (like a baby) and not with spiritual meat (for the grown up believer). The focus had not been on God but on the ones who taught God's word. There was favoritism in the church.
While the favoritism can be attributed to the different sects of Christianity, I do not believe there were more sects of the faith at the time. The church as a whole was still growing. The word of Christ was still being delivered to those who didn't know of Christ. As we stand in 2016 the unity within the church could simply mean within your specific church. If you are favoring one pastor over another and only want to hear from one pastor then that could be part of why this church in Corinth was divided between those who followed Paul or Apollos.
One pastor waters and another may plant seeds, but they both have responsibilities under God who is the ultimate authority. If you are only likely to do what your pastor says and not read your Bible and seek to understand it on your own, you are doing yourself a disservice. We are all responsible for our role in our faith and our growth. God doesn't expect us to be experts in scripture to where we have to fill out tests when we reach the pearly gates. This isn't that kind of test. The test is while we are here. We are to learn and spread the word of Christ and be loving and not show partiality based on race or gender or anything. We are not to be partial. God does not want division in His temple (1 Corinthians 3:17).
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Spiritual Wisdom
Paul writes and tells the church in Corinth that they do impart wisdom among the mature (spiritually mature, but not regular earthly wisdom. The wisdom Paul is referring to is that of God. He calls it a secret hidden wisdom of God that God decreed before the ages (beginning of time). Paul says if the rulers of the current (at that time) age had known about this wisdom they would not have crucified Christ (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). Good point.
Paul also writes that they have received the spirit of God, not the spirit of the world (1 Corinthians 2:12). That is two differnet types of spirit. The spirit driven by man seeks to fulfill the man in which it dwells. The spirit of God drives people to glorify God's name. Self vs. others. People of the world will reject spiritual wisdom because it makes no sense to those as they are not discerning with the same spirit.
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Divisions in the Church
In this first letter from Paul to church in Corinth, Paul has some things wants to share with the church about what they have been struggling with. Paul had been instrumental in building the churches and helping them grow and so his letters serve as if they were to come from a mentor, but a mentor who is a Christ follower and was not after his own gain.
Paul saw division in the church. He saw that church members had favorites from the church leaders. The members of the church made it more about who they followed then actually keeping their worship to that of Christ and remembering what he did on the cross. In 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 he specifies that he is appealing to them to stop them and to recognize that Christ is not divided. yes we all have our roles, but one's role in the body of Christ is no more significant than other roles in the body.
We have to remember as followers of Christ to stay united with other believers and not cause division in the church. What kind of example are we setting for those that look at us from the outside. Abraham Lincoln is known for saying "A house divided against itself cannot stand." I'm sure that quote applies to the Civil War, but would it not stand true to a home where the family does not get along? How would they look to the community? What about a church full of people who are not united in Christ? How would it look to those who are not Christ followers? While we are not perfect, we Christ followers have to remember that we are examples, imperfect examples, but examples nonetheless of what it is to be a Christ follower.
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