"But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God."
This verse introduces the issue of head coverings, a sign of submission, by indicating that submission is necessary. We all are in some kind of leadership role—whether by human appointment, divine design, or simply by practical default. And in that leadership role, we have people following us.
The husband, realizing the headship he has in the marriage relationship, could easily think that he is better than the wife. But the fact that one is in a position of leadership or authority over another does not necessarily indicate superiority. This is the main point of the verse, but I think that it is an important truth that can legitimately be supported by the verse. The main point is simply to clarify the the position of husband, wife and God.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
1 Corinthians 11:2
"Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you."
It is encouraging that God would move the author to commend the Corinthians for "maintain[ing] the traditions." The Corinthian believers had so many problems: moral failures, idolatry, distortion of God's ordinances, and selfish, loveless use of spiritual giftedness. And yet, they are commended.
It is not wise to compare yourself with others to make yourself appear better. But it is comforting to know that God continued to work with these people who would seem to have more problems than most of our churches. God's mercy lead kept Him from abandoning these unworthy vessels. Instead of leaving them to themselves, God corrected them.
It is encouraging that God would move the author to commend the Corinthians for "maintain[ing] the traditions." The Corinthian believers had so many problems: moral failures, idolatry, distortion of God's ordinances, and selfish, loveless use of spiritual giftedness. And yet, they are commended.
It is not wise to compare yourself with others to make yourself appear better. But it is comforting to know that God continued to work with these people who would seem to have more problems than most of our churches. God's mercy lead kept Him from abandoning these unworthy vessels. Instead of leaving them to themselves, God corrected them.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
1 Corinthians 11:1
"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."
I do not think that I would be comfortable ever making this statement myself. But the undeniable fact is that we are imitators by nature, and we will be imitated by others whether we ask for it or not. Therefore, we ought to endeavor to make our lives worth imitating. And the only that we can do that is by imitating Christ.
But to imitate Christ, we must first know what He is like. So learn of Christ. See Him foreshadowed in the Old Testament. Watch Him minister in flesh in the gospels. Listen to people testify of Him in the book of Acts. Understand more of what He did through the epistles. And learn what He will do in the future in the book of Revelation.
And as you learn more about Him, as you draw into a closer relationship with Him, be like Him. That doesn't mean that we gather twelve disciples and travel around the holy land performing miracles. It means that we pattern our manner of behavior after His character. We emulate His sacrificial love, His patient endurance, and His many other qualities (all of which are honorable).
If we do this, it will be a good thing when people pattern their lives after our own.
I do not think that I would be comfortable ever making this statement myself. But the undeniable fact is that we are imitators by nature, and we will be imitated by others whether we ask for it or not. Therefore, we ought to endeavor to make our lives worth imitating. And the only that we can do that is by imitating Christ.
But to imitate Christ, we must first know what He is like. So learn of Christ. See Him foreshadowed in the Old Testament. Watch Him minister in flesh in the gospels. Listen to people testify of Him in the book of Acts. Understand more of what He did through the epistles. And learn what He will do in the future in the book of Revelation.
And as you learn more about Him, as you draw into a closer relationship with Him, be like Him. That doesn't mean that we gather twelve disciples and travel around the holy land performing miracles. It means that we pattern our manner of behavior after His character. We emulate His sacrificial love, His patient endurance, and His many other qualities (all of which are honorable).
If we do this, it will be a good thing when people pattern their lives after our own.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:31-33
"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved."
Talk about your universal principles! All of my actions should be done to the glory of God. Should I eat that meat, drink that beverage, watch that TV show, go to that place, say that thing? Does it bring glory to God? Does it point to the excellency of His name? If so, then I can do it.
The surrounding verses address our responsibility to avoid offending people. Avoiding offense should glorify God. But verse thirty-one clarifies that avoiding offense and being people pleaser are two very different things. There is a way to avoid offending people that is motivated by a desire for them to think better of you, but that is seeking your own advantage and does not glorify God.
We should be aware of personal and cultural differences, and seeking the good of others, we should be sensitive to those differences. But there are some things in the Christian's message that are going to offend people (all people), and there is no getting around it. Avoiding offense by being unfaithful to the truth does not glorify God, but neither does offending people unnecessarily. If people are offended, they should be offended by the truth and not by you, your presentation of the truth, or your selfish desire for advancement.
Talk about your universal principles! All of my actions should be done to the glory of God. Should I eat that meat, drink that beverage, watch that TV show, go to that place, say that thing? Does it bring glory to God? Does it point to the excellency of His name? If so, then I can do it.
The surrounding verses address our responsibility to avoid offending people. Avoiding offense should glorify God. But verse thirty-one clarifies that avoiding offense and being people pleaser are two very different things. There is a way to avoid offending people that is motivated by a desire for them to think better of you, but that is seeking your own advantage and does not glorify God.
We should be aware of personal and cultural differences, and seeking the good of others, we should be sensitive to those differences. But there are some things in the Christian's message that are going to offend people (all people), and there is no getting around it. Avoiding offense by being unfaithful to the truth does not glorify God, but neither does offending people unnecessarily. If people are offended, they should be offended by the truth and not by you, your presentation of the truth, or your selfish desire for advancement.
Friday, February 8, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:24-30
"Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For 'the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.' If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. But if someone says to you, 'This has been offered in sacrifice,' then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?"
Christian liberty is not about Christians being allowed to do whatever they want to do. Doing what you want is seeking your own good (or at least your own perceived good). That is what is natural, but it isn't Christian liberty. Christian liberty involves your willingness to seek the good of your neighbor instead of your own good.
Consider the inspired example. There is nothing wrong with eating any meat even if it was formerly involved in a temple sacrifice. If someone gives you some meat, you are allowed to eat it without any concern about its origin. But if you are with someone else and they are bothered by the idea of eating meat once offered to idols, you should not eat it. "But why should I do that? I am right. He is wrong." Yes, but you want to do him good. Abstaining is the right thing to do.
What are the universal principles?
Christian liberty is not about Christians being allowed to do whatever they want to do. Doing what you want is seeking your own good (or at least your own perceived good). That is what is natural, but it isn't Christian liberty. Christian liberty involves your willingness to seek the good of your neighbor instead of your own good.
Consider the inspired example. There is nothing wrong with eating any meat even if it was formerly involved in a temple sacrifice. If someone gives you some meat, you are allowed to eat it without any concern about its origin. But if you are with someone else and they are bothered by the idea of eating meat once offered to idols, you should not eat it. "But why should I do that? I am right. He is wrong." Yes, but you want to do him good. Abstaining is the right thing to do.
What are the universal principles?
- What you want isn't the most important thing.
- It might be right for you to temporarily surrender a perfectly acceptable practice for the good of another.
- Offending the conscience of another Christian can damage them.
- Surrendering your rights is not the same thing as allowing your conscience to be manipulated.
- While you should seek to avoid offending individuals, you shouldn't let public opinion rule over you.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:23
"'All things are lawful,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up."
All things are lawful? What!? The statement seems completely preposterous following the stern warning of the previous verses not to commit idolatry. Does this mean then that idolatry is lawful? Absolutely not! The prohibition in the previous verses was for the Christian not to participate in the pagan ceremonies, which often involved eating meat. That is idolatrous demon worship.
This verse begins a clarification that the meat itself is not the issue. The meat is nothing. In fact, that same meat offered to idols (that was wrong for the Christian to eat in the ceremony) can be resold in the meat market, and Christian can eat it without shame. There are no mystical powers that Satan has on meat or any other object. If you are not involved in the idolatry, it is lawful to eat.
But there is another consideration beyond lawfulness. The next verses will further develop the concept that we are to engage in lawful practices that help others by making them better, stronger Christians. When determining whether or not engage in a certain activity, I should not merely ask myself if it is alright for me to do the activity. I must consider if engaging in the lawful activity will be good for others. Far from granting the Christian a license to do whatever he wants, this verse calls us to greater accountability for our actions.
All things are lawful? What!? The statement seems completely preposterous following the stern warning of the previous verses not to commit idolatry. Does this mean then that idolatry is lawful? Absolutely not! The prohibition in the previous verses was for the Christian not to participate in the pagan ceremonies, which often involved eating meat. That is idolatrous demon worship.
This verse begins a clarification that the meat itself is not the issue. The meat is nothing. In fact, that same meat offered to idols (that was wrong for the Christian to eat in the ceremony) can be resold in the meat market, and Christian can eat it without shame. There are no mystical powers that Satan has on meat or any other object. If you are not involved in the idolatry, it is lawful to eat.
But there is another consideration beyond lawfulness. The next verses will further develop the concept that we are to engage in lawful practices that help others by making them better, stronger Christians. When determining whether or not engage in a certain activity, I should not merely ask myself if it is alright for me to do the activity. I must consider if engaging in the lawful activity will be good for others. Far from granting the Christian a license to do whatever he wants, this verse calls us to greater accountability for our actions.
1 Corinthians 10:22
"Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?"
The first question warns us not to be spiritually unfaithful, knowing that our God is a righteously jealous God. The second question is a natural continuation of the warning in the first question. The warning calls us to realize that if we make God jealous, we are making the only all-powerful sovereign of the universe jealous. We are not stronger then he, so we should not be unfaithful.
Jealousy—at first it seems out of character for God. How can jealousy ever be right? It can be right if it is without sin. We are God's and God is willing to fight for us. In my mind it is like a husband who thwarts the efforts of a man who would steal his wife. We look at jealousy and think of the distrust and unnecessary anger of an insecure husband. But jealousy is not that way when God is involved. God is perfectly secure, He simply wishes to protect that which is His—namely you. It is for your good and His glory that He is jealous for you.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:18-21
"Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons."
All sin is bad, but for the Christian to participate in idolatry is particularly heinous. In our devotional time, my wife and I are currently reading in Judges. Over and over the people of Israel turned from the one true God and worshiped idols, and over and over God punished them for it. Why? Why make such a big deal about the matter? Why record it for countless others to read? Why does it matter?
To worship false gods is horrible, but to know the true God to worship Him and then to worship the false gods is even worse. How can one align himself with the sovereign of the universe, claiming to have a close personal relationship with Him, if he also worships demons? It is incomprehensible. Worship of the living God and worship of the no-god idols are mutually exclusive.
Today, most of the western world does not have figurines to which they sacrifice, pray, and show honor. Traditional idol worship still goes on in the world, but most idol worship has left what we generally think of as idolatry and has become more subtle. Instead of brass, gold, and wood figurines, we have set our self-will, desires, and passions up as modern day idols. This more sophisticated method of idolatry may seem less offensive, but it takes you away from the worship of the true God and is equally demonic. We must worship God and Him alone.
All sin is bad, but for the Christian to participate in idolatry is particularly heinous. In our devotional time, my wife and I are currently reading in Judges. Over and over the people of Israel turned from the one true God and worshiped idols, and over and over God punished them for it. Why? Why make such a big deal about the matter? Why record it for countless others to read? Why does it matter?
To worship false gods is horrible, but to know the true God to worship Him and then to worship the false gods is even worse. How can one align himself with the sovereign of the universe, claiming to have a close personal relationship with Him, if he also worships demons? It is incomprehensible. Worship of the living God and worship of the no-god idols are mutually exclusive.
Today, most of the western world does not have figurines to which they sacrifice, pray, and show honor. Traditional idol worship still goes on in the world, but most idol worship has left what we generally think of as idolatry and has become more subtle. Instead of brass, gold, and wood figurines, we have set our self-will, desires, and passions up as modern day idols. This more sophisticated method of idolatry may seem less offensive, but it takes you away from the worship of the true God and is equally demonic. We must worship God and Him alone.
Monday, February 4, 2008
1 Corinthians 10:15-17
"I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread."
We, who are Christians, are in an intimate relationship with Christ and with all who are His. We are connected to one another, all being members/organs/integral parts of the same body—the church. And if each of us is part of the body, then the actions of each individual reflect on the whole. If one ministers the word or gives a cup of cold water, the church takes part in it. But if one practices idolatry then the church does so as well.
If you get caught stealing, you would not think to object, “Oh, no! That wasn’t me that stole. That was my hand.” Why not? You would never give that excuse because you know it would never get by. Yes, your hand stole it, but your hand is part of your body. Therefore you stole it not just your hand. This is part of the reason why sin is such a big deal. You, as a Christian individual, reflect upon the church as a whole. What kind of reflection are you casting?
We, who are Christians, are in an intimate relationship with Christ and with all who are His. We are connected to one another, all being members/organs/integral parts of the same body—the church. And if each of us is part of the body, then the actions of each individual reflect on the whole. If one ministers the word or gives a cup of cold water, the church takes part in it. But if one practices idolatry then the church does so as well.
If you get caught stealing, you would not think to object, “Oh, no! That wasn’t me that stole. That was my hand.” Why not? You would never give that excuse because you know it would never get by. Yes, your hand stole it, but your hand is part of your body. Therefore you stole it not just your hand. This is part of the reason why sin is such a big deal. You, as a Christian individual, reflect upon the church as a whole. What kind of reflection are you casting?
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