1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
In this first verse Paul is referring to some of the converted Christians and are still following and sacrifices that are no longer necessary. He lets us see in this verse it still good to follow the law of God but we do it of our own free will. Jesus covered us with His blood which took care of the law but we still need to be obedient to God. Obeying is an act of our own free will. We obey, because we know that it will please God, and we want to please Him. He is also saying he will not be a servant to sin. In this other verse we see that there is a comparison between food and the body and we should also realize that both of these will perish. Our body is the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit and my belly, along with my body, should not be my God. They will perish and the real me will live in my new spiritual body that Jesus will provide me. Since the body is such a temporary thing then we should not elevate it to godhood.
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Now Paul reminds us that before we were saved we to committed some of theses sins and it was the purpose of Christ who came to save us from those sins. We were washed by a spiritual cleansing and regeneration. Sanctified being set apart to a new behavior of obedience and holiness. Justified which means just as if we had never sinned. We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ because in His death our sins were put to His account. so that His righteousness might be put to an account, so that we might be blessed. Finally we see and know the Holy Spirit is the agent of salvation’s transformation. Everyone who ever lived has sinned and come short of the glory of God but He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and wash us in His precious blood. We are saved by the grace of God. When He saves us, we become a new creature in Christ.
James 1:2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, 3 knowing that the trying of your faith develops patience. 4 But let patience perfect its work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally and without criticism, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, without wavering. For he who wavers is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed with the wind. 7 Let not that man think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. (MEV)
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Ya’ll know how I feel about praying for patience – there’s only one way to develop it, and that’s to use it. Just like a muscle; it isn’t going to get stronger unless it’s exercised.
And it’s certainly hard to be happy when you’re going through things – I’ve talked to several close friends lately who’ve been put through the ringer. It ain’t fun. It ain’t a good time. It’s TOUGH.
So yesterday, as I was riding to Bible study, I had to pull over to put my gloves on – and while I was stopped, I remembered these verses. I’d had a headache since last Thursday- not a really bad one, just enough to make me think about it, and enough to keep my attention slightly off center. There were several places I went over the weekend that I had to fight to make myself go- the youth rally Saturday night, church Sunday morning, Bible study last night. I knew I needed to be there but it was hard not to just sit at the house and fight this headache.
I”m standing there, beside the road, wind blowing in my face, trying to get my gloves on right while watching oncoming traffic, and I finally had enough. I reminded the “passenger” that’s been trying to ride me since last week that there was only ONE empty spot on that seat, and it didn’t belong to him. I rode off, and within just a little bit, my headache was gone. I guess I left it out by Dong Won, with the one who’s been causing it.
Ya’ll be careful who (and what) you give a ride to.
1 Corinthians 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
The sins we see here in verse 10 are bad sins also but they are of a different nature from those in verse 9. The sins in verse 9 dealt with the body where the holy spirit resides and these in verse 10 happen outside the body. First Paul mentions thieves and covetous which are both sins of greed. Those who covet want things others have while thieves take it. Next are revilers who are people that destroy others with words. Then we have extortioners who are swindlers and embezzlers that steal indirectly by taking unfair advantage others for their own financial gain. Remember what Paul said at the start of these two verse that non of these will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Paul gets down to the specifics in verse 9 and 10 as to who will not inherit the kingdom of God. True believers who commit these sins, resent that sin and seek to gain the victory over it. Lets look at verse 9 first.The sins are fornicators, which involves all kinds of sexual immorality. Idolaters are those who worship false gods or false religions. Adulterers are those who commit sexual acts out side of marriage. The effeminate or abusers of themselves are homosexuals or sodomites, terms referring to those who exchange and corrupt normal male-female sexual roles and relations. Transvestism, sex changes, and other gender perversions are included. Paul is saying here you cannot go back into sin, and commit the sins the world is guilty of, and not be judged. iIf you were really saved, you would not have the desire in your heart to commit these sins that the world is guilty of.
Well…. last night was rough. I think it thundered all night long. And of course I barked when it thundered. And jumped off the bed to look out the window. And then jumped back up on the bed. And that made Dad not get to sleep.
I do NOT like thunder and lightning – I don’t know why. But I don’t. I already told you how scary it is. I’m always afraid it’s going to get me, or Mom or Dad. I don’t understand why they don’t get up and run around like me. Scout doesn’t even care- she just lays on the bed and snores… silly dog.
Mom says I have anxiety. I don’t know what that is, but it is NOT fun. I know Jesus is watching out for us, but I still get scared – after all, I’m the big sister, and I’m supposed to take care of everybody.
This is the Bible verse Dad says we need to memorize.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:5-7
1 Corinthians 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.
Paul continues in these two verses to stress how wrong it is to to take a fellow Christian to court over something that should should be settled in a Christ like manner. Jesus told us if someone ask for your coat give them your cloak also. He also said to turn the other cheek, if someone slapped you on one cheek. Jesus taught to give to him that ask and that vengeance was His. What make us a Christian is when return good for evil and kill them with kindness. It will just store up forgiveness for you in heaven, if you forgive the wrong he has done unto you. This last verse Paul is saying it is bad to do wrong to someone of the world ,but it is terrible to wrong a brother in Christ. Those who sue their brothers are just as guilty of wrongdoing for what they are doing. Let us strive to help our brothers that may have wronged us to bring them to realization of the truth of God’s word and His forgiveness.
1 Corinthians 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
Paul starts here asking are we going to go to those that void of God’s truth and spirit to settled a dispute or go to someone that does know the Word of God and are obedient to the Spirit. He continues in the next verse to say how silly it is to use an ungodly person to solve a problem. He is saying Christians should be able to sit down and talk things out even if you have to include others. Pray together and let God decide the outcome. Finally Paul is saying for one Christian to take another Christian gives Christianity a black eye. Christians who take fellow Christians to court, suffer moral defeat and spiritual loss even before the case is heard and they become subject to divine chastening. We should try to always solve problems between church members in the church and not in court of law where God’s guidance is not used. Hope you attend a church today where you can praise and worship God for what He does for you every day.
1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
Paul now tells us that as Christians we should not take other Christians to court over a disagreement. As Christians we should be able to work this out between our selves instead of taking it to a worldly court. He goes on to say that as Christians we will be assisting Christ in judging during the millennial reign so we should be able to work out the smallest of matters now. Finally we know that God’s word tells us we will even rule over the angels in eternity so why can we not solve the simplest of matters here on this earth toady. What these verses are saying is if we expect to rule and reign with Christ we need to start doing our part on this earth today to show we are worthy of that responsibly.
1 Coribthians 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
As Paul closes this chapter we see that he again warns against associating with sinners to the degree that it could lure you into it. He does not mean to totally shun them, just do not condone what they are doing in sin, but we should be ready to help them find their way out of sin. Paul is hoping to keep those that are believers from falling away. He knows that it is a challenge to try to change the world so he has to to keep his converts on the right path. Last he tells us that for those that will not yield to God’s calling they will be judged by God one day. If someone is determined to live in sin like the world, put them out there in the world with the rest of the sinners. Those who are determined to sin should not be left with the Christians to contaminate them.
"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." I John 5:7
