1 Corinthians 14:20-25

1 Corinthians 14:20-25

Brothers, do not become children by your understanding, but be an infant to evil and become an adult by your outlook.  It has been written in the Law that “I will speak to this people in foreign tongues and the speech of others and they will not even listen to me in this, says the Lord.”  Therefore tongues are not into a sign to the ones who believe but to the unbelieving ones, and prophesy is not for the unbelieving ones but for the believers.  Therefore if the whole church should come upon the same place and all should speak by tongues, and a laymen or unbelievers should enter, will they not say that you all are not in your right mind?  But if all should prophesy and laymen or unbelievers should enter the layman is being convicted by all, he is being examined by all, the secrets of his heart are becoming known, and thus after falling upon the face he will worship God while announcing that God is truly in you all.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

Paul gives us a great quote in this passage.  Tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers.  His point is fairly simple.  If a person knows and has faith from God, what do they need of tongues?  They have already heard of God and believed in His name and should be able to speak truth in the common language of the assembly.  Unbelievers, however, may not understand God.  They may not even have heard of God because their own language hasn’t had God’s Word translated.  Some people may not even have had a missionary come and explain God to them.  Of course here we are talking primarily about tongues in the sense of what we typically think of foreign languages.  But Paul’s point is still valid.  What do believers need with tongues except as a means of expressing faith to other people who have not heard?

In what sense does this actually help us understand tongues as a potential aid in evangelism outside the church rather than a necessary gift within the church? 

Second Thought:

However, Paul is no fool.  Paul doesn’t think that unbelievers will believe just because people can speak truth in their native language.  Even the Old Testament – in a quote from Isaiah 28:11-12 – argues that people will not always hear truth just because God allows the truth to be spoken in their own language.  In this we see that just because tongues can be a sign to unbelievers doesn’t mean that they will listen.  Some will, certainly.  But not all will listen.

What is necessary for people to listen?  How much of this can we accomplish?  How much of the unbeliever listening is up to them?

Third Thought:

Once more Paul turns to compare prophecy to tongues.  In the second half of this passage, Paul compares a situation of outsiders coming into a church where people are speaking in tongues to a situation of outsiders coming into a church where people are speaking truth into each other’s lives.  Naturally, the people hearing all of the tongues would be confused and convinced that those inside do not have a grasp on reality!  Of course, this doesn’t mean that the people speaking in tongues are doing anything wrong.  Again, what it shows us is that tongues is a gift from God that is to be used in appropriate circumstances.  But of course there are other gifts that are more universally useful.

How does this passage help bring unity into the passage by reinforcing points that Paul has already made?  In your experience, how do those outside the church typically respond to the concept of speaking in tongues?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 14:26-33

1 Corinthians 14:13-19

1 Corinthians 14:13-19

Therefore let the one who speaks by a tongue pray in order that he should translate.  For if I should pray by a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.  Therefore what is it?  I will pray by the spirit, but I will pray also by the mind.  I will sing by the spirit but I will also sing by the mind.  Because if I should pray by the spirit, how will the one in that place who takes part without having acquired anything special say “Amen” upon your thanksgiving?  Because he has not known what you say!  For you give thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.  I give thanks to God; I speak in tongues more than all of you.  But in the church I desire to speak five words by my mind in order that I should systematically teach others rather than a myriad of words in tongues.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

Paul lets this talk about speaking in tongues come to a further conclusion in these verses.  Suppose there is a person in the midst of the congregation who hasn’t acquired the gift of speaking in tongues.  Let’s face it.  Most churches have this condition true in them.  If someone who does speak in tongues uses that gift in the gathered congregation, then how will the person who doesn’t have the gift be able to say “Amen?”  Remember that the word amen means “let what has said be true.”  The point Paul is making is this: when we are gathered together we should be about coming together in mutual uplifting of our spirit to God.  We should desire the support of the people around us.  Why would we even want to bring something likes tongues which has no chance of being understood – and therefore no chance of being supported – into the midst of the congregation?  Unless there is interpretation, of course.

Do you think Paul is right by making an argument about the needs of the community over the needs of the individual?  Do you think the church should be about the mutual uplifting of our spirit to God more than the individual need to assert one’s gift?

Second Thought:

I love the way that Paul ends this section.  The focus of our church should not be in the quantity or the style of our words.  A myriad of words spoken in tongues is of far less benefit to the gathered assembly than five words spoken plainly for teaching!  Plain teaching builds up all who are willing to listen.  Words spoken in tongues cannot build up people even if they are willing to listen.  That’s a huge point to understand. 

Again, it is not that tongues are bad.  It is that tongues have their place in the church.  Prophecy, teaching, revelation, and wisdom are all universally applicable gifts.  Tongues are to be used in the precise moment where they are useful.

What does it say to you that Paul would rather speak 5 words of plain teaching than a myriad of words in tongues?  Is this true for you as well?  Do you desire to be able to speak plain words of teaching or do you desire the more miraculous demonstrations of the Holy Spirit?

Third Thought:

As I said yesterday, one of the overarching themes that we can assert as we read this passage on tongues is that Paul is trying to teach us to value that which actually builds up the church.  It is so easy to get caught up in something like tongues – which is a flamboyant gift.  It is so easy to focus on the unknown and unusual.  But as Paul says, even when a person prays in tongues their mind is unfruitful!  This is because when a person is truly praying in tongues in a spiritual sense they don’t actually themselves known what it is that they are saying!  In the right time and the right circumstance this is okay and useful.  But our focus should not be on the unusual or the occasional.  Our focus when we are together should be on the universally beneficial to all.

How has your understanding of tongues deepened over the last few days?  Are you accepting of tongues?  Why or why not?  Do you think you are too easily impressed by speaking in tongues?  Why or why not?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 14:20-25

1 Corinthians 14:6-12

1 Corinthians 14:6-12

And now, brothers and sisters, if I should come to you all while speaking by tongues how will I assist you all unless I should speak to you all either in a revelation or in knowledge or in prophecy or in teaching?  Likewise, while inanimate objects that give sound – whether a flute or a lyre – unless it should give a tone of distinction by the sound, how will the flute being played or the lyre being played be known?  For if a trumpet should also give an imperceptible sound, who will become ready into warfare?  And thus, if you all should not give a clear sound through the tongue, how will the ones being spoken to be informed?  For you all will be speaking into the air!  If there are so many kinds of languages in the world and not any are without meaning, therefore if I have not known the power of the language, I will be a barbarian to the one who speaks and the one who speaks will be a barbarian in me.  And in the same way you all – since you are deeply committed to the Spirit – seek out the building up of the church in order that you all should be in abundance.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

Once more we see Paul contrast the gift of tongues with other spiritual gifts.  In this section he clearly says that gifts such as prophecy, teaching, knowledge, or revelation are far more useful than the gift of tongues.  Mind you, Paul is not saying the gift of tongues is useless.  But he has no trouble saying that other gifts have more use than tongues.  To those who say tongues has no place in the church, we must correct them and remind them that nowhere in the Bible does such a claim exist – even in a passage such as this where Paul is lowering the gift to a secondary place.  However, to those who elevate tongues as though it is more significant than other gifts we must remind them of this passage.  Tongues is a secondary gift, useful in special circumstances but not as universally useful as others.

What do you think about the gift of speaking in tongues – remembering that tongues can be the divine tongues as well as a gift with other human languages?  Why do some people dismiss this gift?  Why do others tend to elevate it higher than they should?

Second Thought:

Here is the crux of Paul’s argument.  When a person speaks in tongues without proper interpretation, nobody – not even the person speaking – can understand what is being said.  What’s the point of it, especially in a public setting?  It’s like placing a soldier who can’t play a trumpet in charge of sounding the call to battle!  Nobody gets a clear message and nothing good happens.  How can anyone draw closer to God unless there is a clear message being given?

Do you understand how tongues be an avenue for confusion to enter into God’s people?  Why is it important for us to be clear about what we are doing?

Third Thought:

As we end this passage, Paul gives us a subtle reminder about what the church should be about: building up.  The church is a place for people to be strengthened into greater relationship with God.  We who are spiritual are to seek for ways to build each other up.  The church isn’t a place to get praise for ourselves.  The church is not a place to try and impress people.  The church is not a place to make others feel like they cannot exist without your gifts.  The church is for the building up and equipping of the people of God.  This is why tongues takes a back seat to gifts like prophecy (forth-telling, not foretelling), teaching, knowledge, or revelation.

Why is it important to continue to hold the building up of the saints as the number one goal of the church?  What do people make the church out to be other than this?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 14:13-19

1 Corinthians 14:1-5

1 Corinthians 14:1-5

Strive for love.  And deeply commit to the spiritual things – and above all in order that you all should prophecy.  For the one who speaks by a tongue speaks not to mankind but rather to God.   For nobody understands; and he speaks mysteries by the Spirit.  But the one who prophesies speaks to mankind: things for building up and encouragement and consolation.  The one who speaks by a tongue builds up himself.  But the one who prophesies builds up the church.  And I desire you all to speak in tongues, but I desire even more in order that you all should prophesy.  And the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues unless he should interpret, in order that the church should receive building up.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

Paul knows that there is always a danger with saying that something is greatest as Paul has just done in saying that love is greatest.  When you say something is the best, suddenly everyone wants that thing and then they ignore all the rest.  Everyone wants the best because we are all self-centered.  Paul has just talked about how love is the greatest thing, while prophecy and tongues will cease when we are with the Father eternally.  What Paul wants people to realize is that even though love may be eternal while prophecies and tongues are temporary, God has still given us prophecy and tongues because we need them now.  Even if they are inferior because they are temporary, they are still useful for God!  It’s kind of like the Law.  We need the Law to demonstrate our human need for Christ’s death on the cross.  But the Law is certainly not greater than Christ’s death.  It isn’t even equal to it.  Yet, while we desire to embrace Christ’s death most, we need not discard the Law!  The same is true for tongues and prophecy and all the other gifts that will become unnecessary in eternity.  Love is greater, but we need not discard the temporary spiritual gifts that God gives to us, either!

Why do people always focus on the greatest thing?  Why should we rather focus on what God is calling us to do instead of focusing solely and completely on the one greatest thing?  In this light, how does this passage speak to a submitted life in Christ?

Second Thought:

Having said all of that, there is one thing that Paul does want us to remember when it comes to placing gifts in some sort of hierarchy.  The gifts that build up God’s people – teaching, prophesying, etc – are far more significant than the gifts that only build up the individual.  Although we like to be self-centered, has not God called us out of our self-centeredness and into the lives of people who are seeking God?  Yes, I need to draw closer to God and I can do things to help myself accomplish that goal.  But what does it say about what God’s people think is important if we are all more interested in our own spiritual growth than we are interested in building up the people around us?  While we should build ourselves up, we should also realize that building up others is what Christ has called us into the world to accomplish.  We are already His.  We will have an eternity with Him.  Others are not in that position yet because they have not received the grace of God.  Our focus needs to be on the other much more than it needs to be on the self.

Is your spirituality self-centered or other-centered?  How can you tell?

Third Thought:

I don’t want to lose the beginning of this passage, either.  Strive for love.  Deeply commit to the spiritual things.  These two verbs that begin this passage are both commands.  They are imperatives.  Strive for love.  Deeply commit to the spiritual things.  It is two simple commands, but I have to confess that I don’t always get those correct.  I don’t always love.  I don’t always prioritize my life so that I am more concerned about the spiritual things more than the worldly things.  In fact, I am willing to bet that I honestly get those two reversed.  I find it easier to commit to the spiritual things; I find it difficult to always strive for love.  It’s a short list of only two commands.  But honestly, that’s all I need.  I’ve not yet perfected those two.  I should be grateful there isn’t more to the list!

How do you do with respect to striving for love?  How do you do with respect to deeply committing to spiritual things?  Which is personally easier for you?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 14:6-12

1 Corinthians 13:8-13

1 Corinthians 13:8-13

Love does not cease.  But as for prophecies, they will be ceasing.  But as for tongues, they will stop.  As for knowledge, it will be ceasing.  For out of the part we know and out of the part we prophecy.  But whenever the perfect thing should come, the thing out of the part will be ceasing.  When I was a child, I was speaking as a child, I was thinking as a child, and I was reasoning as a child.  Since I have become a man, I have abolished the things of the child.  For we now see in puzzling images as through a mirror.  And then we see as face to face.  Now I know in part, then I will understand just as I was even being understood.  And now these three things remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

Paul reminds us that there is a difference between life as a child and life as a mature adult.  As a child, we are tossed about by our whims, our desires, and our inability to see the big picture.  We threw tantrums.  We thought selfishly of our own needs.  We thought even more selfishly of the present without considering the future.  We undervalued the parents that we desperately needed to guide us through life.  But in our maturity, we can think more clearly, plan for the future, and not always be ruled by our passions.  Spiritually speaking, here is what Paul is saying.  Before we knew God – and even in the beginning as we were coming to know God – we were ruled by our own passions.  We needed direct and sometimes firm guidance in the spiritual walk.  But as we draw closer to God we should be less controlled by our passions.  We should be able to rely on our ability to choose God’s ways for ourselves rather than being obedient because someone makes us.  A true sign of spiritual maturity is one who chooses grace and love and acts accordingly because they imitate the love of the Father rather than one who is obedient simply because it is God’s Law.

Are you obedient to God because you have to be or because you truly want to be?  When are you most likely to act as a spiritual child and need to be told what to do spiritually?  When are you most like an adult and can choose grace and love freely?

Second Thought:

I have always loved the traditional “we see through a mirror dimly” line in this chapter.  But the Greek word here is ainigma (αἴνιγμα).  This is the etymological root of our English word enigma.  In Greek, the word literally means “a puzzle, riddle, or thing that is difficult to understand.”  Now I think I love this verse even more!  Paul is saying that in the here and now, when we try and look into the things of God we get confused because it’s like a puzzle out of the box.  We don’t see all the pieces in the proper order.  We struggle to make connections with what God is doing in our life.  Not because we are blind – or because there isn’t enough light – but because we are puzzled by how God works!  God has given us the full light of the world – Jesus Christ.  We don’t need to be blind or worry about seeing dimly.  We need to concern ourselves with working on the puzzle of life that God has placed before us – knowing that when we get to the end and are with God we will no longer see it as a puzzle but see it through the wisdom of His eyes.

Is this a new way of thinking about this passage for you?  Why is it neat to think about this passage and your life with respect to a puzzle rather than an image that hard to see because there isn’t enough light?

Third Thought:

Paul makes a really bold statement at the end of this section.  We often miss it because we focus so intently on the “greatest of these is love” portion.  He says, “These three things remain: faith, hope, and love.”  Remember, Paul has been contrasting the part with the full picture.  We need prophecy and wisdom and knowledge and miracles and healing and speaking in various tongues now because we cannot see the complete picture.  But in the future when – as Paul says – the “perfect thing” comes, we will not need prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, miracles, healings, or speaking in tongues, or any of those gifts.  We just simply won’t need those displays because we will be in the presence of God eternally.  Who needs any of that when God is right there beside you!  So what does all of this mean?  What do we as human beings tend to get all worked up?  We love the people who can prophecy, or speak in tongues, or work miracles, etc.  We love to see those displays because we convince ourselves that those things demonstrate that a person is closer to God.  But Paul is telling us that is bad thinking!  Paul is telling us that in the presence of God all of those things that we think are cool, neat, and proof of a spiritual closeness with God will actually all be unnecessary.  It isn’t that they are bad, but those gifts are lesser because in the presence of God they will be unnecessary.  Now we come to understand what Paul meant at the end of the last chapter when he says, “I will make a better way known to you all.”  It is far better to focus on faith in God, hope in God’s ways, and especially love through God than through any of the displays of God’s power that will be unnecessary once we are in His presence permanently.  Do you want to know who is truly spiritually closest to God?  It isn’t necessarily the one who can do miracles or speak in tongues or prophesy or preach or even pray in a fancy manner.  The ones who are spiritually closest to God are the ones who have an unshakeable faith in God’s action, the ones who have a resolute hope in God’s promise, and the ones who have the ability to display God’s unconditional love regardless of how they are treated and without taking into account whether the recipient deserves their love or not.  After all, isn’t that the model of Christ on the cross that we are asked to follow?

Why do you think we get way more excited about things like speaking in tongues, miracles, and prophecy than we do about faith, hope, and love?  Now that we’re at the end of this chapter, how would you describe this “better way” that Paul seems to be talking about in 1 Corinthians 13?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love remains patient. Love acts kindly.  It is not envious.  It does not brag.  It is not arrogant.  It does not shamefully defy moral standards.  It does not seek its own things.  It is not being provoked.  It does not keep a record of wrongs.  It does not rejoice upon unrighteousness.  And it does rejoice with truth.  It suffers all things.  It believes all things.  It hopes all things.  It endures all things.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

To continue this idea that the love being spoken about in these verses is our love for God reflecting His love for us, we can start with a simple reflection on these verses.  Have you ever seen these verses be fully and completely true in any single human being?  Have you ever known a person who was always patient or always kind or never envious or not a braggart, or never once arrogant?  I could keep going, but I think I’ve made my point here.  This chapter cannot be talking about our love for one another because we as human beings cannot always act as these verses describe!  The only being that has always acted according to these verses is God.  Therefore, the focus of these verses is God’s love.  Only when we start with God’s love can we then consider our love in response to His love.  And only when we lovingly respond to His love can we love other people around us, too.

When you experience love, how often does it remind you of God’s love?  When are you most likely to think about God in such times?  When are you least likely?

Second Thought:

Let’s look at some of the specifics on this list.  Love remains patient.  Notice how that one is first.  Paul knows that this is an area that human beings struggle.  But remember the patient love of God.  He waited for human beings to demonstrate their character for at least 1,500 years between Abraham and Christ – and probably more than that.  That’s patience!  Oh yeah, look at the last one in this list.  Love endures all things.  Isn’t it interesting that Paul starts and ends this section with similar words.  How can one be patient unless one is willing to endure?  If we back up and look at the quartet of attributes that make up the final verse we understand that suffering evil, believing, hoping, and enduring are all part of the same love.  God is love because He remains patient through voluntarily suffering evil, He voluntarily believing the best in us, voluntarily hoping for the best in us, and voluntarily enduring our humanity.  He didn’t have to do any of those things, but that is what love does.  Want to know love?  Live a life so that you remains patient by voluntarily suffering evil, by voluntarily believing the best in others, by voluntarily hoping for the best in others, and by voluntarily enduring each others’ humanity.

Put in this perspective, how loving is God?  How great must His love be?  How loving are you under this definition of love?

Third Thought:

If we look at the many attributes in the rest of these verses – far too many to name – we can pick up on a single theme that enhances what I’ve said thus far.  All the other attributes in the middle of this list have one thing in common: they imply putting the needs of the other person ahead of your own needs.  Why do we brag?  Because we want the attention.  We do we envy?  Because we want what others have.  Why do we defy moral standards?  Because we want to live our own way.  Why do we keep a record of wrongs?  Because we want justice done our way.  I could continue with the others, but again I think you get the idea.  Love is just not interested in placing ourselves in the center of attention.  Love takes the focus off of ourselves and puts our focus on others.

Is this not what God did for us in the crucifixion of Jesus?  How good are you at putting your attention onto the needs of others?  How good are you at dwelling on yourself and your needs?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If I should speak by the tongues of angels and of men, and I should not have love, I have become a resounding gong that rings or a cymbal that clangs.  And if I should have prophecy and I should have known all the mysteries and all the knowledge and I should have all the faith so that mountains are moved, and I should not have love, I am nothing.  And if I should dole out all of the things that I possess and I should hand over my body in order that I should boast, and I should not have love, I accomplish nothing.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

There is a repeated phrase in each of these verses: “and I should not have love.”  Don’t miss the focus.  Paul is absolutely saying that anything done without love gets us nowhere.  But don’t put more into what Paul is saying that what he is actually saying.  Paul doesn’t ever tell us the object of the love.  We cannot say for certain that I must love those to whom I speak or those for whom I act – although admittedly loving them does absolutely no harm and is an added benefit!  What we can say for certain is that we should love God the Father.  Any of the things listed in these verses that are done with no love for the Father do truly get us nowhere.  Our love for the people around us is a great perk, but it is our love for God and His love for us that is truly central to this passage.

Do you love God?  What are you willing to do for God?  What are you called to do for God?

Second Thought:

In the first and the third expression of these verses Paul talks about preaching and doing.  Paul is talking about our interaction with the people around us.  Paul reminds us that teaching or preaching is important.  We should be speaking to the people around us through our love for God!  For that matter, we should be willing to sacrifice for the people around us.  But what is important is not just our amount of sacrifice but the expression of God’s love that happens through our sacrifice.  As we can see, we are called into the world.  But we are called in expression of His love and our love for Him.

How do you go into the world?  Do you preach about your faith to others?  Do you make sacrifices?  What is your motivation for these actions?

Third Thought:

The middle expression that Paul uses speaks to our knowledge, our ability to speak truth, and even our faith!  All of these things are great, but if we do any of them in a lack of love we have missed the mark.  Faith that can move mountains is great – but if our faith is not rooted in love for God what good is it?  If we can speak truth but our words are not rooted in our love for God, what good is it?  If we can expound on any topic but cannot speak informatively in any sort of love of the Father, what good are our words?

Have you considered how your love of the Father influences your knowledge, faith, and ability to know truth?  Do we ever think that we need to have these things to know love for God rather than thinking that these things come out of our love for God?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

And you all are the body of Christ and members as a part.  And whom, in one case God appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of power, then gifts of healing, ability to help, administration, and kinds of tongues.  Not all are apostles?  Not all are prophets?  Not all are teachers?  Not all are workers of power?  Not all have gifts of healing?  Not all speak in tongues?  Not all interpret?  Rather, deeply commit to the greater gifts.  Even still – according to a better way I make it known to you all.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

Paul speaks of apostles, prophets, and teachers first in the list.  Notice that Paul intentionally uses the words first, second, and third in this list.  These three give us a nice summary of how the kingdom of God is spread.  By definition of the word, an apostle is one who is sent out.  They are the ones sent into the world to claim new territory.  Prophets bring words from God to the people around them – both the people who are Christians as well as people who are not following God.  Teachers are one of the main people that God uses to build up and develop the new territory that the apostles have claimed as well as reinforce the truth that the prophets have proclaimed.  In these three we have a simple pattern.  Claim territory for God, speak God’s truth into that territory, and develop it according to God’s truth.

In what ways does this process sound so simple?  Do we tend to make God’s work harder than this?  Do we tend to focus on things other than this?  Why do we have an innate ability to make God’s work harder than it actually is?

Second Thought:

After giving us the concepts of apostles, prophets and teachers using the words first, second, and third, Paul then adds additional supporting gifts in no particular order.  Here are the workers of power – often called people who do miracles.  Here are those with an ability to heal.  Here are the helpers who are willing to do anything to support their leaders.  Here are those with an ability to administrate.  Here are those who speak and interpret tongues.  These are all roles that support the work of apostles, prophets, and teachers.  These are all roles that can make claiming new territory for God easier.  These are all roles where God’s hand can be seen in and through people.  It is through these gifts that the body of Christ becomes well rounded.  As we saw above, the depth of God’s work is claiming new territory, proclaiming God’s truth into it, and developing that new territory through teaching.  The second half of the list gives us the breadth of possibility in how God’s hand can be shown through the body of Christ.

How does this passage help show us the uniqueness of the individual member of the body of Christ?  Where do you fit into this picture that Paul is painting of a single body with many unique members?

Third Thought:

The last verse is often taken the wrong way.  Some people think that Paul is telling them that he is better than they are because he speaks about demonstrating to them a better way.  Some people take this as Paul’s way of saying to the Corinthians that they are okay, but he is living better than they are.  I don’t think Paul is saying this at all.  I believe this sentence actually helps set up what Paul is going to talk about in the following chapter: love.  Remember that the premise of this whole book is that there were divisions in Corinth.  So up until now Paul has been speaking about our uniqueness as well as our unity in Christ.  In the chapter to come, Paul is going to talk about how that unity can come about among people who are inherently unique.  Paul is going to talk to them about the “better way.”  Paul is going to remind them that it is love that is the foundation for all unity.  Love is what keeps the body of Christ together.  But we’ll get into that more in the coming days.

As you think about what Paul might say, what do you think about love?  Do you see God’s love on display in the world around you?  Do you think love is the foundation upon which we build everything else?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

1 Corinthians 12:21-26

1 Corinthians 12:21-26

But the eye is not powerful enough to say to the hand, “I do not have a need of you.”  Or again, the head is not powerful enough to say to the foot, “I do not have a need of you all.”  Rather, how much more are the members of the body that are thought to be weak in the condition of necessity?  And those which we think to be dishonorable parts of the body we set abundant honor upon them?  And our unattractive parts have an excessive loveliness.  And out lovely parts do not have such a need.  But God structured the body after giving abundant honor to the part that lacked in order that a schism should not be in the body but that these members should show the same concern for each other.  And if one member suffers, all members suffer with it.  If one member is being glorified, all members rejoice with it.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

Paul opens this section with a humorous argument.  He imagines the head or the eye looking at the rest of the body and saying, “I can exist without you.”  Paul’s point is that we are equally incredibly short-sighted.  We cannot know the future!  We cannot even know the present beyond our current reality!  I cannot know what need I will have in the future because of my own short-sightedness.  I don’t even know the protection I might need in the present because of other people’s short-sightedness!  Who am I to say to anyone else, “I don’t need you!”  Paul is making the analogy that when we think we are the be-all-and-end-all to life we live out the wrong perspective.  That’s what we as human beings are really good at doing, though, isn’t it?  Aren’t we all great at making short-sighted decisions based on our current need as we assume that we actually do know everything?  I mourn how often I am like that eye that thinks it can exist without the gifts, protection, and partnership offered by the rest of the body.

Are you ever short-sighted in your judgment?  How hard is it to realize that our perspective is incredibly limited?  Why is this important to consider?

Second Thought:

In the middle of this passage, Paul talks about the members with great honor and the members having less honor.  I’ve often heard this passage explained in this way:

There are parts of our body we clothe because they are less honorable – yet in clothing them we show them honor and raise them up.  The parts that naturally have honor – such as our eyes, ears, mouth, and hands – do not need to be clothed because they are already honorable.

I don’t think this is quite what Paul is actually going for, although I don't think it is entirely wrong, either.  I actually think that Paul is trying to tell us that just as we all feel we have attractive parts and unattractive parts of our body, there are people in the church who feel more or less attractive in a spiritual sense.  But as Paul tells us in the middle of these verses, our unattractive parts have an excessive loveliness.  Each of us is a beautiful creation in God’s eyes.  He formed us.  We might think ourselves ugly and spiritually unattractive, but that’s not how God sees us.  God’s Spirit is within all of us.  God’s Spirit has clothed all of us.  We simply need to learn how to let His Spirit shine through us.  All of us – regardless of how unattractive we think ourselves to be in a spiritual respect – have an excessive spiritual beauty on account of God’s Spirit within us.

Do you see yourself as a spiritually beautiful person?  Why or why not?

Third Thought:

Have you ever had a pain in your body so great that you wanted to remove it?  I remember stubbing my toe so hard a few times that the throbbing caused me to desire my toe to be removed.  I remember having a sinus infection of such magnitude that I really desired to just cut my head off.  Why didn’t I?  Well, in these terms the answer is obvious.  Once the throbbing in my toe stopped, I would need my toe to walk properly again.  With respect to my head, well, it is really tough to continue on living without a head!  Paul tells us that when one suffers we all suffer.  When one rejoices we all rejoice.  We cannot sever ourselves from the rest of the body just because we desire it without major ramifications!  Neither can we be severed from the rest of the body without major ramifications, either!  We are a body.  The proper thing to do when there is something wrong with the body is to nurse the wounded portion back to health, not cut it off completely and remove it!  Yet so often this is what we do with people in our lives.  When someone acts in a way that we don’t like, it is far too easy to simply cut them off and get rid of them.  That is the way the culture around us has taught us to behave.  But it is not the godly witness that Paul gives to us here in this passage.

Have you ever cut off people with whom you used to be friends?  What were the reasons?  Have you ever been able to reconcile with people with whom you had disagreements rather than cutting them off?  What feels better in the long run: cutting people out of your life or reconciliation?  Why is this true?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

1 Corinthians 12:12-20

1 Corinthians 12:12-20

For just as the body is one and it has many members, and all the members of the body – while being many – is one body, thus also is Christ.  For also in one Spirit we all were being baptized in one body, whether Jew or Gentile or slave or free, and all were being given something to drink in the Spirit.  For the body is not even one member but many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, am I not out of the body?” for this reason is it not out of the body?  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, am I not out of the body?” for this reason is it not out of the body?  If the whole body is an eye, where is hearing?  If the whole is hearing, where is the sense of smell?  But now, God placed the members – every one of them in the body – just as He desired.  If all were one member, where is the body?  But now in one case there are many members and in another case there is one body.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

It is impossible to read this passage and miss the point that Paul began to bring out in the reading we had for yesterday.  We are all unique.  Like the ear and the eye, none of us in the body of Christ are the same.  But the body takes precedence over the individual member.  While we are all unique, it is not me or you that are of ultimate importance.  Christ is of ultimate importance.  We are members of the body of Christ – and that happens only by His grace!

Why is it important to focus on Christ?  How good are you at putting the importance on Christ and not on you as an individual?

Second Thought:

Notice that Paul also takes yet another opportunity in his writing to demonstrate equality among the variety of members of the body of Christ.  Paul talks about the slave at the free.  He talks about the Jew and the Greek.  In the world – especially among the Jews, there was a huge chasm between the Jews and the Greeks.  In the Gentile world there has always been a huge chasm between the slave and the free.  Today we might not say slave and free but we do classify people with respect to the “haves” and the “have nots.”  Paul tells us that all such people are equal.  We are equal because we belong to the body of Christ because of His greatness, not ours.

Do you see yourself as equal to other fellow believers?  When is it easy to feel superior?  When is it easier to feel inferior to other believers?

Third Thought:

At the end of this section we have a really neat thought that we don’t want to miss.  God has placed each member as He desires.  Now, we can take a hard angle on this verse.  We can say that what is important is God’s will and God’s desire, not our own.  And that is most certainly true.  At the same time, though, we can look at these words through the lens of love.  God has placed each one carefully, just where He wants them.  God has created each of us with care and concern.  He knows our purpose and our calling intimately.  That’s a really neat perspective on relationship with Him.

Do you interact with God as if He has an intimate relationship with you?  How do you do this?  Why is this important?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 12:21-26

1 Corinthians 12:8-11

1 Corinthians 12:8-11

For to whom in one case a word of wisdom is being given through the Spirit.  In another case a word of knowledge is being given to another according to the same Spirit.  To another faith is being given in the same Spirit.  In a different case gifts of healing are being given in the one Spirit.  In another case acts of power are being given, to another prophecies, to another the ability to make judgments of the spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.  But the one and same Spirit is at work in all these things while distributing individually to each one just as He intends.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

The first three manifestations of the Spirit that Paul gives in these verses are wisdom, knowledge, and faith.  Wisdom is usually defined as knowing a situation deeply enough to be able to perceive a good and fruitful course.  Knowledge is usually defined as having enough information to actually accomplish the task at hand.  Faith is defined as believing in that which is not guaranteed, not able to be assured, or not able to be perceived.  If we put these three together we get a really neat snapshot of gifts working together.  Throughout all of life, we all face problems and decisions. In order to overcome those points in life we will need to have three things.  We will need to believe that the situation can be overcome in God’s will.  That’s faith.  We will also need the ability to discern a good course of action through the situation.  That’s wisdom.  We will also need to know how to do what needs to be done in order to actually put the faith and wisdom into action.  That’s knowledge.  None of these are higher than the other.  But each of them has a necessary role in the life of the believer.

Do you have faith: when faced with struggles how quick are you to believe with confidence that they will be overcome?  Do you have wisdom: when you face struggles how quick are you to know a good and fruitful path?  Do you have knowledge: when a course through a situation is planned, how quick are you to know how to do what needs to be done?

Second Thought:

 The rest of the gifts are also important to look at.  Some are given the ability to heal.  This can be through prayer, laying on of hands, or other spiritual means.  Other people are given the ability to manifest God’s power in miraculous ways.  Other people are able to speak prophetic words of wisdom into the lives of other people.  Still others are gifted at making good judgments between two or more viable choices.  Still others are able to speak all kinds of tongues while others are gifted at interpreting those tongues.  In the case of the latter, because Paul is speaking about tongues in the plural, I do not believe Paul is speaking about a single divine tongue in this case.  Rather, I think Paul is telling us that there are people who are skilled at picking up, mastering, and using the various tongues (languages) of all the people in the world.  What an incredibly diverse group of gifts!

Do you fit in at all within this list?  Do you have any skill with prayer, healing, working miracles, speaking wisdom into people’s lives, making good judgments, or speaking foreign languages?  Based on how Paul talks about this list, do you think that all people will be gifted in each one of these?  Do you think people will be gifted to the same level?  Do you think people can increase in their ability with a particular gift?  If so, how?

Third Thought:

With respect to importance, there is one thing to remember that is more important than the various gifts.  What is fundamentally important in this passage is that the gifts are given by the same Spirit.  The gifts are given so that we can each play a unique role in the one church underneath Christ.  The emphasis of that last sentence is not upon our unique role but on the one church.  Our uniqueness should not divide us, because all of our gifts come from the Holy Spirit!  Why should something coming from the same source be a reason for our division?  Do you think God would use His power to divide us?  No, we should always focus on the unity of God over our individuality.  All good things come from God; thus all good things should be able to work together for His glory.

Is unity in God easier to talk about than it is to live out?  Why do you answer as you do?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 12:12-20

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

And there are distributions of gifts, but the same Spirit.  And there are distributions of the service, but the same Lord.  And there are distributions of effort, but the same God who works all things in all people.  And the clear revelation of the Spirit is being given to each one for that which is a benefit.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

As Paul continues to talk about division in the church, he comes at it from yet another angle.  This time, he talks about distributions: gifts, service, and effort.  His point is that there are differences in the way we interact with God.  We each have different gifts.  We each are called to different forms of service.  We are each asked to give different levels of effort.  While we are asked to submit to Christ, we do not need to be carbon copies of each other.  As is often said, Paul speaks to unity, not uniformity.  We are under Christ and submitted to the will of God.  But we need not believe that we must be exactly like one another.  We are equipped differently.  We are asked to serve differently.  We are asked to give different amount of effort.  And that’s okay, as long as we are being obedient to God.

Does this passage help you feel unique?  Does this passage help you appreciate your personal relationship with God any better?  What distribution of gift, service, and effort are you given?

Second Thought:

While it is important to see our uniqueness, it is also important to understand from where our uniqueness comes.  Our gifts all come from the same Spirit.  Our service all comes from the same Lord.  Our effort all comes from the same God.  We are called to be unique in our relationship with God but to see ourselves in the bigger picture.  While each of us is unique, we are united together under the same God.  Our unity supersedes our individuality just as God supersedes us.  Our greatest calling is to be in the will of the Father.  There is one God above us all.  We are each unique.  But more importantly, we are each His.  The same God is at work in us all.

Is it ever easy to forget that everyone who is a Christian is actually following the same God?  What makes it so easy to forget that all the Christians around the world are under the same God?  Why is this an important point?

Third Thought:

Did you catch the profoundly Trinitarian language of these verses?  The gifts come from the Spirit.  The service is under the same Lord (Jesus Christ).  The effort comes from the same God (Father).  In Paul’s words we have an intentionally Trinitarian effort.  Paul may not say the words Spirit, Son, and Father but the intent is clearly present.  We are equipped in the Spirit.  We are called into service by our Lord.  We are powerful enough to accomplish our calling by the Father.  God – the whole Trinity – is at work within each of us.

Do you think of the Trinity at work within you?  Why is this a neat idea to ponder?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 12:8-11

1 Corinthians 12:1-3

1 Corinthians 12:1-3

And regarding the things derived from the Spirit, my brothers, I do not desire you all to be unknowing.  You all have known that when you all were Gentiles you all were being influenced to follow idols and speechless things while being misled.  Therefore I make known to you all that no one while speaking in the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed.”  And nobody is powerful enough to say, “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

Paul makes a point here that seems simple, but I don’t want it to get lost.  He says that while we were Gentiles we were being led astray to follow idols.  Such is the influence of the world.  We are taught to dream big.  We are taught that anything we want we can achieve.  We are taught to be self-centered.  We are taught that life revolves around each of us as individuals.  While the universe may not physically revolve around us, we are taught that emotionally and spiritually and psychologically that the universe does actually revolve around each of us.  After all, who does our world say is number one?  Where is my focus to be according to the world?  That’s idolatry.  That’s the world misleading us.  That is us allowing ourselves to be misled.  The world revolves around God.  My identity comes from God.  Anything else leads me into idolatry.

Where are your idols?  Where has the world convinced you to focus on something other than God?

Second Thought:

“Jesus is cursed.”  What a horrible thing to even have to type out on my computer.  Why would Paul put such a thing in this letter?  Is it possible that people even within the church would say such a thing?  Let me explain a little.  We know that as Christianity spread that there were several emperors who intentionally persecuted Christians.  Nero and Domitian are two of the ones who started it and made it the “cool” thing to do.  We know that under Nero a person would have to burn a pinch of incense and profess “Nero is a god” when they paid their taxes or else they could be arrested.  Obviously, Christians wouldn’t do that, so people who would not proclaim Nero as a god were then often told to curse Jesus or suffer the consequences.  This was also true of soldiers who were suspected of Christianity.  Roman soldiers were often forced to say “Jesus is cursed” when they were suspected of being a Christian.  Therefore, the reality is that it is unlikely anyone in the church was saying “Jesus is cursed.”  But it is likely that the politics around the town were beginning to heat up in persecution.  Paul wants to be clear.  Anyone who is saying “Jesus is cursed” just to avoid the persecution coming from being a Christian is not doing so under the power of the Holy Spirit or the guidance of God.

How does this point tie into the idea of peer pressure?  Why would Paul want to prepare the Corinthians against this kind of political peer pressure?  What would you do if someone told you they would arrest you and take away your livelihood unless you said “Jesus is cursed?”

Third Thought:

The opposite of point two is equally as interesting.  Paul tells us that nobody is powerful enough to say, “Jesus is Lord” without the Holy Spirit.  This is deeply profound.  What this tells us is that even the ability to ask Christ into my life is something I cannot do without God’s help.  It is proof that the Holy Spirit is moving us even before we have any sense of official relationship or submission with God.  God doesn’t wait for us to ask Him into our life before moving within us!  If He waited, we’d never have the power to come to Him in the first place!  No, the only reason I have any kind of relationship with God is because God moved within me even before I was willing to reach out to Him so that He could give me the strength in the first place!  That is such a profound concept!

What does this mean about “your ability to choose God?”  How does this enforce the teaching that salvation truly is by God’s grace alone and not anything we can ever earn by our works?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 12:4-7