Results for "spirituality"
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1 Corinthians 12:21
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don't need you!”
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don't need you!”
We know that the will of God is to build up His church, and that He plans to use us in the process (Ephesians 4:11-16, 1 Corinthians 14:12). The goal of this building up is to equip us to be missionaries to our cultures and the greater world, speaking the truth *in love* to each other while being ambassadors for Christ to those who are outside of the city of God (2 Corinthians 5:14-15,20). If we effectively dismiss other Christians and their gifts or seek to always restrain rather than encourage, we dislocate the Body and a cold sickness comes over her. Why are our Christian communities so often powerless? Is it perhaps that our church governmental structures tend to centralize power to the elders or a single teaching pastor and take the freedom of ministry away from the Body. Qualified elders do have a real God-given authority, but it is an authority that comes with a great responsibility -- to shepherd and lead the flock of God to mutually grow up in the faith and minister to the world.
Bookmarked about 1 month ago.
1 Corinthians 12:20
20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The apostle is about to hammer away at the reality of our spiritual family *again*, and this verse is a short breath. It seems like Paul has said enough, but we are thick-skinned, self-sufficient people. Not many of us live in conscious dependence upon others, and many relationships are built upon things other than our shared hope in Christ. So, again, he reminds us -- there is only one Body, even though there are believers with different interests, backgrounds, giftings, and personalities around the world and even within a local gathering of believers. Perhaps the most difficult reality is that there are believers all over the map in maturity. The mature are called to help and teach the weak; but how many 'mature' Christians have patience and love enough to bear with the wrong opinions, character flaws and inconsistencies of young Christians? The weak, if they are young in age or faith (or both), still have the same powerful Spirit and perhaps even powerful gifting that is for the Church. How many of these, especially those with great visible gifts, learn to be teachable and commit Paul's next chapter to heart (I Cor. 13)?
Bookmarked about 1 month ago.
1 Corinthians 12:14
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.
When we think of the Church, we should not begin to imagine an organization or group of individuals separate from ourselves. Rather, we should think of ourselves, intertwined within this *one* glorious fellowship of the light where Jesus is head. "We, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another" (Romans 12:4-5). It seems very simple, but embracing this truth in our hearts will go a long way to humble us and lead us to serve one another with our gifts in a spirit of genuine love.
Bookmarked 2 months ago.
1 Corinthians 12:2
2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.
2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.
The Corinthians had been led astray in their prior walks of life, presumably under the blinding power of the one who strives with all of his might to darken the minds of unbelievers from seeing the light of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Yet even as the Church gathered to worship Christ, she was exhibiting the same idolatries of the surrounding culture. Earlier in the letter Paul has written against (a) seeking secret and mysterious spiritual knowledge that does not center on Christ, (b) a fixation upon the individual teachings of Christian ministers, though there is only one Gospel (c) the following of false apostles and teachers who do not exhibit the life of Christ, (d) sexual immorality, (e) selfish lawsuits, (f) denigration of marriage in favor of supposed holiness via chastity, (g) various questions about the power of idols over individual Christians living in a pagan world. Clearly, the spiritual enemies of God had already found plenty of inroads in the Corinthian church through these means, but spiritual pride seems to be Corinth's number one sin. Through this, the church had already become pagan although they believed themselves to be advancing rapidly in the faith. In contrast, Paul's humility and suffering for the sake of the Gospel and the love of Christ are true signs to the church that while she shares in the spiritual gifts of Christ's church, she does not share in the image of Christ as she ought.
Bookmarked 7 months ago.
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