In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul has confronted them about their spiritual pride and immaturity. At the end of chapter 9, Paul begins a warning about the danger that comes from a lack of self-control. A lack of self-control, combined with pride, puts us in a precarious position when temptation comes. But the Lord […]
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV) In counseling, there is no passage […]
In our last article, we saw how Paul willingly laid down his rights for the sake of the gospel. This attitude of self-denial is one the entire church must adopt. Denying our desires is for the good of others, but is also for our own spiritual good. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:13, Paul warns about the […]
In 1775, Christopher Gadsden designed a flag that encapsulated well the predominant attitude of the American colonists as they felt their rights were being trampled on by the British crown. Gadsden’s yellow flag, with the picture of a coiled rattlesnake and the words, “Don’t tread on me,” communicated a message about rights. Those who flew […]
Are you familiar with the term, cage stage? This term was coined to describe the overzealous nature of those who first discover a doctrine or ideology. Though they may have the right doctrine, their zeal leads them to be combative and argumentative over any theological disagreement, therefore, it would be better for them to be […]
Discontentment in life is an ever-present temptation, often arising when life does not pan out the way we thought. It also arises when we think we should be doing more important things, spiritual or otherwise. While 1 Corinthians 7 is about marriage and singleness, it is first about bringing glory to God in every situation […]
When someone comes to faith in Christ, the speed at which they progress in the faith varies greatly. For some, there is an immediate and noticeable change. Old habits die quickly; they lose the desire for certain things almost instantaneously (I recently listened to the testimony of such a man, and you will be encouraged […]
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever […]
You are probably familiar with the expression, “Keep it in the family.” Some things are not meant for the world to know. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul tells the church, “Keep it in the family.” The church is a family, and like all families, we sin against each other and conflicts can arise. God has […]
Last week, we saw in 1 Corinthians 5 that the church was to deal with the sin in their midst. The Word of God is the means by which the Holy Spirit would bring the cleansing needed to this church. Just like the church in Corinth, we need the Word of God to cleanse us. […]