The Bible Tapestry Volume II

By Laus Deo

When reading the Bible and focusing on particular chapters, books or verses it is easy for us to get immersed in the details and to momentarily lose our appreciation for the Bible as a whole. It is not prudent to take out one chapter, one verse or even one book and focus on it in isolation. Such a practice often leads to conflicting opinions and bitter debate. Understanding and studying the Bible as a whole is very important, because every chapter and every verse was written with the intention that it be read in context, in relation to the whole.

God revealed the Bible to us as a text, not a picture or a scientific formula. The word text comes from the Greek word textus from which we get the word textile closely related to fabric. As is the case in a piece of fabric, all of the “fibers” of this text are woven together. The finished product can be considered a tapestry composed of many threads, which portrays an entire story. It is a story that moves in a linear fashion. One way to study the Bible is to examine the tapestry up close and to investigate and study each knot, every dye, perhaps even inspecting the reverse side to see how the knots have been tied. Many Bible scholars focus on each knot and every dye and are able to extract a great wealth of information out of each element. Our purpose in this study is to take a step back and look at the tapestry in its entirety. This is admittedly a limited view, but is also one of the many approaches to studying the Bible.

Together the two volumes of the Bible Tapestry offer the reader the opportunity to complete the study covering the entire Bible in 365 daily readings. Volume I consists of days 1 through 208 covering the Books of Genesis through I & II Kings of the Old Testament and the Gospels through the Book of Romans in the New Testament. Volume II consists of days 209 through 365 covering the Books of I & II Chronicles to the Book of Malachi ending the Old Testament and the Books of I & II Corinthians to the Book of Revelation ending the New Testament.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 6, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465307064

Laus Deo

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Day 209 

1 and 2 Corinthians—

Disunity in the Church 

The original sin places all mankind in jeopardy to go directly to hell without doing anything. Living a good life does not guarantee that you will be saved. Paul’s epistle to the Romans sets the stage for all believers of Jesus to establish and appropriate the Gospel in their own lives.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (John 3:36)

Without a radical intervention, you are and remain under God’s wrath. Some moment in everyone’s life, God will offer you an opportunity to make a decision to accept or reject a relationship with Him. Acceptance of salvation is through faith given to you by grace.

In 50 A.D., Paul arrives in Corinth during his second missionary journey. He spent 18 months in Corinth building a church. Corinth is a double seaport town and was the seat of the goddess of erotic love, Aphrodite.

In 1 and 2 Corinthians, Paul addresses the challenges faced by new churches. In Acts 18, Luke writes about Paul’s stay in Corinth when the church was established. When Paul first arrives in Corinth, he goes directly to the local synagogue and begins to preach. It does not take long before he infuriates the religious leaders and is thrown out of the synagogue. Not to be stopped, he opens a new church right next door to the synagogue. The conflict continues to escalate until Paul is accused by Sosthenes, the religious leader of the synagogue, of breaking the Laws of Moses because he preached to the people to worship God in ways that were contrary to the law.

Freedom of religion was guaranteed by the Roman Empire so what Paul was doing was not a crime. Paul’s case is dismissed to the great embarrassment of the Jews. As a result, the members of the synagogue beat Sosthenes.

Paul feared for his life while he remained in Corinth, but is given strength by God in a dream. This strength enabled Paul to overcome his troubled relationship with the people and the church in Corinth.

Paul finally leaves Corinth and moves to Ephesus. After two years in Ephesus, a delegation of religious leaders from Corinth approach Paul seeking his assistance with the three major challenges the Corinth church was facing and a number of specific issues contained in a letter.

The three major issues related to the divisions within the church, believers suing each other in secular courts and sexual immorality. The church universal is still struggling with the same issues.

In this epistle, a letter intended to be read aloud, Paul takes a harsh and sarcastic tone with the Corinthians that results in an escalation of the conflict. Paul has to travel to Corinth to resolve some of these issues. In his first letter, Paul includes Sosthenes, who is beaten by the leaders after the civil suit is dismissed against Paul. Sosthenes becomes a believer and travels to Ephesus with Paul. In 2 Corinthians, Paul writes his second epistle in a more conciliatory manner.

Paul addresses the first major issue, division in the church.

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, I follow Paul; another, I follow Apollos; another, I follow Cephas (Peter); still another, I follow Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. (1 Corinthians 1:10-14)

Paul reprimands the disunity amongst the church members based upon the false belief in their own wisdom. This call for unity is reminiscent of the prayer of Jesus in the book of John:

I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

(John 17:23)

Paul teaches that you must not mistake unity for uniformity. We are all different with different skills, talents and strengths much like all the instruments in a symphony orchestra today. Each instrument is different, but when played together, they produce beautiful music.

Paul reminds the people of how far they have come.

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.

(1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Paul reminds the Corinthians that God’s way when viewed from worldly standards may appear foolish, but when viewed from the standards of the believers, His way is the power of God. God sent His only begotten Son to be poor in the world. He was born into a small town, where He would be rejected by all and then killed in the most inhumane manner. From a worldly viewpoint, His mission made little sense. When the people of Corinth were called, they were not wise, influential or of noble birth. Paul explains that God chose the foolish things, the weak and lowly, and the people in the church at Corinth, to complete His Plan of Salvation. So the Corinthians had nothing to brag about because salvation is achieved by grace through faith and nothing else. Neither, Paul, Apollos or Peter can be given the credit because they all contributed to God’s building of the church.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

Once you accept the gift of salvation through grace by faith and enter into the family of God, your position in the family of God is determined by what you do with that gift. You build on your foundation, Jesus, by your actions. As long as you do not reject your gift of salvation along the way in life, you will be saved even if you do nothing with your spiritual gifts once you are in the family of God, but only as one escaping from a fire.

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’ and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.’ So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God. (1 Corinthians 3:16-23)

Paul is referring to the members of the church when he states that you yourselves are God’s temple. The reference builds on the metaphor to include the church as God’s temple. If members of the church use worldly wisdom to destroy or create dissention, such a person or a group of people will face the wrath of God.

Paul uses sarcasm to drive home his point to the Corinthians.

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! (1 Corinthians 4:8)

Paul closes his letter’s discussion on the disunity in the church with:

Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit? (1 Corinthians 4:18-21)

The fact that Paul was not with Jesus from the beginning, led many Corinthians to believe Paul had not earned the title of Apostle. Paul had not witnessed His resurrection and; therefore, some would argue did not fully comprehend the meaning of Jesus’ mission on earth. How could he explain His Word?

In Acts 1, when Matthias was selected to replace Judas Iscariot, the qualifications required that the replacement had to be someone who walked with Jesus during His three-year ministry and witnessed the resurrection. Rumors were also circulating that Paul had misappropriated some of the funds collected for the church in Jerusalem. When Paul was informed of these allegations, he traveled to Corinth and faced his accusers during the time between his first and second letters.

Our Father in heaven, unfortunately the problems of the church in Corinth are little different from the problems we face in our churches today. Help us to enter and remain in unity with each other so that the world can see Your name being glorified by Your church. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 210 

1 and 2 Corinthians—

Sexual Immorality in the Church 

The second major issue Paul addressed in the church was the rampant sexual immorality.

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? (1 Corinthians 5:1-2).

Paul addresses this open-mindedness covered by a non judgmental attitude in no uncertain terms:

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)

Paul makes a distinction between the members of God’s family, the church and those who are not members of the body of Christ. Paul preaches that the Corinthians have no business judging the people of the world because Christians are set apart for God. It does not mean you should completely avoid the immoral, the greedy and the swindlers in the world because if you did, you would not be fulfilling your role in the world which is to spread the Good News especially to those who need the Word the most.

The only effective way to spread the Good News is to engage in the world and demonstrate your saved relationship by your actions and if all else fails, with your words.

Paul wrote specifically to the people who are in God’s family, the so called Christians, who are acting immoral, greedy and swindling others. Paul compares them to yeast; it works itself through the entire church and corrupts it. Paul instructs those of true character to expel the wicked from the church. In Matthew 18, Jesus also instructed you to individually confront a sinner within the family of God. If your confrontation did not work, take a fellow believer along with you and confront the sinner again. If that still does not work, then take it to the church body. Jesus says:

If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:17)

Even though a sinner may be expelled from the church, you should continue to minister to the sinner by acting in accordance with God’s ways. The issues you may be presented with will be complex and will require great wisdom and a lot of prayer. This is especially true when it comes to morals because morality remains a defined set of rules that change over time. The basic moral standards remain constant as set by Jesus regarding adultery, lying, cheating and laziness. Jesus addressed these standards and they remain timeless.

The third major concern of the church in Corinth was disputes amongst members taken to the worldly courts.

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. (1 Corinthians 6:1-8)

To effectively spread the Good News is like being on the Titanic; a perfect metaphor for the world. Your job is to get people into the lifeboats, not to polish the brass or make people comfortable. However, if the lifeboats are unappealing, people will resist getting into them. If major disputes arise between members of a church, then the resolution of those disputes should be done within the church. The church does not look like an appealing place if disputes between Christians are aired in public secular courts and the press and the dirty laundry of the church members is exposed.

If it weren’t for Christians, I’d be a Christian.—Mahatma Ghandi

That is not a very good report on Christianity.

Paul addressed the issue of open-minded attitude.

I have the right to do anything, you say—but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything—but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12)

The law provides the guidelines by which you are to lead your life and therefore, demonstrates the need for a Savior. Once you are saved, some say you no longer need the law. That is not what this means. You cannot go and do whatever you want without consequences.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

Corinth was the place of Aphrodite’s temple, the symbol of erotic love. As members of the church of Christ, you cannot sit in church on Sunday and then on Wednesday do what is socially acceptable and desirable in the world. You have to remain consistent every day in accordance with God’s word.

Our Father in heaven, thank You for these words written by Paul, addressing problems we have even today, and help us to honor You through the way we conduct ourselves in the church and how we live our lives throughout the week in the world. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 211 

1 and 2 Corinthians—

The Eternal Prize 

Paul now addresses the other issues presented to him in the letter from the Corinthians. Even today, church members face many of the same issues relating to marriage, singleness, eating meat offered to idols, propriety in worship, orderliness at the Lord’s Supper, spiritual gifts and the resurrection.

Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. (1 Corinthians 7:1-6)

Paul states that being single allows one to concentrate on God and not on one’s own needs. Being married, he explains, expands areas of responsibility. Paul is clear that responsibilities and taking care of each other are equally shared by both husbands and wives. This was a new concept in the patriarchal society of its time.

Paul then addresses being single and being a widow.

Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. (1 Corinthians 7:8-9)

The church in Corinth requested an answer on the issues of marriage and singleness. When you read these sections today, you should be careful not to lift them out of context and apply them universally. Instead, you should distinguish and apply the verses in the context of the time in which it was written or as a universal timeless truth.

In a city filled with idol worship, the issue of sacrificing food to idols was important.

But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.(1 Corinthians 8:7-11)

Unless you eat or drink excessively, what you consume does not move you closer or further from God. If what you eat, drink or do causes your brother or sister to fall, you should refrain from doing that activity.

Paul then defends his title as an Apostle even though he was not with Jesus from the beginning when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist through to the ascension into heaven. Paul also lays out his attitude to life that is worth following in your life.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

(1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

In the book of Matthew, this rhetoric emphasizes the words of Jesus.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

Jesus continues:

Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Our modern, total acceptance of all people and their behaviors creates apathy towards the seriousness of the consequences of accepting or rejecting the gift of salvation. Such acceptance should then be followed by living a life that demonstrates your inclusion into the family of God.

Paul confirms the seriousness of these choices when he refers to the example of the Israelites who all died in the desert during the 40 years before Israel entered into the Promised Land because they did not head God’s warnings.

These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:11-13)

Our Father in heaven, thank You for making it clear to us that Your Kingdom and Your gift of salvation is not a catch-all situation but that it is available to all and it requires our active acceptance of the gift. Help us to accept the gift and live a life that demonstrates our membership in Your family. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 212 

1 and 2 Corinthians—

Spiritual Gifts 

In Corinth it was customary for the women to cover their heads and for the men to uncover their heads during the worship services. This practice was in conflict with the practices of the synagogues and was misinterpreted over the ages as they referred to the new believers in Corinth and their former religious worship services in the temple of the goddess Aphrodite.

Paul discusses the disorderly conduct that occurred during the Lord’s Supper.

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:23-29)

In the early church, believers came together for prayer, study of the Scriptures and the words of the apostles, and to share food together. During this meal (note, a symbolic wafer and sip of wine or grape juice), communion was celebrated in reference to the words of Jesus:

In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:25)

The symbolism of this ritual is to remember Jesus whenever you eat or drink.

During the Last Supper, the disciples discussed who was to be most important in Jesus’ kingdom. In the same manner in the church in Corinth, there was a specific hierarchy of spiritual gifts. One gift held elite over the rest was the ability to speak in tongues. Paul listed a number of spiritual gifts emphasizing that all gifts are equally important in God’s eyes but placed the ability to speak in tongues last on his list.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

You continue to read:

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, I don’t need you! And the head cannot say to the feet, I don’t need you! On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:12-26)

All spiritual gifts are given to you by God through the Holy Spirit. The gifts are given to allow you to build up the community of believers. It is your duty to identify what spiritual gifts you have received and then how you will utilize that gift to build up the community of believers. When you die, you will meet your Maker and will have to provide an account of what you did with your gifts.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:12-13)

Our Father in heaven, please help us to remember You every time we eat and/or drink and help us to develop and use our spiritual gifts to build up the community of believers and so spread the Good News to the rest of the world. We pray that in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 213 

1 and 2 Corinthians—

Love and the Gospel 

Written as two separate chapters, chapters 12 and 13 should be read together to fully understand the meaning of the text. In 1 Corinthians 13, often read at weddings, Paul states the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, and in actual fact all spiritual gifts are worthless if unaccompanied by love.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

It is important to understand that Jesus addressed love throughout His ministry. Specifically, Jesus pointed out that the entire law rested upon loving God. You are to love God with all you have and to love your neighbor as yourselves, thus calling you to remain in His love.

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8)

Love is not just emotion; it is an unasked for sacrificial act performed solely for the benefit of the recipient.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)

In the Corinth church, the congregation had been arguing about theology, morality, politics and faith. Their arguments had led them away from the Gospel of Jesus which is the foundation for all Christian belief. Paul turned the Corinthians’ focus from all of this disunity to the actual Gospel.

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)

The foundation of being a Christian is to understand the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the Gospel. The Gospel is not a set of ethical teachings nor is it a religious system or hierarchy. The Gospel is a person, Jesus Christ and the work that He did on earth. The Gospel is founded on the literal bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ which was witnessed by many.

Paul refers to one occasion where Jesus appeared to more than 500 people at the same time. Some of those who witnessed this miracle were still alive and living in Corinth. When a person dies, they do not normally come back to life. Jesus’ bodily resurrection stands up against anything the world can offer. The resurrection was such a great event that it motivated the early Christians to allow their children and themselves to be fed to the lions in the Roman Coliseum because they refused to deny Christ.

Those who sacrificed their lives had seen or knew someone who had seen the promise of eternal life when Jesus Christ was resurrected.

Paul writes:

And if Christ has not been raised (if it is purely a metaphor for rebirth), your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (Whatever Christ did, whatever value it had, whatever example it gave, it has nothing to do with your position in sin. You are still in it). Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, (if we lived according to the Sermon on the Mount the world would be a better place) we are of all people most to be pitied. (For we are nothing but pious fools because we should at least have the courage to seek the truth where it lies). (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)

How Jesus Christ was resurrected remains a mystery even today. Jesus’ resurrected body had human characteristics, He ate with His disciples, they touched Him, but He could appear and disappear as if He were only a spirit. Finally, Jesus ascended into heaven on a cloud. Paul described his resurrected body.

How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. (1 Corinthians 15:36-37)

Imagine planting an acorn, Paul writes, which dies and gives birth to an oak tree. Similarly, your resurrected body will contain your soul, but shed your physical earthly body.

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)

This statement allows Paul to confidently ask the question:

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:55-58)

Our Father in heaven, thank You for this important reading, showing us how to love and thus honor You as we accept Your gift of salvation through the physical resurrection of Your Son so that we can confidently face the earthly grave in anticipation of eternal life with You. We lift up this prayer to You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 214 

1 and 2 Corinthians—

The Power of Christ in Us 

Paul ends his first harsh letter to the Corinthians by calling for a new collection for the benefit of the struggling church in Jerusalem. The Corinthians are shocked and insulted by the letter and they write back to Paul in response. Paul travels to Corinth, confronts the people then leaves for Ephesus. While in Ephesus, he reconsiders his actions and writes the second letter in an effort to ease tensions between himself and the people in Corinth.

Second Corinthians begins as a letter of reconciliation, but quickly attacks the conflict in the church in Corinth. In Acts 18, Paul’s stay in Corinth is described. Paul entered Corinth, started teaching in the synagogue for a brief period, and then was expelled by the Jewish religious leaders for minimizing the importance of the Laws of Moses. He then opened his own ministry next door to the synagogue which escalated the conflict to the extent that the Jewish religious leaders sue Paul in Roman court. The suit results in humiliation for the religious leaders because the suit has no merit. Roman law allows for freedom of religion. Paul continues building his church in Corinth right next to the synagogue. Paul is so effective, that he even converts the leader of the synagogue to Christianity.

During this stay in Corinth, the Lord appears to Paul and says:

Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent. (Acts 18:9)

The Lord would not have spoken to Paul if he were not afraid and wanted to leave. Paul was routinely beaten, flogged and even stoned. For Paul to have been that frightened, something very bad most have happened.

Paul begins his second letter to the Corinthians with:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

(2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

After Paul has addressed love and comfort, he turns his attention to the man who married the man’s own stepmother. Paul previously instructed the church to expel him because of his immoral actions. Even though the man had since then repented his immoral actions, he remains expelled from the church.

The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. (2 Corinthians 2:6-8)

Jesus gave clear instructions on how to confront a sinner in the family of God and how to forgive them.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times? Jesus answered, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22)

The letter continues to attack the Corinthians while boasting about his own ministry. Paul defends his ministry against the allegations that he was not a true Apostle because he was not with Jesus throughout His ministry and that he was accused of having misappropriated some of the first collection money.

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. (2 Corinthians 4:1-12)

Paul continues:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

(2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Paul confirms that on your own, you have the strength of a clay jar, but through Jesus Christ, you have all-surpassing power from God that allows you to persevere no matter what the circumstances may be. Even Paul’s problems with the Corinthians were momentary troubles which achieved an eternal reward, thus demonstrating how you can resolve your own troubles even if your physical strength is being dissipated.

Jesus was very emphatic about the lack of power you have while on your own.

If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Our Father in heaven, on our own we are but clay jars, and even our greatest achievements on earth are momentary when viewed from an eternal perspective. Help us to remain in You, especially when our problems seem insurmountable so that we can receive Your all-surpassing power and peace and bring honor to Your name. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 215 

1 and 2 Corinthians—

God Loves a Cheerful Giver 

Paul continues to discuss the topic of growing older. As your earthly tent or body is destroyed, God offers a heavenly building in exchange. As you grow older, you complain about the aches and pains.

For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:7-10)

You arrive into the family of God by grace through faith. Your place in heaven will be determined by the works or lack thereof as you live your life from the time you enter into the family of God. Once you are accepted into the family, you are saved even if you decide to do nothing more with your life. It is advisable to do something meaningful with your life for as long as you have accepted Jesus you will go to heaven, but if you did nothing with your spiritual gifts you will enter heaven as one escaping from a fire.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

As ambassadors of God, the divisions and problems between Paul and the Corinthians and the divisions and problems in today’s Christian community have to be put aside. An ambassador’s duty is to go to a foreign land to represent their country. In the secular world, you represent and promote God’s Good News by the way you live your life.

Paul reconciles his differences with the Corinthians and the church in Corinth in ending his letter by asking for another collection of money from the church members. This time; however, Paul will not be handling the actual money as to avert any suspicion of wrongdoing.

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5)

Paul writes about gifts to God’s kingdom.

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. (2 Corinthians 8:12)

God expects you to return some of the blessings you have received from Him to the family of God. You are expected to share your blessings with others, whether you have been blessed with time, talent or treasure.

Paul encourages generosity amongst the people of the Corinth church.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:6-15)

When you give, God expects you to give without feeling obliged or forced. Rest assured God still gives to you more than you ever can ever give to Him.

Our Father in heaven, thank You for all the bountiful blessings that You have bestowed on each of us. Help us to cheerfully bless others and spread the Good News by returning to You and Your people some of the blessings in the manner that You have blessed us. Help us to realize that You wish us to help others with the means that You have provided to us and that we are not called to take care of all the needs of all the people. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 216 

1 and 2 Corinthians—God’s Grace is Sufficient 

After Paul requests an offering, he proceeds to defend his ministry to his critics in Corinth. He compares waging war to struggles in life.

By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am timid when face to face with you, but bold toward you when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:1-6)

Jesus recognized the viciousness of the spiritual battle you face.

Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10:34)

In his public ministry, Jesus warned against false prophets. Paul compared his critics in Corinth to the false prophets.

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Satan applies apathy in the world and non-Biblical based theologies to distract you from seeing the presence of God in and around your life. This clouds the eternal choice that has significant consequences. This choice does not depend on whether you are a good and accepting person who gets along with everyone, it depends whether you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

In defense of his ministry, Paul prefaces the boasting about his ministry in his writing.

Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. (2 Corinthians 11:21)

You read:

Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (Corinthians 12:6-10)

The thorn in his flesh may have represented the poor eyesight inflicted on him when he was blinded on the road to Damascus. Paul diverted his travels to Troas to meet Dr. Luke seeking medical attention. Their meeting prompts Luke to accompany Paul on his journey. Luke becomes Paul’s biographer and personal physician for 18 years.

In 54 A.D., Paul wrote his letter some 14 years after his time spent in the Arabian desert where he probably spent time in the presence of the risen Christ. Here Paul may have been given a vision of heaven through the instruction he received from Christ. Paul’s lifelong lesson was clear,