Short Reflection from 1 Corinthians 1-16

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (BRW-M) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[6:51 am, 17/01/2022] S.R:

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙:𝟚

"To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, 𝕊𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕤 𝔹𝕪 ℂ𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:"

If there's any Christian community in the Bible that is so unworthy to be called saints, it's the church of Corinth. When we read the following chapters, we see how sinful they were before and even after their conversions.

Yet, God called them "saints" in the words of Paul, why? Because it's not what we do that made us saints. We are made saints by His calling!

Praise God that I am a sinner, at the same time, a saint because He has called me in Christ!

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟚:𝟙𝟞

"For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ."

According to Philippians 2, this mind of Christ includes humility.

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟛:𝟛

"For you are still fleshly. For since there is 𝕁𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕪 and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?"

Who does not struggle with jealousy, btw?

Yesterday, I just met a man who will be going for theological studies. I thought he was going abroad. When he said that it was in India, Nagaland, I was relieved!

Wretched man, I am! 🤦‍♂️

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟜:𝟙𝟞

"Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me."

Jesus commanded us to imitate Him.

Paul commanded us to imitate him.

Scriptures commanded us to imitate good behaviour.

Likewise, friends, imitate me in updating regularly!

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟝:𝟡-𝟙𝟘

"I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world."

Indeed, evil company corrupts good morals. Let's be mindful of those we associate.

And in the secular world, when we make friends with godless people, let's do so to influence them and not to become like them.

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟞:𝟙𝟚

"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."

Nice verse to memorize. That's why I don't drink. That's why I don't gamble. That's why I don't text girls after 11:00 PM

That's why.... 😂

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟟:𝟙

"Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman."

Indeed, one should touch only his woman that also after marrying her!

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟠:𝟠

"But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat."

This is why I disagree with my Seventh-Day Adventist friends to eat pork! 😎

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟡:𝟙𝟞-𝟙𝟟

"For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for 𝕨𝕠𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕞𝕖 𝕚𝕗 𝕚 𝕕𝕠 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕝. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me."

There are sometimes I want to stop preaching, but it also means I want to stop living. Woe is me if I don't enjoy the Gospel!

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟘:𝟛𝟙

"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

This is my go-to verse in counselling, evangelism, and discipleship. This week alone, I have sat down with 2 different individuals, explaining it. Everyone ought to know, memorize, and be able to explain this!

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟙:𝟙𝟜

"Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him,"

𝕀𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕖𝕕, nobody thinks a guy with long hair is a normal guy!

Go cut your hair, if you don't want to be abnormal! 😎

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟚:𝟚𝟟

"Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it."

Every day I go to church, I have to remember this truth. When I take bath, I make sure that everything in me is clean. Likewise, in church, my goal is for everyone's sanctification!

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟛:𝟚

“If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”

Love is the greatest and noblest among all virtues. But we often fail to understand love. God loves us perfectly and we still ask, "Does God love me?"

So, don't just give in to anything at the chorus of "love love love"

Some people love chicken and eat them. Some people love their Gfs and kill them. Etc., etc.

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟜:𝟙𝟚

"So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church."

 To build up one another in Christ! 😊👍

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟝:𝟛-𝟝

"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve."

The most important Christian doctrine is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that He came to die for sinners!

 

𝟙 ℂ𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟞:𝟚𝟚

"If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha."

The greatest tragedy is not loving Christ. Learn to cherish Christ. Learn to love Him more and more day by day!

Short Reflection from Romans 1-16

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (BRW-M) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]

[5:24 pm, 01/01/2022]

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙:𝟝

"through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake."

This evening, one guy asked me about faith vs work in salvation. This verse elucidates that it is the Grace of God that saves anyone. This grace cannot be earned, it can be only received. Behold, grace is given in Christ. We have to believe (Faith in) Christ.

But this grace is for the obedience of faith, meaning, we must obey (work out) the righteous laws of Christ.

In simple: We aren't saved by good work. But we are saved to do good work.

That's the meaning of "to bring" talking about the purpose, the result of salvation (receiving grace).

If we profess to be Christians, let's be obedient to the righteous commands of God.

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟚:𝟝

"But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."

All the sins of a believer (past, present, and future) are already punished in the death of Christ. BUT

All the sins of unbelieving ones are accumulating, storing up for the wrath of God to unleash upon them!

While we (believers) praise God for the deliverance, we will face discipline on earth (not in hell) if we have unrepentant sin!

Let's praise God and pursue godliness!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟛:𝟜

“. . .Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, . . .”

I see two strong impressions:

1. Paul has a very high view of God. God's honor is greater than the honor of all mankind put together. [How despicable it is when we find fault in God to honor a mere man!]

2. God will not be manipulated nor discouraged by any wisdom or wickedness of man. He shall remain faithful and just! To a sinner, this is terrible, because it means God will not spare anyone. That's why God sent Jesus to save us!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟜:𝟙-𝟚

"What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God."

Bible is so simple to understand. I think we have decided to believe it to be difficult because we are so lazy to study, examine, and think through it. We don't even read often while we study many other things like crazy.

Furthermore, sometimes, people want to mean it differently than what it plainly says.

Look at how Apostle Paul read Genesis and thought through the life of Abraham and applied it here.

Also, look at how Apostle Paul was interacting with his Roman audience with a series of hard questions.

This chapter reminds me to not be lazy nor be stupid. Ignorance is not bliss, it's sinful!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟝:𝟙

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"

Many times, I have seen my fellow Christian brothers and sisters trying to evangelize non-Christians by saying that they have peace in their hearts which Jesus gives.

Well, they don't know what they are talking about. Actually, they worry about many things. They have many arguments with a lot of people. What peace do they have in their hearts???

Friends, the peace we have when we become Christians is not primarily in our hearts. Actually, it's between us and God.

Even a genuine Christian like that Mr. Feeble-mind of The Pilgrim's Progress might never experience peace in our hearts. Or like that theologian hymn-writer William Cowper who thought he was a reprobate.

That's why Romans 5:1 is wonderful because it doesn't matter whether we have peace in our hearts or not, whether we feel it or not, if we are justified by faith (are Christian), God has peace with us. We are pardoned of all our sins and from the punishment of God! That's the kind of peace the Bible talks about, not the wishful peace in our hearts!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟞:𝟜

"Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life."

Christ died that we may die to sin; He arose that we might live in Him.

Again, Christ didn't die just to forgive our sins, He died so that we might die to sin; He arose not just to give us resurrection on the last day, He arose so that we might live in Him now.

Or, else, your understanding of the Gospel is incomplete. It's not just about forgiveness and resurrection. It's dying to sin and living in the newness of life.

The Gospel is not just the fact or else, everyone would have been saved. It's to be believed.

If one has never died to sin and lives in the newness of life, no matter what he knows of the Gospel, he only knows the fact, he has never received/believed the Gospel!

Gospel affects/changes/transforms the believers!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟟:𝟜

"Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God."

Dead to sin, Alive in Christ.

A fruitless person is not a Christian.

A person who knows the fact of the Gospel but is not changed by the Gospel is not a Christian. [Give such a person a book, "Once Saved Always Changed," written by Steve Fernandez. If you have never read it. I will send you a soft copy. 🙂]

However, a Christian will still be committing sins, which the rest of this chapter tackles it.

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟠:𝟙

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

If God condemns us no more, what are all those cursing? They are totally powerless!

Don't be intimidated by people's curses or generational curses! Are they more powerful than God? Provided you are in Christ!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟡:𝟛

"For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh"

Will I ever wish like this? Would I speak like this? Moses also did like this.

John Knox's prayer for England is also fascinating!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟘:𝟙

"Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation."

Paul's heart for the lost people. We need some men of God who would do the same for the homeless, beggars, and slums of Delhi!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟙:𝟚𝟝

"For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕒𝕝 ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕕𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;"

It's just a partial hardening. There will be converts if we go out and preach if we pray for them.

Let's pray for the lost souls, yes, even for the Israelites!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟚:𝟛

"For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith."

As I grow older, I have learned this truth "not to think more highly of himself than he ought to" better. Well, even if wisdom and godliness do not come soon (early) as we like, it comes as we age!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟛:𝟙𝟜

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts."

Oh! That Jesus would be dearer, sweeter, and more satisfying than everything. Not that He is not, but that would be true in me!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟜:𝟙𝟘

"But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God."

I am increasingly realizing the gist of this verse. It's imperative to be sound in doctrine, to be discerning, to separate from people who aren't like-minded, but at the same time to not hold anyone in contempt!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟝:𝟚

"Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification."

I may please my neighbor with a good perfume, or a beautiful flower in my garden.

I can invite him and serve him a great lunch.

But I might displease him in my sleep, snoring loudly😂

Let's admit, we have a lot to work on pleasing one another. Let's not be satisfied because of one area we are good at!

 

ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝟙𝟞:𝟜

"who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles"

Would I risk my life for someone's safety?

Would anyone risk his or her life for me because I hold fast to the Gospel of God?

Something hard to find in our generation!