Great Through Grace

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

I Corinthians 15:9-11

 

It is widely believed that no one person has more greatly influenced Christian history than the Apostle Paul, save for Christ himself. Yet the course of history is littered with great men and women who have accomplished great things.

 

From Thomas, who is beloved as the apostle who brought Christianity to India, to St. Patrick, who single-handedly converted Ireland to Christianity. From St. Augustine and St. Francis, fathers of monasticism, to Catherine Booth (Mother of The Salvation Army) and Sister Theresa, angels of mercy to the poor. Great heroes of faith all.

 

Yet each one was but a sinner saved by grace just like us. Each one had a turning point where they left the ways of the world and set their feet upon a path of righteousness. Each one, no doubt, struggled with feelings of unworthiness similar to what Paul expresses in this passage.

 

Jesus said the one who has been forgiven much loves much (Luke 7:47). Paul said it was God’s rich grace shown him despite his persecution of the church which stirred him to work all the harder for the Lord after his conversion.

 

Some of us may not be able to identify with Paul in that we do not have a sordid past which haunts us. Yet we can all identify with him in realizing the relief and freedom that comes when we are forgiven of our ever-persistent sins.

 

The Apostle John said that he which claims to sin not is a lier and has made the Lord a lier (I John 1:8-10). All have sinned, but all can be forgiven by God’s grace (Rom. 3:23-26). Then, renewed in spirit with pure hearts, we can tackle any task, small or great, through the grace that works in us.

Eye-Witnesses

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.                                             I Corinthians 15:5-8

 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was an event which was verified by the eye-witness testimony of over 500 people. Just as a multitude of the heavenly host proclaimed His birth (Luke 2:13), a throng of humanity celebrated His victory over death.

 

Whenever I read passages about those who knew Jesus when he lived as a man, I am awed at the privilege these individuals experienced. Even to be in the company of these witnesses as the Corinthian believers were would have been amazing.

 

For those of us living now who have embraced Christ, our time of seeing Jesus face-to-face is yet to come. What a glorious day that will be! To see His smile, feel His enthusiastic hug, and hear His voice of greeting will be more than worth the wait. We know that day is coming because we know He lives. We know He lives because of the eye-witnesses who saw Him after His resurrection.

 

In the Old Testament law, a case in court was decided on the testimony of two or three witnesses (Deut. 19:15). In the case of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God provided over 250 times the minimum number of eye-witnesses. Nothing was left to chance or the devil’s scheme to wipe this event from memory.

 

Jesus was far from an obscure religious teacher living in a backwater village. He was followed by throngs (Matt. 4:25), fed multitudes (Matt. 14:15-21), and healed whole crowds of the sick and hurting (Matt. 15:30).

 

Our God is not stingy. His hands are open for whosoever will to receive love, joy, and hope from His hand. Our greatest hope is to meet the living Christ and witness Him with our own eyes that we might join the “great cloud of witnesses” who have already seen him (Heb. 12:1).

According to the Scriptures

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.           I Corinthians 15:1-4

 

In this passage, Paul speaks of the gospel on which we have taken our stand. The first thing he addresses about the gospel is its foundation, i.e. the Biblical revelations concerning the person and life of Jesus Christ. The facts are these: 1) Christ died for our sins, 2) Christ was buried, and 3) Christ rose from the dead. Each of these facts was prophesied in the Old Testament (Is. 53:5-6, Ps. 16:8-11).

 

Every Christian saved throughout history has believed and received these tenants of our faith. This is an awesome reality to reflect upon. Christianity was not founded upon one man’s vision or on one single manuscript. On the contrary, the reality of Jesus Christ has been revealed to mankind throughout human history as evidenced by the multiple authors and books compiled in the Old and New Testaments.

 

In his letter to Timothy, Paul confirms the authority of the Bible.

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.                    

II Timothy 3:16

 

It is to this sacred Scripture and the gospel it reveals that we must hold firmly and not waver. As the old hymn says,

 

On Christ the solid rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand

All other ground is sinking sand

 

The Solid Rock by William B. Bradbury

Discerning Good Leadership

If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.  But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.  But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

I Corinthians 14:37-40

 

One of the gifts given to the church by the Holy Spirit is discernment. This gift is especially helpful to identify the things of God in contrast to the things of the devil. Discernment aids us in different ways, one of which Paul discusses in these verses - determining whether our leaders are guiding us in the right ways of God or are leading us astray and away from the will of God.

 

The Apostle John also warns us of the importance of discernment in connection to spiritual leaders.

 

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

I John 4:1-6

 

John gives us tests to determine if someone is a good leader. The first test is this: do they teach the dual nature of Christ as both human and divine? If a leader's teaching in any way sows doubt about the character of Jesus Christ, then the source of the guidance is questionable.

 

The next test John gives us asks, “Do godly Christians respond to their teaching?” A believer who has a personal relationship with God will feel a resonance in their spirit when they hear true, biblical teaching. Consequently, they will sense a catch in their spirit when they hear false doctrine.

 

John then gives us a third test of a good spiritual leader: how does the world respond to them? If a spiritual leader is widely popular in secular settings, it doesn't necessarily mean they are a false prophet. One must weigh their teaching against Scripture and pray for the Holy Spirit to bring any falsehood to light.

 

John's encouragement is to trust that “He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.” Jesus himself said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27). Take time to tune your ear to the voice of the Good Shepherd and trust in leaders that sound like Him.

When Women Speak

In all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?                                                                    I Corinthians 14:34-35

 

The role of women in the church has been a long debated topic in the church throughout the generations. In this passage, Paul uses what appears in some of our English versions to be strong language to put women in their place. However, when we look at the original Greek meanings of two key words in these verses we see a bit of a different picture.

 

The Greek word translated as silence in verse 34 is sigaō. Based on the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the meaning of this word can be “to keep close (secret), to hold peace.” It is no secret that women can sometimes be really bad at keeping secrets. Gossip is one of the most dangerous habits a Christian woman can engage in. Yet nearly every church seems to have no shortage of busybodies who seem to relish discussing every aspect of other people’s lives and sometimes destroying the reputations of other Christians. Gossip can bring shame to the Gospel, and anything that brings shame to our Lord and His Church is to be avoided.

 

Yet Paul’s mention of “shame” in verse 35 has a deeper meaning as well. The Greek word used for shame in this verse is aischrŏn, which can mean “indecorum”. In the context of this chapter wherein Paul is dealing with the topic of orderly worship, this section implies that the women in the Corinthian church were not conducting themselves in a peaceful way. Throughout his writings, Paul often spoke of the behavior of women in the church and one common exhortation he had for women was self-control (I Tim. 2:9-15; Titus 2:3-5).

 

The Apostle Peter also speaks to women about the gentle and quiet spirit that is very precious in God’s sight. He says it is the hidden person of the woman’s heart that makes her beauty imperishable (I Peter 3:1-6). The virtuous woman described in Proverbs 31 opens her mouth with wisdom and teaches kindness (Prov. 31:26).

 

When Christina women act in these righteous ways, their voice in the church builds the Kingdom of God rather than bringing shame to it. Women who hold the peace bring order, compassion and love to the family of God.

 

I love the way The Message version of the Bible translates these verses.

 

Wives must not disrupt worship, talking when they should be listening, asking questions that could more appropriately be asked of their husbands at home. God’s Book of the law guides our manners and customers here. Wives have no license to use the time of worship for unwarranted speaking. Do you – both woman and men – imagine that you’re a sacred oracle determining what’s right and wrong? Do you think everything revolves around you?                                 I Corinthians 14:33b-36

 

So ladies, we don’t need to be silent in church as long as we follow Paul’s encouragement from Philippians to let our thoughts and speech be fixed on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable” (Phil. 4:8).

Seeker Sensitive Worship

Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. In the Law it is written: “With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”

 

Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

 

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.  If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

 

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. I Corinthians 14:20-33

 

The church was born on the Day of Pentecost when 3000 people were saved after hearing the disciples speak in other tongues (Acts 2). Pilgrims from all over the Roman world heard the praises of the disciples in their own language, even though those who were speaking were all from Galilee.

 

Tongues are a sign for the unbeliever that God is at work. In addition, prophecy also is beneficial for unbelievers as it reveals the secrets of their heart. But neither of these are signs if they are practiced in an atmosphere of chaos. How can an unbeliever hear something in their own language if everyone is talking all at the same time? How can a prophecy cut to their heart if they can't discern the one meant for them amidst the noise? When gifts are practiced in an orderly manner, it becomes a situation where an unbeliever can find God more readily.

 

Some would say that controlling the way gifts are exercised is dampening the flow of the Spirit. Paul refutes this by saying that God is not a God of confusion, but a God of peace. It is for the purpose of bringing peace to the hearts of men that the Holy Spirit is at work in the world. Let us not hinder His work with our pride and quest for attention for ourselves.

 

The Harmony of Mind and Spirit

Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. I Corinthians 14:6-19

 

What is appropriate in private is not necessarily appropriate in public. The spiritual gift of tongues is a mysterious and beautiful gift from God. It aids the spirit to find words for what the heart cannot put into words. Speaking in tongues is like playing an intriguing piece of music, but it should only be a solo when one is solitary. When in community, spiritual gifts are a symphony. Each gift has it's distinct tone that contributes to the overall movement. Tongues are only beautiful to the ears of others when they are interpreted so everyone can enjoy the benefits.

 

The spirit and the mind are not enemies. They both respond to God in their own way. The mind embraces understanding and wisdom of those things which can be fathomed by the human intellect. The spirit embraces the mysteries of the kingdom that are incomprehensible. We must engage the spirit in order to accept a God whose ways are above our ways and whose thoughts are above our thoughts. Yet God created us in His image as intelligent beings. We cannot hunger and thirst for righteousness without feasting on the Word of God and digging for the gems of truth found therein. Knowledge, wisdom and understanding from God are invaluable tools to guide the believer in life, love, worship and service.

 

The mind without the spirit is cold and calculating. The spirit without the mind is flighty and fickle. Both are needed to balance out the believer and create stability, sustainability, life and breath to our faith.