Ramblings On What We Share: One Spirit

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 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.

I Corinthians 12:1-11

There is only one Spirit – not many. In most pagan religions multiple gods or spirits are given reverence. Christianity, Paul says, is different. There is only one God and only one Spirit. The one God is a Trinity, which includes Jesus Christ, who is the Lord. The Trinity also includes the Holy Spirit – the one and only Spirit.

This Spirit works through various manifestations among mankind by giving believers gifts, services and workings. He gives them to each person according to His determination of what that person needs. Each gift, service or working is from the same God.

The test of whether a manifestation is from that God is whether it glorifies Jesus Christ. Any manifestation that speaks against Jesus is not from God. The second test is whether the manifestation works for the common good of the whole group. There is no place for selfishness nor pride in the work of the Holy Spirit. The very nature of the Holy Spirit shows us this as He deflects all glory for His work to Christ.

Ramblings on What We Share: No Cliques

In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!

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. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.                                 I Corinthians 11:17-34

The world is full of cliques – groups of people who are exclusive to themselves and resistant to inviting others into their circle. In this passage, Paul says there is no place for cliques in the church. When the Body of Christ gathers, all should be equally welcome. Hospitality is key for the church. We are to be looking out for the interests of others (Phil. 2:4).

This doesn’t mean we can’t have special friends. It just means that the time and place to meet exclusively with those friends is in our homes and on our own time.

Jesus died for the world. Everyone in it is welcome at His house and deserving of equal consideration. To do otherwise is to violate the heart of what Jesus death was all about.

Ramblings on What We Share: Girl Power

 I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.  I Corinthians 11:2-16

Some people say that this passage demeans women. Yet we know, deep in our hearts, that it is not in God’s nature to demean anyone. He has shown himself in Scripture to be one who raises up the humble and show favor to the small and weakest among mankind.

In these verses we see that women are given a place of great importance. We women have authority. We have a special position with the angels, even though the nature of that remains a mystery to us. We are the mothers of men. Best of all, we have a place in God’s leadership order.

If we look at the order of headship discussed in this passage, we see that a so-called “lower” level is not a place of being less. Surely Christ is not less than God the Father. If so, the doctrine of the Trinity is a farce. Yet Christ willingly submitted himself to the Father’s will saying that the Son “can do only what he sees his Father doing” (John 5:19). And Christ clearly taught His disciples that they were His brothers and sisters (Matt. 12:47-50) and joint heirs with Him (Rom. 8:17). Yet Christian men and women willingly submit themselves to the will of Jesus Christ.

Now, as we consider this pattern, we can see that women are equal to men in God’s eyes (verse 11). Yet, we women can choose to be respectful of our husbands, Christ, and God by submitting our wills to theirs. And something quite powerful happens when we do that – there is order.

As women, we seem to have a God-given ability to bring unity and peace or to sow discord and division. Apparently the angels prefer things to be peaceful and orderly as they seem to do when women exercise their authority properly.

Ramblings on What We Share: To Eat or Not to Eat

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.   I Corinthians 10:23 – 11:1

When studying this passage, we must realize the great variance between the legalism of the Jews compared to the more flexible practices of the Gentiles. Paul, a master at navigating between the two cultures, offers a moderate view on dietary practices. Unlike the Jews, Paul encourages a relaxed approach to what one eats when visiting someone else’s home or when purchasing food at the market. The dietary laws of the Old Testament are not upheld here.

The only restriction on what we eat should be based on the conscience of the person we are eating with. As Paul mentions, this was the practice of Jesus who easily shared strict, Kosher meals with members of the Jewish religious leadership yet was also quite comfortable eating with Samaritans, prostitutes and tax collectors.

We are free to do whatever – as long as it glorifies God.

Ramblings on What We Share: Hearts Undivided

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.  I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he? I Corinthians 10:14-22

There is a saying - Why go out for a hamburger when you have steak at home? We Christians are too content gorging ourselves on scraps from the devil's table when Jesus offers us the choicest cuts of good, solid food. The devil's fare is raw and rancid. It upsets our stomach, so to speak, by sowing corruption into our beings. But we all know the appeal of junk food over health food.

Brothers and sisters, let us commit ourselves to that which is healthy and wholesome. Join me in a renewed resolve to enjoy all the wondrous things of God. Let us determine in our hearts not to gaze longingly at the devil's table. Let us slap one another's hands when we reach for that which belongs to demons. For together as one body we can stand firm with undivided hearts.

Ramblings on What We Share: Evil and Temptation

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did —and were killed by the destroying angel.

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.                I Corinthians 10:1-13

What a blessing it is to sit here and read how Paul opens up the annals of history for the Christian. If you’ve ever asked why it is important to read the Old Testament, he tells you – to learn from its example. Christianity builds on the history of a people who often failed by succumbing to the evil that surrounded them.

But the wonder of Israel’s history Paul also makes clear – they were never alone. Christ was always with them…

…making a way where there was no way,

…making food where there was no food,

…making drink where there was no water.

He had to have been there in order to be rejected, tested and grumbled against. His path of mankind’s mistreatment began generations before he hung on the cross. Yet, He still offers us a way out – what an undying love!