Category Archives: Church / Body of Christ

Church / Body of Christ, Grace / Patience, Humility, Miracles

He Who Is Not Against Us, Is For Us

As followers of Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus) we can often get caught up in differences of understanding of doctrine to the point where we fight amongst ourselves. In pursuing important discussions about the true doctrine and teaching of Jesus we can be at risk of dividing the body of Christ, rather than uniting it. We can take an important lesson from Christ in how we address these situations.

Mark 9:38-41

      38John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40“For he who is not against us is for us. 41“For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

It is important to study, discuss, debate and actually follow the correct teaching of Jesus. We should appropriately rebuke those who identify as followers of Christ but practice or teach wrong doctrine. However, let us remember that those who genuinely call upon Jesus as Lord, even if they do not understand doctrine the same way that we do, are not our enemies. We should help one another as a body of Christ, working together. The true enemy is Satan, and he seeks to divide us so that we can be overcome by evil in the world.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Church / Body of Christ, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Marriage

Pursue Both Spouse and Savior With Passion And Admiration

If you browse or study Song of Solomon you will likely come across the thought that it not only represents the love and passion of a husband and wife for one another, but also picks up on the metaphor raised elsewhere in scripture of the body of Christ as the bride and Christ as the husband.

With both in mind note the passion in Song of Solomon 5. Note the anxiety and torment of separation. Note how we are to look upon our spouse and savior… with admiration. With Christ, there are no flaws; some would think that is easy to admire. Take care, however, because the world is constantly trying to redefine what is right and good and then make it appear that Christ and those who follow Him are bad. Also, we are vulnerable to acknowledging His good and admirable traits, but sometimes without true passion to pursue Him. We may not give Him our full attention and focus.

With our spouses, of course we all have flaws. While flaws need to be acknowledged, prayed for, and dealt with, let us focus on those things that are admirable about our spouse and do so passionately.

Song of Solomon 5

The Torment of Separation

     1“I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;
I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam.
I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;
I have drunk my wine and my milk.
Eat, friends;
Drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers.”

      2“I was asleep but my heart was awake.
A voice! My beloved was knocking:
‘Open to me, my sister, my darling,
My dove, my perfect one!
For my head is drenched with dew,
My locks with the damp of the night.’

      3“I have taken off my dress,
How can I put it on again?
I have washed my feet,
How can I dirty them again?

      4“My beloved extended his hand through the opening,
And my feelings were aroused for him.

      5“I arose to open to my beloved;
And my hands dripped with myrrh,
And my fingers with liquid myrrh,
On the handles of the bolt.

      6“I opened to my beloved,
But my beloved had turned away and had gone!
My heart went out to him as he spoke.
I searched for him but I did not find him;
I called him but he did not answer me.

      7“The watchmen who make the rounds in the city found me,
They struck me and wounded me;
The guardsmen of the walls took away my shawl from me.

      8“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,
If you find my beloved,
As to what you will tell him:
For I am lovesick.”

      9“What kind of beloved is your beloved,
O most beautiful among women?
What kind of beloved is your beloved,
That thus you adjure us?”

Admiration by the Bride

     10“My beloved is dazzling and ruddy,
Outstanding among ten thousand.

      11“His head is like gold, pure gold;
His locks are like clusters of dates
And black as a raven.

      12“His eyes are like doves
Beside streams of water,
Bathed in milk,
And reposed in their setting.

      13“His cheeks are like a bed of balsam,
Banks of sweet-scented herbs;
His lips are lilies
Dripping with liquid myrrh.

      14“His hands are rods of gold
Set with beryl;
His abdomen is carved ivory
Inlaid with sapphires.

      15“His legs are pillars of alabaster
Set on pedestals of pure gold;
His appearance is like Lebanon
Choice as the cedars.

      16“His mouth is full of sweetness.
And he is wholly desirable.
This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.”

Don’t get lost in the metaphors used that may not resonate today the same way they did when written. Focus on the desire, the passion, the pursuit of spouse and savior. Then reflect on your life and consider if you are pursuing your spouse and your savior with that kind of passion. If not, ask God to help you and start focusing your mind on what is good and admirable about each as you pursue them more passionately in the future.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Church / Body of Christ, Family

Expand Your Definition of Family: Live the Will of God

Jesus has a way of taking advantage of everyday occurrences to highlight important perspectives to guide our lives. Something as simple as His mother and brothers showing up became a quick learning opportunity that still impacts us today.

Mark 3:31-35

 31Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. 32A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” 33Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” 34Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! 35“For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

Too often we think about “blood” relations as the only important or special relationship. Truly Jesus made the point that those who do the will of God are like our mother and brothers. When we think about it in the way Jesus highlighted, it really puts a different perspective on how we support one another and love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Take a few minutes to pray and ask God to help you embrace and live out this principle in your life.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, False Prophets / Teachers

Overcoming Division and Seeking Unity

The disciples of John the Baptist and the disciples of Jesus had much in common. They followed teachers that brought the unfiltered truth of God’s word and they were rejected by the established religious leaders. They shared a common message based on repentance (turning away from sin) and turning toward God’s ways of living.

The Pharisees, on the other hand had much less in common with John’s disciples. They did not like the message of John. But watch how artfully they try to create division between followers of John and those of Jesus, pretending that they suddenly have much in common with John.

Mark 2:18-20

      18John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they came and said to Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” 19And Jesus said to them, “While the bridegroom is with them, the attendants of the bridegroom cannot fast, can they? So long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20“But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.

With great skill they find a way to represent Jesus’ followers as the outsiders even among John’s followers. Many in our society use this approach still today in politics and yes within church organizations as well. If they can identify someone as an “enemy” or “different” than they can try to push them out. With skillful application, they can even try to divide those that really should be standing together…like the disciples of John and Jesus.

Jesus is not to be outsmarted or tricked. He quickly resolves the situation. He at once justifies His disciples’ actions without condemning the actions of John’s disciples. He avoids the division and provides clarity.

Let us prayerfully consider how to keep an eye out for those that would seek to divide God’s people. Let us take care to work toward unifying instead of dividing. Sometimes the division comes from within the man-made church organizations themselves! Seek unity in Jesus with those who truly follow Him, even if you don’t agree on your understanding of all the doctrine.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Encouragement, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh

Linked By The Spirit As Followers of Yeshua

It is truly wonderful. Those of us who know Yahweh through Yeshua need not all be taught in one school to find the same truth. The Spirit leads and guides us, helping us to properly understand and live out and teach the gospel. There will be those who do not understand and who disagree on points of doctrine. We can listen and debate, but we should not yield simply to peer pressure but rather change only when we truly recognize an error in our understanding. In that way, we grow wiser.

Just as Paul could visit James, Cephas, and John after 14 years and still come together in fellowship and support, so we can come together with other believers who have not been taught from a common human teacher, but from the Spirit Himself though we may have studied and lived far apart geographically.

Paul was sent to the Gentiles as others were called to the Jews. They were not in competition but in collaboration. Let us work in this way with our brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Let us be aligned in our submission to the Spirit and in our purpose to share the gospel with all the world.

Galatians 2:1-10

The Council at Jerusalem

     1Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. 2It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain. 3But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. 5But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. 6But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. 7But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8(for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.

There are always mockers, who will attack those who stand firmly and clearly for Yeshua. However, there are many fellow brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we may find almost instant fellowship through our bond as servants of the same Lord and students of the same Teacher. Though we may be called to different ministry, we can support and collaborate with one another. We are on the same team, though we may not even meet often.

Let us pray for one another and support one another as followers of Yeshua. For each of us the ministry field may be somewhat different, but we all pursue the same objective for the same Lord.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Consequences of Sin, Guide, Help / Serve Others, Love, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin

Sometimes the Truth Hurts, but We Still Need to Hear It

Sorrow has its place in this world where it can be a force for good. Not all sorrow is bad. When we sin against the Father we should be rebuked by our fellow followers of Christ, with scripture as the basis and the unchanging standard.  If we have done or are doing wrong, then we should come to a point of sorrow if we truly love Christ. He gave all for us and we should be devoted disciples (“learners”) who seek to live after His example rather than living according to our own selfish desires.

Let us take care to learn from Paul’s letters a powerful lesson about truly loving one another. Loving one another does not mean we accept each others’ sin and call no one to change. Loving one another often means lovingly, respectfully, and firmly rebuking or correcting one another as followers of Christ, based on scripture, so that we may feel bad about our sins and our self and that it may lead to a wondrous work of repentance in us.

2 Corinthians 7

Paul Reveals His Heart

     1Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

      2Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. 3I do not speak to condemn you, for I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together. 4Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.

      5For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 6But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. 8For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while— 9I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. 10For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter. 12So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God. 13For this reason we have been comforted.
And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth. 15His affection abounds all the more toward you, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 16I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you.

We are called to love one another and that includes correction when we stray from God’s word in our lives. We must not be so afraid of hurting someone’s feelings or offending them that we let them drift away from closeness to God and into sin. We would not consider it love to leave children alone to play in a busy street, would we? Neither do we love our brothers and sisters in Christ by allowing them to embrace and accept or even normalize sin in their lives and in the church.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Money / Finances / Wealth, Parables, Submitted / Servant

Using Wisely What God Gives Us

God gives to each of us different talents and resources in different amounts. We are all called to be faithful and good stewards of what He provides no matter how small or how big.  None of us are insignificant to God. He wants us to use what He gives us for His glory. Do not use it solely for your own personal gain.

Jesus illustrates this effectively in Matthew 25:14-30.

14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver[a] to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together![b]’

22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

God wants us to effectively use what He provides for His kingdom, whether it is financial resources or personal talents and gifts He has given us. Do not stuff your money in a mattress or bury it in a hole. Don’t hide your talent or use it only for your own gain. Serve God with all that He has given you!

Take a few minute to pray. Give thanks to God for the gifts He has entrusted to you. If you are not sure what gifts He wants you to use, ask Him. Ask others around you that you trust what they see in you. Pay attention to anything that comes easily to you that causes challenges for others. That is often a tip of a gift or talent you have. Of course, to fully develop a talent, it takes commitment and hard work as well.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Help / Serve Others, Money / Finances / Wealth

Act as One Body of Christ, Regardless of Distance and Familiarity

Paul genuinely loved the people who He was able to reach for Christ. He had a network of churches and communities God had planted through him. He was diligent in trying to support them and God took that effort and integrated Paul’s letters as an important part of the holy scriptures for all of us to benefit from even today, thousands of years later.

Paul acts as a cord that ties and connects the Christian communities together. He writes an introduction for Timothy to help facilitate the effectiveness of his journeys. There is an update regarding Apollos and others who are brothers and sisters in the faith. Where one community struggles, he can collect money to help from another that prospers. It is always given voluntarily, never taken from people against their will. The government is not involved.

He wanted not to just collect money and run, but rather to stay awhile and commune with them. He submits his travel plans to what the holy spirit is revealing to him… where he sees the spirit is moving and he is part of effective service, he remains awhile to take advantage for the glory of the Jehovah.

Paul leads the churches to function as one body of Christ, regardless of distance or familiarity with one another. It is not a individual competition. It is a team event.

Finally, Paul calls the community to stand strong in the faith, be alert, be strong, and act in love. He encourages and directs. Paul was not motivated by personal wealth or gain, but rather by the earnest desire to glorify God.

1 Corinthians 16

Instructions and Greetings

     1Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. 3When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; 4and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me.

      5But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia; 6and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go. 7For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. 8But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; 9for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

      10Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord’s work, as I also am. 11So let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren.

      12But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.

      13Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14Let all that you do be done in love.

      15Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), 16that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. 17I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. 18For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.

      19The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

      21The greeting is in my own hand—Paul. 22If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha. 23The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

As you reflect on today’s scripture and how to apply it… let us remember that the body of Christ is one, thought spread out across many different lands. Let us not focus solely on our local “church” or the people around us. There are many in our body that live far away. Let us support those that bind us together and go to support others. So too, we can help others in need, even if we don’t know them, by sending money when needed through trusted organizations or people.

Let me leave you with in the same encouraging manner in which Paul ended his first letter to the church at Corinth.

Stand strong in the faith, be alert, be strong, and act in love. Maranatha… our Lord comes. (What an encouraging reminder!) May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you and may we as the body of Christ grow continually in love for one another, regardless of where we are located.

Take a few minutes now in prayer and ask God to help and bless the body of Christ around the world, around your country, and locally. Pray that we may act as one. Give thanks to Him for those who are doing His work to support the body.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Church / Body of Christ, How do I get started?, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional

Be a Living Sacrifice

Paul challenges us to be a living sacrifice to God in Romans 12. I encourage you to read slowly and thoughtfully and consider what he is telling us. If you skim it you will miss so much depth in this passage.

Romans 12:1-21

12 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
    I will pay them back,”
    says the Lord.

20 Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
    If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
    burning coals of shame on their heads.”

21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Set aside some time to come back and dwell on this scripture. Take it in pieces. Are you living the way Paul discusses? For most of us that serve God we may be doing well in some areas and need to focus on changing our behaviors and thoughts in others. Do not be discouraged. Pick one area to work on at a time and just practice. Find another faithful Christian believer and partner with them and share the journey together. It is a journey toward Jesus Christ that never ends, but transforms us to be more like Him along the way.

Church / Body of Christ, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Prophecy, Purposeful / Intentional, Self Control, Submitted / Servant, Teachable

All Things Must Be Done Properly and in an Orderly Manner.

I find this section of scripture fascinating and challenging to study. Paul lays out some specific instructions for conducting church in an orderly manner in 1 Corinthians 14. He addresses prophecy and speaking in / interpreting tongues with some interesting considerations that can certainly still be applied today. He also addresses a subject that is sure to make some people uncomfortable or even angry as he speaks regarding women remaining silent in church. For our culture, this is roundly rejected… but should it be? We truly should always challenge ourselves to study context to better understand if this specific instruction was generally applicable or applicable to the church of Corinth due to its specific situation at the time. In any case, the broader point is clearly that we should have order and not confusion in order to edify God, help the body of Christ, and draw in new believers to Christ.

1 Corinthians 14:20-40

Instruction for the Church

     20Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. 21In the Law it is written, “BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME,” says the Lord. 22So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. 23Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 24But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.

      26What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; 28but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. 29Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

      34The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. 36Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?

      37If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. 38But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.

      39Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. 40But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

Don’t miss the broader point of the scripture about needing to proceed in an orderly manner for tongues and prophecy and teaching in the church, about needing an interpreter for tongues and so on. Don’t focus solely on the verse about women keeping silent and miss the broader point. God is a God of order and not of confusion. We must conduct ourselves as the body of Christ in an orderly manner.

Curious or upset by the command for women to keep silent in church? Want to explore it more? I encourage each of us submit our spirit to God, quiet our preconceived notions based on our local culture, pray for help and click through to more study resources to explore what Paul may have intended more closely. From the link provided, you can select different commentaries and study multiple perspectives or do you own search. I need to spend more time with it myself. The immediate context may be limited to speaking in tongues or prophesying or interpreting tongues in church setting, which was the topic Paul was addressing, but it is difficult to avoid the possibility that it may be broader than that associated with women not taking a leadership role or authority role over men in the church. The issue of submission for women is covered in 1 Timothy, Ephesians, and 1 Peter in addition to here in 1 Corinthians (refer to link above labeled “study resources”)… not to mention Genesis 3:16.

Try to sort through the topic without bias of “what you are used to” or “what our culture has taught you” or even “current church teaching”. Be teachable and submitted to God. Look not to emotions, but to what the scripture actually says and in what context. Don’t rush to judgement on this topic. Meditate on it. Study it. Pray.  It is not our role to agree or disagree with scripture (e.g. with God), but rather to study it and change our lives to reflect what God instructs. Look around, there are plenty of examples of commonly accepted church practices which are wildly out of step with scripture and God’s instruction… always has been. Look to scripture and God Himself.

Our challenge is to shape ourselves into God’s image, not to reshape Him into our own.

Spend time in prayer and ask God to reveal to you more discernment and wisdom on the specific instructions given here and on the broader topic of maintaining a proper and orderly manner in the body of Christ and in church.

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