OVERVIEW:

The body of Christ (chapter 12); the priority of charity (chapter 13); the boundaries for spiritual gifts (chapter 14); the resurrection of the dead (chapter 15); structure for orderly giving (chapter 16).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we move into chapter 12, Paul begins to address the ignorance of the Corinthians regarding spiritual gifts. (12:1) Remember the context, according to chapter 4 and verse 10, they think they’ve got it all together when it comes to this subject. They certainly did not think they were “ignorant” about spiritual gifts! After all, they were using their gifts; they were even having services where the “Spirit” was literally overwhelming people! (12:2–3) The only problem was, it was not the Spirit of God that was overwhelming them! That’s what has prompted this entire discourse in chapters 12–14. It’s important to keep that in mind as we navigate through this section. This whole subject concerning gifts is Paul’s rebuke of how the Corinthians were abusing both the Spirit of God and His gifts!

God establishes three keys to spiritual gifts in verses 4–6:

1. There are DIVERSITIES of gifts. (12:4) God never intended for everybody in a church to have the same gift. For the church to function as ONE body, it necessitates DIVERSITY of gifts amongst the members!
2. There are different ADMINISTRATIONS of the gifts. (12:5) Even when God gives people the same gift, the way He dispenses (administrates) that gift to them is different.
3. There are different OPERATIONS of the gifts. (12:6) Even though people may have the same gift, the way the Spirit of God operates through that gift in various individuals is different.

Verse 7 lets us know, however, that there is one overarching principle guiding spiritual gifts. The Spirit always intends to use the individual spiritual gifts through individual believers to “profit withal” or, for the “common good”. In other words, the purpose of our spiritual gift is not our own personal edification or benefit; it is for the spiritual benefit of others in the body of Christ. Remembering this principle will be vital in understanding spiritual gifts in general, but even more specifically when we get to chapter 14 when Paul instructs us concerning how tongues were being abused in Corinth in the 1^st century, and all over the world in the 21^st century, by people thinking they could use that particular gift for their own edification in what is often called a “prayer language”.

God then illustrates the point of how our gifts are not for us but for others, by using the example of our human body. For example, the purpose of our hand is not the benefit of our hand; it is for the benefit of the rest of our body, as it works in conjunction with all of the other members of our body. Through this illustration, God is emphasizing the importance of the placement of every believer in a local church. Sometimes believers can mistakenly get the idea that they aren’t as important as other members of the body. Sometimes believers can mistakenly get the idea that other members of the body aren’t as important as them, or not as important as other members of the body. But the point of the passage is that every member of the spiritual body of Christ is just as vital to Him, as every member of our own physical body is to us! Because of that fact, Paul admonishes us to exercise equal care and concern for every member of Christ’s body. We’re to rejoice with those who rejoice, and we’re to weep with those who weep, regardless of their gifts, and regardless of their function in the body.

Pay close attention to the questions being asked in 12:28-31. The obvious answer to each of the questions in these verses is, “No!” No, we don’t all have the same gifts! In fact, for the body to function as a body, we CAN’T all carry out the same function by all of us exercising the SAME gift! That’s why God sovereignly gives each of us DIFFERENT gifts. Our UNITY in the body of Christ is not manifested by all of us fulfilling the same role; it is manifested in our DIVERSITY! It is manifested in each of us doing different things! In light of that, look back at what Paul said in 12:7-11. Did we get to choose the gift or gifts the Spirit of God imparted to us? Again, the answer is “No!” The Holy Spirit imparts our gifts to us as He sees fit so each of us may carry out our God-given role in the body of Christ.

Paul concludes chapter 12 in verse 31 with a sarcastic rebuke. Rather than humbly and joyfully exercising the gifts the Corinthians were graciously given by the Spirit’s sovereign distribution, they were coveting what they deemed the “best gifts”; what might could be called the “showy” or “up front” gifts. At the end of verse 31, God begins to introduce the fact that there is what He calls, “a more excellent way.” The question is, “a more excellent way” than what? Quite frankly, the answer to that is, a “more excellent way” than the one the Corinthians were following as they were pretentiously seeking to obtain gifts they felt would give them more prominence, preeminence, and recognition in the church! The “more excellent way” is what Paul discusses in the next chapter (chapter 13) because the “more excellent way” is the way of charity, or love! If we fail to make the connection that the “way of charity” in chapter 13 is actually the “more excellent way” that he’s referring to at the conclusion of chapter 12, it would appear that chapter 13 is an interruption to Paul’s train of thought regarding spiritual gifts. The placement of chapter 13 and the entrance of the subject of love into this discourse on the gifts, however, is critical to understanding and exercising spiritual gifts. (Note: this becomes a great reminder to us as we make our way through the Bible in our 365 Days of Pursuit, to always remember the importance of the principle of keeping verses, passages, and even chapters in the Bible in their context.) Because, while the Corinthians were being proud, self-absorbed, and only considering themselves when it came to their pursuit and use of spiritual gifts, Paul is letting them (and us!) know that the “excellent thing” God wants us to pursue is charity. One of the key inherent characteristics of charity is that its focus is always on the needs of others, not our own! The fact is, if we live our entire Christian life without ever completely being able to identify our spiritual gifts, but we live a life of charity, God will be completely okay with that! Because, again, the “way of charity” is the “more excellent way”!

Then, in verses 4–7, God describes what biblical charity looks like in real life. We would do well to place our life next to his description of what charity “does” in these verses to see how we measure up. Paul’s point is, these are the ways true spirituality is measured, not by our flamboyant use (or misuse!) of spiritual gifts. God completes this chapter by reminding us that exercising charity is superior to the gifts themselves. In fact, He says there’s going to come a time when the “showy” gifts the Corinthians were so preoccupied with and zealous for (tongues, healing, miracles, etc.) would actually cease to have a function in the Church Age. Again, this is not the venue for presenting a doctrinal treatise of all the reasons the sign gifts have ceased, but in a nutshell, it goes like this:

At the time of transition when God was no longer functioning according to the Old Testament, but prior to the completion of the written record of the New Testament, God used miraculous gifts given as signs for the purpose of authenticating both the messenger and his message. (See Hebrews 2:3-4) After the New Testament had been completed, however, these “sign gifts” ceased to have a continuing role or a biblical purpose in the church. The record of history confirms that fact. Once the New Testament was complete, all that was necessary to determine whether the message the messenger was proclaiming was from God is, “Does it line up with the revealed word of God?”

As was previously mentioned, Chapter 14 is often lifted out of its context (chapters 12-13) along with many individual verses in the chapter that are also lifted out of their context to form faulty doctrine. Let me offer a few things to notice as we make our way through this chapter:

Notice in verse 1 how God separates the term “spiritual gifts” from “prophecy”. There is certainly a spiritual “gift of prophecy”, but it is not the specific “gift of prophecy” that he’s referring to in this chapter. Rather, Paul is talking here about the ability of every believer to prophesy (i.e. to proclaim the truth of God and His word). Remember Paul’s earlier question, “Does every believer have the gift of prophecy?” As we saw, the implied answer was “no,” but Paul wants to make certain we understand, however, that every believer CAN and SHOULD prophesy (proclaim the truth of God)! Perhaps it would help us to understand that point by applying it to a couple of other gifts. We understand that though there is a specific “gift of giving” and a specific “gift of faith”, every believer, regardless of their gift, is commanded to give, and every believer, regardless of their spiritual gift, is commanded to exercise faith! In that same way, all of us have been commanded to prophesy, whether we have the “gift of prophecy” or not.

It’s also important to recognize that contrary to popular opinion, Paul is not seeking in this chapter to elevate TONGUES, he is seeking to elevate PROPHECY! In other words, he’s not championing the cause for all of us using our tongue to speak words about God that nobody understands to no profit, but rather, to use our tongue to speak words that people do understand so they can be edified!

Notice, also, that in the places in this chapter where it appears that Paul is promoting tongues, that it is simply the set-up to show the superiority of prophecy, which again, is simply proclaiming the truth of the word of God. Even though many verses in this chapter are used by charismatic pastors and teachers to validate the use of tongues, there is actually not a single verse in this entire chapter that is a positive reference to tongues! God spends the first half of chapter 14 showing the priority of speaking His truth in a manner that people can understand, rather than trying to show off some spectacular gift.

The second part of the chapter deals with the proper use of gifts within the body. The basic principle in verse 40 is that things are to be done “decently and in order”. In other words, a church service is to have a sense of freedom, but it is not intended to be a free-for-all! Any gathering of believers that is conducted in a manner that breeds chaos and/or confusion (which is often the case in some charismatic churches) is directly disobeying God’s word. Even at the time of the writing of 1^st Corinthians when God was still using these sign gifts to authenticate the messenger and his message, there was a specific prescription they were to follow to maintain “decency” and “order”:

• In the gathering of the believers for corporate worship, only two, and at the most three, were permitted to speak in tongues in any one service. They were also to speak “by course”, or in other words, not more than one person speaking at any one time. (14:27)
• Someone was permitted to speak in tongues (languages) only if there was also someone present with the gift of interpretation of tongues. Without someone to interpret, tongues were forbidden. (14:27-28)
• Prophesying, likewise, was to be exercised one person at a time. There were no restrictions, however, on the number of people who could prophesy (proclaim the truth) in any particular gathering of the church. (14:29-31)
• Women were not permitted to speak in tongues or prophesy in the service. (14:34-35)

Interestingly, much, if not most of the so-called “tongues speaking” that takes place in churches in the 21^st century is done by women! As we’ve already discussed, the New Testament is now complete, so the sign gifts are no longer necessary. But even if they were operative today, I know of no churches that follow the clear instructions given for their use in this chapter. I would imagine that there are churches that do, I’m simply saying that I personally know of none. It’s one thing to believe all the gifts are still operating today, but it’s quite another not to follow God’s clear instructions for their use!

But not only were the Corinthians misguided and ill-informed on spiritual gifts, in chapter 15, Paul shows that they had also been misdirected concerning the biblical teaching of the resurrection. In this chapter, Paul clearly lays out the priority of Christ’s resurrection. He very passionately and eloquently presents the fact that everything our faith is built upon as believers in Jesus Christ is predicated on the reality of Christ physically rising from the dead. Paul is trying to get us to see that if Christ didn’t rise from the dead, certainly, none of us will rise from the dead, and we become the most deceived, disillusioned, pitiful, and miserable people on this planet! The fact is, however, Christ did rise from the dead! Just as in Adam, we were all born sinners; in Christ, we are all born righteous. As in Adam, all die; in Christ, we are all made alive. As in Adam, we were all born in his image; in Christ, we are all born in His image. As in Adam, we were all born with a body like his; in Christ, at the Rapture, we will all receive a glorified body like His.

Paul concludes the discussion of the resurrection of Christ and its subsequent benefits and promises by letting us know that the resurrection should be the motivation that keeps us continually abounding in the “work of the Lord”. (15:58) Are you “abounding” in the work of the Lord, or have you grown complacent and weary? If so, perhaps you have misplaced the importance and/or the implications of the resurrection.

In verses 1–4 of chapter 16, God instructs the Corinthians concerning the best way to receive the offerings they were collecting to relieve the saints in the church at Jerusalem. This instruction has become the prescription for how offerings have been received in local churches ever since. Verse 9 of chapter 16 reveals a fact of ministry we must never lose sight of: open doors and adversaries go hand-in-hand! Fulfilling our mission on this planet is not a walk in the park. It is a battle. Expect resistance. Expect trials. Expect difficulties. Expect adversaries, but by all means, expect victory! By God’s grace, press on! Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!

OVERVIEW:

Marriage and divorce (chapter 7); Christian liberty (chapter 8); the purpose of our liberty (chapter 9); lessons from Israel (chapter 10); issues regarding communion (chapter 11).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In today’s reading, we begin the section of 1^st Corinthians in which Paul answers the questions the Corinthians had sent to him. The first issue he addresses is regarding the extremely controversial subject of marriage and divorce. One of the biggest issues perplexing the Corinthian church was in marriages where one partner had come to Christ, and the other hadn’t. Evidently, they had concluded that divorce was a “possible” solution, if not “the” solution.

Paul’s instruction is essentially this: “No! Stay in the marriage! If your partner is pleased to stay with you after your conversion to Christ; hang in there and seek to see them come to Christ! If, however, because of your connection to Christ and the transformation He is continuously making in your life, they choose to abandon the marriage, let them depart. The Lord will release you from the marriage bond, and you are free to remarry.”

This venue does not allow for an exhaustive look at every verse or subject in chapter 7, but there are a few key principles God establishes in this chapter that do need to be noted:

• 7:2-5 – Intimacy in marriage is not an option. Very simply, Paul says that the husband and wife are to give themselves to each other. A marriage that lacks intimacy distorts the picture of Christ and the church revealed in Ephesians 5:25-33 and leaves the couple vulnerable to unnecessary temptation.
• 7:10-15 – Do not seek divorce. If you’re married, stay married. If for some reason there is a divorce not based on biblical allowances, Paul is clear that REMARRIAGE is not an option—only RECONCILIATION to the former spouse. However, if an unbelieving spouse departs, Paul is also clear that the believer is free, meaning, free from the marriage, and free to remarry.

In chapter 8, the next question in which the Corinthians sought Paul’s advice had to do with eating meat that had been offered to idols. Though this particular issue is not applicable to most cultures in the world today, the principles Paul lays out to address it become extremely applicable to believers in every culture on how to approach what might be called “gray areas”. In other words, those areas that are, biblically, neither black or white, meaning that the Bible doesn’t come right out and CONDEMN the activity, nor does the Bible come right out and CONDONE it. So, through the discussion of eating meat offered to idols, God provides for us His mind (1^st Corinthians 2:16) when it comes to matters of Christian liberty. What becomes apparent in this section, is that God doesn’t want us to simply focus on our LIBERTY when dealing with a gray issue. There is another issue that He says needs to be considered, and that is the issue of LOVE! Love for our brother or sister.

Because this is such an important issue in the 21^st century, let’s take the time to set the HISTORICAL CONTEXT of the Corinthian situation of eating meat offered to idols, so we’re able to glean the principles we need to help us in how God wants us to deal with the gray issues we face within our own culture.

From an historical standpoint, realize that in the extremely pagan and idolatrous city of Corinth, virtually any meat the Corinthians would purchase in the market had at some time been offered to idols. It would appear by Paul’s response to them in chapter 8, that they had posed the question about their liberty to eat this meat in such a way, so they would be sure to get the answer they wanted. Almost like, “Hey Paul, since we have knowledge that there’s really only one God anyway, eating meat that has been offered to idols isn’t really that big of a thing for us, right? I mean, surely it would be okay if we ate it, right? What could possibly be the harm in it?” Basically, Paul’s answer is, “Sure, your knowledge is exactly right! But the real issue here isn’t about KNOWLEDGE, it’s about LOVE! And the real issue here isn’t about YOU, it’s about OTHERS! And KNOWLEDGE, as wonderful as it is, PUFFS “US” UP, in contrast to LOVE, which BUILDS “OTHERS” UP! Sure, we certainly have liberty to eat meat offered to idols, but we have to ask ourselves: ‘Is it right for me to satisfy my flesh with this meat, if by doing so, I become a stumbling block to a brother or sister who doesn’t possess the knowledge I have?’” Paul lets us know that for us to have no regard for our weaker brother in this matter should be all the proof we need to let us know that our real concern is the satisfaction of our own sinful flesh, and by eating, we not only sin against our BROTHER, we sin against our SAVIOR! (8:12)

In chapter 9, Paul illustrates from his own life, the principle of chapter 8. Verses 1-14 establish the authority and right that Paul and Barnabas had to be compensated for their work in the Lord. Paul lets the Corinthians know, however, that for the sake of the gospel, they had chosen to willingly set this “liberty” or this “right” aside, because the most important thing in their lives was the cause of Christ! It was bigger and more important than their own rights, their own satisfaction, or their own personal benefit. Obviously, Paul is admonishing the Corinthians (and us!) to do the same! When it comes to our liberty in Christ, perhaps we should ask ourselves two very basic questions:

• “Am I more concerned about my rights and my liberty than I am the spiritual well-being of my weaker brothers and sisters for whom Christ died?”
• “Am I more concerned about my rights and my liberty than I am the souls of people who desperately need to be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ?”

Then, in chapter 10, verses 14–22, Paul takes the discussion about eating meat offered to idols to another level. Some of the Corinthians probably thought that since an idol is nothing, what would be wrong with them going to their neighbor’s religious service and participating with him? Paul lets us know that though there is really only one true God, and that idols are “nothing”, demon spirits actually masquerade behind those “gods”, so that idol worship actually becomes the worship of demons! Paul then goes on to address the issue of whether or not it was biblically permissible for the Corinthians to eat the meat that had been offered to these idols. He concludes that they did have liberty to eat it, as long as they did not defile their conscience in the process, or the conscience of one of their brothers or sisters. (Please allow me to add a quick word about this thing of our conscience. Practically speaking, many times when our conscience seems to limit us from an activity that is not condemned in Scripture (even though other Christians seem to have no problem participating in it), God may well be using our conscience to keep us from that activity because He is trying to spare us from the next thing that participating in that activity might lead us to be involved in that God does forbid! The activity may not necessarily be wrong in and of itself, and it may not be wrong for others, but it may be wrong for us. In areas such as this, don’t judge others who may exercise their liberty in that area, and never violate your own conscience!)

Then, in chapter 10, verses 23 and 24, Paul reiterates the fact that when dealing with gray issues, we may be free to do what we want regarding a certain thing, but just because we’re free to do it, doesn’t necessarily mean we should! We must always prioritize our brothers and sisters. This is also the context for 10:31-33. The glory of God is what should be the motivation for all we do, not our own selfish interests and desires.

Then in chapter 11 and verse 1, Paul tells these immature and carnal believers in Corinth: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am [a follower] of Christ.” God knows that sometimes we need a model to follow. The fact is, sometimes young or immature believers need a mature Christian that is following Christ to model for them what following Jesus looks like in real life. However, God’s desire is not for that scenario to continue indefinitely. As a believer matures, they need to learn to “stand” (Galatians 5:1), and “walk” (Galatians 5:16) on their own two spiritual feet.

In chapter 11, verses 2–16, Paul brings up the subject of women wearing a covering on their head in their private and corporate worship. Paul surfaces too many things in this passage to adequately expound in this venue, but allow me to make just two very simple, yet, very important observations:

• First, as Paul makes completely clear in verse 16, he does not intend to institute any biblical requirement concerning head coverings on the Corinthians, or us, for that matter!
• Secondly, notice that the actual “covering” Paul is discussing in this passage is HAIR! As you work through this passage, allow those two simple realities to guide you.

As Paul continues, in chapter 11, he rebukes them for their abuse of the Lord’s Supper. They were coming to the Lord’s table with aught against their brothers and sisters and we’re using it as a time to exercise their carnality in eating and drinking, instead of remembering our Lord’s sacrifice for us. God uses this passage as a reminder of the purpose of communion, and shows us:

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• This is a very important and meaningful time to God. (11:27)
• We should examine ourselves before participating. (11:28)
• There are extreme consequences to partaking in the Lord’s Supper without exercising judgment upon the areas of sinfulness that have been revealed to us. (11:30)

OVERVIEW:

An appeal for unity (chapter 1); the wisdom of God versus the wisdom of this world (chapter 2); eternal building versus temporary building (chapter 3); understanding our stewardship (chapter 4); dealing with unrepentant sin (chapter 5); dealing with conflict in the body (chapter 6).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The city of Corinth was located on one of the most important east-west trade and travel routes in the Roman Empire. It was a financial center especially noted for commerce, culture, and absolute perverted corruption. Corinth was also the headquarters for the worship of Venus and for some of the mystery cults from Egypt and Asia. It was the fourth largest city in the Roman Empire.

The founding of the church at Corinth is detailed in Acts 18:1-17. The apostle Paul and his missionary team established this church, and Paul spent a year and half teaching and preaching in it. Yet, by the time Paul writes this letter, the church was totally operating in the flesh. In fact, Paul finds absolutely nothing for which to commend them in this entire letter! There is NOTHING this church was doing that should be used as a model in our church—or any church! They were completely messed up in their relationships with each other, their attitude toward sin, their approach to marriage, their liberty in Christ, the Lord’s Supper, exercising their spiritual gifts, and of all things, their belief in the resurrection! Surprisingly enough, even though there are no positive characteristics in this church worth emulating, there is an entire movement (the Charismatic Movement) that bases many of their beliefs and practices on things the Corinthian church espoused!

However, there were bigger problems in this church than just their abuse of spiritual gifts. In fact, God chose to not even address their abuse of the gifts until the end of the book (Chapters 12–14). The biggest problem this church was facing was the problem of DIVISION! Paul basically takes the entire first four chapters to address this cancer that often attacks the body of Christ. The fact that Paul addresses this subject first and more thoroughly than any of the other issues facing this church should speak volumes to us about how God feels about UNITY in His church and what issue we need to be most concerned about in our own local church. Personally, I’d rather partner for the cause of Christ with a genuine brother who mistakenly believes tongues are still for today, than to partner with a brother that uses his tongue to cause division in the local church! (See Proverbs 6:16–19.)

One of the most interesting things to note about this letter written to address so many sinful issues in the church is how many times God uses Paul to clear off a spot to speak directly to the pastors or elders of the church. We all certainly know, as the old saying goes, that “everything rises or falls on leadership” so surely it would be a quick fix to the problems in this church if Paul could just get the pastors to do their job, and exercise their spiritual authority and leadership, right? But do you know how many times Paul addresses the pastors of the church at Corinth in this letter? ZERO!

Now, does that mean that pastors do not have a key responsibility in the leadership of the church, as well as the overall spiritual climate of the church? Absolutely not! It simply reveals the fact that in the body of Christ, we’re all in this thing together! All of us together are the body of Christ! Make no mistake, a pastor will most certainly give an account to God for how he led God’s people and how he provided oversight of the church. (Hebrews 13:17) However, each person will give an account for himself at the Judgment Seat of Christ! (Romans 14:12) In that day, none of us will be able to say, “Well, if my pastor would have just led/taught/preached/visited/prayed or “whatever” better, or more than he did, I would have been different.” No, the lesson from the book of 1^st Corinthians is that whether a church is operating in the flesh or in the Spirit, it is operating the way it is because of the members of the Body, not just a select few, and all of us need to shoulder the responsibility for our local church functioning according to the word of God! Each of us needs to constantly be examining and judging our own lives, and what we are contributing or not contributing to our own local church.

The Corinthians had written to Paul asking several questions they wanted Paul to address. (7:1) However, before Paul begins to answer those questions (beginning in chapter 7), there were other issues that the Spirit of God knew needed to be covered first. We have already mentioned the problem of division in the church that Paul dealt with in chapters 1–4. Many things are addressed in these first four chapters, but they ultimately all come back to the issue of a UNIFIED body versus a DIVIDED body. Chapter 1 and verse 10 is the clear statement of God’s will for unity in His church. It’s simply this: “Be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

In chapter 5, Paul confronts the Corinthians about the fact that there was a man in their church that was involved in sexual sin with his father’s wife! (The way Paul words it, it is obviously his stepmother.) Rather than such a grotesque sin causing the Corinthian’s to be appalled, and even to mourn over how such an atrocity detracted from the glory of Christ in His church, they were bragging about it! It’s difficult enough to even fathom the depth and perversion of this man’s sin, much less to fathom the church’s perverted reaction to it! Paul is so incensed by it, he tells them that he has already passed judgment upon the man, and instructs the Corinthian’s on how they are to pass judgment upon him in a biblical manner as well. It’s interesting, in chapter 4, the Corinthian’s were casting judgment on people they SHOULDN’T. In chapter 5, they were failing to cast biblical judgment on those they SHOULD!

In chapter 6, Paul confronts the Corinthians on the fact that they were taking others within their own local body to court and suing them! Later in the chapter, he addresses other instances of sexual sin that were taking place by those in the church who professed to know Christ!

Listen folks, this was one messed church! And, as we will find in our reading over the next several days, we have just begun to scratch the surface of their carnality! But all this ugliness brings up something that is very beautiful and important for us to see. Notice that before Paul begins to address the sin problems in this church (which begins in chapter 1 and verse 10), he takes the first nine verses to greet them. What is absolutely astounding in this passage is the words Paul uses to describe the people in this incredibly carnal and sinful church. Check this out…

In verse 2 of chapter 1, Paul refers to the Corinthians as “them that are SANCTIFIED (or holy!) in Christ Jesus.”

In verse 8 he says of them, that the Lord Jesus Christ will “CONFIRM you unto the end that you may be BLAMELESS in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

In verse 9, he refers to them as those who “were CALLED unto the fellowship of his (God’s) Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Wow! How could Paul possibly refer to such a sinful group of people as this, using such commendable terms as that?! Really? I mean, in light of the horrific things we’ve already discussed that they had allowed into their lives personally and into their church corporately, how could they possibly be referred to as “sanctified…blameless… confirmed…and called?” There is only one reason, and it is the fact that in verse 2, he says that the Corinthian’s were “in Christ”! That little phrase encompasses and encapsulates one of the most incredible spiritual realities in the entire New Testament! Because, the moment we called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to save us, we were placed “IN CHRIST”! As we will see in Ephesians 1:4 in next week’s reading, God the Father chose that to be our standing (position) before the foundation of the world, and He did it for the simple fact that it was His desire for us to constantly be “holy and without blame before Him in love.” The only way that could ever happen (and I do mean ever!), is for God to see US the way He sees His SON! That’s exactly what it means for us to be “in Christ”! When God saved us, the Spirit of God “baptized” us INTO CHRIST, or, “placed us into” Christ (1^st Corinthians 12:13), and then He sealed us with His Holy Spirit to guarantee that we will remain “IN CHRIST”, until what Ephesians 4:30 calls, “the day of redemption.” That means, we will be sealed all the way to the Rapture, which is “the day” our BODY will be “redeemed”, making it a glorified body, which is a body that is incapable of sinning!

You might be thinking, “But how can God see me as ‘holy and without blame before him in love,’ when the reality is, there are times when I am anything but ‘holy’, and I have plenty for which I can be ‘blamed’, and I’m certainly not worthy of His ‘love’?” The answer is this: the spiritual reality of being “in Christ” is what we often refer to as a POSITIONAL truth. That means that it is a spiritual placement, or a spiritual position that we have received from God, that remains constant regardless of our spiritual PRACTICE, because it is based on Christ’s merits, not our own. This is why Paul refers to these carnal and sinful believers in Corinth as “holy” and “unblameable”! It was because of their POSITION “in Christ”, not because of the actual PRACTICE of their lives! But don’t miss this…

What Paul constantly does throughout his writings in the New Testament is teach us who we are “in Christ” or, “in our POSITION”, and then he sets before us the spiritual goal of seeing our PRACTICE (the actual living of our lives) match our POSITION (who God made us “in Christ”)! That is really the entire essence of the Christian life—becoming in our PRACTICE who God made us in our POSITION the day He saved us! Oh, my brothers and sisters, may that become our goal today, and every day, until we receive a glorified body “like unto His (Christ’s) glorious body”! (Philippians 3:21)

OVERVIEW:

The revelation of the righteousness of God reproduced in the church (chapters 12-16).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

After introducing the theme of the book of Romans, the revelation of the righteousness of God in the gospel of Christ (1:16-17), Paul walked us through eight chapters of PRINCIPLES related to that gospel. Then, beginning in chapter 9 and continuing through chapter 11, Paul identified and addressed the PROBLEMS of the gospel as they related to the nation of Israel. We called this section a “parenthesis” because if you were to read from Romans 8:39 right into 12:1, it would make perfect sense! Check it out…

Paul says in Romans 8:38–39, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (12:1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Now, beginning with Romans 12:1, we move into the third and final section of this great epistle. Having considered the PRINCIPLES and PROBLEMS of the gospel in the first 11 chapters, in these final five chapters (12-16), Paul takes us into an examination of the PRACTICE of the gospel. What he does in these chapters is a classic Pauline pattern that we will be able to observe in all of his writings.

In each of the New Testament letters God inspired Paul to write, he always establishes the specific DOCTRINES in the beginning of the book. Each letter then concludes by providing the reader with a series of practical DUTIES which are based upon the DOCTRINES he’s presented. Paul was aware of the danger in laying down PRINCIPLES without identifying how those PRINCIPLES were to affect the PRACTICE of our lives. (i.e. Receiving INFORMATION with no regard for TRANSFORMATION!) As Bible-believers, we must understand that DOCTRINE and DUTIES always go hand-in-hand. Each time we approach the word of God, we must ask ourselves two very simple questions: “What is it that God wants me to BELIEVE?” and “How is it that God wants me to BEHAVE?” You see this pattern established very clearly in the book of Romans. For the first eight chapters Paul identifies the DOCTRINAL PRINCIPLES related to the gospel; then in the final five chapters, he provides the PRACTICAL DUTIES based upon those principles.

Beginning in chapter 12 and continuing through chapter 14, Paul identifies the following relationships that have been dramatically affected by receiving the gospel. With each RELATIONSHIP he provides a corresponding RESPONSIBILITY:

• Our relationship to God…Offer reasonable service. (12:1-2)
• Our relationship to other believers…Minister our gifts. (12:3-16)
• Our relationship to our enemies…Overcome evil, with good. (12:17-21)
• Our relationship to rulers…Be subject (submissive). (13:1-7)
• Our relationship to our neighbors…Owe nothing but love. (13:8-14)
• Our relationship to weaker believers…Receive and edify. (14:1-23)

Realizing the benefit of an example when transitioning from theory to practice, in chapter 15, Paul provides three examples of people who ministered to others: He begins with the ministry of Christ and how He pleased and received others. (15:1-13) Next, he provides himself as an example of one that forwarded God’s message. (15:14). Finally, he holds up the Gentile churches and their sacrificial giving to the impoverished believers at Jerusalem as an example. (15:25-35)

In chapter 16, God finds an incredible way to teach us about the important keys to Paul’s ministry. Paul sends his greetings to 26 individuals, two households, and several churches that are meeting in people’s homes. That’s a lot of relationships, considering these people reside in a city that Paul has not yet been permitted to visit! As we read this list, we can’t help but be impressed with the fact that Paul loved people. No doubt, many of these names represented people he had personally won to Christ in other cities, who now resided in Rome. It is more than apparent that Paul’s ministry centered around two key things: the GREAT COMMANDMENT (loving God and loving people), and the GREAT COMMISSION (Reproducing reproducers — i.e. making disciples!) May each of our ministries reflect the same.

OVERVIEW:

The revelation of the righteousness of God rejected in Judaism (chapters 9-11).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Today we move into the second half of this great doctrinal epistle of the Apostle Paul. Keep in mind that the purpose of the writing of Romans is to reveal the righteousness of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ. (1:16-17) In the first half of Romans (Chapters 1–8), Paul identified several PRINCIPLES related to the righteousness we receive through the gospel:

• Sin is a universal reality. (Chapters 1-3)
• Salvation is a free gift. (Chapter 3)
• Salvation is received by faith. (Chapter 4)
• Salvation is secure and forever. (Chapter 5)
• Sanctification is from sin and the law. (Chapters 6-7)
• Sanctification is by the Spirit. (Chapter 8)

But beginning in chapter 9, Paul turns his attention to some of the PROBLEMS related to the righteousness we receive through the gospel, particularly, problems that relate to the Jews. The first problem had to do with the fact that at the time Paul wrote the book of Romans, the Old Testament sacrifices were still being offered in the temple at Jerusalem. The principles Paul laid out in Romans 1-8 have rendered those sacrifices completely MEANINGLESS.

The second problem was related to the reality that each time Paul preached in a Jewish synagogue, he knew that Judaism and Christianity could not co-exist. If Christianity continued to spread across the world, Judaism’s fate was sealed. It was just that reality that caused Paul to so bitterly oppose Christianity prior to his conversion.

Finally, the greatest problem Paul faced was reconciling in people’s minds the doctrines of the church with the covenants God had made to the nation of Israel. The two questions that continually surfaced each time Paul preached in the presence of Jews were: “Are the promises of God to the nation of Israel now null and void?” and “Where does the Jew stand in relationship to God in this dispensation?” The purpose of Romans 9, 10, and 11 is to provide answers to those questions. The Spirit of God obviously knew that these answers would blast Satan’s attempts to pervert the gospel with the false teachings of the Judaizers (those who were zealous for Judaism).

Some have called chapters 9, 10, and 11 a parenthesis in the Book of Romans. A parenthesis is defined as a sentence or paragraph that provides the reader with an explanation. That’s exactly what Romans 9, 10, and 11 do! They provide us with an explanation of how it is that God could set aside His chosen people for a period of time, and how it is that God will restore Israel at a future date and fulfill all the promises He made to them in the Old Testament. The three chapters of this parenthesis can be broken down as follows:

• In Romans 9, the emphasis is on Israel’s PAST ELECTION.
• In Romans 10, the emphasis is on Israel’s PRESENT REJECTION.
• In Romans 11, the emphasis is on Israel’s FUTURE RESTORATION.

A couple of other side notes:

Don’t let Paul’s statement in Romans 9:13 freak you out: “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” The “as it is written” lets us know that Paul is quoting an Old Testament reference. He is quoting Malachi 1:2-3, where this statement is made in reference to NATIONS, not INDIVIDUALS! “Esau” is representative of the Edomite nation. “Jacob” is representative of the nation of Israel. Because of John 3:16 and countless other Scriptures, there is no way that the Bible teaches that God loves some sinners, and hates others.

Concerning the hardening of Pharaoh in 9:17-18, understand that God always gives people exactly what they want. If we want truth, God will give us truth. If we want a lie, God will give us a lie. Exodus 8:15 says that Pharaoh hardened his heart. Then in Exodus 9:12, it says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. The fact is, God simply gave Pharaoh what he wanted. It is the same principle that is repeated in 2^nd Thessalonians 2:8-12. This passage identifies people who have understood the truth and have had the opportunity to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved (2:10), but rather than receive the truth, they “had pleasure in unrighteousness,” (2:12) and, therefore, lied to themselves, and rejected the truth. The passage teaches that in the Tribulation Period when the antichrist comes on the scene, God will say in effect, “You wanted a lie—that’s exactly what you’ll get!” Verses 11 and 12 say that God Himself will “send them strong delusion” so that they will believe the lie of the antichrist, and be forever damned. In Pharaoh’s case, GOD hardened Pharaoh’s heart because PHARAOH hardened Pharaoh’s heart! With those who miss the rapture because they lied to themselves when God presented them the truth, God will simply give them what they proved they wanted.

We might do well to ask ourselves today, “Is there anything I’m saying to God by the message my life is communicating to Him that I want, that I don’t really want Him to give me?

OVERVIEW:

The righteousness of God received by faith (chapter 4); the revelation of the righteousness of God realized in the soul (chapter 5); the righteousness of God revealed in trials (chapters 6-7); the righteousness of God represented as eternal (chapter 8).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we discussed in yesterday’s comments, in terms of doctrine, there is not a more important book in the entire New Testament than the book of Romans. In terms of doctrine, God is more than just a little adamant about it! Though the heed and call in “Christian” circles today is to “let go” of doctrine for the sake of so-called “unity”, God’s clear admonition to His church is to “hold fast” (2^nd Timothy 1:13) to sound doctrine, so that we can be genuinely unified with everyone else who wraps their hands firmly around the truth of His word! It is not simply our love that unites us, but our love of the truth! True biblical love always has truth as its basis (See 2^nd John 1:1-4 and the usage of the word “truth” five times in these four verses!) It is worth noting that in the epistles Paul wrote to Pastor Timothy and Pastor Titus (i.e. the “pastoral epistles”) he mentions doctrine no less than 13 times! (See 1^st Timothy 1:3, 10; 4:1, 6, 16; 5:17; 6:1, 3: 2^nd Timothy 3:10; 4:2; Titus 1:9; 2:1, 10.) Again, doctrine is what the book of Romans is all about, not the least of which is the doctrine of salvation! There is no other book of the Bible that provides more complete teaching on this most important subject than the book of Romans.

Something else that is important to note, as we make our way through this incredible book, is Paul’s utilization of questions in presenting his case. Perhaps you picked up on that in yesterday’s reading. In yesterday’s reading alone (Romans 1-3), do you realize that Paul asked over 25 questions?! It’s almost as if he anticipates the objections a person might raise in response to the truth he’s presenting, and takes away their argument before they can even get there. It is a masterful teaching technique that the Spirit of God uniquely gifted Paul to employ. Pay close attention to this technique as we make our way through the remainder of this book.

As we move into chapter 4 today, it is important to note a very significant transition that is being made. Whereas chapters 1-3 focused on the fact that God’s righteousness is REQUIRED BY SINNERS, chapter 4 focuses on the fact that God’s righteousness is RECEIVED BY FAITH. Whereas chapters 1-3 focused on the “WHAT”, chapter 4 focuses on the “HOW”.

In 4:1-8, Paul introduces us to the REWARD of righteousness by faith, namely that we are “justified”. To be justified means to be rendered righteous. It may be trite for some, but a great way to remember the truth encompassed in the word “justified”, is that it means, “just-as-if-I’d” never sinned. As an illustration, Paul reaches back into the Old Testament, to the life of Abraham, to point to one who was justified by faith. (4:1-8) Then, Paul reveals three truths concerning how it is that justification is reckoned to us:

• It is not by circumcision. (4:9-12)
• It is not by the law. (4:13-15)
• It is only by grace through faith. (4:16-22)

The chapter closes with the promise that just as God imputed righteousness to Abraham because of his faith, He, likewise, imputes righteousness to each of us who receive the gospel by faith.

Having laid down the reality that the righteousness God demands is not an ACHIEVED RIGHTEOUSNESS, but a RECEIVED RIGHTEOUSNESS (that is, a righteousness that is not of WORKS, but by FAITH), Paul then moves in chapter 5 to lay out the fact that because we didn’t do anything to EARN our salvation (our righteousness), there is also nothing we can do to LOSE it! The doctrine of the eternal security of the believer (one of the most controversial doctrines in Christianity!) is firmly established in the book of Romans, particularly in chapter 5.

This chapter can be divided into two sections:

• The 1^st section (5:1-10) identifies the BENEFIT of justification by faith: SECURITY.
• The 2^nd section (5:11-21) identifies the BASIS for justification by faith: ATONEMENT.

As we move into chapters 6-8, notice other transitions that are also being made:

• Chapters 1-5 teach us about JUSTIFICATION by faith.
• Chapters 6-8 teach us about SANCTIFICATION by the Spirit.

• Chapters 1-5 identify how God saved us from the PENALTY of sin.
• Chapters 6-8 identify how Christ saved us from the POWER of sin.

• Chapters 1-5 show us the GATEWAY to the Christian life.
• Chapters 6-8 show us the PATHWAY of the Christian life.

While there is a significant CONTRAST between Romans 1-5 and 6-8, there is an equally significant CONNECTION between Romans 6, 7, and 8. The connection between these three chapters is linked to a little phrase found in Romans 5:17: “reign in life”. Notice that Paul does not fully explain (in this verse) HOW those who have been justified by faith in Christ shall “reign in life”. The full explanation comes in Romans 6, 7, and 8. Check it out…

• Romans 6 explains how the believer can reign in life because SIN no longer REIGNS over us. (6:12)
• Romans 7 explains how the believer can reign in life because the LAW no longer has DOMINION over us. (7:1, 4)
• Romans 8 explains how the believer can reign in life because the SPIRIT now gives LIFE and LIBERTY to us. (8:2, 4)

OVERVIEW:

The righteousness of God required by the heathen (chapter 1); the righteousness of God required by the hypocrite and Hebrew (chapter 2); the righteousness of God required by all of humanity (chapter 3).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

To this point in our reading through the New Testament we have been in the historical section. In the four Gospels, we were able to see four historical perspectives of Jesus Christ’s person and ministry. The book of Acts revealed to us the history of the early church through the “acts of the apostles” and allowed us to see the transition that occurred from God’s dealing with the nation of Israel to God’s dealing with the church.

As we have learned, there are three key transitional Books in the New Testament:

1. Matthew—which bridges from the Old Testament to the New Testament.
2. Acts—which bridges from the nation of Israel to the church.
3. Hebrews—which bridges from the church back to the nation of Israel.

We have just crossed the HISTORICAL bridge provided by the book of Acts and are now entering the DOCTRINAL teachings of the Church Age.

Without a doubt, the book of Romans is the greatest book in the Bible on Christian doctrine. It is very different from the other New Testament Books in that Paul is not writing to address doctrinal or practical problems with this church. What God is developing through the content of this book is the handbook that gives us God’s viewpoint of what He is doing in and through His church. That’s why God placed this book immediately following the book of Acts. Right after we come through the historical section of the New Testament, and prior to getting into the other church epistles, God provides us His handbook for understanding the DOCTRINE of the church. It is also interesting to note that the order of the letters to the churches in the New Testament follow the prescription laid down in 2^nd Timothy 3:16, that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for:

• DOCTRINE – Romans (the New Testament book on Christian doctrine)
• REPROOF – 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians (books that reprove sin)
• CORRECTION – Galatians (A book specifically written to correct false doctrine)
• INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS – Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians (books teaching righteous living based on sound doctrine)

The apostle God used to write this epistle (letter) is identified in the first word of the first verse of the first chapter of the book. It was written by Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15), as were all of the letters to the churches. Paul was uniquely qualified to be the one God chose to write the book of Romans in that he was born a Jew (Acts 21:39; 22:3), was completely familiar with Greek culture (Acts 21:37); and was a possessor of Roman citizenship. (Acts 16:37; 22:25; 23:37)

It is important to note that, though God chose to use Paul to write this epistle to the Romans, Paul himself had never actually been to Rome. He had a passion within him to get there to minister to the believers, but somehow in God’s sovereignty, at the time of the writing of this letter, He had not allowed it. In Paul’s introduction in chapter one, he feels compelled to let the Romans (and us!) know that. He writes, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.” (1:9–13)

I don’t know how your mind works, but when you read verses like that, don’t you just have to ask, why wouldn’t God let Paul get to Rome sooner? I mean, if he’s the Apostle to the Gentiles, why wouldn’t God allow him to go and minister there to his heart’s content? And don’t you think Paul had that very same question? But then, think about it. Do you realize that most of the believers to which God would use the Apostle Paul to establish in Christian doctrine (1:11), would be people just like the Romans, who had never and would never see Paul face to face? What actually happens through the book of Romans then, is God uses His ministry through Paul to accomplish the same purposes in us that He did in the believers in Rome in the first century! It’s a very subtle reminder that when we have a passion for a good thing that God doesn’t bring to pass, it’s most likely because He is serving a much more grand and glorious purpose! In this case, if Paul would have gotten to Rome on his time schedule, we wouldn’t have the book of Romans in our possession today!

Following the introduction in 1:1-15, Paul then identifies two ways God exhibits His power: First, He demonstrates His RIGHTEOUSNESS to those who receive the gospel by faith. (1:16-17) Second, He demonstrates His WRATH to those who reject His truth by ungodliness. (1:18, 21) In the remainder of chapter one, Paul catalogs the sins of the Gentiles, beginning with their rejection of His glory (1:21-23), which resulted in their perversion physically (1:24-25), emotionally (1:26-27), and mentally (1:28-32).

Having proven the ungodliness of the Gentiles (HEATHEN) in chapter one, he then turns the spotlight on the sins of the HYPOCRITES in 2:1-16, and the sins of the HEBREWS in 2:17-29. He begins chapter two by showing the hypocrites the inexcusableness of their behavior. (2:1-4) Anticipating their objections, Paul informs them of an inescapable appointment they have with God’s judgment. (2:5-16) He concludes the chapter by exposing the unreliable confidence the Jews place in the law (2:17, 24) and in the unprofitable ritual of circumcision. (2:25-29)

In chapter three, Paul reaches the conclusion to which he has been moving since chapter one, verse 18. The conclusion is identified in 3:9: “For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all UNDER SIN.” In other words, whether you’re a HEATHEN (1:21-32), a HYPOCRITE (2:1-16), or a HEBREW (2:17-29), the scriptures conclude that “there is none righteous, no, not one”! (3:10) Paul realizes that before someone receives the “good news” of the gospel, they must acknowledge the “bad news” of their sinfulness. So, chapter three begins by proving all of humanity’s condemnation before God (3:1-20), and concludes by manifesting the availability of righteousness to all who choose to receive it. (3:21-31) Take note of the fact that God’s righteousness is offered with three conditions:

• It must be received apart from the law. (3:21)
• It is only available through Christ. (3:22-26)
• It can only be accepted by faith. (3:21-31)

Note some key facts and figures about the Book of Romans:

• Approximate date of writing: 60 A.D.
• Key Verses: Romans 1:16-17
• Key Word: “Righteousness” (appears 39 times)
• Christ is seen as OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Romans 3:23-24)
• Chapters: 16; Verses: 433; Words: 9,477

Here is a simple outline to guide us through the Book:

• The Revelation of Righteousness in the Gospel
• The Righteousness Received in Salvation (Chapters 1-8)
• The Righteousness Rejected by the Jews (Chapters 9-11)
• The Righteousness Reproduced in Sanctification (Chapters 12-16)

OVERVIEW:

Paul’s testimony before King Agrippa (chapter 26); Paul’s journey to and arrival in Rome (chapters 27 and 28).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we move into chapter 26 today, we find Paul giving his testimony before king Agrippa. Agrippa is the great grandson of Herod the Great who sought to kill Jesus at his birth. (Matthew 2:1-16) We will observe two key features of Paul’s message before king Agrippa:

1. The SINCERE CONCERN of Paul’s Message; and
2. The SIMPLE CONTENT of Paul’s Message.

THE SINCERE CONCERN OF PAUL’S MESSAGE

It would have been easy for Paul to despise the corrupt and wicked rulers before whom he had been on trial. Clearly, none of them were willing to take a stand for the truth and declare Paul’s innocence. (23:27-29; 24:12-13; 26:31) The Jews falsely accused Paul and wanted to kill him. (21:28-29; 23:12-15) Felix kept Paul in prison in hopes of a bribe (24:26), and to please the wicked Jews. (24:27) Festus also kept Paul bound in an attempt to keep the Jews happy. (25:9) It seems that “justice” was going to the highest bidder, or to the best liar. But despite all of this injustice and corruption causing him to become bitter or angry, Paul simply did what Paul always did: he passionately declared the gospel of Jesus Christ, sincerely longing for the salvation of these wicked men! Even when king Agrippa, one of the most perverted and corrupt men imaginable, sarcastically commented to Paul, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian,” (26:28) Paul sincerely responded, “I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.” (26:29) Paul’s compassion for the souls of these corrupt men allowed him to see past their wickedness to the cross where Christ died for their sins. With all of the love in his heart, Paul longed to see the salvation of every man, even his persecutors!

Oh, that God would fill us with the sincere passion and compassion of this faithful servant and follower of Christ! Remember, Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:44: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

THE SIMPLE CONTENT OF PAUL’S MESSAGE

It’s important for us to pay close attention to the content of Paul’s message each time he stood before a government official. Had it been me, I probably would have been up all night, wracking my brain, trying to craft the most moving, thought-provoking, and powerful sermon imaginable. But not Paul! Each time he stands before a world ruler, he simply gives his testimony, with a very simple presentation of the gospel. He didn’t get stressed, nor did he concern himself with brilliance or eloquence. His message was essentially this: “I once was lost, but now I’m found!” Paul’s simple approach gives evidence that he had truly taken to heart the words Jesus had spoken concerning him, that he would “be his witness unto all men of what thou hast SEEN and HEARD.” (Acts 22:15) Paul understood that he was only responsible for declaring that! Again, may we learn from this choice servant and follower of Christ! May we genuinely understand that God doesn’t need us to be intellectual elitists, eloquent preachers, or Bible experts! We simply need to declare boldly what we have SEEN and HEARD!

The great evangelist H.A. Ironside’s preaching was once interrupted by an atheist shouting, “There is no God! Jesus is a myth!” After continuous interruptions, the man finally said, “I challenge you to a debate!” Ironside responded, “I accept your challenge, sir, but on one condition! When you come, bring with you 10 men and women whose lives have been changed for the better by the message of atheism. Bring former prostitutes and criminals whose lives have been changed, who are now moral and responsible individuals. Bring outcasts who had no hope and have them tell us how becoming atheists has lifted them out of the pit! And sir,” he concluded, “if you can find 10 such men and women, I will be happy to debate you. And when I come, I will gladly bring with me 200 men and women from this very city whose lives have been transformed in just those ways by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Oh, may we never forget that the simple testimony of a changed life is a powerful witness to the transforming power of Christ! Ask God to open a door for you today, to simply tell someone what you’ve SEEN and HEARD.

After a difficult journey, Paul finally landed at Rome (28:16) around 60 A.D., where he was permitted to live in a rented house, in which he received guests, and constantly preached the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. For the next two years, Acts 28:31 says, Paul continued “Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” It is believed that Paul also wrote his epistles to Philemon, Timothy, Titus, the Ephesians, the Colossians and the Philippians during this Roman “imprisonment”. According to the record of history, Paul was beheaded sometime after 64 A.D. during Nero’s severe persecution of Christians. During this same persecution, Peter was also crucified. (History records that Peter requested that he be crucified upside-down because he didn’t consider himself worthy to be crucified in the same manner as our Lord.)

But before we complete today’s discussion of the book of Acts, let’s consider what may be the most important lesson of this incredible book. It is very simply this: God takes full responsibility for accomplishing His own mission!

The book of Acts is rather comical when you consider how confused these “great men and women of God” in the early church were for the first 27 years of their ministry. The believers in Acts 1-7 had no idea whether or not Christ would immediately return to restore the kingdom to Israel, so they had sold their houses and all of their possessions, then camped out in Jerusalem so they didn’t miss His Second Coming. (Acts 1:6-7; 2:44-47; 4:34-35; Zechariah 14:1-9) The Apostles were startled and confused when the Samaritans and Gentiles started getting saved. (Acts 11:1-3, 18) The Jewish believers had an extremely difficult time letting go of circumcision, and other components of the law of Moses, so they could be free to simply trust the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for their salvation and/or their sanctification. (Acts 15:1-2) The apostles were most certainly shocked when God postponed His dealings with Israel in order to begin working with a new institution, the church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles. (Romans 11:25; Ephesians 3:1-13)

When you put it all together, you begin to realize, that from a human standpoint, living in the time of the early church could have been frustrating and confusing IF you were attempting to analyze and formulize God. If, however, you “walked by faith and not by sight”, then every day would have been a tremendous adventure! Consider some of the incredible “acts” we have seen the Lord Jesus Christ carry out through the apostles in this book.

First, consider how God’s ancient arrangement of the Jewish holy feasts “just happened” to bring the Jews at “just the right time” and to “just the right place” to be able to witness the crucifixion of their Messiah at passover. Then, 50 days later at Pentecost, to bring them together again, to have the opportunity to repent of their fatal error of crucifying their own Messiah! (Acts 2) Do you remember how we saw God intervene on behalf of Peter and John, freeing them from prison to continue preaching to the people in Acts 5:17-20? Don’t forget how God used the persecution that arose after the stoning of Stephen to serve His purposes in motivating the obstinate Jewish believers to get out of Jerusalem and carry out the rest of His mission to Judaea, Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth! (Acts 1:8; 8:1) How about how God supernaturally arranged Philip’s meeting with the Ethiopian eunuch? (Acts 8:26-30) What about the perfectly timed salvation of Saul (Paul), the apostle to the Gentiles in Acts 9, and Peter’s visit to Cornelius’ house in Acts 10? We could go on and on with all of the supernatural “acts” God was orchestrating on behalf of the apostles!

So, again, what’s the main “take-away” from this key book of the Bible?

That God will accomplish His own mission despite our cluelessness, and despite our human inabilities and frailties. If we surrender ourselves to Him daily, we will have the amazing honor of joining God where He is already working.

Have a great adventure with God today!

OVERVIEW:

Paul’s testimony before riotous Jews (chapter 22); Paul’s testimony before the Jewish Council (chapter 23); Paul’s testimony before Felix, the governor of Judaea (chapter 24); Paul’s testimony before Festus (chapter 25).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Paul’s arrival in Jerusalem marked the beginning of his end. In Acts 21, the Jews of Jerusalem had stirred up a riot crying out, “Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.” (21:28) The Roman chief captain of Jerusalem, not wanting this riot to reach Caesar’s ears for his job’s sake, immediately halted the riot, rescuing Paul from certain death. (21:31-32)

Chapter 22 is Paul’s testimony before the riotous Jewish crowd. As soon as he mentions preaching to Gentiles (22:21-22), the crowd returns to a nearly unmanageable uproar. The chief captain was about to scourge Paul until he discovered that Paul was a Roman citizen. With that revelation, Paul inserted himself into the flow of the Roman legal system, thereby guaranteeing him an audience with leading political figures in the Roman government, even Caesar himself.

The chapters that follow record Paul’s testimony before a few of these figures. In chapter 23, Paul stands before the Jewish council once again in Jerusalem. In chapter 24, Paul is transferred to Caeserea, the Roman provincial seat of Judaea, where he stands before governor Felix. Felix is replaced by Festus (24:27), and in chapter 25, Paul gives testimony before Festus and the Jewish council.

Though there are many truths and applications that are worthy of discussion in today’s reading, let’s focus our attention on a few truths related to Paul’s suffering, and how his suffering relates to ours.

1. Suffering was a natural part of Paul’s commission, as it is a natural part of our commission. When God commissioned Paul as the Apostle to the Gentiles, he described his ministry this way: “He (Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16) God promised that Paul would have the incredible privilege of preaching the gospel to Gentiles, to kings, and to the children of Israel, so what Paul was experiencing in Acts 21-25 was actually God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises. But God’s faithfulness also included the promise of suffering. God would likewise be faithful in keeping that promise. One of the many things that made Paul so unique, as a follower of Christ, was the fact that he joyfully accepted suffering as the normal and natural result of following Christ, and reckoned that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) Paul was able to keep that perspective because he was constantly looking into the eternal realm, and passionately using his life to invest in Christ’s everlasting kingdom. (2^nd Corinthians 4:18; 2^nd Peter 1:11) God promised those of us who desire to live like Paul: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2^nd Timothy 3:12) If we live like Paul, and we, too, look at and live for a different kingdom, if we are constantly seeking to give the gospel to the lost, and constantly seeking to live a holy life for His glory, there’s no doubt about it, we will suffer! But always keep in mind, if we invest in eternity, a greater hope and reward is yet before us!
2. Suffering brings us into a deeper intimacy with Christ, because through it, we are able to fellowship with Him in a much deeper and personal way. (Philippians 3:10) Paul was one of the few human beings who actually understood that principle. With the persecution and suffering Paul experienced, if he would have viewed it from the standpoint of a natural man, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine Paul saying something like, “God, here I am witnessing for you, seeking to live a holy life for Your glory, and this is what I get?!” It’s the complaint we often hear from lost people: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Though that sounds like a very legitimate question, the reality is, it’s actually a very self-righteous and self-centered question! It’s self-righteous, because we’re calling ourselves “good” when Romans 3:12 clearly states, “there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” It’s self-centered, because it assumes that life is all about us when Revelation 4:11 plainly declares, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” The real question should be, “Why do good things happen to such bad people?” That was Paul’s perspective. Paul was so thankful for the price that Jesus Christ paid for him that he actually considered the sufferings he endured in this life a blessing! In fact, suffering like Christ was one of his goals in life! He says in Philippians 3:8–10, “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

Again, Paul understood the biblical principle that we so desperately need to learn in the 21^st century: suffering is a natural and normal part of our calling. (1^st Peter 2:21) It is through suffering, we not only become more like Christ, but become more intimately acquainted with Him. Oh God, please grant us that perspective.

OVERVIEW:

Paul’s ministry at Corinth (chapter 18); Paul’s ministry at Ephesus (chapter 19); Paul begins his journey to Jerusalem (chapter 20); Paul’s arrival in Jerusalem (chapter 21).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

By the time we open our Bibles to Acts 18 in today’s reading, Paul and his missionary team have preached throughout Syria and Cilicia (15:41), the cities of Lystra and Derbe (16:1), throughout Phrygia and Galatia (16:6), the cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea in Macedonia (16:11-12; 17:1, 10), and Athens, Greece (17:15). In virtually every place, the preaching of the gospel and the teaching of the word of God have been met with great opposition and persecution. In 2^nd Corinthians 11:23-28, Paul described his persistent sufferings in these terms: “In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.” Wow! What a resume! If God’s “whatever, wherever, whenever” for you and me included such persecutions, would we still obey Him? Remember, Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew16:24, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Acts 18 begins with Paul traveling from Athens to Corinth, a city in the Roman province of Achaia. (18:12) Corinth was a wealthy city, a center of intellectualism, and a city famous for its excess, carnality, and perversion. Every day was Mardi Gras in Corinth. It was the New Orleans, Amsterdam, or Bangkok of biblical times! To be a Corinthian was to almost automatically be associated with sexual promiscuity. In fact, “Corinthian woman” was a proverbial phrase for a prostitute, and “to play the Corinthian”, was to play the whore, or indulge in whorish behavior. Paul was sent there to shine the light of the glorious gospel of Christ into their great darkness.

Prior to Paul’s arrival, God had already arranged a meeting between Paul and a Jewish couple (Aquila and Priscilla) who had been exiled there from Rome. This couple became faithful followers of Christ, using all of their resources to further the gospel of Jesus Christ. Aquila and Priscilla were sound in doctrine, having been used of God to correct Apollos’ outdated teaching in Acts18:25-26. Paul called this couple his “helpers in Christ Jesus” in Romans 16:3, even noting that they had “laid down their own necks” for his sake. (Romans 16:4) All of the Gentile churches also gave thanks for Aquila and Priscilla (Romans 16:4), and when they returned to Rome, their home became the meeting place of the church. (Romans 16:5) Aquila and Priscilla knew what marriage was all about: a joint venture in advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Paul carried out a fruitful ministry in Corinth for “a year and six months.” (18:11) In that time, some prestigious men came to Christ: Justus, whose house was structurally connected to the Jewish synagogue; Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue; and eventually, another chief ruler of the synagogue and the man who had initially caused a riot over Paul’s preaching: Sosthenes. (18:17; 1^st Corinthians 1:1-2) In due time, Paul, along with Aquila and Priscilla, departed for Ephesus where Aquila and Priscilla were left, Paul continuing on to Caesarea, and eventually returning home to Antioch of Syria. (18:22-23)

While at Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla met a Jew from Alexandria, Egypt named Apollos, a powerful preacher who needed to be brought up to date doctrinally. When they encountered him, Apollos was still preaching the gospel of the kingdom of heaven and performing the “baptism of John”. Apollos had no idea that Jesus the Messiah had already come and gone, that God’s plan for Israel had been postponed, and that the Church Age was already in effect. Aquila and Priscilla enlightened this evangelist and brought him into the present by explaining the events of the past 22 years. (18:26) Apollos humbly and joyfully receives the new revelation, begins preaching that Jesus is the Christ, and moves on to Corinth. (19:1)

While Apollos is at Corinth, Paul begins his third missionary journey, passing through Phrygia and Galatia (18:23) and landing at Ephesus (19:1), where he finds some of Apollos’ converts. As Jesus said, “The disciple is not above his master.” (Matthew 10:24) Like their discipler (Apollos), all that these guys really understood about the New Testament was connected with the Jewish baptism of John the Baptist. Like Apollos, they, too, were totally unaware that the Messiah had already come and gone. Obviously, these disciples of Apollos had not been born again, because salvation comes only through Jesus Christ (see John 14:6), and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost is the evidence of that salvation! Romans 8:9 says it very plainly, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” These disciples, however, have never even heard of Jesus Christ or the Holy Ghost! (19:1-4) Paul preaches the gospel of grace to them, they call on the name of Jesus, they are then baptized in water in Jesus’ name, and they immediately receive the Holy Ghost, speaking with tongues and prophesying. (19:4-6) Remember, tongues are a sign to skeptical Jews! (1^st Corinthians 1:22; 14:22) The events here at Ephesus are exactly like the events in Samaria (Acts 8:14-16), in that Paul’s apostolic authority and his message is validated by the sign of tongues. These Jewish disciples of Apollos now know with certainty that Paul’s gospel is the true gospel.

Paul had a fruitful few years at Ephesus (19:9-10, 18-20), and the word of God had free course throughout Asia (modern day Asia Minor). However, his success was stifled by a massive riot which forced him to begin his journey to Jerusalem. (19:21; 20:1) On his way to Jerusalem, Paul revisits many of the places wherein he had initially preached the gospel and planted churches, ministering to and edifying the disciples.

Paul, knowing that Jerusalem would mark the beginning of his end, is not afraid to die for the name of the Lord Jesus (21:13), because long ago, at his salvation, Paul had surrendered his life into the hands of His Saviour and Lord. Paul said, in 2^nd Timothy 1:12, “For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” Paul fearlessly and confidently declares in 2^nd Timothy 4:6-8, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

Oh God, like Paul, let us live our lives with great confidence and assurance, fearlessly abandoned to You and to Your will for our lives.