1 Corinthians__12

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12: 17-18 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear where the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts of the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

 

Observation

As Paul continues writing to the church of Corinth about unity, he begins to make the analogy of the body Christ being like a physical, human body. He uses this analogy to further the idea that God’s people should be united as they make up one body, but every part is useful. He also contends that God has placed each person (or body part) exactly where they need to be, according to their calling.

 

Understanding

The tribe has not spoken, only God can do that.

*WARNING: I am about to expose myself for being a complete nerd, but I promise it’s how I made sense of this passage*

Ever since I was like 10 years old I have watched Survivor with my mom, so you can blame her for my obsession of the show. Aside from telling my mom that I’m going to play for a million dollars on the show one day, we always pause the show and breakdown the gameplay and strategy of all the players. If you’ve never seen the show, just know that you are better than me, and that the inherent ingredient to success in the game is lying and backstabbing your alliances. At the start of the game (before it becomes individual) they are always separated into two or three different tribes. The tribes must work together to build a shelter, provide food, make a fire, win immunity, and just survive. At tribal council, where someone gets voted out, you find out the most information that you can’t find out back at camp. Most of the time, the players look to eliminate threats early on in the game, which has always seemed counter-intuitive because you need them to win challenges. However, each player is always playing for themselves, and I always pause the show, look at my mom and say: “At what point do these people think my morals and who I am is not worth a million dollars?” She always replies with: “This is why you would never win…”

I say all that to say this: going to church is not a game of Survivor. As a matter of fact, Paul is saying quite the opposite. He’s mad at the believers in Corinth for thinking it is a game. In just looking at my Survivor analogy let me breakdown this passage in one simple statement: WE NEED EACH OTHER BECAUSE GOD HAS PLACED US WITH EACH OTHER FOR A REASON. We aren’t competing for a million dollars, the title of sole survivor and all that meaningless junk. Our fight isn’t of flesh and blood, so we shouldn’t be finding ways to fight against our own flesh and blood (our family in Christ). Each person within our church or our sphere of influence right now, has a specific role designed to accomplish the mission of God. Each mission is distinct and important, and to say that we don’t need each other or that it is only our own walk is simply ignorant. I get that working with people is tough (at least that what the show makes it seem like), but at the end of the day we can’t just vote people off our island because they irritate us. God is a master at this game of life, so if something or someone is placed within yours it isn’t an accident, there is something to be learned from or by them.

 

Life Application

Paul prefaces these chapters by saying that only God has the power to judge those on earth, so we need to stop trying to do God’s job. If you feel that you are going through a time where it doesn’t feel like it is divinely designed then ask God to reveal the lessons He wants you to learn. When HE reveals them don’t hesitate to actually learn from them and those people. Rei said it best on Monday, the only way we can truly show God to those around us is by loving one another. So show those around you the love of Christ, and thank them for being specifically placed in your life (don’t look to vote them out because they may be a threat). Who knows, maybe when you show gratitude toward those God has placed in your life, your attitude may change toward them as well.

-Allison Khan

1 Corinthians 11

Scripture

 

1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:1, 11-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ....Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.”

 

Observation-What does it say?

 

I love the Apostle Paul because he is such a straight shooter and unapologetic when it comes to His relationship with Christ. He continues to call out things in the Corinthian church that are causing confusion, disorder, and disunity among the believers. Chaos is the evil one's business, so he is trying to dispel that from the church and bring Christ back on the throne. In this chapter, Paul is specifically addressing head covering in worship and the abuse of the Lord’s supper. I will be covering the head covering section.

 

Understanding-What does it mean?

 

Paul’s heart in talking about head coverings is to create unity, order, respect, authority and submission in the church.

 

Should men be allowed to have long hair? Should women be allowed to have short hair? Should women teach over a man? Should women have head coverings? Should women be yes robots to a man and submit in silence? Is Paul just irrelevant and outdated with what he’s talking about?

 

All of Scripture is God breathed and still relevant for today (2 Timothy 3:16). In addressing head coverings, Paul is speaking to a bigger heart issue of order, submission, authority and respect in the church.

 

In our “feminist” society where women empowerment has become a huge thing and men are being blamed for everything, I think what Paul is talking about in context is very relevant for today!

 

Life Application

 

Men and women need each other in the church and at home.

 

No gender is better than another. We need each other’s differences and similarities and we are not independent of each other. Women came from man, but man was also born from women, as Scripture points out in verses 11-12.

 

If God didn’t create a type of order for members in the church to follow and even husbands and wives to follow, major disunity would occur.

 

Personal confession: I’m a first born female raised by another strong first born female that was surrounded by only brothers. If anyone would be part of the feminist movement, it would be me. I still don’t submit in silence and push back at times. I am still working on some areas of trust/submission as God, my Husband and Pastor can attest to. However, because of the order that God has created and my growing trust in the authorities He’s placed over me, my life has become much more peaceful, in order and protected!

 

Who is or are the authorities that God has placed over your life that God wants you to trust/submit to? Your parents? Your husband? Your Pastor? Your boss at work? Your ministry leader? Male or female, as long as we are not being told to sin or compromise our integrity, we must submit out of reverence to Christ (Eph. 5:21).

 

Dear Lord, please help us to submit to one another out of love and trust for you and love for each other. Amen.

 

 

-Michelle Gaddi

 

Reference: au.thegospelcoalition.org (Head to Head about 1 Corinthians 11:3-16)

 

 

1 Corinthians_10

Scripture:1 Corinthians 10:23-24,31-33²³ “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. ²⁴ No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.….³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ³² Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— ³³ even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.Observation:Lots of talk about eating and drinking.  [Which is less than awesome as I write this fighting my midnight snack cravings…and there are Girl Scout cookies in the house.]  Paul spends this chapter walking through scenarios of when it is okay to eat/not eat, accept not accept meat. Understanding:The ultimate answer to this deliberation, though, has little do with meat at all; it comes down to love.  Living a life of love towards others – one that puts the good of others over the over our freedom of choice. It’s a reminder that our lives here on Earth are temporary and created with purpose – the purpose of knowing God and making Him known.  So, the answer to nearly any question about what to do or not do can be answered with “Show love.”  If we orient our thinking, our decisions to how we can best love others – in that true agape kind of love, looking out for their best interest – it makes our decisions easier, our relationships stronger and more genuine.Life Application: Go love on somebody! <3We can love people in our actions, our words, our thoughts, our prayers, through gifts, through kindness…each of these comes down to a decisions we make – to take others into account, to put others first, to have a servant’s heart, to seek the good of many, not just our own.  So…what will you choose today?We can do all things to the glory of God only when we remember the duty we must discharge to our fellow men; and we will do that only when we remember that our Christian freedom is given to us not for our own sake but for the sake of others. [https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb/1-corinthians-10.html]