The last few weeks has been spent going through and sharing some thoughts about the study of 1 Corinthians 6-9. Paul continues to discuss some issues within the early church. Ethics and love of neighbor is already in the agreement of Christianity. If disputes occur, try to handle them within the believer community rather than putting them into our legal system that is bogged down with trivial matters.
Paul goes from legal matters into the areas of family and health. He points out that the purpose of our body is a holy place for the Spirit. We should therefor honor God with healthy habits. Then he gives advice about marriage. If a decision is made to get married, we should search for a spouse that has a good influence on us. Things will not always be peaches and cream but desire to live in peace, find contentment, and work as a team.
Marriage brings on responsibilities like mortgages, raising children, chores around the house, and other concerns in life. We worry about paying our bills, washing the car, mowing the lawn, or passing a test when we need to be thinking more about God and how He is big enough to handle our challenges.
Even though being married has its challenges, there are great opportunities to do the Lord’s work. For example: we can lead in giving the blessing at dinner time or we can lead in a devotional time. This blog was started because I wanted a way to document thoughts for my family about God’s principles and how to apply them in life.
Paul then goes into loving our neighbor. There is no need to flaunt our knowledge to the detriment of someone else. Instead build up others. Be interested in finding their strengths and thinking of ways for them to have success.
For Paul, the reward was giving time and resources to others. There was a freeing aspect in serving the Lord out of personal generosity as his faith expressed itself through love. Paul’s attitude was to be all things to all people in order to win them to Christ.
Paul used the principles taught by Christ to train spiritually and we can do the same. Each day, we can be excited like a team running onto a field before a football game. We can go into training to change lives, win people to Christ, and receive the everlasting reward that is beyond what we could ever imagine.
These are the same reasons for the “This Day with God” devotional. A daily devotional that internalizes His guiding principles and an instrument which pushes one to focus on Him in every activity throughout the day. In order to balance career, family, and devotion to the Lord, one must daily study His Word and seek the Lord’s will in prayer.
The reading plan below will be used as I share over the next few posts. It’s important to have a plan. I’m thankful that Jesus is God’s plan for us and by accepting Him as Savior; we have taken the steps necessary to make this day with Him amazing!
Brazos River Waco Texas Near Baylor University
Questions for Reflection
1 Corinthians 10:1-14
What benefits have been given to Israel over the years? How does the faithfulness of God relate to your situation? What are some ways God provides to resist temptation?
1 Corinthians 10:14-33
What basis of Christian unity is in the Lord’s Supper? What are Paul’s major considerations in exercising Christian Liberty? What are reasons for restricting your liberty?
1 Corinthians 11:1-16
What is the proper attitude of a women and men towards each other? What reasons are given for the rules about covering heads? Do you have any thoughts about customs during the time of Paul and if they have carried over to customs of current times like men wearing short hair and women wearing longer hair?
1 Corinthians 11:17-34
What has Paul heard about the Corinthian gatherings? What is his reaction to what he has heard? What explanation does Paul give the church about the communion meal? How should a person approach the communion meal with others?
1 Corinthians 12:1-13
What does Paul want the Corinthians to understand about spiritual gifts? What is the unity among the diverse gifts? How does the Holy Spirit’s work relate to the unity of Christians?
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
How does Paul compare a physical body with the body of Christ? How are the activities of the body coordinated? What is the right attitude of a person with a less spectacular gift to a person with a more spectacular gift? Vice versa?
Feel free to respond with a short note or a comment about any of the questions above. Also, I welcome any other thoughts or ideas, favorite inspirational videos, photos, or favorite Bible verses. Just add them to the comments or to a Facebook page I’ve set up at this link: This Day With God.
Resources and Supplementary Helps Used in Posts
Adeney, Carol. This Morning with God: A Daily Study Guide to the Entire Bible. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1978. Print.
“Bible.” The Bible – The Word of God – ChristNotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 2017. <http://www.christianity.com/bible/>.
Nicholes, Lou. “Recent Commentaries.” Family-Times.net – Devotional Commentary Index. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.family-times.net/commentary/>.
“BibleGateway.” BibleGateway.com: A Searchable Online Bible in over 150 Versions and 50 Languages. N.p., n.d. Web. <https://www.biblegateway.com/>.
Times may be tough
