"Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." I Cor.10:10-11
"Neither murmur ye…" That is a specific command issued by the Holy Spirit, targeting another problem in the troubled Corinthian assembly. It is important to trace the example to its roots, found in the history of Israel in the wilderness. "And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!" (Numbers 14:2; Cf Exodus 15:24 ) It was a complaint against the divinely appointed leadership.
Murmuring. In the Navy we used to call it "griping," and it was pretty much taken for granted. But God does not take it for granted in the body of Christ!
Consider the context. Murmuring is equated with idolatry (v.7), fornication (v.8) and "tempting Christ" (v.9.) Sadly, tragically, in fact, many who would readily recognize idolatry or fornication as capital sins fail to recognize a complaining, bitter spirit as falling into the same category. Yet that is what the scripture clearly teaches.
Then, consider the cost. "Some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer." Two things emerge here, the first implied, the other clearly stated.
The implication is that murmuring is a contagious disease. When individuals complain in a congregation, airing their discontent, others are tempted to take sides, and the body of Christ is divided. Like a deadly cancer, a complaining spirit can paralyze a church until it can no longer function to the glory of God.
The clear statement is, in our text and the context, that when God wearies of this ungodly behavior, judgment will inevitably follow. The chronic complainers, undermining the leadership of Moses, were "destroyed of the destroyer." The Old Testament context declares, "The Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against Me?" (cf. Num. 14:26-32) (Note that murmuring against the leadership is regarded as murmuring against God!) And to the offenders He said, "But as for you, your carcasses, they shall fall in this wilderness." The complainers were denied entrance into the promised land and died short of the goal of God's grace. Had not Moses interceded, the entire congregation would have perished there. God defines murmuring as sin, and He does not take sin lightly!
In the New Testament context troublesome believers do not necessarily die, in the literal sense, under the heavy hand of the Almighty. But, the joy of the Lord leaves the fellowship of the saints, congregations are divided and the testimony of the Lord is disgraced. Many a church building in our land today has been turned into a sail loft or a community club because a once vibrant testimony has withered under the hand of God in judgment upon a bitter and complaining spirit.
Now consider the corrective. The Holy Spirit tells us, by way of the apostle Paul, "Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." The correction for every error we may be guilty of is found in the same word that exposes it. We must hear that word, heed it and hide it in our hearts as preventive medicine against a recurrence of the "sin which doth so easily beset us." The word of God comes to us for instruction and warning. As respects the believer's relation to leadership in the church, we are instructed clearly, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly (Heb. 13:17-18)."
That is the word of God regarding those God has put in authority. "Obey…submit…pray." If the leader fails, it is God's responsibility to reprove him, not ours to publicly or privately castigate him. Those who heed this word will not be murmurers; those who murmur, complain and spread discontent and division are not obeying scripture and become guilty of tempting Christ, for in the end it is His leadership (Lordship!) that is being resisted, as was the case with Israel's discontent with Moses, and Paul's with his detractors. The cost of a complaining spirit is too high a price to pay for the little carnal satisfaction it may bring!
With HIS word and HIS will in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
Sunday, December 25, 2005
1 Corinthians 9 - 2005.12.17
"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it for a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible." I Cor. 9:23-24
This passage is a familiar one, and its elements are quite self evident. There is little liklihood that I shall introduce any striking insights, but it may be that reviewing and underscoring what is already known will provide fresh encouragement to some to "keep on keeping on," and that will not be wasted effort.
The apostle's imagery in v.23 is that of a marathon, and he uses the figure to instruct us as to how we should engage the Christian life. His first exhortation is, "run to win." If you have ever witnessed the start of a marathon, you will realize that relatively few must run with any idea of winning the prize. That makes it evident that there are other reasons for running. Some must run simply for the thrill of participation. Others, evidently, run for the publicity, the thrill of the crowd. Some may run just for the satisfaction of knowing they tried, and gave it their best. There may be noble motives for running, even if one knows beforehand that he can never hope to win. But what is important here is the principle: run with purpose; "so run that ye may obtain." One thing is certain; no one will receive the prize who does not give it his best and that is what the Spirit of God is urging upon us here.
There is, unfortunately, a great deal of lackluster participation in the Christian life. Many "run" who seem to have little more purpose than just to show up. They demonstrate their faith if and when it is convenient and comfortable. Such an attitude denigrates the Christian faith. I think Paul might have expanded on his charge by saying, "If you don't plan on giving it your best, don't bother to show up at all."
This leads quite naturally to his next point of emphasis: "Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." Those who compete to win must prepare and engage their task with discipline. There are two kinds of discipline essential to successful competition: discipline in preparation, and disciplined participation. The idea behind "temperate," or temperance (see Gal. 5:22-24) is "self control." It is a reminder that godliness is not achieved by chance, but by choice. Salvation qualifies us for it, but its realization involves the believer's will.Our preparation requires prayer and the word of God. Sadly, some professing Christians take little time for communion with the Lord of glory, and do little to familiarize themselves with His Instruction Book. The discipline of participation demands maintaining a spiritual focus that seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
As a youth I remember hearing the testimony of runner Gil Dodds, a fine Christian and at that time holding the record for the world's fastest indoor mile. One of the points he made was that to run successfully one cannot allow himself to be distracted by the crowd. Too many believers are distracted, employing a different figure used by the Lord Jesus, by "the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things (Mk. 4:19)," losing sight of the goal and losing heart for the race.
Some, of course, will be inclined to shrug it off and say , (as in fact I have heard said,) "What does it matter? I don't want any rewards." Such an attitude betrays a tragic ignorance of what salvation really is. It is, after all, new life in Christ, obtained for us by Him at incredible cost. It assures us a future and a hope when this life is over, paid for by His blood shed for the remission, or forgiveness, of our sins. That we should be grateful is a colossal understatement. When we at last stand before him, we ought to have a love-gift for Him.
In the apostle John's vision of heaven, "The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat upon the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou has created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created (Rev. 4:10-11)." Their crowns were evidence of their love and loyalty toward the Savior. They ran to win, not for their own glory, but for His. So should we! Let us run to win!!
With HIS will in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
This passage is a familiar one, and its elements are quite self evident. There is little liklihood that I shall introduce any striking insights, but it may be that reviewing and underscoring what is already known will provide fresh encouragement to some to "keep on keeping on," and that will not be wasted effort.
The apostle's imagery in v.23 is that of a marathon, and he uses the figure to instruct us as to how we should engage the Christian life. His first exhortation is, "run to win." If you have ever witnessed the start of a marathon, you will realize that relatively few must run with any idea of winning the prize. That makes it evident that there are other reasons for running. Some must run simply for the thrill of participation. Others, evidently, run for the publicity, the thrill of the crowd. Some may run just for the satisfaction of knowing they tried, and gave it their best. There may be noble motives for running, even if one knows beforehand that he can never hope to win. But what is important here is the principle: run with purpose; "so run that ye may obtain." One thing is certain; no one will receive the prize who does not give it his best and that is what the Spirit of God is urging upon us here.
There is, unfortunately, a great deal of lackluster participation in the Christian life. Many "run" who seem to have little more purpose than just to show up. They demonstrate their faith if and when it is convenient and comfortable. Such an attitude denigrates the Christian faith. I think Paul might have expanded on his charge by saying, "If you don't plan on giving it your best, don't bother to show up at all."
This leads quite naturally to his next point of emphasis: "Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." Those who compete to win must prepare and engage their task with discipline. There are two kinds of discipline essential to successful competition: discipline in preparation, and disciplined participation. The idea behind "temperate," or temperance (see Gal. 5:22-24) is "self control." It is a reminder that godliness is not achieved by chance, but by choice. Salvation qualifies us for it, but its realization involves the believer's will.Our preparation requires prayer and the word of God. Sadly, some professing Christians take little time for communion with the Lord of glory, and do little to familiarize themselves with His Instruction Book. The discipline of participation demands maintaining a spiritual focus that seeks first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
As a youth I remember hearing the testimony of runner Gil Dodds, a fine Christian and at that time holding the record for the world's fastest indoor mile. One of the points he made was that to run successfully one cannot allow himself to be distracted by the crowd. Too many believers are distracted, employing a different figure used by the Lord Jesus, by "the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things (Mk. 4:19)," losing sight of the goal and losing heart for the race.
Some, of course, will be inclined to shrug it off and say , (as in fact I have heard said,) "What does it matter? I don't want any rewards." Such an attitude betrays a tragic ignorance of what salvation really is. It is, after all, new life in Christ, obtained for us by Him at incredible cost. It assures us a future and a hope when this life is over, paid for by His blood shed for the remission, or forgiveness, of our sins. That we should be grateful is a colossal understatement. When we at last stand before him, we ought to have a love-gift for Him.
In the apostle John's vision of heaven, "The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat upon the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou has created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created (Rev. 4:10-11)." Their crowns were evidence of their love and loyalty toward the Savior. They ran to win, not for their own glory, but for His. So should we! Let us run to win!!
With HIS will in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
1 Corinthians 8 - 2005.12.10
"…Through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." I Cor. 8:11-13
The church, in scripture, is represented by a number of different figures. It is likened to a garden and to a building, for example (I Cor 3:9), but the most familiar and telling figure is that of a body, an organism the various "members" of which are permeated alike by the life of Christ, and over which He is the head (Cf. Eph. 1:22, 23; 4:15-16; Col. 1:18 et al).
If I am truly born again, that makes me part of the church which is His body. This concept transcends all the things which distinguish us as individuals and unites us with all believers everywhere (and in all ages) in a single entity, the body of Christ. This principle should condition how we think about ourselves, and how we perceive and relate to other believers. As a believer I am not an isolated individual, responsible only for myself, but I am a part of a functioning organism and responsible to and for the other members of this remarkable body.
In this day of radical individualism, we need to take a fresh look at this concept. The issue at hand, with respect to our text, was the eating of meat that had been ceremonially offered to idols in pagan worship and was then offered for sale at a discounted price. Was it morally wrong for a believer to purchase and eat such meat and, more particularly, would it be wrong to eat it if it was served in the idol temple itself (see v.10)?
The apostle's overarching view is that the matter in and of itself has no bearing on a believer's spiritual condition. Related to Christ by faith alone, his eternal destiny was forever settled, and religious issues such as this had become of no consequence. Rituals and regulations disappear when one comes to a saving knowledge of Christ, as numerous passages in the New Testament clearly indicate. "Religion" is banished by virtue of relationship with Christ.
What is not banished, however, is responsibility . Our freedom in Christ is not a license for anarchy. It is not, as I heard a preacher say many years ago, the freedom to do as we please, but the freedom to do as God pleases. And God is not pleased when we as believers behave without a proper regard for other members of the body of Christ. It is the responsibility of the members of the body to be concerned for, and considerate of all the other members of the body. The Holy Spirit, through the apostle, notes distinctions within the body, defining some as "weak," and others as "strong" (cf. Rom. 15:1). The strong are those who know they are free in Christ, having no "hang-ups." The weak are those who, less discerning, are more conscientious and inclined to fear lest they contaminate themselves by (in this case) an inadvertent, but corrupting contact with idols. The strong know the idol is "nothing" (v. 9). The weak see demons behind it, and are afraid. The weak are counseled not to sin against their conscience. The strong are counseled not to sin against their fellow believers by flaunting their freedom to the hurt of the weaker brother.
The freedom of the strong is not only the power to do what he wishes, or knows to be permissible, but it is also the freedom not to indulge such liberty. The decision is not made unilaterally, but with consideration for the whole body and its testimony before the watching world. The seriousness of this concern is evident in the charged statement in v. 12, "But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ." The body is His, and when we conduct ourselves without proper regard for other believers, down to the weakest, we exhibit a disdain for Christ.
When you create or confront an issue in the church, are you sensitive to the bearing of your action on the "weaker brother?" Do bear in mind, of course, that the issues under consideration are not doctrinal, but ethical. We are not by this line of teaching being encouraged to compromise Bible doctrine, but matters of ethical or religious freedom. Those who truly take the high ground are those who are fully persuaded of their freedom from religious scruples, yet restrain themselves out of concern lest their spiritual freedom undermine the conscience of more scrupulous brethren, thus weakening the moral integrity of the church, His body, as a whole.
The proper position cannot be better stated than by the apostle himself: "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth…(v. 13)." He would rein in his liberty rather than ride roughshod over another, a timid saint, who might suffer a wounded conscience as a result. God is not glorified in the exercise of our freedom, but in the exhibition of our love.
"Others"
With HIS glory in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
The church, in scripture, is represented by a number of different figures. It is likened to a garden and to a building, for example (I Cor 3:9), but the most familiar and telling figure is that of a body, an organism the various "members" of which are permeated alike by the life of Christ, and over which He is the head (Cf. Eph. 1:22, 23; 4:15-16; Col. 1:18 et al).
If I am truly born again, that makes me part of the church which is His body. This concept transcends all the things which distinguish us as individuals and unites us with all believers everywhere (and in all ages) in a single entity, the body of Christ. This principle should condition how we think about ourselves, and how we perceive and relate to other believers. As a believer I am not an isolated individual, responsible only for myself, but I am a part of a functioning organism and responsible to and for the other members of this remarkable body.
In this day of radical individualism, we need to take a fresh look at this concept. The issue at hand, with respect to our text, was the eating of meat that had been ceremonially offered to idols in pagan worship and was then offered for sale at a discounted price. Was it morally wrong for a believer to purchase and eat such meat and, more particularly, would it be wrong to eat it if it was served in the idol temple itself (see v.10)?
The apostle's overarching view is that the matter in and of itself has no bearing on a believer's spiritual condition. Related to Christ by faith alone, his eternal destiny was forever settled, and religious issues such as this had become of no consequence. Rituals and regulations disappear when one comes to a saving knowledge of Christ, as numerous passages in the New Testament clearly indicate. "Religion" is banished by virtue of relationship with Christ.
What is not banished, however, is responsibility . Our freedom in Christ is not a license for anarchy. It is not, as I heard a preacher say many years ago, the freedom to do as we please, but the freedom to do as God pleases. And God is not pleased when we as believers behave without a proper regard for other members of the body of Christ. It is the responsibility of the members of the body to be concerned for, and considerate of all the other members of the body. The Holy Spirit, through the apostle, notes distinctions within the body, defining some as "weak," and others as "strong" (cf. Rom. 15:1). The strong are those who know they are free in Christ, having no "hang-ups." The weak are those who, less discerning, are more conscientious and inclined to fear lest they contaminate themselves by (in this case) an inadvertent, but corrupting contact with idols. The strong know the idol is "nothing" (v. 9). The weak see demons behind it, and are afraid. The weak are counseled not to sin against their conscience. The strong are counseled not to sin against their fellow believers by flaunting their freedom to the hurt of the weaker brother.
The freedom of the strong is not only the power to do what he wishes, or knows to be permissible, but it is also the freedom not to indulge such liberty. The decision is not made unilaterally, but with consideration for the whole body and its testimony before the watching world. The seriousness of this concern is evident in the charged statement in v. 12, "But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ." The body is His, and when we conduct ourselves without proper regard for other believers, down to the weakest, we exhibit a disdain for Christ.
When you create or confront an issue in the church, are you sensitive to the bearing of your action on the "weaker brother?" Do bear in mind, of course, that the issues under consideration are not doctrinal, but ethical. We are not by this line of teaching being encouraged to compromise Bible doctrine, but matters of ethical or religious freedom. Those who truly take the high ground are those who are fully persuaded of their freedom from religious scruples, yet restrain themselves out of concern lest their spiritual freedom undermine the conscience of more scrupulous brethren, thus weakening the moral integrity of the church, His body, as a whole.
The proper position cannot be better stated than by the apostle himself: "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth…(v. 13)." He would rein in his liberty rather than ride roughshod over another, a timid saint, who might suffer a wounded conscience as a result. God is not glorified in the exercise of our freedom, but in the exhibition of our love.
"Others"
With HIS glory in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
Monday, December 19, 2005
1 Corinthians 7 - 2005.12.03
"…And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away." I Cor. 7:31
Jesus said once, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal… (Mt. 6:19)" Our text for today expresses the principle underlying this exhortation and numerous others like it in the scriptures. Nothing in this present world is permanent; everything is subject to change—and decay.
Our text emerges rather abruptly and unexpectedly in the midst of a discussion about marriage. There are few things in this world more gratifying than a happy marriage, but this, too, is sustained by a very slender thread which can be broken in a moment by the operations of the tragic "law of sin and death." Life offers no certainties in this world except the inevitability of change. If you watch television you have seen, no doubt, aging fashion models or entertainment "stars" struggling to keep up appearances against the relentless attack of the aging process. Riches carefully hoarded "…make themselves wings: they fly away as an eagle toward heaven (Prov. 23:5)," if not eaten by moths or destroyed by corrosion. Things, both great and small, can be swept away in a moment by fire, flood or stormy wind. Health is at risk from a horde of diseases, and if the world as we know it, or as we would like it to be, does not leave us, we will soon leave it.
The apostle Peter declared, "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away… (I Peter 1:24-25)." Through the apostle James the Holy Spirit admonishes, "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (James 4:13-14). And John, in his classic commentary on the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life observes, "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof …(I Jn. 2:17)."
The design of this is not to depress us, but to impress those with the intelligence to receive it, of the reality of our situation in this present evil world, and to motivate us to pursue life from a different perspective than those whose philosophy is "Let us eat , drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die." There is more to life than just going through (and if there were not, it would not be worth going through.) Consider the counterpoint in the texts referred to above. Peter: "…but the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." John: "…but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." And James identifies the proper perspective, "For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." Add it up; the Word of God is the proper compass by which to steer the ship of life in the uncertain waters of this world, and the will of God will be the wise man's quest.
"The fashion of this world passeth away," whether it be external or internal. No relationship is secure, no achievement enduring, no acquisition permanent. Only in and through the Lord Jesus Christ can we find that which will survive every crisis, out ride every storm, surpass every goal of the oft deceived human heart. And what He has to offer is not anchored to the transitory "here and now," but to eternity. The apostle wrote, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept (I Cor. 15:19-20)." It is His resurrection that certifies the believer's tomorrow, surmounting every uncertainty of life on planet earth. To paraphrase a wise man, "He who has everything , and has not Christ, in the end will have nothing. He who has Christ and nothing else, in the end will have everything!"
What are you pursuing—the fads and fashions of this world, or the unchanging word and will of God?
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." (I Tim. 6:6-7)
For our good,
"Pastor" Frasier
Jesus said once, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal… (Mt. 6:19)" Our text for today expresses the principle underlying this exhortation and numerous others like it in the scriptures. Nothing in this present world is permanent; everything is subject to change—and decay.
Our text emerges rather abruptly and unexpectedly in the midst of a discussion about marriage. There are few things in this world more gratifying than a happy marriage, but this, too, is sustained by a very slender thread which can be broken in a moment by the operations of the tragic "law of sin and death." Life offers no certainties in this world except the inevitability of change. If you watch television you have seen, no doubt, aging fashion models or entertainment "stars" struggling to keep up appearances against the relentless attack of the aging process. Riches carefully hoarded "…make themselves wings: they fly away as an eagle toward heaven (Prov. 23:5)," if not eaten by moths or destroyed by corrosion. Things, both great and small, can be swept away in a moment by fire, flood or stormy wind. Health is at risk from a horde of diseases, and if the world as we know it, or as we would like it to be, does not leave us, we will soon leave it.
The apostle Peter declared, "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away… (I Peter 1:24-25)." Through the apostle James the Holy Spirit admonishes, "Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (James 4:13-14). And John, in his classic commentary on the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life observes, "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof …(I Jn. 2:17)."
The design of this is not to depress us, but to impress those with the intelligence to receive it, of the reality of our situation in this present evil world, and to motivate us to pursue life from a different perspective than those whose philosophy is "Let us eat , drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die." There is more to life than just going through (and if there were not, it would not be worth going through.) Consider the counterpoint in the texts referred to above. Peter: "…but the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." John: "…but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." And James identifies the proper perspective, "For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." Add it up; the Word of God is the proper compass by which to steer the ship of life in the uncertain waters of this world, and the will of God will be the wise man's quest.
"The fashion of this world passeth away," whether it be external or internal. No relationship is secure, no achievement enduring, no acquisition permanent. Only in and through the Lord Jesus Christ can we find that which will survive every crisis, out ride every storm, surpass every goal of the oft deceived human heart. And what He has to offer is not anchored to the transitory "here and now," but to eternity. The apostle wrote, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept (I Cor. 15:19-20)." It is His resurrection that certifies the believer's tomorrow, surmounting every uncertainty of life on planet earth. To paraphrase a wise man, "He who has everything , and has not Christ, in the end will have nothing. He who has Christ and nothing else, in the end will have everything!"
What are you pursuing—the fads and fashions of this world, or the unchanging word and will of God?
"Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see:
O Thou who changest not, abide with me!"
H. F. Lyte
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." (I Tim. 6:6-7)
For our good,
"Pastor" Frasier
1 Corinthians 6 - 2005.11.26
"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,which are God's."
I Cor. 619-20
There is little that can be said of a truly born again believer that is more awe-inspiring than this: "Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost." Nothing should lift us to higher heights, or clothe us with greater humility. Our bodies are temples inhabited by the Living God in the person of the Holy Spirit. It is, in fact, what makes a Christian: the presence of God within!
That stunning truth is the more enhanced when it is considered in the light of the context in v. 9-11. There the apostle catalogues some of the grosser forms of sin which exclude men from the kingdom of God, but goes on to say, "And such were some of you…" Christians are formed out of the rough clay of fallen, sinful humanity. When the Savior died upon the cross, he died for the worst as well as the "best" of sinners. The church at Corinth included some from the dregs of that decadent society, washed, sanctified and justified "in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." It is no less the case today. The only sinner who cannot be saved is the sinner who will not be saved.
The text before us reminds us that so great a privilege, lifting us from the depths of ruin and spiritual vacuum to the position of God-inhabited men and women, did not come cheap. "Ye are bought with a price." The apostle Peter affirmed the same thing when he remarked, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (I Pet. 1:18-19)."
You and I will never be able to comprehend the price of our redemption, for its value is infinite. Could we but understand it, it would be realized from the Savior's cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The Son of God was forsaken that we might not have to be, but it is that rupture of the very fabric of deity that is the ultimate measure of the cost of our salvation.
That price, securing our deliverance and transforming us into temples of the living God, is the ground for the declaration, "Ye are not your own." And it is the ground of the "therefore" of v.20. "Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Privilege inevitably brings responsibility. It is our privilege to be now temples of the Holy Ghost. It is therefore our responsibility to glorify God. And it is important to note the Holy Spirit's conjunction, "…in your body and in your spirit…" The whole man is redeemed, and the whole man is responsible to the One who paid the price of his redemption.
Some years ago there was a movement somewhere in our country teaching that our salvation was essentially spiritual, so it did not matter what we did in the body. The flesh was one thing, and the spirit another. This, of course, was only a modern revival of the old Gnostic heresy confronted most visibly in the first epistle of John. The gnostics taught that matter was inherently, incurably evil, so there was no use trying to tame it. Scripture will have none of this. The body is the vessel, the Spirit is the glorious Occupant, and the Christian is by grace equipped to glorify God in the whole man. If we are inwardly sanctified, we will be morally upright; the inward condition will effect our outward conduct, and that in terms of the character of God as revealed in His word.
The "temple of the Holy Ghost" should be transparent, deriving "the beauty of holiness" from its divine inhabitant, and revealing His presence in our walk before "the watching world." There used to be a rather popular gospel tract developing the theme, "My heart,Christ's home." While we can recognize the point, our text for today would suggest a different title: "My body, Christ's home." Thus the apostle declares, " But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness…for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness (Rom. 6:17-19)." It is with the members of our body that expression is to be given to the indwelling Holy Spirit, thus glorifying God.
With HIS purpose in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
I Cor. 619-20
There is little that can be said of a truly born again believer that is more awe-inspiring than this: "Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost." Nothing should lift us to higher heights, or clothe us with greater humility. Our bodies are temples inhabited by the Living God in the person of the Holy Spirit. It is, in fact, what makes a Christian: the presence of God within!
That stunning truth is the more enhanced when it is considered in the light of the context in v. 9-11. There the apostle catalogues some of the grosser forms of sin which exclude men from the kingdom of God, but goes on to say, "And such were some of you…" Christians are formed out of the rough clay of fallen, sinful humanity. When the Savior died upon the cross, he died for the worst as well as the "best" of sinners. The church at Corinth included some from the dregs of that decadent society, washed, sanctified and justified "in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." It is no less the case today. The only sinner who cannot be saved is the sinner who will not be saved.
The text before us reminds us that so great a privilege, lifting us from the depths of ruin and spiritual vacuum to the position of God-inhabited men and women, did not come cheap. "Ye are bought with a price." The apostle Peter affirmed the same thing when he remarked, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (I Pet. 1:18-19)."
You and I will never be able to comprehend the price of our redemption, for its value is infinite. Could we but understand it, it would be realized from the Savior's cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" The Son of God was forsaken that we might not have to be, but it is that rupture of the very fabric of deity that is the ultimate measure of the cost of our salvation.
That price, securing our deliverance and transforming us into temples of the living God, is the ground for the declaration, "Ye are not your own." And it is the ground of the "therefore" of v.20. "Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Privilege inevitably brings responsibility. It is our privilege to be now temples of the Holy Ghost. It is therefore our responsibility to glorify God. And it is important to note the Holy Spirit's conjunction, "…in your body and in your spirit…" The whole man is redeemed, and the whole man is responsible to the One who paid the price of his redemption.
Some years ago there was a movement somewhere in our country teaching that our salvation was essentially spiritual, so it did not matter what we did in the body. The flesh was one thing, and the spirit another. This, of course, was only a modern revival of the old Gnostic heresy confronted most visibly in the first epistle of John. The gnostics taught that matter was inherently, incurably evil, so there was no use trying to tame it. Scripture will have none of this. The body is the vessel, the Spirit is the glorious Occupant, and the Christian is by grace equipped to glorify God in the whole man. If we are inwardly sanctified, we will be morally upright; the inward condition will effect our outward conduct, and that in terms of the character of God as revealed in His word.
The "temple of the Holy Ghost" should be transparent, deriving "the beauty of holiness" from its divine inhabitant, and revealing His presence in our walk before "the watching world." There used to be a rather popular gospel tract developing the theme, "My heart,Christ's home." While we can recognize the point, our text for today would suggest a different title: "My body, Christ's home." Thus the apostle declares, " But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness…for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness (Rom. 6:17-19)." It is with the members of our body that expression is to be given to the indwelling Holy Spirit, thus glorifying God.
Living for Jesus a life that is true, Striving to please Him in all that I do;
Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me.
Living for Jesus who died in my place, Bearing on Calvary my sin and disgrace;
Such love constrains me to answer His call, Follow His leading and give Him my all.
CHO: Oh Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,
For Thou, in Thy atonement, Didst give Thyself for me;
I own no other Master, My heart shall be Thy throne;
My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.
With HIS purpose in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
Monday, December 12, 2005
News Update - Personal Note
Please be praying for Pastor Frasier and his family. They have recently felt the departure of a dear loved one to heaven's gates. Tonight as I pray for them I know they are comforted in the fact that someday they will be reunited in Heaven. And then at Christ feet they will all knee and worship before their Lord and Savior for eternity together.
Brother Frasier my heart and prayers are with you and your loved ones tonight.
Godspeed to you and your family,
Wesley
Brother Frasier my heart and prayers are with you and your loved ones tonight.
Godspeed to you and your family,
Wesley
1 Corinthians 5 - 2005.11.12
"Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? I Cor. 5:6
When I read and reflect upon the New Testament epistles, and especially one like this, I am moved to wonder what Paul would write to the churches today. One member had fallen into the sin of fornication and the apostle, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, delivered to the church a stern rebuke that many today would consider harsh. They had not only failed to deal with the transgression, but were "puffed up" with spiritual pride, as though all was well, while the sin was public knowledge, bringing reproach upon the testimony of Christ.
Sexual sins, including the "legalized adultery" of divorce and remarriage, are widely prevalent in the church today, and in most cases tolerated without a hint of shame. The disposition so sharply rebuked in this epistle is commonplace in this generation of "Christendom" which so lightly regards the principles of scripture. The spirit of the age has taken priority over the Spirit of God and, like the believers at Corinth, we "have not mourned."
However, my objective here is not so much to address the problem under consideration, but to draw from our text several important notes which come to us in the way of principles.
First to be noted is what this text implies about the integrity of the church. We generally tend to think of the church as an organization. We "join" it or leave it at will. We deem ourselves associated with it, but seldom really think of it from a truly scriptural perspective. The biblical definition of the church is that of an organism, not an organization. It is "the church which is His body," i.e. the body of Christ, and as such is an integral unit. What happens to any member in it has bearing upon all, for the members are not isolated from one another. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body: so also is Christ . For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many…But now are they many members, yet but one body (Cf I Cor. 12:12-20ff)."
There is a vast difference between the members of an organization and the members of an organism. An organization is a collection of individuals which functions by consensus. An organism is a functional unit permeated by a single life principle. In an organization the conduct of the individuals comprising it may well have little significance or impact on other members. In an organism every member is affected by the behavior of every other member, whether recognized or not. When I strike my finger with a hammer, the pain, though greatest at the point of impact, is felt all over, and most particularly by the head, which records the blow, and reflects its influence throughout. So with the church, the sin of one has a negative influence upon all, and is felt by the Head, its "nerve center." When believers sin, they not only hurt one another, but the Savior as well.
The second thing to be noted is the permeability of sin. The transgression of one believer not only has a painful effect on the whole, but it is a contaminant that will tend to progress and corrupt others. It is not merely the guilty individual who suffers, but the whole body is weakened as by a virus. Nowhere is this more evident than in the overflowing corruption brought by Adam's transgression upon the whole human race. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Rom. 5:12)." That is the nature of an organism; "…a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."
There is a third and most important point to be noted. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Worthy of study is the biblical reference to "little" things. For example, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines"… (S.S. 2:15)." The believer who fails to address the little temptations that solicit to "little" sins will soon be giving way to greater evil. And the church that fails to discipline the member who flagrantly transgresses will soon have a coalition engaged in the same pernicious practices.
We once had a well that supplied our drinking water. When the water began to taste foul, it was not hard to find the reason. The well was covered with screen wire to keep out foreign matter. However, the wire had buckled—just a little—at one point on its perimeter, and a tiny field mouse had fallen in and began to decompose. His little rotting corpse had contaminated the whole. It smelled bad, and tasted worse. The only cure was to rid the well of his wretched remains. "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened (I Cor. 5:7)." That is the divine directive, whether to the individual or to the church, when sin insinuates itself where holiness belongs!
It is God's intention, for His glory and for our good, that we should run a "tight ship." Failure to do so opens the door to the apostasy prophesied for the end time.
Down with the little foxes,
"Pastor" Frasier
When I read and reflect upon the New Testament epistles, and especially one like this, I am moved to wonder what Paul would write to the churches today. One member had fallen into the sin of fornication and the apostle, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, delivered to the church a stern rebuke that many today would consider harsh. They had not only failed to deal with the transgression, but were "puffed up" with spiritual pride, as though all was well, while the sin was public knowledge, bringing reproach upon the testimony of Christ.
Sexual sins, including the "legalized adultery" of divorce and remarriage, are widely prevalent in the church today, and in most cases tolerated without a hint of shame. The disposition so sharply rebuked in this epistle is commonplace in this generation of "Christendom" which so lightly regards the principles of scripture. The spirit of the age has taken priority over the Spirit of God and, like the believers at Corinth, we "have not mourned."
However, my objective here is not so much to address the problem under consideration, but to draw from our text several important notes which come to us in the way of principles.
First to be noted is what this text implies about the integrity of the church. We generally tend to think of the church as an organization. We "join" it or leave it at will. We deem ourselves associated with it, but seldom really think of it from a truly scriptural perspective. The biblical definition of the church is that of an organism, not an organization. It is "the church which is His body," i.e. the body of Christ, and as such is an integral unit. What happens to any member in it has bearing upon all, for the members are not isolated from one another. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many are one body: so also is Christ . For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many…But now are they many members, yet but one body (Cf I Cor. 12:12-20ff)."
There is a vast difference between the members of an organization and the members of an organism. An organization is a collection of individuals which functions by consensus. An organism is a functional unit permeated by a single life principle. In an organization the conduct of the individuals comprising it may well have little significance or impact on other members. In an organism every member is affected by the behavior of every other member, whether recognized or not. When I strike my finger with a hammer, the pain, though greatest at the point of impact, is felt all over, and most particularly by the head, which records the blow, and reflects its influence throughout. So with the church, the sin of one has a negative influence upon all, and is felt by the Head, its "nerve center." When believers sin, they not only hurt one another, but the Savior as well.
The second thing to be noted is the permeability of sin. The transgression of one believer not only has a painful effect on the whole, but it is a contaminant that will tend to progress and corrupt others. It is not merely the guilty individual who suffers, but the whole body is weakened as by a virus. Nowhere is this more evident than in the overflowing corruption brought by Adam's transgression upon the whole human race. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Rom. 5:12)." That is the nature of an organism; "…a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."
There is a third and most important point to be noted. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." Worthy of study is the biblical reference to "little" things. For example, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines"… (S.S. 2:15)." The believer who fails to address the little temptations that solicit to "little" sins will soon be giving way to greater evil. And the church that fails to discipline the member who flagrantly transgresses will soon have a coalition engaged in the same pernicious practices.
We once had a well that supplied our drinking water. When the water began to taste foul, it was not hard to find the reason. The well was covered with screen wire to keep out foreign matter. However, the wire had buckled—just a little—at one point on its perimeter, and a tiny field mouse had fallen in and began to decompose. His little rotting corpse had contaminated the whole. It smelled bad, and tasted worse. The only cure was to rid the well of his wretched remains. "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened (I Cor. 5:7)." That is the divine directive, whether to the individual or to the church, when sin insinuates itself where holiness belongs!
It is God's intention, for His glory and for our good, that we should run a "tight ship." Failure to do so opens the door to the apostasy prophesied for the end time.
Down with the little foxes,
"Pastor" Frasier
1 Corinthians 4 - 2005.11.05
"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal." I Cor. 4:17-18
Problems. When the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the holy Spirit, penned these words, he was enduring severe trials. He had just commented, "We are troubled on every side…perplexed…persecuted…cast down…(v.8,9)" Yet his assessment of it all, in our selected text, is "light affliction." So intense, pervasive and persistent were his sufferings that he adds, "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus…(v.10)" Yet he appraises them as "but for a moment." Suffering, brought on by his commitment to the gospel of Christ, was a way of life, but he evaluates it as "light" and " momentary ."
Prospect. The apostle sees the problems as serving a purpose, "working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Note the contrasts: "light affliction," and "weight of glory;" and "but for a moment," over against "eternal." We are reminded of his remark on another occasion; "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18)." It is in this same chapter that the familiar declaration is found, "And we know that all things work to together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28)."
Perspective. Being able thus to measure the problems of the present against the prospect of eternal glory is a matter of perspective. It is only while, and as, we look beyond the visible and the temporal to "things not seen as yet," the eternal, that we can emerge victorious over the troubles inevitable in "this present evil world."
Our afflictions, "the sufferings of this present time" for most of us, are quite different in origin and character from those the apostle was enduring, but they serve a similar role. The ultimate purpose of God in allowing us to endure affliction is twice emphasized in the context: "…that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh (cf. vs. 10,11)." Were life too comfortable, the road too easy, we would have little occasion to reflect upon "the things that are eternal," or "the glory which shall be revealed in us."
The scriptures make clear the Divine ideal in the life of the believer. "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn of many brethren (Rom. 8:29)" Paul recognized that objective, and saw the afflictions he was undergoing as part of the process for its realization. You and I may do the same, but it will require our looking beyond the present and beyond the temporal to behold the eternal. Years ago, in the United States Navy (before the days of night vision goggles) we were trained in the skill of aircraft recognition. When trying to identify an aircraft at night, the instruction was to "keep your eyes focused five degrees above the horizon." The reason was because our eyes are equipped by the Creator with special receptors that come into play only when we focus above the horizon. So in the spiritual realm. If we focus on life's problems, we will be overwhelmed by the temporal. If we focus "above the horizon" of the immediate present, we will catch a vision of the things which are eternal.
In calling us to this, God is only calling us into alignment with His infallible word. Peter tells us that the Holy Spirit testified in the Old Testament of "the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow (I Pet. 1:11)", and the writer to the Hebrews says, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour: that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Heb. 2:9-10)." It was the Father's way with His only begotten son, and He employs the same strategy in bringing His adopted sons and daughters into conformity to His image.
Should you be facing some "fiery trial," remember; look above the horizon. Lift up your eyes to Jesus, and stay focused. The heavenly perspective will enable you to see the temporal for what it really is—"light affliction, which is but for a moment."
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when
He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." I Jn. 3:2
With HIS purpose still in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
eternal." I Cor. 4:17-18
Problems. When the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the holy Spirit, penned these words, he was enduring severe trials. He had just commented, "We are troubled on every side…perplexed…persecuted…cast down…(v.8,9)" Yet his assessment of it all, in our selected text, is "light affliction." So intense, pervasive and persistent were his sufferings that he adds, "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus…(v.10)" Yet he appraises them as "but for a moment." Suffering, brought on by his commitment to the gospel of Christ, was a way of life, but he evaluates it as "light" and " momentary ."
Prospect. The apostle sees the problems as serving a purpose, "working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Note the contrasts: "light affliction," and "weight of glory;" and "but for a moment," over against "eternal." We are reminded of his remark on another occasion; "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18)." It is in this same chapter that the familiar declaration is found, "And we know that all things work to together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28)."
Perspective. Being able thus to measure the problems of the present against the prospect of eternal glory is a matter of perspective. It is only while, and as, we look beyond the visible and the temporal to "things not seen as yet," the eternal, that we can emerge victorious over the troubles inevitable in "this present evil world."
Our afflictions, "the sufferings of this present time" for most of us, are quite different in origin and character from those the apostle was enduring, but they serve a similar role. The ultimate purpose of God in allowing us to endure affliction is twice emphasized in the context: "…that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh (cf. vs. 10,11)." Were life too comfortable, the road too easy, we would have little occasion to reflect upon "the things that are eternal," or "the glory which shall be revealed in us."
The scriptures make clear the Divine ideal in the life of the believer. "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn of many brethren (Rom. 8:29)" Paul recognized that objective, and saw the afflictions he was undergoing as part of the process for its realization. You and I may do the same, but it will require our looking beyond the present and beyond the temporal to behold the eternal. Years ago, in the United States Navy (before the days of night vision goggles) we were trained in the skill of aircraft recognition. When trying to identify an aircraft at night, the instruction was to "keep your eyes focused five degrees above the horizon." The reason was because our eyes are equipped by the Creator with special receptors that come into play only when we focus above the horizon. So in the spiritual realm. If we focus on life's problems, we will be overwhelmed by the temporal. If we focus "above the horizon" of the immediate present, we will catch a vision of the things which are eternal.
In calling us to this, God is only calling us into alignment with His infallible word. Peter tells us that the Holy Spirit testified in the Old Testament of "the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow (I Pet. 1:11)", and the writer to the Hebrews says, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour: that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Heb. 2:9-10)." It was the Father's way with His only begotten son, and He employs the same strategy in bringing His adopted sons and daughters into conformity to His image.
Should you be facing some "fiery trial," remember; look above the horizon. Lift up your eyes to Jesus, and stay focused. The heavenly perspective will enable you to see the temporal for what it really is—"light affliction, which is but for a moment."
"Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when
He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." I Jn. 3:2
With HIS purpose still in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
Sunday, December 04, 2005
News Update
I want to apologize for missing last weeks posting of Pastor Fraiser's Nugget for the Word of God. So I have posted two of his musings on 1 Corinthians and I plan to do this until we catch up with his weekly email newsletter. From then on I hope to be posting his weekly Nugget for your reading and edification pleasure.
I also in the next blog will be adding a link in the title of the blog to an online Scripture program so you can read the text in it's entirety for that week. This will also be a retroactive change.
Godspeed,
Wesley
I also in the next blog will be adding a link in the title of the blog to an online Scripture program so you can read the text in it's entirety for that week. This will also be a retroactive change.
Godspeed,
Wesley
1 Corinthians 3 - 2005.10.29
"For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" I Cor. 3:3
God's redemptive purpose is defined for us in Ephesians 1:9-10, where we read, "Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in himself: That in the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him." In other words, God's present purpose, or goal, is to accomplish in and through Christ a glorious, harmonious unity in striking contrast to the factious fragmentation of this present sinful world.
If satan knows this—and of course he does—what will his strategy be? Methinks first to unite, on an opposition platform, that which God would divide and scatter. This he will finally accomplish in the world under the administration of the antichrist. Second, he will seek to divide and fragment what God has purposed to unite for His glory, namely, the "church which is His body." This satan began to accomplish in the earliest days of the church, and has effectively continued to do to this present time.
In the early church at large the religious issue represented by the Judaizers necessitated the first church conference to settle a divisive issue; see Acts 15, where also another division is recorded, between Paul and Barnabas. The first was a doctrinal issue, the second a personality conflict over a practical matter. They remain "roadside bombs" in satan's arsenal which still effectively take their toll in fragmenting the "one body" intended by God. Division is our middle name. Where God would have unity, there is everything but. In Corinth it was, "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ (1 Cor 1:12)." Today at the corporate level it is "I am a Baptist; and I a Methodist; and I a Lutheran; and I a Presbyterian, etc." At the local church level it is often little better. Envying, strife and divisions abound in our local churches, as often as not over things that really matter much less to God than the spirit that reacts to them. In all of this the purpose of God is undermined, and the Spirit of God is grieved. And, the watching world is happily amused by the warring factions among us and runs merrily along unimpressed with the truth we may proclaim, as they see us reflecting the society around us, rather that the transforming power of the lord of Glory.
This is not to suggest that there is no justification for some division, nor is it at all intended to support the idea of an ecumenical unity where that unity is achieved at the expense of biblical truth. It is simply to underscore the strategy of satan, and to illustrate the degree to which he appears to have succeeded in forestalling the divine plan. The question is, what accounts for the success of the enemy's attack? First and foremost, as the context indicates, is the propensity for Christians to be man-centered rather than Christ centered. The apostle notes that the Corinthians were divided over teachers, when the teacher is of secondary importance; "ministers by whom ye believed (v.5)," hence, "neither is he that planted anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase (v.7)."
Underlying our contention, as often as not, is pride and envy. We make our judgments and strive and divide over many things that have no biblical significance at all. Local churches divide over architecture, style, techniques, personalities, scripture versions etc. All is compounded by an appalling ignorance of the word of God, or an inclination to ignore it. Our agenda is promoted at the expense of true spiritual unity, while we pride ourselves on our spiritual superiority.
With such a spirit prevailing, we will do well to note the Holy Spirit's charge: "Ye are yet carnal…and walk as men," (rather than as men of God.) And carnality is further defined by the apostle's lament, "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able (v.2) ." He is accusing them of spiritual immaturity. They were still not grown up into Him Who is the Head of all things, and the church and the gospel were suffering as a result.
This side of heaven and the return of the King, the situation will not significantly improve. We have come too far, for too long, down a spiritual by-path. It may be that even your fragmented local church is beyond recovery. But, any attempt at rectifying that situation begins with asking the question, am I focused on me and my perception of things and contributing to strife and faction, or am I focused on Christ and contributing to unity and peace?
We cannot change others— but we can change!!
"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."
I Corinthians 1:10
With HIS purpose in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
God's redemptive purpose is defined for us in Ephesians 1:9-10, where we read, "Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in himself: That in the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him." In other words, God's present purpose, or goal, is to accomplish in and through Christ a glorious, harmonious unity in striking contrast to the factious fragmentation of this present sinful world.
If satan knows this—and of course he does—what will his strategy be? Methinks first to unite, on an opposition platform, that which God would divide and scatter. This he will finally accomplish in the world under the administration of the antichrist. Second, he will seek to divide and fragment what God has purposed to unite for His glory, namely, the "church which is His body." This satan began to accomplish in the earliest days of the church, and has effectively continued to do to this present time.
In the early church at large the religious issue represented by the Judaizers necessitated the first church conference to settle a divisive issue; see Acts 15, where also another division is recorded, between Paul and Barnabas. The first was a doctrinal issue, the second a personality conflict over a practical matter. They remain "roadside bombs" in satan's arsenal which still effectively take their toll in fragmenting the "one body" intended by God. Division is our middle name. Where God would have unity, there is everything but. In Corinth it was, "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ (1 Cor 1:12)." Today at the corporate level it is "I am a Baptist; and I a Methodist; and I a Lutheran; and I a Presbyterian, etc." At the local church level it is often little better. Envying, strife and divisions abound in our local churches, as often as not over things that really matter much less to God than the spirit that reacts to them. In all of this the purpose of God is undermined, and the Spirit of God is grieved. And, the watching world is happily amused by the warring factions among us and runs merrily along unimpressed with the truth we may proclaim, as they see us reflecting the society around us, rather that the transforming power of the lord of Glory.
This is not to suggest that there is no justification for some division, nor is it at all intended to support the idea of an ecumenical unity where that unity is achieved at the expense of biblical truth. It is simply to underscore the strategy of satan, and to illustrate the degree to which he appears to have succeeded in forestalling the divine plan. The question is, what accounts for the success of the enemy's attack? First and foremost, as the context indicates, is the propensity for Christians to be man-centered rather than Christ centered. The apostle notes that the Corinthians were divided over teachers, when the teacher is of secondary importance; "ministers by whom ye believed (v.5)," hence, "neither is he that planted anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase (v.7)."
Underlying our contention, as often as not, is pride and envy. We make our judgments and strive and divide over many things that have no biblical significance at all. Local churches divide over architecture, style, techniques, personalities, scripture versions etc. All is compounded by an appalling ignorance of the word of God, or an inclination to ignore it. Our agenda is promoted at the expense of true spiritual unity, while we pride ourselves on our spiritual superiority.
With such a spirit prevailing, we will do well to note the Holy Spirit's charge: "Ye are yet carnal…and walk as men," (rather than as men of God.) And carnality is further defined by the apostle's lament, "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able (v.2) ." He is accusing them of spiritual immaturity. They were still not grown up into Him Who is the Head of all things, and the church and the gospel were suffering as a result.
This side of heaven and the return of the King, the situation will not significantly improve. We have come too far, for too long, down a spiritual by-path. It may be that even your fragmented local church is beyond recovery. But, any attempt at rectifying that situation begins with asking the question, am I focused on me and my perception of things and contributing to strife and faction, or am I focused on Christ and contributing to unity and peace?
We cannot change others— but we can change!!
"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."
I Corinthians 1:10
With HIS purpose in mind,
"Pastor" Frasier
1 Corinthians 2 - 2005.10.22
"For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." I Cor. 2:2
The city of Corinth in the days of Paul might be characterized by the terms wealth, worldliness and wickedness. It was a moral cesspool often scorned even by pagan critics. Facing the challenge represented in evangelizing it, the apostle Paul, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, penned the line which constitutes our text for today. It represents a single-minded and determined approach which alone could confront and offer correction for the abysmal level to which that culture had descended; "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." This short phrase incorporates the most striking and radical extreme ever set before the mind of man; Jesus Christ, on the one hand, and Him crucified on the other.
Consider first the subject, Jesus Christ. He is set before us first in scripture as God manifest in the flesh; God, incarnate. As God, He is the creator and sustainer of all that was "made." (Cf. John 1:2; Heb. 1:3) The whole creation is the work of His hand. Infinite in power and wisdom, He was "Lord of all." Within the Godhead, He is the second person of the trinity, the Father's "only begotten Son," and that f rom all eternity past, an unbroken holy and perfect relationship. No words of ours can begin to describe a being so magnificent, so perfect. No thought of ours, however lofty, can begin to imagine it, let alone comprehend it. Incarnate, He was the essence of perfection of both God and man, ideal in every sense of the word. Jesus the Christ.
Then consider the predicate: "…And Him crucified." That takes us to the opposite end of the created spectrum, and reveals at least two things: the awful, awesome power of sin, and the ultimate expression of love.
It was sin that required God to step so far down to render a remedy for its terrible consequences. From the perfection of holiness to the pollution of "the sins of the whole world"—the greatest moral distance ever traveled. He became "sin for us, Who knew no sin," to secure our liberation from eternal destruction.
The second thing thus revealed is the magnitude of God's love and grace which we, tragically, take so easily for granted. Perfect love, the love of the Father for His only Son, willingly suffered heartbreak at Calvary in order to satisfy God's love for fallen sinners. And the Son surrendered His untarnished reputation, spotless character and cherished fellowship with the Father to become "sin for us" so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
"Well might the sun in darkness hide, And shut His glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died For man, the creature's sin."
"Jesus Christ—and Him crucified" measures my sin, and the magnitude of God's grace and mercy. No other message could penetrate the hardness of human hearts in the wicked city of Corinth, and no other message can penetrate the hearts of men and women in the wicked cities of America and this "present evil world" of our day. It is not a message to impress the intellect, to flatter the religious or to inflate the pride of the well-to-do. But it brought life and immortality to light for those in Corinth who were "ordained unto eternal life." It will do the same today. It is not a message designed to make men comfortable in the world as it is, but to make them ready for the world to come. There is no other message under the sun that can do that, and no other message as important.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
May God give us the wisdom and the grace to stick to it!
With eternity in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
The city of Corinth in the days of Paul might be characterized by the terms wealth, worldliness and wickedness. It was a moral cesspool often scorned even by pagan critics. Facing the challenge represented in evangelizing it, the apostle Paul, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, penned the line which constitutes our text for today. It represents a single-minded and determined approach which alone could confront and offer correction for the abysmal level to which that culture had descended; "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." This short phrase incorporates the most striking and radical extreme ever set before the mind of man; Jesus Christ, on the one hand, and Him crucified on the other.
Consider first the subject, Jesus Christ. He is set before us first in scripture as God manifest in the flesh; God, incarnate. As God, He is the creator and sustainer of all that was "made." (Cf. John 1:2; Heb. 1:3) The whole creation is the work of His hand. Infinite in power and wisdom, He was "Lord of all." Within the Godhead, He is the second person of the trinity, the Father's "only begotten Son," and that f rom all eternity past, an unbroken holy and perfect relationship. No words of ours can begin to describe a being so magnificent, so perfect. No thought of ours, however lofty, can begin to imagine it, let alone comprehend it. Incarnate, He was the essence of perfection of both God and man, ideal in every sense of the word. Jesus the Christ.
Then consider the predicate: "…And Him crucified." That takes us to the opposite end of the created spectrum, and reveals at least two things: the awful, awesome power of sin, and the ultimate expression of love.
It was sin that required God to step so far down to render a remedy for its terrible consequences. From the perfection of holiness to the pollution of "the sins of the whole world"—the greatest moral distance ever traveled. He became "sin for us, Who knew no sin," to secure our liberation from eternal destruction.
The second thing thus revealed is the magnitude of God's love and grace which we, tragically, take so easily for granted. Perfect love, the love of the Father for His only Son, willingly suffered heartbreak at Calvary in order to satisfy God's love for fallen sinners. And the Son surrendered His untarnished reputation, spotless character and cherished fellowship with the Father to become "sin for us" so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
"Well might the sun in darkness hide, And shut His glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died For man, the creature's sin."
"Jesus Christ—and Him crucified" measures my sin, and the magnitude of God's grace and mercy. No other message could penetrate the hardness of human hearts in the wicked city of Corinth, and no other message can penetrate the hearts of men and women in the wicked cities of America and this "present evil world" of our day. It is not a message to impress the intellect, to flatter the religious or to inflate the pride of the well-to-do. But it brought life and immortality to light for those in Corinth who were "ordained unto eternal life." It will do the same today. It is not a message designed to make men comfortable in the world as it is, but to make them ready for the world to come. There is no other message under the sun that can do that, and no other message as important.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
May God give us the wisdom and the grace to stick to it!
With eternity in view,
"Pastor" Frasier
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