29/05/2021

1 Corinthians 12

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12 
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,and to still another the interpretation of tongues.11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Unity and Diversity in the Body

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. 

But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 
29 Are all apostles? 
Are all prophets?
 Are all teachers?
 Do all work miracles? 
30 Do all have gifts of healing? 
Do all speak in tongues? 
Do all interpret? 
31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Love Is Indispensable

And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

25/05/2021

Which country do you come from?...

Dear brothers and sisters, 

I started this blog a long time ago and it is so pleasing to see so many of you coming and visit. 
So today, I was going to ask you if you could tell me:
  1. your name, 
  2. your age and 
  3. your country you are living in! 
  4. I you have also a blog, 
  5. let me know so I can go on it!
The Lord bless you and your beloved ones in the mighty name of Jesus our Saviour!




16/05/2021

Every knee will bow before me!

Romans 14:10-18

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:

‘“As surely as I live,” says the Lord,
“Every knee will bow before me;
    every tongue will acknowledge God.”’

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling-block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.


Scripture union commentary

‘Every knee will bow before me’ (v 11), says the Lord. Take a moment to worship Almighty God.

Here, Paul drills down further into how we live lovingly when consciences are in conflict. I remember once as a young Christian, out for a meal with friends, refusing to go into a pub restaurant to eat. My friends hunted for a less attractive option which wouldn’t offend my conscience! They were acting lovingly; Paul had no such qualms (v 14). Jesus himself affirmed that all foods are ‘clean’.1 Peter’s vision in Joppa taught him that all food was acceptable.2

Ignoring others’ scruples about how they live for God may bring offence and distress to some of our brothers and sisters in Christ (v 15). Likewise, insistence on others doing the fine detail of what we believe to be right may put a ‘stumbling-block’ (v 13) in their way. The hurt which we cause by our sense of ‘right’ can be unloving and destructive of faith (v 15).

How then should we live with fellow believers whose practices differ from our own? Paul takes us back to essentials of our faith: ‘righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’ (v 17).

This life is God-focused, Christ-centered and Spirit-filled. We serve a King, we are forgiven people for whom Christ died (v 15), the Holy Spirit lives within us – and the fruit of God’s life is seen as we serve Christ and others.3 The variety of practices that characterise our lives may be the result of conscience-driven choices made to honour Christ. We may have different opinions. But God is pleased by each person’s honest, heartfelt desire to serve him (vs 17,18). Loving our brother or sister in Christ may mean putting aside our own freedoms. If our faith is ‘strong’ there is no difficulty in being tolerant and respectful of others’ convictions.

Lord God, forgive me for ways in which I am contemptuous of others (v 10). Change me that I might live and love as you love me.

1Mark 7:18,19  2Acts 10:9–23  3Gal 5:13–15; 22–26

Author
Emlyn and ’Tricia Williams