Failing to Make the Most of the Season...

This week, we are looking at the issue of singleness. And in a section of a letter that Paul wrote to a church we see four ways that Christians can act unchristian by disrespecting singleness. Yesterday, we saw that we disrespect singleness when we fail to focus on the right attachments.

Today, we look at a second way that Christians act unchristian by disrespecting singleness in that we can disrespect singleness when we fail to make the most of the season. We see this way revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 7:32-35:

But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.

In these verses Paul explains that the man who is single can be singularly focused on using the time, the talents and the treasure that they have been given by God in a way that pleases God. The man who is married, however, has his attention divided or separated. On the one hand, he is to bend his attention toward loving the Lord with his total being, while at the same time, bending his attention to love His wife selfishly and sacrificially as Christ loved the church.

In a similar way, Paul states that the woman who is single can be singularly focused on using the time, the talents and the treasure that they have been given by God in a way that pleases God as someone who is holy, or set apart both in body and spirit to serving the Lord. The woman who is married, however, has her attention divided or separated. On the one hand, she is to bend his attention toward loving the Lord with his total being, while at the same time, bending her attention to loving her husband and living in relationship with Him.

Paul then reveals for us the timeless truth that the season of singleness, however long that season lasts, can be a time of incredible blessing and impact. So often we, especially in church world, look at singles as second class citizens. The reality, however, is that singleness is an unique time in our lives where we can experience and be used by God in incredibly powerful ways that do not happen once we are married. Paul here is promoting the reality that singles have the opportunity to leverage their time, talents, and treasure, into God’s kingdom mission and into times of intimacy with God that those who are married often cannot experience.

In our culture, we have bought into the lie that we have to spend time as singles focused on finding the right person. The Bible teaches that as followers of Jesus, we are to spend our time as singles becoming the right person. And the amazing thing is that as we become the right person in our season of singleness, we become more and more attractive to the right person as we become more and more like Christ.

As Paul reveals to the church at Corinth, it is not a sin to be married, and it is not a sin to be single. It is a sin when we fail to live our lives faithfully as followers of Jesus in the season of life that we are currently in.

So how are you living in the season that you are in? Are you making the most of that season, whether it is singleness, marriage, widowed, or divorced? What needs to change in your heart or in your attitude so that you made the most of the season of singleness?

Disrespecting Singleness through our Attachments...

As a church, we have been involved in a sermon series entitled when Christians act unchristian. During this series we have looked at a letter written by a man named Paul that reveals many different ways that Christians can act unchristian by failing to reflect Christ or follow His teachings. And in this letter Paul wrote to a church we see another timeless truth about a stage of life where Christians can act unchristian. And that timeless truth is that Christians act unchristian when we disrespect singleness.

Beginning in 1 Corinthians 7:25, we see the Apostle Paul reveal four ways that Christians act unchristian by disrespecting singleness. First we see that we disrespect singleness when we fail to focus on the right attachments. We see this way revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 7:25-31:

Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the church at Corinth by addressing singles. Paul explains that while Jesus has not given him an authoritative directive about how singles are to approach relationships and marriage, he does have a point of view on the subject that they should respect. Paul then provides his viewpoint on how singles should approach relationships and marriage by stating that he thinks in view of the present distress, it is good for a man to remain as he is. But what is the present distress that Paul is so worried about?

In light of the context that these comments come in, it is most likely that Paul is speaking about the present distress in terms of the suffering and trouble that we can experience in life and that can be complicated and compounded in marriage. In other words, in light of the troubles and suffering that we may experience on earth before we get to eternity with Jesus in Heaven, it would be good for men to remain in the relational state that they are currently in.

Paul then elaborates on what he means when he states that men should remain in the current relational state that they are in. Paul states that if you are currently married, then do not seek a divorce from your wife, instead remain married. And if you are not currently bound to a wife because you are single, then do not seek to become married, but remain single. Paul then explains that while he thinks that it is good for men who are currently single to remain unmarried, if they do choose marry they have not sinned. The Apostle then explains that the reason that he holds the point of view is due to the fact that such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. But what does that mean?

Paul then answers this question and reveal a timeless principle to us today. Paul begins by stating that the time has been shortened. Paul’s point here is that Jesus entering into humanity in order to explain God and to provide us the opportunity to receive the forgiveness of our selfishness and sin and enter into the relationship with God that we were created for by believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader has profound implications on our current circumstances.

As followers of Jesus, we are now in the final chapters of God’s story here on earth. And while we do not know exactly how long those final chapters will be, we do know that we are closer to Jesus return to earth than we have ever been before. And in light of that reality Paul states that the members of the church at Corinth, and us here today should do five things when it comes to our attachments.

First Paul addresses earthly relational attachments by stating that those who have wives should be as though they had none. Paul’s point here is that those who have earthly relational attachments should understand that those attachments are temporary whereas the attachment to Christ is eternal. Paul then focuses on our emotional attachments by stating that those who weep and rejoice should be as those who do not weep and rejoice. Paul’s point here is that what moves us emotionally in Heaven will far supersede the temporary emotional attachments that we experience here on earth.

Paul then draws our attention to material possessions by stating that those who buy should be as those who did not possess. Paul is revealing the reality that to those who have material attachments should understand that those attachments are only temporary in nature. Paul then states that those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it, which focuses on our attachments to our lifestyle and way of life. Paul’s point is that those who have attachments to a lifestyle or way life is lived on earth should understand that those attachments are temporary whereas the attachment to Christ is eternal.

Paul then provides the reason for how we are to view the attachments we have on earth by explaining that the world, and everything about the world, as we know it will go out of existence and disappear when Jesus returns to usher in the Kingdom of Heaven in its fullest sense where we will experience to eternal relationship with Him that we were created for in Heaven.

As Christians, however, we can act unchristian and disrespect singleness when we become focused and consumed with the wrong attachments instead of placing our attachment to Christ first and foremost. And when we focus on the wrong attachments, the result is a loss of perspective when it comes to what will stand the test of time and remain for all eternity.

So what are you attached to? And how does what you are attached to impact and influence your perspective on life?

What Do I Do Now if I Am Divorced?

This week, we are looking at the harsh reality that while marriage is designed to depict God's desire for a covenant commitment with humanity by revealing and reflecting Jesus Christ to the world, many marriages tend to mar that picture. Even many people who claim to be followers of Jesus do not have marriages that depict Jesus to the world.

And we have seen that we can misrepresent marriage when we are involved in a divorce, whether the divorce involves fellow Christians or nonchristians. We discovered that the issue is not divorce, but remarriage. The issue is when can someone who has been divorced enter into another covenant marriage relationship. In addition, God does not view marriage as a contract, which can be renegotiated or dissolved by either party. This is how many in our culture view marriage. God views marriage as a covenant, which can only be terminated through death or another covenant.

This is how we apply what the Bible states about marriage when it comes to the issue of divorce and remarriage: We believe that the Bible teaches that God allows divorce in instances of unfaithfulness/adultery and abandonment and that a person could be remarried if they were divorced for those reasons and if reconciliation with their former spouse is impossible, due to either death or the remarriage of the divorced spouse.

We also talked about two reactions that occur when people read Paul's words here. The first reaction is usually “these are some hard words to swallow. This is difficult to hear. So are you saying that I was wrong to do what I did? Are you saying that the Bible teaches that I cannot get remarried unless these things happen?” And if you find yourself in that place, I empathize with you and the situation you find yourself in. These can be very hard words to hear. And they are heard words to hear because of the reality that selfishness and sin have devastating effects and consequences. And while God’s forgiveness of sin is free, the consequences from sin can be devastating and costly.

The second reaction is this: So what do I do now? What do I do if I have failed to follow these principles? What do I do in light of my current circumstances? Do you have any lifeline that you can throw me here?” Fortunately, Paul provides us that lifeline in 1 Corinthians 7:17-24:

Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches. Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

Paul provides for us a timeless and overarching principle with an explanation that serves as a guide for followers of Jesus to follow when it comes to how to move forward in terms of their relational futures. Paul is commanding the members of the church at Corinth and to us today that as followers of Jesus, we are to live out and conduct our daily lives in the position where God has sovereignly and currently placed us as followers of Jesus.

Paul then provides two examples that illustrate this principle. In the first example, Paul uses the issue of circumcision to explain that we are to live out our relationship as a follower of Jesus in our current relational state, instead of becoming focused on attempting to change our relational conditions. Paul then explains that the reason why they were to remain in their current relational state is due to the reality that what really matters to God is faithfulness to His teachings. Paul’s point is that honoring the covenant commitments that one has made is to be first and foremost in mind.

And because of that reality Paul reiterates the principle he communicated in verse 17 with a little different wording. Unlike the Corinthians, who were looking to change and alter their relational commitments as a result of their new found faith in Christ, Paul is calling them to remain faithful to the relational commitments that they had made.

Paul then uses the imagery of slavery to illustrate this principle. Paul’s point here was that just as the members of the church at Corinth were not to be overly concerned about how their social status might change as a result of their new relationship with Christ, they were not to become overly concerned about how to change their relational status as a result of their relationship with Christ.

Paul then hammers his point home by telling the members of the church at Corinth that they were bought with a price. Paul is again brings the members of the church at Corinth back to the reality of what Christ did to rescue us from our selfishness and sin at the cross. And because of what Christ paid to rescue us from our sin and bring us into covenant relationship with Him, Paul then concludes this section of his letter by reiterating, a third time the principle that each man is to remain in the condition in which he was called.

Paul’s point here is that as followers of Jesus, we are to serve and follow Jesus in the relational context that God has placed us. Becoming a follower of Jesus does not free us from the relational commitments that we have made; becoming a follower of Jesus frees us to love, serve, follow, and reflect Christ in the relational commitments we have made. Christians act unchristian, however and misrepresent marriage when we fail to serve God in the relational circumstances where He has us.

The most important point that Paul is making in these verses is that regardless of our past or our current circumstances, we are to faithfully follow Christ in our current circumstances, recognizing that it is not how we start life that matters, but it is how we finish life that counts.

So what does your marriage represent? How faithful are you being to represent God's design for marriage in your current circumstances? While there is no "redo" button on life, we can move forward in our relational futures with confidence by asking forgiveness for our failures and turning our lives to follow the timeless principles we have looked at this week.

Sunday, I will be answering some of the many questions that have been raised as part of our weekly time together. Hope to see you there, or you can listen online.

Misrepresenting Marriage by Divorcing Nonchristians...

This week, we are looking at the harsh reality that while marriage is designed to depict God's desire for a covenant commitment with humanity by revealing and reflecting Jesus Christ to the world, many marriages tend to mar that picture. Even many people who claim to be followers of Jesus do not have marriages that depict Jesus to the world.

Yesterday, we looked at the issue of divorce and remarriage and the reality that not only is the issue of divorce an extremely emotional issue: the issue of divorce can often be a very confusing issue. I believe that the confusion and questions, however, do not arise because God is somehow unclear on this issue. On the contrary, I believe that God has a very clear opinion when it comes to divorce and remarriage. I believe that the confusion and questions come in when we have to apply God’s truth to our lives in the midst of the emotion that erupts from hurting and broken relationships.

And yesterday we saw that we can misrepresent marriage when we divorce fellow Christians. We discovered that the issue is not divorce, but remarriage. The issue is when can someone who has been divorced enter into another covenant marriage relationship. In addition, God does not view marriage as a contract, which can be renegotiated or dissolved by either party. This is how many in our culture view marriage. God views marriage as a covenant, which can only be terminated through death or another covenant.

This is how we apply what the Bible states about marriage when it comes to the issue of divorce and remarriage: We believe that the Bible teaches that God allows divorce in instances of unfaithfulness/adultery and abandonment and that a person could be remarried if they were divorced for those reasons and if reconciliation with their former spouse is impossible, due to either death or the remarriage of the divorced spouse.

Paul then reinforces and unpacks this position when it comes to divorce and remarriage as he reveals that we can misrepresent marriage when we divorce nonchristians. We see this reality revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 7:12-16:

But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

In these verses Paul shifts from addressing followers of Jesus who were involved in marriages with one another to followers of Jesus who were married to non-Christians. Paul states what is not a direct command from the Lord, but an authoritative statement by Paul as an apostle: “I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her and a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away”.

To understand what Paul is communicating here, we first must understand what was happening at the church in Corinth. As people were responding to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by believing trusting and following Jesus as Lord and Leader, a husband or a wife were becoming Christians, while their spouse had not responded to the message of the gospel. So the question became, “since we no longer believe that same things about God, and since I believe in Jesus and my spouse doesn’t, should I get divorced so that I can go marry a fellow Christian?

Paul responds to the situation by commanding the person to remain married to their unbelieving spouse if the unbelieving spouse still wants to remain married.
Paul then gives the first of two reasons for his command by stating that the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband. But how does a follower of Jesus sanctify their nonchristian spouse?

Paul is revealing the reality that the unbelieving spouse is sanctified in the sense that they are exposed to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel through their marriage relationship to a follower of Jesus. The spouse who has become a believer has the opportunity to reflect and reveal Christ in a powerful way through the relationship that they have with their spouse. Paul then reveals that this same principle applies to the relationship that the believing spouse has with their children when he states that for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. Paul is saying that the children, who would not normally be exposed to Christianity, are able to be brought into contact with the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel through the marriage relationship as they see the believing spouse reflect Christ as they relate to their spouse and children.

Paul then provides an exception to his command by stating that if the unbelieving spouse decides that they want a divorce instead of remaining married, the believing spouse is to allow that divorce to occur. The spouse who is a follower of Jesus is not to initiate a divorce, but they are also not to resist the attempts of their spouse to leave if they desire a divorce as a result of their Christianity.

Paul then gives the reason why followers of Jesus should allow their unbelieving spouses to divorce them by explaining that the believing spouse is not to resist a divorce by their unbelieving spouse because the brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. Paul’s point here is that the follower of Jesus is not to submit their faith to their unbelieving spouse’s religious views as a result of the fighting and wars that might occur in their relationship; instead God has called us to live in peace, as much as possible without compromising our beliefs.

Paul then provides us the second reason why the believing spouse is not to divorce their unbelieving spouse when he states “For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?” Paul’s point here is that the believing spouse may be used by God to reveal Christ and bring their spouse into a position where they receive the forgiveness of sins and enter into the relationship with God that they were created for by believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader.

And because of that possibility, the spouse who is a follower of Jesus is not to try to divorce their nonbelieving partner. Instead, they are to live their life in a way that reveals and reflects Christ and then allow their unbelieving spouse to decide whether or not they can continue in the marriage relationship with a follower of Jesus. If the unbelieving spouse leaves, however, the spouse who is a follower of Jesus must remain unmarried until reconciliation is impossible, either due to the death of the unbelieving spouse or the unbelieving spouse entering into another marriage relationship.

At this point, there are usually two reactions that occur when people read Paul's words here. The first reaction is usually “these are some hard words to swallow. This is difficult to hear. So are you saying that I was wrong to do what I did? Are you saying that the Bible teaches that I cannot get remarried unless these things happen?” And if you find yourself in that place, I empathize with you and the situation you find yourself in.

These can be very hard words to hear. And they are heard words to hear because of the reality that selfishness and sin have devastating effects and consequences. And while God’s forgiveness of sin is free, the consequences from sin can be devastating and costly.

The second reaction is this: So what do I do now? What do I do if I have failed to follow these principles? What do I do in light of my current circumstances? Tomorrow, we will look at the hope that Paul gives us so that we can move forward when it comes to our relational futures.

Misrepresenting Marriage by Divorcing other Christians...

This week, we are looking at the harsh reality that while marriage is designed to depict God's desire for a covenant commitment with humanity by revealing and reflecting Jesus Christ to the world, many marriages tend to mar that picture. Even many people who claim to be followers of Jesus do not have marriages that depict Jesus to the world.

And in a letter written to group of people who claimed to be Christians, but who lived their day to day lives in a way that failed to reflect Christ or follow His teachings, a man named Paul revealed for us five different ways that Christians can act unchristian by misrepresenting marriage. We have seen that we can misrepresent marriage when we misuse sex and when we are widows.

And as we continue looking at marriage, we come to a section in this letter that addresses an issue that is often extremely personal and extremely emotional in nature. And that issue is the issue of divorce and remarriage. Most likely, almost every person here this morning has been impacted in some way by the issue of divorce and remarriage. And Regardless of how you have experienced divorce, all of us know that divorce is an all too present reality in our lives.

And not only is the issue of divorce an extremely emotional issue; the issue of divorce can often be a very confusing issue. For many of us, we have probably heard a wide range of opinions when it comes to when someone should get a divorce and when someone should get remarried. Even amongst pastors, you seem to get a wide range of opinions on this issue. And it is this wide range of opinions that leads to confusion and questions.

I believe that the confusion and questions, however, do not arise because God is somehow unclear on this issue. On the contrary, I believe that God has a very clear opinion when it comes to divorce and remarriage. I believe that the confusion and questions come in when we have to apply God’s truth to our lives in the midst of the emotion that erupts from hurting and broken relationships.

And as Paul transitions to the topic of divorce and remarriage and reveals for us the reality that we can misrepresent marriage when we divorce fellow Christians. We see this reality revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11. Let’s look at these verses together:

But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.

Paul shifts from addressing those who were widows and widowers to addressing followers of Jesus at the church at Corinth who were married to one another. Paul is crystal clear in his instructions when it comes to marriages that involve two followers of Jesus: The Lord states that the wife should not leave her husband and the husband should not divorce his wife.

In other words, in our culture today, Paul would say that a wife should not bail on her husband in order to get a divorce and a husband should not throw his wife out on the street in order to get a divorce. Period. And in case there was any question, Paul states that if the wife was to bail on her husband in order to get a divorce, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. Paul’s point here is that marriage is divinely designed to be a covenant relationship between one man and one woman for one’s entire life. And because of this reality, the Lord, not just Paul, states that a man or a woman who become divorced have two choices as long as both parties are alive; either remain unmarried or remarry your previous spouse as long as both spouses are alive.

You see, so often we approach the issue of divorce and remarriage by asking the wrong question and focusing on the wrong issue. The issue is not whether God allows for divorce; the Bible clearly states that while God hates divorce as divorce flaws the picture of the covenant relationship with God that marriage is designed to depict to the world, God allows for divorce in certain circumstances.

The issue is remarriage. The issue is when can someone who has been divorced enter into another covenant marriage relationship. In addition, God does not view marriage as a contract, which can be renegotiated or dissolved by either party. This is how many in our culture view marriage. God views marriage as a covenant, which can only be terminated through death or another covenant.

This is how we apply what the Bible states about marriage when it comes to the issue of divorce and remarriage: We believe that the Bible teaches that God allows divorce in instances of unfaithfulness/adultery and abandonment and that a person could be remarried if they were divorced for those reasons and if reconciliation with their former spouse is impossible, due to either death or the remarriage of the divorced spouse.

Is this what you have heard from others when it comes to the issue of divorce and remarriage? Or have you heard something else? What have you heard and how does it fit with what God has said through Paul here?

Tomorrow we will continue by seeing Paul unpack this principle when it comes to the issue of Christians who are married to nonchristians.

Misrepresenting Marriage in Widowhood...

This week, we are looking at the harsh reality that while marriage is designed to depict God's desire for a covenant commitment with humanity by revealing and reflecting Jesus Christ to the world, many marriages tend to mar that picture. Even many people who claim to be followers of Jesus do not have marriages that depict Jesus to the world.

And in a letter written to group of people who claimed to be Christians, but who lived their day to day lives in a way that failed to reflect Christ or follow His teachings, a man named Paul revealed for us five different ways that Christians can act unchristian by misrepresenting marriage. Yesterday, we saw that we can misrepresent marriage when we misuse sex.

Today, we will look at a second way that Christians can misrepresent marriage, which is that we can misrepresent marriage when we are widows. We see this reality revealed in 1 Corinthians 7:8-9:

But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Paul transitions from talking to those who are married and were misusing the gift of sex that they had been given by God to those who were at one time married but were now single. A natural question that arises here is that while we know that widows are women whose husbands have died, who are the unmarried that Paul is referring to here?

It is important to understand that while women who became widows faced tremendous problems in ancient culture, this was not the case for men whose spouses died. Thus ancient languages did not have a word for widowers. And in light of this reality and where this fits in the context of this passage, Paul is most likely addressing the issue of men and women who were at one time married but were now single due to the death of their spouse. Paul then explains that for widows and widowers, it is good for them to remain as I, which was single.

Paul then continues by stating but if a widow or widower does not have self control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than burn with passion. Paul here is commanding widows and widowers that if they find themselves unable to keep a handle on their sexual desires, they needed to become involved in a marriage relationship where those sexual desires could be properly expressed and enjoyed.

Instead of simply being consumed with a desire for sex that could be expressed in a way that was outside of God’s design for sexual intimacy, which is in a covenant marriage relationship, Paul gives those who have lost their spouses due to death the freedom to remarry. We can misrepresent marriage, however, when we express our sexual desires that were designed for marriage, in an environment that is outside of God's design.

Tomorrow, we will look at the extremely personal and emotional issue of divorce and remarriage and how marriage can be misrepresented as a result of divorce and remarriage.

Misrepresenting Marriage through our Sexuality...

In our culture today, there is great debate involving the issue of marriage. And this debate is often an extremely personal and extremely emotional issue. The debate surrounds the question of who should be able to become married. But the issue of who should be able to become married only scratches the surface as to the core issue and question, which is "what is marriage"? Followers of Jesus believe that marriage was instituted by God as being a covenant relationship between one man and one woman for one lifetime.

But what followers of Jesus often do not talk about, or even realize, is that God designed marriage to be a picture that depicts the covenant relationship that God desires with humanity. Marriage is designed to depict God's covenant commitment to the world. So a healthy and happy marriage that is centered and focused on Jesus Christ reveals and reflects Jesus Christ to the world.

But the harsh reality is that many marriages tend to mar that picture, don't they. Even many people who claim to be followers of Jesus do not have marriages that depict Jesus to the world. This problem, however, is not a new problem. And in a letter written to group of people who claimed to be Christians, but who lived their day to day lives in a way that failed to reflect Christ or follow His teachings, a man named Paul revealed for us the timeless truth that Christians act unchristian when we misrepresent marriage.

In 1 Corinthians 7:1-24, we Paul reveal for us five different ways that Christians can act unchristian by misrepresenting marriage. First Paul reveals for us the reality that we can misrepresent marriage when we misuse sex. We see this reality revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 7:1-7:

Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. But this I say by way of concession, not of command. Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.

Paul begins this section of his letter to this by responding to a statement that the church had made to him in a letter that they had sent to him: “it is good for a man not to touch a woman”. Apparently, the members of the church of Corinth believed that it was more spiritually mature to not engage in sexual intercourse. As a result, the married members of the church of Corinth were not engaging in the sexual intercourse that God designed to occur and be enjoyed as part of the marriage relationship.

Paul responds to the Corinthian churches statement by commanding the married members of the church at Corinth to have sex. Paul explains that the reason that he is commanding them to have sex was because of immoralities. Immoralities here refer to unlawful sexual intercourse, in this case being sexual intercourse in addition to marriage, which is adultery. What was occurring in Corinth was that while the married members of the church at Corinth were not having sex with their spouse, they eventually would give into their desire to have sex and end up having sex with a prostitute.

Paul then reinforces his command by commanding the married members of the church to fulfill their duty to one another; the husband must fulfill his duty to his wife and likewise also the wife to her husband. Paul’s point here is that the married members of the church at Corinth, and in marriages today, have obligations and responsibilities that one simply ought to do. And one of those obligations and responsibilities is to enjoy a sexual relationship with your spouse.

But why exactly is sexual activity a responsibility that one ought to do in marriage? The Apostle answers that question by explaining the timeless truth that the wife does not have authority over her own body but the husband does; and guys usually stop reading there. But the verse continues and states that and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body but the wife does. Paul is explaining the timeless truth that in marriage one gives up the rights of self-centered independence for other-centered interdependence. In a marriage, we are committing to serve our spouses with our bodies for their enjoyment. And this commitment, as Paul points out is a two way street. A marriage that is Christ centered in nature recognizes first and foremost that the goal in sexual intercourse is to serve our spouses with our bodies so that our spouses experience the pleasure that results from sex.

And because of this reality, Paul commands the married members of the church at Corinth to stop depriving one another. Paul states that the only reason they should deprive one another of the right that each one has to enjoy one another through sex is by agreement for a time so that you may devote yourself to prayer. Paul’s point is that on the one hand, you should not prevent your spouse from experiencing the pleasure that comes from sex. And on the other hand, you should not be so focused on having sex that you have no time left over for spending time in worship of God through the reading of Scripture, prayer, and other times of fellowship with God.

Paul then continues by stating that if you are going to agree to not have sex for a period of time, establish that to be a realistic period of time by mutual agreement and then come together to enjoy the blessing that comes from marital sexual intimacy. Paul explains that the reason that married couples are to resume sexual intimacy was so that Satan would not tempt them because of your lack of self control. The point that Paul is making here is that when we deny our spouses the sexual intimacy that occurs through our marriage relationship, we give the enemy an opportunity to entice us into self indulgence through sexual activity outside of God’s design of the marriage relationship. And the members of the church of Corinth were actually placing themselves in a position where they were enticed to cast aside God’s design for sex for their selfish design for sex.

In Paul then states that he makes these statements about abstaining from sex by way of concession, not command. In our culture today, this statement would sound something like this; I am saying these things in an attempt to meet you halfway, instead of simply giving you an authoritative directive to not deprive one another, I am going to allow you to not have sex if the previous three conditions were met.
Paul explains that the reason that he is trying to meet them halfway was due to the reality that he wished that all men were even as I am. Paul then continues by stating however each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that manner. While Paul was a single man who did not have sex or have the desire to be married and have sex, he believed that this was a gift from God, just as marriage is a gift from God.

Paul is explaining that while he wished that the members of the church of Corinth could experience that gift that God had given him, he recognized that God had also given the gift of sexual intimacy that comes from a marriage relationship. Paul was calling the church at Corinth, and us today, to exercise the gift that God had given them, in this case being that sexual intimacy that comes from marriage, just as he was exercising the gift of singleness and sexual abstinence that he received from God.

So do you misrepresent marriage by misusing the gift of sex that God has given us? Do you use sex as a weapon in your marriage? Are you so focused on sex that you do not spend any time with God? Or are you so focused on God that you are depriving your spouse of the pleasure that comes from sexual intimacy?

Flee, Baby, Flee...

This week we are talking about the topic of sexuality and sexual freedom. We have seen that while the members of the church that he was writing to believed that they had the freedom to engage in a wide range of sexual activities, Paul explains that expressing our sexual freedom can result in consequences that are not advantageous or beneficial. Instead, sexual freedom can result in us being enslaved and can result in us worshipping the idol of sexuality instead of God through our relationship with Jesus.

Yesterday we saw that because of the powerful nature of sex to connect us physically, emotionally, and spiritually, God designed sex for one specific environment, which is one man and one woman united in a monogamous marriage relationship for life. The sexual intercourse that occurs in a covenant marriage relationship that provides for the open expression of love in the context of total vulnerability and intimacy is a glimpse of the depth of the intimacy that we will have in our relationship with Christ for all eternity.

And because of this reality, we see the Apostle Paul give a timeless command to followers of Jesus that reveals a timeless truth that can occur when Christians act unchristian. And that timeless truth is Christians act unchristian when we fail to flee from sexual immorality. We see this timeless truth revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20:

Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Paul commands the members of the church at Corinth, and us today to flee immorality. When Paul refers to immorality, he is referring to unlawful sexual intercourse, which is any sexual activity outside of a covenant marriage relationship; whether it is sex before marriage, sex in addition to marriage, which we call adultery, homosexual sexual activity and any other sexual activity that occurs outside of marriage.

Paul then gives the reason for such a strong command by stating that every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Paul’s point here is that the nature of sexual sin is so unique that the person who engages in unlawful sexual intercourse pollutes and corrupts their bodies in a way that no other selfish and sinful act can.

Paul reveals for the church at Corinth, and us as well, that followers of Jesus are temples of the Holy Spirit. In other words the Holy Spirit takes up residence and dwells in the bodies of followers of Jesus. Paul then provides another reason why we should flee sexual immorality when he states that you are not your own. As followers of Jesus, the reality is that we are God’s possession. God owns us.

Now you may be wondering, what do you mean God owns us? How does God own us? Paul answers this question for us by stating for you have been bought with a price. Paul is bringing the members of the church of Corinth back to the reality of the cross. The cross reveals the reality that Christ rescued and redeemed us from our selfish and sinful lives by allowing Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life. And it is the price that Christ paid that not only brings us the forgiveness of sin and the relationship with God that we were created for but also makes us His possession.

Paul concludes this section of this letter by explaining that in light of the price that Jesus paid to rescue and redeem us; in light of the reality that we are His possession, we are to glorify God with our bodies. The idea of glorifying God means to influence one’s opinion about God so as to enhance God’s reputation. Paul here is calling the members of the church at Corinth, and us here today to honor, extol, and make much of God by how we handle our physical bodies when it comes to sex. One of the ways that we reveal and reflect Christ to the world around us is by how we handle ourselves when it comes to our sexuality.

We best reflect God’s other centered sacrificial love when we engage in sex in the context of marriage. And to do that, as followers of Jesus, we must flee sexual immorality. We must flee, flee, flee. Because the reality is that Christians act unchristian when we fail to flee sexual immorality. And if you were to ask many of us, some of our greatest regrets in life revolve around our failure to follow this principle. And while you may be thinking that this is old fashioned and unrealistic, I can tell you this; there is not one person who has followed this principle in their lives who regrets that decision. There is not one person who would look back in the rear view mirror of their lives and say “I wish I would have been more promiscuous. I wish I would have been more sexually active prior to my marriage”.

And I can also tell you this; it is never too late to implement this principle in our lives. The church at Corinth was filled with people who had a past, but had received grace, forgiveness and a fresh start as a result of repenting or changing the trajectory of their live that was moving away from God back towards God by believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader. And regardless of you past, regardless of your present circumstances, regardless of your regrets, God is ever present and ever willing to extend grace to those who ask for it.

So may we flee from sexual immorality. May we recognize the amazing gift that sexuality is that has been given us by God. And may we act in a way that glorifies God with our bodies by engaging in sexuality according to God’s design as one man with one woman in a covenant relationship for a lifetime.

Sexual Freedom, Sexual Reality, and Sexual Design...

This week we are talking about the topic of sexuality and sexual freedom. We have seen that while the members of the church that he was writing to believed that they had the freedom to engage in a wide range of sexual activities, Paul explains that expressing our sexual freedom can result in consequences that are not advantageous or beneficial. Instead, sexual freedom can result in us being enslaved and can result in us worshipping the idol of sexuality instead of God through our relationship with Jesus.

Paul then continues by revealing for us a another reason why the members of the church at Corinth, and us here today, can find ourselves believing that we should have sexual freedom and license in 1 Corinthians 6:15-17:

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, "THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH." But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

Paul uses a rhetorical question in order to introduce the well known and generally accepted fact that, as followers of Jesus, we are mystically and spiritually united with Christ. If you are a follower of Jesus, God sees you in Christ as part of His body. And in light of the reality that we are united mystically and spiritually in Christ, Paul asks the members of the church at Corinth if they should take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Paul then answers the questions with the strongest possible negative statement possible in the language that this was written in. In our culture it might sound like this- no way! But what does Paul mean when he asks whether they should take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?

The Apostle provides the answer for us by introducing another well known and generally accepted fact that the church should know: “do you not know that the one who joins himself with a prostitute is one body with her?” To back up his point, Paul quotes part of Genesis 2:24 ‘the two shall become one flesh’. To understand what Paul is communicating here, we need to understand what happens when we have sex. When we have sex with someone, the very act of sexual intercourse causes two separate bodies to become one. The act of sex physically, emotionally, and even spiritually fuses two people together.

It’s kind of like a cardboard box I received in the mail this past week from UPS that contained a book that I had ordered. Like many boxes, this box was closed with glue as an adhesive. Now here is a question for you: have you ever been able to open a box that was glued together without destroying the box? Have you ever been able to open a box that has been glued together in a way that the individual pieces remains as they were prior to being glued? No. Usually what happens is the glue is so strong that part of one part of the lid ends up remaining on the other part of the lid as you rip the box open, doesn’t it? We never end up with a clean break or separation of the parts of the box when we open a box, do we?

And just like that cardboard box, when we have sex with someone, pieces of us remain attached to one another. So, a piece of every person that you have ever had sex with has become a part of you. And because of the powerful nature of sex to connect us physically, emotionally, and spiritually, God designed sex for one specific environment, which is one man and one woman united in a monogamous marriage relationship for life. Let’s look at the entire quote of Genesis 2:24 to see this reality:

For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

God created and designed sex to occur when one man leaves from his home to commit himself in a covenant relationship with one woman for an entire lifetime. Any sex that occurs outside of one man and one woman united in a monogamous marriage relationship for life is outside of God’s design. The members of the church at Corinth, however, misunderstood God’s design for sexuality and the powerful nature of sex as God designed it.

Parents, one of the biggest mistakes that we can make is to try to tell and convince our children that sex is bad. This is a mistake for two reasons. First, all our children have to do is to go look in the mirror to see that sex is not bad. Seriously. All a child has to do is say, “if sex is bad, then why am I here? And what about all my brothers and sisters?" I mean are you going to try and convince your child that you just had sex one time and decided it was bad? How is that argument going to go over? Second, and unfortunately, many of the friends of your children are already experimenting with sex. So when you tell your children that sex is bad and then they hear their friends talking about how great sex is, you have just lost credibility to speak into your child’s life about sex.

And the church historically has done a horrible job when it comes to talking about sex. That is why many want to cringe in you seats when a preacher begins to talk about sex, isn’t it. Many of us have sat in an environment where a red faced preached pounded the pulpit and spewed condemnation when it came to sex. However, the Bible clearly teaches that sex is an awesome gift from God that is divinely designed to be experienced in one environment- marriage.

Paul then contrasts the one flesh relationship that occurs during sexual intercourse with the eternal relationship that occurs with Jesus Christ by stating that the one who unites himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Paul’s point here is that the follower of Jesus who is united mystically and spiritually to Jesus Christ will experience a different type of intimacy that is eternal and unbreakable in nature. The sexual intercourse that occurs in a covenant marriage relationship that provides for the open expression of love in the context of total vulnerability and intimacy is a glimpse of the depth of the intimacy that we will have in our relationship with Christ for all eternity.

So, how does sexual reality impact your view of sexuality and sexual freedom? How does God's design for sexuality fit with your expression of your sexuality?

Mark Driscoll on Twilight

Something to think about when it comes to engaging culture...

The Nature of Sexual Freedom...

This week we are talking about the topic of sexuality and sexual freedom. And at the risk of being viewed as old fashioned or irrelevant, as we look at a section of a letter that Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, we will discover two things. First, we are going to discover that the situation that was occurring at this church is so strikingly similar to what we experience today that the counsel that Paul provides is incredibly relevant and practical to our lives today.

Second, I will go out on a limb and say that there is not a single person who would ever say that they regretted following the counsel that Paul provides about this topic. On the contrary, for many of us, maybe the greatest regret in our lives involves failing to follow the timeless truth that Paul provides us in this passage.

Paul continues to address this issue of sexuality and sexual freedom in 1 Corinthians 6:13-14:

Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.

In verse 13, Paul explains to the members of the church at Corinth that the sexual freedom that they were pursuing is only temporary in nature. Paul uses the analogy of eating to help drive his point home. While the activity of eating involves a pleasurable relationship between food and our stomach, the enjoyment that we receive as a result of that relationship is temporary, as both food and our stomach will not last past the time of our deaths. I mean when you really think about it, the pleasure of eating only lasts until we are hungry again, doesn’t it?

And just like eating, sexuality can be an appetite that is only satisfied when it is fed, and that satisfaction only lasts until the appetite reappears. The apostle then contrasts the temporary nature of physical pleasure with the eternal relationship that occurs between followers of Jesus and their Lord and Savior. When Paul states that the body is not for immorality, the word immorality describes any unlawful sexual intercourse, which would be any sexual activity that occurs outside of a marriage relationship. Paul’s point here is that we were not designed to be engaged in relationships that promote unlawful sexual intercourse, which are temporary in nature. Instead we were designed to have an eternal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Paul then provides the proof that we were designed for such a relationship in the reality of the resurrection. Just as God raised Jesus from the dead, God will also raise followers of Jesus from the dead in order to participate in the eternal relationship with Him that we were created for and have received as a result of believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader.

Paul here is bringing us face to face with the issue of idolatry, which is the worship of something other than god as God. For the members of the church at Corinth, their desire to have sexual freedom had become an idol; their pursuit of pleasure through sex was more important than their pursuit of their relationship with Christ. And it was this worship of the sex that was moving them away from their worship of their Creator. You see, faulty theology, or our view of God, can cause faulty behavior.

And in the same way today, Christians can unchristian when we worship the idol of our sexual appetites and pleasure over our relationship with Christ.

So, are you how are you responding to the appetite of sexuality and sexual freedom? How are you feeding that appetite? What does your view of sexuality and how you engage your sexuality reveal about what you worship?

Sexual Freedom and Our Responsibility...

As a church we have been looking at a letter in our Bibles that was written to a group of people who claimed to be Christian, yet lived their day to day lives in a way that failed to reflect Christ or follow His teachings. And in this letter the writer addresses a topic that many would want to either tune out or walk out on.

As soon as this topic is mentioned in a sermon, you can almost immediately feel people want to shrink in their chairs or their pews in fear. “Oh no, he isn’t going to talk about that today. No, please don’t talk about that today. I brought a friend to church and I don’t want to be embarrassed or have to spend our entire time at breakfast or lunch after this trying to defend or justify what you said that offended them”.

Or as soon as a pastor begins to speak about this topic, the response is “oh, here we go again. Another pastor telling me to live in a way that is not even realistic or practical in today’s society. Does he really expect people to actually follow what he saying? I mean really, who would want to live life that way, anyway? That is so old fashioned and outdated. Does he think people will actually do that”.

The topic that I am talking about is the topic of sexuality and sexual freedom. And at the risk of being viewed as old fashioned or irrelevant, as we look at this section of this letter that Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, we will discover two things. First, we are going to discover that the situation that was occurring at this church is so strikingly similar to what we experience today that the counsel that Paul provides is incredibly relevant and practical to our lives today.

Second, I will go out on a limb and say that there is not a single person who would ever say that they regretted following the counsel that Paul provides about this topic. There is not a single person that would make the statement “I really regret following Paul’s advice here”. On the contrary, for many of us, whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, maybe the greatest regret in our lives involves failing to follow the timeless truth that Paul provides us in this passage.

Paul begins to address this issue of sexuality and sexual freedom in 1 Corinthians 6:12:

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the church at Corinth by repeating a statement that the members of the church of Corinth had made in defense of their unchristian behavior: “all things are lawful for me”. The members of the church at Corinth had written to Paul with a set of questions that they desired answers to and with statements about how they believed that they should be able to live life as followers of Jesus. And one of their statements was that, as followers of Jesus, they now had the freedom to engage in wide range of sexual activities. “All things are lawful for me when it comes to how I express myself sexually” was their position before Paul.

You see the topic of sexuality and sexual freedom of expression is not a new debate: the topic of sexuality and how we should be able to express our sexuality has been a debate that has been raging for thousands of years. And the culture of Corinth so mirrors the culture in America that the churches question and Paul’s response is especially relevant for us today.

Paul points out two timeless realities to the church in his response to their claim of sexual freedom. First, Paul states that while we may believe that all things are permissible, not all things are profitable. While we may believe that we have a great deal of freedom to express ourselves sexually, not all of these behaviors are advantageous or benefit our well being.

Second, Paul states that while we may believe that all things are permissible, he, for his part will not be mastered by anything. The word mastered here conveys the sense of being controlled or enslaved by something. Paul’s point is that while we may believe that we have a great deal of freedom to express ourselves sexually, we can run the risk of being controlled or enslaved by many types of behavior.

And this morning, the reality is that while God gives us the freedom and free will to make choices when it comes to how we express ourselves sexually, those choices can have consequences that are neither advantageous or beneficial. And while God gives us the freedom and free will to make choices when it comes to how we express ourselves sexually, those choices can, and often do, enslave us in a lifestyle that ends up moving us away from God.

But Paul is just getting started. For the rest of this week we will not only look at what God has to say about sexuality and sexual freedom: we will look at why God says what He says about the issue of sexuality and sexual freedom.

So, how have you been doing in managing the freedom and the responsibility that God gives us when it comes to our sexuality?

The Effect of Lawsuits on our Perspective...

This week, we are asking a fundamental question: should Christians sue other Christians? Should followers of Jesus file lawsuits against one another? Is it ever O.K. for one Christian to take legal action against another Christian? And who wins when one Christian sues another Christian?

In a section of a letter to a church that we have been looking at recently, we see that a man named Paul had a lot to say about this issue of Christians suing Christians. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Paul explains to the members of the church at Corinth, and to us today, that when Christians take other Christians to court by filing civil lawsuits that appear before nonchristians, we reveal four things about our day to day lives as Christians.

Yesterday we discovered that when we take one another to court before nonchristians, we reveal a faulty family. Paul then continues by explaining to the church at Corinth, and us today, that Christians filing lawsuits against Christians reveals a faulty perspective:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Paul introduces a third well known and generally accepted fact in the form of another rhetorical question: Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? In other words, Paul is reminding the members of the church that those who act in an unjust or crooked way before God instead of acting in a way that is right before God reveal the reality that they have a faulty perspective as to their place as part of the kingdom of Heaven.

Paul then encourages the members of the church at Corinth not to be deceived or mistaken in their judgment so as to have a faulty perspective that would cause them to be moving away from instead of closer to the kingdom of God by unpacking the practices that reveal the reality of a life that is moving in the wrong direction through unchristian behavior with a list.

In this list, Paul includes worshiping something other than God as God, which is idolatry. In addition, Paul explains that those who practice sexual intercourse outside of marriage, which he refers to as fornication, or those who are unfaithful to his or her spouse by having sex with others in addition to their spouse are acting in a crooked or unjust manner. Paul then states that homosexual behavior, whether as the one who is the passive participant, which is what the word effeminate means, or as the dominant role in the relationship are deceiving themselves. The person who steals from others or who desires more than they are due is headed in the wrong direction. In addition, the abusive person, either verbally or through alcohol reveals the reality that through their unchristian behavior have not come into possession of their place as part of the kingdom of Heaven.

Now here can be our tendency when we look at a list like this in the Bible; we can tend to pick out particular sins on this list and focus on those sins as being especially heinous and offensive. The reality, however is that engaging in an unrepentant lifestyle that is marked by any of the behaviors on this list could very well mean that you have deceived yourself into thinking that you are right with God when in fact you are not right with God. And all of the behaviors on this list can result in civil lawsuits being filed against one another.

Paul then explains that many of the members of the church at Corinth used to live a lifestyle that was marked by such behavior. However, as a result of God’s gracious and generous activity in their lives through Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, they had been purified from their selfishness and sin and had been set apart as belonging to God. The members of the church of Corinth had been be declared not guilty and made pure as a result of believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader.

And because of the reality of what Christ had done for them to bring them the forgiveness of their sin and the relationship with God that they were created for, Paul was calling them to live out the reality of their relationship with God in their relationship with one another. Instead of being a community that was marked by conflict and lawsuits that failed to reflect Christ and advance the kingdom mission they were given, the church is to be a community that is marked by the transforming grace of God that results in a life that is marked by the pursuit of unity and faithfulness to God and one another in community.


So what does you relationship with others reveal about your perspective? What does the church reveal about its perspective when it is involved in conflict? What needs to change so that the church can have the perspective that reflects the unity and faithfulness to God and one another?

10 Tips for Ministry Excellence

Here is a great post on how we can conduct ministry with excellence that Honors God and advances His kingdom...

10 Tips for Ministry Excellence

The Effect of Lawsuits on our Family...

This week, we are asking a fundamental question: should Christians sue other Christians? Should followers of Jesus file lawsuits against one another? Is it ever O.K. for one Christian to take legal action against another Christian? And who wins when one Christian sues another Christian?

In a section of a letter to a church that we have been looking at recently, we see that a man named Paul had a lot to say about this issue of Christians suing Christians. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Paul explains to the members of the church at Corinth, and to us today, that when Christians take other Christians to court by filing civil lawsuits that appear before nonchristians, we reveal four things about our day to day lives as Christians.

Yesterday we discovered that when we take one another to court before nonchristians, we reveal a faulty reflection. Paul then continues by explaining to the church at Corinth, and us today, that Christians filing lawsuits against Christians reveals something else about our day to day lives. And that something else is that when we take one another to court before nonchristians, we reveal a faulty family:

Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren.

1 Corinthians 6:7-8

Paul reminds that church that the fact that they have lawsuits among themselves is already a defeat for you. Paul’s point here is that the mere presence of lawsuits is in itself an utter loss in terms of the witness of the church and the advancement of the kingdom mission that they had been given.

Paul then asks two questions designed to reveal the selfish and sinful activity that was occurring at the church: Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?Paul is revealing for us the reality that there are times that as Christians, we should rather experience injustice against ourselves than harm our witness to the community that we are trying to reach for Christ.

And this another instance in the Bible where we see that Jesus never asks us to do something that He has not already done. Was Jesus wronged? Was Jesus defrauded? Did Jesus have every right to stand up and complain and respond? Yet Jesus laid aside His right to be right aside and allowed Himself to be wronged and defrauded so that He could complete the kingdom mission that He was given. And as His followers, there are times that we may need to lay aside our right to be right in order to not harm the witness of the church or the kingdom mission we have been given.

However instead of choosing to reflect Christ and advance the kingdom mission they were given, the members of the church of Corinth were wronging and defrauding one another. Instead of reflecting the love of Christ to one another, the church was selfishly attempting to take advantage of one another. And in the same way, Christians act unchristian when we fail to reflect Christ and we harm the kingdom mission we have been given when we take advantage of one another in a way that results in lawsuits amongst one another.

So what type of church family do you belong to? Does your church family reflect Christ? Or do they reflect a dysfunctional reality show filled with selfishness and conflict? And what effect does your church family have on the community around you?

The Effect of Lawsuits on our Reflection...

This week, we are asking a fundamental question: should Christians sue other Christians? Should followers of Jesus file lawsuits against one another? Is it ever O.K. for one Christian to take legal action against another Christian? And who wins when one Christian sues another Christian?

In a section of a letter to a church that we have been looking at recently, we see that a man named Paul had a lot to say about this issue of Christians suing Christians. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Paul explains to the members of the church at Corinth, and to us today, that when Christians take other Christians to court by filing civil lawsuits that appear before nonchristians, we reveal four things about our day to day lives as Christians.

Yesterday we discovered that when we take one another to court before nonchristians, we reveal a faulty focus. Paul then continues by explaining to the church at Corinth, and us today, that Christians filing lawsuits against Christians reveals something else about our day to day lives. And that something else is that when we take one another to court before nonchristians, we reveal a faulty reflection. We see this in 1 Corinthians 6:3-6:

Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers?

Paul here is revealing for us that reality that in eternity, follower of Jesus will judge the angels. Angels are God’s special agents who are unseen supernatural spiritual beings who have supernatural but limited knowledge and power to accomplish God’s will or resist God’s will through their activities. Paul’s point here is that followers of Jesus will be divinely commissioned by God to sit on a tribunal that will judge how these supernatural beings fulfill their role as God’s special agents.

Paul then asks the members of the church at Corinth that, in light of this reality, are you not able to handle the ordinary and everyday matters that occur here on earth? Paul again is confronting the church on their failure to live up to their responsibilities and their role in relationship to one another in the church.

Paul also asks the members of the church at Corinth a question to expose the reality that the courts that had been established in the city of Corinth to handle the ordinary and everyday matters that occur here on earth are overseen by individuals who have no standing or merit as Christians in the church. The judges in these courts are not Christians and do not look at life through the prism of the teachings of Jesus and the Bible. And because of this reality, these courts could provide judgments that are not aligned with the message and teachings of Jesus, which could further promote and reinforce the unchristian behavior that was occurring in the church.

Paul then hammers home his point by stating that the fact that they rely on nonchristians to solve their lawsuits against one another should shame the members of the church. In addition, he sarcastically asks the church if they could not find one person among them who could help render a legal decision between two fellow believers. Paul then continues by stating that instead of handling their lawsuits amongst themselves, they had to expose their selfish and sinful behavior to the world by seeking legal resolution from nonchristians.

Paul is exposing the extremely poor reflection of Christ that the churches unchristian behavior was presenting to the community. The fact that the members of the church could not resolve these issues internally resulted in their sin being exposed publicly, which resulted in a poor reflection of Christ to their community.

And in the same way, when a community that is supposed to be marked by unity and a Christ-like response to conflict ends up suing one another civilly and publicly, we present a poor reflection of Christ to those who are far from God.

So, what reflection do others see when you are involved in conflict? Do they see Christ? Or do they see something altogether different?

Should Christians file lawsuits against other Christians?

There seems to be many stories that are now available through newspapers, the Internet, and on television that have chronicled cases of Christians filing lawsuits against other Christians. And these stories raise a fundamental question: should Christians sue other Christians? Should followers of Jesus file lawsuits against one another? Is it ever O.K. for one Christian to take legal action against another Christian? And does anyone actually win when one Christian sues another Christian?

In a section of a letter to a church that we have been looking at recently, we see that the issue of Christians suing Christians is not a new problem- it is a human problem that has existed for thousands of years. A man named Paul had a lot to say about this issue of Christians suing Christians, which we see beginning in 1 Corinthians 6:1:

Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints?

Paul begins this section of his letter to the church at Corinth by asking a rhetorical question: Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? Paul’s question to the church is designed to expose the reality that Christians who had a matter of legal contention against one another were bringing their legal cases to court before those who were nonchristians instead of Christians.

It is important to understand that these legal cases were not criminal cases that involved Christians committing acts of violence or property offense that violated the laws of the land. In another letter in our Bibles, located in Romans 13, Paul addresses the issue of criminal offenses by explaining that as members of a community we as Christians have a responsibility to participate in the protection of the community by following and assisting the government in the enforcement of the laws of our community. What was occurring in Corinth, however, was that members of the church at Corinth were filing civil lawsuits against one another that were being heard and judged by nonchristians.

Paul, having heard what was happening in Corinth, responds by revealing for us a timeless truth that can occur when Christians act unchristian. And that timeless truth is that Christians act unchristian when we take one another to court before nonchristians. In 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, Paul explains to the members of the church at Corinth, and to us today, that when Christians take other Christians to court by filing civil lawsuits that appear before nonchristians, we reveal four things about our day to day lives as Christians.

First, when we take one another to court before nonchristians, we reveal a faulty focus. We see this reality in 1 Corinthians 6:2:

Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts?

Paul introduces the well known and generally accepted fact that the members of the church at Corinth should be aware of in the form of a rhetorical question. And that well known fact is that Christians will judge the world. At the end of God’s story here on earth, when Jesus Christ returns, followers of Jesus will be divinely commissioned by God to sit on a tribunal that will judge those things in the world that are hostile to God and set themselves up in opposition to God and His kingdom.

Paul then asks the members of the church of Corinth that, in light of the reality that they would be given this incredible large responsibility by God, are they not able to conduct a court that can handle the civil lawsuits that they were experiencing that are relatively insignificant and trivial by comparison. The members of the church at Corinth had become focused and engaged in legal fights that were over the temporal and temporary that they should have been mature enough and equipped enough to handle in light of the role and responsibilities that they were to have in eternity.

And in the same way today, Christians who act unchristian by suing one another civilly often find themselves focused and engaged in issues that are insignificant and trivial compared to the kingdom mission that we have been called to be engaged in and that we should be mature and equipped enough to handle.

So, as a follower of Jesus, where is your focus when it comes to conflict with one another that can lead to civil court? Are you allowing a conflict to get out of control, instead of bringing in others who are able to help before it gets to court?

What Failing to Deal with Sin in a Church Reveals, Part 4...

This week, we are looking at a section of a letter written by a man named Paul to a group of Christians who were acting unchristian that reveals how failure to deal with sin through church discipline reveals four things about that church. We have seen that failure to deal with sin in a church reveals an arrogant acceptance of sin amongst its members and a lack of leadership in that church. We have also seen how failure to deal with sin in the church reveals a misunderstanding of its power.

Paul then concludes this section of his letter by showing us how a churches failure to deal with sin that is occurring within the membership of the church reveals a fourth thing about that church:

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-- not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE WICKED MAN FROM AMONG YOURSELVES. 1 Corinthians 5:9-12

Paul begins by addressing a misunderstanding that caused the members of the church at Corinth had taken his statements in a previous letter to mean that they were not to associate with anyone who was not a follower of Jesus. And even today there are churches who believe that as followers of Jesus we are to separate and not have any contact with those who are not Christians.

Paul then corrects their misunderstanding of his previous letter by explaining that he was not referring to nonchristians when he expressed that they were not to associate in community with those who practice a lifestyle of unlawful sexual intercourse, or for that matter, with anyone who is greedy, or lives a lifestyle of deceit, or who worships something other than God as God. Paul then tells the church that what he was directing the church at Corinth to do was that they were not to associate in community with a person who claims to be a Christian yet acts unchristian and lives a lifestyle marked by unrepentant unchristian behavior in their sexuality, in greediness, in the worship of something other than God as God, verbally abusiveness, drunkenness, or deceitfulness.

Paul then asks two rhetorical questions to expose the upside down nature of how the church at Corinth was handling church discipline. First Paul asks “for what do I have to do with judging outsiders” to which the answer is no. Paul here is explaining that Christians and the church are not to be passing judgment or condemning those who are non Christians. Paul then asks the second rhetorical question “do you not judge those who are within the church” to which the answer is supposed to be yes. Paul here is explaining that the church is supposed to be passing judgment or condemning those who are Christians who are acting unchristian through unrepentant sin.

Paul is revealing for us the timeless reality that failing to deal with sin in the church reveals our hypocrisy. Too often the church and Christians expect non Christians to act like Christians before they become Christians while at the same time allowing other Christians to act unchristian. It is not our place as followers of Jesus to pass judgment on those who are far from God or who have rejected the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. Jesus Himself said in John 3:17-18 that He did not come to judge those who were not Christians, because they were judged already. Instead Jesus stated that God had sent Him into the world that the world might be saved through Him.

So do you expect non Christians to act like Christians before they become Christians while at the same time allowing other Christians to act unchristian? How have you seen hypocrisy impact Christians and the church?

What Failing to Deal with Sin in a Church Reveals, Part 3...

This week, we are looking at a section of a letter written by a man named Paul to a group of Christians who were acting unchristian that reveals how failure to deal with sin through church discipline reveals four things about that church. We have seen that failure to deal with sin in a church reveals an arrogant acceptance of sin amongst its members and a lack of leadership in that church.

Paul then shows us how a churches failure to deal with sin that is occurring within the membership of the church reveals a third thing about that church:

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8

In verse 6, Paul confronts the members of the church at Corinth by explaining that their prideful acceptance and approval of this sinful behavior is not good. Paul then provides the reason for the necessity of church discipline by bringing the members of the church back to the Jewish festival of Passover. Paul begins with the statement “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump”?

Leaven was a piece of fermented dough, that when mixed into a batch of dough, would cause it to rise. Paul is reminding the church that a little leaven will mix through and spread through the rest of the dough and ferment the entire dough. In the Bible, leaven is often used as a word picture for sin; so what Paul is communicating to the Corinthian church, and us today is “do you not know that a little sin in the church will mix its way through the entire church and infect the entire church with sin”?

Paul here is revealing for us the reality that failing to deal with sin in the church reveals our misunderstanding of sins power. In verse 7, Paul then commands the church at Corinth to clean out the old leaven. But what does that mean? To understand Paul’s point here, we first must understand what a Jewish person would do in order to prepare for the Passover Feast.

In preparation for the Passover feast, every Jewish person would go through their home and search for any leaven. This leaven, which was a picture of sin, was to be swept out of the home, so that the home would be in the right condition in order to celebrate the feast. Before a Jewish person and their family could worship God through the celebration of Passover, their houses needed to be free from sin. Paul was taking this Old Testament tradition and applying it to the New Testament situation in the church at Corinth by commanding the members of the church of Corinth to sweep away their attitude of tolerance and approval of sin from their church in the same way a Jewish person would remove the leaven prior to celebrating the Passover feast.

Paul then explains that by conducting church discipline, the church would be a new lump, just as in fact you are already unleavened. For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed. Paul is bringing the members of the church back to the reality that the Jewish nation celebrated Passover every year to commemorate their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. During Passover, every Jewish family took an unblemished lamb and killed it at twilight. They would then take the blood of the lamb and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel, which was the piece of wood that formed the top of the door frame. That evening, the Lord went through the land of Egypt and struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, but He passed over all of the Jewish homes who had marked their doors with the blood of the lamb.

Paul’s point here is that as Christians, their previous selfish and sinful nature had been overcome through faith in Christ, who was the ultimate Passover lamb who allowed Himself to be treated as though he lived our selfish and sinful lives so God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life. And because of the reality that Christ is the ultimate Passover lamb, in verse 8 Paul calls the members of the church of Corinth to come together as a community that is not marked with the negative attitudes that marked their life prior to becoming Christians, or with a lifestyle of wickedness or a lack of moral and social values that that mark a selfish and sinful life. Instead, Paul is directing the members of the church of Corinth to be Christians who act Christian through a lifestyle marked by purity and truthfulness to Christ and His teachings.


So, what is your view of sin? Do you understand the impact and influence that selfishness and sin can have on those around you? Do you think that churches understand the infectious power that sin can have among their members?

What Failing to Deal with Sin in a Church Reveals, Part 2...

This week, we are looking at a section of a letter written by a man named Paul to a group of Christians who were acting unchristian that reveals how failure to deal with sin through church discipline reveals four things about that church. Yesterday, we saw that failure to deal with sin in a church reveal an arrogant acceptance of sin amongst its members.

Paul then shows us how a churches failure to deal with sin that is occurring within the membership of the church reveals a second thing about that church in 1 Corinthians 5:3-5:

For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul explains that even though he is not in Corinth, he has evaluated what he has heard about the nature of the sin in the church and the churches refusal to deal with the offenders and has come to a conclusion about how he will respond as a leader. Paul here is revealing for us the reality that failing to deal with sin in the church reveals a lack of leadership. Since the current leadership at the church in Corinth is refusing to deal with the sin that is occurring in the church, Paul tells the church that he will deal with it from Ephesus, where he was writing this letter.

But how is Paul going to deal with the churches sin when he is hundreds of miles away? Paul answers this question by stating that the next time that the church is gathered together in community for worship, even though he will not be physically present, as a leader on the basis of the authority given him by Jesus, he will be spiritually present. And because of his role and position of authority, Paul states that he will deliver the couple over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Really? What does Paul mean here when he states that he has decided to hand these people, who say they are Christians, over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh? Paul here is directing the church, through this letter, to exercise church discipline and expel the offending parties from the church community and back into the non believing community, which is under the sphere of Satan. Paul’s point here is that since these members would rather act unchristian, let them live like nonchristians outside the community of faith and away from its spiritual protection. By being placed outside of the church community through church discipline, Paul is hoping that the flesh, which is our selfish and self-centered orientation away from God would be destroyed, resulting in repentance and salvation from the judgment of God that will occur when Jesus returns.

The timeless truth that Paul reveals for us about the nature of church discipline here is that church discipline is divinely designed to bring repentance and a return from rebellion against God to fellowship with God and His people. And since the current leadership at the church seems to be unwilling to exercise church discipline, Paul is writing the church and exerting His unique authority and leadership as an Apostle and church planter to exercise correction and church discipline against those who are rebelling against the teachings of Jesus.

The harsh truth that Paul shows us here is that a failure to deal with sin in the church among its members reveals the reality of a lack of leadership in that church.

So how do you think your leadership is doing at handling church discipline? Does your leadership exercise church discipline in a way that is focused on repentance from rebellion from God back to fellowship with God and His people? Does your church ever even talk about the purpose of church discipline and why it is necessary?

What Failing to Deal with Sin in a Church Reveals...

Whether you are a follower of Jesus or you consider yourself skeptical or even far from God, when you hear the words "church discipline" a picture comes to mind, doesn’t it. But have you ever wondered why the phrase church discipline conjures up such images? Why do the words “church discipline” carry such baggage?

In another section of a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to a group of Christians who were acting unchristian we see a timeless truth as to why the issue of church discipline is such an important issue. We see this truth exposed in a passage that begins in 1 Corinthians 5:1:

"It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst."

Paul begins this section of his letter by explaining to the church at Corinth that he has heard that there was a couple who were members of the church that were involved in sinful activity that was so grossly offensive that it would not even be considered by nonchristians. When Paul uses the word immorality here, he is referring a family in the church was involved in an incestuous relationship where a father and a son were having sex with the same woman. Paul here is stating to the church at Corinth that the sin that was being committed by this couple in the church was so grossly offensive that even that people who were as far from God or had rejected God would not even consider acting in such a way.

In verse 2, however, Paul continues by revealing the true nature of the problem. Paul explains to the church at Corinth that the problem is not just the incredibly offensive nature of the sinful sexual relationship; for Paul the issue is that the church was actually approving of this sin and viewed themselves as being very spiritually mature and tolerant. And it is this situation at the church at Corinth that reveals a timeless truth that Christians act unchristian when we fail to deal with sin in the church.

In these verses we see that failing to deal with sin in the church reveals an arrogant acceptance. Instead of grieving over the impact that this sin would cause in the life of the individual and the church; instead of confronting and dealing with the sin by exercising church discipline, the church instead had an exaggerated concept of how healthy and mature they were as a church.

Paul’s point to the church at Corinth was that their failure to deal with the gross sin in their church by their tolerance and their acceptance was actually hurting how the world around them viewed the church. Paul is saying to the church “this gross sin does not exist among the unbelieving world around you, so how are you going to be able to influence and impact those around you with the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel with this arrogant and tolerant attitude about such grossly sinful behavior”.

And today, when we act arrogantly and accept behavior within the membership of the church that clearly contradicts the message and teachings of Jesus and the Bible, we lose our ability to influence and impact those around us with those teachings.

So, does your church arrogantly accept behavior among it's members? How does that arrogant acceptance of sin impact your view of the church? How does that arrogant acceptance of sin impact how those who are far from God or who are skeptical about God impact how they view the church?

This week, we will look at how a church's failure to deal with sin among its members reveals three other things about that church...