The Nature of God's Love...

This week, we are looking at a section of the Bible where Paul addresses the issue of motivation when it comes to using the spiritual gifts that God has given us. Yesterday we saw that, as followers of Jesus, we are to live out our gifting by giving God’s love because God’s love is superior in its quality. Today, we see Paul reveal a second reason why we are to live out our gifting by giving God’s love in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. Let’s look at these verses together:

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Paul begins with a simple statement that has profound implications: love never fails. We see Paul provide the members of the church at Corinth, and us here today, with a second reason why we are to use God’s gifts by giving God’s love. And that second reason is that we are to use God’s gifts by giving God’s love because God’s love is enduring in nature.

When Paul uses the phrase never fails, this phrase literally means to become invalid or come to an end. Paul here is revealing the reality that what will stand the test of time is not our spiritual gifts but the motivation behind the use of the gifts that we have been given. Paul then points to three specific spiritual gifts that the members of the church were arguing about and dividing over to make his point.

As we saw last week, the spiritual gifts of prophecy, tongues, and word of knowledge were foundational or sign spiritual gifts that were used to deliver and confirm new verbal revelation from God when it came to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. When Paul states that these gifts will be done away with or cease, these phrases literally means to come to an end where they no longer exist in terms of time.

Paul then provides the reason the members of the church at Corinth and us here today as to why these gifts will come to an end and no longer exist. Paul explains that while the members of the church may know and proclaim new revelation about the nature and character of God, this is only a small fragment of what we will come to know about the nature and character of God. But when the perfect comes, Paul explains that our partial knowledge about God’s nature and character will come to an end.

But what is Paul referring to when he says the perfect? While many people have tried to explain that the perfect refers to the compilation and completion of our Bibles that is not what Paul intends here. Because if Paul had in mind the Bible, then Paul would be saying that we would have a total knowledge and understanding of the nature and character of God today, which is not the case. What Paul is revealing to the church throughout history is that our partial knowledge about God’s nature and character will be done away with when Jesus returns to earth to usher in the kingdom of heaven in its fullest sense.

When Jesus returns again, we will see the final chapters of God’s story on earth completed and our minds will be opened to be able to comprehend and understand God’s nature and character. And Jesus return to earth will result in spiritual gifts coming to an end and no longer existing. The members of the church at Corinth, however, were living their lives with the wrong priorities in mind. They were prioritizing the exercise and use of the spiritual gifts that they had been given over loving others through the use of the gifts. And just as in Corinth, when we make specific spiritual gifts and their use as the priority instead of the motivation of love that is to drive us to exercise those gifts, we become Christians who act unchristian.

Paul then transitions to address the problem that was occurring in Corinth when it came to the misuse and abuse of spiritual gifts with two illustrations. First Paul explains that just as a child and an adult speak, think, and reason differently in each stage of life, the members of the church should be acting differently now than they did when they first became followers of Jesus. Instead of competing over the exercise of the spiritual gifts they were given by God like children do with one another over a toy, Paul calls the members of the church to grow up spiritually. Paul directs the members of the church to set aside the spiritually immature behavior that they should have grown beyond by now in their relationship with Christ.

Paul then transitions to the word picture of a man looking in the mirror to describe what will occur when Jesus returns to earth in terms of us being able to wrap our minds around the nature and character of God. The phrase, see in a mirror dimly, literally means to see something that is hard to understand because it is puzzling or is a riddle in nature. Paul’s point here is that while many aspects of the nature and character of God are puzzling and difficult to wrap our minds around in order to understand or comprehend, when we enter into Jesus presence we will see God’s nature and character completely and exactly, just as Jesus has completely and exactly known us from the beginning of our existence.

Paul then concludes this section of his letter with a summary statement designed to reveal the supreme and enduring nature of love: but now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. To understand what Paul is communicating to us in this statement, I would like us to think through two questions.

First, will we need faith in heaven? Will we need to have faith in heaven? No, we won’t. We will not need to exercise a confident trust is something that we cannot see, because we will see Jesus face to face for all eternity.

What about hope. Will we need hope in heaven? Will we need to have hope in heaven? What will we be hoping for in heaven? I’m really hoping for a better job? Nope. A better car? Nope. A better house? Nope. We will not need to have hope in heaven, because every possible hope will be perfectly fulfilled by Jesus in Heaven.

What will we will have and what we will exercise in heaven for all eternity is love for God and love for one another. And it is the enduring nature and character of love that should cause it to be the motivation that drives us to exercise the gifts that God has given us. As Christians, however, we can act unchristian when we prioritize gifts, emotions, or attitudes that fail to stand the test of time over love.

So what is the driving motivation behind what you do in life? What drives and motivates you to exercise the spiritual gifts, the talents, and the abilities that God has given you? Is it pride? Is it the desire for position, possessions, or pleasure?

The Qualities of God's Love...

This week, we are looking at a section of the Bible where Paul addresses the issue of motivation when it comes to using the spiritual gifts that God has given us. Yesterday we saw that as Christians we act unchristian when we use God’s gifts without giving God’s love. In a familiar and famous section of our Bibles, we see the Apostle Paul reveal to us two reasons why we are to live out God’s gifting by giving God’s love as followers of Jesus. First, we are to live out God’s gifting by giving God’s love because God’s love is superior in its quality. We see this reason revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

In these verses we see Paul reveal the qualities that make Biblical, other centered, sacrificial love the supreme motivation that should drive how we exercise the spiritual gifts that God has given us. When Paul states that love is patient, the word patient literally means to bear up under provocation without complaint. A Biblical other centered love is long suffering in its dealings with those around us.

When Paul states that love is kind, he is revealing for us the reality that Biblical love is positively gracious and generous as it serves others. Instead of rivaling for position or recognition; instead of wanting what others have or not wanting others to have what they do have, this other centered love focuses on reflecting Christ’s grace and generosity to others.

When Paul states that love does not brag and is not arrogant, he is explaining that a Biblical other centered love does not have an exaggerated self concept that results in one being full of themselves and in one taking pride in their own accomplishments.

Paul then explains that love does not act unbecomingly. In other words, Biblical love does not behave disgracefully or dishonorably with poor manners. In addition, Biblical love does not seek its own; it does not seek one’s own advantage or benefit by being insensitive and careless to others.

Biblical love, Paul explains is not easily irritated or provoked into sudden outbursts of anger. When Paul states that love does not take into account a wrong suffered, he is painting a word picture of a scorecard. Paul’s point here is that love does not keep a scorecard as to keep track of all the times that one has been offended.

Paul then continues by stating that love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth. What Paul is communicating to us in this phrase is that Biblical love motivates followers of Jesus to be excited about the truth of the Christian life and to rejoice in what is good, proper, and right when it comes to how we relate to God and one another.

Paul then concludes his description of the characteristics that make Biblical, other centered, sacrificial love the supreme motivation that should drive the exercising of our spiritual gifting by stating that love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. To bear all things means to protect and guard others from exposure to harm.

When Paul uses the phrase believe all things, he is reveal that Biblical love has no suspicion or cynicism. To hope all things, for Paul, involves having a positive outlook on the future, regardless of our current circumstances.

Paul then concludes by explaining that Biblical love endures all things. In other words, this other centered sacrificial love is not fickle, but instead holds on and remains faithful.

So do these characteristics of love mark the love that you exercise and express? Are these the characteristic that mark your motivation for using the spiritual gifts or talents that God has given you?

But not only are we to live out our gifting by giving God’s love because God’s love is superior in its quality. Tomorrow, we will see Paul reveal a second reason why we are to live out our gifting by giving God’s love.

Using God's gifts without Giving God's Love...

Last week, we saw Paul respond to the abuse of spiritual gifts by explaining that every single follower of Jesus has a spiritual gift that must be exercised. Paul also commanded the members of the church to earnestly desire the greater gifts. However, we never answered the question as to what exactly those greater spiritual gifts were. We never answered that question, because, as we will see, Paul instead addresses a more important question. So let’s begin by looking at this more important question, which we find in 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3:

And I show you a still more excellent way. If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the members of the church at Corinth by stating the he will show them a still more excellent way. To understand what Paul is communicating here, we need to understand what was happening at the church.

As we saw last week, the members of the church at Corinth were experiencing division due to their diminishing and discounting of those who had spiritual gifts that they did not view as being important, valuable, and necessary for the church. This division resulted in two negative consequences for the church. First, many of the members of the church viewed themselves with a sense of spiritual pride and arrogance as a result of their spiritual gifting. The members of the church were also competing for prominence and position as a result of the spiritual gifts that they had received from God. Second, many members of the church were failing to exercise their spiritual gift as a result of their gifts being disregarded and diminished by others.

Paul responds to this situation by commanding the members of the church to earnestly desire the greater gifts. Paul is calling the church to strive to intensely exert oneself toward the spiritual gifts that are superior in their ability to meet the needs of others in a way that builds them to grow spiritually. The more excellent way that Paul wants to show to them involves exhibiting to them a far superior motivation behind the use of our spiritual gifts as we live out our lives as followers of Jesus.

For Paul the issue was not “what is your spiritual gift”; the issue was “what is the motivation behind the use of your spiritual gift?” In verse 2, Paul explains to the members to the church at Corinth that if they exercised the spiritual gifts of prophecy, or word of wisdom, or word of knowledge, or were so gifted with faith that they could perform miracles, but were motivated by any other reason than love to exercise those gifts, they were nothing. The word nothing here literally means worthless or meaningless. Paul’s point is that when love is not the driving motivation behind exercising the gifts that God has given us, our efforts prove to be meaningless and worthless in terms of reflecting Christ and advancing the kingdom mission that we have been given.

Paul then hammers his point home referring to the spiritual gifts of giving or serving. The phrase surrender my body to be burned, in the language that this was originally written in, literally means to hand over my body so that I might boast. Paul’s point here is that even the most outwardly appearing selfless act, if it was motivated by a selfish agenda instead of an other-centered love, would provide no benefit or profit for the person who was exercising their gift in Jesus eyes.

You see, while many of the members of the church at Corinth were exercising the spiritual gifts that they were given, they were not exercising them in a Christ-like, God glorifying way that focused on building up others spiritually. And is the same way today, Christians act unchristian when we use God’s gifts without giving God’s love.

When we live out God’s gifting without giving God’s love, we glorify self instead of exalting and glorifying God. When we live out God’s gifting without giving God’s love, we are trying to advance our kingdom instead of God’s kingdom. And in the rest of this familiar and famous section of our Bibles, we see the Apostle Paul reveal to us two reasons why we are to live out God’s gifting by giving God’s love as followers of Jesus.

We will spend the next two days looking at the two reasons why we should use God's gifts by giving God's love.

Abusing Spiritual Gifts by Rejecting Partnering Together...

This week, we are looking at the issue of spiritual gifts. Yesterday, we saw Paul reveal for us the the second of three ways that Christians act unchristian when by abusing spiritual gifts. We discovered that when we display an independent attitude that does not use or exercise our spiritual gifts, we abuse spiritual gifts by rejecting the interdependence of the body. And this independent attitude hurts the body of Christ and hinders the kingdom mission we have been given because the reality is that we abuse spiritual gifts when we reject partnering together with the body. We see Paul reveal this reality for us in 1 Corinthians 12:27-31:

Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts.

We see Paul apply his analogy of the human body to the situation that was occurring at the church in Corinth; “Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.” Paul’s point to the church and to us today, is that every follower of Jesus is a part of the body of Christ.

That is why at City Bible Church, we believe that the issue is not membership, because every follower of Jesus is a member of the body of Christ. The issue is partnership; the issue is are you partnering in what God is doing to advance His kingdom mission by using the spiritual gifts in an interdependent relationship as part of a local church.

Paul then reveals how God had placed specific spiritual gifts in place to promote partnership at the church in Corinth. Paul provides a list, in no order of importance of some of the spiritual gifts that were at Corinth. When Paul uses the word Apostle, he is referring to an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ who had received the spiritual gift by Christ to supervise the special work of laying the foundation of the church. Prophet refers to the God given ability to receive and speak forth new truth from God during the founding of the church that could not have been known by any other means.

Teachers have the God given motivation to research and explain spiritual truth; Kinds of tongues, gifts of miracles and gifts of healings were a sign spiritual gift that was used to confirm and authenticate new verbal revelation from God as to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. The spiritual gift of helps is the God given motivation to serve in a way that meets needs. The gift of administration is the God-given motivation to organize resources in order to meet a goal.

Paul then asks a string of rhetorical questions to expose the reality that not every member of the church at Corinth possessed the same gift. The members of the church were experiencing division due to their diminishing and discounting of those who had spiritual gifts that they did not view as being important and necessary for the church. This division resulted in two negative consequences for the church. First, many of the members of the church viewed themselves with a sense of spiritual pride and arrogance as a result of their spiritual gifting. The members of the church were also competing for prominence and position as a result of the spiritual gifts that they had received from God. And second, the members of the church who were being disregarded and diminished were failing to exercise their spiritual gifts.

Paul concludes this section of his letter by commanding the members of the church to earnestly desire the greater gifts. The phrase, earnestly desire, literally means to strive to intensely exert oneself. The greater gifts Paul refers to are the spiritual gifts that are superior in their ability to meet the needs of others in a way that builds them to grow spiritually. But what exactly are those gifts? Before Paul answers that question, however, Paul, will address a more important question, which is what should be the motivation behind the use of our spiritual gifts? We will look at that question next week.

So are you abusing the spiritual gifts, the talents, and the abilities that God has given you? Or are you using those gifts, talents, and abilities into God’s kingdom mission by serving God by serving others?

Abusing Spiritual Gifts by Rejecting our Interdependence...

This week, we are looking at the issue of spiritual gifts. Yesterday, we saw Paul reveal for us the the first of three ways that Christians act unchristian when by abusing spiritual gifts. Yesterday, we saw that we abuse spiritual gifts when we reject unity in the body.

But not only do we abuse spiritual gifts when we reject unity in the body; we abuse spiritual gifts when we reject interdependence of the body. We this danger revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 12:14-26:

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

In these verses, Paul continues using the analogy of the human body to expose God’s divine design of interdependence within the church. Because of the reality of how God divinely designed the human body, Paul explains that while the human body is diverse in its function, this diversity should not produce jealousy or envy between followers of Jesus.

Just as a foot and an ear have a specific purpose that enables a body to function effectively and efficiently, each and every follower of Jesus has been given a specific spiritual gift that must be exercised in order for the body of Christ, the church to function effectively and efficiently. Just as the human body is marked by diversity in terms of the form and function of its parts, the church is marked by diversity in terms of the form and function of spiritual gifts. And while there is diversity within the parts that forms a single human body, there is to be diversity within the spiritual gifts that forms a single community of believers called the church. Paul’s point is that God has established and arranged individual followers of Jesus with diverse spiritual gifts according to His specific purpose and design to form the local body of Christ, the church.

Paul then explains that this diversity, however, should not produce an attitude of independence by followers of Jesus from the church. Paul explains that just as individual parts of the human body cannot detach themselves and function independently effectively, individual followers of Jesus cannot detach themselves from exercising their spiritual gifts in the body of Christ and expect the church to function effectively. Instead, just as each individual part of our body functions in interdependence to one another, each follower of Jesus exercises their spiritual gift in interdependent relationship to one another in the church.

Paul then uses three examples from our human bodies to prove his point.
First, Paul explains that it is much truer that the members of our body which seem to be weaker are necessary. Second, Paul explains that and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor. The word honor here conveys a sense of importance and respect. Paul’s point here is that there are some parts of our body that seem insignificant or unimportant at first glance are actually extremely important and are granted great respect and care. Third, Paul states that “our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it.” In our humanity, there are some parts of our bodies that we display modesty towards by covering them up. But while we cover them up for modesties sake, these parts of our bodies are extremely important and play a prominent role in our lives.

When I was 29 years old, I experienced this principle first hand when I was diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is a disease, by which the body does not use the glucose, or sugar, it produces properly. In my case, my body no longer produces insulin. Insulin is like a key that opens the door of our cells so that the sugar can get in and provide energy to the cell. Now insulin is produced in our bodies by little cells called islet cells that reside in you pancreas. Your pancreas is about the size of your hand and sits below and behind your stomach. These tiny little cells failure to function according to God’s divine design in producing insulin caused my entire body to suffer. These microscopic cells failure to function would kill me without daily insulin shots.

To understand why Paul is making this point to the church at Corinth, and to us today, with these analogies, we first need to understand what was happening in the church at Corinth. At the church at Corinth, there were members of the church that viewed some spiritual gifts as being more important, more respected, and more necessary than others. As a result of this view, there was a tendency to evaluate a person’s spiritual growth and maturity based on the gifts that they were given and were being exercised. The members of the church at Corinth were diminishing and discounting those who had spiritual gifts that they did not view as being important and necessary for the church.

And in the same way, we can find ourselves falling into the same temptation, can’t we? We can find ourselves diminishing some spiritual gifts at the expense of others, can’t we? We can find ourselves placing some followers of Jesus on a pedestal or respect, honor, and prominence as a result of the spiritual gifts that they have received.

Paul responds to the situation at the church at Corinth by explaining that every single follower of Jesus has a spiritual gift that must be exercised. Every follower of Jesus and every spiritual gift is significant, important, and necessary within the church. Paul then explains that the diversity that is seen in the human body is divinely designed to remove division and promote a unified concern and care for its well-being. The human body is not designed to experience division as a result of conflicting aims and agenda of the individual parts of the body. The human body is not made of independent parts; instead the human body is made of interdependent parts that are to work together in a complementary fashion.

Paul then provides an example of this reality by explaining that when one part of our body suffers, the entire body suffers. And in the same way, when one part of the body has their reputation enhanced so as to receive honor, the rest of the body experiences the result.

So what are you doing with the Spiritual gifts, the talents, and the abilities that God has given you? Are you interdependently partnering together by investing the spiritual gifts, the talents, and the abilities that you have been given into the kingdom mission we have been given as a church? Or is your independence causing the church and the kingdom mission to suffer?

Abusing Spiritual Gifts by Rejecting Unity...

This week, we are looking at the issue of spiritual gifts. Yesterday, we saw Paul reveal for us the timeless truth that Christians act unchristian when we abuse spiritual gifts. In the rest of this section of Paul's letter to the church at Corinth, we see the Apostle Paul reveal for us three ways that Christians act unchristian by abusing spiritual gifts.

First, we see that we abuse spiritual gifts when we reject unity in the body. Paul reveals the danger to the church at Corinth, and to us here today, that can occur when we focus on the diversity of the gifts instead of the unifying purpose of the gifts. We see this danger in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13:

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

In these verses, Paul uses an analogy of the human body to expose the danger that can occur when we focus on the diversity of the gifts instead of the unifying purpose of the gifts. Paul explains that just as our body is formed from many parts that unite to make the human body, the church is formed from many diverse cultural backgrounds and social status that are united by the Holy Spirit to make Christ’s spiritual body.

And similarly, the Holy Spirit gives followers of Jesus diverse spiritual gifts that we are to invest serving God by serving others in a way that results in the spiritual growth and building up of others and the advancing of God’s kingdom mission. Christians act unchristian however, when we focus on what makes us different in terms of the gifts, talents, and abilities that God has given us instead of focusing how we can leverage those differences into the common lives of mission and purpose that He has given us.

So are you focused on what is different about others instead of what unites us? Are you focused on what is different in terms of the gifts that others have been given instead of the common mission an lives of meaning and purpose we have been given?

What are Spiritual Gifts and Why Do We Have Them?

Yesterday, we looked at the role the Holy Spirit plays in proclaiming the truth about the message and teachings of Jesus. In a letter that Paul wrote to a church, after providing a principle to help the members of the church recognize the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s activity when it comes to proclaiming the truth about God, Paul then explains how followers of Jesus receive spiritual gifts, beginning in 1 Corinthians 12:4:

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

Paul reveals for us the role that the members of the Trinity play in gifting and empowering God’s kingdom mission to advance in the world. Paul explains that while there are different gifts that are given to followers of Jesus, it is the Holy Spirit that oversees that distribution. While there are different opportunities to invest time serving God by serving others in ministry for followers of Jesus, it is Jesus Christ that we ultimately serve. While there are different evidences of God’s supernatural and miraculous activity that are expressed differently in the world, it is God the Father who leverages His miraculous activity to advance His kingdom and bring Him glory.

And it is in these verses that we see one of the clearest indicators of the existence of the Triune God; God the Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit who work through their diverse roles in a unified vision and mission for the redemption and rescue of the world from selfishness and sin. Paul then explains that while there is diversity in terms of the activity of the various members of the trinity, their activity is centrally focused and united in the desire for the common good. When Paul refers to the manifestation of the Spirit, he is referring to the giving of spiritual gifts for the benefit and advantage of the community of believers that formed the church at Corinth.

Paul is revealing for us the reality that spiritual gifts are given for the spiritual growth of the church as a community and the advancement of the kingdom mission that the church has been given. To understand what Paul is communicating here, we first need to understand what we are talking about when it comes to spiritual gifts. A spiritual gift is a God-given inner motivation that enables us to meet the needs of others in a way that builds up others spiritually. Spiritual gifts are not talents; they are not natural abilities; they are not ministries or positions. Spiritual gifts work through natural talents and positions to work in ministries with the result of spiritual growth in the lives of others.

The Bible lists for us 18 different spiritual gifts, several of which Paul reveals for us in verses 8-11. Several of these gifts, however, are not currently active in the same way as they were in the church of Corinth. To understand why some spiritual gifts are not are not currently active in the same way as they were in the first century, we first need to understand the purpose of these gifts.

As we saw a few weeks ago, during the days of the early church, followers of Jesus did not have a New Testament to read. So during a church service, after a time of singing and prayer, people in the church would stand up and speak, sharing either their testimonies or messages that they heard from other Christians. And some early followers of Jesus received from God what are called foundation or sign gifts, which are spiritual gifts that were used to deliver or confirm the new verbal revelation that was what we now have as the New Testament.

When Paul refers to the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge, these were foundational spiritual gifts that were used to deliver new verbal revelation from God as to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel; Paul also reveals five additional spiritual gifts that are not currently active as they were in the church of Corinth. The spiritual gift of prophecy that was used to deliver new verbal revelation from God as to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel, while the spiritual gifts of the effecting of miracles, kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues were used to confirm new verbal revelation from God as to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. The final spiritual gift that Paul reveals here, the distinguishing of spirits was a foundational spiritual gift that was used to discern new verbal revelation from God as to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.

Since we are no longer receiving new verbal revelation from God in the form of new books in our Bibles, these spiritual gifts no longer are active as they were in the first century. Currently, there are nine spiritual gifts that are currently active and that can be divided into two categories; Speaking Gifts and Serving Gifts. The Speaking Gifts consist of Teaching, Shepherd (Pastor), Evangelism, Exhorting (Encouragement). The Serving Gifts are Giving, Administration, Mercy, Faith, and Helps (serving).

Paul then reveals for us the reality that the Holy Spirit brings about the distribution of spiritual gifts to individual followers of Jesus according to His administrative plan. The timeless truth is that every follower of Jesus has been given at least one spiritual gift by the Holy Spirit according the Holy Spirit’s divine plan to build up other followers of Jesus and advance the Kingdom mission that the church has been given.

After explaining God’s divine plan to build the church and advance His kingdom through a diversity of spiritual gifts, Paul then continues 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 abuse spiritual gifts. In the rest of this section of this letter, we will see the Apostle Paul reveal for us three ways that Christians act unchristian by abusing spiritual gifts.

We will spend the rest of this week looking at each of these three ways that followers of Jesus can abuse spiritual gifts.

So what do you think about spiritual gifts? Do you agree or disagree with what you have read? Why or why not?

The Holy Spirit and His role in telling the truth about God...

For the next three weeks we are going to look at an aspect of Christianity that is often misunderstood and abused. This aspect of Christianity often separates followers of Jesus into different denominations and classifications. This aspect of Christianity causes some followers of Jesus to be called Charismatic and some churches to identify themselves as “full gospel” or “spirit filled”.

Other followers of Jesus respond to this movement within Christianity by denying that this aspect of our lives as followers of Jesus even exists. And for those outside of Christianity, the differences and divisions that arise over this aspect of Christianity serves as another reason to reject Christ and the church. This aspect of Christianity that is often misunderstood, abused, and argued over is the role of the Holy Spirit and Spiritual gifts in the lives of followers of Jesus.

So for the next three weeks, we are going to spend some time looking at the issue of spiritual gifts. We are going to discover that the debate that rages in Christianity about spiritual gifts is not a new debate. And as a man Paul addressed the issue of spiritual gifts in a letter that he wrote to a church in Corinth Greece, we are going to discover that, as in most cases, followers of Jesus tend to fall into one of two extremes when it comes to spiritual gifts, neither of which line up with what the Bible teaches. So let’s begin where Paul begins his conversation on spiritual gifts, by looking together at 1 Corinthians 12:1:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the church at Corinth by addressing an issue that they had brought to his attention in a letter that they had written to him. Paul explains that he does not want the members of the church to be uninformed about spiritual gifts. Paul then reminds them that before they became followers of Jesus, they lived lives that were continually carried away to the worship of false gods in Corinth. And since they had a history of departing from the truth to worship idols, and since there were many false philosophers and teachers who claimed to be speaking for God, Paul provides a guiding principle to help interpret what they were hearing.

Paul explains that no one who is empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak for God is able to deny the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. In addition, no one is able to proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord and Leader apart from the Holy Spirit’s guiding influence. Paul’s point to the members of the church and to us today is that someone who is speaking on God’s behalf will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak truthfully and accurately about the claims of Christ and His message and teachings. That is why the Bible tells us to test the spirits.

Those who deny Jesus nature and character reveal the reality that they are not speaking for God by the power of God. In addition, those who deny the timeless truth of what is recorded for us in the Bible reveal the reality that they are not speaking by the Holy Spirit.

But not only does the Holy Spirit play a prominent role in proclaiming the truth about the message and teachings of Jesus. The Holy Spirit also plays a prominent role in the giving of Spiritual gifts. We will look at that tomorrow.

Do you test the spirits? Do you evaluate everything that you here about God from others based on who they believe Jesus is? How do you evaluate what is truth?

The Consequences We Risk When We Worship with Division...

This week we are looking at a section of a letter in our Bibles that reveals that Christians act unchristian when we worship with division. Yesterday, we looked at the reality that when we worship with division, we fail to reflect the message of the gospel. And because communion was divinely designed to serve as a reminder of the connection and community that we were created for, anything that attempts to destroy or disrupt that unity brings consequences. We see Paul lay out this reality in 1 Corinthians 11:27-32:

Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world

Paul explains to the members of the church that whoever participates in communion in an unworthy manner shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. Paul’s point here is that every person will be required to give an account to Christ for the sin that they have committed against Him by participating in communion in an unworthy manner. And because of this reality, Paul commands the members of the church to examine themselves before participating in communion. But this morning, what are we to examine? And how do we participate in communion in an unworthy manner that results in sin against Christ?

Paul answers these questions for us when he states that he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself is he does not judge the body rightly. If Paul was sending this message to us in a text message or email, this verse would sound something like this; whoever participates in communion condemns themselves to punishment if they do not evaluate and pay careful attention to their lives in communion with God and community with one another.

You see, so often we read these verses and view the idea of examining ourselves as a time of taking inventory of any sin that I may have vertically with God. And while we need to examine ourselves on a vertical level with God, we are also called to examine ourselves in terms of our relationships with one another on a horizontal level as well. When Paul uses the body here, he is referring to the body of Christ, the church. And when there is division and disunity in the body, as was evident in the church at Corinth, we risk taking communion in an unworthy manner. When we are involved relational sin and unresolved conflict that threatens the unity within the church, we risk participating in communion in an unworthy manner.

Paul is revealing for us the reality that when we worship with division, we risk receiving the Lord’s discipline. That is how important unity and community is to the Lord. And that is why we celebrate communion the way we do here at City Bible Church. We desire to create the space and the environment where God can speak into our lives and reveal any areas where there is unresolved sin vertically with God or unresolved conflict and sin horizontally in community with one another. We desire to create the space and environment where people can ask forgiveness of God and one another in order to be able to take communion in a worthy manner. We want to create the space where fathers can lead their families in prayer and where friends can pray together in small groups and experience loving community as they respond to what Jesus did to rescue us from our selfishness and sin.

Paul then reveals for us the reality that when we participate in communion in an unworthy manner, the discipline that God provides can be physical as well as spiritual. People in Corinth were not sleeping as in taking a nap because they were tired; they were experiencing serious physical consequences including a loss of physical life. Paul then explains that when we evaluate and pay careful attention to our lives in communion with God and community with one another, we will respond in a way that results in repentance and spiritual growth instead of condemnation and punishment.

Paul’s point is that the purpose of God’s discipline is to refine us and bring us to a place where our priorities line up with God’s priorities. And as we have seen, God desires that His body the church, reflect and reveal the love, the unity, and the community that the members of the trinity experience. Paul then concludes this section of his letter with a practical solution to the disturbing problem that was occurring at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 11:33-34:

So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come.

Paul’s response is simple and yet at the same time as relevant for us today as it was in the first century. First, Paul commands the members of the church to participate in worship and communion together. On a practical level, when the body of Christ worships together in a community without ethnic, social or economic distinctions, a powerful image of the unity of the body of Christ is portrayed.

Second, Paul commands the members of the church to prepare themselves for worship. When we come together in community to respond to who God is, what God has done, and what God has promised to do, we are to be focused and have an expectation to encounter God and hear from Him. Christians who act unchristian however, often come to worship with focus on talking to God and about others in terms of what they are doing, what they are wearing, and who they are sitting next to instead of focusing on hearing from God.

What consequences have you see to individuals and churches when there is division? And what can you do do best reflect the message of the gospel as an individual and as a church?

What Does Your Worship Reflect?

This week we are looking at a section of a letter in our Bibles that reveals that Christians act unchristian when we worship with division. But why does the Bible talk about division in very negative terms? And why does Paul talk about division so much? Fortunately for us, we see Paul answer these two questions and see two things that occur when a church worships with division. We see the first thing that can occur in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26:

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

In these verses, we see Paul address the problem of the division in the church of Corinth and its negative impact on their worship, image, and influence by bringing the members of the church, and us here today, to communion’s true meaning. And these verses reveal the reality that when we celebrate communion in community, we are doing two things.

First, when we celebrate communion, we are publicly proclaiming the message of the gospel. Communion brings us back to the cross, when Jesus allowed Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful life so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life.

Second, when we celebrate communion in community, we experience the Lord’s presence in a more powerful way. Just as a worship song may cause us to experience the Lord’s presence in a more powerful way though our voices: just as listening to a sermon may cause us to experience the Lord’s presence in a more powerful way though our ears: when we take the bread and cup, we experience the Lord’s presence in a more powerful way visually as we proclaim the message of the gospel in community.

Communion is a visual portrayal and remembrance of what Christ did for us some 2000 years ago. The words “do this in remembrance of me” conveys the idea of reminiscing or reliving what Christ did and its implications on our daily life within community. This morning it is communion that brings us back to the cross. It is the cross that unites us with Christ and it is the cross that unites us with one another in community as part of His body, the church. In verse 25 we see the words “this is the cup of the new covenant in my blood”. This new covenant is the covenant which brings us personal forgiveness of our sin and the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit that the prophet Jeremiah foretold over 500 years before Jesus death in Jeremiah 31:31-34;

"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

The cup of the new covenant shows God fulfilling His promises to all “from the least to the greatest”. Do we remember that the same price was paid for all of us in order to rescue us from our selfishness and sin? Do we remember that Christ died for the rich and the poor? Do we remember the words of Galatians 3:28?;

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

And because we are all united as one in Christ Jesus, it is the centrality of Christ that draws us to the community that we celebrate in communion. We are drawn not only to connection and communion with God; we are drawn to connection and community with one another. And communion serves as a reminder of the connection and community that we were created for.

The members of the church at Corinth, however, misunderstood the meaning and significance of communion, instead choosing to make church a social club that was divided due to socioeconomic status. And once again, we see the members of the church at Corinth were more focused on what divided or separated them than they were on what united them in Christ. And in the same way, when we worship with division, we fail to reflect the message of the gospel.

So what is reflected when your church comes together to worship?

Is Division a Problem?

At the church where I serve we are involved in a sermon series entitled when Christians act unchristian. During this series we have been looking at a letter in our Bibles written by a man named Paul to a group of people who claimed to be Christians, but lived their day to day lives in a way that failed to reflect Christ or follow His teachings.

Recently, we have been seeing Paul make a shift in this letter to this church that was located in Corinth to address their failure to reflect Christ or follow His teachings during their times of worship together. And as we continue to look at this letter, we see Paul reveal for us another way that this group of people who claimed to be Christians was failing to reflect Christ or follow His teachings during their times of worship together. So let’s begin by looking at this problem that was occurring as they gathered together for worship, beginning in 1 Corinthians 11:17:

But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the church at Corinth by addressing a major problem that was occurring when the members of the church gathered together for their times of worship. What was occurring at the church was so disturbing that it was hurting its image and hindering its influence in the community.

To understand what Paul is communicating here as to the true nature of the problem, we first need to understand how and when worship occurred in the early church. At Corinth, like many cities that planted new churches, the church began by meeting in homes; they did not have sanctuaries or buildings dedicated to worship yet. Instead the church would meet in the evenings after people had spent the day working. In addition, their worship service would involve a meal, which would lead up to the celebration of communion as part of that meal.

To place this problem in a modern context, let’s say that our Connection Point service that occurs on Sunday nights included a catered meal. Now some people in Corinth who attended the church had white collar jobs and would be able to show up at 4:30 for the 5 pm service and would start enjoying the food and having a nice cold glass of wine, or 2, or 3.

Another group of people in Corinth, who were slaves, the blue collar folks, would not be able to arrive until 5:15 or 5:30 p.m. So by the time this group of lower income folks arrive at Connection Point there is no place left for them to sit. They would have to stay out in the parking lot. If that was not bad enough, there was no food left for them to eat. The rich members of the church were inside and had eaten all the food and were drunk, while the poor members of the church who had rushed to church without even stopping at McDonald's were now left outside starving.

And it was this situation that was occurring at the church in Corinth that led to two problems. First, this situation revealed the reality of the divisions that were present within the church. In addition, these divisions resulted in a division during the worship of God through the celebration of communion.
Paul then explains that the division at the church exposed two realities about that church to both himself and the community of Corinth. First Paul states that there must be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident. Paul’s point here is that the division within the church was exposing those in the church who had a growing and maturing relationship with Christ and those in the church who were posers. How people were responding to the situation that was occurring in Corinth revealed where they were in terms of a genuine and authentic relationship with Christ.

Second Paul asks the members of the church “do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing?” The word despise here literally means to look down on someone with contempt as being of little value. What was occurring was that those who were rich were causing divisions within the church by putting to shame those who were working class or poor by viewing them with contempt as second class citizens.

Paul then responds to the situation that was occurring in Corinth with two questions; “What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?” In other words, do you really want my opinion? Do you think that I am going to express admiration and approval for what you are doing? Paul then answers his question by explaining to the church that they were not going to get his admiration and approval for the division that is in the church that is surfacing during your times of corporate worship”.

And in these verses we see that Apostle Paul reveal for us another timeless truth that can occur when Christians act unchristian. And that timeless truth is that Christians act unchristian when we worship with division. But why does Paul view this situation as so disturbing? As we have seen in this series, over one fourth of his letter addresses one form of division or another. And overall we see the Bible talk about division in very negative terms. But why is that the case? And why does Paul talk about division so much?

The rest of this week, we will answer these two questions and see two things that occur when a church worships with division.

Do you think division is a problem? Why or why not?

Confusion over What is Fitting...

This week, we are looking at the controversial issue or the role of women in the church. So far, we have seen that we often act in confusion on this issue because we have a tendency to confuse value or worth with roles. After revealing God’s design and God’s pattern from creation to the church at Corinth, Paul provides a third reason that Christians act unchristian when men and women act in confusion. We see this in 1 Corinthians 11:13-16:

Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her for a covering. But if one is inclined to be contentious, we have no other practice, nor have the churches of God.

Paul begins by commanding the members of the church at Corinth to make a judgment as to whether or not it is proper for women to exercise authority in corporate worship gatherings. When Paul uses the word proper here, he is referring to whether something is suitable or fitting.

Paul then provides the church some factors to consider when making their judgment. When Paul talks about nature here, he is referring to the regular or established order of things. The issue of long hair here is not just the length of hair; most historians believe that Paul is referring to the effeminate way that some men in the city of Corinth would wear their long hair.

Paul here is addressing whether or not something was socially acceptable and normal. If Paul was writing this today in our cultural context, he would ask “ is it the normal or established order of things for a man to wear a dress to church”? To which our answer would be "no, it isn’t". A man wearing a dress to church would be viewed as dishonorable for that man. However, a woman wearing a nice dress to church would be socially acceptable and would even enhance her reputation or status in some circles. And in the same way, when a women lovingly comes under the leadership of godly men, whether in a marriage or in the church, they result is a favorable and enhanced reputation.

Paul then concludes this section of his letter by telling those who would want to push back and be quarrelsome and contentious when it comes to the role of men and women in the church, there is no other practice, nor have the churches of God. In other words, the members of the church at Corinth were not progressive; the members of the church at Corinth were rebellious. And as Christians, however, men and women can act in confusion when we fail to follow what is fitting.

Now, you may be wondering, “Well, Dave, how do we apply these words from Paul at the church where you serve?” Great question, glad you asked. At City Bible Church, we believe that men and woman are of equal value and worth in God’s sight. We believe that men and women both have been equipped and empowered with spiritual gifts that are to be used as they invest their time, talents, and treasure into God’s Kingdom mission. And we believe that women can serve in every ministry environment at City Bible Church, except those environments that require that a person meet the qualifications of being an Elder or Deacon.

We believe that as men, we need to stop being cowards and chauvinists and instead grow up and embrace our responsibility to lovingly lead our homes and God’s church. We believe that men have a benevolent responsibility to lovingly lead, provide, and protect women in ways that are appropriate to their relationship.

We believe that women are to respond to godly male leadership with an outlook that is inclined to lovingly yield and follow that godly male leadership. And we believe that when men and women function in interdependent relationships, we reveal and reflect God’s design for marriage, families and partnership in ministry.

So, how often do you find yourself confusing value and roles? Men, how often are you acting as a coward or chauvinist instead of lovingly leading, protecting, and providing for women in ways that are appropriate for their relationship? Women, how often are you seeking to rebel against any Godly male leadership? What do you think needs to change in you life and the life of the church?

Confusion over Following God's Pattern...

This week, we are looking at the controversial issue or the role of women in the church. So far, we have seen that we often act in confusion on this issue because we have a tendency to confuse value or worth with roles. Yesterday, we looked at a section of a letter to a church that reveals three ways that men and women act in confusion when men and women act in confusion when we fail to follow God’s design.

After revealing the nature of the problem at the church at Corinth, Paul then provides the second reason that Christians act unchristian when men and women act in confusion. We see this in 1 Corinthians 11:7-10:

For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake. Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.

Really? What exactly is Paul talking about here? I mean what is his point? It is important to understand that Paul is not simply providing his own opinion as a male chauvinist pig, as many have accused him of being. Instead Paul is bringing the members of the church at Corinth back to the creation of man and woman in Genesis 2.

In Genesis 2 we read that God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. God then gave Adam a job to tend the garden and name the animals and just one command to follow; don’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But, as Adam named all the animals, he did not find a helper suitable for him and we read the first time that God said that something was not good; it is not good for man to be alone. So God caused Adam to fall to sleep and took one of his ribs and formed Eve, the first woman.

Paul’s point is that as a result of God’s work in creation, Adam is the glory of God, in other words Adam represents and reflects God’s authority and leadership in his creation as the first among equals who was given the responsibility of leadership over the creation. Eve, on the other hand, is the glory of man. In other words, Eve reflects the radiance of Adam, as she was created from Adam.

Paul further unpacks this by revealing the reality that God’s creation shows that as the first among equals, Adam was given the responsibility to lovingly leading, providing, and protecting women in ways that are appropriate to their relationship.
And because of God’s work in creation, Paul explains that in the same way, women ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. But what is Paul talking about here?

It is important to understand that in the language that this was originally written, verse 10 literally states therefore the women ought to have authority on her head, because of the angels. And while Paul could be talking about a nice hat, most likely Paul here is referring to women coming under the authority and leadership of the male leadership of the church during their corporate worship gatherings. But what does Paul mean when he states that they are to be under leadership and authority of men because of the angels? We see the answer in another letter in our Bibles, Ephesians 3:10:

so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.

Paul’s point is that because God uses the church to reveal His multidimensional wisdom to the angels and demons, Paul is calling the church at Corinth, and us here today to follow the wisdom by which He created us to relate to one another. As Christians, however, men and women can act in confusion when we fail to follow God’s pattern from creation.

But why do men and women fail to follow God’s wisdom as seen in creation? Why do we push back on this so hard? We push back on this so hard just as our first parents pushed back on this truth. In Genesis 3, we see Adam fail to fulfill his responsibility to lovingly, lead, protect, and provide for his wife and instead allowed her to lead their relationship. The result was disobeying God’s command and sin entered the world and corrupted God’s design and creation.

And as a result of our first parent’s sin, men tend to abdicate their leadership responsibilities and instead function as either cowards or chauvinists. And women tend to desire to rebel against God’s design in creation by seeking to rule over men. And we see this in churches today: either we see men who are either cowards who fail to take responsibility for their lives and the leadership of their families or the church. Or we see men who misuse Paul’s words here like a sledge hammer to advocate the mindless submission and servanthood of women. God, anticipating this problem, addresses it for us in verse 11-12:

However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as the woman originates from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God.

In these verses, Paul explains that God designed us not as independent beings but as interdependent beings. And when men and women function according to the roles and in relationship as God designed and created those relationships to be, the result is that men and women compliment and complete one another. Paul then provides the practical application of this reality by reminding the members of the church that while Eve originally came into being through Adam, the rest of humanity comes into being through women. Paul then reminds the church that ultimately everything comes from God, who is the ultimate authority.

So, do you believe that God's pattern should impact how we relate to one another as men and women? Why or why not?

Tomorrow, we will look at a third reason that Christians act unchristian when men and women act in confusion.

Confusion over Following God's Design...

This week, we are looking at the controversial issue or the role of women in the church. Yesterday, we looked at a section of a letter to a church that reveals three ways that men and women act in confusion when it comes to the role of women in the church. Today, let's look at the first reason which is that men and women act in confusion when we fail to follow God’s design. We see this reality revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 11:4-6:

Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.

To understand what Paul is communicating here, we first need to understand two things. First, we need to understand what church was like in Corinth. Now when one attended a church service in Corinth, is that after a time of singing and prayer, people in the church would stand up and speak, sharing either their testimonies or messages that they heard from other Christians. Some would even have the gift of prophesying, which would involve the public communication of new verbal messages from God. It is important to understand that they did not have what we have today as the Bible; the New Testament was still being written.

With this culture of oral sharing and the time of testimonies and messages from God, there would be a need for people of spiritual maturity and authority to keep order and accuracy in the services. These church leaders, known as elders, would evaluate and judge what was being said as to its accuracy with the truth of the gospel message. Then an elder would speak or even read a letter that the church may have received from Paul or Peter, for example. Paul was not referring to Sunday school classes or AWANA or youth group. These did not exist. It is in the context of the main church worship service that Paul was referring to.

Second we need to understand what the word head means. As we saw in verse 3, head refers to leadership and authority. However, in verses 4-6 Paul seems to use head to refer to our literal head that sits on top of our body. So which is which here? To help us understand what Paul is communicating here, let’s look at these verses again and put the word “authority” where it is appropriate:

Every man who has authority over him while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who is not under authority while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. For if a woman does not cover herself with authority, let her also have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her cover her head.

What was occurring in the church at Corinth was that women were publicly and authoritatively praying and communicating new verbal messages from God during the main worship services without placing themselves under the leadership and authority of the male leadership of the church. In verse 4, Paul responds to this situation by explaining that the man who allows a woman to exercise authority during these worship gatherings disgraces, or dishonors his literal head, or himself.

Similarly, Paul explains that a woman disgraces or dishonors herself when she exercises authority and leadership over the male leadership during the main worship gathering. Notice that Paul does not prohibit women from praying or speaking in church. For Paul, the issue was one of authority and leadership. Paul even goes so far to say that the woman who attempts exercises authority and leadership over men during worship is equal to a women who was forcibly shaved, which was done to women in the culture of the day as a sign of dishonor and disgrace.

Paul then continues by making a strong statement, that if was communicated in the language of our culture today would sound like this: “Well if a woman does not want to be under authority, why don’t they go and shave their head”; to which he women of the church would respond “no way, for that would disgrace us if we were to go and do that”. Paul then states, “well if it is disgraceful for her to have her head shaved, then let her cover herself, in the same way as hair covers her head, under the male authority and leadership of the church”.

After revealing the nature of the problem at the church at Corinth, Paul then provides the second reason that Christians act unchristian when men and women act in confusion, which we will look at tomorrow.

So, do you believe that God's design should impact how we relate to one another? Why or why not?

When Men and Women Act in Confusion...

This week, I want to look at one of the most controversial issues in our society. This issue sparks passionate debate, whether it is brought up at a kitchen table, a coffee shop, a classroom, or in a church. And this issue is the role of women in leadership. This issue brings heated debate in politics, as we saw with the candidacies of Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin. This issue can bring up heated debate in the workplace. However, I would like us to focus like a laser beam on the issue of women in leadership or authority as it applies to the local church.

The issue of the role of women in the church is one of the most hotly debated issues in all of Christianity. And in this hotly debated issue, there are two positions. The first position is called the egalitarian position. The egalitarian position believes that God created men and women equal in all respects and that they were given equal responsibility over the creation.

The second position is called the complimentarian position. The complimentarian position believes that men and women were created equal in dignity, value and worth, but with distinct roles in which men were given the responsibility of loving leadership and authority, and in which women were to offer willing, glad hearted, and submissive assistance to men.

When it comes to the role of women in the church, those who hold to the egalitarian position believe that women can serve and function in any leadership role in the church, whether it be pastor, elder, deacon, or teacher. Those who hold to the complimentarian position believe that while women can serve in ministry, women cannot hold any leadership position in the church. Some would go so far as to say that women cannot teach men in any environment.

So who is right? Are the egalitarians right? Or are the complimentarians right? And why are they right? What role do women have when it comes to serving and leading in the church? In a letter that a man named Paul wrote to a local church we see that this debate is not a new debate. This is a debate that has been raging for thousands of years. And I believe that this debate continues to rage in an incredibly emotional manner as a result of the confusion that occurs when we fail to differentiate between two fundamental components of our lives here on earth. So let’s look together at what the Apostle Paul had to say as he dealt with this timeless emotional debate, beginning in 1 Corinthians 11:2:

Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the church at Corinth by expressing his appreciation for their willingness to follow and pass on the teaching that he had communicated to them. Verse three with the word but, however, revealing the reality that they were not following and passing on all of what Paul had communicated to them. Paul then explains that his desire is that they grasp the meaning of the teaching that they were failing to follow or pass on: “I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ”.

Paul is reminding the members of the church at Corinth, and us here today that God has divinely designed His creation with different roles and responsibilities when it comes to authority and leadership. Paul then focuses on three specific relationships when it comes to authority and leadership in God’s divine design. First, we see that Christ is the head of every man. In other words, Paul is saying that Jesus Christ, as God in a bod, 100% human and 100% God, exercises a role of authority and leadership over all of humanity. Second, we see that the man is the head of the woman. In other words, Paul is saying that men are divinely designed to exercise a role of leadership and authority in relationship to women. Third, we see that God is the head of Christ. In other words, Paul is saying that God the Father exercises a role of leadership and authority over Christ.

Now you may be thinking, “Well Dave, I see and agree with Jesus having authority over humanity; but why would men have authority and leadership over women? And I really do not understand how God is the head of Christ?” If you find yourself here asking those questions, I just want you to know that they are great questions to be asking. The reason these questions often arise when we talk about leadership and authority is because we have a tendency to confuse value and roles.

For example, let’s look at Paul’s statement that God is the head of Christ. All three members of the trinity possess the same nature. God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are all equally divine in terms of their nature. Yet while every member of the trinity has the same nature, essence, and value, they have different roles, responsibilities, and authority. God the Father is the first among equals; God the Father exercises the leadership and authority role in the relationship amongst the Trinity. Jesus and the Holy Spirit, while equal in value and worth to God the Father, fall under and follow His leadership. We see Jesus do this throughout the gospels. And we see Paul talk about this reality throughout his letters that he wrote to various churches.

Another example is the twelve disciples. While there were twelve disciples, and all twelve were equal in their value and worth as disciples, Peter was the first amongst equals. Peter was the leader that the rest of the disciples followed in terms of leadership and authority. We see this throughout the book of Acts.

This same principle also applies to God’s design for relationships in humanity when it comes to men and women. We see the mutual value and worth of men and women revealed for us in Genesis 1:27:

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

And while men and women have equal value and worth in God’s creation, men and women have different roles and responsibilities to fulfill; men are to exercise a role of leadership and authority as first among equals by lovingly leading, providing, and protecting women in ways that are appropriate to their relationship. Women are to fulfill their role in relationships by lovingly coming under and following godly male leadership in a way that allows for growth in their relationship with Christ and to exercise the gifts that God has given them.

Yet while Paul had communicated this timeless truth to the members of the church at Corinth, the members of the church were not following or passing on this truth. Instead they were confusing value and roles. And in the same way, Christians act unchristian when men and women act in confusion. In 1 Corinthians 11:4-16, we see the Apostle Paul reveal for us three ways that Christians act unchristian when men and women act in confusion.

For the rest of this week, we will look at each of these three ways that Christians can act unchristian when men and women act in confusion. So are you acting in confusion? Are you confusing value and roles?