Not only did the believers at Corinth have to be taught Christians principles, but they had to be reminded to leave behind the human wisdom of the society in which they lived, once they were born from above. They needed to rid themselves of the carnal influences of the world's mindset, that bled into some of their ungodly behaviours. They needed to completely disassociate themselves from the culture and lifestyle they had left behind. As believers, they were to be read more...
How quickly any of us can stray from trusting the Lord with our whole heart to sinning against Him in thought, word, and deed. How easy it is for a Christian to fall from grace through idolatry, legalism, or by adopting a false gospel. And Paul used Israel's escape from Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and their 40-year long wilderness wanderings to teach the Church this important lesson, "for they all were baptised into Moses in the cloud and in read more...
The writers of the New Testament often made reference to Israel's past history as an example of virtues to pursue or vices to avoid. Paul was only too aware of how quickly a religious-minded Jew can fall into legalism, or how easily Gentile believers can slip back into their former, pagan practices and absorb secular attitudes. And Paul used the history of the Jews to explain some important spiritual truths, that are relevant to all believers - past, present, read more...
Throughout his epistles, Paul wanted his readers to be aware of pitfalls in the Christian life as well as the principles and practices that directed them towards Christlikeness. He not only delivered Church-age doctrine to believers and taught Church-age principles when he visited their cities or wrote his epistles; Paul also used Israel's past failures to illustrate Christian truth, teachings, principles, and practices. "Now these things read more...
The Corinthians had in many ways abused the freedom they had in Christ, and in certain cases were using their liberty as a license to sin. Such an attitude, then as now, is diametrically opposite to what the Word of God teaches the Christian life should be.
Paul and the other gospel writers often used Israel's past history as an illustration of how, or how not, to behave in our Christian life. Israel's relationship with God did read more...
What marvellous words of encouragement are couched throughout Scripture, and here we discover God's sufficient grace is available to all His children in the midst of the various trials and temptations that we all have to face during our earthly sojourn.
God does not promise to keep our lives free from difficulties and danger. He does not pledge to exempt us from fiery trials and troublesome temptations, nor even to prevent read more...
Despite their miraculous escape from Egyptian bondage, as they crossed the Red Sea, and in spite of the many signs and wonders that followed the children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings, the Lord was not pleased with them because they exchanged the worship of their Creator God and great Redeemer, for idol-worship. Within a few short weeks of their being redeemed from Egypt, Israel became idolaters; lusting after the former evil things of their idolatrous read more...
As members of the fallen race of men, we have fairly short memories which can cause us to become careless, neglectful, forgetful, or even critical in our Christian walk. This is why partaking in the bread and wine together as a memorial of Christ's sacrificial death on our account... is a precious way to keep our faith alive. It helps to maintain our hope in Christ and encourages us to love the Lord our God with all our heart and mind and strength and soul - with read more...
As believers, we live in the Church dispensation and we are not under the Law but under grace. Unlike all other religions, including many denominations in Christendom, we do not have to do certain things or abstain from other things in order to please our God. All we have to do to please God is to trust in Jesus as Saviour, by grace, through faith, knowing that He is God and that He rewards all who diligently seek Him.
We do not read more...
Although in context, this verse reminds us not to fall into legalism by imposing non-scriptural rules and regulations upon ourselves or others about what we can or can't eat, or what we should or should not drink, in its wider application, this is a life-challenge to all believers.
This verse reminds us that everything we do should be done to the glory of God. And whether we find ourselves to be alone or in the company of others, read more...