“If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home.” That quote from 1 Corinthians doesn’t sound very hospitable does it? There are plenty of times in Paul’s writings where he sounds a wee bit harsh. At least if you take it out of context and try to apply what he’s saying to everyday life. But if you zoom out a … The rest of the story…
Category Archives: I Corinthians
If A Man Has Long Hair
If a man has long hair, is he disgraced in the eyes of God? No. In 1 Corinthians 11:1-16 Paul talks quite a bit about hair…on men and women. But is it truly the length of hair that Paul is concerned with? No. It’s actually our “covering”. In the New King James version of the Bible, you can see subtitles … The rest of the story…
Eat Whatever Is Sold In The Meat Market
For thirteen years I was a vegetarian. It wasn’t for any reason other than health. At the time I had been given advice by doctors that my cholesterol was too high. Each time I’d take a little more meat products out of my diet I’d go back for a cholesterol check and each time the count would be higher. After … The rest of the story…
An Object Of Worship
Can the God of the Bible be an object of worship? Nope. Can anything else in the whole universe be an object of worship? Well…yeah. And we shouldn’t be impressed by any object to the point of thinking we need to worship it. However; a Creator who is intelligent enough to stretch out the heavens with His hands and cause … The rest of the story…
When Bad Examples Are Good
Could there ever be times when bad examples are good in any way? Let me share a few ways I think this is possible. I’m sure you could think of dozens more. A father curses at and beats his son…and the son discovers words of wisdom in the Bible and imparts compassion to his own son.. A mother drinks and … The rest of the story…
One Receives The Prize
In the good ol’ days PPC (pre political correctness) competition meant going up against others in your chosen endeavor with the intention to win. And winning meant coming in first, or top of class, or number one. It’s good to compete. And it’s good to try your best to beat your competitors. And it’s not a bad thing when only … The rest of the story…
What Is My Reward In Heaven
If I become or am a Christian…then, when I die…what is my reward in Heaven? Maybe you’ve heard preachers talk about the verses like “in my Father’s house there are many mansions…” or “indeed your reward is great in Heaven” or “knowing that from the Lord you will receive your inheritance“. Ok, there seems to be a reward…so…it’s a legitimate … The rest of the story…
Love And Liberty for both you and me
A couple of articles ago I wrote “Liberty According To My Judgment“. And I based that article on Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 7:25-40. Now, I’d like to talk about love and liberty. As a Christian, God gives me great liberty. Another word for it is Grace. He allows me to make my own choices, have my own successes or … The rest of the story…
Liberty According To My Judgment
Liberty, according to my judgment, is found throughout Paul’s writings in the Bible. In 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 it’s easy to see how Paul is confidently conveys liberty to his readers. It’s a passage directed at “widows and orphans” according to the New King James version of the Bible. And it’s easy to see how we’re not commanded to marry. We’re … The rest of the story…
Do Not Become Slaves Of Men
You’ve probably heard the expression “the truth shall make you free“. Well, this isn’t truth according to your feelings or interpretations. This isn’t some “organic” or changing truth devised by mere men. It’s THE truth found in God’s word in the Bible. And God says (through Paul’s letter to the Corinthians) “do not become slaves of men“. Mere men make … The rest of the story…
There’s a sentence in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 that really stands out to me…in a passage where Paul says to keep your marriage vows. Before I get to that stand-out sentence I’d like to talk about the gist of Paul’s words. If you’re already married, a wife is “not to depart from her husband” and “a husband is not to divorce his … The rest of the story…
Lack Of Self Control
Is your lack of self control a good enough reason to get married? Maybe. In 1 Corinthians Paul wrote “it is good for a man not to touch a woman“. At first glance that sounds like you shouldn’t get married. But he’s showing us how we distract one another from a more focused service to God. I’m thankful Paul doesn’t … The rest of the story…
You Were Bought At A Price
When Paul wrote, in 1 Corinthians “all things are lawful for me“, he was talking about Grace…the Grace offered to everyone by Jesus. Jesus paid for the Grace that’s freely offered to you. But Grace and you were bought at a price…the highest price ever paid for anything in the history of the world for anything…His Life. These days, all … The rest of the story…
I Once Was Lost
Even people who have no love at all for the Bible, Jesus, or God have heard the famous line from the song “Amazing Grace”. You know the one I’m talking about…”I once was lost, but now am found” Being “lost” in the world isn’t a sin or a crime. It can certainly be an inconvenience, but the only punishment you’ll … The rest of the story…
Good Judge of Character
When I was a kid, my parents and grandparents would often say things like: “If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you?” OR “Yeah, Johnny’s parents let him stay out late…but look at all the trouble he gets into.” Of course, when you’re a kid, you just think the old folks are trying to keep you from having fun. … The rest of the story…
Bread of Sincerity And Truth
If we eat from (or want to eat from) the bread of sincerity and truth, we need to realize we can’t just feed the flesh and expect to live forever. Eternal life doesn’t work that way. Believe me…I totally understand how the flesh wants what the flesh wants. And each of us gives in to it. That’s the whole reason … The rest of the story…
A Spirit of Gentleness
If you’ve read all or most of my Bible based articles here on my website, I hope you understand how I’m writing to you with “a spirit of gentleness“. Sometimes my words may sound a little more heavy-handed, but that’s when I’m sharing a major point from God’s perspective…not merely my opinion. For the most part, though, I simply want … The rest of the story…
Spectacle To The World
Spectacle: an event or scene regarded in terms of its visual impact…A spectacle can be an amazing, beautiful thing. It can also be a cruel form of punishment when someone is put on display to mock and ridicule. When Paul wrote how he and other apostles were “made a spectacle to the world“, they sort of fit into both categories. … The rest of the story…
Stewards of the Mysteries of God
As I was growing up in Texas and Kansas I couldn’t have imagined that anyone would ever call me one of those “stewards of the mysteries of God“. In fact, if someone had told me that’s what I might be someday, I probably would would have responded with a very intellectual sounding “huh?”. But here I am, and I can … The rest of the story…
Three Reasons To Become A Fool
Three Reasons to Become a Fool If you think you’re pretty smart…if you think you’re fairly wise…you might wanna reconsider…it might be in your own eyes. That’s why I’d like to share three reasons to become a fool. Then, you might see yourself (and the world) a little differently. And that’s a good thing. Yeah, foolishness isn’t the typical characteristic … The rest of the story…