First Letter to the Corinthians -- Chapter 12

Having concluded his extensive teaching on the Lord’s Supper Paul continues on to address the subject of spiritual gifts. “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 12:1). Paul doesn’t want the church at Corinth to remain in ignorance in regards to spiritual gifts for he sees a possibility that they might be quickly led astray thru false teachings in this area. A misunderstanding of spiritual gifts can slowly destroy and undermine the truth of God’s law and gospel and Paul wants to avoid this at all costs.

“You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:2-3). In the past the Corinthians were known to be influenced by false and empty teachings, and therefore Paul wants to state once and for all the work of the One Spirit of God: proclaiming and confessing Jesus Christ. That is it. The Holy Spirit was sent by God in order to testify about Jesus Christ: “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me” (John 15:26). Therefore it is only thru the Spirit’s work that any man can say, “Jesus is Lord,” and no one in the Spirit can proclaim anything other than this truth. We also need to realize that “cursing” Jesus and proclaiming Him as Lord is not simply done with these particular words of Paul; to curse Jesus means far more than just saying “Jesus be cursed,” and to proclaim Jesus as Lord means far more than just saying “Jesus is Lord.” We must remember what Christ Himself said: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23). We can say “Lord, Lord” to Jesus and even say “Jesus is Lord” and still be truly cursing Christ. Therefore we must look deeper than the window-dressing of a few clever words; it is a confession of faith that is lived out in discipleship that Paul is speaking of here. Luther spoke in regards to this “cursing” of Jesus and how it is far more than just one simple expression: “this [cursing] is done also when any one among the Christians praises the Holy Ghost, and yet does not preach Christ correctly as the Foundation of our salvation, but neglects this and rejects it in favor of something else, with the pretext that it is derived from the Holy Ghost and is much better and more necessary than the common doctrine of the gospel.” To curse Jesus means that we preach false doctrines and a confession of faith that is against the truth of the Scriptures. The people of Israel cursed God even despite their honoring of Him with their lips: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29:13). Therefore saying “Jesus is Lord” means that we proclaim the full council of God’s Law and Gospel while faithfully adhering to the Scripture’s testimony, making a sound and pure confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This confession of faith extends into our hearts, lives, deeds, and actions. We can give all the lip service in the world to “Jesus” but that means nothing if we are destroying the truth of God’s Word in the depths of our hearts and in our everyday lives. In the same way that the greatest mischief in the world is always done in God’s name, so also the greatest cursing of Jesus is always done in His own name. The greatest heresies and the greatest destructions of the gospel have always been carried out in the name of “Jesus,” and the very nature of the antichrist is to proclaim “Lord, Lord” while stabbing Christ in the back. We must not naively think Judas is the only one who has betrayed Christ with a kiss of “friendship” and “loyalty.” “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48).

After showing us the central purpose of the Spirit (to testify about Jesus Christ) and His primary gift of a confession of faith, Paul continues on to address how the Spirit bestows different gifts to different individuals. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). Though we have different gifts they are all from the same Spirit with the same goal: to proclaim Christ. Just because we have different gifts does not mean we have a “better” or “second” spirit; there is One Spirit and He is the same in all believers, bestowing upon them different gifts for the purposes of proclaiming Christ. It is also imperative to note that every gift of the Spirit is given for the common good of the people of God, not for individual pleasure, glory, or honor: “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). So often in the church there are pockets of groups that seek out “manifestations of the spirit” for their own pleasure and entertainment and to supposedly validate and enhance their spiritual experiences, thinking there are multiple levels or manifestations that we must experience. This is a very false perversion of spiritual gifts and in fact has nothing to do with the true Spirit whose purpose is always to bear witness to Jesus Christ.

Paul continues on to address and list some individual gifts of the Spirit (let us keep in mind that the purpose of each one of these gifts is to testify about and proclaim Jesus Christ): “To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom” (1 Corinthians 12:8). The message of wisdom is the gift of seeing the “foolishness” of the cross; it is the true wisdom of God that makes the wisdom of this world null and void. This wisdom of God clearly proclaims and confesses the message of the cross, not with eloquent words and human wisdom, but with the power of God. This gift includes the ability to apply this “theology of the cross” in a practical manner to individual cases and real life situations, making the right judgments on the basis of God’s wisdom in Jesus Christ crucified. “To another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:8). The message of knowledge is the gift of a thorough knowledge of the truths of the Scriptures, the balance between law and gospel, and all the mysteries associated with God’s Word, being able to clearly expound their connection in a clear and convincing way. This gift of knowledge knows not what we have done, but what God has done and commanded. Therefore this knowledge is not an accumulation of trivia, but an active reliance on being known by God that leads to obedience and discipleship to Jesus Christ. “To another faith by the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:9). The spiritual gift of faith is not the justifying faith with which every believer clings to Jesus Christ for all forgiveness, life, and salvation, but it is an additional strong and unwavering confidence in God’s purposes, plans, and will, and His ability to work thru extraordinary deeds and accomplishments that seem unworkable and unattainable to men. It is the faith that has no doubt in God’s ability to move mountains in this life and thru God’s grace of Jesus Christ sees the impossible become possible. “To another gifts of healing by that one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:9). The gifts of healing includes the miraculous ability to cure sickness without medicine (thru the power of God) and the ability to diagnose and aide others thru the natural means of medicine and physical therapy and touch. These gifts of healing also include the ability to give spiritual aide and healing, empathizing and sympathizing with those who are emotionally and spiritually hurting, being able to apply God’s Word as a healing salve in the time of need. In short, the gifts of healing are given to help those who are hurting, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually, pointing them to great physician Jesus Christ. “To another miraculous powers” (1 Corinthians 12:10). The gift of miraculous powers includes all the abilities to perform supernatural events such as raising the dead, punishing the wicked by some extraordinary manifestations of God’s wrath (as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Elymas, etc.), casting out demons, or anything else that is not an “everyday” natural event. “To another prophecy” (1 Corinthians 12:10). The spiritual gift of prophecy is the ability to declare God’s will and to apply His Word in teaching and admonishing. This gift of prophecy allows one to correctly interpret and explain the Scriptures, to overthrow the false doctrines and lies of men, and to warn and assure men thru the declarations of God’s Word. It is prophesying that allows believers to carry out Peter’s command: “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God” (1 Peter 4:11). Thru prophecy God turns a powerless sinner into a vessel and instrument of proclaiming His Word and truth to the world. “To another distinguishing between spirits” (1 Corinthians 12:10). The spiritual gift of distinguishing between spirits is the ability to identify those who are true teachers and prophets and those who are false teachers and prophets. “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). The ability to distinguish between those who speak in the One Spirit and those who speak from other spirits is very important for identifying heresy and ensuring the survival of the Church’s doctrine. This gift also includes the ability to distinguish between the true manifestations of the Spirit and the false demon-made and man-made manifestations of other spirits (i.e. distinguishing between the gifts and abilities of the Spirit that point to Jesus Christ and the false ones that point to anything else). “To another speaking in different kinds of tongues and to still another the interpretation of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:10). The gift of speaking in “tongues” is simply the gift of speaking in languages; a tongue is nothing more than a language. Therefore the gift of speaking in tongues is the spiritual ability to speak in a language one has never studied, the ability to quickly learn to speak a language, or even the ability to be eloquent and find the right words when in a pressing and spontaneous situation. “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” (Luke 12:11-12). Because speaking a language or tongue always has the goal of communication there is also the complementary gift of interpreting tongues; that is, the ability to understand a language one has never learned, the ability to pick up a language very quickly and with little learning, or even the uncanny ability to understand what people are really saying, interpreting their intent thru otherwise muddled words.

Having given us a long list of gifts Paul continues on to remind us the source of these special abilities: “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines” (1 Corinthians 12:11). Because all these gifts are from the Spirit of God and are given at His choosing their one goal and focus must always be this: testifying about Jesus Christ. Therefore if any gift is used apart from the testimony of Jesus Christ then we know it is a false spirit and not the one true Spirit of God. Let us therefore pray that we look to use the gifts, abilities, and talents the Spirit has given us for their one purpose of making Jesus Christ crucified for the forgiveness of our sins known to the world. Our confession and acknowledgement of God coming to us as a man in Jesus Christ is always the primary goal and work of the Spirit. “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God” (1 John 4:2-3).

Having covered some specific gifts of the Spirit, Paul continues on to teach us how all these gifts work together for the common good thru the use of a powerful and important analogy: “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12). The Church of God is the Body of Christ; we who are many are joined together in Jesus Christ to be one body with one function and goal. Paul goes on to remind us how we were joined into this Body: “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Thru our baptism we are joined into the Body of Christ. This is the one (one!) baptism (the washing of water thru the Word) of the Christian faith, the one which Christ instituted in the Great Commission and the one Paul spoke of to the church at Ephesus: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6). There is one Spirit, one baptism, one Lord, one Body, and one faith, and all believers share in these for the sake of Jesus Christ. It is very false and dangerous to think there is more than one baptism. All those who have been baptized according to Christ’s command and institution share in the one Spirit and all the benefits and gifts thereof, no believer is lacking any “baptism” apart from this one baptism. Our baptism does not depend on who we are/were (Jew, Greek, slave, free, young, old, wise, foolish, etc.) or what we do or bring to it, it depends on God’s Word and promise. Christ’s words (as always!) are the source of baptism’s grace and thru them we can see how baptism enters us into the one Body. In His command to baptize Christ tells us how we baptize: “baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). It is important to note the word “in” or “into” (the translation of the word eis in Greek) and how thru our baptism we are joined into the whole Triune God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Therefore we enter into the Body of Christ in, by, and thru the Holy Spirit’s work in baptism. “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5-6). This washing of rebirth, renewal, and regeneration is our assurance that we are a member of the Body of Christ and share in the one Spirit which He has given to us all.

Having established how we enter into the Body of Christ, Paul continues on to discuss the logistics and inner workings of this Body: “Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body” (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). As members of the Body of Christ we are all very unique parts that have specific talents, abilities, and gifts to contribute to the overall good of the Body. Even though we may be different than the rest of the Body we must not think we do not belong, it is in fact the uniqueness of the individual parts that allows for the Body to be a versatile and adaptable unit capable of carrying out the Lord’s work. If we were all the same and had identical talents and gifts the Body would be very limited Therefore each one of our fellow believers is a critical member and ligament of the Body of Christ who needs our constant support and love, “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16). It is our duty for each of us to carry out our work in our specific sphere of influence that we have been given from the Lord. When we do this the Body of Christ is able to uphold and support one another.

A real danger presents itself to the Body of Christ when the ugly head of pride rears up. Thru this pride people in the Body of Christ will begin to think they are above, better, more important, or more useful than their fellow man. This occurs when one esteems and thinks one role, job, or part is more important than another. Paul addresses this: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other” (1 Corinthians 12:21-25). Here Paul uses some strong words such as “need” and “indispensable” in reference to the parts of the Body of Christ. Does he really mean that we need every other part of the Body of Christ? Is every part truly essential? Looking at our own body we can see this truth displayed very clearly. Can the thumb do anything for itself? Can the thumb scratch itself? Try it; you will see the thumb is helpless to help itself, while it is very capable of scratching and helping every other part of the body when it works together with wrist, arm, elbow, shoulder, etc. Every member of the body is incapable of helping itself, but each member is very capable of helping every other part of the body when they work together. So it is with us in the Body of Christ. We cannot help ourselves, we need the other members to do that for us, but at the same time the other members require and need our help because they also cannot help themselves. Therefore by being members of the Body of Christ we cannot become “self-reliant” or “independent”; it is imperative to see that in fact we need our fellow man. Individualism, in the sense of trying to “make it on my own,” is very dangerous for the Christian and the Body as a whole; we must learn to uphold those around us (because they need us) and also to rely on what Christ does thru them on our behalf. We cannot bestow the love and Word of Christ upon ourselves, we need our fellow man to bring it to us in Christ’s stead. Therefore, as Paul says, those parts which seem weaker are in fact indispensable for they afford us the opportunity for service and bearing as we support them thru the love of Christ. The true health of the Body is always illustrated most plainly thru how it treats and takes care of those which seem the weakest and lowliest. We are a body and we need each other; whatever happens to one of us happens to all of us. “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Because of our unity in Christ we cannot ignore certain parts of the body. We must uphold the “weaker” parts so that thru their suffering, falling, or erring they will not bring us all down. If we neglect a part of our own body that has been wounded then it will become diseased, a real danger to the entire body. If a cut occurs on our arm and we ignore it then it may become infected and eventually get gangrene, spreading its germs and disease to the rest of the body. So it is with the Body of Christ. Therefore we must pay special attention to every part of our body with gentle watchfulness, care, and concern, being strong enough to administer tough love when a certain part needs a good scrubbing or the painful cleansing of hydrogen peroxide. Sometimes it is only thru pain and suffering that the overall health of the body can be upheld.

Paul continues on to reiterate once again that we are the Body of Christ and each of us is a member: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). He hammers this home because it is very important for us to realize. We must not think we are isolated or on an island by ourselves; we are part of the fellowship and community of the saints thru our baptism and the continued partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Having firmly established this fact Paul returns to his point about diversity of talents, gifts, abilities, and calling: “And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?” (1 Corinthians 12:28-30). Paul wants us to be sure that we realize that there are many gifts and callings so that thru this diversity the Body of Christ may effectively minister and perform outreach to the world. Each calling has a specific purpose that is needed by the rest of the Body of Christ and therefore we need to embrace this, not trying to do or have it all, but allowing others to perform the roles God has called them to thru His Word.

In conclusion and in order to keep us from obsessing about these gifts and callings Paul continues on to peek our curiosity about what is truly and deeply important: “But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31). What does Paul mean here by “greater gifts”? Is he referring to any of the specific spiritual gifts he has already addressed? No. All the gifts of the Spirit that Paul has talked about are great blessings, but they are not the epitome and zenith of our discipleship, they are merely tools to aide in the spread of the gospel. The greater gifts Paul refers to are those which all believers have in Jesus Christ, those which should be our complete focus and goal as disciples and followers of Him. With this Paul whets our appetite for what he has to teach us next, the truly greatest gifts that the Spirit bestows upon us. Therefore let us pray that we do not make idols of spiritual gifts, becoming obsessed with having “power” and “ability.” As Lord Acton said, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”; if we think of spiritual gifts as “powers” or “abilities” to be used for our own interests, desires, or pleasure then we will have completely missed the true gifts of the Spirit and will be wallowing in self-endowed false spirits. It is only thru service and humility, following the example of Jesus Christ, that the true Spirit exists and works in our lives. “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men” (Ephesians 6:7).

First Letter to the Corinthians -- Chapter 11

Having reiterated the Lord’s teaching in regards to idolatry, Paul continues on to address God’s established order of creation and how this is to be carried out in the Church. Paul begins by once again urging us to follow his example because he is devoted to following Christ’s example. “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). He is assuring us that if we imitate him we will be imitating Christ; we follow Paul only because He is following Christ. Once again Paul does not want us to attach ourselves to his person, but he simply wants us to follow Jesus Christ thru his living example.

He continues: “I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you” (1 Corinthians 11:2). Here Paul praises and thanks the Corinthians for being faithful to his words, advice, and example in all he has passed on so far. Passing along the accurate teachings of Christ is a much forgotten aspect of the Great Commission: “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). Therefore Paul is thanking the church at Corinth for holding to the teachings he passed along. After these words of encouragement however he immediately goes on to address an issue that has been lost among them: the proper understanding of God’s order of creation and what that means for us all. He starts by laying down the order or “hierarchy” that God has instituted: “Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). God’s order is simply this: God the Father -> God the Son (Jesus Christ) -> Man -> Woman.

Having put forth this order and doctrine once and for all, Paul then proceeds to apply this in a practical manner to the church at Corinth. “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man” (1 Corinthians 11:4-7). What is Paul telling us here? Is he telling us that a man must never cover his head with either hair or hat in church and that a woman must never wear her hair short or be unveiled and uncovered in church? Is Paul enforcing legalistic outward adornments on the Corinthians? Is Paul squashing the Christian freedom of the Corinthians by forcing upon them regulations in regards to appearance? Is Paul really concerned about what is on our heads? What is Paul really up to here? It had come to the attention of Paul that women were speaking at the public worship services of the Corinthians (because man is the head of woman, he is called to be the spiritual leader and authority in the church), and not only that, but also without their head covered.

To properly understand what Paul is concerned about and what he is telling us here we must understand the historical context of Corinth at the time Paul wrote this letter and also recognize that he is giving practical advice that could applied to their church in that day and time (in addition with the underlying principles that we are to apply to ourselves today). The first thing to realize is the tradition of the East which required women to veil their head when in public. Women were to cover their head as a sign and symbol of their submission to the leadership, headship, and authority of man who was created before her. The next thing to realize is that a woman with a shaved head was either a slave or “free and loose” woman whose sexual vocation was made known thru her close-cropped hair. Short hair on a woman was very disgraceful because it was an outward sign in that day and age of a woman who had fallen from honorable standing. We should then also realize that men of this time and situation were expected to have short hair and an uncovered head as a sign of their headship over women. If a man wore his hair long in this culture it was an effeminate and disgraceful sign of the loss of his headship (almost every Greek statue of a man has short hair).

Therefore Paul is essentially telling the Corinthians this: “If a man prays or prophesies in church with his head covered or veiled then he dishonors the headship he has been given in God’s creation and shames his position of authority. On the other hand if a woman prays or prophesies in church with her head uncovered or unveiled then she is dishonoring the position God has given her in the order of creation by being insubordinate and thereby shaming herself to the same level as a slave women or a woman for hire.” Paul’s concern is that the Christian freedom of the Corinthians has gone overboard, destroying and ignoring the immutable doctrines and truths of God’s Word. His concern is that women are praying and prophesying under the guise and outward appearance of leadership and authority in the church. Paul knows that if the women do not keep their heads covered then people will forget that she is not the spiritual leader in her household or in the church. A woman speaking in church without a covering was a visible sign that she was speaking as the head, leader, or authority thereof, and this is what troubled Paul. Paul is therefore attempting to teach us the doctrine and principles of God’s order of creation by means of the societal standards of the times in order that we might respect the hierarchy God has established once and for all. “For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head” (1 Corinthians 11:8-10). Paul desires for the women who pray or prophesy in church to cover their head so that thru the visible symbol all will recognize that she does this from under the authority of the man, who does it from under the authority of Christ. The covering is a sign that she is remaining under the authority of those God created as her head. So now we must ask: Is Paul being derogatory and saying that women are inferior to men? Is Paul teaching us to squash the rights and freedom of women when elsewhere he has told us that there is neither male nor female in Christ Jesus? “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28). No, Paul is not being derogatory, discriminating, and contradictory or even calling women inferior to men. Paul is simply upholding the order that God has established.

Let us return to what God told the woman after the fall into sin: “Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you” (Genesis 3:16). The best way to understand this whole situation and setup is (as always!) thru Jesus Christ. The parallel clause and example for us to learn from is that of the relation between God the Father and God the Son. Both are full and complete God and are of perfect equality within the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However there is a hierarchy or order between them. As Paul stated to the Corinthians earlier, God (the Father) is the head of Christ (the Son). Even though Jesus Christ was perfectly equal to the Father, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), He willingly humbled Himself to the authority, headship, and leadership of the Father, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). Therefore women are not inferior or less than men. Women are of perfect equality with men, yet God has called them to follow the example of Christ and humbly submit to the leadership, headship, and authority of men. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:5-6). Man is no better than woman for ultimately they are both under the headship of Jesus Christ; neither position is more envious than the other, they are simply different.

Paul continues on to touch on the co-dependency of the sexes and how just because man is the head of the woman it doesn’t mean he doesn’t need her: “In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God” (1 Corinthians 11:11-12). Man must not abuse the headship he has been given, but must respect the fact that God has chosen for every man after Adam to come from woman in order that we see the interdependent relationship God desires between the two genders. The ultimate fact is that both genders submit to God who is over them both. Having established this Paul reiterates his concern for the women and men who have subverted the order of creation by disregarding the signs of the times which declared the headship of man over woman. “Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering” (1 Corinthians 11:13-15). Once again it is important to stress that Paul is not establishing legalistic regulations in regards to appearance but that he instead desires that the congregation of Corinth uphold the order of creation by not allowing women to hold positions of headship, authority, and leadership within the church. His wants to make sure that we do not flip God’s will on its head for the sake of “Christian freedom.”

Paul finishes up by stating very clearly that all the churches of God practice the upholding of the order of creation, by retaining the headship of man over woman within the church. “If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God” (1 Corinthians 11:16). Therefore let us pray that each of us faithfully adheres to the position God has given us within creation, by submitting to those above us and tenderly loving and caring for those below us, just as Christ has done for us; from first to last we are called to be the servants of all. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28).

After having addressed the subject of remaining faithful to God’s order of creation, Paul continues on to address the abuse of the Lord’s Supper that was occurring during the church services of the Corinthians. “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good” (1 Corinthians 11:17). Paul begins by plainly stating that the current state of the meetings and church services of the Corinthians are causing more harm than good. Paul is not just saying the meetings are causing no good, he states that they are actually causing harm.

He continues: “In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval” (1 Corinthians 11:18-19). In these words Paul communicates to us two very important truths. The first is that when we come together as a church body to celebrate the Lord’s Supper we need to eliminate all divisions that are possible from among us. There should be no doctrinal and confessional separation amongst those who go to the Lord’s Table together, because the Lord’s Supper is all about unity (as Paul discussed in the previous chapter). The second point for us to reflect on is that there will always be divisions amongst the outward church in this life; in fact division is a “necessary evil” that allows for the truth of God’s Word to shine thru. This doesn’t mean we should share in the Lord’s Table when there is division but it simply means that thru the divisions of the church we will be able to purge the false teachings and doctrines from our midst. St. Augustine said: “Heresies are the grindstone of the Church. Their sin serves to reveal them and thus to purge and purify the Christian congregation of an unpleasant discordant element.” If there was no division in the church then false doctrine would continue to be accepted and nurtured. Because there is sin there will be heresy and false doctrine, and therefore “there have to be” differences and divisions over these things. If the church accepts false doctrine into its midst and doesn’t try to expel it then it will choke and die as it is absorbed by the ways of the world.

Paul continues on to address the Lord’s Supper (which is the whole reason that we come together as a church body): “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!” (1 Corinthians 11:20-22). Though the Corinthians had the elements of bread and wine present, their perversions were causing what they were doing to not be the Lord’s Supper at all. The Corinthians were using the Lord’s Supper as a meal and no longer as the testament of Jesus Christ; they were getting drunk and eating to fill their appetites and not in order to confess Jesus Christ crucified. These practices were utterly despicable to Paul and they blasphemed the importance of the Lord’s Supper that Christ had instituted.

Paul continues on to teach the Corinthians once again about the importance and grace of the Lord’s Supper. “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you” (1 Corinthians 11:23). Here Paul begins by telling us that he received his instruction on the Lord’s Supper not from the other Apostles, but actually from the Lord Himself. He begins with the words of institution, that is, the Word and promise of Jesus Christ which makes the Lord’s Supper what it is: “The Lord Jesus, on the night 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, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me’” (1 Corinthians 11:23-25). In these few simple words we have the eternal promise that in the bread and wine we receive the true body and blood of Jesus Christ given and shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Immediately our sinful reason objects and vehemently questions: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:52). Jesus Christ clearly replies: “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink” (John 6:53-55). No matter how hard this is for our reason to grasp and understand, we must cling fiercely and unmoving to Christ’s Word, because it is just that: the Word of Christ. Just like Paul was referring to earlier, this true teaching of the Lord’s Supper brings differences and divisions in the church, separating the wheat from the chaff and the sheep from the goats, showing those which have God’s approval. Christ Himself spoke about how His plain Words (especially on this subject) cause offence and division, separating the true disciples from the imitators who refuse to take Him at His Word. To illustrate this truth let us look at what transpired right after Christ spoke about us eating His body and blood to remain in Him: “On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, ‘Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.’ From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (John 6:60-66). The teaching of the Lord’s Supper is a “hard teaching” and it is impossible for the natural reason of man to accept it. Therefore it takes God’s gift of faith to receive the Word of Christ with full confidence and assurance. Luther wrote very beautifully about how we are to always cling to the words of Christ for they are our entire foundation, not only in the Lord’s Supper, but for our entire life: “If a hundred thousand devils, together with all fanatics, should rush forward, crying, ‘How can bread and wine be the body and blood of Christ?’ etc., I know that all spirits and scholars together are not as wise as is the Divine Majesty in His little finger…It is true, indeed, that if you take away the Word or regard it without the words, you have nothing but mere bread and wine. But if the words remain with them, as they shall and must, then, in virtue of the same, it is truly the body and blood of Christ. For as the lips of Christ say and speak, so it is, as He can never lie or deceive…upon these words rest all our foundation, protection, and defense against all errors and deception that have ever come or may yet come.” In the face of everything that the world or Satan may throw our way, we remain steadfast in the Word of God, resting sure that He alone never lies, fails, or deceives. “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

Paul continues on to state what we are doing when we partake of the Lord’s Supper: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). Thru our participation in the Lord’s Supper we are declaring, confessing, and proclaiming to the world the death of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. This is no empty or trifling matter. Therefore Paul goes on to discuss the seriousness of the Lord’s Supper: “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29). If we partake of the Lord’s Supper in an “unworthy” manner then we sin against the body and blood of the Lord, Jesus Christ Himself. But what does Paul mean by “unworthy”? Does he mean we must be perfect and sinless? Absolutely not. Ironically being “worthy” for the Lord’s Supper occurs only thru being aware of our complete unworthiness before God. It is thru recognition of our utter helplessness and need for Jesus Christ and His forgiveness that we become “worthy.” The words of Christ illustrate this fact perfectly: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). It is sinners (the sick, the weary, the burdened, the contrite, and the broken) who need the Lord’s Supper, and therefore it is thru the examination of the law that we become prepared, ready, and “worthy” to receive the gospel and grace of Christ’s body and blood. “The law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). The hard truth of the law prepares our hearts to receive the gracious forgiveness of the Jesus Christ in the Lord’s Supper. Paul also tells us that being “worthy” is about recognizing the body and blood of Christ, that is, recognizing His promise given in the Lord’s Supper and how He has shed it for our sins. Therefore we should not partake of the Lord’s Supper if we fail to see our complete and total need for Jesus Christ, or fail to see the promise of the true body and blood of Christ given to us there. If we are self-righteous and unrepentant or unbelieving in regards to the body and blood of Christ given to us in the Supper then the true body and blood that we receive is to our judgment and condemnation. That is right, if we abuse and mock the importance, seriousness, and grace of the Lord’s Supper then what was once life becomes death to us.

Paul goes on to explain the real consequences of failing to esteem the Lord’s Supper and our need thereof: “That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:30-32). Paul very plainly tells us that a failure to approach the Supper in humility and need has caused not just spiritual consequences, but physical consequences. The Corinthians were physically sick and a number had actually “fallen asleep” (that is, they had died) because they were despising and abusing the Lord’s Supper. Because we receive the true physical and tangible body and blood of Christ thru the miracle of the Lord’s Supper it is perfectly fitting that an abuse of this would have physical and tangible consequences. If the Lord’s Supper were only a “spiritual” experience then it should only have spiritual consequences, but since it is a physical communion with our Lord it has physical consequences when it is abused and mocked. We need to take this warning of Paul’s very seriously; however, we must not become afraid of the Lord’s Supper, but we need to remember that it was given to us in order to bring the life, healing, and salvation of Jesus Christ crucified. We need to highly respect the Supper but we must not falsely think it was given to condemn, for it was given as a gift of unconditional grace and mercy for the sake of Jesus Christ. Martin Luther wrote about those who are “worthy” to receive the Lord’s Supper and how we should approach it not in terror, but joyfully and eagerly: “Those who are sensible of their weakness, desire to be rid of it and long for help, should regard and use [the Lord’s Supper] only as a precious antidote against the poison which they have in them. For here in the Sacrament you are to receive from the lips of Christ forgiveness of sin, which contains and brings with it the grace of God and the Spirit with all His gifts, protection, shelter, and power against death and the devil and all misfortune…If, therefore, you are heavy-laden and feel your weakness, then go joyfully to this Sacrament and obtain refreshment, consolation, and strength.” The Lord’s Supper is an immeasurable bounty of grace from our Lord. Thru it we have the physical and tangible promises of sharing in the blessings of Jesus Christ’s work on the cross on our behalf. What more could we ever ask for?

Paul continues on to conclude his discussion of the Lord’s Supper by giving practical advice, assuring the Corinthians that he would give further directions at his next visit. “So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions” (1 Corinthians 11:33-34). We should approach the Lord’s Supper with respect and humility, repentantly seeking the grace and forgiveness God has promised therein. Let us pray that we put to bed any doubts and questioning we have in regards to Christ’s Word and promise in the Lord’s Supper and that we come to uphold and esteem this incomparable gift God has given to us thru the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51). Then before the judgment seat of God, when all this world has failed and passed away, we will be able to faithfully say with Job: “I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread” (Job 23:12).

First Letter to the Corinthians -- Chapter 10

Having urged them to run the faithful race of discipleship Paul continues on to admonish and warn the Corinthians so that they will not be complacent and content in their sin. He begins by pointing out their forefathers of the faith: “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). Paul wants the Corinthians to be sure that they are not taking the grace and gifts of God for granted the gifts of baptism and the Lord’s Supper with which they (and all Christians) have been entrusted. He therefore implores them to see that their forefathers had the same grace of God that they have today (they simply looked forward to Christ, instead of backwards to Him like we do). The Israelites had their own baptism and their own spiritual food and drink in the old covenant, and thru them they participated in Christ to come. We must not think that they were somehow devoid of the blessings of God.

“Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did” (1 Corinthians 10:5-6). Despite the undeserving and overflowing grace they were shown the Israelites rebelled against God and took His kindness and mercy for granted. Paul therefore wants to make sure that we do not follow in their footsteps and abuse the gifts we have been given. Thru the water of our baptism and the real body and blood of Christ in the Lord’s Supper we have been assured and promised the grace and forgiveness of the Cross; here we are clothed with Christ and then sustained in the faith with His real but spiritual food and drink. However we must not despise these gifts by thinking that they are either nothing but “symbols” or some sort of “magic trick” which allows us to spit and trample on the grace of God. These gifts are not excuses to apathy, complacence, or sinful living, but are means by which Christ has promised to be with us till the end of the age. Therefore we must not set our hearts on evil things thinking that thru the grace of God we have a “get out of jail free” card that allows us to wallow in our own continued filth. “Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: ‘The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.’ We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel” (1 Corinthians 10:7-10). The Israelites actively gave lip-service to God, but in their actions they rejected everything He stood for. “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men” (Isaiah 29:13). Because of their disobedience and idolatry in the face of God’s goodness and mercy, many of the Israelites perished and were destroyed.

Therefore Paul goes on to explain the purpose of what happened to Israel and why it was all written down in the Scriptures: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). The Scriptures, which give the history of the Israelites, serve as a warning for us who live in the age of fulfillment, in the age of the Messiah. All that transpired amongst the Israelites did so in order that we might be shown the utterly despicable nature of humanity and be warned from looking to ourselves and desires for answers and thereby falling into apathy and complacence.

In the wake of this Paul gives us all a stiff warning that we should take from the example of the Israelites: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). The Israelites falsely thought that just because they were God’s chosen people, elected from the beginning of time, that they could therefore squander and manipulate God’s goodness. How wrong they were. Just because we have the great gifts of God’s Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper and are His chosen people thru the cross we must not think that we are somehow invincible from falling. These gifts are given to us in order to assure us and sustain us in the face of our weaknesses and failings; however if we dare think we have it made and are standing firm within ourselves then we are in utter danger of falling. In the grace of God we are eternally secure, but in our flesh and human weakness we are utterly instable. In order to keep this flesh in check we must rein it in via the continual harsh warnings and admonitions of the law.

After this warning though, Paul is quick to reassure us of the kindness and mercy of God in Christ Jesus, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), and how He will not abandon us to the temptations that are eager to make us stumble and fall: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). In these words Paul gives us three essential facts and assurances about the temptations we will face in this life. The first is that our temptations are not something extraordinary, we must not be melodramatic in thinking the temptations we face are something special or greater than anything anyone else has ever faced. Though every temptation is great in its own right, no temptation is greater than what is common to all men. The second point to note is that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. God is not the one who tempts, and He is looking out for us so that no temptation will come our way that cannot be borne and overcome. Our temptations come from our own evil desires, and these desires drag us into sin and death. “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:13-15). Therefore we have the sure promise of God that He will never tempt us Himself and that He will never allow evil to enter our life that we are not capable of bearing. The final point that Paul makes about temptation is the fact that God will provide a way in which we can stand up under it.

The Scriptures teach of three ways in which God provides in the face of temptation. The first way in which God provides is by giving us prayer and watchfulness so that we can avoid the situations in our life where we may fall into temptation. The best way to not fall into the desires of the flesh is to avoid the temptations of the flesh at all times. It is for this reason that both Christ and Paul teach us to pray and be watchful: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41). “Lead us not into temptation” (Matthew 6:13). “Watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1). Thru prayer and watchfulness we can be guided to see our areas of struggle, and given the wisdom to avoid them like the plague (i.e. if we know situations where we are subjected to lust, gossip, gluttony, idolatry, etc. then we should stay away from those situations at all cost). The second way in which God provides in the face of temptation is by giving us a way out, giving us an exit by which we can flee the situation. In the event that we find ourselves in a situation where temptation occurs God will often give us a clear opportunity to flee (the key is then actually acting upon the opportunity!). “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). “Flee for safety without delay!” (Jeremiah 4:6). “Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins” (Jeremiah 51:6). “Flee the evil desires of youth” (2 Timothy 2:22). “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction…But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:9, 11). Fleeing from temptation and from the desires of the flesh is not cowardly by any stretch of the imagination, for it in fact takes true courage, strength, and bravery by way of God’s grace to leave behind the desires of the flesh. The final way in which God provides in the face of temptation is thru the weapon of His Word which He has provided to us for these very situations when we find ourselves trapped and unable to flee. Three specific times Christ was tempted by Satan in the desert and every single time He quoted the Scriptures: “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’…It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’… Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). In this example of Christ we have the single most important lesson we can ever learn about how to face temptation: we do not face it with our own will, powers, efforts, or abilities; we only dare face temptation with the sure weapon God has given us, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). If we try to face temptation without the Scriptures of God’s Word we will fail. No man can stand up under temptation without the very Words of God upholding him and giving him strength, and this Word comes thru Christ alone. Therefore let us pray that we do not become arrogant thinking we stand firm on our own, thereby making ourselves vulnerable to the temptations and trappings of the world. Let us instead fall in repentant humility onto the grace of our baptism and the Lord’s Supper so that thru these we will remain in commune with our High Priest (Jesus Christ!) who has rescued us from the bondage of the flesh and empowers us to remain faithful in the face of all the temptations and trials of this life. “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death…Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:14-15, 18).

After having taught us the dangers of being complacent and arrogant in our faith and towards temptation, Paul continues on to apply this to the church on the matter of idolatry. “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say” (1 Corinthians 10:14-15). Paul reiterates what he has just taught us about temptation: flee whenever possible! Idolatry is especially dangerous because it dares to lift up the empty things of this life (whether homes, possessions, jobs, children, spouses, etc.) to the level that is reserved for God alone. In his efforts to show the dangers of idolatry Paul takes a little detour into the Lord’s Supper: “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16). Paul begins by doing one of his favorite things, asking rhetorical questions. Thru these questions Paul puts the Corinthians on the spot and almost dares them to deny the truth of the Lord’s Supper which he has taught them. The one dimensional English translations do not give justice to the depth of the Greek which Paul uses here. The Greek word which is translated here as “participation” and in the KJV as “communion” is koinonia and it further means “intercourse,” “fellowship,” and “intimacy.” When a married couple comes together in the marriage bed they are in reality participating in a koinonia with one another. Consequently the Lord’s Supper is an extremely intimate and serious fellowship and uniting of ourselves with Jesus Christ thru His body and blood given for us (and no single English word can do this justice or properly express this depth). These are the facts of the matter that Paul wishes to reestablish very firmly: when we drink of the cup of wine we are actually joining ourselves in and communing with the very blood of Christ, when we eat the bread which we break we are actually joining ourselves in and communing with the very body of Christ.

He continues on to tell us what this ultimately means: “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:17). Thru the Lord’s Supper we are joined and united into the one Church of Jesus Christ, into the Body of Christ. Because we all partake of the actual body and blood of Christ the entirety of the true Church is united, undivided, and whole thru the fellowship and communion of the Lord’s Supper. Despite what may seem a shattered and broken Church, we are promised true unity of the saints in the Supper of our Lord. Jesus Christ Himself told us: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him” (John 6:56). Paul reaffirms this truth to the Corinthians in order to better address the subject of idolatry and eating at the table of demons.

He continues: “Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons” (1 Corinthians 10:18-20). Here Paul returns to the subject of food sacrificed to idols. He is not contradicting what he previously taught (that idols are nothing and therefore their food is nothing but food) but he is instead trying to show us how our idolatry (of any sort!) is participation with demons (which are real!) and therefore a rejection of God. There is a stark difference between simply eating food that was intended for an idol and willingly participating in idol sacrifice and demon worship. It is the latter that Paul is very quick to preach against. In the same way that we are united with Christ in the Lord’s Supper, we are also united with demons when we participate in their ceremonies. Though we are free to eat the meat that has been sacrificed to an idol we must not naively think that we can therefore participate in demon worship of any kind. Paul was concerned that in the name of “Christian freedom” the people of Corinth were in fact still worshipping and giving honor to idols and demons. Dr. Paul Kretzmann wrote about how these words of Paul apply to us: “The words of the apostle find their application today as well as in Corinth at that time. If Christians join in the wild and profligate revelings and debaucheries of the world, particularly such as are arranged in honor of antichristian persons or principles, they are no less guilty than the boastful Corinthians were in their day.” We may say that idols and the antichristian things of this world are nothing, but our actions and support of such things in fact speak louder than all our words. Even though we know that antichristian things are nothing when all is said and done, we still must not give our perceived or real support and honor to them. “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” (1 Corinthians 10:21-22). Here Paul reaffirms the teaching of Christ that we cannot serve two masters, both God and the world. In the same way we cannot have communion, fellowship, and unity with both Christ and demons; it is one or the other. Therefore Paul wants to know the reasoning behind the Corinthians participating in the table of idols. Sure we know that idols are nothing, but why do we go participate if we are not in fact giving tribute and worship to demons? Idolatry (as in giving honor, respect, worship, and love to anything other than God) is never ok.

Paul continues on by coming back to his point from earlier in the letter about Christian freedom: “‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24). Everything for the Christian is free and permissible because thru God’s Word all of His creation is consecrated to us. However Paul is quick to remind us that this does not mean we can worship idols or that we can just live “helter, skelter” and without thought. Even if we know deep in our conscience that our eating meat from sacrifices is harmless to us, then we must still take into consideration our fellow man.

Paul continues by giving us three potential scenarios to learn from: “Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, ‘The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it’” (1 Corinthians 10:25-26). All food sold in the market is clean for us; we should not doubt its cleanliness before God since He is the Creator of all things. Next: “If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience” (1 Corinthians 10:27). If we go to a meal with an unbeliever we should not worry about what we eat, such food is clean for us in the eyes of God. Just because it was prepared by an unbeliever doesn’t make it “unclean” in any way. And finally: “But if anyone says to you, ‘This has been offered in sacrifice,’ then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake—the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?” (1 Corinthians 10:28-30). The exception to this freedom of ours presents itself in this situation. If someone tells us that this food is for an idol and is meant to be participation and communion with that idol or demon then we must refrain. Why? Because we do not want to make the unbeliever think that we can have fellowship with both Christ and the false ways and idols of this world. Even though our conscience wouldn’t be bothered by eating this food (because we know that idols and demons are now powerless over us and are absolutely nothing before the cross of Christ) we must abstain in order to spare the other man from thinking we approve of idolatry and worship of anything other than God. Paul is crystal clear though that we do this only for the other man since as Christians we are freed from such regulations and restraints. No conscience of another man should restrict or govern our private freedom, but for the sake of not causing our fellow man to stumble we must willingly give up these rights whenever necessary.

Paul concludes with his two main principles to take from this; the first is this: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Our entire lives are an act of worship and service to God. He serves and sustains us thru His Word, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, and in turn we go out into the world to do everything (even to the smallest detail) to His glory. Our worship of God is not what we do on Sunday in church (for that is where God works on our behalf and blesses us for the sake of Christ); instead our worship is the Spirit-worked response of every moment of our daily lives. Everything we do, no matter how insignificant it may seem, should be done in response to what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Every part of our life belongs to God, therefore every part of our life is a living sacrifice offered to Him.

The second principle Paul wants us to learn is this: “Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:32-33). All that we do in life should be done in loving consideration of our fellow man; we should always be looking to seek his ultimate good in Jesus Christ, trying to bear witness to the law and gospel of God. Everything that we do in life should be approached as a living witness to the world and therefore we should be very conscience of not causing our fellow man to stumble thru our life and actions. We need to stop living for “me” and start living for Jesus Christ and our neighbor. Therefore let us pray that we keep focused on Jesus Christ at all times as we brush our teeth, eat our dinner, walk the dog, go to work, teach our children, shop for groceries, drive in our cars, do our exercises, take a shower, talk to our neighbor, mow the lawn, clean the house, etc. so that thru our everyday lives we may give glory to God and proclaim His love that has been given to us all in the cross. “I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1).