A Loving Church

Imagine a church that was totally devoid of love . . . the people showed up at the building, assembled in classrooms and in sanctuaries, sang the songs, listened to the speaker, and then went out to eat.  Some people were loving with words of encouragement, big hugs, prayers, pouring cups of coffee, and in times of teaching.  Many were just there to receive . . . to consume.  Imagine everyone engaging their gifting with a love.  Would the church be different?

So often, we tend to isolate 1 Corinthians 13 and never allow it to remain in its original context—the beauty of the church.  We read it at weddings and we pick apart all that love is, or should be, but we never seem to see this virtue left in context.  To see this you need to read 1 Corinthians 12 and let it carry over into chapter 13.

Therefore, after discussing the virtue of the gifting of the Holy Spirit and the “mixing” of those gifts by God in order to create this beautiful convergence of humanity, Paul feels the need to infuse the idea of love.  At no point in 1 Corinthians 12 is the word “love” mentioned, and I would like to think Paul caught himself, and used the following chapter to make sure the church was a place of deep affinity and never became a place that rested its success solely on obligation, responsibility, and duty.

To that end, he begins the 13^th chapter by listing a few of the more prominent gifts distributed by the Godhead: tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, and generosity.  He paints the grandest picture of these gifts . . .

“If I speak with the languages of men and angels . . .”

“If I understand all mysteries and all knowledge . . .”

“If I donate all my goods . . .”

Do you see the greatness of these ideal church members?  They do not just give their tithe, they cover the entire church budget.  They do not just have a good point in Sunday School, they wrote the quarterly.  The do not just have the ability to speak in tongues, they can even communicate in the same way the angels spoke to men.  That is some serious talent!  God must really love them!  They are so valuable, right?

What value does God give to talent?  To knowledge?  To our acts of generosity or sacrifice?  What value do we give to them?  Do you ever wonder what you would have done if you had been Samuel, having been sent to Jesse’s house to anoint the new king?  When the oldest son, Eliab, walked in the room . . . what did Samuel say?  Did God concur?  Just like I would have done, Samuel looked at the outward appearance, but God looked at the heart.

In the same way, God has no regard for talent in the church any more than he did for the appearance of Eliab (one of the mighty warriors hiding from Goliath one chapter later).  For what does God have great regard?

Picture the chaos of the Passover season in Jerusalem.  The wealthy and the talented are lining up to put their money into the offering plate.   It is a spectacle!  Jesus and His disciples are sitting across from the collection plates, and all of a sudden, Jesus huddles up the boys . . . “Did you just see THAT?!”  I imagine they mistakenly thought Jesus was speaking of the bells and whistles of the rich pouring in their overflow, but Jesus never even acknowledged them or their gifts . . . you see, they got their reward in full—the applause of men.  Jesus was referring to a widow who had just dropped in two small coins.

What value does God give to your talents?

In each of the cases Paul presents of abundant gifting, he presents a caveat:  If the gift is not expressed with love (“agape” . . . absolute love) then it is just noise, it is nothing, and God has no regard for it.

So what are the gifts supposed to achieve?  What if love was infused into the expression of every gifting?  What would that look like on Sunday morning, and more importantly on Monday through Saturday?

The last time Paul used the word “love” (“agape”) in his first letter to the church in Corinth was in his discussion of food sacrificed to idols, if you recall, his initial answer to that question was not a cut and dried ethical dictum, in fact, it was a reprimand for the believers who were flexing their spiritual knowledge without regard for the spiritual weakness of the less mature believers.  Recall Paul’s stern words . . .

“Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”

What would it look like?  It would look like person after person being carefully instructed, comforted, and discipled.  It would look like needs being sacrificially met—both physical and spiritual.  It would look like one man nobly coming to the rescue of his brother who was caught up in sin.  It would look like people praying.  It would be a beautiful convergence . . .

So keep your gifting to yourself if you cannot infuse it with love for others.  Be patient as you teach and as you instruct.  Be kind as you serve.  Never envy others’ giftings as you share God’s word.  Do not become boastful as if your faith was your own resolve.  There is no room for conceit in your ability to discern good and evil.  Acting improperly has no place in the administration of the church.  To seek your own agenda does not work well when you are speaking the word of God.  To have the gift of healing and the vice of provocation is ultimately harmful.  Keeping a record of wrongs is not helpful under any condition.  The one who is truly gifted by God will always gravitate to truth and beauty as he teaches, helps, serves, shares, heals, and loves.

And, by the way, all these giftings that the Holy Spirit is imparting to each and everyone in the church, they are all going to pass away.  They are all temporary.  They all serve their purpose, and they are no more, so be careful not to get too impressed with your gift.  Oh, these gifts are crucial now, but “then” is coming.

Prophecy will be meaningless when we can all hear the voice of God.

Languages, or speaking in tongues, will have no value in God’s kingdom.

Knowledge will be mere trivia before the Throne of the Omniscient.

So what will do with these giftings today?  What will you do with them on Sunday as your church gathers?  Imagine the beautiful convergence of a loving church, singularly united in purpose and ambition.  I think this church idea was pretty good.

Why don’t we chase it down?

Why don’t we see it through?

I know it will get sticky.  I know it will cost us.  I know it will lead to entanglements and hassles.  It might even lead to organ donations, but do you really have anything better to do?  Who knows, it might just change the world?  Your failure to love has not done much, has it?

Trust the Spirit’s words written by Paul . . .

“But the greatest of these is love.”

Church . . . The Beautiful Convergence

I get the feeling Paul hated “rows”.  When you think of the early churches—Philippi, Ephesus, Corinth or Thessalonica—do you imagine them sitting in neat rows, dutifully listening to a well-groomed pastor while they sip their coffee from the “Holy Grounds”?  I just cannot buy it.

I think they sat in circles, maybe semi-circles, leaning in and hanging on every word.  I think they asked question of their teachers, and I would love to think that arguments broke out in the middle of the teaching.  I think they listened as long as the teacher had words to speak, and then they ate a great meal, they served the sick and the dying, they visited the prisoners, and they comforted the poor and the needy.  I think it was a beautiful convergence . . . it was the church.

I recently heard a pastor ask his congregation, “Is the church like a hotel or a home?”  His point was to have his congregation seriously consider how they thought about the church.  So consider those options.

What is it like to stay at a hotel?

Someone cleans up after you, you have your meals prepared for you, and you can call on the front desk anytime of night or day and they bring you stuff.  All this can be yours for the swipe of a credit card.  But what about relationships?  Do you ever knock on your neighbor’s door and introduce yourself?  Do you even ask the maid how she is doing?

The idea of church as a hotel is the ideal picture of “consuming” entity.  No commitment, not investment, no hassle, no entanglements.  You get what you need and you leave.

What is it like to stay at home?

There are bills to pay and there are chores to be done.  There are personalities to mix and there are bills to pay.  You have to get up early because the garbage man is coming around the corner, and the dog needs to be walked.  But it is home.  The bed is familiar and you are in a place where you are loved.

The idea of the church as a home is the picture of comfort and responsibilities.  There are commitments to be honored, and investments are made.  There are hassles and entanglements everywhere you look.

So which is the picture Paul would later describe as the “manifold wisdom of God”?  Did Christ die for an entanglement-free fellowship?  Did God ordain an entity free of investment?  Did the Holy Spirit empower the members of the church to sit in neat little rows, staring forward, listening . . . and leaving.

Paul explains to the Corinthians that there is an empowering in the church that they may not even realize.  He declares that gifts are being divided among the church at the will of the Holy Spirit.  He tells the church that their Lord, Jesus of Nazareth who is the Christ, has inspired them to differing pursuits.  He tells them that the God who is active in all things has work for each member to do.  This is the convergence of the beautiful entity known as the church.  Do you see the investment of the full nature of the Trinity?  This is not a side job for the Godhead . . . this is the Bride.

To what end . . .

“A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial.”

Before we get to those manifestations, known to most people as “spiritual gifts”, we need to understand the full meaning on that declaration.  The word “manifestation” is the Greek word “phaneros” and it means “an enlightenment” or “an exposure”.  The Greek also includes the understanding that these manifestations are not given to churches but to the persons in the church—to each person.  The main point, however, is to what end?  Paul uses the word “sumphero” which is almost always used to indicate a communal good, not an individual benefit.

Look at three examples from the Gospels.

As the fervor was growing around the thought that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, the Pharisees knew that the Romans would not tolerate any uprising.  They said to one another, “it is expedient (sumphero) for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”

On another occasion when Jesus was teaching His disciples about the destructive nature of sin, he told them it would be better (sumphero) for them to cut off their hand or gouge out their eye if that would protect their other members.

Finally, as Jesus was speaking during the Last Supper, He told His disciples that it is to their advantage (sumphero) that He was going to leave them so the Holy Spirit could come to them.

On each occasion, the whole is the beneficiary.  In the same way, the Holy Spirit gave the church members various manifestations to produce something that would benefit the whole . . . not the individual.  Is that how our churches work?  Is the gifting of the Spirit a catalyst for each member to engage in the vitality of the church?  Certainly!  Then, why are the vast majority of people attending our gatherings just there to observe?  Why are there so few people utilizing their gift?

What are these gifts?

Paul lists the manifestations of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12, but I am not convinced that these are an exhaustive list—nor is it meant to be.  I believe Paul is giving the church some of the obvious gifts, so they can recognize the reality of the movement of the Spirit.  This list includes wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, and interpreting tongues.  As you can see, each and every gift mentioned is of great use to a church.  The only question is will the church bring its gifting to the community of the church for the benefit of the whole.

I love the way this principle of the Spirit gifting for the benefit of the community is illustrated in an episode involving King Jehoshaphat of Judah.  The king of alarmed at the allied armies of three nations gathering to fight against Judah.  He calls for a sacred assembly and a time of fasting.  He then offers of the best prayers in the whole Bible, concluding with the plea, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”  Into this moment, the Spirit of God speaks to a man named Jahaziel and gives him the battle plan.  Who was Jahaziel?  Nobody!  He was just a guy in the crowd, but he brought his gift to the assembly and the nation was saved.

So why does the church not operate in this beautiful convergence of fellowship, gifting, and worship?

Paul offers up two problems: inferiority and superiority.  In a humorous explanation, Paul describes the parts of the body having conversations with themselves and with the other parts.  As for the inferiority complex of the church, Paul depicts the foot decrying the fact that it is not the hand, and the ear bemoaning the fact that it is not an eye.  Nothing will turn you into a church spectator quicker than thinking that you are not essential to the benefit of the whole.

On the other extreme is the superiority complex often embodied by church leaders.   Once again, Paul uses the cartoon of a conversation between body parts to illustrate his point.  In this case, they eye belittles the hand and the head belittles the feet with these words, “I do not need you!”  Can you imagine Jesus agreeing with that point?  Is that not what most churches tell their members?  They may not say it that bluntly, but when is the last time we engaged, or expected, the totality of the church on a Sunday morning?

I believe it is the inferiority of the members and the superiority of the leaders that has led to abandoning circles and instituting rows in church.  It is crippling to the convergence of gifts and it is a dangerous elevation of fragile men.  It is why people find it easy to move from church to church with little or no ramifications, and it is why certain people in the church get their names on the church sign and get websites dedicated to taking their gift—intended for the benefit of their community of believers—and making it available to people they will never know.  It is why anonymous throngs go to large buildings to watch a man on a video screen.

But . . .

“God has placed the parts . . . just as He wanted.”

“God has put the body together . . . no divisions . . . with the same concern for one another.”

“God has placed these (gifts) in the church.”

Have we missed the design?  Are we building “hotels” when God’s design is for “homes”?  Are people diminished, and counted as attenders, when God’s plan is for them is to bear profound weight in their community?  Are we elevating men to places of stature that God never intended them to hold?  What ever happened to our circles?

So Christ died for the church, God has arranged it as He sees fit, and the Spirit is manifesting itself for the beautiful convergence . . .

What are we doing?

We neglect meeting together in this beautiful convergence of calling and gifting because our kid has a baseball game.  A soccer tournament.  Seriously?  We miss because we stayed out late on Saturday.  Because it is raining.  Because of a little cold.  Are you kidding me?  We critique everything we observed.  We withhold our tithes until we are happy.  We offer nothing more than a few tally marks on a narcissistic attendance report sent to the state convention.

Someone PLEASE tell me this is not the “manifold wisdom of God”!  Tell me there is a design that has been neglected.  Tell me that church is something more than a concert and a speech and beating everyone out of the parking lot.  Someone please tell me that somewhere in God’s creation there is a beautiful convergence of every soul for the glory of God and the benefit of the community . . .

When are we going to value our church as it was designed?

When are we going to cease being spectators and become participants?

When are we going to show up at our gatherings and put our gifts on the table for the benefit of the whole?

What could this church be . . .

Pursue Glory without Presuming Rules

Have you ever considered how your ethic is affecting the world around you?  I am not talking to you “pagan, backsliding hypocrites” . . . I am talking to the pious ones.  I am talking to believers whose ethic is so rigid, and so strict that the world is not sure what to do with you.  Is the world seeing your “good works” and glorifying your Father who is in Heaven?  If they are not, what should you do . . .?

For three chapters, Paul has dragged us all over his mind regarding the issue that was brought to his attention about eating food sacrificed to idols.  He began by criticizing those in the church who ate the food without regard for others’ consciences, and he makes the offer to stop eating meat if that makes it easier for him to share the gospel of Christ.  He extends the offer to become all things to all people if that gave him the opportunity to speak the gospel.  After a brief journey through his concern for being disqualified due to a lack of spiritual discipline, he lands on what may be the answer to the original question . . .

“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.”

So is that the answer?  Does that mean that we literally take food sacrificed to idols off the table?  Is it inherently a sin to consume that food?  The problem is that Paul did not mention food at all . . . he merely mentions “idolatry” (the Greek word which could be literally translated as “seen + serve”) which we all know from the Old Testament is definitely off limits.  What about the food?

I believe Paul makes three arguments in 1 Corinthians 10, but if you are looking for a final verdict, you are going to be disappointed.  If you need to establish “black or white”, you are going to left frustrated . . . maybe that is the beauty of the ethic of the Christian.

Instead for arguing for the evil nature of food sacrificed to idols, Paul speaks of the “blessed” nature of the body and blood of Christ.  Remember, we eat the food sacrificed to our own God.  Lest you think these pagans were crazy (or a little ghoulish) for eating food sacrificed to idols, take a look at this ancient practice.  Certainly we have the recent example of Jesus at the Lord’s Supper offering up His own body to be consumed, but that offering was simply an extension of the Passover sacrifice . . . a sacrifice which was consumed by the Israelites.  In addition, Moses instructed the Israelites in the Law that the “fellowship offering” was to be consumed by the people.  So Paul, instead of denigrating the practice of eating food sacrificed to idols, he illustrated how Jews and Christians employed the practice as an act of worship to the true and living God.

After having established the normative nature of the practice, Paul began to draw lines in the sand.  He speaks of “blessing” (the Greek word “eulogeia” or “to speak a good word”) the “body of Christ” and the “blood of Christ”, but then, by contrast to that act of communion, Paul speaks of the sacrifice to idols as a “sacrifice to demons and not to God.”  Paul does not leave these sacrifices in some “worship neutral” category . . . they are an affront to God, the only true God, and they are a provocation of God’s beautiful jealousy.

So the practice of sacrificing to idols is clearly wrong, but what about the food?

Paul’s second argument is a relatively practical argument.  Just as in his discussion about sexuality, Paul seems to be employing one of the Corinthians’ favorite sayings, “Everything is permissible.”  Paul does not disagree with the freedom expressed in that phrase, but once again, Paul questions the value of the outcome . . .

“Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful.”

In the Greek, the word for “helpful” is the word “sumphero” which literally means “to bring together”.  Throughout the New Testament, this word has a communal effect, as opposed to the help it may give to an individual.  Therefore, the argument of Paul is that eating food sacrificed to idols may not be inherently against the will of God, but its communal effect may move it into the “evil” category.

Am I arguing “situational ethics”?  Absolutely!

Look at the illustrations Paul gives in 1 Corinthians 10:25-30 . . .

First, Paul addresses the proper conduct of a Christian as he goes to buy food from the meat market.  If eating the food sacrificed to idols was inherently evil, what would Paul instruct the Corinthians to do the moment they entered the market?  They would certainly be encouraged to ask for the “idol-free” section of the store.   Instead, what does Paul instruct?  He tells them not to even inquire.  He tells them to buy at will and never even ask about the origin of the meat, or whether it had been part of a sacrifice.

I love his justification for this “ignorance is bliss” approach . . . because “the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it.”  Translation: meat is good!  Enjoy it!

Consider how the market worker would react to the “20 Questions” approach of the pious Christian . . .

Second, Paul describes a scene that I think could easily play out today if the church would get out of its “holy huddle”.  The scene involves a believer has been invited to have dinner at the house of a non-believer.  The believer walks in to find an amazing spread of food and wine just waiting to be consumed.  Again, if food sacrificed to idols is inherently evil, what is the first thing a Christian should ask?  But, instead of interrogating your gracious host, Paul tells the Corinthians to enjoy themselves!  Again, ignorance is bliss and BBQ is good!

What would you do if your neighbors invited you over and, without even a thought as to any qualms you may have about drinking wine, they pour you a glass of their best bottle of Merlot . . . what do you do?  What is going to glorify your Father most in that moment?  A pious denial or a gracious acceptance?

The third illustration puts some boundaries on the ethic, so we need to pay close attention to Paul’s words.  The scenario seems to be the same as the as the second illustration, a believer has been invited to dinner, however, the host in this scenario seems to have some sense of ethic regarding the meat he is serving when he says, “This food is offered to an idol.”  Why would the host say this?  Is the host just passing on information . . . a bit of trivia?  It seems clear that there are some sensitivities in the mind of the host, and that the host may be being sensitive to an implied ethic in the life of the believer.  In this case, the meal is off limits for the believer.

What changed in these situations?  The items did not change, the situation did!  The situation called for a different response from the believer.

This is my best argument for why believers must be culturally aware of their ethic.  In the south, it is widely assumed that Christians do not drink alcohol.  So what happens if your neighbor sees you throwing them back at the bar on Saturday night?  Your witness is compromised!  Change that situation to the northwest or to Europe, does the dynamic change?  Certainly it does!

Another issue that has become a bit more popular over the last few years is the practice of yoga.  What is the Christian to do?  If your instructor is telling you to assume poses in worship to this god or that god, I think you need to find another class . . . especially if there are people in that class that know you are a believer.  However, if the instructor is merely telling you to stretches this way or that way, I do not see the harm, assuming the conscience of a person in the class or a person hearing about your new exercise routine would not be confused by your ethic.

Paul’s final argument is one that most of you have heard before, but have never properly understood the context of the phrase . . .

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.”

I love the “wriggle room” in that verse.  The language is so loose that we can, in ignorance, eat good food without having to be the moral police.   And, at the same time, it is instructing us to be faithful to the pursuit of the glory of God and the pursuit of our neighbor’s conscience.  It is an ethic that is born out of worship, not out of duty.  It is the ethic of the Prodigal who has returned to live out his life honoring his Father’s redemption, not his Father’s rules.

What determines your ethic?  You MUST answer that question!  What effect does the Cross of Christ have on your daily pursuits?  What role does the profound nature of the love of God as demonstrated at Calvary have on your ethic?  If you do not have a clear answer, or if that dynamic has never factored into your decisions, then we have a serious problem.  We are becoming people with a baseless ethic . . . a purposeless moral code . . . and we are to be mocked or pitied because we have become slaves to a religion when we are supposed to be freed men in pursuit of God’s glory.

So answer the question . . . Why should I pursue God’s glory in whatever I do?

When you get to the Cross . . .

Pursue God’s glory in all things without presuming His rules.

The Disqualified Evangelist

How does it happen?  And why does it seem to happen so often?  A successful evangelist or pastor, one who knows better, one who should be steeped in the knowledge of right and wrong, fails miserably.  There are too many names to list.  The question is how does it happen.

In Paul’s first letter to the believers in Corinth, he tell them,

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, so that you are able to bear it.”

But what is the context of this powerful verse?

Paul is addressing the issue of eating food sacrificed to idols, but his critique is aimed at the mature believers who are leaving the less mature believers behind, compelling Paul to write, “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”  Instead of living according to the speed of one’s own conscience, Paul defers to the maturity of those around him, often, the person whose conscience is the most sensitive to sin.  To this end, Paul wrote, “I become all things to all people so that I may by all means save some, “ which points back to Paul’s concession that he would gladly become a vegetarian if eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols could cause one with a weaker conscience to stumble.

Three times in this section of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Paul mentions his ultimate motive: to speak the gospel for the salvation of others.  He refuses his apostolic privileges “so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ”.  He speaks of his ultimate reward in this life as being “to preach the gospel and offer it free of charge”.  Finally, he claims as his life’s ambition to make himself a “slave of all in order to gain more people”.

What a powerful ambition!  It shaped his life, his thoughts, his daily activities, and his interaction with everyone he encountered . . . until it got him killed!

Following these declarations all within the context of whether the people should engage in eating food that had been sacrificed to idols, it seems that Paul transitions from the things in front of his gaze, and he takes a quick look in the rear view mirror.  He turns from his pursuits to the things that are pursuing him . . .

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul introduces some sports metaphors into the text of his letter.  The Corinthians were no strangers to athletic competition.  On the years before and after the Olypiad, the city of Corinth hosted the Isthmian Games, also known as the Corinthian Games.  It was a lesser-known competition, but it hosted many of the same events: running, boxing, and an all-out, no rules wrestling competition.  So when Paul speaks of doing the work of an evangelist in the same way a runner would run his race, the Corinthians got it.  When he spoke of a perishable crown, the Corinthians could picture the pine wreath given to the victors, and they could imagine how the beautiful green wreath quickly turned brown.

So Paul tells his friends that his intent is to run with a destination in mind, to run with purpose, to run to win.  He also speaks of being like a boxer, whose aim is sure and who is purposeful in his effort.  Evangelism was not something he happened to do when the moment presented itself.  For Paul, it was the thing he aspired to do.

So what could derail that kind of ambition?

Paul knew himself.  Paul knew what his carnal flesh, his “wretched” body, craved.  Paul knew that no man could stand up to the wisdom imparted to him through the testimony of the Holy Spirit, but he knew that one unkind word could thwart every Spirit-breathed doctrine.  He knew that one moment of sexual weakness could disqualify him from being an effective witness for His Savior.  He knew that one careless meal could jeopardize his standing with those clawing their way out of a pagan lifestyle.  So what does Paul do?

“Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

The Greek in this phrase illuminates the text much more than the weak English translation, so look at the words carefully.  Paul starts by telling the Corinthians that he “disciplines his body”.  The Greek phrase is “hupopiazo soma” which is literally translated “under the eye” and “body”.  Paul is using a euphemism for the brutal fact that he gives himself a “black eye” in an effort to restrain his physiological body—sexuality, appetite, speech, etc.  When immoral sexuality raises its evil head, Paul punches it right in the eye!  When gluttony comes calling, BAM!  Right in the stomach!  The phrase is brutal, but that should tell you the intensity of Paul’s ambitions—like that of a dedicated athlete.

The second action of this verse is Paul’s aspiration to bring his body under strict control.  The Greek is “doulagogeo” which means “to enslave”.  Paul’s aspirations are to punch his carnal flesh right in the eye and to wrap it in chains so as to enable him to speak the gospel to a lost and dying world without fear of moral failure . . . a failure that would lead to a disqualification.

Does that sound like “sin management”?

Is that a 12-step program to understand why you eat too much?

No!  Paul is not interested in controlling his flesh.  If possible, Paul would have ripped it out.  But while our carnal flesh, our sin-craving bodies, can lead us into the most tragic failures, it can also be used to convey profound moments of worship.  You see, you choose whether to punch it in the eye.   You choose whether to make it your slave.  You are not victims of an uncontrollable force, you are the victim of uninspired duty . . . the failure of your flesh is the failure of your spirit’s desire to worship its Savior.

After a series of examples from the time of Israel’s wandering of their spirit’s failures, Paul encourages the Corinthians with our initial passage . . .

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, so that you are able to bear it.”

So, as Paul looks in his rear view mirror to defend himself from the schemes of the Devil, he finds a God who has seen it all before.  Paul finds a God whose faithful nature should give profound comfort to the weary soldier in the battle with the flesh.  And then he finds it . . . the way of escape!

What do you do when your faithful God gives you an escape from the destructive desire of your self-centered body?  Is this a moment to test your resolve?  Is this a moment to fully understand why you are so drawn to this disobedience?  Is this a moment to pray for endurance?  NO!  It is time to punch that desire in the eye (if you have time) and FLEE!  RUN!  TAKE OFF!  ADIOS!  GOTTA GO!

What does that involve?  I would argue that about 90% of fleeing requires two things . . . a right foot and a left foot.  Making use of those appendages is your most effective means of remaining viable in the fight.  Also, cleverly design by the omnipotent, omniscient hand of God, the human hand has two powerful weapons to facilitate a virtual fleeing from sin . . . a thumb to change channels and an index finger to click a mouse.  Another clever design of God that can silence the foolishness of our words and block the gluttony of our appetite are two flaps of flesh just below our nose . . . the lips were created in such a way as to prevent words from escaping and prevent food from entering.

While these examples seem humorous, I could not be most serious.  Consider the irreparable harm Joseph would have inflicted if he had not fled from the temptation of Potiphar’s wife.  Your very capacity to effectively speak the name of Christ rests in your ability, and your underlying desire, to escape the schemes of the Enemy.

Honor the faithful God who has restrained the temptation to what you can bear and escape!  Do not use the moment to flirt with catastrophe.  I believe this is why so many religious leaders are destroyed . . . they think God’s faithfulness is providing them a safe place IN the presence of sin, and not a safe way OUT of sin.

See the greatness of your faithful God in that verse of Scripture.

Finish the race well!

Fight for your imperishable crown!

Then some day, lay that crown at the feet of your Crucified Savior . . . that is a worthy ambition!

The Disqualified Evangelist

How does it happen? And why does it seem to happen so often? A successful evangelist or pastor, one who knows better, one who should be steeped in the knowledge of right and wrong, fails miserably. There are too many names to list. The question is how does it happen.

In Paul’s first letter to the believers in Corinth, he tell them,

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, so that you are able to bear it.”

But what is the context of this powerful verse?

Paul is addressing the issue of eating food sacrificed to idols, but his critique is aimed at the mature believers who are leaving the less mature believers behind, compelling Paul to write, “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” Instead of living according to the speed of one’s own conscience, Paul defers to the maturity of those around him, often, the person whose conscience is the most sensitive to sin. To this end, Paul wrote, “I become all things to all people so that I may by all means save some, “ which points back to Paul’s concession that he would gladly become a vegetarian if eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols could cause one with a weaker conscience to stumble.

Three times in this section of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Paul mentions his ultimate motive: to speak the gospel for the salvation of others. He refuses his apostolic privileges “so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ”. He speaks of his ultimate reward in this life as being “to preach the gospel and offer it free of charge”. Finally, he claims as his life’s ambition to make himself a “slave of all in order to gain more people”.

What a powerful ambition! It shaped his life, his thoughts, his daily activities, and his interaction with everyone he encountered . . . until it got him killed!

Following these declarations all within the context of whether the people should engage in eating food that had been sacrificed to idols, it seems that Paul transitions from the things in front of his gaze, and he takes a quick look in the rear view mirror. He turns from his pursuits to the things that are pursuing him . . .

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul introduces some sports metaphors into the text of his letter. The Corinthians were no strangers to athletic competition. On the years before and after the Olypiad, the city of Corinth hosted the Isthmian Games, also known as the Corinthian Games. It was a lesser-known competition, but it hosted many of the same events: running, boxing, and an all-out, no rules wrestling competition. So when Paul speaks of doing the work of an evangelist in the same way a runner would run his race, the Corinthians got it. When he spoke of a perishable crown, the Corinthians could picture the pine wreath given to the victors, and they could imagine how the beautiful green wreath quickly turned brown.

So Paul tells his friends that his intent is to run with a destination in mind, to run with purpose, to run to win. He also speaks of being like a boxer, whose aim is sure and who is purposeful in his effort. Evangelism was not something he happened to do when the moment presented itself. For Paul, it was the thing he aspired to do.

So what could derail that kind of ambition?

Paul knew himself. Paul knew what his carnal flesh, his “wretched” body, craved. Paul knew that no man could stand up to the wisdom imparted to him through the testimony of the Holy Spirit, but he knew that one unkind word could thwart every Spirit-breathed doctrine. He knew that one moment of sexual weakness could disqualify him from being an effective witness for His Savior. He knew that one careless meal could jeopardize his standing with those clawing their way out of a pagan lifestyle. So what does Paul do?

“Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

The Greek in this phrase illuminates the text much more than the weak English translation, so look at the words carefully. Paul starts by telling the Corinthians that he “disciplines his body”. The Greek phrase is “hupopiazo soma” which is literally translated “under the eye” and “body”. Paul is using a euphemism for the brutal fact that he gives himself a “black eye” in an effort to restrain his physiological body—sexuality, appetite, speech, etc. When immoral sexuality raises its evil head, Paul punches it right in the eye! When gluttony comes calling, BAM! Right in the stomach! The phrase is brutal, but that should tell you the intensity of Paul’s ambitions—like that of a dedicated athlete.

The second action of this verse is Paul’s aspiration to bring his body under strict control. The Greek is “doulagogeo” which means “to enslave”. Paul’s aspirations are to punch his carnal flesh right in the eye and to wrap it in chains so as to enable him to speak the gospel to a lost and dying world without fear of moral failure . . . a failure that would lead to a disqualification.

Does that sound like “sin management”?

Is that a 12-step program to understand why you eat too much?

No! Paul is not interested in controlling his flesh. If possible, Paul would have ripped it out. But while our carnal flesh, our sin-craving bodies, can lead us into the most tragic failures, it can also be used to convey profound moments of worship. You see, you choose whether to punch it in the eye. You choose whether to make it your slave. You are not victims of an uncontrollable force, you are the victim of uninspired duty . . . the failure of your flesh is the failure of your spirit’s desire to worship its Savior.

After a series of examples from the time of Israel’s wandering of their spirit’s failures, Paul encourages the Corinthians with our initial passage . . .

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape, so that you are able to bear it.”

So, as Paul looks in his rear view mirror to defend himself from the schemes of the Devil, he finds a God who has seen it all before. Paul finds a God whose faithful nature should give profound comfort to the weary soldier in the battle with the flesh. And then he finds it . . . the way of escape!

What do you do when your faithful God gives you an escape from the destructive desire of your self-centered body? Is this a moment to test your resolve? Is this a moment to fully understand why you are so drawn to this disobedience? Is this a moment to pray for endurance? NO! It is time to punch that desire in the eye (if you have time) and FLEE! RUN! TAKE OFF! ADIOS! GOTTA GO!

What does that involve? I would argue that about 90% of fleeing requires two things . . . a right foot and a left foot. Making use of those appendages is your most effective means of remaining viable in the fight. Also, cleverly design by the omnipotent, omniscient hand of God, the human hand has two powerful weapons to facilitate a virtual fleeing from sin . . . a thumb to change channels and an index finger to click a mouse. Another clever design of God that can silence the foolishness of our words and block the gluttony of our appetite are two flaps of flesh just below our nose . . . the lips were created in such a way as to prevent words from escaping and prevent food from entering.

While these examples seem humorous, I could not be most serious. Consider the irreparable harm Joseph would have inflicted if he had not fled from the temptation of Potiphar’s wife. Your very capacity to effectively speak the name of Christ rests in your ability, and your underlying desire, to escape the schemes of the Enemy.

Honor the faithful God who has restrained the temptation to what you can bear and escape! Do not use the moment to flirt with catastrophe. I believe this is why so many religious leaders are destroyed . . . they think God’s faithfulness is providing them a safe place IN the presence of sin, and not a safe way OUT of sin.

See the greatness of your faithful God in that verse of Scripture.

Finish the race well!

Fight for your imperishable crown!

Then some day, lay that crown at the feet of your Crucified Savior . . . that is a worthy ambition!