Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Corinthians 9-13.

In today’s passage Paul encourages us to generously aid those in need.  He tells us that if we sow generously, we will reap generously.  If we pay close attention to all of what Paul writes we will realize that Paul is not telling us that generously giving to those in need will result in us becoming wealthy.  However, if we give generously in our time and resources we will be generously blessed.  That blessing may be in wealth, but it may just as easily be in things which cannot be measured.  However, we should not overlook that Paul says that if we are generous with our resources, God will bless us so that we can be even more generous.  Of course, the passage also speaks of being not just generous in supplying the needs of God’s people but also in thanksgiving to God.

Paul goes on to speak about his planned visit to Corinth.  Some of the people in the Corinthian Church dismissed Paul as someone that they need not fear.  Paul warns them that while he prefers to approach them with gentleness and humility, he will speak as necessary to bring them into alignment with God’s will.  In particular, Paul warns the Corinthian believers not to allow appearances to blind them to the obvious.  He tells them that while he is an untrained speaker, he has received knowledge from God.  Those other teachers who suggest that Paul can be disregarded have (or perhaps whose teaching others are relying on to say that Paul can be disregarded) have become enamored of ideas which are contrary to the Gospel.  Paul does not debate, argue, or fight as the world does.  And we should imitate Paul in fighting with divine power rather than with the weapons of this world.  Paul made his every thought captive to, and obedient to, Jesus.  We should strive to do likewise.  Examine our minds for any thought which does not serve Christ, for any argument or pretension which interferes with our knowledge and service to Him.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I have created a Patreon page for those who would like to support me in writing these blog posts every day: https://patreon.com/AttilaSoldus

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Corinthians 5-8.

Paul begins today’s passage by comparing our physical bodies to a tent, while comparing the bodies we will receive after our resurrection to houses.  Paul seems to use that metaphor for two reasons.  The first is that tents are places of temporary residence while houses are permanent.  Second, tents provide only partial shelter from the elements while houses provide more complete shelter.  As a result of viewing things in this manner, Paul longed for the day when he would be united with Christ in the resurrection.  Nevertheless, he sought to serve Christ for as long as God chose to keep him in this life.

As a result of this understanding, Paul sought to persuade others of the gospel, as should we.  God has made us new creations in Christ, reconciled to God for eternity.  Since we have been reconciled to God, we have been given a ministry of reconciliation.  That ministry of reconciliation contains two parts.  First, we introduce others to the reconciliation with God which He offers through Christ.  Of highest importance we should strive to show others that God has reconciled them to Himself and that they need to merely accept that reconciliation.  Second, now that we have been reconciled with God we need to reconcile with our fellow man, and reconcile our fellow man with each other.  As followers of Christ we need to seek to persuade others to be reconciled with God and with each other.  Of course, part of that persuasion is persuading them, and ourselves, that they can only be truly reconciled with their fellow man by being reconciled with God through Jesus Christ.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I have created a Patreon page for those who would like to support me in writing these blog posts every day: https://patreon.com/AttilaSoldus

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Corinthians 1-4.

Today, I am going to hit on a few things which Paul wrote in the passage.  Paul begins by mentioning the troubles and pressures he experienced stating that he has set his hope on God for delivery.  Then mentions that the readers’ prayers played an important role in God delivering him.  This passing mention of prayer reminds us of the importance of prayer.  I know that I need to improve my prayer life.

A little later in today’s passage Paul writes, “we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand.”  This is an important thought to keep in mind while reading all of Paul’s writing.  Paul does not write for someone with a Doctorate in Theology, or some other advanced degree.  He writes for people at all levels of understanding.  In fact, this particular quote applies to all of Scripture.  Anyone who wishes to understand what Scripture says can do so.  Closely related to this is another quote I pulled out of todays passage, “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.”  Our ability to understand Scripture comes not from within ourselves, not from our abilities.  Rather our competence in understanding Scripture comes from God.  If we genuinely seek God, He will use Scripture to guide us, and will guide us in understanding the Scripture.  

The final quote and segment I want to pull out of today’s passage is where Paul quotes Psalm 116:10 from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament used by Jews in the first century). He writes the following, “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Paul explains that if we truly put our faith in Christ and believe in His resurrection we will be compelled to speak of that faith, sharing the gospel with those with whom we interact.  

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I have created a Patreon page for those who would like to support me in writing these blog posts every day: https://patreon.com/AttilaSoldus

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Corinthians 15-16.

Once again there is a lot I could write about in today’s passage, but I am going to focus on the topic with which Paul begins the passage.  Paul writes that if we hold firmly to the gospel he preached we will be saved.  He then sums up that gospel.  In some ways I feel like I am covering something here which does not need to be covered, but I have become convinced that the Church often fails because we assume people know the most basic things, which is why I am focusing here today.  Paul gives a quick basic summary of the Gospel of Jesus: Jesus died for our sins, He was buried, and on the third day He rose from the dead.  Along with that summary Paul provides some supporting evidence.  He tells us that Scripture tells us that the Messiah, the anointed one of God, must die for our sins (elsewhere in the New Testament, including in other parts of Paul’s letters, this evidence is spelled out).  Paul then writes about those who witnessed the resurrection of Jesus.  He points out that most of those witnesses were still alive at the time of his writing.

Paul goes on to explain the implications of the gospel which he preached.  If Christ has been raised from the dead, then it is reasonable to believe that those who put their faith in Him will be raised as well.  On the other hand, if there is no resurrection from the dead, then Christ was not raised from the dead.  And, if Christ was not raised from the dead, then Paul, and all of those who preached the gospel, was a liar and nothing he taught was of any value.  In fact, if Christ was not raised from the dead our faith and practice is completely worthless.  Paul writes that if there is no resurrection from the dead we should indulge our physical desires because the pleasures of this life are all that there is.  However, if Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, then we should stop sinning and live a life dedicated to Him so that we may also be raised from the dead.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I have created a Patreon page for those who would like to support me in writing these blog posts every day: https://patreon.com/AttilaSoldus

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Corinthians 12-14.

In today’s passage Paul speaks of Gifts of the Spirit and our worship services.  He begins by pointing out that no one will be inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak against Jesus.  On the other hand, anyone who is inspired by a spirit to say that Jesus is Lord the spirit they are inspired by is the Holy Spirit.  Knowing this goes a long way towards identifying if the spirit which is bringing us revelation comes from God or the Adversary.  Then Paul begins writing about spiritual gifts by talking about three things.  I believe he does so because the things which the Holy Spirit brings us fall into different categories depending on the context.  Here Paul writes that there are different kinds of gifts, and different kinds of service, and different kinds of working, but all of them come from God.  The gifts are all distributed by the same Holy Spirit, the different kinds of service are all in service to the same Lord, and the different kinds of working are the work of the same God.  I could make this whole study about the implications of what Paul is writing there, but there are other points which I would rather write about today.

Paul then uses a metaphor to help us understand how these gifts work in the Church.  He writes that just as the different parts of the body have different functions, so to do the different members of the Church have different gifts from the Holy Spirit.  And the Church, which is the Body of Christ, needs each of those gifts as much as our own bodies need the different parts.  Just as the eye needs the hand to be part of the body, so to do those who have the more “glorious” gifts need the parts which seem less glorious.  The man with the gift to move hearts with his oratory and speech needs the usher and the janitor.  I love the way in which Paul, on one hand, calls on those who might see the gifts they have been given as making them more important to the Church than others as no better than anyone else. And, on the other hand, tells those who might think that their gift makes them unimportant that they are just as crucial to the Church as anyone else.  Paul points out that our bodies need both eyes and ears, and hands and feet.  He even points out that we take special care of the parts of the body which do things we do not talk about in polite society.  In the same way, we in the Church need to make sure we take special care of the members whose gifts lead them to the jobs we kind of wish weren’t necessary (like janitor).

I’ve already gone longer than I prefer, but I cannot conclude without mentioning how love interacts with the other gifts of the Spirit.  First, we often associate the thirteenth chapter with marriage (something I think would surprise Paul), but here Paul points out that love is a gift of the Spirit.  In fact, he tells us that it is the most important gift of the Spirit, one of the three most important gifts which the Spirit gives to each of us (or does if we are willing to accept them).  Those three gifts are faith, hope, and love.  They are more important than any other gifts of the Spirit.  Without them, especially without love, the other gifts of the Spirit have no value whatsoever.  In fact, no skill or ability we possess has any value if we do not exercise it with the love which comes from God.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I have created a Patreon page for those who would like to support me in writing these blog posts every day: https://patreon.com/AttilaSoldus

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Corinthians 5-8.

Today’s passage begins with Paul addressing an issue in the Corinthian Church which someone had brought to his attention.  From that he goes on to two topics which I am going to write about today.  In addressing the issue, he reminds the Corinthians that he had previously written to them that they should not associate with sexually immoral people.  He clarifies that by telling them that he was not referring to unbelievers when he wrote that, but to those who claim to be Believers.  He expands the list of behaviors which are unacceptable among Believers: sexually immoral, greedy, an idolater, slanderer, a drunkard, or a swindler.  Paul added those other things to what he was writing because as humans we often focus on sexual immorality as wrong while looking the other way to those other things (I will note that our society often focuses on some of those other things and looks the other way to sexual immorality).

Paul then concludes addressing that issue by saying that it is not our business to judge those outside of the Church, but that we are called to judge those inside it.  Which brings him to the next topic.  If we have a legal dispute with another Believer, we should not take it to the courts.  Rather, we should take it to someone in the Church.  In fact, he tells us that it would be better to allow ourselves to be wronged rather than take a dispute to the government courts to be heard by unbelievers, to be judged by standards which are not God’s.  So, if you have a contract with a fellow Believer and you believe that they have violated that contract, you should ask someone in the Church to judge between the two of you.  If they will not accept that mediation, let the matter drop and take the loss.  Paul accuses those who sue their fellow Believers of cheating and doing wrong.  I see all too many cases today of people who call themselves Christian taking their fellow Christian to court.

Once Paul has finished that he turns to another topic which grows out of that issue which he addressed at the beginning of today’s passage: sexual immorality.  Although, I think that his main point about sexual immorality can be applied to other issues as well.  He responds to those who claim that they are free to do anything, by acknowledging that they are correct.  In Christ we are indeed free to do anything.  However, not everything is beneficial and we should not do things which are not beneficial.  This is a rule which applies to many behaviors.  Paul goes on to point out that not only is sexual immorality nor beneficial, but that it actually harms our relationship with God.  As he writes about that he gives us a lesson which helps us understand why sexual immorality is wrong.  Paul points out that when we have sexual relations with someone it unites us to that person in some way.  I once heard this explained as, if we have sex with someone and then move on we are tearing off a piece of ourselves and leaving it behind (and conversely, tearing off a piece of them and taking it with us).  Each time we do this with another person we diminish ourselves.  Paul even explains why we tend to put higher emphasis on sexual sins than on sins such as greed.  Sexual immorality involves all aspects of ourselves.  It involves our bodies, our souls, and our spirits.

There is much more I am tempted to write on this, but that is enough for today.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I have created a Patreon page for those who would like to support me in writing these blog posts every day: https://patreon.com/AttilaSoldus

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Corinthians 1-4.

As I read this passage the first thing I wanted to write about was when Paul wrote that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who do not put their faith in Christ.  That is what I want to primarily focus on.  However, as I read in depth to get my thoughts together I noticed that Paul introduces that by writing: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  The thing which I noticed was the word “For”.  That means that what he is about to write provides an explanation for what he just finished writing.  Paul had just finished writing that Christians should not allow themselves be divided because of their understandings of the teachings of different leaders, he even includes those who claim to follow Jesus directly but then divide themselves who follow Jesus according to the teachings of various other leaders of the Church.  So, why should we not allow our understandings of the teachings of particular leaders divide us from other Believers?  Because the Gospel message, the Good News of Jesus, is foolishness, and attempting to separate ourselves out from others by certain teachings is an attempt to appeal to human wisdom.  Some want miraculous signs and others want wise arguments.  Both find the idea that God’s power is displayed in Jesus’ death on the cross to be foolishness.  Nevertheless, God’s power is truly displayed in that event.  God does indeed give us wisdom, but it is not wisdom which is understood by those of this world.  God uses our weakness, and our foolishness (as understood by those of this world), to display His power and His wisdom.  Only by listening to God’s Spirit can we begin to understand God’s wisdom.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I have created a Patreon page for those who would like to support me in writing these blog posts every day: https://patreon.com/AttilaSoldus

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Corinthians 9-13.

Paul warns the Corinthian Church that he will be prepared to confront those who continue to live as the people of this world live.  It appears that he had received word that some among the Corinthian fellowship were dismissing his advice on how we should live, basing their position on the idea that Paul was timid and that other more eloquent and impressive “apostles” had taught things which contradicted what Paul had taught.  Paul begins his argument against such people by arguing that we need to make every thought and argument obedient to Christ.  Further, we must demolish every argument or pretension which sets itself up against the knowledge of God.  Then in verse seven of chapter ten as Paul begins to make his argument as to why they should listen to him rather than these supposedly superior “apostles, the translators choose to translate it as, “You are judging by appearances.”, but they mention in the translators’ notes that it could also be translated as, “Look at the obvious facts.”  He then begins to lay out his credentials, but he clearly hesitates to appear to be boasting.  He makes it clear that he does not want to boast, but also that they need to be reminded that his credentials are in no way inferior to those who some of them were citing as authorities against him.  In the process of making his argument Paul paraphrases Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”  The actual passage reads:

This is what the Lord says:

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Corinthians 5-8.

There are a lot of things I thought about writing on from today’s passage, but  I felt like the thing I should write about is what Paul wrote in chapter six verse fourteen: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?”  Often I have heard this quoted in order to support the idea that a believer should not marry someone who has not given themselves to the Lord.  While that is a true sentiment, it is really only a small subset of what Paul is talking about.  A little further on in this passage, Paul quotes from the Old Testament where a prophet wrote that God’s people should come out from among unbelievers and separate themselves from them.  When Paul quotes that he is not saying that we should try to stay away from unbelievers. if we do that, how could we preach the Gospel to them?  The point here is that we should not enter into alliances with unbelievers in our efforts to do God’s will in this world.  If you are starting a business, do not enter into a partnership with unbelievers to do so.   I struggle with explaining this, because every time I think I have the words to say what I understand Paul to mean here, I come up with an example where the words exclude something which Christians are called to do.  The best I can do is offer some examples.  Some years back, some young women who were very committed to serving the Lord became active in an organization seeking to combat pornography, both because of the way in which it victimized its subjects and because of the way it destroyed those who viewed it.  The organization worked against pornography to bring glory to God.  At one point, they were approached by a secular feminist organization which wanted to partner with their organization to fight pornography.  The young women brought this partnership up to a Bible Study group which I was part of as well as praise for the hand of God working.  Having just read this passage a few days earlier I was struck by this being them yoking their organization with unbelievers and warned them to be careful about such a partnership.  They dismissed my concerns because the partnership was focused exclusively on fighting pornography.  A few years later, the once Christian women’s organization which had been formed to combat pornography was promoting abortion (the young women I had known were strenuously pro-life).  This is not an example of my wisdom, or anything of the sort.  It merely shows that the Spirit had provided a warning against what the Enemy would try to do.  When I started writing that I intended to follow it up with a second example, but it has slipped my mind, and this entry has gotten long enough.  The important point to remember is that, even when a secular group shares our concerns on a particular issue, they have a different agenda than that of those who follow Christ and may choose to morph the goals of our mutual organization into things which are contrary to the Gospel of Christ.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Corinthians 1-4.

In today’s passage, Paul writes about how the glory of God in the old covenant was such that Moses needed to place a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from being overwhelmed by the glory which shown out from his face.  He makes this point after writing that the glory of the Gospel is much greater than that of the old covenant.  Yet, he also tells us that when we turn to Jesus, the veil which hides God’s glory from us is taken away.  Therefore since we can look directly into the glory of God, we should not use deception or distortion in our effort to bring people to God.  Instead, we should set forth what we believe, and know to be true, plainly and clearly so that others can see the glory of God and be transformed by it, even as we are being transformed by it.  If we remain faithful and true to the message which God has given us, His light will shine through us so that even those who choose to veil themselves from His glory will see it shining out from us.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.