HOW TO DEAL WITH DISPUTES AMONG BRETHREN?

HOW TO DEAL WITH DISPUTES AMONG BRETHREN?

1 Corinthians 6

Here is a very helpful and mind-awakening truth. Many instances in our church record disputes among fellow believers, and this is a sad thing. And the sadder part also is that sometimes, they would let the fire grow and reach outside so the unbelievers would always see it. What shall we do with this?

Paul discusses among the people in Corinth how they would deal in such a situation when there is a dispute among them (among the believers). He stated it clearly to settle within the church (v1, 5) and even told that the concern that ‘there is a dispute among believers’ is a shameful thing. It is not expected of us to have disputes inside the church. But if one arises, settle it at one among yourselves.

1 If any of you have a dispute with another Christian, how dare you go before heathen judges instead of letting God’s people settle the matter?

5 Shame on you! Surely there is at least one wise person in your fellowship who can settle a dispute between fellow Christians.

7 The very fact that you have legal disputes among yourselves shows that you have failed completely…

Do not let it go out and be seen and heard by unbelievers because it may cause them to stumble and of course, because we are already put right with God. We are expected to live in harmony with one another just as we are now living in harmony with the Father by Christ and by the Holy Spirit (v11).

⁹ Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts¹⁰ or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves—none of these will possess God’s Kingdom.¹¹ Some of you were like that. But you have been purified from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Sexually immoral people are reiterated here as those who are not to inherit the kingdom of God. (v 9-10)

In connection to this, Paul further explained in vs 12-20 how we should live our lives instead. He explained this by reminding us that we are one body in Christ. We are one with God and these bodies should not be lived to serve sexual immorality but to serve God. (v13)

¹³ Someone else will say, 
         Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food. Yes; but God will put an end to both. The body is not to be used for sexual immorality, but to serve the Lord; and the Lord provides for the body.

It is impossible to associate with darkness now that we are in light. He ended the chapter by saying (v19-20)

¹⁸ Avoid immorality. Any other sin a man commits does not affect his body; but the man who is guilty of sexual immorality sins against his own body.¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and who was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourselves but to God;²⁰ he bought you for a price. So use your bodies for God’s glory.

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What does it tell about God?

1.  God and His Kingdom (v10)

2.  God’s work of salvation and sanctification Jesus Christ and by the Spirit

3.  the Lord is our master whom we are offering our lives, our bodies (v13)

4.  the Lord provides for the body (v13)

5.  God raised Lord Jesus from the dead (v14)

6.  The Lord gave us the Holy Spirit (v19)

What does it tell about me?

1.  I WAS sinful and immoral also at one time (v11)

2.  I am purified by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit (v11)

3.  I am a temple of the Holy Spirit given to me by God (v19)

PRAYER

*be always reminded that we are not the masters of our lives, it is GOD

*Thank God for the new life, for purifying us from our sinful nature and for JEsus Christ who died on the cross

*Enable us to live as temple of the Holy Spirit and be offered holy and pure

XTREMELY LOADED MEAL (1 Cor. 3)

My 1 Corinthians journey continues.  I had a great time communicating with the Father earlier.  His words in 1 Corinthians 3 are quite heavier and more thought provoking.  It addresses a more specific listeners and doers of the Word.  But generally, in this passage, God wants to tell me to be more cautious ‘builder’ of the church; that as a builder, a fellow worker with God, I must be very concerned on the QUALITY of the materials I am using in building on the foundation (a sure foundation, which is Christ Jesus).  The 1 Corinthians 3 meal serves:

1.  Appetizer - Matter of Self-Evaluation (vss 1-4)

Paul gave some clues to define ‘infants in Christ’ - still worldly/fleshy; has a heart of jealousy and would quarrel; still has mentality of division in church (followers of different people)

2.  Side Dish - We are fellow workers with God (v.9)

God laid the foundation/cornerstone (sure foundation) of the church, which is JESUS CHRIST.  We, the builders of the church, may plant, or water, but it is only God who makes it grow.  We should be one in this purpose, and in the end, we’ll reap the reward according to our labor.

3.  Main Course - We must be very careful in building up on the foundation (JESUS CHRIST)

Since Jesus Christ is the sure foundation of the church, the builders should build up on it with materials that will reflect its foundation, meaning we should be very concern with the QUALITY of the ‘materials’ we are using in building up. They should be ‘fireproof’ because in the end, every man’s work will be revealed through fire test.  God will see whose work will survive.

4.  Refreshment - We are God’s temple (vss 16-17)

In each one of us, God builds His temple; we are His temple.  What shall we do then?

5.  Dessert - The Promise (v 23)

Here’s a promise we can hold on to as we build the church, to the end.

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Detailed posts for each meal are available.  Just click on the hyperlinks. =) happy eating!!! GOD BLESS YOU GREATLY!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Should you have any query, thought, and/or prayer request, leave it here (http://moondanipog.tumblr.com/ask) or here (http://moondanipog.tumblr.com/submit). =) ?

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What does it tell about God?

1.  God assigned to each builder a task and He gives grace to each builder to accomplish his task (v5, 10)

2.  God laid the foundation/cornerstone of the church, which is Jesus Christ (v11) 

3.  Only God makes the work grow (v6)

4.  God is generous to give us reward (v8)

5.  God’s temple/God’s Spirit lives in us (v16)

6.  God is the head of Christ; Christ is the head of the church (v23)

7.  God will reveal each man’s work in the end (v13)

What does it about me?

1.  I have an assigned task (v5)

2.  I am a fellow builder with God (v9)

3.  I should be careful in building up on it (concerning ‘materials’) (v12, 13)

4.  I have a reward if my work survives (v14)

5.  I am God’s temple (v16)

PRAYER

1.  that we may be mature in Christ

2.  that we may be faithful to God’s calling, in accomplishing the task He has assigned to each one of us.

3.  that God may make His church grow through the works we do in building up the church.

4.  that each builder of the church (pastor, leaders, elders, Bible study leaders, Sunday school teachers, etc) shall be well-equipped in building the church, using materials which are appropriate in building on the foundation (Jesus Christ) - materials which are ‘fireproof’ (gold, precious stone, silver - which represent true and solid doctrine, genuine teaching, every teaching anchored to JESUS) and not use materials ready to burn (wood, hay, straw - which represent false teachings and every work which have no eternal value).

5.  that we may live as God’s temple

6.  that we may uphold God’s promise to us till the end (we are co-heirs with Christ)

We are God’s Temple (Refreshment - XLM)

1 Corinthians 3

Refreshment - We are God’s temple (vss 16-17)

¹⁶ Do you not know that you^[b] are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

 ¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ”He catches the wise in their craftiness,” ²⁰and again, ”The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” ²¹So let no one boast in men.

In each one of us, God builds His temple; we are His temple.  What shall we do then?

1.  Remember that each one is God’s temple.  Therefore, each one also should build himself up in Christ Jesus.  Meaning, he should not stay as infant in Christ (as what Paul described in the first verses of this passage).  He should also be cautious on what he feeds himself/what material he uses in building himself up.  He builds up himself so he can also help in building up the church.  Paul did not only deal with the Corinthians as a whole/the church as a whole.  He dealt also with each individual, reminding each that God’s temple/God’s Spirit lives in him.

2.  We should keep ourselves holy, as God is holy.  We are set apart for God.

3.  We should live not in human wisdom but in God’s wisdom.  (see 1 Corinthians 2)

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PRAYER

Xtremely Loaded Meal (1 Corinthians 3)

SOLI DEO GLORIA!