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There Is A Resurrection of The Dead
In 1 Corinthians 15:12-58, it seems like some Corinthian Christians were saying that there is no resurrection of the dead body where Paul is presenting the implication of this wrong contention.
In the modern world, some authors and scholars tries to discredit the historical value of the resurrection of the Christ. In contrast to this, there are strong contenders who stood that the resurrection is historic and unquestionable.
The following errors are just my personal observation and to what we have learned from our study.
They Require All Members To Speak In Tongues
Many churches especially in many pentecostal churches, require their member to speak in tongues. In fact, my brother had a brief debate with one pentecostal friend who says that it is a must for every christian to speak in tongues since it is a manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
As we have learned, it is the Holy Spirit who gives different gifts to each one “as he determines”. This simply means that acquiring the gift of the Holy Spirit is beyond our control since it is given as a gift and as the Holy Spirit determines.
They Speak In Tongues All Together At The Same Time
We will talk a whole chapter of propriety in worship later. But I believe that this point is obviously in contrast to what we have learned. Based on the things that I personally witnessed and for the things that can be seen on the internet and televisions, it is very important to note that many christians have neglected propriety in worship.
Most often, these people say that there is an uncontrollable power that engulfs their body. Some of them fell asleep and do things which are unnatural. And when they wake up, they claim that they don’t know what just happened.
First, God is a God of order and of peace. As we have learned, the Bible always promote orderliness in worship. This is very true even at the very beginning as he gives instruction to people. Some good examples is when He gave instructions to Noah in building the Ark and in building the Tabernacle.
Secondly, it doesn’t mean that we are filled by the Holy Spirit that we can no longer be aware and control our physical being. Being filled by the Holy Spirit means that the Holy Spirit is at works in our lives which is visible through natural behavior, actions, and words which is in contrast to the uncontrollable, unknown to us and unnatural behavior, actions and words of someone who claims to be filled by the Holy Spirit.
I believe that one of the most abused gifts of the Holy Spirit in modern history of the christian church is speaking in tongues. Today, we will be studying a deeper level of what it means to use and practice the gift of tongues.
What Is Speaking In Tongues?
The gift of tongues or what we know now as the “speaking in tongues” is a spiritual gift where one is enabled by the Holy Spirit to speak in different known languages. The book of Acts gave us several scenarios where the Apostles used this gifting. There are many people from different places with different languages who listened to them (Acts 2, 10 and 11). The people where amazed because the Apostles were able to speak their native languages which they can fully understand. Some even thought that they were drunk.
In the book of Acts, the Apostles speak in different known languages of men. However, as we can see in the book of 1 Corinthians, we can see there that Christians can also speak in the language of the angels where no one can understand. 1 Corinthians 14:2 further added, “…he utter mysteries for himself.” which means, he is speaking language which is not understandable by men.
Today’s sermon is all about the Body of Christ and how each part is related with each other.
Title: Principles of The Body of Christ
Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Introduction
This morning we talked about the principles concerning spiritual gifts. We talked about spiritual gifts as God given, that there are different kinds of gifts with different kinds of manifestation.
Tonight, we will be talking about the Body of Christ as the basic composition of God’s community, God’s church.
Principles Of The Body of Christ
Principle 1: The Body Is One (v.12-13)
The passage has been very clear that the body is a unit (v.12) composed of different parts. Let us talk first about the Body. The Body of Christ that we are talking about here is the basic unit of the church. This pertains to the local church in contrast to what other people is trying to prove about the “Universal Church”. Yes, we also belong to the Universal church, but the passage is not referring to the universal church but to the local church.
As a local church, each one of us were baptized in one Spirit into one body. Yes, we are one body. This means that we are identified as one, having the same goal, having the same outlook.
As we act as a body, all our actions are being defined as one. Let us take for example an individual. When his hand steal, it is not only the hand that goes to jail, but the whole body. Likewise, if the hand does well, it is not only the hand who is being commended but the whole body.
As one body we have the same goal. We move forward toward a common goal. Just like an individual who decided to go to a certain place, his whole body walks through the same direction, it makes a step each one at a time until he reach his destination.
As one body we also have the same outlook. As an individual plans ahead of time what does he wants to achieve, so are we as one body in Christ Jesus, we plan as a whole to achieve what we want to achieve in the future. There is no part of the body that go against the flow of the plan. But each one function for a common interest, to achieve the same outlook and goal.
KJV Bible versus NIV Bible, Which One is The Best?
I was deeply intrigued upon reading this article concerning the issues against New International Version. For so long, I have found NIV to be a Bible that is very much easy to understand especially that English is not my first language. I have been using New International Version for so long that I have made so many notes within my Bible.
However, just yesterday, a friend of mine forwarded this very intriguing article that I found to be a MUST to read especially if you are a pastor, a Bible interpreter, or a worker. I am not so skeptic against Bible translations. But I think this article is worth my time to read. And I found it very helpful to take note of the things that I need to look at a Bible Interpreter.
By far, as I have remember in my training which includes Bible history, background and some glimpse (not detailed) about these codexes like Textus Receptus, Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, its just, its the only available manuscripts out the there that can be a reference for the newer translations.
Now, to set up the reliability issue, let’s put it in this way, Dr. William Grady is a scholar who have his personal opinion about the validity and reliability of Textus Receptus. But how about the opinion of other Bible scholars who would say Vaticanus and Sinaiticus are more reliable? Which scholars are more reliable then if they have the same degree?
By the way, Dr. William Grady is the author of Final Authority: A Christian’s Guide to the King James Bible to which I really wish I could get my hand on this very intriguing book.
Furthermore, I am not so sold out to say that KJV is the “ONLY” true and authoritative translation of the Scripture for the main reason of its historical background. I believe I have already said this several times in preaching. King James is homosexual. To avoid having conflicts with Puritants (which we know one of the major group reformers) he granted them the authority to translate this new English version that came to be known as KJV. This simply means that it was born out of King James’ personal interest. But in fairness, I would certainly admit that King James Version of the Bible is really the finest by far.
Lesson 5: Two Natures
Be sure to let them lead as much as possible in all aspects of your worship. Continue to encourage them to be obedient and to do their assignments. The more strict you can be with them, the more they will be strict with their disciples.
The items for accountability are:
Did you read your Bible at least 5 min/day?
Did you listen for God to speak during QT? Have them show journal or share 1 insight from their reading and their obedience to what God showed them.
Did you share the Hand Presentation with at least 3 people? Tell me their names?
Did you share the last teaching/lesson with 5 people? Tell me their names.
Spiritual Emphasis: There is an old nature and a new nature at battle in our lives.
Lesson –
Read 2 Cor. 5:17. Since we have become a Christian, we have received a new nature.
Read Rom. 7:15-25. But even after we have this new nature, we often have a problem with the old nature that is still present with us.
That is why Paul urges us to not obey/to not give in to the old nature. This is sometimes called the “old man, self, or flesh.” Read Eph. 4:20-24.
Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Introduction
Last time we have discussed facts about the Corinthian Church. We have learned that they are a called church, a religious and knowledgeable church, a waiting church, and a problematic church.
We have seen that one of their early problems was division among them (1 Corinthian 1:10-17). Many of them have their own favorite ministers. Ironically, Paul is thanking that he was not able to baptized any except for some people among them.
Today, we will be studying about how God works in the lives of the people.
How God Works?
We really cannot fathom the vastness of God’s wisdom for it is beyond our understanding. Furthermore, Isaiah 55:8-9 says ”For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Obviously, there is nothing in this world that can explain how God works. The things that we will be seeing today is just a small glimpse of the impossibilites where God made it possible.
God Chose The Foolish (v. 27)
“God chose the foolish things in the world to shame the wise.” Salvation is not through human wisdom. Unlike the beliefs of the pagan world, salvation is by grace through faith. It cannot be attained by knowing the fullness of the doctrine of Christianity.
Corinth was predominantly influenced by Greek culture at this time. This is why most people are interested in philosophies of the Greeks. But what does we benefit from wisdom? The book of Ecclesiastes teaches us that wisdom is a chasing under the wind. It is vanity unless used for the things that is of God.
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