August 17
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LOVE IS THE GREATEST OF ALL
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 9 For we know in part and prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
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In this letter, Paul highlights what is the greatest of all the gifts: Love. The Corinthian church was so much fascinated by spiritual gifts that Paul had to draw their attention out of it to what is more important than all of these gifts. In verses 8-10, he compares the gifts of prophecy, tongues and knowledge that are all fleeting whereas love is eternal and perfect.
We know that in 1 John 4:16 that God is love. As John gets this revelation from the Holy Spirit, Paul reiterates this truth in this letter. God is love and love is God, therefore, God is Supreme of all these gifts. He created them all and above all of it. The purpose of these gifts is to edify Love who is Himself. When Paul mentions in verse 10, “when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away” he speaks of the fact that all these gifts will be surpassed by the perfect one, who is God himself. He means that since we are still in this world, we will not fully know God but when we are in heaven or when we see Jesus in his second coming, our knowledge of God (Love) will be complete. 1 John 3:2 tells us that when we get to heaven, we will be able to fully see Him as He is and have no more hindrance to our intimacy with Him. Spurgeon comments that “If we knew more of our own sinfulness, we might be driven to despair; if we knew more of God’s glory, we might die of terror; if we had more understanding, unless we had equivalent capacity to employ it, we might be filled with conceit and tormented with ambition. But up there, we shall have our minds and our systems strengthened to receive more, without the damage that would come to us here from overleaping the boundaries of order, supremely appointed and divinely regulated. In verse 13, Paul is saying that faith and hope is only needed in our earthly life. These two are not attributes of God but love is, and so it is the greatest of all.
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REFLECTION
• Why does Paul over-emphasizes in this letter the greatest of all the gifts?
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WHAT AGAPE LOVE IS ILMA’S VLOG
August 16
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WHAT AGAPE LOVE IS
4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
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In this exposition, Paul defines to the Corinthian believers what love is and what it is not. Previously, Paul mentioned that we are nothing if we do not have love (agape). In these passages, he clearly illustrates what constitute this unconditional love which is very different from the worldly view of love.
In verse 4, he uses the virtues of patience and kindness as a manifestation of agape love. He contrasts what its opposite which is envious or jealous. When a person exhibits agape love, there is no room for comparison who is better or not. There is acceptance of the other person and there are no expectations which usually leads to frustration and impatience and unkindness. In the same verse, he also mentions that it does not boast about things and is not proud, but humble.
In verse 5, Paul paints a clearer picture of love in the context of forgiveness and sacrificial giving and thinking of others instead of oneself. He says that love always gives grace and mercy as they have received from God. It does not self promote or seek one’s own agenda. It does not easy get angered or keep a record of what has been done to him or her. In other words, forgiveness erases the offense done to you.
In verse 6, the focus on truth is emphasized. Paul says that if someone is truly loving, they do not tolerate evil and sin, but promotes righteousness and truth. Love is not letting others go on with their sin, but leads them into the truth found in God’s word.
In verse 7, love means that you cover up for others’ weaknesses and have faith that God is working in them and never give up or lose hope in whatever situation you experience. Instead, agape love makes us focus on the growth we can get from suffering. Love means that you are not avoiding hardships and trials, but that you embrace it as it is a form of suffering that may lead us to endure and never give up. Endurance leads to growth and eventually, spiritual maturity.
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REFLECTION
• How is the concept of love different from agape love that Paul is describing in this letter to the Corinthians?
IF I DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I AM NOTHING ILMA’S VLOG
August 15
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IF I DO NOT HAVE LOVE, I AM NOTHING
If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good. – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
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In this chapter Paul follows up the spiritual gifts given to the body of Christ may have many members but one body. This 13th chapter of the letter of Paul to the Corinthians have been a favorite passage that most people in their wedding vows or readings for their matrimonial ceremony. I had it read by someone in my own wedding as the reading for the sermon. When I was married, I wasn’t yet born again, so the way I understood this chapter is so carnal. I didn’t know how to study the bible then yet and I used to take some of the verses out of context and just extract something and use my own understanding without really consulting the Holy Spirit and further studying the passages in context to who is talking and who is it addressed to.
This letter was addressed to the Corinthian church who are so fascinated by the spiritual gifts and Paul gives them this warning that if you have all the various gifts given by the Holy Spirit and not have love (agape), you are nothing. Verse 1 mentions the gifts of tongues which may be amazing, but without love, it is just noise. In verse 2, the prophetic gift is mentioned; no matter how much visions and mysteries unfolded by the prophet, and do not have love, he amounts to nothing. Paul also mentions that if you have much faith but do not have love, again, he says that you are useless. In verse 3, it talks about the gift of giving and giving up one’s life, but do not love, it is pointless.
The “love” that Paul refers to here is agape which is unconditional love. This is the highest form of love. In 1 John 4:16, we get a glimpse of God’s character. He is love. It didn’t say he is loving. It says he is the source of “agape”. So, without him, no one can ever love unconditionally. So, I would like to paraphrase Paul’s verse “if I do not have love, I am nothing” to “if I do not have God in my life, I am non-existent.” It is so misunderstood when it is used in the context of romance, because it is a very different kind of love. In other words, when a couple marries and use this verse as a vow, they are actually making God the third person in their marriage, which will make that covenant a forever vow.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to ensure that the gifts we receive is used for God’s purpose?
VARIOUS GIFTS AND OFFICES IN CHRIST’S BODY ILMA’S VLOG
August 14
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VARIOUS GIFTS AND OFFICES IN CHRIST’S BODY
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And yet, I am going to show you a far better way. – 1 Corinthians 12:27-31
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In this letter, Paul mentions the different appointments based on the different gifts the Holy Spirit gives to each believer. These are the following appointed gifts to believers:
1. Apostolic- Guzik comments that apostles are “special ambassadors” of the church. Paul and others in his day had a unique apostolic authority, which will never be repeated because the foundation of the church has already been set. However, God still has His “special ambassadors” in the church today, though not with the same authority as the original apostles.
2. Prophetic-these are the gift for speaking out for God. Like apostles. They prophesy only that which come to be true and to happen based on Deuteronomy 18:19-22.
3. Teaching- those who labour in word and doctrine, whether with pastoral charge or without it.
4. Workers of Miracles- Guzik further comments that those used by God to do miracles but done on the Holy Spirit’s initiative, not the initiative of the individual.
5. Healers-those who had power to heal diseases;
6. Helper-Spurgeon comments that they are useful anywhere and stops a gap, and can make themselves serviceable to the church of God in any capacity whatever.”
7. Administrative-governments, or such as had the disposal of the charitable contributions of the church, and dealt them out to the poor
8. Various gifts of tongues- a communicative gift, used in speaking to God, the gift of tongues should be desired when the individual feels a lack in their ability to communicate with God.
Paul explained that each believer is given gifts according to God’s plan and purpose, but believers can desire and ask the Lord to be granted such gifts.
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REFLECTION
• Are you aware of your spiritual gifts and have you been actively doing your office?
UNITY IN THE BODY BY ONE SPIRIT ILMA’S VLOG
August 12
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UNITY IN THE BODY BY ONE SPIRIT
12 For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.14 For the body is not one part, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired – 1 Corinthians 12:12-18
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In this letter, Paul likens the body of believers to the human body where all the parts of the body contribute something to make the entire body work together and be unified. In verse 12, he illustrates the similarities of the body which have a head who leads the other different parts of the body to work together for the health of the entire body. Paul compares it to Christ who is the head of the church (which is the body of Christ) and brings all the members of the church together for the purpose of God’s kingdom to come here on earth. In verse 13, he emphasizes the importance of unity in the body since we were all baptized into this church and though there may be differences in culture and background or origin, they are all gathered as one by the Spirit of God when they accepted the invitation to believe and commit to the Lord Jesus Christ.
In verses 14-17, Paul describes each body part in accordance to their function in the entire wellness of the body. He creatively brings this conversation between the body parts talking to each other, assessing what would happen if they decide to isolate themselves from the entire body or if one part would think that they are the only important part of the body and minimize the other parts. Without each part that has its own unique function, the body won’t be healthy. Just like in the church, each member of the body of Christ has their own roles to play to ensure that the church is equipped to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth and fulfill the coming of the kingdom here on earth. There is no room for division in Christ’s body for each member is motivated by the Holy Spirit whose role is to bring everyone to give God all the glory.
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REFLECTION
• What may cause division in the body of Christ? Why is it important to be unified?
CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS ILMA’S VLOG
August 11
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CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. – 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
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In this letter, Paul tackles the topic on spiritual gifts. He reminds them of the source of being unaware of these gifts which originated from their pagan background where the idols are mute and has no life. In verse 3, Paul makes them see that there is nothing good we say or do that comes on our own, but only comes from God’s Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that reveals to us spiritual things because on our own, we will always be thinking and talking in the flesh. In verses 4-11, Paul points out some of these Spiritual gifts that is distributed by the Holy Spirit. They may be different for each believer, but they are all given by One Spirit. In verse 7, he gives the reason why such gifts were given to one: for the common good. In other words, these gifts are not for our own individual consumption but for edifying and equipping the body of Christ.
Among the gifts Paul mentions here are: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, effecting miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, various kinds of tongues or language and to others, interpretation of tongues. What Paul wants to stress here is that all these gifts were given by one Spirit and that we need to remember that these gifts are to be used to bring about the kingdom of God here on earth and not to be usurped by personal agendas.
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REFLECTION
• How can spiritual gifts be abused by false Christians?
PREPARATION & RIGHT CONDUCT TO RECEIVE COMMUNION ILMA’S VLOG
August 10
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PREPARATION & RIGHT CONDUCT TO RECEIVE COMMUNION
27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a person must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the body. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number are asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 If anyone is hungry, have him eat at home, so that you do not come together for judgment. As to the remaining matters, I will give instructions when I come.
– 1 Corinthians 11:27-34
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In this letter, Paul gives instructions to the Corinthian Christians how they must prepare to receive the Lord’s Supper. He warns them never to partake in the Lord’s Supper without the right attitude and reverence for the Lord lest they will be guilty of desecrating this divine act of salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. In verse 28, Paul emphasizes that self-examination was necessary when we eat of the bread and drink of the cup. By self-examination, he means an honest reflection of the condition of one’s heart and not a pretend pious external gesture. In verse 29, he focuses on the importance of understanding with one’s heart the body of Christ which was offered as the perfect sacrifice to free us from sins. Paul also probably meant that those who does not abide in Christ and hasn’t made Jesus their Master and Saviour mustn’t receive communion. If one has unforgiveness in his heart or is unable to die to one’s flesh, he must honestly admit such weaknesses and have a repentant attitude. Paul doesn’t mean to beat ourselves up, but to recognize that we, humans will never be the perfect sacrifice to appease God of his anger towards our sins. That is why God himself gave the solution for giving us a clean slate through the body and blood of Jesus. In verse 30, he laid down the consequences of irreverent conduct when receiving the body and blood of Christ which may be one or all of the following: sick, weak or asleep. Paul wants us to judge ourselves rightly and so we can be spared of judgment and condemnation, but be disciplined by the Lord. They must wait for one another so they can take communion with a spirit of being one in Christ.
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REFLECTION
• Why is self-examination and a right heart important when receiving communion?
IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE LORD JESUS ILMA’S VLOG
August 9
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IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE LORD JESUS
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread; 24 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.” 25 In the same way He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
-1 Corinthians 11:23-26
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In this letter, Paul declares how he was charged to deliver the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of what Jesus did for sinners. Paul repeats Jesus words to his disciples during the Last Supper in this letter. When Jesus said these words, he connected the Passover of the Old Testament with the New Testament covenant. When the Israelites escaped from the slavery of the Egyptians in Exodus, it was the blood of the lamb that caused God’s angel of death to “pass” the house of the Israelites, so that the firstborn Egyptian children may be slain. In Exodus 12, we hear the story how the Israelites collected the blood, the lamb had to be sacrificed and killed. Then, during the Passover feast, the meat of the lamb would be cooked and eaten with unleavened bread in preparation for the journey out of Egyptian bondage. The lamb had to be a male, without blemish meaning it could not be sick or diseased in any way. At the last supper, the unleavened bread represented the body of Christ which is sinless and perfect. It was broken on the cross. And wine represented His blood, the blood of an ‘unblemished lamb.’
Paul couldn’t stress more the importance for believers to remember the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ when we partake of the Lord’s supper. He reminds us that as often as we remember the sacrifice that Jesus did to save us from sin, the more we will partake of that act of sacrifice He did for us to be freed from the bondage of sin.
We need to remember that God paid a high price for our freedom from sin by letting his only begotten Son be that unblemished lamb to be sacrificed. We couldn’t pay for it because we are not pure. The only thing God wants us to do is to believe that it is finished already and we need to abide in Christ so that we will always live in His grace and mercy. The Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of the unconditional love God gave his people.
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REFLECTION
• Why is partaking in the Lord’s Supper a very important act of worshiping the Lord? What happens when we forsake remembering this act of love?
ON DIVISIONS & PREPARATION FOR THE LORD’S SUPPER ILMA’S VLOG
August 8
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ON DIVISIONS & PREPARATION FOR THE LORD’S SUPPER
17 Now in giving this next instruction I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. 19 For there also have to be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. 20 Therefore when you come together it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper, 21 for when you eat, each one takes his own supper first; and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What am I to say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you. – 1 Corinthians 11:17-22
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According to Oxford University Press, Corinth was a port city: Along with grand economic gain and philosophical exchange came some questionable interpersonal behavior. Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth show that the problems of the city also affected the Christian community. Among the myriad problems in the Corinthian church were: claims of spiritual superiority over one another, suing one another in public courts, abusing the communal meal, and sexual misbehavior. Paul wrote to demand higher ethical and moral standards. In this letter, Paul rebukes the Corinthian believers on two things. First, he addresses the conflicts and divisions currently ongoing in the church and second, he reproves them of their conduct and attitude regarding the Lord’s supper.
Like a father scolding a child when they are misbehaving, Paul addresses the worldly ways of the Corinthian believers. He confronts and evaluates the way the believers were acting. He wasn’t pleased that divisions occur in the church, but also points out a good thing about the presence of factions in verse 19. He says that the conflicts will highlight those who are approved worker of God’s kingdom. Those who are approved by God will always expose the lies so that the truth will surface. Without the factions, the lies will not be exposed. In verses 20-22, he focuses on the unruly way that they handle the Lord’s Supper. He rebukes their attitude when they come to the Lord’s Supper. They are still thinking that they are in their own houses, where they can eat and drink to their hearts’ delight. They were not preparing their hearts to receive the Lord, but they want to continue to extend satisfying their own cravings. He chastised their attitude that isn’t honoring to God.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it necessary to prepare to receive the Lord’s Supper?
IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING GOD’S ORDER ILMA’S VLOG
August 7
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IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING GOD’S ORDER
10 Therefore the woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as the woman originated from the man, so also the man has his birth through the woman; and all things originate from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does even nature itself not teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him, 15 but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her as a covering. 16 But if anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor have the churches of God. – 1 Corinthians 11:10-16
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In these following passages of Paul’s letter to the Corinthian believers, he expounds further on the symbol of authority on the woman’s head. Previous to these verses, Paul declares the importance of wearing a head covering for women as a symbol of her submission to the man who is the authority in her life in accordance to God’s order of creation. Paul mentions the importance of inter-dependence between man and woman in verse 11. What he is saying here is that a woman cannot be independent from man and a man cannot be independent of woman. The woman was created to be the man’s helper, but it doesn’t mean that he is higher than her. They are created equal according to Genesis 1, but they were both created for a certain role different from each other. The man is the head and the woman is the one who needs to submit to the head. No one is supposed to change the order that God has made and the specific roles they each one plays. This detailed explanation of Paul regarding these interdependence gives us a glimpse of the God of order whom we serve.
In verses 13-16, he presents to them the question whether it is right for a woman to be without head covering and what happens if they exchanged roles in their relationships If the man wears the long hair, it would be dishonoring to him, but if it is a woman who wears the long hair, it is to the man’s glory. It says in verse 15, that it was given to the woman to have the long hair and not the man. What Paul is pointing out here is the focus on the order and differences of roles that God has assigned to the man and the woman. Paul further explains that if someone wants to raise a controversy about this order, they must keep it to themselves or they will bring about conflicts.
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REFLECTION
• Why is God’s order something that a believer ought to follow?