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?
Category Archives: Uncategorized
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?
WHY WOMEN NEED HEAD COVERING ILMA’S VLOG
August 6
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WHY WOMEN NEED HEAD COVERING
6 For if a woman does not cover her head, have her also cut her hair off; however, if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, have her cover her head. 7 For a man should not have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man. 8 For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; 9 for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake. – 1 Corinthians 11:6-9
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Wikipedia that says that until at least the 18th century, the wearing of a head covering, both in the public and while attending church, was regarded as customary for Christian women in Mediterranean, European, Middle Eastern, and African cultures. A woman who did not wear a head covering was interpreted to be “a prostitute or adulteress.” In Europe, law stipulated that married women who uncovered their hair in public was evidence of her infidelity. A veil or “mantilla” was worn by Christian women in Spain, Latin America, the Philippines, Eastern Europe and Russia. I remember wearing them in the Roman Catholic church as a child up until my teen years. “Dupatta” was worn by Christian women in India and Pakistan. “Net’ela” was worn by Christian women in Ethiopia and Eritrea. In the U.S., bonnet was among the Anabaptists and Conservative Quakers while wide brim hats would be worn by Christian women in the Southern U.S. Another commentary says that having a woman’s head short or shaved meant different things in different cultures. In Jewish law, it was the mark of adultery (Numbers 5:11-31). In the Greek world, it could be the mark of a prostitute or lesbian.
So, why is Paul addressing this issue of head covering for women? Earlier in this letter, he addressed the order of headship in verses 1-5. Was Paul following the Jewish law? He clarifies the reason in this part of his letter. In verse 7, Paul refers to the creation story in Genesis 1 where man was made in the image of God and woman was created to be the helper of the man and for his glory. In verse 8, he reminds the Corinthian believers that since woman was created from man and not vice-versa. So, the woman’s head covering signifies that she is under the headship of a man and when she doesn’t wear a head covering, she is defiled. There must be a deeper meaning to the physical wearing of the head covering. It is a reminder for women to submit to men who is their head so she doesn’t go wayward and unprotected. The modern women won’t agree with this concept.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important for women to remember that they must submit to their head?
HEADSHIP IN THE BODY OF CHRIST ILMA’S VLOG
August 5
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HEADSHIP IN THE BODY OF CHRIST
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I handed them down to you. 3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. 4 Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. 5 But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for it is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved. – 1 Corinthians 11:1-5
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In this letter, Paul reminds the Corinthian believers about headship in the kingdom of God. In the first verse, he makes himself a role model for the Christians to follow, so that they know how it is to submit to authority. Since he learned from Christ himself, he wants them to imitate the example that Jesus set for him to follow. If they follow him, they are also following Jesus Christ. In verse 2 he acknowledges their adherence to the traditions that were handed down to them but points out the importance of knowing the order that God has set for all believers to follow. Here is the order in the kingdom of God according to this letter of Paul to the Corinthians:
• God is the head of Christ
• Every man in the family of believers has to submit to Christ since He is the head of every man. – he particularly specifies that if there is something else on his head while he is praying or prophesying, then he is disgracing himself.
• Every woman has to submit to the man since he is the head of a woman –According to Clarke, It was a custom, both among the Greeks and Romans, and among the Jews an express law, that no woman should be seen abroad without a veil. This was, and is, a common custom through all the east, and none but public prostitutes go without veils.” To be without a head covering is equals to have no protection. Paul clearly likens a woman without a head covering as one who has a shaved head.
Sadly, in our world today, the order in God’s kingdom had been messed up. The world has twisted God’s order and has made each person without a covering, not submitting to an authority, but only following their own will. When someone is not under the authority of someone, they are actually exposing themselves to danger. Can you imagine a world where no one submits to authority? It would be chaos and destruction, wouldn’t it?
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REFLECTION
• How is submitting to authority or your head a mark of a true believer?