Post by Cindy on Mar 30, 2021 10:48:55 GMT -5
I need a space to post what I get from what I study every day, so I thought I'd do it here. If anyone would like to comment or even join in a discussion of what I post, that's perfectly all right with me! What I'll do is post the scripture's I studied and then what my application of those scriptures is along with some extra notes. I'm on 1 Corinthians 11 today, but I'll go back to the beginning of the book and start with the first chapter for you.
1 Corinthians 1:1-9.
Application: The application here for me is to stop worrying and relying on myself and realize that Jesus will take care of me and that He will make sure that I stand firm and am blameless when He comes to get us. Neither my salvation or anything else depend on me, it all depends on Jesus! If this is true for me, it's also true for other Christians, therefore I cannot be judging them for Jesus will make them stand too! 2 Cor 1:21, 2 Cor 1:24. Rom 14:4. Ro 16:25. 1 Co 1:8. Jude 24. Ro 4:21. 2 Co 9:8. Is 40:29. 2 Th 3:3. 1 P 5:10. 1 Co 1:9.
1 Corinthians 1:10-31.
Application: The application of this section is to remind me that the worlds wisdom, even so called "common sense" which we think so highly of, is corrupted because it's really all about self preservation and getting ahead of others any way you can. God's wisdom is found in Jesus and in the fear of the Lord. Through Jesus, when we are saved, we then have the mind of Christ which allows us to learn and understand the truth about spiritual things and the things of God, and the truth about ourselves. God's wisdom is all about Jesus, all about love, unity, and reconciliation. But in this life, we must always “choose” to use the mind of Christ. “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17 NIV) Let's see other ways it's translated:
NET | Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical.
LEB | Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, nonjudgmental, without hypocrisy,
NASB95| Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
1 Corinthians 2:1-16.
Application: The application in this section for me is to stop thinking that I have to know everything and be perfect in speech in order to witness to others and tell them about Jesus. Paul reminds us that it's not our words that will change their hearts, or bring them to salvation, but God who will do that, and He can do that no matter what we say or how badly we say it.
1 Corinthians 3:1–23.
Application: I think the application of this section would be to live in such a way that it builds up other believers and by doing that, builds up the church. It tells me to remember that my talent and ability belong to the Lord and are to be used to build up the church in whatever way I can with God's leading and help. It also reminds me not to begin to think too much of myself or my talents since they were given me by God and not something I did for myself. Finally it reminds me again not to get caught up in what the world thinks.
1 Corinthians 4:1-21.
Application: God's Word shows us how to think and how to live. However, we must not go beyond what's written or add our own ideas or traditions to His Word. We must live our lives carefully for the Lord, not for ourselves, realizing that not only are the unsaved watching us, but so are other believers who will see what we do and think that if we do something it must be ok for them to do also. Plus we are also being watched by the angels who long to understand what God has done for us and in us. So we must realize that we're always being watched, and also that the Lord is with us to help us, so we're never alone either. We are to live a life of sacrificial love to all as shown in God's Word.
How this should change my life: Always ask the Lord what He wants me to take from what we're studying that day, and how I should apply it to my life. How should I apply this section to my life? We need to watch ourselves for pride and self sins, such as self righteousness and self centeredness. Again, we don't live for self, we live for Jesus to do His Will, and fulfill His desires, not ours. We must set a good moral example for others to follow. Knowing others will imitate us should be a good reason to live the way Jesus wants us to. But if it's not, we may find ourselves being disciplined by God's power.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13.
Application: This section shows how very seriously the Lord takes us changing and living a new life of truth and love and putting off the ways of the world, our flesh and the devil. It shows that when we persist to live in sin instead of the truth, that we become targets for Satan just as Ananias & Sapphira did. We are no longer living for ourselves but for Christ and we are part of the church His body, and His body cannot and will not have anything to do with unrepentant sin! Sadly, it also shows me just how far the church has fallen in our day. After we're saved, sin not only defiles us, but defiles the Church as well!
1 Corinthians 6:1–20.
Application: This section again stresses that we belong to God and the body of Christ and all of our thoughts, words and actions should reflect that. We are to live for them, not ourselves.
Note on 1 Corinthians 6:1. Gossip is also a sin. Benjamin Franklin said: “I will speak ill of no man, not even in the matter of truth, but rather excuse the faults I hear, and, upon proper occasions, speak all the good I know of everybody.” Dr. James Clement Furman resolved, “never to speak ill of an individual but to call to mind my own sins and imperfections and be silent.”
Note on 1 Corinthians 6:19. When we "show off" our bodies in public or even at home among friends, we are taking something that is sacred (our bodies) and profaning them. Our bodies don't belong to us anymore. For girls and young teens, their bodies belong to God and to their future husbands; For boys and young teens, their bodies belong to God and their future wives. We shouldn't be flaunting our bodies to others because it brings disgrace on God, on us and on our future spouse.
1 Corinthians 7:1-40.
Application: This section is telling us to realize that God is sovereign and has placed us in the role He wants us to be in, and we are to bloom where we have been planted. We are to obey Him and be content with our lot in life, knowing that it's the very best circumstance for us to be in at this time. If it wasn't, He wouldn't have put us in it. Our identity is in Him, not in our role here.
1 Corinthians 8:1–8.
Application: In this section God again shows us the importance of our thoughts & attitudes. Even if it is not a sin to do something, but we feel guilty about doing it, (have a guilty conscience) & think it might be wrong, then God says that for us (& only for us) it IS wrong & is a sin & will defile us. Rom 14:23 “He who has doubts is condemned if he eats.” It is only when we have grown in our love & knowledge of Christ & realize that it is not a sin, that it will then no longer be a sin for us. This section again shows too that God judges our hearts, not our actions. This makes it imperative that we obey our conscience & watch our thoughts & feelings, always taking them captive & making them obedient to Christ.
1 Corinthians 8:9–13.
Application 1: We need to watch over our brothers and sisters in Christ and not do/say anything that might cause them to sin, even if we know that thing is not really a sin. Instead of choosing to act on our "freedom in Christ", we should choose to continue to gently instruct them until they too completely understand that the thing that currently concerns them is not a sin. We are to put their well being above our own. We would not give a 2 year old a sharp knife to cut their meat, but would protect and instruct them until they were old enough to handle the knife safely. That's how we should act toward other believers. We are our brothers keeper and are to love them and put their needs above our wants or needs.
Application 2: I can apply this now by continuing to be careful with my meds when Michael's here and not taking any medication in front of him and of course, not giving him anything if he should ask. I can also apply it by continuing to not drink alcohol or have any in the house as that's what causes Chris to sin. I can apply it by not serving or eating meat around those who think eating meat is a sin. I can apply it by not being condescending toward those who think they must cross always themselves before they pray. I can apply it by not smoking around those who think smoking is a sin.
1 Corinthians 9:1–17.
Application: This section shows how Paul put into action in his life the principals he spoke about in the last chapter. We are not to base our decisions on what's best for us, but instead base them on what's best for other believers and the Church as a whole, considering our Lord's desire as we are not living for ourselves any more but for Him. Paul modeled this for us so we could see what it looked like. This is how I need to live my life, by basing all my decisions on what Jesus wants and what's best for other believers and the Church as a whole. Even in my personal life, what I do reflects on the Church and affects other believers, so I need to be careful of my decisions on how I act and speak.
1 Corinthians 9:18–27
Application: Paul shows us that we're to be considerate of everyone as we are to try to bring them all to Christ. We are not to compromise the gospel, but rather be considerate of their traditions, concerns etc as much as possible without compromising God's Word. Just as we wouldn't teach a 2 year old algebra, so we should teach the people we meet at their level & begin where their experience lies. (like with the Jews it would be the OT, with pagans, creation) He warns us though that we must discipline ourselves & use great self control or we will wind up disqualified to bring others to Christ. He lets us know that this is no easy path, but it is required of us. Therefore I must practice self control & self discipline constantly & stay alert all the time. Like 1 Peter 1:13, 1 Peter 4:7–8, Peter 5:8, 1 Thes 5:6, 1 Thes 5:8, 1 Tim 2:15, 1 Tim 3:2, 2 Peter 1:6, Acts 24:25, Gal 5:23, Prov 25:28, Prov 29:11, Titus 1:8, Titus 2:12, Titus 2:2, Titus 2:5, Titus 2:6,
1 Corinthians 10:1-13.
Application 1: Wow. This shows me that in spite of the blessings I've been given, that just like Israel, if I'm not very alert & careful that I too might fall & be disqualified for service or reward. (not losing my salvation but making the Lord ashamed of me & inviting certain discipline, which could go so far as including death.) Paul showed why he was so careful & worked so hard to be self disciplined & self controlled - because even Moses had wound up being disqualified & didn't receive his reward. If that could happen to Moses, Paul was saying, then it could surely happen to him, & if it could happen to him, then it can most certainly happen to me!
special notes on:1 Corinthians 10:10. The Lord pointed out to me that it is a sin to complain by showing me Exodus 14-16. It's the story of Moses leading the Israelites through the desert and they were always grumbling, complaining, quarreling about how things were going for them. They grumbled about the food or lack of it, about the water or lack of it, about Moses and about just about everything else too. Moses told them that when they did that, they were actually grumbling (complaining) against God Himself and putting Him to the test (which we're not supposed to do) and telling Him that they didn't trust Him. It's pretty easy to see from scripture that the Lord really really doesn't like complaining! Ex 17:2; Mat 4:7; Num 14:29; 1 Cor 10:10; James 5:9;
special notes on:1 Corinthians 10:13.
God has shown me personally over and over again how very true these verses are: 1 Cor 10:13, and 2 Cor 12:8-10; These are the verses most people are thinking of when they say that God won't give you more then you can bear, although what the verses are really saying is that He won't allow you to be tempted beyond your ability with His help to overcome the temptation. We get upset when it does seem to be more then we can bear, but the whole point is that we can't bear it without His help, and He wants us to turn to Him.
Application 2: He shows 3 main sins that caused Israel to fall warning us to watch for them in our own lives. There was idolatry, sexual immorality, & complaining. I need to be watchful in all 3 of these areas. We tend to think of idolatry as just bowing before a statue, but it's much more than that. We think of sexual immorality as just adultery or porn or things like that, but it too is much more. We do the same with complaining, and yet it involves more than telling another person that you don't like the way things are right now. The application for me is to reflect on each of these with the Lords help so I can recognize any symptoms of them in my thoughts & stop it before it gains a foothold. Application 3: God is very serious about us daily denying or crucifying our old selves, our sinful thoughts & actions, anything that is self centered instead of God centered. Tests & temptations force us to choose whether or not we're going to Trust God & obey Him, or if we're going to trust ourselves instead. Often falls happen after large successes, so we must be especially on the alert after a miracle or after a large success. Whenever we're afraid, worry, or complain, we are calling God a liar. Plus our sins are much worse than theirs were because we have more knowledge & have the HS within us. We've been warned! Be careful! We need to take God much more seriously than most of us do, including me!
1 Corinthians 10:14–22.
Application: What we do has consequences for ourselves, for the Church, and for every other believer whether we realize it or not. We must flee from idolatry and even the appearance of evil. KJV | 1 Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. We must want so badly to be in perfect fellowship with the Lord, and other believers, that we will go out of our way to avoid anything that might have any evil connected to it or even look like it does. We must remember how weak and unable to help ourselves we really are, and not start thinking we're holy in ourselves, but remember that it's only through the Grace of God that we've been saved and sanctified, and only He can keep us that way, not we ourselves.
Special notes on 1 Corinthians 10:15. Fleeing from idols (as well as other sins) is the "way out" that God provides. If we're tempted we should literally run away like Joseph did.
Special notes on 1 Corinthians 10:21. It sounds like some of the Corinthians were still participating in their old rituals as well as the Christian ones; probably so that no one would suspect that their allegiance had changed or maybe they wanted any difference seen in them to be something that their old comrades would approve of. In other words, they were afraid of what their old friends would say about their new convictions. At the same time, they hid their fear behind a bravado of being wiser than others. If so, it's an example of the "fear of man" rather than the "fear of God". Paul shows how we're untied to Christ and to each other, & how our actions affect Christ, each other and the church as a whole.
1 Corinthians 10:23–33.
Application: Instead of focusing on what I want, or what I think I need, or what I believe my rights are, I am to focus instead on what would be most helpful to other believers, and what would be most helpful toward bringing unbelievers to Christ. I should do nothing that would harm or upset another person in any way. I should not do anything that would cause another believer to think they might have sinned. I should always speak and act with others in mind.
Special notes on 1 Corinthians 10:31. Doing "everything" for the glory of God includes the way we dress, especially for church!
1 Corinthians 11:1–16.
Application: I should know and follow the specific order that God ordained in the beginning - that is that the head of man is Christ, and the head of woman is man. Instead of focusing on my rights or freedom I need to focus on what will show others that I respect and honor God and my husband. (In other words, other people should be able to tell by my words and actions, and even by how I dress, that I respect and love my God and my husband and will submit to them both, honoring the sanctity of marriage.
1 Corinthians 11:17–22.
Application: When at church, before and after the service, and during "pot luck" suppers, we are to spend time with as many others as possible and not stick to the same people all the time, remembering that we are one with all of them and are to love them all equally. We shouldn't allow anything to come between us and another person at church, whether it's how much money they have or don't have, how they look, their race, nationality, politics; their spiritual growth or lack of it, or even whether or not we think they like us. We are to love them and show them that love regardless.
1 Corinthians 11:23–34.
Application: We should view communion as both a serious and solemn time, and a time of thanksgiving, making sure there is no known sin between us and our Lord. It should also cause us to be excited as the Lord’s Supper is also celebrating His soon return! Knowing that when we celebrate communion, we are celebrating our oneness with the Lord & all He's done for us, and also our oneness with all other believers, for we are now all part of His family, therefore there should be nothing but love and peace between us and all other members of the body of Christ. If there is some division, then we need to take care of that before we partake of communion again.
1 Corinthians 1:1-9.
Application: The application here for me is to stop worrying and relying on myself and realize that Jesus will take care of me and that He will make sure that I stand firm and am blameless when He comes to get us. Neither my salvation or anything else depend on me, it all depends on Jesus! If this is true for me, it's also true for other Christians, therefore I cannot be judging them for Jesus will make them stand too! 2 Cor 1:21, 2 Cor 1:24. Rom 14:4. Ro 16:25. 1 Co 1:8. Jude 24. Ro 4:21. 2 Co 9:8. Is 40:29. 2 Th 3:3. 1 P 5:10. 1 Co 1:9.
1 Corinthians 1:10-31.
Application: The application of this section is to remind me that the worlds wisdom, even so called "common sense" which we think so highly of, is corrupted because it's really all about self preservation and getting ahead of others any way you can. God's wisdom is found in Jesus and in the fear of the Lord. Through Jesus, when we are saved, we then have the mind of Christ which allows us to learn and understand the truth about spiritual things and the things of God, and the truth about ourselves. God's wisdom is all about Jesus, all about love, unity, and reconciliation. But in this life, we must always “choose” to use the mind of Christ. “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17 NIV) Let's see other ways it's translated:
NET | Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical.
LEB | Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, obedient, full of mercy and good fruits, nonjudgmental, without hypocrisy,
NASB95| Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
1 Corinthians 2:1-16.
Application: The application in this section for me is to stop thinking that I have to know everything and be perfect in speech in order to witness to others and tell them about Jesus. Paul reminds us that it's not our words that will change their hearts, or bring them to salvation, but God who will do that, and He can do that no matter what we say or how badly we say it.
1 Corinthians 3:1–23.
Application: I think the application of this section would be to live in such a way that it builds up other believers and by doing that, builds up the church. It tells me to remember that my talent and ability belong to the Lord and are to be used to build up the church in whatever way I can with God's leading and help. It also reminds me not to begin to think too much of myself or my talents since they were given me by God and not something I did for myself. Finally it reminds me again not to get caught up in what the world thinks.
1 Corinthians 4:1-21.
Application: God's Word shows us how to think and how to live. However, we must not go beyond what's written or add our own ideas or traditions to His Word. We must live our lives carefully for the Lord, not for ourselves, realizing that not only are the unsaved watching us, but so are other believers who will see what we do and think that if we do something it must be ok for them to do also. Plus we are also being watched by the angels who long to understand what God has done for us and in us. So we must realize that we're always being watched, and also that the Lord is with us to help us, so we're never alone either. We are to live a life of sacrificial love to all as shown in God's Word.
How this should change my life: Always ask the Lord what He wants me to take from what we're studying that day, and how I should apply it to my life. How should I apply this section to my life? We need to watch ourselves for pride and self sins, such as self righteousness and self centeredness. Again, we don't live for self, we live for Jesus to do His Will, and fulfill His desires, not ours. We must set a good moral example for others to follow. Knowing others will imitate us should be a good reason to live the way Jesus wants us to. But if it's not, we may find ourselves being disciplined by God's power.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13.
Application: This section shows how very seriously the Lord takes us changing and living a new life of truth and love and putting off the ways of the world, our flesh and the devil. It shows that when we persist to live in sin instead of the truth, that we become targets for Satan just as Ananias & Sapphira did. We are no longer living for ourselves but for Christ and we are part of the church His body, and His body cannot and will not have anything to do with unrepentant sin! Sadly, it also shows me just how far the church has fallen in our day. After we're saved, sin not only defiles us, but defiles the Church as well!
1 Corinthians 6:1–20.
Application: This section again stresses that we belong to God and the body of Christ and all of our thoughts, words and actions should reflect that. We are to live for them, not ourselves.
Note on 1 Corinthians 6:1. Gossip is also a sin. Benjamin Franklin said: “I will speak ill of no man, not even in the matter of truth, but rather excuse the faults I hear, and, upon proper occasions, speak all the good I know of everybody.” Dr. James Clement Furman resolved, “never to speak ill of an individual but to call to mind my own sins and imperfections and be silent.”
Note on 1 Corinthians 6:19. When we "show off" our bodies in public or even at home among friends, we are taking something that is sacred (our bodies) and profaning them. Our bodies don't belong to us anymore. For girls and young teens, their bodies belong to God and to their future husbands; For boys and young teens, their bodies belong to God and their future wives. We shouldn't be flaunting our bodies to others because it brings disgrace on God, on us and on our future spouse.
1 Corinthians 7:1-40.
Application: This section is telling us to realize that God is sovereign and has placed us in the role He wants us to be in, and we are to bloom where we have been planted. We are to obey Him and be content with our lot in life, knowing that it's the very best circumstance for us to be in at this time. If it wasn't, He wouldn't have put us in it. Our identity is in Him, not in our role here.
1 Corinthians 8:1–8.
Application: In this section God again shows us the importance of our thoughts & attitudes. Even if it is not a sin to do something, but we feel guilty about doing it, (have a guilty conscience) & think it might be wrong, then God says that for us (& only for us) it IS wrong & is a sin & will defile us. Rom 14:23 “He who has doubts is condemned if he eats.” It is only when we have grown in our love & knowledge of Christ & realize that it is not a sin, that it will then no longer be a sin for us. This section again shows too that God judges our hearts, not our actions. This makes it imperative that we obey our conscience & watch our thoughts & feelings, always taking them captive & making them obedient to Christ.
1 Corinthians 8:9–13.
Application 1: We need to watch over our brothers and sisters in Christ and not do/say anything that might cause them to sin, even if we know that thing is not really a sin. Instead of choosing to act on our "freedom in Christ", we should choose to continue to gently instruct them until they too completely understand that the thing that currently concerns them is not a sin. We are to put their well being above our own. We would not give a 2 year old a sharp knife to cut their meat, but would protect and instruct them until they were old enough to handle the knife safely. That's how we should act toward other believers. We are our brothers keeper and are to love them and put their needs above our wants or needs.
Application 2: I can apply this now by continuing to be careful with my meds when Michael's here and not taking any medication in front of him and of course, not giving him anything if he should ask. I can also apply it by continuing to not drink alcohol or have any in the house as that's what causes Chris to sin. I can apply it by not serving or eating meat around those who think eating meat is a sin. I can apply it by not being condescending toward those who think they must cross always themselves before they pray. I can apply it by not smoking around those who think smoking is a sin.
1 Corinthians 9:1–17.
Application: This section shows how Paul put into action in his life the principals he spoke about in the last chapter. We are not to base our decisions on what's best for us, but instead base them on what's best for other believers and the Church as a whole, considering our Lord's desire as we are not living for ourselves any more but for Him. Paul modeled this for us so we could see what it looked like. This is how I need to live my life, by basing all my decisions on what Jesus wants and what's best for other believers and the Church as a whole. Even in my personal life, what I do reflects on the Church and affects other believers, so I need to be careful of my decisions on how I act and speak.
1 Corinthians 9:18–27
Application: Paul shows us that we're to be considerate of everyone as we are to try to bring them all to Christ. We are not to compromise the gospel, but rather be considerate of their traditions, concerns etc as much as possible without compromising God's Word. Just as we wouldn't teach a 2 year old algebra, so we should teach the people we meet at their level & begin where their experience lies. (like with the Jews it would be the OT, with pagans, creation) He warns us though that we must discipline ourselves & use great self control or we will wind up disqualified to bring others to Christ. He lets us know that this is no easy path, but it is required of us. Therefore I must practice self control & self discipline constantly & stay alert all the time. Like 1 Peter 1:13, 1 Peter 4:7–8, Peter 5:8, 1 Thes 5:6, 1 Thes 5:8, 1 Tim 2:15, 1 Tim 3:2, 2 Peter 1:6, Acts 24:25, Gal 5:23, Prov 25:28, Prov 29:11, Titus 1:8, Titus 2:12, Titus 2:2, Titus 2:5, Titus 2:6,
1 Corinthians 10:1-13.
Application 1: Wow. This shows me that in spite of the blessings I've been given, that just like Israel, if I'm not very alert & careful that I too might fall & be disqualified for service or reward. (not losing my salvation but making the Lord ashamed of me & inviting certain discipline, which could go so far as including death.) Paul showed why he was so careful & worked so hard to be self disciplined & self controlled - because even Moses had wound up being disqualified & didn't receive his reward. If that could happen to Moses, Paul was saying, then it could surely happen to him, & if it could happen to him, then it can most certainly happen to me!
special notes on:1 Corinthians 10:10. The Lord pointed out to me that it is a sin to complain by showing me Exodus 14-16. It's the story of Moses leading the Israelites through the desert and they were always grumbling, complaining, quarreling about how things were going for them. They grumbled about the food or lack of it, about the water or lack of it, about Moses and about just about everything else too. Moses told them that when they did that, they were actually grumbling (complaining) against God Himself and putting Him to the test (which we're not supposed to do) and telling Him that they didn't trust Him. It's pretty easy to see from scripture that the Lord really really doesn't like complaining! Ex 17:2; Mat 4:7; Num 14:29; 1 Cor 10:10; James 5:9;
special notes on:1 Corinthians 10:13.
God has shown me personally over and over again how very true these verses are: 1 Cor 10:13, and 2 Cor 12:8-10; These are the verses most people are thinking of when they say that God won't give you more then you can bear, although what the verses are really saying is that He won't allow you to be tempted beyond your ability with His help to overcome the temptation. We get upset when it does seem to be more then we can bear, but the whole point is that we can't bear it without His help, and He wants us to turn to Him.
Application 2: He shows 3 main sins that caused Israel to fall warning us to watch for them in our own lives. There was idolatry, sexual immorality, & complaining. I need to be watchful in all 3 of these areas. We tend to think of idolatry as just bowing before a statue, but it's much more than that. We think of sexual immorality as just adultery or porn or things like that, but it too is much more. We do the same with complaining, and yet it involves more than telling another person that you don't like the way things are right now. The application for me is to reflect on each of these with the Lords help so I can recognize any symptoms of them in my thoughts & stop it before it gains a foothold. Application 3: God is very serious about us daily denying or crucifying our old selves, our sinful thoughts & actions, anything that is self centered instead of God centered. Tests & temptations force us to choose whether or not we're going to Trust God & obey Him, or if we're going to trust ourselves instead. Often falls happen after large successes, so we must be especially on the alert after a miracle or after a large success. Whenever we're afraid, worry, or complain, we are calling God a liar. Plus our sins are much worse than theirs were because we have more knowledge & have the HS within us. We've been warned! Be careful! We need to take God much more seriously than most of us do, including me!
1 Corinthians 10:14–22.
Application: What we do has consequences for ourselves, for the Church, and for every other believer whether we realize it or not. We must flee from idolatry and even the appearance of evil. KJV | 1 Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. We must want so badly to be in perfect fellowship with the Lord, and other believers, that we will go out of our way to avoid anything that might have any evil connected to it or even look like it does. We must remember how weak and unable to help ourselves we really are, and not start thinking we're holy in ourselves, but remember that it's only through the Grace of God that we've been saved and sanctified, and only He can keep us that way, not we ourselves.
Special notes on 1 Corinthians 10:15. Fleeing from idols (as well as other sins) is the "way out" that God provides. If we're tempted we should literally run away like Joseph did.
Special notes on 1 Corinthians 10:21. It sounds like some of the Corinthians were still participating in their old rituals as well as the Christian ones; probably so that no one would suspect that their allegiance had changed or maybe they wanted any difference seen in them to be something that their old comrades would approve of. In other words, they were afraid of what their old friends would say about their new convictions. At the same time, they hid their fear behind a bravado of being wiser than others. If so, it's an example of the "fear of man" rather than the "fear of God". Paul shows how we're untied to Christ and to each other, & how our actions affect Christ, each other and the church as a whole.
1 Corinthians 10:23–33.
Application: Instead of focusing on what I want, or what I think I need, or what I believe my rights are, I am to focus instead on what would be most helpful to other believers, and what would be most helpful toward bringing unbelievers to Christ. I should do nothing that would harm or upset another person in any way. I should not do anything that would cause another believer to think they might have sinned. I should always speak and act with others in mind.
Special notes on 1 Corinthians 10:31. Doing "everything" for the glory of God includes the way we dress, especially for church!
1 Corinthians 11:1–16.
Application: I should know and follow the specific order that God ordained in the beginning - that is that the head of man is Christ, and the head of woman is man. Instead of focusing on my rights or freedom I need to focus on what will show others that I respect and honor God and my husband. (In other words, other people should be able to tell by my words and actions, and even by how I dress, that I respect and love my God and my husband and will submit to them both, honoring the sanctity of marriage.
1 Corinthians 11:17–22.
Application: When at church, before and after the service, and during "pot luck" suppers, we are to spend time with as many others as possible and not stick to the same people all the time, remembering that we are one with all of them and are to love them all equally. We shouldn't allow anything to come between us and another person at church, whether it's how much money they have or don't have, how they look, their race, nationality, politics; their spiritual growth or lack of it, or even whether or not we think they like us. We are to love them and show them that love regardless.
1 Corinthians 11:23–34.
Application: We should view communion as both a serious and solemn time, and a time of thanksgiving, making sure there is no known sin between us and our Lord. It should also cause us to be excited as the Lord’s Supper is also celebrating His soon return! Knowing that when we celebrate communion, we are celebrating our oneness with the Lord & all He's done for us, and also our oneness with all other believers, for we are now all part of His family, therefore there should be nothing but love and peace between us and all other members of the body of Christ. If there is some division, then we need to take care of that before we partake of communion again.
I sure wouldn't want to be in their shoes! When instead they "turn the other cheek", and lavish love on that person with their words and deeds, then they are being very much like Jesus was to us. I need to keep that in mind so that I don't fall into the trap of thinking God wouldn't expect me to love a certain person because of what they did. God most certainly does expect us to love them!
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