Father today seems to have been one of those wheel-spinning kind of days. I touched a lot of things, but it feels like I didn’t make it very far with any of them. May this time be productive as only You can make happen. Amen.
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Well, yesterday’s post wrapped up my journaling of the Apostle Paul’s epistle to the church in Rome. I wrote an introductory post over a year ago (Aug. 30, 2022, to be exact) and though I have shared many posts that stepped away from Romans – throwbacks from past years, and random writings about things I’ve seen or experienced – we have come along way from that day’s post, Because It Is Meaty!
So today, we begin on another journey covering another one of Paul’s epistles, 1 Corinthians. And as is often the case, my Life Application Study Bible sets us off on the right foot.
Most of us are familiar with chameleons. The basics is that to some degree they can change colors, blending in with their surroundings. Also, many creatures in God’s great creation have the ability with their individual coloring to not easily be seen in their environment – deer, rabbits, artic foxes, Eastern Screech Owls, and Stick Insects to name a few.
Out of necessity, for survival or to make them more formidable hunters, it’s natural to fit in and adapt to the environment.
But what about us? What about those who have given their lives over to Christ? We are new creations, born from above and changed from within, with values and lifestyles that confront the world and clash with accepted morals. True believers don’t blend in very well.
And there lies the problem. What is our natural tendency? To blend in…we don’t like sticking out. Most of us abhor being different. Many work very hard to blend in, to be like everybody else. The thing is salt doesn’t mask flavors; it enhances them! Light doesn’t help us hide things; it exposes them – it brings them into clearer focus! And that is what we are called to be in Christ.
So, that is where the work begins. The Apostle Paul addresses many things in his writings to those affiliated with the body of Christ in Corinth. The city of Corinth was a hot mess – using a common current vernacular, and it was rampant with sin – enticing sin, luring sin. And the church was being undermined by immorality and spiritual immaturity. The believers’ faith was being tried in the crucible of immoral Corinth, and some of them were failing the test.
Paul heard of their struggles and wrote this letter to address their problems, heal their divisions, and answer their questions. Paul confronted them with their sin and their need for corrective action and clear commitment to Christ.
Our world is not that much different…is it? Won’t you join me as we journey together into the teachings of Paul? If we are determined to follow, the finish line will be victory!
Sept 12th, 2023, Tues, 6:08 pm
