Mars and Venus
At the time of this writing, the Lindsay Clancy trial remains in its final stage, with the jury still deliberating. Like many Americans following the case, I am waiting impatiently for a verdict. In modern culture, however, we seem unable to refrain from speculating about an outcome, offering opinions without having heard all the evidence […]
The Gospel Paul Preached
In 1 Corinthians 14:48 Paul concluded his response to questions brethren from Corinth had written, asking him about. But there remained one question of grievous nature with which he would deal: the question as to whether there would be a resurrection from the dead. Before he discussed that issue, he wrote,“Now I make known to […]
When You Come Together
“When ye come together, each one hath a psalm, hath a teaching, hath a revelation, hath a tongue, hath an interpretation” (1 Corinthians 14:26). The apostle has spent the first part of this chapter showing that tongue speakers edified others only if the hearer understood what the tongue speaker said. In these verses (vv. 26-39) […]
The Regulation of Spiritual Gifts
In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul reminded the Corinthian saints that should one possess the most desired of spiritual gifts but lack love, he was nothing. If someone would give all his goods to feed the poor and if his faith was so strong that he would give his body to be burned rather than to […]
When That Which Is Perfect Is Come
In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul has shown that without love man is nothing. This was especially true in exercising the nine spiritual gifts. Were one to speak with the tongues of men and angels but had no love, he was like a clanging cymbal. If he had the gift of prophecy, knew all mysteries and […]
The Nine Spiritual Gifts
First Corinthians 12:8-10 lists nine gifts which the Spirit distributed among Christians. While the Spirit determined who would receive each gift, the gifts themselves were imparted through the laying on of the apostles’ hands. Although the recipient was enabled to exercise the gift he received, he could not pass on the power to work miracles […]
Now Concerning Spiritual Gifts
First Corinthians 12:1 opens with these words: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, I would not have you ignorant.” This is the third time in the letter that Paul uses this expression (“Now concerning”), having first used it in 1 Corinthians 7:1 and again in 8:1. These sections indicate that Paul is responding, at least in part, […]
Must a Woman Wear a Veil?
In 1 Corinthians 11:3-7, Paul gave instructions regarding the necessity for women in Corinth to wear a veil when they prayed or prophesied. Some have concluded from these instructions that all women must wear a hat in worship. While such a conclusion may be sincere, it is not the necessary conclusion drawn from the apostle’s […]
The Heavenly Race
The life a Christian is asked to live is likened to many things: like a journey which one takes; a servant serving his master; a warfare one is engaged in; a marriage, and to servants trading and dealing with their masters’ monies. Perhaps one of the most familiar is that in which a race is […]
Faith Defended, Falsehood Refuted
Two types of religions exist. Those that evangelize and those who do not. An example of both would be Christians and Jews. The Jews are not evangelistic, believing that they are Jewish by lineage. While proselytes exist for Judaism, they are not actively sought out. After conversion they are restricted in who they can marry, […]