Now Concerning the Collection for the Saints
Paul’s first letter to Corinthians concludes with instructions: “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia, so also do ye” (1 Corinthians 16:1). Paul wrote the epistle from Ephesus in the late 50s (v. 8). This “collection for the saints” was made for the poor saints in […]
The Present Reign of Christ
In 1 Corinthians 15:25-28 Paul assured the brethren that Christ had been raised from the dead — “the first fruits of them that sleep.” When he called Christ “the first fruits of them that sleep” he necessarily implied that others would likewise be raised from the dead. But he not only implied others would rise […]
Unbelief in Corinth
In rehearsing the gospel he preached at Corinth — Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection on the third day — Paul reminded the brethren that they had received that gospel, stood in it, and were saved by it. He further reminded them that the gospel he preached did not differ from what the twelve apostles preached: […]
And That He Appeared
In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Paul repeated the gospel he had preached to these brethren which they received, stood in, and were saved by — but only if they held fast. The gospel is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Those facts are still […]
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 […]