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, […]
“I Have Used None of These Things…”
In 1 Corinthians 9 Paul strongly argued for his and Barnabas’s right to be supported in their gospel preaching. The apostle first appealed to what was being practiced by other churches. He was an apostle and the earlier apostles (including Peter) were supported in their labors. And not only were apostles of the Lord supported, […]
Am I Not Free?
The phrase, “Am I not free?” in 1 Corinthians 9:1 marks another subject in the questions of the “things whereof you wrote” (1 Corinthians 7:1). We don’t have a copy of the letter the Corinthians wrote Paul so we don’t really know how they asked about the issue of his support, along with the fact […]
Dead Sea Gay Pride Celebration
Israel’s official X account posted the following on April 20, 2026: “Pride rises at the lowest place on earth? This June the Dead Sea becomes Pride Land, the biggest LGBTQ+ festival ever in the Middle East. Four days of nonstop celebration, community, and connection. Israel celebrates its LGBTQ+ community bigger than ever!” The irony is […]
Meats Sacrificed to Idols
After Paul answered the questions the Corinthians had about marriage, he turned to another problem they asked about. He wrote, “Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up but love edifieth” (1 Corinthians 8:1). Unlike the issue of marriage which still troubles the church today as much […]
Questions About Marriage #2
In 1 Corinthians 7-14, Paul responds to questions the Corinthian brethren had written to him. Chapter 7 focuses primarily on marriage. Their questions range from whether it is right to remain unmarried, to whether one may remarry after the death of a spouse. Among these concerns were questions about Christians married to unbelievers: Does God […]
Questions About Marriage #1
“Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote:…” begins a new section of 1 Corinthians 7. The first six chapters addressed several serious issues the Corinthians themselves did not seem concerned about: divisions among them, their tolerance of a man involved with his father’s wife, and their practice of taking one another to court before civil […]