Highlights In Today's Reading:
Scandals in the Church — impurity, immorality rebuked (Chapter 5; see vss 6-7). Lawsuits among Christians forbidden (Chapter 6). PTL for 6:11! God established marriage (Chapter 7; see vs 24). Have no false gods in your life (Chapter 8; see vs 6). They who preach the Gospel are to be supported by believers (9:7-14). Method and reward of true ministry (9:15-27).
The comforts, pleasures, cares, and even responsibilities of life can steal away, swallow up, and occupy our time, leaving little time and less energy for efforts of eternal values. Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost (Spirit) which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's (6:19-20). The Book of I Corinthians was written to believers urging them to settle for nothing less than God's best. It is a message to all who long to be free from a self-serving life. The abundance of our possessions can easily ensnare our heart until the coming King is not supreme. We need to ask who or what gets the most time in our worship service.
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the Kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (6:9-11).
Mankind's appointed time has grown very short and our opportunities to witness will soon be past. God is calling us to live as though nothing of this life matters. He would lead the believer to be free from all that would rob him of wholehearted affection for God and deliver the heart from the love of this world by setting one's affection on things above (Colossians 3:2).
Christ is not telling a husband to neglect his wife nor fail to love her, but both husband and wife are to be free from the dominance of self-centeredness (I Corinthians 7:29).
Why spend so much time and thought upon matters which when the Lord comes or life ends in an instant will cease to have any importance? To be occupied by things of the world will cause us to forfeit God's best. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (I Corinthians 9:27).
Thought for Today:
One fact is abundantly clear: the more that we associate with this world, the less effect we have on it. Let us make sure our hearts are set on things above (Colossians 3:2).
Word Studies:
5:11 a railer =b> one who is verbally abusive, a reviler; 6:9 effeminate =b> homosexual; abusers of themselves with mankind =b> sodomites; 7:1 not to touch a woman =b> not to have sexual relations with a woman outside of marriage; 7:5 Defraud ye not one the other =b> Do not deprive each other of marital rights except by mutual consent; 7:12 let him not put her away =b> let him not leave her or divorce her; 7:32 without carefulness =b> free from anxieties.
Cross References:
For I Corinthians 6:16: See Genesis 2:24. I Corinthians 9:9: See Deuteronomy 25:4.
Prayer Needs:
Pray for Radio Sri Lanka International Shortwave Broadcasts sponsored by Mrs. Jon Richmond • Bible Pathway Printer: Ambrose Printing Staff, Nashville TN • Government Officials: Gov. Robert Ehrlich, Jr. (MD) and Gov. John Lynch (NH) • Country: Oman (2 million) on the southeastern coast of Arabia • Major languages: Arabic and English • Fewer restrictions on Christian activity than most of its neighbors • 97% Muslim; .5% Christian • Prayer Suggestion: Give thanks and praise to the Lord (Psa. 92:1).
Memory Verse for the Week: Romans 8:28