Verses 26 and 27 outline in explicit detail the act of homosexuality. Notice that it is focused on the act itself and not on the desire. The NIV lists this sin as “homosexual offenders” in 1st Corinthians 6.9. It’s incredibly important when dealing with this sin to recognize that “biblical emphasis is on behavior, and the verdict is always that it is sinful” (Brand, 1998). Like an alcoholic, a homosexual will always be a homosexual, but by the power of God, they can be free from the sinful lifestyle and even from the depravity of the mind which goes along with it.

Many would argue that this passage is condemning the Ancient Greek practices of homosexuality, which was specific to men having relations with young boys. This is not the case. He is referring to all homosexuality since he includes lesbians as men with other men, not boys or male prostitutes (Ash, 2001). For this reason, we can take this to be a broad condemnation of all acts of sexual immorality, including all forms of homosexuality. In light of this passage, there is no argument for allowing homosexuality within the church. Churches that do so, give themselves “over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done” by God’s people (Romans 1.28).

References

Brand, C. Ed. (1998). Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

Ash, C. (2001). Teaching Romans. Volume 1. Scotland: Christian Focus Publishing Ltd..

Image Credits: oboi, sxc.hu

Verse one of this chapter makes it very clear that there was a waiting period before God called upon Jonah again. Jonah did not go to Nineveh upon being vomited out by the fish. It may have been that he needed some time for physical restoration or simply that God allowed him that time to ensure he repented. At any rate, he was called a second time to go to Nineveh. It’s important to note that up to this point in the story, God has not told Jonah exactly what message to preach, just that he would “cry out against it” (1.2). God says, “…proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you” (v. 2). At this time, Jonah goes in ignorance and obedience to do the work of God.

There is a bi-fold application here. First, we do not have to have full understanding in order to serve God; we simply must be willing. God can use us more if we serve out of weakness than out of our strength. God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” In response Paul wrote, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12.9,10). God desires to use us in the areas that we are weak. Why? So that He alone gets the glory.

I use this example all the time as it is part of my personal testimony. God uses me as a teacher of His word. When I was growing up (and still to a great extent) I had very poor reading comprehension. I would read things over and over and have very little idea what I was reading. But, when I read God’s word, it comes alive to me and I understand, not just the raw narrative, but also the intricacies of it. I also am not a skilled teacher. My wife likes to point out that my brain works very different than most people. I guess I see the world a little different and as a result lack the ability to explain things to people. But again, when it comes to God’s word, He uses me to bring His word to His people. Do I of my own accord have anything to boast about? No way! In every way I serve Christ, I do so out of my weakness.

Now an area which is strength for me is music. In this area, God has used me for a long time, but in the last few years, God has made it abundantly clear that He will use me elsewhere. I have no choice but to glory in His sovereignty and submit to His good and perfect will regardless of my own personal desire.

This is not to say that we should immediately discard any talents that we might have; rather we should be aware of where God desires us to serve. Often that will be in our weakness, but it will always be for His glory. If we find ourselves receiving the glory, we must change our direction.

Second application is that obedience to God is proof of our repentance of sin. God never set out to form a legalistic society that would “not sin;” instead He wants people to do His work. “So…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10.31). I tell people all the time to quit worrying about what might be sin and focus instead on how what you are doing glorifies God. If all we do glorifies God then we are not in sin. Sin is not sin because it is ‘bad.’ Sin is sin because it is counterproductive to the good and perfect will of God our Father. So as we are obedient, as we do whatever we do and do it for His glory, then we are demonstrating repentance from sin.

In verse four, Jonah begins to go into the city. It is noted that it would take three days to get through the city, but that he only went one day into it proclaiming God’s message. He had one simple message, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown” (v.4). Again there are two major implications of this text. First, God’s work might look hard, but He will make it easy on us. Jesus said, “…my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt 11.30). Jonah preached God’s message for one day and we find as we read on that it spread through the whole city, even to the king. Second, God is Lord over the harvest. It is our responsibility to do God’s work, to preach His word, as He has commanded and whoever has ears to hear will hear and will come to God. When we do the simplest things for God or say the simplest things, as Jonah did, and God provides fruit, then the glory is all His.

In verse five through eight, we see Nineveh come to repentance. They repented in sackcloth and ashes, by fasting and by turning away from evil. Sackcloth was made from camel or goat fur and was often black. It often covered the whole body, including the head. Ashes were either put on the head or sat on. There is some definite symbolism here, but the point in Jonah is that the people were mourning their sin. This was a demonstration of their remorse. The fasting is interesting as well. The Israelites and other cultures as well, recognized the dead as being unclean. So, if someone died in your house it became unclean and you were not able to prepare food to eat. Also, if someone were to bring you food from outside, it would become unclean upon entering the house. There were so many legalistic cleanliness rights that it became a common practice to simply fast during times of mourning over death. The fasting of the people of Nineveh was also an act of mourning. The last thing mentioned as part of repentance is the turn from evil. They quit doing what did not honor God. When we are in sin, we must mourn that sin in order to get rid of it, to truly repent. If we are not convinced to the point of mourning that our sin is wrong, then we cannot be fully repentant of it. Even Judas, when he betrayed Jesus, and he realized his sin, he returned the coins to the Pharisees as an act of remorse (Matt 27.3). I’m not making an argument that Judas was saved; it is a picture of how God wants us to repent.

In verse nine, we find out that they repented because of the possibility that God might decide not to destroy them. This plays out really well in Psalm 2. Verse twelve of this Psalm says, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry…Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” Even the Assyrians (Ninevites) recognized that a return to God would bring blessing upon them and deliver them from wrath. The application: we never have committed too much sin, or any sin so heinous that God will reject us. If we repent in sackcloth and ashes, in mourning over our sin, and repent of sin, God will deliver us.

Image Credits: Brent Nelson, flickr.com

Understanding Lust

The secular definition of lust goes as follows:

• An overwhelming desire or craving.

• Intense eagerness or enthusiasm.

• craving, desire, hunger, itch, longing, thirst, wish, yearning

The biblical definition is consistent, but comes with implications.

…we…all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind…(Ephesians 2.3 NAS)

The Bible says that lust is the indulgence of the desires of the heart and mind. This is the

What is Mortification?

• The secular definition of mortification is as follows:

• To practice ascetic discipline or self-denial of the body and its appetites.

• Comes from the middle English word ‘mortifien’ which means ‘to deaden or subdue’ and from the Latin word ‘mortificare’ which means ‘to kill’.

abolish, annihilate, blot out, clear, eradicate, erase, exterminate, extinguish, extirpate, liquidate, obliterate, remove, root out, rub out, snuff out, stamp out, uproot, wipe out.

Again, the biblical definition is consistent, but comes with implications.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, (Romans 6.12 NAS)

To mortify is to get rid of sin, so that it is not the focus of your mind and heart so that you will not act in sin.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is…with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you shall also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members…(Col 3.2-5 KJV ~ simplified)

To mortify is to remove all concentration on worldly things and to focus on heavenly things. To mortify is not simply to root out or eradicate sin, but to remove the focus of sin from things which are against God to things which are for God.

Why Should I Mortify Sin?

…God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie [literally: we are liars] and do not live by the truth. (1 John 1.5,6)

This passage makes it abundantly clear that the person, who walks according to Christ’s ways, is a brother of Christ and will receive his inheritance in God’s kingdom. The person who claims to be a brother to Christ, but instead of following His commands lives according to his own lusts is living a lie and does not live according to the truth. The implication is that this person whose sin is un-mortified is only claiming the name of Christ, but has no inheritance, has not made a true commitment to follow Christ and therefore is not saved from eternal condemnation.

How Do I Do It? *

Habitual weakening of lust. Every lust is a righteous habit, which has not been developed and is therefore pushing the heart toward evil. This person who does not form righteous habits is described in Genesis 6.5, “the LORD saw that…every intent of the thoughts of [man’s]…heart was only evil continually. A persistence for bodily and mental sin leads to an evil heart. By nature, man’s habit is to “gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Rom 13.14 NIV). Sin is “waging war against the law of my mind [God’s law according to general revelation] and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members” (Romans 7.23 NIV).

If every desire of the heart is habitually bent on evil, then the logical conclusion is to form righteous habits to replace the negative ones. Even clinical psychologists agree on this principle and have used it to break smoking and other drug habits. Paul gives advice on the matter of discerning good and evil when he told the Corinthian church, “…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10.31 NAS). The idea is that we should not be so concerned with formulating a legalistic set of rules to follow; rather in all we do, we should take time to discern what would glorify God and do that. As we perform actions for God’s glory, we replace actions which are for our own gratification, thereby mortifying our sin. In case of specific struggles that we have, the principle applies as well. Find an action which you know to glorify God and when the lust of your flesh tempts you to sin, do what glorifies God. Examples are prayer, singing of hymns and reading God’s word.

Fight against sin. We are at war with sin. The following are important in any battle and are pertinent even on the topic of overcoming lust.

• Know the enemy. It is critical that you understand what you are dealing with in order to overcome it. The enemy is our own sinful nature. Adam and Eve were only had one sin, which was to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2.17). There was only one lust. That lust was a desire to be like God. The temptation was to eat the fruit so that they could be like God, able to discern good and evil (Gen 3.5). Notice that where the serpent was the tool of for the temptation, the lust itself was rooted at the heart of man. If Adam and Eve did not have the wicked desire to be like God, they COULD NOT have been tempted by the serpent. Your battle against sin is rooted in your own wicked heart. “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick;” (Jer 17.9).

• Be acquainted with the success of lust. I’m not suggesting that you intentionally fall to sin. That would be foolish indeed. Rather, you must be aware of situations, places, people and occasions which make it difficult for you to overcome your sin. Once you know your enemy, where they go, what they do, it is easier to defeat them. So it is with sin. We must be familiar with the situations which cause us to fall and succeed. Once we know how to defeat an enemy, we can do it repeatedly, which means we can form a habit so that the sin will be mortified.

• Intentional daily attack. Don’t wait for sin to attack you in order to attempt defense. Form a game plan. List your struggles and make conscious efforts to attack them daily. Do this by considering what you will be doing day by day so that you can prepare yourself for the temptations that are coming. You know your lusts so only you are qualified to determine this attack.

Conclusion

We can only mortify our sins in order to overcome lust by the power of the Holy Spirit and through forming of convictions. We do this so that we can bring glory to God and partake in Christ’s inheritance which is the kingdom of God.

* Much of this section on mortifying sin is sampled from John Owens, “The Mortification of Sin.”

Image Credits: blatje, sxc.hu

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NIV).

Notice first that it does not say homosexuals, rather it says homosexual offenders. An offender is someone who violates or transgresses, so there is an action required. In order for a homosexual to be saved, they have to be willing to repent of their sin just as we do with any other sin. To back this statement up, we can look at the King James which translates as, “abusers of themselves with mankind”. See, abuse is also an action and so if there is no action taken on the homosexual condition, there is no sin. Make note, Christians, they will likely stumble and fall at times just as most do when repenting from sin. Let God judge their heart. There are many homosexual Christians who are repentant of the sin, however they are still homosexuals as their sexual preference has not changed. Preference does not denote sin. A homosexual who is repentant of sin, is still a homosexual, but can be saved. It is the product of the preference which is sin. Don’t we all, by our sinful nature, gravitate toward sin in some way?

I like to relate this to drinking or drugs because it is something more common and in many ways easier to talk about. If someone is a drug addict or an alcoholic, they will struggle with it thier entire lives even after repentance. For this reason, we never remove the identity of alcoholic or adict. We simply say that they are recovering even if they have not partaken in the sin for months, years or more.

The challenge that the Christian family has is in preserving the sanctity of marriage, without condemning the homosexual to hell. We must hate the sin, but love the sinner.

Mattox, www.sxc.hu/photo/1170830

There are many different denominations of Christianity which all come with variances in practices of worship. This has to do with traditions. Traditions are perfectly acceptable in the church, even if they vary between churches, so long as they do not distract from or contradict the word of God. Regardless of traditions, there is only one way that a church should function. The modern church can only function in the same manner that the early church was directed to operate; however, it is not to operate in practice according to methods uncovered in extra-biblical texts or some other means. It is to operate under the instruction of God according to the words written by the Apostle Paul, namely: the responsibility of the Preacher (and Teacher), the qualifications of church leaders and the importance of orderly worship regardless of cultural revolution.

The Church can only function properly if it has sound teaching. According to Paul, a teacher of the word of God must be “without stain or reproach” (1 Tim. 6.14). This means that his life does not reflect a life of sin, but more than that, he also cannot be able to be accused of sin. For example, a preacher who regularly goes out to bars and clubs, can easily be accused of sin, even if he is somehow able to keep himself from sin in that environment. In order to be above reproach, it is not enough to keep yourself from sin, but you must “flee from these [sinful] things” (1 Tim 6.11). A teacher of the Word must consistently extricate himself from the practices of the culture and completely envelop himself in the Spirit and the word of God. John Piper says this:

We are outcasts. We are aliens and exiles in the world. Our citizenship is in Heaven and we wait with eager expectation for the Lord (Phil. 3:20). You cannot professionalize the love for His appearing without killing it. And it is being killed (2002).

Piper rightly suggests that the culturalization of preachers into the world is to simply make preaching a profession. A preacher is not a man who happens to be a preacher; on the contrary he is a preacher of God’s word who happens to be a man and as such should live as Paul says, “without stain or reproach” (1 Tim. 6.14). Macarthur says that the “man of God” characterized in first Timothy, chapter six (the expositor, the preacher, the teacher) must be “lifted above worldly aims and ambitions, and devoted singularly to God’s word” (2005).

There are very specific instructions listed in First Timothy regarding the qualifications of church leaders. “It is significant that in describing the qualifications for overseers, the apostle Paul focused on the character rather than the function of the elder” (2008). The qualifications, save for one, are all judgments of character, not ability. The overseer or elder must be above reproach, both in the Church and in the community, just as the preacher. Deacons are called to the same standard. The only characteristic required of a leader is specific to the overseer or elder. That is that he must be able to teach. This is not so much that he is required to teach, but that he must have a thorough understanding of God’s word and be able to communicate God’s word so that he can employ God’s word in Church processes. The overlying purpose for these requirements is simple. If one is called to be a leader of Christ’s church, then he must be able to show his ability to employ God’s word in his own life so that he is above reproach, and also he must be able to teach so that he will be able to employ God’s word in the functions of the church so that the church will be above reproach by following the elders’ leading. The prophet Hosea said, “Like people, like priests./I will punish both of them for their ways/and repay them for their deeds” (Hos. 4.9). The people (the church) will follow their leaders and if those leaders are acting outside of God’s word, they will be punished and so will the church that follows their leading. Paul was not concerned with the job or function of the elder, just that whatever his role is in the church, that he be performing that role in accordance with God’s word in order that the will of God would be done through the church.

Paul gives bi-level instructions on worship, instructions on worship and character of worship. In First Corinthians he gives instructions on how to worship: “hymn[s]… instruction… revelation… tongue[s]… interpretation” (1 Cor. 14.26). In First Timothy, Paul gives instructions on the character of worship. Prayer must be made for everyone so “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (2.1). We are to worship “without anger or disputing” (2.8). Women should be careful to “dress modestly” so that all can see their “good deeds” because this is “appropriate for women who profess to worship God” (2.9,10). Women should submit to the men for teaching, not because they are incapable of teaching, but simply because God designed it this way (2.11,12). These instructions are the heart in which the process given to the Corinthians should be accomplished. Robert Mohler Jr. writes,

We cannot buy in to the cherished myth of autonomous individualism, and we cannot compromise with a worldview based on the assumption that truth is relative or socially constructed…our first priority is to love God with heart and soul and mind…In the end, the culture will pass away. But our Lord has left us here for a reason—as His people we are to be salt and light in a dying world (2008).

In other words, we cannot compromise God’s standards on worship simply because of cultural influence. For example, in evangelical feminism the idea is that a woman is perfectly capable of ministering God’s word to anyone, including men. Evangelical feminism argues that women were not culturally accepted as leaders in the early days of the church (Grudem, 2006), but due to cultural revolution God’s word can now be compromised because men will actually listen to women. This is a ridiculous assumption. Women were no less capable in the early days of the church than they are now and, in fact, did take on leadership and teaching roles in many ancient religions, including Judaism (See Judges 4.4). God does not disallow women to teach men on grounds of ability, but on grounds of orderly worship. We are to worship God because of our love for Him and therefore submit to His instructions. This culture will pass away and a new one will arise. In the end, all worldly culture will be obsolete. In spite of the culture we are in, we are to be “salt” (a symbol of eternal salvation) and “light” (an illumination of the love of God), to the world, expressing the love of Jesus, the Christ to a dying people (Matt 5.13-16).

In order to adhere to God’s standards of worship and church function, the preacher must be above reproach and constantly saturated with the word of God so that the teaching he brings to the church is the accurate, unadulterated word of God. The elders and overseers must also be above reproach, in all ways applying the word of God to their lives so that the church can take their leading as an example for their own lives and that the church itself can be above reproach, proving Jesus as the messiah and not as a hypocrite. The practices of worship must be dealt with in care so that they are in all ways consistent with the heart and practice according to God’s standards. These things are not optional, a way to better the church, but are by design, the required process for the church. To do anything less is to defy God’s design for the church and His authority over it.

References
Grudem, Wayne (2006). Countering the Claims of Evangelical Feminism. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Multnomah Books.
MacArthur, John (2005). Preaching: How to Preach Biblicall.y Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc..
MacArthur, John (2008). The Masters Plan for the Church. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers.
Mohler Jr., R. Albert (2008). Culture Shift. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Multnomah Books.
Piper, John (2002). Brothers We Are Not Professionals. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman & Holman Publishers

Jesus is all God. John writes that the Word was both with God and that the Word was God and that Jesus (the word) was with God in the beginning and that through him (Jesus) all things were made (John 1.1,2). Not only did John understand that Jesus was God, but Jesus himself did. He said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14.9). Jesus was not saying that he is literally the Father, but that he is one in essence with the Father, that he is incarnate God. (The Father is non-carnate God existing apart from physical creation and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God which is God whom transcends physical and spiritual boundary). For many it is not enough that Jesus and those who follow Jesus believe that he is God, but Jesus demonstrated that he is God when he exhibited power over creation, a task which only God could do. This happened when Jesus calmed the winds after he walked on water (Matt. 14.22-36). This was by no means a magic trick, but took complete control over all creation in order to maintain tides and winds which are all interconnected throughout the entire world.

Jesus is all man. Jesus was able to be tempted by Satan (Matt. 4.1-11). It is not important to this argument that he withstood the temptation, although some would argue, that this is a supernatural withstanding and that if he were all man he would have gave in to it. This is easily rebuked through the teaching of Paul that God “will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” (1 Cor. 10.13). Jesus was able to withstand temptation, by design, and so can all other men; we simply choose not to. There are numerous accounts, as you go throughout the Gospels that should convict us on this matter, that Jesus is all man. Another one comes just prior to the crucifixion (which in and of itself proves he is man; he died). When Jesus was praying in Gethsemane (Matt 26.36-46) he prayed three times that God would take the cup from him (v. 39, 42, 43). He showed his humanity in that he did not want to suffer and die.

Is the debate over the humanity and/or deity of Jesus important to salvation, through faith? In a sense, it is. If Jesus were not fully man, but simply God pretending to be a man, then there is no accomplishment in his perfection. If there is no accomplishment in his perfection, then there is no sacrifice. On the other hand, if God were man, but not completely God, then he would not have had the power or authority over sin. Were Jesus to have sinned, he would not have been a spotless lamb and would not have provided any atonement for sin. Aside from the fact that the Bible clearly defines Jesus in terms of being 100% God and Man, it is simply illogical to believe that he was anything else as that would challenge the basic doctrine of salvation through Jesus Christ which Christianity is built upon.

It is my conviction of the word of God that Jesus was the incarnate God—100% God and 100% man—and that he was sacrificed by the plan and will of the Father in heaven to provide atonement for a sinning people with no other hope. I believe that to lack either godliness or humanity would be to remove from Jesus the ability to provide that atonement. Where being 100% God and 100% man is an apparent paradox, it is more illogical to impose upon God, human arguments as to His nature and power. It is the creator that will define the creation. It is not the role of man to define God. I fear that any attempt to redefine God is a direct result of a desire to redefine sin; or in a different light, to justify sin in your life. John Owen (2004) wrote,

“Sin’s loud voice darkens the mind so that it cannot make a right judgment of things. Our perplexing reasoning’s, our promises calculated to lesson our guilt, turbulent desires, false intentions of reform, and hopes of mercy, all have part in confusing the mind as it considers the guilt of a prevailing lust” (pp. 65-66).

It is the guilt of sin that causes man to manipulate the God ordained definition of incarnation.

Reference
Owen, J. (2004). The Mortification of Sin (R. Rushing, Ed.). Pennsylvania: The Banner of Truth Trust.

Thankfulness
Paul thanks God for the Corinthians. He thanks God because they have been saved through grace and that they are enriched in Him (love, grace, mercy, etc.). This enrichment comes through in their speech and knowledge so that they express the character of God. This enrichment came as confirmation of their salvation. They were sanctified in Christ. Another element of this confirmation is that they had all spiritual gifts present within the church so that they can fully serve God. This is a picture of God’s faithfulness. He provided the gifts to the Corinthians through fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ so that He could be glorified by them when they are presented before the throne of God as blameless.

Characteristics of Sanctification
1. Church of God.

They were addressed as a church of God. In these times, where you were from (or of) said a lot about your character. The identity of ‘church’ says that they are a collection of people, gathered for a higher purpose, an ecclesiastical separation from the group which is not the ‘church’. To say that they are ‘of God’ is to specify a purpose and an affiliation. For example, if you were the King of England, you would be by definition, a ruler, your purpose would be to rule over England and your affiliation would be the English people. So, the church of God is a collection of people identified by an ecclesiastical separation which is for the purposes of God and to be affiliated with him. We can draw the application that if we identify ourselves as a member of a Church of God, we should not be affiliated with the non-ecclesiastical, the secular, and should act in accordance with the will of God and be affiliated with Him for His glory.

2. Saints by calling. To be a saint it to be a follower of Christ.

There is a lot of discussion about the balance between free will and predestination. My understanding is that there is a plan for the kingdom of God (Christians post-resurrection, Israelites pre-resurrection). If one man chooses Christ, he/she will be a part of that plan. Some people, such as Paul, certainly seem to be handpicked and called to a higher purpose so this is not to suggest that God does not call people to specific tasks, ministry, etc. Romans 8:29 says, “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son” (NAS). This suggests that the men whom God knew before creation would choose him, would be conformed to the likeness of his son, blameless.

3. All who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; “(NAS). Notice it says Jesus as Lord not Jesus is Lord. All we say and know (like the Corinthians and like Paul) should identify Jesus as Lord. Check the context here. Paul is about to convict the Corinthians in following verses about following false prophets who do not identify with Jesus as Lord, but do say that Jesus is Lord as a means for financial or prideful gain. It is not likely that a great number of the Corinthians were following false prophets or he would not identify them as “those who call on the name of our Lord”, but certainly there significant was means for concern and we should be concerned about this today as well.

Paul’s Sanctification
Back on the topic of Paul thanking God for the Corinthians; Paul’s recognition of their sanctification and of their salvation is recognition of fruit being produced in his own life. By this we should be challenged to examine ourselves. Can we say that others have come to know Christ or that our brothers and sisters have been encouraged in Christ through our actions? If so, thank God for the fruit. If not, we have work to do.

The Corinthians had a problem here. It wasn’t that they didn’t believe in Jesus Christ, they just had a misconception about who to follow. It caused them to become divided. They were creating mini-denominations based on a legalistic view of the gospel as presented by different Christian leaders of the time. Paul comes in and reminds them that that are not followers of any other man, but followers of Christ.

When he found out that these divisions existed, his reaction was to be glad that no one was claiming to be a follower of his. Look close to see Paul’s concern. He does not think that anyone should have followers because that leads to pride or is a product of pride. If someone tricks people into believing in Christ through cleverness of speech, then the cross becomes void. They are not even following Christ rather they are following a man who has manipulated the gospel message to his benefit. The cross is hidden behind the pride of man.

I think for many, it is a draw to be a part of the biggest church led by the most talented charismatic preacher however that should not at all be part of the criteria for choosing a church. The number one criteria should be the message. Does the preacher preach the bible from the Spirit of God or from pride? Find a preacher who is in the Spirit. Secondarily, it is OK to consider the cultural aspect of the church in order to join a community where you will be able to worship without stumbling because of others methods of worship.

The number one application of this passage is to follow Christ. Regardless of the church or denomination, there are people who line their lives up with other men. Christ said repeatedly, “Follow me” and so we should study the word of God and know Christ so we can follow Him and none other.

The Israelites were to consecrate their homes by removing any leavening in preparation for the Passover. This meant that they would have to eat unleavened bread which is dense due to its lack of aeration. The Passover is one of many instances of foreshadowing the sacrifice that would be made by Christ in order to cover over man’s sins. “…Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7 NIV). Removing the yeast from their homes was a demonstration of submission to God. Not only that, but it was a way of rooting out evil from their midst. “…whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born” (Exodus 12:19 NIV). If they were not willing to submit in this small way, then how could they possibly devote themselves to God?

Today, we are still to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. “…let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8 NIV). The old yeast is the ways of the Pharisees, which is evil. Paul recognized that the unleavened bread of this Feast is symbolic of sincerity and truth, which should be hallmarks of the life of every Christian (Vince Szymkowiak). We are not bound by the law to celebrate this in the manor that the Israelites did; however, Paul meant that our lives should demonstrate our celebration of the feast, of the sacrifice which Christ made on the cross.

Christ says that the teaching of the Pharisees is leavening and that a little bit of that leavening will work through the whole dough. “…be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:11 NIV). The yeast of the Pharisees is malice and wickedness. We should not entertain thoughts other than what God commanded of us. Like the dough, evil ways will penetrate all aspects of our lives if we accept just a little. Christ came to call sinners to repentance. Trying to live mostly right is not what is desired by God. We are to repent of sin in all areas of our lives in order to fulfill the purpose for which we were called, to glorify God. If we can demonstrate repentance in all aspects of our lives, only then can we fulfill what God chose us to do, “to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:4).

Remember that “a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough” (Galatians 5:9 NIV). Just as the Israelites consecrated their lives before they celebrated the Passover, we too must consecrate our lives in order to give God the glory which he is due.

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matt 13:18-23, NIV)

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.” Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:1-9)

Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.” (Mark 4:13-20, NIV)

While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Luke 8:4-8)

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.(Luke 8:11-15, NIV)

The path is the majority of mankind. It is those who will hear the salvation message, but not be saved. The important thing to understand is that all men will have some understanding of Christ’s message of salvation. For those who have not been ‘told’ about Christ: “(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares” (Romans 2:14-16, NIV). This is talking about a general sense of morality also called general revelation. Those that were not given the law, those who have not been told about Christ, demonstrate the law because it is written onto their hearts. Their consciences bear witness to God’s law so much that their thoughts will be used on the Day of Judgment to determine their conscience decision to follow the law even though they had never been told about Christ. All mankind will know of the law in their hearts, but Satan will snatch it away from those who remain on the path.

The rocky soil is those who are quick to accept the gift of salvation when they hear the message, however fall away because they did not root their faith in deep soil. They understand and accept the message,;however, they have little understanding of the plan and do not know how to apply the message. Because they do not have the ability to apply the word of God in their lives, they cannot survive when they are tested. There is hope for these; however, it is the churches responsibility to train these, to disciple them so as to move them to the good soil. “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace” (Hebrews 6:4-6). This is the fate for those who are not properly trained in righteousness. If they fall away they cannot return. There is hope for their eternity because Christ said that “no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:29). Still, they will be useless for their time on earth and will not produce fruit for God, a worldly fate much more painful than physical death.

The thorny ground is similar to the rocky ground in that the fruitfulness is short lived. The worries of the world, the peer pressure, the temptation of sin, our sinful nature, hold us back so we do not (not cannot) wholly give ourselves over to God. All mankind struggles with being thorny ground, but there is hope in the word of God, or there would never be fruit in the kingdom. “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Anything, any sin you struggle with is common to man. There are others who have the same struggle, probably many. God is faithful to his promises to you. When you are tempted, you can escape it through the power of God which you have authority to use. All sin is a choice so it can be averted. All aversion to sin is a step towards righteousness, the good soil.

If you are of noble character and strive to produce fruit in your life, you are in the good soil. “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden ; it must not be eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD. But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God” (Leviticus 19:23-25). This is an Old Testament reference to the fruit which is provided through obedience to God. Plant fruit in your life, accept Christ and be diligent to study and understand his teachings and the word of God. Be obedient to God’s calling: anything else is forbidden. If you are persistent to do what is right, in God’s time, you will produce fruit, a hundred, sixty or thirty times your efforts.

If you are the path, you need Christ. The choice is yours. Do not let Satan take you away. Become good soil.

If you are the rocky soil, seek out understanding. Pursue a solid understanding of your faith so that you will not fall away. Become good soil.

If you are the thorny soil, repent of your sin. There is power in the word of God to pull you through. Remember all that your struggle with is common to man and none of it is stronger than God. Become good soil.

If you are the good soil, love and encourage the thorny soil, lest they succumb to the troubles of the world. Disciple the rocky soil lest they wither and become bitterness against God. Proclaim Christ to the path, lest they die without and live eternally separated from the love of God. Make disciples and make good soil.