1 Corinthians 3:18-20 (New Living Translation)
18 Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, “He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.”
20 And again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless.”
Worthless … what value is it if you gain the whole world and lose your soul? Men of great wealth … Howard Hughes, Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, John Edwards (I don’t know the status of their soul, it is not for me to judge) … examples of men who gained great worldly wealth but appear to have not made God the priority in their lives. These men make the headlines with their rise and fall.
We can point at them. These verses however, encourage us to look in the mirror. “Stop deceiving yourselves.” Where is the wisdom of the world … the worldly foolishness … in our own lives? That’s what God would have us to surrender … our own worthlessness.
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Monday, September 06, 2010
You
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (New Living Translation)
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
We learned in English class that you can be singular … referring to a single individual … or you can be plural … referring to a specific group. This New Living Translation of these verses emphasizes the plural you.
“… all of you together…”
The temple or the church is more a reference to an organism than to a building. The temple here is an organized body of believers. The temple building may crumble, as we see in disasters or decay from aging but the temple, the organism, God will protect from destruction.
Jesus, one day soon, is coming back for His church. The church will survive until His return, regardless of Satan’s attacks and in the day of judgment, Satan is the one who will be destroyed!
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
We learned in English class that you can be singular … referring to a single individual … or you can be plural … referring to a specific group. This New Living Translation of these verses emphasizes the plural you.
“… all of you together…”
The temple or the church is more a reference to an organism than to a building. The temple here is an organized body of believers. The temple building may crumble, as we see in disasters or decay from aging but the temple, the organism, God will protect from destruction.
Jesus, one day soon, is coming back for His church. The church will survive until His return, regardless of Satan’s attacks and in the day of judgment, Satan is the one who will be destroyed!
Thursday, September 02, 2010
He Guards You
1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (New Living Translation)
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Buildings decay … crumble … fall … but the temple of God is not buildings. It is saints. It is the saints that God has under His wings of protection. It is saints that are holy. It is saints that God has promised to never leave or forsake. God guards His saints.
Does that mean that you will never get a bump or a bruise … suffer sickness or disease? No. This means that your eternity is assured because “…the Spirit of God lives in you.”
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Buildings decay … crumble … fall … but the temple of God is not buildings. It is saints. It is the saints that God has under His wings of protection. It is saints that are holy. It is saints that God has promised to never leave or forsake. God guards His saints.
Does that mean that you will never get a bump or a bruise … suffer sickness or disease? No. This means that your eternity is assured because “…the Spirit of God lives in you.”
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Escape in Judgment
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (New Living Translation)
12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
No one will escape judgment day. The value of our works will be tested. Build today as with gold … not straw … so that barely escaping in judgment will not be our test score.
12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
No one will escape judgment day. The value of our works will be tested. Build today as with gold … not straw … so that barely escaping in judgment will not be our test score.
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