1 Corinthians Review continued

As we continue our review of 1st Corinthians, we know that another issue that Paul addressed was spiritual gifts.  Some of those in the church at Corinth felt that certain spiritual gifts made them somehow better than those with what the saw as having lesser spiritual gifts.  Paul reminded them that all spiritual gifts are from God, and that all are necessary to effectively spread the gospel and to edify the church.  I believe that Paul was teaching us that we are never to covet any other spiritual gift than the one or ones that God has given us.  There is no gift that makes one person more important than others.  We may feel that preachers are more important or morally superior to other Christians, but this is not what the Bible teaches us.  We are all just sinners saved by the grace of God who then are called on to use the gift or gifts that God has given us.  We are never to covet any spiritual gift or to look down on others because we feel that our gift or gifts are superior to that of someone else.  Paul also said that when we use our spiritual gift that it should lead to a clear advancement of the gospel and the edification of the church.  Even early in the church, there were those who were proclaiming that some gifts were a sign that some Christians were superior to others, and it seems that speaking in tongues was one of those gifts.  Paul reminded them, and teaches us, that speaking in tongues, or unknown languages, was a gift for reaching other people and not a sign of moral superiority to any other Christian.  As Paul reminded the church at Corinth, God is not the author of confusion, but of unity through Christ.  Another issue that had arisen concerned the resurrection of the dead.  Paul told those believers at Corinth that without the resurrection of the dead there was no hope at all, not in this life or the one to come.  This will never change.  If Christ did not overcome the power of death by His resurrection, then everything we put our faith in world be a lie and we would be as Paul said most miserable.  If this life on earth is all there is, then we would be justified in living life for our own best interests.  Since through Christ, we know that this life is but a brief prelude to the everlasting life that we know is ours, we need to live under the Lordship of Christ.  Of course, even those who deny the resurrection will one day know of the certainty of it, but unfortunately it will be to late for them to claim redemption that has already been made available through Christ.  Because of salvation and everlasting life through Christ, we are to live life not just for ourselves, but to reach others with the gospel and to put them above our own selfish desires.  We are to follow the example of Christ and pray to God that not our will but His be done, now and forever.  We are going to the book of Job next.