1 Corinthians 16:14

1 Corinthians 16:14 says, Let all your things be done with charity.  This should be the underlying principle for all our actions as followers of Christ.  As Paul instructs, we should do everything out of Christ like charity, or love, for all those around us.  We cannot act in this type love if we hold any ill will toward those we are witnessing to.  I think sometimes we want to keep certain people from having an opportunity to respond to the gospel simply because we feel that they don't deserve forgiveness.  Paul tells us that we need to act out of love for all people, and he was writing in a time when Christians were being actively persecuted.  We are not called on to determine who is worthy of salvation, because none are.  Verse fifteen adds, I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)  Paul paused in his statement to commend the house of Stephanas, or Stephen, for their addiction to the ministry of the saints.  We should hope that we today could be viewed the same way.  Paul said that the house of Stephen were the first fruits in Achaia.  They may have been new believers in Christ, but they were already addicted to sharing Christ and uplifting the church, which is what our ministry should always be.  Verse sixteen continues, That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.  Paul had said that I beseech you, and here he told them what he wanted to implore them to do.  Paul told them to submit to those who, like Stephen, were addicted to the gospel, and to everyone that was working to spread the gospel.  I don't believe that Paul meant that we are to be subservient to other Christians, but that we are to minister to their needs as much as possible so they can serve God more effectively.  Verse seventeen states, I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. At this point, Paul could not go to them, so he was glad that these three had come to Him.  We should always be willing to help share in the ministry of others.  Paul said that what was lacking on the part of the church at Corinth as a whole had been supplied by these three men.  Matthew Henry says that they were able to give Paul a more accurate report of what was going on in the church at Corinth.  Though we are not told specifically what they supplied, it was something that lifted Paul's spirit.  Verse eighteen adds, For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such. When fellow Christians come to us in a time of need, we should always have our spirit lifted.  Verse nineteen continues, The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. Though a church is a local body of believers, the church overall is all the local bodies working together. We should greet the other churches as often as possible and pray for them always.  The church is not a building, but believers meeting together, as they were at the home of Aquila and Priscilla, and then going into the community to spread the gospel.  Verse twenty says, All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. I believe that once more we can see that Paul is telling us that we are to rejoice in all the other believers that we come in contact with.  Verse twenty-one adds, The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.  Evidently Paul had some else actually write down most of the letter, but he wrote the last part himself.  This could have been to authenticate the letter.  Verse twenty-two continues, If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.  Paul tells us that anyone who does not love Christ, and I believe acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior, then we are not to allow them to corrupt the church.  We are to be separated from them.  This does not mean we don't witness to them, but that we do not let their lack of belief or even their speaking against Christ to cause trouble in the church.  Verse twenty-three states, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  There is no better place for a Christian to be than in the grace of Jesus Christ.  It is His grace that saves and sustains us.  Verse twenty-four, Paul closes saying, My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. The first epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi by Stephanas, and Fortunatus, and Achaicus, and Timotheus.  Paul tells them that his love for them through Christ was for all of them, not just those who may have boasted of being saved by Paul's witnessing to them.

1 Corinthians 16:10

1 Corinthians 16:10 says, Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.  Paul asked them to treat Timotheus, or Timothy, with as much respect as they would have for Paul himself.  Though Timothy was young, and Paul had asked him to go, he wasn't Paul's replacement, but a minister himself.  We cannot serve as a replacement for anyone else but must go under the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit.  We do not need to put certain Christians above others and feel that they alone know the truth of the gospel.  Paul did not place himself in a superior position to other Christians but said he would do all that he could to win the lost to Christ.  I believe he expected the same from others, just as we today must make sure the spreading of the gospel is the priority of each Christian.  Verse eleven adds, Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren.  I believe Paul was asking them to treat Timothy with the respect that they would show Paul.  There were problems in the church that Timothy was going to be addressing, but Paul reminded them that they were not to despise them for this.  If we today have allowed problems to arise in the church, we need to respect those who are sent by the Holy Spirit to correct the problems.  Above all else, Timothy was coming under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse twelve continues, As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.  The Christians at Corinth might have been divided as those baptized by Paul and those baptized by Apollos, but I believe that Paul was letting them know there was no jealousy or division between the two of them.  If people today begin to elevate one preacher above another, the best way to stop such foolish talk is for the preachers to show that they are united in doing God's work.  No preacher can allow himself to be viewed as better than any other and remain true to the gospel.  To carry the thought a little further, no preacher can allow himself to be viewed as more important than any other Christian.  The emphasis must always be on presenting Christ to the world and not on bringing glory to oneself.  Verse thirteen concludes, Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.  I believe Paul is instructing us to stand strong in our faith, even when we are being persecuted for that faith.  Persecution was a definite possibility then, and we know that in many countries today it is a reality.  Paul tells us that even if that persecution comes to us, we are to stand strong in faith.

1 Corinthians 16:1

1 Corinthians 16:1 says, Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.  Paul told the church at Corinth that they needed to be ready to help the church at Jerusalem by sharing their material blessings with them.  We as God's church today should always be ready to help those churches that are in need financially.  We cannot afford to look only to our own local body of believers.  Verse two adds, Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.  Paul instructed them to make this collection on the first day of the week, which is the Lord's Day.  I believe if we put off doing the work of God until later or a more convenient time, we will never get anything done.  Of course, just because we gather to worship on the first day of the week does not mean that we can forget God for the rest of the week.  We need to realize also that God is the One Who prospers us.  We are to share with those less fortunate than us because we owe everything to God anyway if we are His followers.  Verse three continues, And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.  Paul restated his plan to come to them, but he wasn't going to take their collection personally.  Paul asked them to approve people by letter to send the collection by.  I believe we can learn from this.  If we are dealing with money, it is best to select people who we know we can trust to take care of it, especially if it relates to the church.  In verse four Paul states, And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.  Paul said that if it was best at that time, those selected would accompany him to deliver the gift.  He never said he would just take it himself if he could with no one else along.  I believe he did this to prevent any possibility of people saying that he was just using the gospel for his benefit.  There would be no perception of any misuse of this collection for others being used by Paul himself.  We need to be as accountable today.  Verse five adds, Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.  I believe Paul was telling them an approximate time when he would be there so they could have everything ready.  I believe that we today need to be organized in the way we serve God.  Many people say that they don't believe in organized religion, but I believe that God expects His followers to be organized in what they do.  This doesn't mean everything has to be determined beforehand, but as a rule we need to worship and serve God in an organized manner.  Paul did not say he knew exactly what he was going to do, but he did know that the collection that he had asked them to make needed to go to where it was needed.  No follower of Christ can make everything contingent on him or her alone, and neither can any church. Verse six continues, And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.  Paul said he might winter with them.  He was not talking about taking a vacation but about having a time to fellowship with and edify them as they helped him strengthen his faith and rest his body before continuing to go to other places to witness.  We need the fellowship of other believers to strengthen our faith as we witness for Christ.  Verse seven says, For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.  Paul said that his desire was to spend some time in fellowship with them, but that depended on the leadership of Christ.  We today may make plans for how we are going to serve God, but those plans need to be based on following the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse eight adds, But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.  Paul had told them to have everything ready for when he got there, but that he wasn't coming immediately.  Verse nine continues, For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.  I believe that when God opens a great door of opportunity to witness for Him that we like Paul can expect opposition from those who would deny the existence of God, but we need to be ready to witness when God opens that door, no matter the opposition.

1 Corinthians 15:45

1 Corinthians 15:45 says, And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.  Paul tells us that this body that we have is more than physical.  We, unlike the other animals, have a living soul.  God breathed His spirit into mankind, but the physical body is still mortal.  Paul then tells us that the second Adam, Jesus Christ, brings us life, just as the first Adam brought us death.  Verse forty-six adds, Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.  We first have a physical body before we have the spiritual one.  We might wonder why God did not just give us that spiritual body to begin with.  I believe that it goes back to free will. Had we been given that spiritual, everlasting body to begin with, we would have never had to decide whether to put our faith in God or not.  Verse forty-seven continues, The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.  The physical body was created from the dirt of the earth.  We were not sent down from heaven to occupy a physical body but were born a physical body with a soul.  Just as Adam was not a spiritual being sent down from God but a physical being created by God, so are we.  We may think we can create life without God, but we never will be able to.  Jesus Christ, the second man, did indeed come down from heaven, but He alone has this distinction.  Verse forty-eight states, As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.  I believe that Paul is reminding us that the physical body is earthly and as such must pass away before we can have that spiritual body through Christ.  There is a separation between the earthly and the heavenly, and it can only be bridged by Christ.  We are called on to die daily to the physical things of life that we might live by the spiritual direction of God.  Verse forty-nine adds, And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.   We are born in the image of created man, the physical image created by God, but we, as followers of Christ, also bear the image of Christ spiritually, or the heavenly image.  Verse fifty continues, Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.  I believe what Paul is telling us is that we need not be concerned about the old physical body which is corrupted by sin.  It will never be incorruptible.   Verse fifty-one says, Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,  I believe Paul was telling us that not all Christians will have died when Christ returns.  He may have even believed that Christ would return before all those alive then died, but the fact remains that some Christians will be alive whenever He does return.  Still, we will be changed from the corruptible creature that we are.  Verse fifty-two adds, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  Paul tells us that this will not be a long, drawn-out process, and it will be for both the living and the dead.  The dead will be raised incorruptible, and the living will be changed the same way.  All this will occur instantaneously.  Verse fifty-three continues, For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  We will be changed into incorruptible beings, but we will not become more than what God created us to be, and that is His servants.  We do not become gods of any sort.  Verse fifty-four states, So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  Paul is telling us that when Christ returns that death will have its final defeat.  Though through Christ we already have the ultimate victory over death, when Christ returns and we are changed into that incorruptible body, there will no longer be even the physical death we may endure now.  Verse fifty-five adds, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  Death will no longer have any power over us, and the grave will give up those who have gone before Christ's return.  Verse fifty-six continues, The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  Paul tells us because of sin death came into the world, and that by the law of God we can only be pronounced guilty of sin.  There is only One Who ever lived life free of sin, and that is Jesus Christ.  Verse fifty-seven declares, But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  We cannot save ourselves, but we can praise God for making salvation possible through the sacrifice of Christ.  Verse fifty-eight adds, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.  Paul tells us to be steadfast in our faith in Christ and to be abounding in our work for God.  As long as we put our faith in our salvation through Christ, we can be assured that we are His forever.  We need to have an unwavering faith as we abound in the work of God.

1 Corinthians 15:33

1 Corinthians 15:33 says, Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.  Paul had just stated that if there was no resurrection that we should just eat and drink and enjoy life until we die. There were those then, as there are those today, who proclaim this to be the best way to live, but Paul said that we are not to listen to this evil communication.  We must understand that anyone who denies the death, burial and resurrection of Christ is guilty of evil communication, and we are to never listen to what they are saying.  Verse thirty-four adds, Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.  Paul was still addressing the church at Corinth in this letter, but the principles still apply today.  We need to awake to righteousness, to following the will of God.  I believe Paul was warning them that not all those who professed to be Christians had a knowledge of God, and yet they would attempt to lead others to their beliefs.  This has not changed today.  Many profess to be Christians who have not awakened to the righteousness of God and to not give in to sin.  Verse thirty-five continues, But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?   Paul stated that some were still questioning the resurrection of the dead and wondering what kind of body they would have.  We today may wonder about the nature of the resurrected body, but Paul tells us that this is nothing we need to be concerned with.  We simply need to claim the truth of the resurrection.  Verse thirty-six states, Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:  Paul said it was foolish to worry about the physical body, and that we should learn from planting seeds.  In order to grow a new plant, or to resurrect itself, the seed must die.  This old body will pass away.  Even those who are alive when Christ returns will be charged in the twinkling of an eye we are told.  Verse thirty-seven adds, And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:  Paul tells us that when we plant a seed that we don't expect to get that seed back, but we plan to get something much greater.  I believe Paul was saying that the same is true of the resurrected body.  We will have a body that is much greater than this present one.  Verse thirty-eight continues, But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.  Paul tells us God is in charge of the production of crops from seed, and He is likewise in charge of the resurrected body.  Verse thirty-nine says, All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.  No matter how much we people may attempt to put other animals on par with human beings, they will never be the same.  People have an immortal soul, and the other animals do not.  Verse forty adds, There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.  Paul changes his discourse from living things to the planets and stars.  He tells us that they are not all viewed with the same glory.  We need to simply look to poor Pluto to see this is true.  For years, Pluto was a planet, then it wasn't, and I am not even sure its status today.  Verse forty-one continues, There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.  Paul continues this thought here.  Not all of the stars receive the same glory.  We know that we need the sun more than we need any other star.  After comparing the glory of the stars,  Verse forty-two states, So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:  Paul returns to the resurrection of the body. He tells us that the old body is sown, or buried, in corruption.  This body that we now have has been corrupted by sin, but the resurrected body will not be so.  Verse forty-three Paul adds, It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:  I believe Paul is telling us that we should not even want this old body back, because we are going to receive on that is so much better.  Verse forty-four continues, It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.  Paul reminds us that what we have is a natural body, but what we will have in the resurrection is a spiritual body.  We know that the physical body will pass away, but the spiritual body, whatever its form may be, will last forever.  We can rely on God to give us the body that is best for us without the corruption that it now suffers.

1 Corinthians 15:24

1 Corinthians 15:24 says, Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.  Paul continued to speak about the power of the resurrection of Christ.  When the end of this old sinful world comes, Christ will deliver up His kingdom, those who have accepted salvation through Him.  We are not going to one day be a part of the kingdom of God, but if we believe in Christ as our Savior, we are already a part of His kingdom.  We do not have to be concerned about when Christ will return, but simply must put our faith in the knowledge that we are His for all time.  Verse twenty-five adds, For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  Those who put Jesus to death on the cross thought they had defeated Him.  Paul tells us that one day Christ will put all His enemies under His feet.  All those who oppose Christ will be defeated, no matter how powerful they may think they are.  There are many people today who are powerful in the eyes of the world who deny the existence of God, but ultimately, they will be defeated by Christ, the only begotten Son of God. People may think that powerful weapons make them powerful and give the right to rule in this world, but they forget that God created and sustains it all. Verse twenty-six continues, The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.  Paul tells us that the last enemy to be destroyed will be death.  Christ did indeed defeat death on the cross, but I believe Paul is referring to the time when Christ claims His church and even physical death will no longer exist.  Verse twenty-seven states, For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.  Paul tells us that everything is under the power of Christ, except for the Father.  When Jesus Christ was on the earth, He was under the direction of the Father.  Though I do not claim to totally understand everything about the nature of the triune God, we know that Christ is the Mediator for mankind through His human and divine nature.  He will be the Mediator until the church is called to be with Him forever.  In this purpose, the Son, Christ, is still subject to the will of the Father.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.  When all are saved that are going to be saved, then Christ will have completed His task of redemption and God will truly be manifested as the One true God.  Verse twenty-nine continues, Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?  I do not understand exactly what Paul meant by being baptized for the dead, but I do know that it doesn't mean that we can somehow miraculously be baptized for those who are already physically dead and provide salvation for them.  For salvation to have any meaning, it must be the choice of each person individually.  If we could somehow bring salvation to those who died without it, then we should spend most of our time naming them and being baptized for their salvation, but this is not the case.  In this life alone do we have hope of accepting the salvation of Christ.  Verse thirty says, And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?  Paul asks why anyone would place himself or herself in jeopardy for the sake of the gospel if life in this world were all there is.  To die a martyr for something that is not real, or even to suffer physically, would make no sense.  Verse thirty-one adds, I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.   I believe Paul was saying that without the resurrection of Christ, there would be no reason to rejoice in those who stand firm for Him no matter the trial they faced.  We, like Paul are to die to self daily that Christ may live through us.  Verse thirty-two continues, If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.  Paul asks what advantage would there be to facing those who would destroy us because of our faith in Christ if there is no resurrection through Christ.  Paul tells us that without the everlasting life that we obtain through Christ, we would be better off to just enjoy as much of the things of this world as we can.  There would be no reason to deny ourselves anything if this life were all there is.  Fortunately, as followers of Christ, we know that life does not end when we die physically but goes on for time everlasting.

1 Corinthians 15:12

1 Corinthians 15:12 says, Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  The resurrection of Christ from the dead, thereby defeating death for all time, is a basic element of salvation.  As Paul asked those at the church at Corinth then, we must ask ourselves today how we can deny the resurrection from the dead when Christ Himself both spoke of it and made it an accomplished fact.  Verse thirteen adds, But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:  We need only to look to Christ to confirm the resurrection from the dead.  As Paul said in the previous verses, the resurrection of Christ was not just a debatable fact, but it was one recognized by hundreds of people.  Though we may not have seen the physical resurrection, we today as followers of Christ have witnessed the same fact by faith.  The resurrection of Christ is also an essential element for salvation.  Verse fourteen continues, And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Paul said that without the resurrection of Christ that preaching amounted to nothing, as would our faith.  If Christ did not defeat the power of death, if He did not rise again, then what we preach as the gospel would be based on a lie, and our faith in that gospel would indeed be in vain.  Salvation without the resurrection of Christ would be an impossibility.  Verse fifteen declares, Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.  Paul tells us that we would be false witnesses if Christ was not raised from the dead, since His resurrection is the key element of salvation.  Many people have died for their faith, but only One, Jesus Christ, defeated death for all time. We cannot personally defeat death of our own ability but can only claim victory through Christ.  If the resurrection of Christ is not a reality, then we believe in vain.  Verse sixteen adds, For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:  Resurrection is not just something that we hope will happen, but through Christ it is an accomplished fact.  When we put our faith in Christ and the salvation that He gives us, we are His forever, not by our power or abilities, but by His.  Verse seventeen continues, And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.  Paul tells us that our hope for salvation rests in the resurrection of Christ.  If Jesus Christ is not Who He said He was and didn't do what He said He did, then we are still bound by sin.  We cannot be saved by believing that Jesus existed and was a good prophet and that was all.  Jesus Christ is either the only begotten Son of God Who paid the price of our sins on the cross and arose that we might have life, or we are hopelessly doomed to everlasting separation from God.  Verse eighteen says, Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. Paul tells us that if Christ didn't rise from the dead, then those who had died believing in Him had perished without hope.  Verse nineteen adds, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.  I hear people say occasionally that even if there is no resurrection, no everlasting life, that they would still live their lives dedicated to Christ.  Paul, one of the great men of faith, said that without the resurrection of Christ, which assures our resurrection, then we of all men are most miserable.  If this life is all there is, then it would make no sense to live for the benefit of others.  Verse twenty continues, But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. Paul tells us that we don't have to be the most miserable of people, because Christ did arise defeating death, that everlasting separation from God, for all time.  Even if this old body dies physically, we know that is not the end.  Through Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and more importantly His resurrection from the dead, we have everlasting life if we put our faith in Him.  Verse twenty-one states, For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  We know that Adam and Eve sinned against God and were cut off from the tree of life, but I believe we can take this a step further.  By our own sins, we are doomed to everlasting separation from God, unless we have a Mediator in Christ.  Verse twenty-two adds,  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  Death came to the world through the sin of Adam, the rebellion against God, and through mankind's continued rebellion, but through faith in Christ we can have everlasting life with God.   Verse twenty-three continues, But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.  Paul said that everyone would be resurrected in their own order, with Jesus Christ being the first.  If we are a follower of Christ, then our resurrection is assured in God's time.