We are told that the Ethiopian Christians during the Communist regime multiplied greatly, in spite of being restricted. In fact, the restriction seems to be the seed that made them grow. Public gathering was prohibited, so they went, as we say, underground. They had cell groups and they met in secret. Their neighbors and friends […]
We may wonder where all the languages came from. We might even wonder where language itself came from. Those who advocate that we came from lower animals have a problem. Lower animals have no languages. Of course, they argue, this is a part of the evolutionary process. Yet evolutionists suggest that language began when cavemen […]
From the record, we learn that the church in Corinth had a turbulent history. It began with a riot when the founding apostles were hauled to Gallio’s judgment seat by opposing Jews. But Gallio refused to hear the case, dismissing it with these words: “If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O […]
There is a second answer to the question, What does love do? It is: 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but […]
In the language Paul spoke, there were three words for love. Eros, used by the secular Greeks, is the lowest word for love. We get our word “erotic” from that word, and it means “sensual” or “sexual.” Filos speaks of filial love, meaning the love of the family. The name of the city Philadelphia means […]
The next logical step in understanding is: 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? The apostle Paul raises some questions. How he does is most striking, for every one of them is […]
The church is a functioning body. Like the human body, every member is important. In the church, each member comes into the body the same way, and each has a distinct place or function, just like the members of our physical bodies. This is clearly taught in I Corinthians 12. There are in the church […]
No one can travel in two directions at the same time. Choices become important when we face directions. Choosing calls for counsel. Where can we find trusted counsel? To whom can we turn? In the church there is an opportunity for counsel. Actually, the Greek word for church, ekklesia, means a “called-out people.” Within the […]
Next, we consider: 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man […]
Every human proposition can be carried to an extreme. For example, freedom can be carried so far that it becomes self-interest. And no one else is considered. In the field of Christian doctrine, extremes emerge, too. Some have little tolerance for any modified understanding of biblical teaching. On the opposite side, we do not condone […]
