REMAIN WITH GOD IN THE CONDITION YOU WERE CALLED
17 Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this way let him walk. And so, I direct in all the churches. 18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. 20 Each person is to remain in that state in which he was called. 21 Were you called as a slave? Do not let it concern you. But if you are also able to become free, take advantage of that. 22 For the one who was called in the Lord as a slave, is the Lord’s freed person; likewise, the one who was called as free, is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought for a price; do not become slaves of people. 24 Brothers and sisters, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called. – 1 Corinthians 7:17-24
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In this part of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he explains the importance of remaining with God whatever condition you were experiencing when you were called. If you were called when you were single or married, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, slave or free, you need to stay with the Lord and continue to serve him and be used by him for his kingdom purpose. Paul mentions circumcision and uncircumcision as an example here. He knows that the Jews place so much emphasis on the importance of circumcision before they can be accepted. Paul is not discounting their adherence to their Mosaic laws as long as they don’t impose their laws as a requirement to be called in God’s kingdom. Paul’s ministry focused on bringing the gospel to the Gentiles as well. Circumcision and slavery is not the topic in this part of his letter. He was actually reminding those who are called to serve Christ to remain in the place they are holding when they were first called. In other words, we do not have to wait for things to change before we serve the Lord. Verse 20 clearly tells us that we are to stay put where we are.
Sadly, many of us have a different view of what it is to be a Christian. We place so much conditions before we actually wear the new nature in Christ. Our fallen nature discourages us to accept the invitation of Jesus without adding our contribution to the salvific act of Christ. We think we can add something from our own effort to change our conditions when God called us first. We need to obey and let the grace and mercy of God transform our lives instead of doing it ourselves. Only God can transform and save us.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think God asks us to remain where we are when he called us?
Tag Archives: Christian devotional
INSTRUCTIONS FOR UNEQUALLY YOKED MARRIAGES ILMA’S VLOG
July 19
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR UNEQUALLY YOKED MARRIAGES
12 But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not divorce her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. 15 Yet if the unbelieving one is leaving, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us in peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? – 1 Corinthians 7:12-16
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In this letter, Paul gives clear instructions to those who are in unequally yoked marriages. In Genesis 2:24, the institution of marriage was made, where a man leaves his mother and father and cleaves to his wife and the two becomes one. In Amos 3:3, the prophet asks “Can two walk together unless they have agreed to meet? Clearly Paul honors the sanctity of the covenant of marriage. But in this part of his letter to the Corinthian church, he wants to address those who became believers after they have been already married.
He gives instructions to those who became believers if their spouse are unbelievers. He says that if a man has an unbelieving wife and she agrees to still live with him, he must not divorce her. If on the other hand a wife has an unbelieving husband and he still agrees to live with her, she must not leave or divorce him. Paul presents the sanctification of God in the life of a believer. Because he or she have committed to serve the Lord, God is taking care of the unbelieving spouse. It is not in the place of the believer to convince their spouse to believe, but it is the work of the Spirit to do so. It is a great opportunity for these believers with unbelieving partners to shine the light of the gospel to their spouses.
In this instruction, Paul also gives a way out to those whose unbelieving spouses decide to leave them. They are free and can live in peace. You may ask “Why stay when it is a very difficult situation to have very contrasting views of God and the world?” In Verse 16, Paul gives us the reason why it is important to hold on to those whose unbelieving spouse still wants to stay in the marriage, there is hope for them to hear the gospel and see the work that Christ has done in the life of the believing partner.
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REFLECTION
• How can the believing partner maintain peace in unequally yoked marriages?
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE SINGLE AND THE MARRIED ILMA’S VLOG
July 18
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INSTRUCTIONS TO THE SINGLE AND THE MARRIED
7 Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each has his own gift from God, one in this way, and another in that.8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. 9 But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.10 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife is not to leave her husband 11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband is not to divorce his wife. – 1 Corinthians 7:7-11
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In this letter, Paul advises both single and married people. He reminds them that his wishes is for them to be like him, single and serving the Lord. He recognizes the fact that each one had been given different gifts to use to do kingdom work. In verse 8, he addresses the single and the widows. He wants them to remain unmarried. Why? I think that Paul presents the upside of being single. When one is single, they can focus on serving the Lord with undivided attention. When one is married, there comes many distractions to making God our focus. There will be responsibilities that one needs to take care of and it can sometimes impede in your priorities. There is also a lot of challenges that come with relationships, but God created us for it. The only way we can have healthy relationships with others is when we have a healthy and deep understanding of our relationship with God. Otherwise, we will fail in our foremost role of being a servant of Christ.
Even though Paul warns them of the troubles they will face when married, in verse 8, he gives them a solution to their passion. He recommends to marry and have their own husband or wife. In verse 10, he gives them the consequence of their choice to marry. It is a permanent covenant where they will remain together forever. We still see the wisdom of this teaching because even though the wife decides to leave when they were disallowed to do so, she cannot re-marry. She can be reconciled again to her husband. The husband is instructed never to divorce his wife.
But what do you do when things do not work as you thought it would when you get married? This teaching is clearly for believers. It reiterates the marriage covenant’s permanency and foundation. Since it is God who allowed them to marry each other, no one can break that promise, not even their own selves. God gives a way out for those who didn’t enter this covenant agreement in God’s perspective.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it better to be single when you are a Christian?
THE BODY BELONGS TO THE LORD ILMA’S VLOG
July 16
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THE BODY BELONGS TO THE LORD
12 All things are permitted for me, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, however God will do away with both of them. But the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 14 Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are parts of Christ? Shall I then take away the parts of Christ and make them parts of a prostitute? Far from it! 16 Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought for a price: therefore, glorify God in your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
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In this letter, Paul reminds the believers that although all things are allowed, it doesn’t mean that everything is beneficial. He explains the importance of not being consumed by anything. In verse 13, he sets the boundaries for believers to remember: that food is for the stomach but the body isn’t for sexual immorality. Paul tells them that their bodies belong to Christ and since it does, they need to keep it pure and holy. In verse 15, he replicates again to them that if they belong to Christ, then their bodies are parts of Him.
Peter warns the believers that they must never ever join themselves with prostitutes. Since Christ is their husband and believers as the wife. In verse 16, Paul reiterates to them the sanctity of marriage in Genesis 2:24 says Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Just like a man and a woman becomes one, the believer is one with Christ’s spirit.
In verse 18, Paul reproves the believers to run away from any sexual immorality. He says that a sexually immoral person is committing a sin against his own body. As a servant of God, He owns us and so our bodies are not ours. We need to keep it sanctified for the Lord. ________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it important for Christians to keep their bodies pure and holy?
THOSE WHO WON’T INHERIT GOD’S KINGDOM ILMA’S VLOG
July 15
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THOSE WHO WON’T INHERIT GOD’S KINGDOM
And this to your brothers and sisters! 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor those habitually drunk, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
-1 Corinthians 6:9-11
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In this letter of Paul to the Corinthians, he enumerates those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. He specifically points out the unrighteous people who are the following:
• Sexually immoral- gotquestions.org defines this as “porneia” which is translated as “whoredom, fornication, idolatry. It means a surrendering of sexual purity and primarily used with pre-marital sexual relations. From this work, we get the English word “pornography”, stemming from the concept of “selling off.” It is the selling off of sexual purity and involves any type of sexual expression outside the boundaries of a biblically defined marriage relationship.
• Idolaters -Merriam Webster defines this word as the worship of a physical object as god or immoderate attachment or devotion to something or someone. Some synonyms would be: worship, adulation, deification, hero worship.
• Adulterers -for Christians, adultery is the sin of a married man having sexual relations with anyone other than his wife or a married woman having sexual relations with anyone other than her husband. James 4:4 specifically says that adultery to God is friendship with the world.
• Homosexuals- sexual relationship with same sex. Leviticus 18:22 prohibits this act.
• Thieves-getting something that isn’t yours, to satisfy your desire to have it.
• The greedy- Proverbs 1:19 says the greed takes away your life. It consumes you.
• Habitual drunks-Ephesians 5:18 says that habitual drinking leads to wickedness.
• Verbal abusers- Matthew 12:36-37 reminds us that we will be accountable for each word we utter. Verbal abusers will struggle with accounting for their wickedness.
• Swindlers-are dishonest and defrauders. They purposely do it to gain something for themselves.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think Paul enumerated to the Corinthians these sins?
JUDGING BELIEVERS, NOT UNBELIEVERS ILMA’S BLOG
July 13
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JUDGING BELIEVERS, NOT UNBELIEVERS
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to leave the world. 11 But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or a greedy person, or an idolater, or is verbally abusive, or habitually drunk, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what business of mine is it to judge outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But those who are outside, God judges. REMOVE THE EVIL PERSON FROM AMONG YOURSELVES. – 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
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In this letter, Paul clarifies what he meant when he rebuked believers who tolerate sins in the church. He wasn’t talking about those who are unbelievers or those who do not know the Lord, he knows that God is the only one to judge those who are unbelievers, just like he said in verse 13. Paul even asks a rhetorical question in verse 12 “Do you not judge those who are within the church?” What he meant by this statement is that we are supposed to rebuke and correct each other when our brothers or sisters in Christ are sinning just as Matthew 18:15 reiterates. It says : “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. So, what is Paul is actually implying in this letter when he confronted those who tolerate this sinful believer who has sexual relationship with his father’s wife? He is addressing that they do not care enough to correct someone who is living in sin, thereby contaminating the purity of other believers. It also shakes their faith when they see sin being tolerated.
Paul wants them to confront sins that he enumerated in verse 11 such as sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, verbal abuse, habitual drinking, or swindling. If they were not believers, he had no right to judge them, but if they claim to be Christians and engage in these sins, then, he has to judge them so they can repent and return to God. He wants the evil person to be removed from the body of Christ.
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REFLECTION
• Why are some believers afraid to confront sins of fellow believers in the body?
UNLEAVENED BREAD OF SINCERITY AND TRUTH ILMA’S VLOG
July 12
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UNLEAVENED BREAD OF SINCERITY AND TRUTH
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let’s celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. – 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
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In this letter, Paul deals with the sin of arrogance and boasting. Previous to this part of his letter, he was calling out a brother in Christ who was in the Corinthian church who was engaging in a sexual sin with his father’s wife. In those times, some men have multiple wives but it doesn’t mean that God approved that. Deuteronomy 17:17 says: “And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, so that his heart does not turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.” The Old Testament mentions some men who had over one wife such as many important figures like Esau (Gen 26:34; 28:6-9), Jacob (Gen 29:15-28), Elkanah (1 Samuel 1:1-8), David (1 Samuel 25:39-44; 2 Samuel 3:2-5; 5:13-16), and Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-3) so, we can assume that some men in the Corinthian church that probably had over one wife. This man that Paul called out must have had a father who had over one wife aside from his own mother.
In this part of his letter, Paul emphasizes the importance of keeping a sanctified life for every believer. He confronts those members of the church who tolerates this man who committed sexual sin with his father’s wife. He wants them to understand that when the whole bunch of believers are corrupted by just even one sinner, it will affect other believers and compromise their purity. Paul likens it to making bread, where a little leaven affects the whole lump of dough. He advises them to cleanse themselves from the old leaven so they can be a new lump just like they were unleavened. He reminds them of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross that made the old leaven a new one. In other words, the only way we can have a new life, is by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In verse 8, he tells the Corinthian church to celebrate with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth instead of the old leaven of malice and wickedness. This is how important it is for all the believers to joyfully wear their new nature in Christ and give up all the old sinful ways that isn’t becoming of a true believer. This is why he rebukes those who were arrogant in tolerating the sinful believer in their church at Corinth.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to wear Christ and never let ourselves be corrupted by sin?
PAUL WON’T TOLERATE SIN AMONG BELIEVERS ILMA’S VLOG
July 11
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PAUL WON’T TOLERATE SIN AMONG BELIEVERS
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and sexual immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, namely, that someone has his father’s wife. 2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. 3 For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 I have decided to turn such a person over to Satan for the destruction of his body, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. – 1 Corinthians 5:1-5
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This letter of Paul to the Corinthian church may sound very harsh to those who do not know Christ, but if you are a true believer, you will definitely understand why he rebukes this sexually immoral believer quite severely. In verse 1, we get a glimpse of the nature of the sin that this person committed. He was sleeping with his father’s wife. He mentions that even among the Gentiles (who are unbelievers), this kind of sin does not exist.
In verse 2, Paul addresses the church of Corinth for tolerating such habitual sexual immorality among the body of Christ. In verse 3, we get a picture that Paul was not physically present in Corinth when he wrote this letter. Yet Paul knew what was going on because of the report he had been furnished. In verses 4-5, Paul chooses to remove this person from the fellowship of the church. When he said that he has decided to turn this person over to Satan, he meant, that this person will no longer take part in the fellowship of the family of believers. It may seem very judgmental and severe, but Paul is faithful to the ensure that the sanctification of the other believers were not compromised. We are not talking about someone who just sinned once and repented, but this person has continued to engage in such immorality. Just as a rotten apple will affect the other good apple, Paul knew that if he doesn’t remove this unrepentant sinner, many of the other believers will be corrupted and compromised. By confronting the sin, Paul hopes to save his soul when he is deprived of the fellowship of Christ’s body. Tolerating another believer when they are sinning is compromising our relationship with our Lord, who hates sin. We are loving if we confront sin and rebuke sinning brothers or sisters. We are unloving when we let them continue to sin and lose their salvation.
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REFLECTION
• Why is tolerance of sin not to be permitted in a true church?
PAUL ADMONISHES THE CORINTHIANS OF SPIRITUAL PRIDE ILMA’S BLOG
July 10
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PAUL ADMONISHES THE CORINTHIANS OF SPIRITUAL PRIDE
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, be imitators of me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 18 Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant, but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in words, but in power. 21 What do you desire? That I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?
– 1 Corinthians 4:14-20
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In this letter, Paul reproves the Corinthian church as a father would reprimand a child. He considers them like his own children. He is concerned that they were dazzled by many other teachers telling them about the gospel. He simply reminds them that his love for them is like the love of a father to his own children. It is very different from the reproof they get from other teachers. As a father would expect his own children, he admonishes them to imitate what he does. He was setting an example for them to emulate. He wants them to follow the way that Christ has taught him.
In verse 17, he mentions sending Timothy, his beloved spiritual son so that they can be reminded of how Paul’s way was and so that they won’t be misled by the carnal temptations around them. He mentions to them that he teaches the same gospel and the same truth in the other churches as well so there is no reason to be jealous or envious because he treats all believers the same.
In verse 19, he targets their arrogance in presuming that Paul wasn’t coming over there for some reason that they concocted or assumed. He straightens out their wrong thinking by re-directing their attention on the kingdom power which is only attained by a complete dependence on God on everything. He wanted them to give up their self-reliance and their dependence on their own understanding. Spiritual pride and arrogance is prevalent in many churches today. We could have a good reminder from Paul about this sin problem that is so present in many churches that have chosen a wrong path.________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why should we be mindful of spiritual pride as a sin that easily trips us up?
SERVANTS OF CHRIST & CARETAKERS OF TRUTH ILMA’S BLOG
July 8
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SERVANTS OF CHRIST & CARETAKERS OF TRUTH
This is the way any person is to regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. 3 But to me it is an insignificant matter that I would be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself; however, I am not vindicated by this, but the one who examines me is the Lord. 5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of human hearts; and then praise will come to each person from God.6 Now these things, brothers and sisters, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos on your account, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. 7 For who considers you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? – 1 Corinthians 4:1-7
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In this letter, Paul reminds the believers of their role in the kingdom of God. They are called servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. What does it mean to be a servant of Christ? In verse 2, Paul clearly mentions the importance of being a person with integrity. He must me trustworthy. In verse 3, he points out that self-examination is a human act while being examined by the Spirit of God is a divine intervention. As a servant of God, we must be constantly checked and examined by the Spirit of God as to our loyalty and service to our King Jesus. It is unimportant to hear what other people think or say about us, but our hearts must be examined by the Lord God himself through the Scriptures that are given to those who love him. Paul also warned us not to pass judgments on others because it is only the Lord who knows the hearts of all men. It is only Jesus who can bring into the light all forms of darkness that are hidden from man to see. Paul talks about what will happen when the Lord comes back: all darkness hidden will be exposed in the light that Jesus will bring with Him. He is full of radiance and brightness that there will be no way that any form of darkness will still exist. The human hearts will all be exposed, meaning all the condition of the hearts of all man will come into knowledge to everyone and there is no more hiding. All believers are also expected to take care of the mysteries of God revealed in Scripture.
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REFLECTION
• Why must we take to heart our role as servants of Christ and stewards of truth?