August 12

1 CORINTHIANS 15

⁴² So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. ⁴³ It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. ⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. ⁴⁵ Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. ⁴⁸ As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. ⁴⁹ Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shallalso bear the image of the man of heaven. – 1 Corinthians 15:42-49

1 CORINTHIANS 15 IMAGE BEARERS OF THE TWO ADAMS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God created mankind, he gave us our natural bodies

Because of sin, we are inclined to give in to our cravings

The first Adam destroyed the image that God made him to be

The second Adam restored our original make and brought that back

In Christ, we overcome the sinful nature in us

Because it is the Spirit that brings us new life.

In this letter, Paul reminds all believers to remember that we are image bearers of God. But when the first Adam sinned, that image was tarnished and it didn’t do what it was designed for. It was supposed to bring God the glory but instead, it gave glory to itself. When Christ died for us on the cross, he made it possible for us to revert back to the original purpose of our make: to give God all the praise and live our lives to be in communion with him and fulfilling his plan for mankind.

The first Adam sowed dishonor and sin while the second Adam brought us restoration and life again. The first Adam destroyed that beautiful image that God gave us and distorted our loyalty to God. The second Adam renewed our perspective and corrected that misrepresentation by fulfilling God’s remedy to mankind and saving them from that sin nature. We ought to believe in Jesus for us to receive that promised eternal life.

REFLECTION

• How has the world twisted the original image that God gave in each of us?

August 10

1 CORINTHIANS 15

²⁹ Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? ³⁰ Why are we in danger every hour? ³¹ I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! ³² What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” ³³ Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” ³⁴ Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. – 1 Corinthians 15:29-34

1 CORINTHIANS 15 LET THE RESURRECTION TRANSFORM YOU

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Jesus Christ died for you so you can be reconciled with God

It was sin that pulled you out of the presence of our Lord

When Jesus became the sacrifice to appease God’s wrath

He allowed us to be renewed and transformed in our hearts

Do not allow the world to overcome you but win over evil

Let the hope of the resurrection make you resist the devil.

In this letter, Paul continues to admonish the Corinthian church. He lays down the foundation for a new life in Christ. Because Christ died for us all sinners, it is only fitting that we embrace that transforming power of the cross.

As Christians, our lives need to be changed and we no longer need to live for ourselves, but for the edification of the church instead. The apostle Paul cautions believers not to be deceived and continue living like they used to before Christ died for them. He advised them to ensure that they are not associating with bad company. The psalmist in Psalm 1 tells us not to walk in their ways in the following words: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; ² but his delight is in the lawof the Lord, and on his law, he meditates day and night.

We Christians ought to keep ourselves pure and holy because Christ paid a high price for us to stay free and in relationship with our Father. We need to live in that new creation.

REFLECTION

• What can you say about Christians whose lives have not been transformed yet?

August 9

1 CORINTHIANS 15

²⁰ But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. – 1 Corinthians 15:20-28

1 CORINTHIANS 15 CHRIST IS THE FIRSTFRUITS

In Leviticus 23:9-14, the feast of the firstfruits was mention.  The Lord instructed the people through Moses that when they come into the promised land and reap its harvest, they shall bring the bunch of the firstfruits of their harvest to the priest and he shall wave this bunch before the Lord, in order that they will be accepted. It is on the Sabbath day that the priest will wave it. On that same day that they offered the bunch of firstfruits, they will offer a male lamb a year old without blemish as their burnt offering. The grain offering that goes with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the Lord with a pleasing aroma and the drink offering with it shall be of win. They were instructed not to eat neither the bread nor grain until they had brought the offering to God. It will be a statute forever throughout generations in all their dwellings.

Paul reminds the Corinthian church of the importance of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross which made him the firstfruits of the resurrection. Paul wanted to stress that promise of new life again to all believers in this letter. According to a commentary from studylight.com The “first-fruits were a sign of the harvest to come; and the Resurrection of Jesus was a sign of the resurrection of all believers which was to come. Just as the new barley could not be used until the first-fruits had been duly offered, so the new harvest of life could not come until Jesus had been raised from the dead.”

REFLECTION

• Why is it important for us Christians to meditate on Christ as the firstfruits?

August 8

1 CORINTHIANS 15

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. ¹⁵ We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. – 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

1 CORINTHIANS 15 PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After the third day when Jesus died, he resurrected from the dead

Though no one actually witnessed with their own eyes

Many saw Jesus with his resurrected body after he came back

But still, many doubted that he was truly restored to life.

Paul confronts those believers who started doubting the truth of the resurrection of Christ. In Luke 24, he narrated the events of the morning of the resurrection of Jesus when Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Mary the mother of James came with all their spices prepared, the tomb was empty of Jesus’ dead body. Mary Magdalene wept as she was perplexed with fear not seeing her Lord. In this scene, she went and reported to the rest of the disciples what happened. In this same chapter, Luke enumerates the incidents when Jesus appeared to his disciples.

There were also several times when Jesus healed and raised Lazarus himself from the dead. Paul was rebuking their doubts because there have been so many proofs to see that the resurrection of the dead is true. He connects the importance of Christ resurrecting to the life of the believers. Without Jesus’ resurrection, their faith is futile and useless. It is in the resurrection that gives proof that he was the Son of God given to humanity to save us from our sins. It was the evidence that God loved us so much to give his Son.

REFLECTION

• Why do you think some people have difficulty believing in the resurrection?

August 7

1 CORINTHIANS 15

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, ² and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁵ and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. ⁶ Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. ⁷ Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. ⁸ Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. ¹¹ Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

                                                                            – 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

1 CORINTHIANS 15 NOT I BUT GOD’S GRACE IN ME

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you become a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ

You will begin to see changes in your heart and mind

The Spirit of the Lord works in your heart to convict sin

It leads you to do what is right and be faithful to him

It is not you that can alter your thinking but it is his Spirit

So, no one can boast because we are not capable of it.

When the Lord called me to his loving kindness, I was such a mess. I didn’t truly see what a proud and boastful person I was because I always took credit for the work of the Spirit. Of course, I didn’t know that then. I was raised by ungodly people who have no clue who God is. They had religion, but that is totally a different thing from love. In this letter, Paul presents the epitome of love, who is personified in Jesus Christ. He died for all of us so we can be free from sin. He gave up his own life so that we can be reconciled with God who was full of wrath because of our sinfulness. His grace flowed from Jesus’ sacrifice.

REFLECTION

• Share some manifestations of grace in your Christian life.

August 3

1 CORINTHIANS 14

¹³ Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵ What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. ¹⁶ Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsidersay “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. ¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. – 1 Corinthians 14:13-19

1 CORINTHIANS 14 UNITY OF MIND AND SPIRIT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Since our Lord wants us to worship him in truth and Spirit

We need to align our minds and spirits as well to praise Him

When our minds are not in sync with our spirit, we develop confusion

That conflict inside us creates much chaos and division

If you line up your mind to the truth, you will have order

You’ll begin to see lies and then discern right from wrong.

In this letter, Paul brings about a very essential ingredient in a believer. Unity of mind and spirit is crucial to live a peaceful, productive and joyful life. Paul gives the example of the use of the gifts of tongue and interpretation. He says that if you can speak a language that you cannot explain or interpret, what good would that be for the hearers of your speaking in tongues? So, he encourages them to pray for the gift of interpretation or understanding of a certain declaration that they utter in another language. Just like when you are in a foreign place and you do not know the language of that nation, you would need an interpreter of that language in order for you to understand what they are saying. That would be the only time communication can happen. The same way when we have the gift of speaking in another language, we also need to pray for the ability to interpret what we just spoke about. Otherwise, it is of no use for building up the members of the church when we just utter something they don’t understand.

REFLECTION

• What are some of the effects of disunity with the mind and the spirit?

August 2

1 CORINTHIANS 14

⁶ Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? ⁷ If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? ⁸ And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? ⁹ So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, ¹¹ but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. ¹² So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. – 1 Corinthians 14:6-12

1 CORINTHIANS 14 THE GIFT OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you have received the gift of speaking in tongues

You are able to utter another language you’ve never known

The Holy Spirit equips you to speak them so truth can be revealed

It doesn’t focus on your abilities but it aims to have the body edified

It makes one discern what is true and declare such to others

This gift is given to reveal truth, correct or encourage the believers.

According to bibleref.com “Paul never dismisses or discounts the gift of speaking in tongues, but his instructions seem to indicate that the gift was being misused in the Corinthian church services. Apparently, tongues were being used mostly for praying aloud to God in unknown languages. Paul agrees that this may be encouraging to the one who prays, but it is useless in the church service. If nobody can understand what is being said, the church is not being built up (1 Corinthians 14:1–17).”

Paul corrects the Corinthian believer not to misuse the gift of speaking in tongues. I think that all believers should take this reproof very seriously because one can easily edify oneself instead of the body of Christ. It could easily be turned into a self-focused ability or a performance-based act. This isn’t what spiritual gifts are supposed to be. It must not bring up the “self.” It needs to bring God all the praise and glory.

REFLECTION

• What are some ways that some churches have misused the gift of tongues?

August 1

1 CORINTHIANS 14

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. ² For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. ³ On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. ⁴ The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵ Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. – 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

1 CORINTHIANS 14 PURSUE LOVE & DESIRE PROPHETIC GIFT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As you grow in your love for the Lord

Make a conscious effort to resist the world

Seek and chase unconditional love for others

Desire to prophesy so you can build one another

Do not be tempted to edify your own self

It defies the purpose of the gifts you received.

A prophecy is a statement which predicts a certain thing or event that is going to occur in the future. To prophesy is to declare or say what one believes is going to happen. In the bible we can reflect on the different prophets who actually prophesied future events which later on came to pass. Some of these prophets who spoke divine messages to a king or the people were Samuel, Nathan, Elijah and Elisha. Later, some prophets wrote God’s messages to his people. They were Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, and Malachi. In 2 Peter 1:21, it says that ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. These prophets spoke beginning their prophecies with “Thus says the Lord” or “This is what the Lord God said.” They never claim that those messages they spoke are from them. Pastors or ministers are now our prophets because they speak the word of truth to the people so that they can understand God’s word and be built up to give glory to God. Any believer can be a prophet if they declare truth to mature others in their faith.

REFLECTION

• Why do you think Paul values prophetic gift as the highest spiritual gift?

July 31

1 CORINTHIANS 13

⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

1 CORINTHIANS 13 LOVE IS ETERNAL

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Like God who is love, love is eternal

All things ends but love prevails

While we are on earth, we will know little

But if we are one with God, all will be revealed

If we walk in love, we will never be misplaced

Hold on to love so you can experience God’s full grace.

In this letter, Paul is giving the Corinthian church a glimpse of heaven as he continues to reassure the believers that the way to eternal life is to walk in love. He wants them to see that only in loving will they fulfill the promise of eternity.

In 1 John 4:7-21, the apostle whom Jesus loved was given the revelation of who God is. Those verses say that we love because God gave us that love through his only begotten Son Jesus. That is the greatest love of all because he sacrificed and gave up his only Son to save mankind from the sinfulness that we all have inherited from Adam and Eve. Because he loved us so much, he was willing to sacrifice his own Son for our sake. These verses further talk not just what love is but who love is. God is love. He is “love” himself. It is not just an attribute or characteristic of his. He is the epitome of love. He is all about love. Since God himself has no beginning or no end, we know that anyone who believes in Christ will be transformed to God’s own likeness. The concept of love is deeper and greater than we all humans can fathom. It has no limits and it has no end just like God.

REFLECTION

·       How does verse 13 reiterate 1 John 4:8 which says anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love?