1 Corinthians 12 1-11

A discussion about the Holy Spirit (by Chuck Misler)

1 Corinthians 12:1-13 reveals more about the work of the Holy Spirit than does any other passage in this book.

The Holy Spirit is a person, repeatedly referred to as “He.”

Doctrine of the Holy Spirit should begin with creation

Genesis 1:2

² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Psalm 104:30

³⁰ When you send your Spirit,
    they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.

He is the source of knowledge

1 Corinthians 2:10

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

11The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

He has a mind

Romans 8:27

²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

and a will

1 Corinthians 12:11

¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

He loves us; only those who love us can truly “grieve”

Ephesians 4:30

³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

He was given a special assignment during our Lord’s absence

John 16:7-14

⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸ When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin, because people do not believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; ¹¹ and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

and He abides with us forever 

John 14:16                                                                                                                                           ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever

Chapter 12   Concerning Spiritual Gifts

Now about (Now concerning, NKJV) (Paul’s counting off items on the list of concerns about the Church in Corinth) the gifts of the Spirit (from the Spirit) (spiritual gifts), brothers and sisters (a term of endearment, my dear family of believers), I do not want you to be uninformed (ignorant, NKJV).(‘Heads up!’ Something important I’m about to discuss)

Ignorant about what?  The proper use of spiritual gifts. Paul will spend the next three chapters on how to evaluate and use spiritual gifts.  These are to be used for the benefit of fellow believers, not as badges of superiority. They are given to unite, not divide, the Body.

² You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. (speechless statues, icons/fetishes of wood and stone, inanimate objects)

³ Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Paul is stressing the absence or the presence of the Holy Spirit by how people speak of Jesus. Paraphrase: “No man speaking by the Spirit of God is indifferent to the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Many worshipers of pagan beliefs sought the aid of their deities to gain advantage over rivals and competitors.  In India, it was typical to see…

To confess Jesus as Lord is the speaker’s acknowledgement that he is the slave of Jesus Christ and has been bought at a price in order to belong to Jesus.

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. (freely given gifts, given without merit and without strings. Paul is insisting it comes as a sheer gift, without qualifications or deserving.)

 ⁵ There are different kinds of service (administrations), but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working (operations), but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.  Note the 3 pairings: gifts, administrations, operations; Spirit, Lord (Jesus), God (Father). The Trinity at work

Eph 4:4-8  ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called ; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸ This is why it^[a] says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”

Every believer has some gift or gifts, but never all of them  Only in Christ is found the full range of gifts.Paul lists nine gifts (charismata) in this chapter: wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, faith, healings, miracles (or miraculous powers), spiritual discernment, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues.This is NOT meant to be a complete list.  Some would count administration and apostleship from this chapter, along with serving, teaching, encouraging, contributing, leadership, showing mercy (Rom 12:6-8), celibacy (1 Cor 7:7), evangelism, pastoring (Eph 4:11), and public service (Acts 6:2-4). 

Isaiah 11:2-3  ² The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—  the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord— ³ and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.  He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;

1 Pet 4:10   ¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

No one should boast of having received a greater gift. No servant is greater than his master (Jn 13:15-16).

The gift is for the common good of the entire community and the edification of the Body. ALWAYS!

Ephesians 4:12

¹² to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up   

⁷ Now to each one the (public) manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message (the word or utterance) of wisdom, to another a message (the word)  of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing (or various kinds of healing) by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing (or discernment) between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^{[b] 11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

·         Wisdom (sophia): Divine wisdom, contrasted with human wisdom  Wisdom was a catchword in the church of Corinth and Paul may be distinguishing the wise speech that derives from openness to the Holy Spirit from merely “clever” speech so popular then.

1Corinthians 1:17, 20, 25 

¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.                                                     

²⁰ Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

·         Knowledge (gnosis): It depends not on intellect, but on love; an intimate personal relationship. Another Corinthian catchphrase. 

1Corinthians 2:6-16 Wisdom From the Spirit

⁶ We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ No, we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. ⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. ⁹ However, as it is written:

“No eye has seen,
    no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
    what God has prepared for those who love him”^[a] —

¹⁰ but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. ¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.^{[b] 14} The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: ¹⁶ “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?”^[c] But we have the mind of Christ.

·         Faith (v.9): Not “saving faith,” but an unshakable trust that God will perform miracles. One commentator explains: Probably this gift promotes a robust, optimistic acceptance of God’s sovereign love and mercy in such a way as to put heart into a troubled church in times of uncertainty.  Such a gift would ‘build’ the whole church in moments of trial.

1.      Peter and John in opposing the Sanhedrin, preaching the gospel, healing the cripple (Acts 3:1-4:2).  ⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

2.      Paul’s call to Rome (Acts 23:11),   ¹¹ The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

3.      Paul’s behavior during the storm on the Mediterranean Sea. (Acts 27:23-26, 34)   ²³ Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me ²⁴ and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ ²⁵ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. ²⁶ Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

·         Healing (cf. Jas 5:14-15): Not a permanent gift, but a sovereign manifestation of the Spirit. Even Paul’s own “thorn in the flesh” went unhealed.   Furthermore, he indirectly admits that he lacked the ability to heal either Epaphroditus (Phil 2:27), Timothy (1 Tim 5:23), or Trophimus (2 Tim 4:20)

                                                                                                                                                                 2 2Corinthians 12:9

⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

However, we should never cease asking

James 5:16

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

·         Miracles or miraculous powers (v.10): More miracles took place during Jesus’ ministry than at any other time in Biblical history. The supreme one being the resurrection which will be the subject of Chapter 15. Miracles were the distinctive mark of an apostle.

2 Corinthians 12:12

¹² The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles —were done among you with great perseverance.

They were used to confirm the message of the gospel

Acts 6:8 Stephen Seized

⁸ Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.

Acts 8:7

⁷ With shrieks, evil^[a] spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed.

Acts 13:6-12

⁶ They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹ Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun.”

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

Hebrews 2:4

⁴ God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

·         Prophecy: “Forthtelling,” a key element at Corinth (as seen in Chapter 11). Sometimes predictions but also defined as telling, preaching and teaching God’s word.

Acts 11:28

²⁸ One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)

Acts 21:11

¹¹ Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

Or to interpret God’s Will to the church

Ephesians 4:11

¹¹ It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

*Prophetic utterances are always to be judged by Scripture

Acts 17:11

¹¹ Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.   God’s Word is always the standard!

Satan (often as an Angel of Light, 2 Cor 11:14) communicates false information and deceit, as with Eve (Gen 2:16-17; 3:1, 4-5). The prophet Micah revealed to the kings of Israel and Judah that a lying spirit spoke through the mouths of all the prophets of Israel (1 Kgs 22:21-23; 2 Chr 18:20-22). Jesus discerned the voice of Satan in Peter (Mt 16:23). Paul recognized Bar-Jesus as the son of the devil (Acts 13:10) and the fortunetelling of the slave girl (Acts 16:18). John instructed us to test the spirits (1 Jn 4:1-3). In the end times, Satan and his cohorts will work miracles (2 Thess 2:9-10; Mt 24:24; Rev 13:11-14). There will be false teachers also (Jude 4; 2 Pet 2:1-2; 1 Tim 4:1).

·         Tongues: Speaking in unknown tongues often accompanied the epi relationship. Sometimes called the gift of expressing “released praise.”  In chapter 14:2; tongues are addressed by or through human persons to God, whereas, prophesy is addressed to human persons from God.

Acts 2  

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^[a] as the Spirit enabled them….

Acts 10:43-44

⁴³ All the prophets testify about him (Jesus) that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”  ⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues^[b] and praising God.

The exercise of this gift also generated so many problems that an entire chapter (14) will be

devoted to them.

“...as He wills”: No one received all the gifts and no one is without a gift. The Spirit neglects no one and all is the result of His divine prerogative. We each can have all of the “graces”(Fruit’s of the Spirit)

Galatians 5:22-23

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

But we cannot have all of the “gifts.”  And to envy someone else’s gift, or, conversely, to question it’s value, is to question the sovereign and gracious will of God’s Holy Spirit in determining to whom he apportions what gifts.

TABLE TALK QUESTIONS

1. ALL HAVE BEEN GIVEN GIFTS.  SHARE WHAT YOU FEEL IS/ARE YOUR GIFT(S)
2. WHAT ARE SOME EXPIERIENCES YOU’VE HAD WITH THE MANIFISTATION OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN OTHERS?
3. DO YOU SPEND MORE TIME IN WORKING YOUR GIFTS OR SHARING YOUR FRUIT?

Used To Do It Too  

By LACRAE                                                                                                                                           

This song is performed by Lecrae, appears on the album Rehab (2010) and features KB.

(Intro)

Hey, KB, man, you know we don't brag on our past
We just relate
Some folks think they mistakes
Gonna keep them out the gates
It ain't about what you do, it's about what He did
Let's go!

                              (Hook)

             I used to do it too, I used to do it too,
             I used to do it, used to do it, used to do it too
             I used to do it too, I used to do it too,
             I used to do it, used to do it, used to do it too

But I'm changed, now I'm something different (Aye)
I'm changed, I love the way I'm living (Aye)
I'm changed, saved me from my own sin (Aye)
I'm changed, I learned how to live again (Aye)

Uhuh

Ah man you name it bra, I promise I done done it all
so busy doin me that I aint care at all (but I'm changed)
I know I aint the person that I used to be
I look the same but maine I promise this a newer me
see what I used to be was selfish and conceited
I was living for myself and telling Jesus he could beat it
at the time I couldn't see it, all I saw was havin fun
went to church to look for ladies, not to look upon the Son
I was a hedonist, now Jesus is my pleasure
I was a narcissist, but now I'm lookin betta.
but I ain't fix myself, aint turn myself around
I gave it up and told the Lord that he can have it now                      (Hook)

I was Tryna figure was a goon to a goblin/
That's non-sense (tell me this though)/
What's a goon to the Godhead/oh!
I got a seed sown/ from the Regal/ then He deeboed/ all my evil/ and my ego/ now i devote/ all of me bro-to the king so/ We know that He redeems Souls!!!
Got that right homie, I'm different/
At times I don't be feeling it/
But salvation ain't a feeling lil homie- it's a positioning/
GREAT sinner's sin is great but the Greater saviors Omnipotent/
You quit dissen Him- you ain't got no sins that He cant forgive!         (Hook)

You see Satan uses guilt to strip away our hope
He shows us our mistakes and tells us we’re a joke
I used to sit and mope like what’s the point in all
If I’m a Christian how come everyday I seem to fall
But I ain’t now that all my sins were nailed upon the cross
I found this out in chapter 2 in the Book of Colossians
See the devil’s a liar, yeah he’s an accuser
He tells me I’m worthless, he says I’m a loser
But now I refuse to let him lead me wrong
Reading the Word in the morn got me feeling strong
I found my worth in Christ and I’m pursuing truth
A living testimony so you can do it too                                               (Hook)

Unofficial theme song (not really) of the Wednesday Morning Men’s Bible Study (among others)

1Corinthians 11

1 Corinthians 11

Chap 10

³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ³² Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God — ³³ even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Chapter 11 

¹ Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

Instruction on Public Worship & On Covering the Head in Worship

In this section Paul’s main concern is irreverence in worship.  The matter of wearing hats or head coverings, although seemingly insignificant, had become a big problem because of two cultural backgrounds were colliding.  Jewish women always covered their heads in worship.  For a woman to uncover her head in public was a sign of loose morals.  On the other hand, Greek women may have been used to worshiping without head coverings.

² I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. ³ But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man,^[a] and the head of Christ is God.

Ephesians 5:23  ²³ For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.

 ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.  (an interesting comment from a former Pharisee, with the Jewish custom of at least a Yamikah’ if not a prayer shawl)

⁵ But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. ⁶ For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head.

⁷ A man ought not to cover his head,^[b] since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; ⁹ neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.

Genesis 2:18  ¹⁸ The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

God created lines of authority in order for his created world to function smoothly.  Although there are lines of authority, even in marriage, there should not be lines of superiority!

¹⁰ For this reason, and because of the angels, the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head.

An unusual statement; ‘because of the angels,”.  It may have meaning in Isaiah 6:2

Isaiah 6:2a  ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces

In other words: the angels show respect to God by covering their eyes and we know the angels watch as we pray and worship.  R E S P E C T and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of understanding.

¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. ¹² For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

Romans 11:36  ³⁶ For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

¹³ Judge for yourselves: (C’mon, think about it) Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, ¹⁵ but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.

Paul is just saying that believers should look and behave in ways that are honorable within their own culture.  In many cultures long hair on men is considered appropriate and masculine.  In Corinth, it was thought to be a sign of male prostitution in pagan temples.  And women with short hair were labeled prostitutes.  As Ed says; ”Does your witness outshine your testimony?”  Yes we have freedom in everything but “not everything is beneficial” and we do not wish to make someone else stumble because of our ‘freedom”.

¹⁶ If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.

Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper

¹⁷ In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. ¹⁸ In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.

¹⁹ No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. (They were self-willed and divisive.  Funny, those who cause division only serve to highlight those who are genuine believers.)

1 John 2:19  ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

²⁰ So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, ²¹ for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. (Many of the pagan temples around Corinth had these kind of feasts followed by drunkenness and orgies) Free for all!  Selfish and self centered, not concerned for others and God centered.  Everyone wants to be included in these feasts!  Brought out a bad lot who were quickly made obvious.

2 Peter 2:13  ¹³ They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.

Jude 12  ¹² These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted —twice dead.

²² Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you:

Galatians 1:12  ¹² I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

 The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

²⁷ So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

Hebrews 10:29  ²⁹ How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

²⁸ Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.

2 Corinthians 13:5  ⁵ Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you —unless, of course, you fail the test?

²⁹ For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. ³¹ But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.

Psalm 32:5  ⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

³² Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

Psalm 94:12  ¹² Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord, the one you teach from your law;

Hebrews 12:7-10  ⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline —then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

Revelation 3:19  ¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

³³ So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. ³⁴ Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

1 Corinthians 11 The Message version

^1-2It pleases me that you continue to remember and honor me by keeping up the traditions of the faith I taught you. All actual authority stems from Christ. ^3-9In a marriage relationship, there is authority from Christ to husband, and from husband to wife. The authority of Christ is the authority of God. Any man who speaks with God or about God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of Christ, dishonors Christ. In the same way, a wife who speaks with God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of her husband, dishonors her husband. Worse, she dishonors herself—an ugly sight, like a woman with her head shaved. This is basically the origin of these customs we have of women wearing head coverings in worship, while men take their hats off. By these symbolic acts, men and women, who far too often butt heads with each other, submit their "heads" to the Head: God.

 ^10-12Don't, by the way, read too much into the differences here between men and women. Neither man nor woman can go it alone or claim priority. Man was created first, as a beautiful shining reflection of God—that is true. But the head on a woman's body clearly outshines in beauty the head of her "head," her husband. The first woman came from man, true—but ever since then, every man comes from a woman! And since virtually everything comes from God anyway, let's quit going through these "who's first" routines.

 ^13-16Don't you agree there is something naturally powerful in the symbolism—a woman, her beautiful hair reminiscent of angels, praying in adoration; a man, his head bared in reverence, praying in submission? I hope you're not going to be argumentative about this. All God's churches see it this way; I don't want you standing out as an exception.

 ^17-19Regarding this next item, I'm not at all pleased. I am getting the picture that when you meet together it brings out your worst side instead of your best! First, I get this report on your divisiveness, competing with and criticizing each other. I'm reluctant to believe it, but there it is. The best that can be said for it is that the testing process will bring truth into the open and confirm it.

 ^20-22And then I find that you bring your divisions to worship—you come together, and instead of eating the Lord's Supper, you bring in a lot of food from the outside and make pigs of yourselves. Some are left out, and go home hungry. Others have to be carried out, too drunk to walk. I can't believe it! Don't you have your own homes to eat and drink in? Why would you stoop to desecrating God's church? Why would you actually shame God's poor? I never would have believed you would stoop to this. And I'm not going to stand by and say nothing.

 ^23-26Let me go over with you again exactly what goes on in the Lord's Supper and why it is so centrally important. I received my instructions from the Master himself and passed them on to you. The Master, Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, took bread. Having given thanks, he broke it and said,

   This is my body, broken for you.
   Do this to remember me.
After supper, he did the same thing with the cup:
   This cup is my blood, my new covenant with you.
   Each time you drink this cup, remember me.
What you must solemnly realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns. You must never let familiarity breed contempt.

 ^27-28Anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Master irreverently is like part of the crowd that jeered and spit on him at his death. Is that the kind of "remembrance" you want to be part of? Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe.

 ^29-32If you give no thought (or worse, don't care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you're running the risk of serious consequences. That's why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won't have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.

 ^33-34So, my friends, when you come together to the Lord's Table, be reverent and courteous with one another. If you're so hungry that you can't wait to be served, go home and get a sandwich. But by no means risk turning this Meal into an eating and drinking binge or a family squabble. It is a spiritual meal—a love feast.

   The other things you asked about, I'll respond to in person when I make my next visit.

TABLE TALK QUESTIONS

2 Corinthians 13:5  ⁵ Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you —unless, of course, you fail the test?

1.     When was the last time you took stock of your faith? Test yourself, your faith?

2.     When was the last time you took stock of your fruit?  Bearing fruit can’t be helped, if your in Christ.

3.  What’s the nature of your fruit?  In what 3 ways have you grown in Christ this year?