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A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold is as pictures of silver.(Prov.25:11) It is so important to speak the right words to people at the right time to produce the right results. When you think of apples of gold in pictures of silver, then you are thinking of wealth and excellence. When we speak wisdom into the lives of others we are making them wealthy. Therefore we must seek God for He is the source of all wisdom and He will give us just the right words needed at the right time.
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#Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer. I Cor. 10:7-10
Neither be idolaters as some of them were, as the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play, Neither let us commit sexual immorality as some of them committed and fell in one day twenty-three thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer. That is why God was not pleased with them, and these are examples to us to live a holy life so that the same things will not happen to us.
#Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. I Cor. 10:1-5
That Rock is Jesus Christ that leads them through the wilderness and drank of the same spiritual drink. Yet God was not well pleased with them because they murmured against the Rock. We too must be careful not to follow their example and follow Jesus all the way from the wilderness of the world to heaven. For Jesus is that Rock of ages that leads us all the way from the cliffs of the hill to heaven and we must keep our eyes on him continually.
#And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the air, But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. I Cor. 9:25-27
Paul is a sports fan and he compares the Christian life to running a race where all are trying to win first place. Yet only one will win the race, so he says to remove all hindrances in the race by beating one's self into subjection so as not to beat against the air. We run to win an incorruptible crown, while the world runs to win a corruptible crown. Therefore, I must flagellate my body, lest after I have preached to others I would become a castaway. The Christian life is a glorious life and we have much to look forward to when we stand before the Bema Seat of Christ.
#And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under them, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might, by all means, save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. I Cor. 9:20-23
Paul uses the metaphor of being a Jew to win the Jews to Christ and being under the law to win those that are under the law. The parenthesis is there because the translators added to the manuscripts. So all this was done for the gospel's sake, that I might be partakers thereof with you. We would call that being politically correct and using our influence to win others to Christ. It is ok to be mindful of other cultures in order to be partakers of the gospel with them.
#For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward, but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. Cor. 9:16-19
We have a reward from God when we preach the gospel willingly, but if against our will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. Verily when I preach the gospel I make it of Christ and without charge, in order that I abuse not my power in the gospel. Now that I am free from all men, yet I make myself a servant unto all, that I might gain the more to Christ.
#If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others are partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power, but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. I Cor. 9:11-14
We as ministers sow spiritual seeds and are therefore ordained to receive carnal things from the parishioners that we serve. Nevertheless, we have not used this power, but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. I do not receive a salary for preaching the gospel but suffer need so that I can please the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore it is as we minister the holy things of the temple, we wait on God at the altar and are partakers with the altar. Even so. the Lord Jesus Christ has ordained that we which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. Thank the Lord for your Pastor who labors every Sunday to feed you the gospel of peace and you would rather pay your ballplayers rather than him who is giving you the seeds of eternal life. Yet God will reward us for our faithfulness to the gospel of peace and me, therefore, do this thing willingly for the Lord.
#Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working? Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard and eateth, not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox t for out that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he altogether for our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope, I Cor. 9:5-10
I thank the Lord for allowing me to see my sixtieth Birthday today, and as Paul charged him that ploweth in hope should thresheth in hope as well as be a partaker of his hope. God is good and will reward us for our labor.
#Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, Have we not power to eat and to drink? Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas? I Cor. 9:1-5
Paul is using tone to impress the Corinthians about his Damascus road experience when he saw Jesus Christ and there began his apostleship. Also, he won the Corinthians to Christ and thereby became their spiritual father. Yet there were those who would express questions about their freedom to eat and to drink. That power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles and as the brethren of the Lord and Peter. We have freedom in Christ and we must not use it to cause our brothers or sisters to stumble. Yes, we can eat and drink but we must not do so if it causes our brother or sister to stumble. Halloween is a holiday that many celebrate which honors devil worship and we must not cause weak believers to stumble by participating in the holiday. We are a holy nation, a royal priesthood and called out of darkness into his marvelous light.
#For if any man sees thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat makes my brother offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother offend. I Cor. 8:10-13
We as Christians have to be careful what liberty we use in front of our brothers and sisters lest we cause them to sin and perish for whom Christ died. Does this passage teach that your brother or sister can lose their salvation? I do not think so, but we can contribute to them losing their reward when we all stand before the Bema seat of Christ. For we will all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and answer for those things done in the body, both good and bad. Therefore if eating meat causes my brother or sister to sin, then I shall eat no meat. We are walking epistles read and known of all men, so we need to be careful of what we are writing. Does celebrating Halloween cause someone with the knowledge to sin? Then I will not celebrate Halloween, lest I cause someone to stumble in Christ.
#So though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in the earth,( as there be gods many, and lords many) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumbling block to them that are weak. I Cor. 8:5-9
Yes, there are that are called gods, whether in heaven or in the earth, but to us, there is but one God, the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by him. Yet, there is not in every man that knowledge of the hour and some eat it as a thing offered to an idol and their conscience being weak is defiled. But we know that meat commendeth us not to God and neither if we eat, are we the better, or if we eat not are we the worse. Therefore let us take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumbling block to them that are weak. If meat causes your brother or sister to stumble, then do not eat meat.
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