Introduction – “See you in court” Imagine two Christians falling out maybe over something petty – and taking it to court. We would be shocked. That’s the sense of what is happening here (v 1). The sense is “How dare you?” The correct response is disgust, disgrace, shame. This is the second time that Paul… Continue reading What kind of church? A forgiven Church (1 Corinthians 6:1-11)
Tag: Paul
A discerning Church ( 1 Corinthians 4 )
Discernment is about making judgements about people and plans. How we do it? Well, contemporary society tells us that “the consumer is king.” It’s for us as customers to decide what is best for us, what we are worth, whether that’s about objects (cars, houses, TVs. Tablets etc), relationships or entertainment. Saturday night TV invites… Continue reading A discerning Church ( 1 Corinthians 4 )
What Kind of Church? – A humble Church (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)
Remember when those rich and powerful Premier League football teams were outmanoeuvred and outplayed. Who’d have thought that a team costing just £50 million – the sort of money the big boys pay for one player these days could win the title. That’s what Leicester City achieved only a few years ago. It’s almost as… Continue reading What Kind of Church? – A humble Church (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)
What kind of Church? A gifted Church (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)
Introduction Packing for a journey – Who packs early? Who throws everything in the car at the last minute? Who just sets off thinking “it’ll all work out somehow?” Who is planning and checking to the last minute -double check the suitcase, making sure doors and windows are locked? Who is asking. “Will I have… Continue reading What kind of Church? A gifted Church (1 Corinthians 1:1-9)
This is Paul signing off
We are coming to the end of Paul’s letter. If he had leapt quite abruptly into the challenging stuff at the beginning without the extended prayers, thanksgiving and commendations we get used to with his other letters, it also finishes fairly abruptly without the personal greetings we find in other letters such as in Romans… Continue reading This is Paul signing off
Reaping what you sow
This next section reinforces the point that we’ve seen developed through chapter 5-6, we cannot fix our lives and our relationship to God by making external adjustments to our behaviour through rule keeping and rituals. Instead, our lives will bear fruit in accordance with the roots. A look at the text (Read Galatians 6:7-10) An… Continue reading Reaping what you sow
Bearing burdens
How do we “keep in step with the Spirit” and bear fruit? The first few verses of Galatians 6 begin to apply what it means to patiently love others and to be self-controlled in our own lives. A look at the text (Read Galatians 6:1-6) Paul is describing someone here, not so much caught out… Continue reading Bearing burdens
Filled with the Spirit
Paul’s solution to the question of Christian obedience and holiness is not to impose laws and rituals (legalism), nor to say that grace means we can do what we please. Instead, he sees our true hope being the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5:2-23, he says that the result or fruit of receiving the Holy Spirit… Continue reading Filled with the Spirit
Misrepresentation
In Galatians 2, Paul talks about the circumcision party who had previously caused trouble in Antioch as those who “came from James.” The implication there may have been that James himself was endorsing their position. However, that isn’t necessarily the case. In 5:11, Paul is himself compelled, to deny and refute that he was a… Continue reading Misrepresentation
The allegory of Sarah and Hagar
Remember that the argument being made by the agitators in Galatia was in effect that history and God’s Word was on their side. God’s covenant was with the Jewish people and it centred on two things, ancestry through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Torah keeping. Paul has been systematically pulling apart this claim. A look… Continue reading The allegory of Sarah and Hagar
Faithroots 