Redemptive discipline

1 Corinthians 5

“Turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord.” (v. 5)

This passage ranks as one of the most difficult in the Bible for me to practice. It’s hard for me to imagine that there are Christians brothers that need to be kicked out of the church — for their own good! But I believe it’s true. Church discipline was never meant to be punitive but always redemptive. God wants to see wayward children reconnected with Him and His church. Often that can only really happen when distinct breaks are made. Otherwise, it’s easy to just coast. God never wants us to just coast– particularly when we’re coasting in sin. He’s got higher hopes for us.

But Paul is clear what our motive is when we do this. It must be redemptive. We must want the best for the individual in sin — not just ourselves or our church. Is there discipline that needs to happen in your church so that a person’s ”spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord”?

Gospel steward

I Corinthians 4

I’ve heard a lot of stewardship messages over the years. Most of those messages focused on money. Some focused a little broader — time, talent, and treasure. But I haven’t often heard messages on 1 Corinthians 4 and Paul’s teaching that we are “managers of God’s mysteries.” (v. 1) That verse is a startling reminder that God has put people in my path who need to know the God of the universe. I have to be a good manager of all God has given me — including an understanding of His truth. Being a good manager means passing that truth on. It means looking at those I influence and asking myself how I can use that influence to introduce others to the Good News. It’s an important reminder for me. I need to take a better look at those I influence and I need to be actively using my influence to tell people about Jesus.

The mystery of the Gospel

1 Corinthians 2

We sure don’t talk much about the mystery of the Gospel that Paul shares in this passage. Somehow, in our day and time, I believe we see that as a devaluing of the Good News. I believe that apologetics is important. We must be able to logically explain the Gospel. But, on the other hand, a part of it is not explainable, as Paul says here in 2:7:

7 On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery, which God predestined ^(M) before the ages for our glory.

We speak God’s hidden wisdom. We can lay every rational argument for the Gospel in front of people, but God is the one who opens people’s hearts. Our arguments are a part of the process, but they are never the most important part.

Pleasing others, not ourselves

Romans 15

In the opening verses of this passage, Paul encourages us to please others before ourselves. It’s not easy. Our natural inclination is to ask ourselves what we can do for ourselves. God calls us to a much higher standard. He calls us to please others. Our challenge is to continue to define that calling outward. We start by beginning to look to please our family, look out to their needs. Then we turn our attention on our friends. But finally — and we rarely make it to this level — we look to please strangers before ourselves. Doesn’t that sound crazy to most of us. Yet that, I believe, is what we have been called into.

Accept one another

Romans 14

It’s easy to find problems with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Their worship is too spirited. Their music is too loud. They’re too traditional; they’re too liberal. But what if we chose to interact with one another in grace. I think that’s what Paul is getting at in this chapter. Sure, it’s easy to find fault in other people’s worship practices, but what if we chose to accept one another despite their failings. That’s hard. As believers, we believe in absolute truth. That means two people who dissagree cannot be right at the same time. But are you absolutely sure your understanding of Scripture is infallible? Are you sure you are right? We need to accept one another — realizing as Paul says in this chapter — that some people have weaker faith than others. You can have fellowship with those you don’t agree with. Just think about the essentials: the divinity of Jesus, the Virgin Birth, grace by faith alone, the infallibility of God’s Word. Those are essentials that are worth going to bat for.

Abraham’s children

Not able to do what I want to do

Romans 7: 13-25

If there’s one verse I want to say a hearty amen to more than any other in the Word of God, it’s this: “For the desire to do good is within me but there is no ability to do it.” (18b) I think of all the good I want to do, all the great things for God that are within me. I think of my good intentions. On my own I just don’t seen to have the moral will to do it. In fact, to be honest, by desire to even do the good generally wanes pretty close to the time I’ve started on doing it. But when it is truly God’s idea, when His Spirit is moving me, that’s when God does incredible work within me. Now if I only I can give up so He can truly work in me.

Righteousness by faith

Romans 4

I guess what pops to mind after reading Romans 4 is how exciting it is that God accepts my faith is rightousness. Gosh, I know I need that. I realize my righteousness is nowhere near where God wants it. But according to this chapter, God accepts my trust in Christ as righteousness. Wow. You really can’t think on that truth enough. I can’t thank God enough for that. We teach a lot of different truths about Scripture in our churches. I pray we teach that as the cornerstone of what we believe. Right standing before God isn’t something I can ever ever ever ever earn. It’s a free gift that comes by trusting in Jesus.

Earning God’s approval

Romans 2

If you’re like me, we like to dismiss these passages that focus on circumcision and its New Testament value. We’re not Jewish. We think we’re above Paul’s many admonitions about trusting in the flesh and circumcision. But I’m not. I may not trust in a physical distinction like circumcision. But if I’m not careful I can trust in my own effort to do good. I can begin to say, well I’m a pretty good guy. God is going treat me favorably. But the problem is that I have no right standing with God on my own. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve read my Bible. It doesn’t matter how often I pray. It doesn’t matter how often I go to church. God’s approval of me is based on one thing and one thing alone — Jesus. What a message of hope! I can get off the treadmill. I don’t have to strive to earn the approval of God. Thank you Jesus!

Looking for worshipers

Romans 1: 18-31

You know, today when I read this I saw something I never had before. All the other times I read this passage I focused in on the sinful acts in vv. 26-31. What I hadn’t noticed was that those acts were only symptoms of something bigger. The real problem is this: “For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God.” The real problem was that people don’t worship God. And people who do not worship God behave like people who don’t worship God. They worship the wrong things; they lust after what they shouldn’t lust over. Instead of focusing so much of our cultural energy as Christians on combating these symptoms, maybe our focus should be on helping people become worshipers of the one true God. Maybe if we could get people to worship God, the social problems of our world would fall into place. I’m not saying that we don’t have a role to pay in the social issues of our day; I’m just wondering if our focus is too heavily in the wrong place.

It’s one thing to long for a country who follows Christian values. But I don’t know if that will ever happen until we live in a nation who worships the Christian God.