This will be another 4 part teaching and is a good follow-up to the most recent teaching entitled “Yoke of Slavery”. From Romans to Philemon, every book Paul wrote has one of the following in the first several verses. Grace to you and peace. Grace be unto you and peace. Grace unto you and peace. Grace, mercy, and peace.
Paul was adamant about living in peace, one with another, as much as possible. He understood that peace cannot be present without grace. That’s why grace is always mentioned first in the beginning of his writings.
Paul was not inferring that we turn our backs on confrontation, but that it be faced with grace and truth. John 1:17 says that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Grace and truth are always together. Grace is a Person just like Truth is a Person. The Person of Jesus Christ.
In this teaching, I will point out the different approaches Paul takes to correct two different groups of people. The Corinthians who just had some things mixed up and the Galatians who were saved by grace, but then allowed themselves to be placed back under the law of works and performance.
We’ll address the Corinthians in Part 1 and the Galatians in Part 2. Make sure you go through both parts or you’ll miss the comparison of how Paul handled poor behavior as opposed to wrong believing. As I go through these, notice that Paul corrects the Corinthians, but does it with love and encouragement.
1 Corinthians 1:10-11.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
What’s Paul saying here? The word “beseech” means to urgently implore or make an urgent appeal concerning something. What we don’t see Paul doing is demanding or commanding.
Basically, Paul is saying come together in agreement. Scripture says that wherever two agree as touching anything, it shall be done of the Father. Paul is saying do not allow anything or anyone to create division among you.
There are those who just can’t help but gossip or make insinuations about others. When someone says something to you about what someone else said, stop them right there. Say to them “lets go and get that person in front of us and then you can repeat what you just said”. That will stop that nonsense.
11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
People get consumed with arguments and petty disagreements. It’s amazing how offended people get when you point out truth to them in love in an effort to get them on the right track. They value their opinion rather than the truth of scripture.
I have a statement in the “About” section of the website “The Grace Report” that encourages others to challenge what is written in the teachings. The only requirement is that scriptural truth be presented to justify your challenge, not your opinion. If truth can be shown that verifies error in a teaching, then I will repent of my wrong believing in that area.
Now Paul goes on to explain some truths about who we are. Yes, he tells us who we used to be, but then brings us to who we are in Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified …….
I like how verse 11 reads in The Voice version. “Some of you used to live in these ways, but you are different now; you have been washed clean, set apart, restored, and set on the right path in the name of the Lord Jesus, the Anointed, by the Spirit of our living God”.
Did you notice it says we USED TO live in these ways? That’s past tense. But now you are different, you are washed clean, set apart, restored….
HOW??? By keeping all the rules…..NO. By going to church all the time…..NO. By shaking the Pastor’s hand….NO. Well, how then. In the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 11:17-22
17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. 21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
Right here Paul is pointing out error to them. He’s addressing their poor behavior. He points out a few areas where they have it wrong. One of those areas is that they are eating all the bread and drinking all the wine, instead of honoring the Lord’s supper. Most Christians would see this as a grave mistake, worthy of extreme chastisement and maybe even expulsion from the church. Paul handles it as a teachable moment to bring truth to them.
Stopping here for now. We will pick up with Paul once again lovingly correcting them in error in part 2. Grace and Peace.
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