November 20th~Gray Areas

1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1

We continued Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. In this particular section of the letter, he addressed a question that was common for Christians in his day. Was it right to eat food that had been sacrificed to an idol or dedicated to some false god?

Paul’s short answer to this question was that it was perfectly fine for Christians to eat meat dedicated to idols, because there is only one true God. Dedicating food to an idol was simply dedicating it to nothing. “The earth is the Lord’s,” he wrote, “and everything in it” (10:26). However, Paul also wrote, while Christians “are allowed to do anything, not all things are helpful or beneficial” (10:23).

Paul went on. “Be careful with this freedom of yours. Do not cause a brother or sister, with a weaker conscience, to stumble... Weak Christians, who think it is wrong to eat this food will see you eating in the temple of an idol. You know there’s nothing wrong with it, but they will be encouraged to violate their conscience... So because of your superior knowledge, a weak Christian will be destroyed... You are sinning against Christ when you sin against other Christians, by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong” (8:10-12).

Simply put, Christians have differing thoughts, opinions, even convictions about certain issues, such as alcohol, entertainment, proper diet, movies, body piercings, tattoos, dancing, fashion styles, gambling, video games, music, politics, smoking, etc. While the Bible may speak to these issues in general terms, it does not provide any hard lines on what is right or wrong for Christians to do. Therefore, God’s people are free to follow their conscience and establish their own convictions.

Daily Reflection

However, God’s people are warned not to misuse their freedom and cause others to stumble. “Don’t think only of your own good,” Paul said. “Think of other Christians and what is best for them... Don’t give offense. That is the plan I follow. I try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what I like or what is best for me, but I do what is best for them so that they may be saved” (10:24, 32, 33).

What do you think Paul meant when he wrote, “I try to please everyone in everything I do?” Does this mean that He chose people over God?

What do you think Paul meant when he said, “I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ?”

In regards to these gray areas, consider several principles. First, God’s glory must be your top priority. “Whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, you must do for the glory of

God” (v.31). Second, the good of others must take precedence over your own good. Your actions should not harm your testimony, hurt your influence in someone’s life, or hinder the Gospel message. Third, in regards to the convictions of others, you must avoid legalism and, instead, extend liberty and grace.

BiAY.org | Day 324 — 41 Days to Go

November 19th~Purity Within and Without

Acts 18:24-19:20


1 Corinthians 1:1-3:23

Paul addressed some important issues in the lives of believers in the church of Corinth — their disunity, spiritual pride, sexual immorality, lawsuits against each other, and questions about marriage. Evidently, there was a great deal of spiritual immaturity in this church. While the people said all of the right things, they were not living righteous lives. Paul wrote to them, “The Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God’s power” (4:20).

The bottom line of Paul’s instruction on these issues is that God expects His people to be pure. He desires purity in His Church and purity in our personal lives. This theme was central to God’s covenant with His people in the Old Testament — “Be holy for I am holy” — and it is a theme in the New Testament as well. Paul even started his letter to the Corinthians by saying, “We are writing to the church of God in Corinth, you who have been called by God to be His own holy people. He has made you holy by means of Christ Jesus...” (1:2, 3).

The holiness or purity that God has enacted for us internally, by the work of Christ, should be expressed externally in our lives, first by how we live and, then, by how we view and treat the Church. This letter includes Paul’s most pointed words regarding church discipline. “Don’t you realize that if even one person is allowed to go on sinning (this was in regards to sexual sin), soon all will be affected? Remove the wicked person among you, so that you can stay pure. How terrible that you should boast about your spirituality and yet you let this sort of thing go on” (5:6-12).

However, purity in the Church begins with purity in our individual lives. Noah Webster defined purity as “innocence, cleanness, or freedom from foulness, dirt, or defilement.” As

Christ has set us free on the inside, so, in His power, we must free ourselves on the outside, both from sin and worldly distractions. “Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit...? You don’t belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (6:19, 20).

He continued, “God purchased you at a high price, so don’t be enslaved to the world... Those in frequent contact with the things of this world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away. In everything you do, I want you to be free from the concerns of this life... I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord, with as few distractions as possible” (7:23, 31, 32).

Daily Reflection

Evaluate your personal holiness. How would you rate your life (0-10) in the area of purity and freedom from worldly distractions? Explain.

With what temptations, sins, and distractions do you struggle most? What issues exist in your life that are not honoring to God? What steps do you need to take to correct these things?

BiAY.org |Day 323 — 42 Days to Go

November 18th~The Kingdom of Self

Acts 18:24-19:20


1 Corinthians 1:1-3:23

Paul began his third missionary journey, essentially retracing the path of his second trip. While he was in Ephesus (Asia Minor), he wrote a letter to the church in Corinth, addressing some of their issues. Evidently, the new believers there struggled with worldliness and spiritual immaturity. Paul wrote to them, “When I was with you, I couldn’t talk to you as I would to mature Christians. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed you with milk and not with solid food, because you couldn’t handle anything stronger” (1 Corinthians 3:1, 2).

The first issue Paul addressed, regarding their immaturity, was the division in their church. “Stop arguing among yourselves,” he wrote. “Let there be real harmony so there won’t be divisions in the church. I plead with you to be of one mind, united in thought and purpose... You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other... You are acting like people who don’t belong to the Lord” (1:10; 3:3).

Division among God’s people is a sign of selfishness. We are all one in Christ, and as we emphasize our common bond in Him, we will yield our own sinful, selfish preferences and strive for unity. Disunity should never be a trait of a group of believers; yet, Satan has had great success dividing us on so many issues — doctrinal differences, ministry focus, programs, styles of worship, social and political issues, etc. — when we are all on the same team.

On this issue of seeking out the fulfillment of our selfish preferences in the church, Paul gave a stern warning — use caution when building on the foundation of Christ. We must make sure that what we are building is a structure that glorifies Him and not ourselves. “Anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. There is coming a time of testing at judgment day, to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone’s work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value...” (3:10-15). The bottom line is this — all that we have done to honor Christ will be rewarded, but all that we have done to honor ourselves will burn up.

Daily Reflection

How would you describe your influence in the local church? Have you been an agent of unity or disunity? Have you sought to honor Christ with your words and actions, or have you worked hard to get your way or make yourself look good? Explain your answer.

What about in your own Christian life? What have you built on the foundation of Christ, since coming to Him in salvation? Have you built a life for yourself or for Him? Will your works survive the test of judgment day or will they burn up?

We are all building something in our lives.

It is either the kingdom of self or the Kingdom of God. How can we build the Kingdom of God together, if we focus only on our own structure?

BiAY.org |Day 322 — 43 Days to Go

November 17th~Settle Down and Get to Work

1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

2 Thessalonians 1:1-3:18

Acts 18:4-23

Paul wrote a second letter to the church in Thessalonica, primarily to clear up some questions they had regarding a topic in his first letter. In his first letter, Paul tried to encourage them in regards to what happened to Christians who had died, so “they would not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). However, Paul’s reference to the end times evidently sparked much discussion about how and when these things would take place. Thus, Paul wrote to them again, “Now, let us tell you about the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered together to meet Him” (2 Thessalonians 2:1).

Some false teachers took advantage of Paul’s words and claimed that the “Day of the Lord” had already begun. Paul warned his readers not to be troubled by these people, because they did not know what they were saying. He then went on to describe an indication that the Day of the Lord was approaching — there would be “a great rebellion against God and the man of lawless- ness will be revealed, the one who brings destruction” (2:3). This lawless man is a reference to the prophecy of Daniel (9:27), which describes the Anti-Christ, one who works to undermine the purposes of God globally and who unites the world against God’s people (Jews).

The second half of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians dealt with those people who did little or nothing, because they thought Jesus’ return was imminent (3:6-15). They took advantage of the church’s charity and lived a life of laziness (v.11). Paul warned his readers “to stay away from any Christian who lives in idleness and doesn’t follow the tradition of hard work we gave you... We gave you this rule: ‘Whoever does not work should not eat...’ We command such people — settle down and get to work. Earn your own living” (v.6, 10, 12, 13).

Daily Reflection

Idleness, both inside and outside the church, is a sin for several reasons. What are some of them?

Isn’t the rule “Whoever does not work should not eat” cruel and unloving? Why or why not?

Where would you draw the line with one living an idle life and being “needy,” receiving charity?

Christians are notorious for doing much but accomplishing little. Would you agree or disagree? Could that be considered living an idle life?

Settle down and get to work! “Never get tired of doing good” (v.13). Are you avoiding idleness?

BiAY.org | Day 321 — 44 Days to Go

November 16th~Foolishness to the Perishing

Acts 17:16-18:3
1

Thessalonians 1:1-5:11

During Paul’s second missionary journey, the Lord led him to travel to Macedonia and then to Greece. Thus, the Gospel made it to the continent of Europe for the first time. His strategy was the same wherever he went. First, he started with the Jews, talking with them in their synagogues on the Sabbath. At every place he went, some believed and some bickered; but, if enough people were converted, then Paul would start a church there.

While in Greece, Paul had the opportunity to stop by Athens, one of the most intriguing cities of the ancient world. He noticed that the town was full of statues, temples, and idols. The most famous temple was called the Areopagus or “Council of Philosophers,” where the Athenians invited him to speak. Of course, he took the opportunity and decided to use a statue dedicated “To the Unknown God” to introduce everyone to the One True God — the God who made the world and everything in it (Acts 17:22-34).

The men of Athens listened intently until Paul got to the part where Jesus was resurrected from the dead. At that point, some laughed and their attention ended (v.32). What is interesting is that the very topic that these men thought laughable was what Paul used to comfort the Christians in Thessalonica. He wrote to them, “I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so that you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, He will bring back all the Christians who have died... Those who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and remain with Him forever. Comfort and encourage each other with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Daily Reflection

Later, Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction; but, we who are being saved know that it is very power of God. As the Scriptures say, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.’ So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in His wisdom saw to it that the world would never know Him through human wisdom, He has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. It is foolish to the Greeks who seek human wisdom... So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Gentiles say it is all nonsense... But this foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans...” (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

What is the difference here? Why do some find the good news of Jesus Christ so hard to accept, while others find comfort and hope in Him?

Paul addressed this question later in the same letter. “When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit... But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it...” (2:13, 14).

Praise God, that He has given you the Spirit, to open your eyes and understand these things. To others they are foolishness, but to you they are the power of God for salvation.

BiAY.org |Day 320 — 45 Days to Go

November 15th~One Person at a Time

Acts 15:22-17:15

After Paul and Barnabas completed their first missionary journey and returned to Antioch, it was not long until they decided to go again, this time to check on the churches they had started (Acts 15:36). However, God had different plans in mind for them. After a sharp disagreement arose regarding John Mark, who had quit during the first mission trip, Paul and Barnabas decided to go their separate ways. Barnabas and John Mark went back to Cyprus, while Paul and Silas went back to Galatia (v.37-41).

While Paul and Silas did not experience a great deal of success in Asia Minor, as the Holy Spirit would not let them stay long (16:6-8), they did meet a young man named Timothy. He was a disciple of Christ, half-Jew, well thought of by the people of Lystra. Paul and Silas convinced him to join them on their journey. Of course, he would eventually become a great leader in the early Church.

Because the Spirit did not present opportunities for them in Asia, Paul was convinced by a dream that God wanted them to travel to Macedonia (16:6-10). While this may seem like a trivial course correction, it was actually a momentous occasion. The Gospel was going to Europe for the first time. An entire continent was introduced to Christ. The impact that Christianity would one day have in Europe would change the world, and it all began here with this “Macedonian Call.” Along the way, Paul and Silas met a physician named Luke (v.10), who was the man God used to pen one of the Gospel ac- counts, as well as the book of Acts.

While Paul and the others met with resistance in Europe, as they did everywhere else, they also met with success in a place called Philippi. A woman named Lydia was the first European convert. They were also able to convert a jailer and his family to Christianity, after God sent a startling earthquake. The Lord was doing some amazing things, and He was using Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy to do so. Their persistence, despite opposition, brought people to Christ.

Daily Reflection

The Apostle Paul was a special emissary for the Lord; His impact for the Kingdom of God will never be matched. However, his strategy for reaching the world for Christ was simple — one person at a time. It was Timothy, then Luke and Lydia, then the jailer and his family. Though Paul had the ability to reach thousands at a time, he did what we can do — personal evangelism. We simply tell the people we know and meet about the salvation found in Jesus Christ.

Who was it that told you about Christ?

While God can and does use evangelists to save thousands at a time, more than likely your con- version happened because someone you know told you about Christ. Likewise, God wants to use you to tell others in your sphere of influence about him — family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors — one person at a time.

Paul could not be everywhere, so he revealed the second strategy for spreading the Gospel — churches. He encouraged and organized those who converted to join together into local bodies of believers, to minister to each other and to the community. The Church is God’s means for reaching the lost. Still, even the Church requires individuals, like you, to share their faith. Are you participating in your local church? Are you sharing your faith with others? “How can they believe in Him whom they’ve not heard, and how can they hear unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14, 15).

BiAY.org | Day 319 — 46 Days to Go

November 14th~Under the Influence

Galatians 3:24-6:18

Acts 15:1-21

Paul continued his case against the false doctrine that one needs to follow Jewish regulations in order to be saved from sin. “You are trying to find favor with God by what you do or don’t do...,” which is impossible (Galatians 4:10). “If you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ... Christ has set you free, so don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (5:1, 4).

We have been called to a new life of freedom, both freedom from religious requirements and freedom from our sinful nature. Before we were saved from sin, we were slaves to it; no amount of self-determination could overcome its power. However, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome our desire to fulfill our sinful passions.

Since our sinful nature and the Holy Spirit are both present in our lives, these forces wage a war in us and, thus, living a life that honors the Lord is a constant struggle for Christians (see Romans 7:14-25). Though our hearts have been made new by Christ, we are justified before God because of Him, this new life is trapped inside of our sinful bodies (flesh). Therefore, both forces can influence us at any time.

Paul challenged his readers “to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit, then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just the opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants; and the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict” (5:16, 17).

However, Paul provided a list of fruit that helps us to identify the source that influences us the most (v.19-23, 26). It is also a way to help identify who has or has not given his life to Christ. It is important to note that the desires of the sinful nature can be present in the life of a Christian, but they will not be his practice. Likewise, in the life of an unbeliever, spiritual characteristics can be present, but they will not be his practice. While fruit in one’s life is not a definitive marker of one’s salvation, it is certainly a help. The pattern one exhibits over time is a helpful indication of who or what is influencing one’s actions.

Daily Reflection

“Those who belong to Christ,” Paul wrote, “have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. If we are living by the Holy Spirit, then let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (5:24, 25).

How would you describe this battle in your life? Have you crucified your sinful desires on the cross or are they still causing you to stumble? What pattern is most evident in your life?

Let it be obvious for others to see that you are a child of God. Let there be no doubt, when others watch you or listen to you, that you are under the influence of the Spirit and that you are genuinely seeking to live a life worthy of the One who saved you. Don’t send mixed messages that cause others to wonder about your salvation, but rather let them be assured of it by the fruit in your life.

BiAY.org | Day 318 — 47 Days to Go