1 Timothy 3

Overseers are what we call "bishops." This calling is a high one. Today, for similar cultural reason mentioned in the previous chapter, women are largely accepted as bishops in the Episcopal Church.

Deacons are ordained people called to service. Usually, they have a particular gift (teaching, chaplaincy, retirement center, addressing poverty or substance abuse, etc.) Deacons can preach at church but not celebrate the Eucharist (communion.)

My guess is that some of Timothy's leadership had wandered far from  Paul's expectations.

1 Timothy 2

Paul continues with practical advice about worship. Worship should never be a place for controversies or unforgiveness to break out. People should draw attention to God and not themselves. The statement about women teaching men is a controversial one. I have come to believe that this is an opinion rather than a direct command from God and this reflect Paul's culture.

1 Timothy 1

Paul writes this letter to his beloved understudy, Timothy, who has leadership over church in Asia Minor. The letter is probably from just before Paul's death, maybe 60-64 A.D.

Timothy must have started by refuting people who were teaching falsely (other than what Paul taught.) Seems that the controversies these false teachers started tied up the church in idle talk rather than the ministry of God. This happens today was well when we let issues overtake our mission. Teachers must be very careful because they have a powerful position, one that can wreck a church or build up one. Love is the key to sound teaching. But love also means casting out those who injure the church until they change their ways.

2 Corinthians 13

Paul issues final warnings. Paul will deal with sinners (community breakers.) a Christian is known by the good fruit he or she produces. What is your fruit like?

2 Corinthians 12

Paul continues to defend his authority. UI am not sure what the "third heaven" is but it may be some euphoric state since Paul had just mentioned "visions." A vision is just a picture message as opposed to a word or thought message from God. Verse 3 may describe an "out of body" experience where a person can see himself or herself from an external viewpoint (eavesdropping on his or her life.) Paradise is the Garden of Eden. Jesus said he would be their when he died.

Paul also talks about a "thorn in the flesh."  Some say this is Paul's short statute or speech problem. Notice that God's answer to Paul's repeated prayer is "No." Paul accepts this as a way of overcoming a weakness to be a superior witness to God. Some would give up on God if God said, "No." in answer to prayer. Our weaknesses can cause us to rely on God all the more. People who have everything going their way often have the hardest time trusting God since they think they can trust themselves instead. Trouble is, all good things (and bad) come to an end. Luck never lasts.

Paul's feelings are hurt. He gains nothing personally from the Corinthians. His church has been in disarray. Signs of turning from God are ever present - quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. Unity marks a Christian community. Disunity does not.

2 Corinthians 11

The Corinthians have been swayed by someone who claims to have another take on Christ. Paul says the Corinthians should not be deceived. There are not multiple Gospels. Paul's authority comes neither from being highly trained nor from being a person of status. His authority comes from being called by God and by being true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. People are too easily swayed by intelligence and status.

Paul goes on to say that he has earned, by the world's standards as well his place of authority through suffering for the Gospel's sake. The "foolishness" of suffering in this way is truly "wise." Weak people recognize their need for God. To see ourselves as strong and independent is foolish. That will change. God makes us strong.

2 Corinthians 10

Paul would like to return to Corinth without having to be the disciplinarian. Christians should act differently than the rest of the world. Paul seems to defend both his reason for being forceful in his letters and his unassuming statute when actually present. Paul's message and commission from God are what make him powerful. Don't compare people, compare how a person acts, in faith, in response to God.

2 Corinthians 9

Paul continues about generosity. Paul starts out with a little bit of personal integrity at stake in the Corinthians response to an appeal for funds. Verse 6 implies that we receive back in proportion to our generosity. Verse 7 encourages us to give for the right reason. Being forced to give is not one of the right reasons. Richness has more to do with our relationship with God and each other than with material possessions, which will someday disappear (that is, let us down.) Generosity is ultimately an expression of thanks to God for all God has done and will do n our behalf.

 

2 Corinthians 8

Paul makes the example of another church's generosity. Generosity is seen as a privilege more that a duty. Paul appeals to the best in the Corinthians. Notice that verse 10 is personal (not "of the Lord") advice.

2 Corinthians 7

Paul talks about a letter sent to the Corinthians that may have been firm but also may have hurt the feelings of some. Paul would like to see repentance come out of this. That is, a change of mind that redirects the actions of the Corinthians to something healthier (and more Godly.) Paul is really trying to encourage his church to see (return to) the good in themselves.

2 Corinthians 6

God's gift of love can only be enjoyed if we too love. Otherwise it is like having a million dollars but never using it.

 

Help others succeed and overcome hardships. Praise and honor God at all times and in all places. Why? Because there is more to life than just what we see. Open your hearts to the pains of fellow humans.

 

However, do not let the worldly be your undoing. We are the residence of a holy God and must love the world without being overcome by it. This is a hard tightrope to walk – being in the world but not of the world – but we can do it. Love with all you have but do not loose yourself in the process.

2 Corinthians 5

Paul goes on to talk about the future when we are in our resurrected bodies. He knows that people go through some tough times but there is a reward – resurrection. Hang tough and please God with your actions in this earthly body.

 

One way to do this is to reconcile. This means to bring two persons or groups back into alignment with each other; to mend broken relationships. This can also mean to mend the relationship with God and a person that is broken. Reconciliation is what Christ did on the Cross (making up for our sins) and so we are primarily reconcilers. We must forgive and encourage others to forgive. Christians cannot hold onto hurts. It ruins both the person wronged and well as the person who does wrong.

 

We, as Christians, have the ministry to reconcile ourselves and the world to one another and to God. Never give up.

2 Corinthians 4

 

Remember, Paul finished the last chapter saying we (the church) are the Glory of Christ. In other words, powered by the Holy Spirit, we are Jesus' presence in the world today. We may not do it perfectly, but God chooses to use us. What we can do is be the truest and most faithful "self" we can be and be part of a church, not acting on our own. The spirit of our age (culture) will always fight us but we have God on our side. Even when things get tough, persist, God will provide and God wins!

2 Corinthians 2

Paul corrects and rebukes because he loves. Many Christians think love means never telling the truth or always pretending tings are okay. That is the opposite of love. Forgiveness is also a sign of true Christian community. Forgive those who wrong you. Forgive means to cancel the debt someone owes us (our reputation, maybe a financial loss) and not to act like it never happened. What seems like a dead end (forgiving or loving in conflict) is actually the path to real life!

2 Corinthians 1

Paul seems to have 2 letters here in this one. Chapter 10-13 deal with more painful issues in this church to which Paul wrote more than any other church. The earlier chapters seem more conciliatory. Maybe that makes up for or cushion the harder words. Paul's ministry had been questioned.  Comfort means to fortify more than to smother with love. There were some trials going on. God delivers the faithful. Paul does what he does because of God and not social convention. Christ is the big "Yes!" of God to followers. Christ delivers.

1 Corinthians 16

Paul now closes his letter with an appeal to be a regular (weekly giver) of money and makes some personal requests. Paul claims to have personally written this letter.

1 Corinthians 15

Paul now wants to return the Corinthians to the Gospel that brought them together in the first place. This Gospel of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus and his Resurrection has and must be passed on. Paul warns of keeping the wrong company because it corrupts us. It is hard to love when we are in very "worldly" company. Paul encourages his church to change their minds and return to the Gospel (loving) life.

Evidently, some must have been saying that there was no resurrection. Paul sees the body as the object of love of God. Jesus cares about people. People live in bodies. God resurrects lives. We are not a "spiritual" church that thinks the body is evil. The body is God's crown jewel. What we do with bodies can be a problem but we must cherish our bodies and other people and act accordingly.

Paul says to hold out for the prize in Christ – the resurrection of our bodies. The city of Corinth was known for all sorts of corrupt behavior. It must have crept into the church and the church's teaching.

1 Corinthians 14

Paul now gets back to the practical application of love (missing from the Corinthian church.) "Tongues" is a gift where a person speaks in a spiritual voice not understood by the general public. Paul has this gift but he says that it amounts to nothing if no one will let others in on what is being said spiritually. Love demands that we think of others first. Gifts should "build up" people and the church.

Evidently, worship was being disrupted by spiritual gift practitioners.  Sort of a battle of the gifts. Selfish. If you disrupt worship, it is selfish and not in keeping with love.

1 Corinthians 13

Paul now tells the Corinthians what really makes community work: love. Everything else is just a bunch of noise without love. Love is about the other person, not about "me." Love is a strategy for loving and not based simply on feelings, which come and go. Love was missing from the contentious Corinthian church and it is missing from a lot of our lives. Love means to "grow up" and think about others. Selfishness is the opposite of love. How many of the world's evils would disappear if we all actually practiced love? It's all about love.

1 Corinthians 12

Paul turns from selfish worship to selfish church life. Spiritual gifts are gifts given by God at baptism for the purpose of building up the body, the Church. No one gets none and no one gets all. Only Christ had them all. We are dependent upon each other because we are incomplete without each others. That is why unity is so important. Also, those who coast in church rob the church of her full potential because they have (as do all people) a critical piece of church life resident in their particular gift. The "common good" is what Paul calls this unified use of our gifts. And bodies (the Church is Christ's Body on earth) do not function well unless all parts function.

 

People were flaunting gifts and making others seem useless. In fact, God seems to have a special place for those with the less glamorous gifts. All are needed. Paul ends this chapter telling the reader that he has the answer to all this disunity he hears about.

1 Corinthians 11

Paul does some teaching. Follow him as he follows Christ. It seems the first part are more his preferences since he say ""In the Lord" in verse 11, notifying the reader that he now speaks for God. Paul has a way of drifting in and out of his opinions versus God's commands. Paul's cultural norms were not ours nor are ours his. Note that after the "in the Lord," Paul shows tow very equal people in men and women. When he says "judge for yourselves," he may be back in the opinion stage. I think that the bigger issue may have been much disrupted worship services, which take away from the focus on God.

 

Worship has divisions. That is no good. Unity is a sign of following God. Excesses abound and that is wrong. The whole point of worship is lost. Paul says "get a room!"

Paul then goes on to tell us what the Lord's Supper is all about and gives us an insight to the practice very early on in the life of the Church.

 

The church needs to remember that when we receive communion knowingly being out of sync with God, we drink to our own condemnation. The Lord's Supper feeds repentant people and condemns the proud who will not repent.

1 Corinthians 10

 

Paul tells his church that Israel should be a warning to them. Evildoers (people out of sync with God and doing their own thing) will be dealt with by God. Don't test God and don't grumble. All people have this problem and God has given the answer of Christ. There is no temptation which we cannot, with Christ's help, overcome.

 

Sacrifices to idols (money, status and power could be our idols today) are to be avoided. Covering our bases by participating in Holy Communion and the latest unhealthy cultural fad doe not work. Our hearts can only be in one place. Choose carefully.

 

Paul knows that idol have only the power we give them. But why fiddle with them? We will be the only losers. Paul tells us to avoid temptations rather than trying to resist them. Why take the risk? Be careful that your superior knowledge of the fact that idol have no real power does not lead someone else astray. We are responsible to each other. Just because something is permissible does not mean it should be done.

1 Corinthians 9

It would seem that some have called into questions Paul's ability to call himself an apostle (he was not with the living Jesus.) You can imagine that the conversation went something like this. "Paul doesn't have to be listened to. He wasn't with Jesus. Jesus didn't appoint him. Aren't I just a man, too? Listen to me." Paul does seem to get a bit defensive. He lists off all sorts of accomplishments and perks he could (but did not) take.

Pay attention to the important things and train up for life by sticking with God (and with Paul.)

1 Corinthians 8

More advice. Choose love or knowledge. In this case, that means even though believers know that food sacrificed to the local idols (which may be most of the food on the market) means nothing but a budding Christian (one trying to kick the idol habit) may believe it is important to skip this food. Paul says love the person and skip the food with them rather than argue about the fact that the idol is meaningless. People watch believers for signs of how they should act. Be a good example of love even if the food is fine as is after being offered to idols. Don't do anything that makes life harder for a sister or brother in Christ.

1 Corinthians 7

Evidently, the Corinthians asked for advice on some matters. Paul sees marriage as a way to curb immorality or lack of self-control. He thinks being single is better because this leaves more time for God and Paul probably thinks there is not much time left in the world before Jesus returns. Paul would not have had as much status with the Jews had he been unmarried so, likely, he was married at on time. Note that husband and wife are treated equally.

Note, he says this is his advise (not the Lord speaking,) when he says not to divorce. Unbelievers will be saved through believers. For the most part, Paul thinks one should stay with the same status he or she has when becoming a Christian. Unnecessary change just takes time away from God. The world as Paul sees it is passing away and this necessities undivided attention to God.

1 Corinthians 6

When believers have a dispute, don't go to court, work it out in the church. That's they way Christians do things. There many activities that we, as Christians, choose not to do because Christ died for us. When we sin, we miss out on seeing Jesus right in front of our noses. He is there ready to help for those who keep faithful. He is also there for others who do not but they don't see him because they are out of communion with him. Our actions can open up a whole new world or destroy the one we have. Our bodies are either instruments of God or not. Faithfulness in actions determines which we choose.

1 Corinthians 5

Evidently, the Corinthians have accepted sexual immorality as okay. Paul tells them to act as if he we present and expel the man in question until (and if) he repents. The church needs to expel people sometimes, those who actions corrupt the community. It is a tough call but the point is – save the community and, hopefully, save the sinner. A church grows ugly when it follows people's feelings and not the Gospel. Everyone is then in jeopardy. You become the company you keep. Sometimes, we need to shed ourselves of acquaintances or friends because their actions corrupt us. Ever notice that it only takes an of hand remark by a guest or adult to keep a whole family from church?

 

We can still care about these people and minister to them but we must also keep separate. This is easier for some than others. Each of us and each church need to know where they are weak.

1 Corinthians 4

Continuing, all leaders should be servants and should prove to be faithful by God's standards (not only by their own?) Do not rush to good or bad judgment. In the long run, people's motives and their true heart show. Heart is what matters and not flashy action even flashy religious action.

 

The Corinthians have received sound teaching. Applied, teaching can make life richer. There is no new "secret" info needed past scripture. Notice the place of least importance is at the end of the procession, which is why priest go last on Sunday. Leaders sacrifice for followers if they are faithful.

 

Paul encourages his church to imitate him. They probably had come up with new charismatic leaders with notion other that God's. This has and always will be true. That is, people who do not live the Gospel lifestyle who claim to have new "secret" knowledge. Do buy it! Paul sends his beloved understudy, Timothy, to help work things out. Basically, the Corinth church needs a spanking!