1 Corinthians

Today we're going to examine 1 Corinthians. Paul's epistle to the Corinthians. This epistle was probably written during the days of Unleavened Bread. It definitely has a Passover, Unleavened Bread theme. This epistle contains many of the essentials for preparing for the Passover, and principles we need to apply in daily living the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. Notice that daily living the Passover. Every day we can go before God's throne and claim God's sacrifice and be forgiven.

This is the kind of sermon that you really need to turn to every scripture that I mention. You really need to write down the scripture because one of the assignments I have for you before now in Passover, I really want you to read and study 1 Corinthians. I want you to read and study the Gospel of John, especially from chapter 12 to the end of the book.

Chapter 12 onward deals with Christ coming to Jerusalem area, to Bethany just before the Passover, and also Psalm 119. You study those three areas especially in examining yourself for the Passover. Most of us are not on a deliberate, willful path of sin, but that doesn't mean that each one of us is not in desperate need of help in several areas of our lives, even though we're not on a willful path of sin.

Job did not seem to be on a deliberate, willful path of sin. We read Job 1, that Job was essentially perfect in God's eyes, but he had a great test before him that he almost failed. He was in desperate need of help and didn't even know it. The chief characteristic of Satan the devil is deceit. In Genesis 3, verse 1, it says, Now that old serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field. In the Gospel of John, verse 8, verse 44, it says that Satan is a murderer and a liar from the beginning.

In Revelation 12, 9, it says, That old serpent Satan the devil who is deceiving the whole world. In verse 10, it talks about him being before the throne of God, accusing the brethren day and night. So the chief product of Satan the devil is sin or lawlessness. And we all can probably quote 1 John 3-4, which says that sin is the transgression of the law. All sin is of Satan the devil. So let's go to 1 Corinthians, not 1 Corinthians, but to 1 John. In this case, we'll start 1 John chapter 3, 1 John chapter 3, and verse 4, Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law.

That is Satan's chief product. He is the lawless one. He was perfect in all his ways. I'm quoting now from Ezekiel 28. He was perfect in all his ways until iniquity, lawlessness was found in him. Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law. For sin is the transgression of the law. And you know that he was manifested to take away our sins, that is Jesus Christ, and in him is no sin.

Whosoever abides in him, sins not. Whosoever sins hath not seen him, neither known him. Of course, this abides means lives in. And as we shall see as we read through this, and some people get confused in reading through this, none of us is without sin, but at the same time we don't abide in sin knowingly. We don't practice sin. That is not the way of our life. Little children let no man deceive you. He that does righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous.

Now how do you do righteousness? Well, you can put Psalm 119, verse 172 there. All of your commandments are righteousness. By living by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, you are practicing and doing righteousness.

He that commits sin is of the devil. For the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is, ganau, begotten of God, does not commit sin. Now some people, ganau is a word that you can translate, begotten or born. When you are born of God in resurrection, you cannot sin.

In the Begettles stage, you can sin. Not one of us in here would say that since baptism and since receiving God's Spirit, that we've not sinned. I would venture to say that every one of us has sinned since baptism, and laying on of hands and receiving God's Spirit. Now if you look at it from whosoever is born of God in resurrection, does not commit sin. Now this word commit is one you should be familiar with. I'll spell it. P-O-I-E-O. Po-E-A-O. And it means to practice habitually. So he that is begotten of God, if you translate Ganal, where this translates as born as begotten, he that is begotten of God, does not practice sin, for his seed remains in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God.

Now if you translate it as born, once you are born of God, you can't sin. But in the Begettles stage, you can. But even in the Begettles stage, you do not practice sin. For in this, the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil, whosoever does not, righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves, not his brother. For this is a message, as you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

So we can conclude from this, as we read that verse once again, that whosoever sins is of the devil, verse 8. And the chief characteristic of Satan the devil is subtlety and deceit. And the chief product of the devil is sin. We look now at Hebrews, back a few pages, of Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 13. Today we shall be reasoning from the Scriptures. Come now, let us reason together. Though your sins be a scarlet, they shall be as wool, and though they be red like crimson, they shall be white as snow. That's what it says in Isaiah 1.

In Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 13, "...but exhort one another daily what is while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." So I think we have concluded and shown that sin is deceitful, sin is of the devil. In the parable of the ten virgins, they were all doing the same thing ostensibly. Just a look at it, they all were going to church. They had their lamps, they had their Bibles, they were doing whatever they were doing.

Yet when the bridegroom knocked on the door, five were ready and five weren't. Five were wise, five were foolish. So we have to learn more than just form. We have to have substance. We have to be becoming as God is. The Corinthians were blessed with knowledge and gifts, but they were divided into many areas and puffed up one against another. We look now at 1 Corinthians 1. To begin with, Paul talks about that he thanked God that they had these gifts. They were using these gifts as an outward manifestation of righteousness. So I can speak in several languages.

I have the gift of this and I have the gift of that. And because I have this gift, I'm more righteous than you are. We all have various talents and gifts. God expects us to use them to edify the body. But just because you can speak another language or because you have the gift of being able to serve others in a way that others do not and cannot, doesn't mean that in and of itself is the be-all to end-all.

So look at what Paul writes here in 1 Corinthians 1.4. I think, my God, always, on your behalf for the grace of God, the divine favor which is given you by Jesus Christ, that in everything you are enriched by Him in all utterance and in all knowledge. Now, later, if we have time today, we'll go as far as we can go. But in 1 Corinthians 13, it says, Though I speak with the tongues of angels, and I understand all of these things, I have all knowledge, I have the gift of prophecy, I understand all the mysteries, and if I'm not becoming as God is, it profits me nothing.

So even having all knowledge, that in and of itself, will not get you there. Even as the testimony, the record, the witness of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come behind in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall confirm you unto the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, what accommodation up front to the Corinthians? But, and the but in about the Corinthians is about this wide. Figuratively and literally. Now the Corinthians were puffed up, also one against another. Look at 1 Corinthians 4. 1 Corinthians 4.6. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes, that you might learn in us not to think of men.

Of course, they were divided over, and we'll see this later, over who was the greatest minister. Some said they were of Apollos. Some said they were of Cephas. Some said they were of Paul. Some said they were of Christ. They trumped them all. That you might not think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. Then in verse 18, now some are puffed up as though I would not come to you.

But I will come to you shortly if the Lord will and will know not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power, or the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. In chapter 5 and verse 2, and you are puffed up and have not rather mourned, that he that has done this might be taken away from among you. Now, in contrast to that, part of the remedy already is you look at 1 Corinthians 13 verse 4.

As I said, we are really going to just dissect 1 Corinthians. We'll go to a few other places, but mainly 1 Corinthians. And that's what I really want you to study before Passover. In 1 Corinthians 13.4, charity suffers long, agape, spiritual love, and is kind, charity, agape or agape, invig charity, bought tonight itself, is not puffed up. So you see here that even though they had these great gifts, they were puffed up in different areas against one another.

And once again, we bring to mind sin is deceitful, and we can be off track and not even realize it. Almost no one will admit that they are on a deliberate path of sin. Would you admit you're on a deliberate path of sin? I'm just deliberately sinning, and yet I'm going to go into services. And well, not many people would do that. So now we're going to quickly highlight the problems that are discussed in 1 Corinthians. We've already done it a little bit, but now we're going to go back to 1 Corinthians chapter 1.

And we're going to go through the various chapters and just briefly highlight. In most cases here, not the remedy. We'll come back with the remedy later in 1 Corinthians 1 verse 10. Now beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Now when it comes to the trunk of the tree, the seven great questions, I call it, of life, and there are many others. That's not a be all, be end all. Does God exist? Who is God? What is God? What is His purpose? Who is man? What is man? What is His purpose? I mean, and how do you attain unto salvation? The very core, the very trunk of the tree. And what is God doing in bringing sons and daughters to glory in His family?

We're not going to agree on every last little nuance about everything in the Bible. But when it comes to the trunk of the tree, and that which is essential for salvation, there must needs to be agreement. But that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind, in the same judgment, for it has been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Now this I say that every one of you says, I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, and I am of the Cephas, and I am of Christ. Then the great rhetorical question of this epistle, the great rhetorical question, is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in the name Apoll? Now you look at chapter 3, because of especially this division over ministers and who was the greatest, Paul had brought them the gospel.

Paul was the one who sacrificed, came to them, fathered them in the gospel. Then along came Apollos. Now Paul was apparently this not so handsome, weak-looking, squeaky-voiced guy, not an eloquent speaker with maybe really thick glasses. Here comes Apollos. He's a polished, well-educated man from Alexandria in Egypt, one of the great learning centers of the medieval, not the medieval, but the ancient world, the Mediterranean world. And he comes to Corinth. He's an eloquent speaker. And some begin to say, oh Apollos, he's great. Oh, what about Peter?

He's great. So we look here at what Paul says in chapter 3, verse 1, And I, brethren, cannot speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. Some of you have been in the church over 50 years. And you are ready, if you're ever going to be ready, you're ready for strong meat. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat.

For hitherto you were not able to bear it. Neither yet now are you able. Why? For you are yet carnal. For whereas there is among you envy and strife and divisions, are you not carnal and walk as men? For while one says I am a Paul, another of Apollos, are you not carnal? Then Paul shows that really men are nothing. They are labors together with God in his vineyard. Another area, we've already read the verse, 1 Corinthians 4, 18, they were gossiping about whether or not Paul would visit.

You could hear, oh, I bet that Paul never comes back to see us again. You know, he was just here, and he's gone, and is he ever going to come back? Well, Paul says, yeah, I am if the Lord will.

In chapter 5, verse 1, it is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication is not so much as named among the nations, the ethnos, the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife, and you are puffed up and have not rather mourn that he that has done this deed might be taken away from you. So, they were tolerating that. They knew about it. And it's like, well, as long as it doesn't bother me, it's not my responsibility. And so on it goes, and Paul told them that they should remove this person from their midst.

And much of 2 Corinthians is taken up with welcoming this person back, because this person had repented. In chapter 6, dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust and not before the saints? So they were suing one another, I guess, in the Roman courts. Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world, and the world shall be judged by you, or are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

And Paul tells him they should take it to the church. In chapter 7, we have the conduct of marital affairs. The conduct of marital affairs. Chapter 7, verse 1, now concerning the things whereof you wrote unto me, so Paul had gotten this feedback from various members of the congregation through letters, It is good for a man not to touch a woman, nevertheless to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

And let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence, and likewise also the wife, unto the husband. And verse 4 says that each one doesn't have power over their own body, that they are to be united together. Now you look at verse 26 in this chapter, I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, where it says it's better to remain unmarried because of the present distress. It is good for a man so to be that is not married. But if you can't contain yourself and you need to be married, it says to marry in the Lord.

In chapter 8, verse 1, now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies. Just because you know everything and can win at jeopardy or whatever else, doesn't mean you're converted. Knowledge puffs up, charity, God is love, edifies, and if any man thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing, yet as he ought to know. In chapter 9, they were saying some of them that Paul was not an apostle. He was not one of the original twelve. And he writes, chapter 9, verse 1, Am I not an apostle?

Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? So, according to Galatians 1, Paul was taught of the Lord, apparently in the Arabian wilderness, and he says that he has seen the Lord. Because one of the great tests, as far as they were concerned in the early church, of whether or not you were an apostle, was that you had to have seen the Lord.

We'll have a verse or two out of ten later. In chapter 11, they were divided over governmental structure, both in the church and in the family. And so Paul writes this. Chapter 11, verse 1, Verse 4, Every man praying or prophesying having his head covered dishonors his head. Who is the head of the man? Christ is the head of the man. So we get into the hair situation.

Now we have come to the point in time that let's ignore hair, let's ignore the length of skirts, let's ignore it all, let's just love the Lord, preach unto me smooth things, and we'll all be happy and waltz in the kingdom together. I would say we should preach the Bible and believe it. So having his head covered, of course, man should not have a hat on in church, but it seems that it is speaking about hair. How long is too long hair? I don't know. Exactly.

Somebody says, are we going to get out the measuring sticks now? Are we going to measure people's hair? No. I'm reading the Bible, okay? But every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head. Who is the head of the woman? The man. This is what the Bible says. Now there are voices in our culture that say much differently, for that is even all one as she were shaven.

So it's evidently talking about hair. For if a woman be not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, of course, if she were shorn or shaven, she would probably have on a hat, let her be covered, but on a hat, if she's shaved or shorn. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head for as much as he is the image and glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. A deep sleep came upon Adam.

God took a rib out of Adam, and he created woman. Now Satan the devil has been able to pit the genders against each other, and we hear it more and more as time goes on. And it is one of the things that tears at our society.

And the Babylonian economic system that has been created almost forces women, in some cases, to work to be able to put bread on the table. Just a little average house that you may find out here on highway 155, maybe two bedrooms, one bath, in places like San Jose, California, San Francisco area, Vancouver, Canada, Seattle, US, Washington. Six hundred to eight hundred thousand dollars for that kind of house. And how can you afford it? And so it is very difficult for a lot of people to even find a place to live and put bread on the table. Now verse 9, neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. And apparently women have angelic protection, and there's a certain sign and signal of humility with regard to that. Now how wonderful a role is it? If you're a man, how wonderful that is. If you're a woman, you have the most influence on a person's life, or at least you should, in the early years of the person's life. When the kings of Israel are listed, it lists the mother. And so and so is his mother. Because she is the one who holds, who nurses, who takes care of, who teaches, who does so many things. The one who even carried that child before being born in her very body. How precious it is to be in that role. What about an Anna who was in the temple after her becoming a widow for decades, praying that she would live to see the day of the Messiah? And so she did. You know, the potential for genders is the same. Glorious spirit beings in the kingdom of God and the family of God. How many times have you heard this read in church or any other place in recent times? Or even dared someone to speak about it? If we cannot preach the Bible, then we are in sad shape.

Verse 11, Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman, we wouldn't be here if it were not for women.

How important are they? You wouldn't be here if it weren't for women. Of course, now they're trying to bypass that now, but I don't think they will. Verse 13, Judging yourselves, is it calmly that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Does not even nature itself teach you that a man have long hair, that if a man have long hair, it is shame unto him? This is what the Bible says.

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given her as a covering. And you read about covering up above, that answers the question. What is the covering? It's the hair. But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God. I mean, if you want to go against it, apparently in Corinth, they thought that they could do this, that is, not be in accord with the various roles and structure that God had ordained. And Paul said, look, in all the churches of God, this is what I teach, this is what I preach. Now, you look at Chapter 14, there is somewhat of a follow-up on this.

In Chapter 14, Paul gives the purpose of spiritual gifts, which we'll come back to later. So in Chapter 14, verse 26, How is it then, brethren, when you come together, every one of you has a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation, let all things be done unto edifying, that is, building up. If any man speak in a tongue or language, let it be by two or at most by three, and then by course take your turn, and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge. Now, the prophets, if they speak, and what does it mean by the others' judge? If they speak not according to the law and testimony, it's because there's no truth in them.

It's Isaiah 8, 20. If any man be revealed to another that sips by, let the first hold his peace. For you may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. What I've already said, that they agree with what has been written, the Word of God. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also says the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church.

What came the Word of God out from you, or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. Well, what are you going to say to Paul? What are you going to say to God?

In chapter 12, they were also... One of the things they were doing with spiritual gifts, especially the speaking in tongues, the language part, was that they were lording it over one another in one sense, oh, I can do this and you can't kind of thing. Now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. You know that you were ethnos, Gentiles, carried away under these dumb idols, even as you were led. Wherefore, I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus a curse, and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit. Now, there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit, and nine gifts are listed. Now, you look at chapter 14, verse 3, and you'll see the purpose of spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 14.3, But he that prophesies speaks unto men, to edification, exhortation, and comfort. So whatever your gift may be, it should be for that purpose. Now, they were also divided, another point in chapter 11, back of page, verse 17, they were divided over how they kept the Passover. Some were having a love feast, which was a custom, sort of like a potluck, but they weren't really looking their pot, that is, putting it out for everybody. In verse 17, now, in this I declare unto you, I praise you not that you come not together for the better, but for the worst. And so there were people who were faring sumptuously, eating and drinking before others, and some were doing without, some were even getting drunk. Then, in chapter 15, there were some even there who were saying that there is no resurrection from the dead. I mean, come on now. You claim to be in the church? This is 1 Corinthians 15, 12. Now, if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there be no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen? And if Christ be not risen, then, as our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain, yea, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. One of the principal points of Paul's preaching was the resurrection from the dead. So, in view of all the problems that were extant in Corinth, you look at those problems and you would say, can this be the church of God? Yea?

And so Paul writes this letter, and we're back to this great rhetorical question. Is Christ divided? Then, from your calling to the resurrection, Paul expounds the resounding answer, Christ is not divided, and the church, the body of Christ, is not divided.

Now, we're not here to discuss unity of organizations. If you have been begotten by God's Spirit, then you are in the body of Christ. If you have been begotten by God's Spirit, then you are in the body of Christ. As I said, I'm not discussing organizations, per se. The church of God is Christ's body, because the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ dwells in you. Therefore, you are His body, in that sense. You are the temple of God. Look at 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 12. These two verses are two of the greatest unity verses in the whole Bible.

It leaves you with no doubt with regard to what is the church, what is the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12, 12, Whereas the body is one and a half many members, and all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. See, Christ is not divided. Now, later, He uses this analogy. You've got fingers, you've got a hand, you've got arms, you've got a head and all the features of the face and the torso and legs and toes and feet and all of that. They're all part of the same body.

Here's the clincher scripture in one sense. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Now, if you hold your place there in Corinthians, if you look at Ephesians 4, Chapter 4, the first holy day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread in 2010, I gave a sermon in Houston on that holy day, titled, Keeping the Unity of the Faith and the Bond of Peace, taken from what I'm about to read here, realizing all of the things that were up in the air at that time. Of course, largely it went unheeded.

Ephesians 4, 1, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, there is one body, one Spirit, even as you are called, in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Now, the Bible speaks of three baptisms, but in this case, there's one baptism into the body of Christ. There is the baptism by water that I can do, many of you I've baptized, many others, someone else baptized you. Man can do that. I cannot beget you with God's Spirit, neither can any other man. Only God can baptize you into his body, the body of Christ. And the Bible speaks of the baptism by fire. At the end of the age, the wicked will be gathered together and they will be burned, the baptism by fire, which you don't want. One Lord, one faith, one baptism into the body of Christ, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all.

Paul makes it clear. Now, let's go back to 1 Corinthians. I'll be talking as we go there. Chapter 1. So why are you in the church? Paul makes it clear that you're not in the church because of men. You're not in the church because of men. You are in the church because of God. God is the one who called you. No man can come to me unless the Father draws him. That's John 644. James 1, 1718. By his own will beget he you with the word of truth. You have been drafted as a Christian soldier. So we'll note here in verse 28, 1 Corinthians 1, chapter 1, verse 28, And based things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen you, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him that is of God, of him are you in Christ Jesus. He called to you. He begets you with his Spirit. He baptizes you into the body. Who of God is made unto us wisdom? We'll read it all together. But of him, God the Father, are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, buying back power, that according as it is written, he that glories, let him glory in the Lord. You look up at verse 23, How that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called, but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God had chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. Yes, you're here because of God, yet God uses human beings. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4 that I have fathered you in the Gospel. Many people are puffed up from time to time over government. It's one of the principle reasons why various church organizations are divided and scattered as they are today. Let's note what the church is and who is the head of the church. Once again, the church is the body of Christ, which means that God the Father lives in each member, and Christ lives in each member of the body. Now you look at Ephesians 1-22, Christ is the head of the church. This part that I'm covering in here now, oh, that we could understand, we just being generic scattered abroad, 1 Corinthians 1-22, and has put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that fills all in all. Now let's go back and read 20 and 21. For he wrought in Christ, he being God, God the Father, for he, God the Father, wrought in Christ, when he, God the Father, raised him, that is, Christ from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come, that which is to come.

So Christ is the head of the church. If there is a problem in the church, some people will say something like, Well, Christ is the head of the church. He will correct things in his own time.

And eventually things do sort of level out, I guess you would say, and settle out. But does that necessarily mean that it was settled and leveled according to the will of God? How does Christ correct problems in the church? It is basically through men.

There are two notable prophecies in Ezekiel in which God and Christ looked for men and women to stand in the gap, and he found none. So when he finds none, then he intervenes. But that doesn't mean that he's not wanting us to stand in the gap. Well, I've given the sermons like this before, and someone writes, Well, how do I stand in the gap? Well, you stand in the gap by standing for and doing the truth. Simple as that. Look at Ezekiel 22. In Ezekiel 22, 23. Ezekiel 22, verse 23. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, saying to her, You are the land that is not cleansed nor rained upon in the day of Indian nation. There is this conspiracy of our prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion raving into the prey. See, in Ezekiel 13, it talks about, you've not made up the hedgerow of the fences for my people to stand during the day of the Lord. You've whitewashed the fences. You've made it appear one way when actually it's another way. They have devoured souls. They've taken the treasure and precious things. They have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Verse 27, her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves raving in the prey. Verse 28, the prophets have dobbed them with untempered mortar. Verse 29, the people of the land have used oppression and exercise robbery. Verse 30, I sought for a man among them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me in the land that I should not destroy, but I found none. Therefore, have I poured out mine indignation upon them, I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. Their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, says the eternal God. Now look at chapter 34. And chapter 34 is something similar in which God takes the shepherds of the land, the pastors, the preachers, the leadership to task. Ezekiel 34, 1, and the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say unto them, Woe to the shepherds of Israel, that do feed themselves, should not the shepherds feed the flocks. You eat the fat, you clothe yourself, you kill them that are fed, but you feed not the flock. The disease, have you not strengthened? Verse 5, they were scattered. Verse 6, My sheep wandered the mountains. Verse 7, Therefore you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. So God intervenes Himself. Verse 10, That says, The Lord, behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock. And neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more, for I will deliver my flock from the mouth, that they may not be meat for them. See, God wants us to stand in the gap. He wants us to stand for the truth. If we don't, then eventually He will intervene. God structures the church to preserve the truth and unity in the church. Now we go back to 1 Corinthians 12, where we talked about the church being the body of Christ. And all the members, members one of another, is what it says in Romans 12, 4 and 5. In 1 Corinthians 12, verse 25, That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care, one for another. Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. Or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ and members in particular. Now if we take this, like in Ephesians 5, where it talks about that, and also Genesis chapter 2, that man and woman are joined together as one flesh. And in Ephesians 5 it says, No man ever yet hated his own flesh. So let husbands love the wife as Christ loved the church. They are one.

But Paul then says, I'm speaking about the church. Yeah, it should be that way with husband and wife. But the church, you are members one of another. How? Because the same essence that is in God is in Christ. By one Spirit, as he all baptized us into one body.

Romans 12, verses 4 and 5 says, that you are members one of another. So taking the physical analogy and the spiritual analogy. In the physical analogy, I've got a band-aid on my finger here. I let some PA in a dermatologist's office freeze a wart. That's a big mistake. Don't let that happen to you. Freeze no warts. But anyhow, this affects me and what I do, this little finger.

And so it's a part of my body, even though it's sort of inconsequential in one way. And in the same way, in the spiritual sense, those who are sitting here who have God's Spirit, we are joined together with we're of the same body. And so if I slander you or attack you, I'm also attacking me because if I injure this little finger, this is part of me. And if I injure you, you're part of me in the spiritual sense, if you have God's Spirit and if I have God's Spirit. It seems that that lesson has not been learned from Cain and Abel to the present day.

And we have taken Passovers and done all kinds of things irreverently. So that is one of the great lessons that we need to be aware of. That we are members of one another and God has structured government in the Church to preserve the truth and unity as we continue in verse 28. And God has set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps governments, different languages, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? Well, the answer obviously is no. But they are still part of the body and they have a purpose to perform. Then, but covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet I show you a better way. I mean, even more important than that is this. Chapter 13, verses 1 through 3. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not agape, spiritual love, see God is love.

We are to become perfect even as our Father in Heaven is perfect. Matthew 5, 48. So, we could say, though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and am not becoming as God is, I am become as sounding brass or a tingling cymbal. See, God is more interested in what you are becoming than whether or not you can speak in a language, or you have a gift of administration or interpretation or whatever. What are you becoming? What am I becoming?

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, have not charity. God is love. If I'm not becoming as God is, I'm nothing. For though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, have not charity. If I'm not becoming as God is, promise me nothing. It's a bade. Then, a description of what the whole person should be like. That is, what is love like? What does it do? And that description is given. In each chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul admonishes the Corinthians to focus on God and Christ. And so, one of your goals and one of your challenges, I would ask you as you go through 1 Corinthians, in each chapter you find a verse or two that emphasizes the focus being on God and on Christ. I have in virtually every chapter listed that out. The Corinthians had a great problem in keeping the Passover. So we go back to 1 Corinthians 11. We've already read 17 and 18.

1 Corinthians 11. We pick it up in 23.

After the same manner also, he took the cup. When he had supped saying, This cup is the new covenant, not testament, diathake, in my blood. This do you as often as you drink it in remembrance of me. But as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you do show the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord, in Axios, that is, irreverently, see the Corinthians in verses 19, 20, 21, 22, they were having a festive time, some even getting drunk, some were faring sumptuously, some were doing without. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. See, the great requirements here, now we get down to the nitty-gritty of Passover, of examining yourself. Are you reconciled with God? Are you reconciled with each member of the body of Christ? And do you understand the ramifications of the body of Christ? There is the body of Christ that was given for our sins, the literal, physical body that was sacrificed, that was put to death, and it was up to the Father to raise him from the dead, which he did. So that body has to be discerned. Then there is the body of the church. In the body of the church in Corinth, they were ignoring one another, causing divisions over their eating and drinking before Passover.

So Paul says, you better take the Passover reverently. Look at 29. For he that eats and drinks irreverently eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. This word discerning is diacreno. D-I-A, the prefix, means all the way through, like diameter of a circle, well, all the way through judgment, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many are dead, sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. So how do we judge ourselves? We go before, we look into the Word of God, God's perfect spiritual mirror, and as it says in Hebrews 4.12, that the Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, dividing us under the thoughts and the intents of the heart of man. So it lays you bare. And if you have sinned, God's perfect spiritual mirror shows you your sin. You look at James 1. In James 1, you can probably quote verse 22. In James 1, verse 19, Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath, for the wrath of men works not the righteousness of God. Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness, superfluid of naughtiness, and receive with meekness. This word meekness in the Greek is very interesting. It's prautes, P-R-A-U-T-S. It means a perfectly teachable heart. Receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls, but be you doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if you be a hearer of the word and not a doer, you're like a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholds himself, goes his way, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was. But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues, therein, being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man should be blessed in his deed. If any man among you seem to be religious and bridles not his tongue, he deceives his own heart, this man's religion is of vain. So you're looking to God's perfect spiritual mirror. If you have sinned, it's the weightier manners of the law. You come before God, you judge yourself. I have sinned, like the publican. The Pharisee and the publican went up in the temple to pray, Luke 18. The publican thanked God that he's not like other men. He judged others and not himself. I think I said publican, the Pharisee. The publican then said, Lord, have mercy on me as sinner. He judged himself. If we judge ourselves, confess our sins, repent of our sins, and God is faithful and just to forgive us of all unrighteousness. And then he says, go and sin no more. Go and walk in faith. So be reconciled unto God. And then secondly, be reconciled to your brother. If you look at Matthew 5. Matthew 5.

You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother Rechai, that is, you fool, shall be in danger of the council, the Sanhedrin. But whosoever shall say, you fool, shall be in danger of Gihinaphy. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and our principal gift that we bring to the altar today is our prayers, our spiritual sacrifices. So if you bring your gift, you get out on your knees to pray. First be reconciled to your brother, then go and offer your gift. Go back and read 23 and 24 together. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has ought against you, leave there your gift before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift after you are reconciled. Now, you look at Ephesians 5, and if you don't do that, then your prayers will be hindered, and your spiritual sacrifice, your prayers will actually be an abomination to God. The Scripture says that the prayers or the wicked are an abomination to God and Proverbs. So you look at Ephesians 5, and Ephesians 4, verse 25. Therefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Seemed like we've already talked about that. We are members one of another, and we've explained how. Be you angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down on your wrath, and just give place to the devil. See, if you don't do that, you do give place to the devil. Now go to 1 John 4. Or maybe it's 3. 1 John 3. In 1 John 3, we'll read 11 again. We've read it once. For this is a message that you have heard from the beginning, that you should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And why did you slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brothers righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you, we know that you have passed from death into life, because you love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death. Who so hates his brother is a murderer. Can you commit murder without, in the spiritual sense, without actually killing a person? This says you can't. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, we ought to lay down our lives, one for another. And when we watch one another's feet, that is, in essence, what we're saying, I'd be willing to give my life for you. Jesus Christ gave his life for us. And so it is in combat that we be reconciled to God, reconciled to one another, and that we keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. One final scripture, 1 Corinthians chapter 10, because when we come to the Passover, we wash the feet, we take the bread, we drink the cup. Here's what we're saying. We are affirming what's written in these verses I'm about to read. I have read that failure to examine yourself can result in sickness, it can result even in death, for if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But if we fail to judge ourselves, then God steps in, and he chases us, and he judges us. 1 Corinthians 10, 15.

Remember, Master 1 Corinthians, Master John the Gospel, Master Psalm 119. 1 Corinthians 10, 15.