I Corinthians 3:1-4 - No Such Thing

I Corinthians 3:1-4
¹ And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. ² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, ³ for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? ⁴ For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?

Message: No Such Thing

Time: This epistle was written to the church that resided in Corinth of Achaia. First Corinthians is a response to a letter that Paul received from the Corinthian church, and that letter was probably a response to another of Paul's letters. This letter was composed in Ephesus around AD 54-55, and such topics as division, sexual immorality, lawsuits, marriage, Christian liberty, order of worship, and the resurrection are covered in this epistle.

What the Lord is Saying: 

My first glance at this passage has Paul writing that his words had to be written in a way that they could understand. He used words that were like milk and thus, easy to digest. It reminds of the people that I often speak with, at the mall or online with the online ministry I am involved in. I am reminded that my words should be simple and easy to digest, not speaking over people, with a lot of Christian language, until I understand that they can handle those words. The reason those in Corinth couldn't understand was Paul recognized that the were "still fleshly" and "walking like mere men." They had jealousy and strife among them.

This passage in a way parallels with a passage I studied two days ago: I John 2:19 -- They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. I say this because as I speak to people it is a challenge to discern where people are at spiritually. Some might have Christian language, but it is really hard to know if they are of faith. My conversations with people are rarely sitting down for long conversations, but rather are snippets of time. So, when I do speak, my word usage I think needs to sound "milk" like until I know my audience can sustain more solid food. 

The Tabletalk reading today gave the concern that many think a Christian can be carnal meaning saying a sinners prayer, but not making God Lord till much later. But, Lordship is a package deal. We are often shedding sin from our lives in varying degrees,, throughout our life, but fruit should be manifest at all times. A Christian is one that bears fruit. The passage doesn't say they are not spiritual men, but that they still act at times like they are fleshly. 

Promise: I need to be sensitive to people, realizing that all are at different stages of spirituality. The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth.

Romans 6:20-21 - Slavery to Sin and Its Fruit

Romans 6:20-21 - 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death.

Message: Black and White in a Grey World

Time: Paul wrote Romans from Corinth as he prepared to leave for Palestine. Phoebe (16:1,2) was given the great responsibility of delivering the letter to the Romans believers. At this time, Rome had a population of 1 million, many of whom were slaves. The Romans church was doctrinally sound, but it still needed rich doctrine and practical application. Rome had massive buildings but also slums.

What the Lord is Saying:

Comparing slaves
A slave is one who surrendered wholly to another person's will and thus disregarded his own interest. Paul here places man in an either/or state. Either we are a slave to sin or we are a slave to righteousness. It is black and white. The person in Christ is freed from sin. The person in Adam is a slave to sin. There are stark contrasts between these two individuals. Here in verse 20 and 21 Paul speaks more clearly of the person who is in Adam. In Christ we are free from sin. In Adam we are free from righteousness.

Ashamed of my life in Adam
And in verse 22, I am hit with the reality that there is no benefit to be derived from being a slave to sin because the reality is i am now ashamed to live this sort of life. And the result of this sort of life is death. The last time I saw the word ashamed was in Romans 1:16 with "I am not ashamed of the gospel." To be ashamed is the means to experience a painful feeling or sense of loss of status because of some particular event or activity. In Romans 1:16, now that I am in Christ I don't then live and then not preach the gospel. I don't result in having these truths and then acting like I am living in a painful feeling or sense of loss status. I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is interesting that he would use those words. So, if a person is ashamed, how can they really call themselves a Christian?

The opposite of being not ashamed is being ashamed. So, now that I am in Christ. I am, in relation to my old life, my old self, ashamed or experiencing a painful feeling or sense of loss of status of being in Adam. I have great sorrow for seeing now that I lived that life.

Seeing the difference
The hard part in this is people don't live in black or white, either or or. But, instead people live in each. People take from both. At times looking in Christ and times looking in Adam.

And so what separates the two. Is it simply a realization and commitment to be in Christ versus not. The in Christ person is ashamed of the life he was living in Adam. And this person wants to live not ashamed of the gospel. 

What is my roll in this God? My life is still black and white and gray. So, when I see people that are also living gray and yet acknowledging black and white, what words do I say to them? Do you just want time to live my life so clearly that they can see a difference in me?  Why do people continue to do things that are harmful to themselves? It is my job to point it out? I think of my friend who curses. Does he hear himself? Or my friend who destroys their body by smoking? Does this person see it? Are they wrestling? Or are they not?

Promise: God has bought us with the blood of Christ. We serve Him. We are made to be servants. I am either a slave of righteousness or not a slave of righteousness. There is middle ground. God hates the middle.