Hearing God Speak
Hearing God Speak (12.1-12)
The purpose of spiritual gifts ' revealing the NT (and
authenticating the spokesmen). Paul lists them, with ongoing
spiritual gifts and their features. Never for personal indulgence,
they bring God's Word to all. Here also is why the church is
gloriously called the body of Christ.
The Church is Like a Body (12.12-27)
The apostle speaks of an individual congregation as a 'body',
showing the divine design and the wide differences in the
contribution of members. If a church is a preacher only, it is
ultimately doomed; that is if there are not roles for all, and no
mutual care and dependence.
The Components of Love (13)
Only the Christ of Calvary could have composed and inspired
this glorious chapter (penned by Paul) about Christian love, its
qualities, its strength, and its eternal crowning. Here are our
aims in the experience of love, and why it is so much greater
than faith and hope.
Understanding is the Key (14.1-24)
Amidst clear teaching on the limited purpose of the temporary
gift of tongues-speaking, and the paramount place of
understanding in worship, Paul reveals the four 'departments'
or objectives of all teaching and ministry, and the nature of
evangelism. Here also prophecy is defined.
True Worship (14.33)
When Paul says everyone had a psalm, doctrine, tongue, etc,
for worship, he obviously refers to the recognised leaders of
the church, as we prove here. These are his inspired directions
for orderly worship that includes the full biblical 'agenda', and
glorifies Christ.
The Unique Message of Resurrection (15.1)
The Cross would have disappeared from history as a terminal
failure, had not the Resurrection shown its significance and
accomplishments. Christ must save soul and body for God's
original plan to be brought to pass ' a godly host living bodily
on a glorified earth.
End-Time Glory (15.20-28)
Christ's resurrection guarantees the day when He shall return
and His people shall receive their resurrection bodies. Here is
the manner of it, and the accompanying acts of Christ that end
the tyranny of death and all opposition, ushering in unbreakable
glory and bliss.
Jealous for Truth (15.29-45)
At Corinth even good believers lacked backbone to defend
the priceless truth of resurrection against a minority of cynics.
Here is Paul's call to wake up, his warning of the power of
error, and his revelation on the necessity and nature of glorious
resurrection bodies.
The Source of Fervour (15.49-58)
Our resurrection bodies will be the image of Christ's,
constituted for eternal glory: physical, tangible, yet spiritual,
powerful and perfect. Death ' the great devourer ' will be itself
swallowed up by the final victory of Christ. Here is how we
should be affected and inspired even now.
Paul's Personal Admonitions (16.1)
Having shown that there is much opposition to Gospel work,
Paul gives five famous directions for resisting and overcoming
this, here explained. On these directions, with God's help, the
very survival, let alone the spiritual advance of a congregation,
depends. Here also are the apostle's closing encouragements.