Today's Verses: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (ESV)
Divisions in the Church
But I, brothers,1 could not address you as aspiritual people, but as bpeople of the flesh, as cinfants in Christ. 2 dI fed you with milk, not solid food, for eyou were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is fjealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
1 Or brothers and sisters
a ch. 2:15; Rom. 7:14
b [ch. 2:14]
c Heb. 5:13; [ch. 2:6]
d Heb. 5:12, 13; 1 Pet. 2:2
e John 16:12
f Gal. 5:19, 20; [ch. 1:11; 11:18; Rom. 13:13]
As previously mentioned, the Church of Corinth was plagued by divisions. The beginning of this chapter refers to these divisions, in particular to the behavior of church members with respect to those divisions. Paul attempts to lighten the criticism by addressing church members as "brothers." At the same time, by using this term, he acknowledges his love and care for them. In particular, Paul refers to their jealousy and quarreling amongst each other, certainly behavior that lacks spirituality and love.
Today's Comments: The comments above are certainly not foreign to what is happening in our churches today. As I was writing this, I thought about an old friend who is an unemployed parish priest in the Episcopal Church. He has been unemployed for quite some time, because at the last church where he served as temporary rector, he let his views against same-sex marriage be known. He is considering entry into the Roman Catholic Church under the new rules for Anglicans.
How does this relate to what Paul says above? It relates with respect to the fact that God is about love, caring, and truth, not about human squabbles and quarrels. The Bible contains the truth of God revealed to us. It is the solid food that we need for our spiritual maintenance. And, when we allow our own desires of the flesh interfere with that truth, then we strain (two meanings intended) and dilute that food which God provides to nourish us. The bottom line is that we should follow Christ, not the desires of our own flesh. As far as I am concerned, same sex marriage is one of those desires of our own flesh and not ordained by God.
Divisions in the Church
But I, brothers,1 could not address you as aspiritual people, but as bpeople of the flesh, as cinfants in Christ. 2 dI fed you with milk, not solid food, for eyou were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is fjealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?
1 Or brothers and sisters
a ch. 2:15; Rom. 7:14
b [ch. 2:14]
c Heb. 5:13; [ch. 2:6]
d Heb. 5:12, 13; 1 Pet. 2:2
e John 16:12
f Gal. 5:19, 20; [ch. 1:11; 11:18; Rom. 13:13]
As previously mentioned, the Church of Corinth was plagued by divisions. The beginning of this chapter refers to these divisions, in particular to the behavior of church members with respect to those divisions. Paul attempts to lighten the criticism by addressing church members as "brothers." At the same time, by using this term, he acknowledges his love and care for them. In particular, Paul refers to their jealousy and quarreling amongst each other, certainly behavior that lacks spirituality and love.
Today's Comments: The comments above are certainly not foreign to what is happening in our churches today. As I was writing this, I thought about an old friend who is an unemployed parish priest in the Episcopal Church. He has been unemployed for quite some time, because at the last church where he served as temporary rector, he let his views against same-sex marriage be known. He is considering entry into the Roman Catholic Church under the new rules for Anglicans.
How does this relate to what Paul says above? It relates with respect to the fact that God is about love, caring, and truth, not about human squabbles and quarrels. The Bible contains the truth of God revealed to us. It is the solid food that we need for our spiritual maintenance. And, when we allow our own desires of the flesh interfere with that truth, then we strain (two meanings intended) and dilute that food which God provides to nourish us. The bottom line is that we should follow Christ, not the desires of our own flesh. As far as I am concerned, same sex marriage is one of those desires of our own flesh and not ordained by God.
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