IN THE WORD DAILY

with Brother Rick

1 Corinthians 1: 10, 17

  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

V- 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

In Paul's first epistle to the church in Corinth, he issues them a letter of rebuke. The Corinthian church had become the most carnal of all the churches and this letter became sort of a troubleshooting guide for church doctrine. Paul would uncover a multitude of faults with this body of believers and this letter contains godly instructions to help them get back on track. Let me say this, Paul's intentions are not to point fingers and expose their faults for the purpose of making himself seem more spiritual, as the manner of some is. But Paul's rebukes are made out of love and are meant to edify to the point of godly repentance. Godly rebukes according the word of God should always be made out of love for the purpose of edification. 2 Timothy 3: 16, 17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

In the text, Paul rebukes them because they have divided the things that they have been taught. Paul urges them to speak the same thing. Verse 17 says that Paul had been called by God to preach the gospel. There is only one Gospel of the grace of God. There are not 2 mediators between God and man, there is only 1, the man Christ Jesus, 1 Timothy 2: 5. 1 Corinthians 12: 13 says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” The Corinthian church had moved away from the things which were preached to them. They had moved away from the doctrine that was given them. They had interjected their own understanding of the preaching. They knew what was better for the church than the Spirit that started it. This is VERY, VERY DANGEROUS. Those who think that the Bible is meant to interpret differently by each individual are WRONG. There are no private interpretations of the scriptures. God says what he says and that settles it.

The Corinthian church had moved away from sound doctrine and worshiped as they saw fit, not as God commands. This is the state of today's Christianity as a whole. Friends, when rock and roll replaces hymns and spiritual songs, when called men of God are replaced by women who stand in the pulpit and preach to men, which is contrary to the word of God, when modest church attire is replaced with shorts, tee shirts and cut up jeans, when abstinence is replaced with shacking up, and holy living is tossed to the side and everything is accepted, we have moved away from God's way and adopted our own way of worship. God ain't within a million miles of it. God is seeking for a few good men and women who will do it his way. God is seeking those who will forget about the world's way, forget about their own way and do it his way. John 4: 23 says, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” This church wanted to worship in the flesh and in their own understanding. God cannot and will not be a part of that kind of worship.

Paul was called by God to preach the word of the Lord to the Gentiles, not in words of wisdom, but in power. The church had no power. God's power only comes when the church is in one accord. When they speak the same thing according to the doctrine that is given to them. At that time they did not have the received text, they did not have a completed Bible. Their church doctrine came directly from God through the apostle Paul. But you and I have a completed Bible, WE HAVE NO EXCUSE!!!

God's work on this earth in this dispensation is done through the CHURCH. You need to be part of a CHURCH. You need to be faithful to a CHURCH. And you need to find one where all speak the same doctrine, the doctrine of the BIBLE. There are not many, but they are out there. If you need one and you are looking, try Mountain View Baptist Church in Cowpens. It's a place where the Word of God is the final authority. That's how it should be.

Have A Blessed Day!!!