Daily Bible Devotionals

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”  He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 (HCSB)

Have you ever needed to be in two places at once?  A few years ago, I had to fly out of the country to perform a concert.  At the same time, I was needed in town to sign some documents.  Both were important events, and my absence at either engagement would have cost me a lot of money.  

Here’s what I did.  I had my attorney draw up papers that gave him “power of attorney” on my behalf.  When I signed the “power of attorney” documents, in effect, he became my ambassador.  He went to the business meeting, and I flew to the concert.

In every legally binding way, my attorney’s decisions and negotiations became mine.  You really have to trust someone to give them the right to speak on your behalf!

The same is true with countries.  Heads of state cannot be everywhere.  When a foreign ambassador enters the room, it is as if that nation’s leader is there.  That’s why ambassadors should be chosen wisely.

Paul tells us that believers are called to be God’s ambassadors.  An ambassador is appointed to represent a nation in a specific country for specific periods, representing a specific leader in specific matters.  You never see the ambassador to China negotiating in Afghanistan.  You also don’t see the old president’s ambassadors negotiating on behalf of the new president unless they were reappointed.

In the same way, God calls us to specific people, places, and seasons.  By His wisdom and choice, our appointment is based on our character and obedience.  Our “disappointment” is based on our lack thereof.  Our message may be wrapped in various levels of diplomacy, but it is uniformly the same:  be reconciled to God through a personal relationship with Messiah Jesus!

In our generation full of great spiritual battles, God has sent us to deliver His message of hope.  All humanity has committed great offense towards Him, but Messiah has become our sin offering.  This is so that, through Jesus, believers might become the righteousness of God.

“If anyone has caused pain, he has not caused pain to me, but in some degree – not to exaggerate – to all of you.  The punishment by the majority is sufficient for such a person, so now you should forgive and comfort him instead; otherwise, this one may be overwhelmed by excessive grief.  Therefore I urge you to confirm your love to him.” 2 Corinthians 2:5-8 (HCSB)

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, in chapter 5, we learned of a situation where a man in the Corinthian church was sleeping with his stepmother.  Paul rebuked the church leaders for overlooking the sin or at least downplaying it.

Apparently, the Corinthian leaders received Paul’s rebuke and disciplined the man according to Paul’s instruction.  In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul suggests the incestuous offender’s punishment had been sufficient.  It was time to restore him to fellowship.  The man’s restoration would take a challenging measure of maturity on behalf of the church leaders.

It is easier to live in a black-and-white, right-and-wrong world.  It takes great discernment to restore those who have been rebuked and expelled.  We are generally bent on burying and forgetting old negative business to move toward positive things.

I dread confronting sin.  I find no pleasure in pulling people aside and holding them accountable, much less the task of removing people from the fellowship altogether.  Still, for the protection and greater good of the community, blatant, unrepentant sin must be purged.

But how must a leader respond when the expelled person displays genuine repentance?  True repentance involves more than simply shedding tears and saying, “I’m sorry.”  It is an observable character change sustained over time.

I like how Paul instructs the leaders while still respecting their leadership.

“Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 (ESV)

For the truly repentant sinner, “shunning” should not last forever.  The main goal of “putting a sinner out” is determining whether the offender is a true believer.  If they can thrive outside of Godly community, they probably aren’t believers.  A true believer cannot thrive apart from the greater community of believers.  True believers will repent and submit to the Lord, His Word, and the congregational leadership He has established.

If we refuse to restore the genuinely repentant believer, Satan has used our spiritual pride and arrogance to overwhelm the former sinner with undue grief, to our shame.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 9 (NKJV)

A while back, my wife and I led music for a couples’ retreat.  Before the event, a volunteer was setting up a merchandise table for my CD sales.  He picked up one of my solo projects and asked if I colored my hair for the cover photo.  So, I punched him…no, just kidding!

Every day, I indeed get a few more grey hairs.  A couple more wrinkles…  I’m no geezer, but I am starting to show signs of my age; signs I have been denying would come.  

Interestingly, the weekend couples’ retreat was one of our best ministry events ever.  The Lord has brought my wife and me through so many difficult seasons, and we have stories of hope to share with struggling couples.

In some music circles, I may be less marketable because the glory of my youth is fading, but in other venues, I have only become relevant.  Outwardly, I am wearing away, while inwardly, I am being renewed.  I never wanted to go through the hard times that inspired songs like “Faith That Is Real.”  But in those hard times, God taught me the most.  Now, I look back and consider those so-called “hard times” as light afflictions, especially in comparison to the ministry that has sprung from them.

Here is the point: I am learning to trust the Lord and count my present hardships as a blessing.  I am trying not to focus on what is seen.  I want to live for the unseen, Heaven.  Anyone trying to regain his youth is fighting a losing battle.  We could undergo all sorts of beauty treatments and surgeries, but eventually, we all wear away.

What is important is not how we manipulate the “outer man” to project the image of youth.  God is concerned with how we allow His Spirit to rejuvenate us from within…so that we may project HIS glory from the inside out.

If we are called to be “light,” we must expect to be thrust into “darkness.”  We must faithfully endure dark seasons so the glory of the Lord will shine forth in the midst of that darkness.  In this way, unbelievers can distinguish between our light and the counterfeit “light” of this world.

“Therefore, having such a hope, we use great boldness. We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not stare at the end of what was fading away, but their minds were closed.  For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. Even to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” 2 Corinthians 3:12-16 (HCSB)

Every time Moses returned from the Lord’s presence, His face would radiate God’s glory.  He would tell the people God’s instruction and then veil his face.  Why the veil?  Some would say it was because the people were afraid to come near him.  Exodus 34 tells of the people’s fear of Moses’ radiance.  But that’s not the reason for the veil.

Moses wore the veil because his radiant appearance only lasted so long.  Paul teaches that Moses veiled his face because he didn’t want the people to see God’s glory fading from him.  It’s kind of like seeing the band KISS without their makeup or the wizard of OZ behind the curtain.  He was concerned that if the people saw him without the glory, they would cease to acknowledge him as the leader.

The veil was not intended to keep people from seeing the radiance.  It was designed to conceal the fact that the glory was fading.  In masking the reality, Moses became larger than life in Israel’s eyes…almost godlike.  God Himself predicted this would happen when Moses tried to diminish God’s call by asking the Lord to let Aaron be His spokesman.  

“He will speak to the people for you.  He will be your spokesman, and you will serve as God to him.”  Exodus 4:16 (HCSB)

Today, when “Moses” (the Torah) is read, religious non-Messianic Jews remember the “glory” of when Moses delivered the law to their fathers.  Yet, they overlook Moses’ tragic flaws.  Without going so far as worshipping Moses as “God,” he is elevated to the status of a god in many respects.  Paul describes a “veil” covering the hearts of non-believing religious Jews…of whom he once was.  The veil represents a conflict between the desire to be identified as God’s “chosen” and the inability to keep the Torah.  In short, the veil is a byproduct of pride because of the rejection of Messiah Jesus.  In rejecting God’s provision of atonement through Messiah, they have become “blinded.”  Thus, while surrounded by the ancient things of God, they are just as lost as if they were steeped in paganism.

Only Jesus can remove the veil because only He can impart everlasting atonement.  Only Messiah can give us an unchanging, secure identity that is not dependent on our works.  And His glory never fades! ( Isaiah 40:8; John 1:14)

“He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  For as the sufferings of Messiah overflow to us, so our comfort overflows through Messiah.  If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is experienced in the endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.”  2 Corinthians 1:4-6 (HCSB)

I have made a lot of mistakes.  Unlike Frank Sinatra’s song, “My Way,” my mistakes are too many to mention.  Perhaps my mistakes are why I am interested in teaching the Bible to others.  I want to warn people of the enemy’s lies and inform them of the Lord’s faithfulness.

Because the Lord is faithful, His people should also be faithful.  And how do we acquire faith?

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

And how does interfacing with God’s Word result in man’s faithfulness?  In the words of Shakespeare (who was quoting Ecclesiastes), “Nothing is new under the sun.”  The people we read of in the Bible deal with the same fundamental issues, complications, and sins that we deal with today.    

“No sin has taken you except what is common to man.  God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also so that you will be able to bear it.”  1 Corinthians 10:13 (HCSB)

When we read their stories, we learn to stay away from where they fell.  We learn how patient, gracious, and merciful the Lord is to sinners.  We also learn how His patience has limits, and He rebukes, disciplines, and judges sin & sinners.

Put simply, as we experience the Lord’s interaction with the men and women of the Bible, we learn who God is…we learn His heart.  He is Holy, Just, and Trustworthy.  He is Faithful so that we can place our faith in Him.

Often, our faith choices lead us into difficult situations through which the Lord proves Himself faithful…and so it goes.  When God’s faithfulness is experienced, we are inclined to share it with others.  This is when the testimony of Scripture transcends the page and takes on “flesh.”  This is when we can comfort others with the comfort with which we have been comforted.

“Now about the collection for the saints: you should do the same as I instructed the Galatian churches. On the first day of the week, each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he prospers, so that no collections will need to be made when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you recommended by letter to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem.”  1 Corinthians16:1-3 (HCSB)

A while back, I visited The Grove, a shopping area in West Hollywood. Touring the boutiques, I eventually meandered into the GAP store. At the front of the store was a huge display advertising “(RED).” (RED) was started to help eliminate AIDS in Africa. By partnering with prominent brands such as Amazon, Starbucks, Jeep, and others to create (RED) products and experiences, they raise money for the Global Fund, which brings relief to areas hard hit by disease and pandemics.

According to the World Health Organization, about 38 million people have AIDS. Approximately 25.6 million of them live in sub-Saharan Africa. No doubt, we should all pray for a cure and contribute our resources to research. The folks at the Global Fund will raise millions for that effort, and GAP and others will undoubtedly play a serious role.

What if there was a disease that made AIDS look like the common cold? What if there was a condition so deadly that it would eventually kill every living person on the face of the earth? Would you be concerned? Would you join the campaign to raise awareness, knowing it would affect you and your loved ones?

What if I told you there was a cure? It would take a vast amount of resources, but we could eventually heal every person on earth. We could inform them of their condition, show them the cure, and give them a choice to accept healing. What if the cure ensured eternal life in the favor and glory of God?

That’s precisely the kind of charity Paul is talking about. We are terminally stricken with sin until we become recipients of Jesus’ healing. We have the knowledge and resources to get the cure for everyone we meet. So, what are we doing about it? The next time you see the (RED) logo, let it bring to mind: The blood of Jesus was…RED.

“And the prophets’ spirits are under the control of the prophets, since God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, but should be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church meeting.” 1 Corinthians 14:32-35

FYI: I consulted my wife before deciding to broach this potentially volatile passage. It’s in the Bible for a reason, so we shouldn’t ignore it simply because it’s controversial.

Let’s begin by observing what the Scripture does NOT say. It does NOT say women are inferior.

This passage is less a commentary on women’s conduct than an exhortation of men’s natural bent towards passivity. Look at Paul’s advice to women:

“And if they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home…”

I am convinced that women are generally more spiritually sensitive than men. If you want to start a Bible study or prayer group, call some women. Men? Not so much.

Men don’t generally gravitate towards spiritual things, yet God calls them to be the spiritual leaders in their homes. This idea is considered, by many, to be arcane and a slap in the face of women’s rights. When people decry the Bible for being out-of-step with our culture, we must fall back on one foundational truth: God knows best. Consider God’s directive to fathers in Deuteronomy.

“Impress these words of mine on your hearts and souls, bind them as signs on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 11:18-19

When Paul addressed the women at Corinth, he was telling them they were disgracing their husbands (thus themselves and the church) by exposing their husbands’ lack of spiritual leadership at home. Less about putting women in their place, Paul’s exhortation was also intended for certain men of the church to step up, fulfilling their responsibilities to be priests in their own homes. A woman should ask her husband spiritual questions, and he should be prepared to answer her correctly.

When a man fails to lead correctly, those under his authority are tempted to step outside God’s order and take control. God is the epitome of order and control. So, men do your jobs, and your women won’t be justifiably tempted to usurp the authority the Lord has designed. Women, honor the Lord and the role He has given your husband by respecting and honoring him, especially in public.

“Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not conceited, does not act improperly, is not selfish, is not provoked, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.”  1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (HCSB)

Whenever my wife and I lead music, we usually sing a song I wrote called “Two Sets of Joneses.”  This song is about two young married couples at the starting line of their lives together.    One couple chooses to build their relationship on the sandy foundation of the world, while the other chooses to build on the solid foundation offered by Jesus.  

Severe difficulty befalls both couples, but only one couple is left standing in the end. Let’s just say while the worldly alternative often looks more attractive at a glance, it cannot endure long-term strain.

One reason is that the world has redefined the term “love.”  In our culture, we use the word “love” in many different contexts. We say we love our moms, but we also love apple pie. We (heart) poodles & unicorns, and we love Jesus? So, really, what is LOVE?

In 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul lays out a picture of love as God designed it.

It is sobering to reflect on what love actually is.    Where Paul states, “Love is…”, I ask, “Am I?” Maybe it will help you to read this passage with that in mind:

Am I patient and kind? Do I envy? Am I boastful or conceited? Do I act improperly? Am I selfish or provoked? Do I keep a record of wrongs and find joy in unrighteousness? Do I rejoice in the truth, bear, believe, hope, and endure all things? Does my love end?

The Bible tells us that people should know that we are Christians by our love for one another. (John 13:35)  How effective are you at loving as Jesus would? Does your testimony compel people to follow Him or repel them from Him?

Let’s live out today’s passage from the perspective of “I will be…”

“But now God has placed each one of the parts in one body just as He wanted. And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? Now there are many parts, yet one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-20 (HCSB)

Some believe God doesn’t care about your decisions. They feel as long as you are a Christian, you can do whatever you want with your life. Your job, who you marry, how many kids you have…some would say that God shrugs His shoulders and doesn’t care about your choices as long as you’re a good person.

I happen to disagree because the Bible teaches “calling.” Not only does God call people out of the world, inviting them to know Him personally. He also calls each of us to accomplish His purposes on earth. God has a plan, a place, and a purpose for each of us. He calls us to specific places to minister to specific people for specific periods of time.  

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses the fact that God places each one of us in the body of Messiah, just as He wants. It is not up to us to choose whether we will be a hand, a head, a mind, or a heart, as it were. We are created to perform specific functions within the “body” of Messiah. Nobody is unimportant, and none are so important that their personal well-being takes precedence over the body’s well-being as a whole. That is to say, while we need everyone working in their specific roles, nobody is irreplaceable. If an individual ceases to serve the body, the body will suffer, but the Lord can raise up a replacement.  

Try to picture a master jeweler creating an engagement ring. His goal is to showcase the larger diamond at the center of the setting. He surveys a palate of gemstones, determining how and where to place the jewels in the setting. Of course, this is a metaphor, where the center stone represents Jesus. The Jeweler is the Lord. We would be the supporting gems, and the ring itself would be the Gospel. As the engagement ring plays a vital role in a groom’s proposal to his bride-to-be, so the Gospel should be presented with thoughtfulness and diligence to non-believers. How well do you fulfill your role in the greater scheme of presenting Jesus to the lost?  

You may feel like an insignificant chunk of coal, but God sees you as a diamond. As I mentioned earlier, you matter to God. At the same time, you may feel like you should be the center of attention, but that’s Jesus’ job! We each have an important role to play, but it must always be a supporting role. We exist to work within our specific callings, in unity, to glorify God through Jesus.

“Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord.  So a man should examine himself; in this way he should eat the bread and drink the cup.  For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment upon himself.  This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.  If we were properly evaluating ourselves, we would not be judged, but when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, that we may not be condemned by the world.”  1 Corinthians 11:27-32 (HCSB)

Almost every time I have taken Communion, a pastor has mentioned today’s passage: “Whoever eats or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner…”.  “Unworthy” is often taken to mean “non-believer.”  The pastoral explanation is usually accompanied by an invitation for a non-believer to come to Jesus before eating and drinking judgment upon themselves by taking Communion.

It is always good to lead people to the Lord, and I believe Communion is exclusively for believers.  But reading today’s chapter, I wonder if the scenario mentioned above accurately sums up Paul’s intended message to the Corinthian church.

First off, Paul is speaking of self-serving activities among professing believers.  

“For, to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.”  1 Corinthians 11:18 (HCSB)

There were social cliques and class divisions among the body of believers.  Paul reminded the Corinthian believers of the order and graciousness that Jesus displayed when serving His disciples.  Furthermore, Paul urges that those guilty of discrimination have abandoned the essence of Communion.  Perhaps Paul was calling their faith into question.

“For as often as you eat and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26 (HCSB)

They taught us a good saying in kindergarten: You are what you eat.  When we take the bread and cup into ourselves, we also reaffirm our commitment to live sacrificially, even unto death, laying down our lives as an example so that others may enter into a saving relationship with Jesus and commune with Him as we do.

I believe that “to eat in an unworthy manner” includes those Christians who would receive the elements while blaspheming them by refusing to live sacrificially.  This would invoke the judgment of God, which leads to the disciplined correction of His children.  All this so the reputation of God’s Holiness among His people would be preserved in the world…that those in the world, in turn, would believe in Jesus.

"Now I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.  They all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.  For they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Messiah.  But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert.”  1 Corinthians 10:1-5 (HCSB)

Paul uses the images of baptism and communion to compare the Christian faith to Israel’s experience and identity with God.  He also highlights the fact that not all the Jewish people were allowed to enter The Promised Land.  In addition, he is putting forth the idea that Israel’s mindset was bent on rejecting Messiah long before His advent.

Those who are against Jewish evangelism based on the argument that God has “another plan” for them (apart from faith in Jesus) should take special note of Paul’s remarks.  Only the faithful remnant of Israel (Joshua and Caleb) were allowed to enter with the new generation.  Joshua and Caleb believed by faith, and it was counted as righteousness.

Today, just because one has attended church and had worshipful moments there does not mean they are “saved” by some collective experience.  Each must individually come to Jesus to receive salvation.  Only Jesus could fulfill the Law on our behalf.    

“Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire evil as they did.  Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it was written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play.’  Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day, 23,000 people fell dead.  Let us not tempt Messiah as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes.  Nor should we complain as some of them did and were killed by the destroyer.”  1 Corinthians 10:6-10 (HCSB)

Here is how Israel sinned against the Lord, disqualifying their deliverance: idolatry, sexual immorality, tempting Messiah (coaxing Him to perform for them), and complaining against the Lord.  Do these things sound familiar?

“Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come.  So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.  No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity.  God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.”  1 Corinthians 10:11-13 (HCSB)

These temptations have not changed since the day Adam and Eve sinned.  When followers of Jesus fall into temptation, it is because we break from our faith.  We cease to trust God’s Word, either because we choose to disobey it or have never heard it.

How do we obtain such faith?  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”  Romans 10:17 (NKJV)

“Do you not know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize?  Run in such a way that you may win.  Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything.  However, they do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.  Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly, or box like one who beats the air.  Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”  1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (HCSB)

Believe it or not, I was a college athlete.  I ran NCAA Division 1 cross country and indoor and outdoor track and was insanely competitive.  In my Junior year of college, I didn’t lose a single cross-country race until our conference meet.  Did you know most athletes compete their whole college careers and never win a single event?  By the way, if I tried to run a mile today, I would get very sick and die!  Ha!

All that is to say, I know what the Apostle Paul is talking about in terms of competing to win a temporary prize.  To this day, I have no idea where all my ribbons and trophies are.  

Here’s a secret: Running was never a pleasure for me, especially at the college level.  It was grueling!  My joy was not found in running; it was in winning.  To me, there was no other reason to run except to win.    

Paul is comparing these competitive analogies to the passion and focus that followers of Jesus need to have.  Paul would say the prize that believers should strive for will not be obtained in this life.  Instead, it is a hearty “Well done!” from the Father once our race is finished.  

Why do you believe Jesus suffered for our salvation?  Why was it so important to Him that we become saved, and what does that life He calls us to look like?

While others may be content living out their Christianity for a couple of hours on Sunday mornings, Paul exhorts us to a selfless, sold-out, 24/7 faith.  We are not simply called to wander in and out of church services.  We are called to go into the world, wherever He leads us, and give reason for the hope that is in us.

We are called to love people to the point that it would be utter foolishness were there no resurrection from the dead.  And after giving all that we have for all that He is, we are to remain faithful to the end.  Many races are won and lost at the tape.  It is not enough to run well; we must prepare and resolve to finish strong!

“Each person should remain in the life situation in which he was called.  Were you called while a slave?  It should not be a concern to you.  But if you can become free, by all means take the opportunity.  For he who is called by the Lord as a slave is a freedman.  Likewise, he who is called as a free man is Messiah’s slave.  You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.  Brothers, each person should remain with God in whatever situation he was called.”  1 Corinthians 7:20-24 (HCSB)

The legalized practice of forced slavery in the United States ended with the close of the American Civil War.  For many years leading up to and following the Civil War, many Southern pastors interpreted Paul’s statements to mean the Bible supported forced slavery.  Of course, their assumptions were wrong.  Sadly, a whole generation of naïve and undereducated congregants followed such teaching as if it were the gospel.  Consequently, America would not be fully integrated until the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and 70s.  Even today, racial tension persists, especially in the South.

In the days of Jesus, slavery was very different.  A slave, in biblical terms, was not necessarily a spoil of war or human cargo.  People would sell themselves for a season, working for money for a specified amount of time.  Perhaps these people were down on their luck, had made bad business decisions, found themselves in debt, or just didn’t want the pressure of running their household.  Whatever the circumstance of their voluntary enslavement, God gave strict rules for the governance and treatment of slaves.  There was even a scheduled time when all slaves had to be set free by law.  Slavery was only to be for a season.  Jesus proclaimed this freedom in His message to his hometown synagogue.

“He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  Luke 4:18b-19 (HCSB)

An indentured Christian who heard of Jesus’ proclamation of jubilee might be tempted to cut out on his agreement, thus spoiling the testimony of honesty and integrity that Christians are called to.  Paul urged slaves to work themselves out of slavery by fulfilling their obligations.  In the meantime, they were to rest in the knowledge that, even though they were indebted to a slave owner, Jesus had set them free from their debt to God.

As for free men, Paul cautioned them against becoming prideful and feeling they did not need God.  He challenged them to remember they, too, had been bought with a price and were under an obligation to serve Jesus, as an indentured servant would serve a master.

Bob Dylan once sang, “It may be the Devil, or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”  Jesus paid a debt I could never afford; therefore, I willingly serve Him.  I am spiritually debt-free in Messiah, yet personally and eternally indebted for His grace and mercy!

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every sin a person can commit is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, for you are bought with a price.  So glorify God in your body.”  1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (ESV)

My family comes from Arkansas and Texas, horse & cattle country.  There was a time when the West was young and yet to be tamed when men staked their claim to vast pieces of land.  Everything in that land was their property to use as they wished.  The wild horses on that property may not have known it, but someone had staked claim to them; it was only a matter of time before the cowboys would come and make those wild mustangs meek to saddle & bridle.  And such dominion was entirely within the rights of the landowner.

The first chapter of John’s gospel is clear that Jesus created all that exists.  He bought us with a price by virtue of His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead.  So, not only is He our manufacturer but also our owner and warrantor.  We are not our own.  I understand that is an offensive notion in our culture, but it is a reality nonetheless.

I was living in Southern California a few years ago when a California court ruled on behalf of homosexual marriage.  If you are a homosexual in California, you can get married to your “partner.”  Whenever Christians take a stand on this issue, abortion, or other Biblical morality issues, the secular community always responds with the same statement: Keep your religion off my body!!

In today’s passage, Paul reminds us that we don’t own our bodies.  At best, we are subletting space that belongs to the Holy Spirit.  As in any other “lease” situation, we have the freedom to decorate, personalize, and otherwise exploit our space, but only within the limits & requirements set by the landlord.  In short, God gives us the ability to make life choices, but we are not free to choose wrongly and expect no consequences.

The Corinthians had trouble understanding “community.”  They were selfishly more concerned with their personal liberties than protecting the testimony and reputation of the Church-at-large.  Does this sound familiar?  Paul’s message could be preached today and still considered tailor-fit to our times.

His exhortation to us: If you were bought with a price, you have no personal liberty apart from what is granted in Scripture.  And those Biblical abilities & rights (along with their limitations) are given to us so that God may be glorified and our well-being (individually and collectively, i.e., the community of faith) is ensured.

“When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus with my spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus, turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast permeates the whole batch of dough? Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch. You are indeed unleavened, for Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old yeast or with the yeast of malice and evil but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”  1 Corinthians 5:4-8 (HCSB)

The church in Corinth did not lack any spiritual gift. Being gifted is sometimes both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing that the gifted person is divinely enabled to accomplish more than any average individual could dream of. But they are cursed in that gifted ones have a higher potential to fall into pride. The gifted tend to crave glory for their masterful accomplishments while denying God His glory for having gifted them in the first place!  

The church leaders in Corinth were so proud of their congregation’s reputation of giftedness that they chose to defend their reputation rather than treat their reality. By boasting of their giftedness and ignoring sin issues, they ceased being shepherds and took up the mantle of “publicists.”  In doing this, they chose to offend God rather than damaging their reputations by exposing sin.

I have heard it said by some preachers that Gentiles are not allowed to celebrate the Passover Seder. That is simply not true. Not only does the Torah allow Gentiles to observe the Seder, given certain criteria (which all believers in Jesus meet), but Paul also indicates that Gentile believers in the early church observed the Seder.  

“Therefore, let us observe the feast…with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” 1 Corinthians 5:8 (HCSB)

Those who have seen me lead the Seder Passover remember the tradition of “clearing their house of leaven” before the Seder. That is precisely the image Paul uses to rebuke the Corinthian believers…which indicates the Corinthians were familiar with the Seder imagery.

Something special about the Passover Seder is how it is to be observed in homes. It is all at once personal and national. Paul is telling us that we must personally purge our sinful ways, and then, collectively, we are to purge “leaven” from our communities. Communities should come together to purge sin nationally and (ultimately) globally.

Sin is spread inversely. That is, if we are not personally accountable, we won’t be accountable to a local body of believers, our churches will not rally together to take a stand against national sin, and we will lose our effectiveness in the world at large.

“So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.  Do not tear down God’s work because of food.  Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats.  It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble.  Do you have a conviction?  Keep it to yourself before God.  The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed.  But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from a conviction, and everything that is not from a conviction is sin.”  Romans 14:19-23 (HCSB)

Shabbat in Israel is a beautiful thing to experience.  From Sundown on Friday until Sundown Saturday, the whole nation pretty much shuts down.  Almost no one is driving vehicles, and most businesses are closed, especially in Jerusalem.

There is a sense that strict observance of Shabbat in Israel is not voluntary.  It seems to be forced upon the population by the Orthodox Jews, who are extremely zealous.  If you disagree, just try and drive through the Orthodox neighborhoods on Shabbat!  You will receive a hailstorm of rocks and bricks intended to force you to comply with their interpretations of God’s Shabbat commands.

That being said, I remember sitting in my Israeli hotel, enjoying a kosher instant coffee, and wishing the United States would shut down for a day every week…. a legislated day of rest.  Growing up in the South, it was against the law to operate a business on Sunday.  The political leaders felt it was good for the community if everyone went to church.  

Pretty soon, people’s demand to buy and sell overrode the Southern lawmakers.  Folks argued that their personal liberties (the right to do business whenever they liked) were being violated by a minority of elected “Jesus freaks.”

Romans 14 is broken down into two sections: The “Law of Liberty” and the “Law of Love.”

The “Law of Liberty” basically states that we are free to choose for ourselves when it comes to days of worship and regulations of what to eat and drink.

The “Law of Love” has a different take.  It says that even though we are free in Messiah, there are times when it is necessary to forsake our personal liberties to encourage and build up the less mature believers in Jesus.  That is, we are called to love people more than our liberties.

We should imitate Jesus: “Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”  Philippians 2:6-8 (NKJV)

“For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world and to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the world’s garbage, like the dirt everyone scrapes off their sandals.”  1 Corinthians 4:9-13 (HCSB)

Well, so much for the Word-Faith and Prosperity doctrines. For all the so-called “modern-day apostles,” soliciting faith donations to support their opulent lifestyles, Paul gives insight into the ministries & lifestyles of the actual apostles. And for all those who preach that we should not “speak forth” negative things, lest we curse ourselves, Paul determined to describe things as they truly were: Shimmering blessings against the black backdrop of a martyr’s suffering.

The reason for Paul’s instruction is that some men had already found a way to exploit the Gospel for personal gain by elevating themselves. Once you uplift certain men above others, divisions within the body of Messiah soon follow. Believers become known more for their systematic differences than for their brotherhood by faith in Jesus alone.

Not only do such divisions affect the Church at large, but they also greatly diminish our witness in the world. For me, the Church’s damaged testimony is most evident when I am in Israel. There are hundreds of Christian denominations and divisions that have offices in Israel.   Listening to Jewish non-believers speak of how the Christians fight among themselves is shameful. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Old Jerusalem is a good example. Its ownership and upkeep are shared by various competing strains of Catholicism, each trying to outdo the other.  

It is so contrary to how Jesus prayed for the unity of all believers just hours before He was crucified.

Contra to elevating oneself, Paul tells us that God chose to display the apostles “humbly.”  The mark of greatness for a Christian leader is not how high they elevate themselves but how well they submit to God’s design of lowly humility. This aligns perfectly with the Beatitudes section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5:3-11)

For all who seek the “luxurious life of ministry,” perhaps you should listen to Paul. There are riches to be had and primarily stored up in Heaven.

“ Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s sanctuary, God will destroy him; for God’s sanctuary is holy, and that is what you are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (HCSB)

When we started teaching the Bible in coffeehouses, it wasn’t a sophisticated event. Initially, we were just a small group, meeting in my living room, wondering if God had a bigger purpose for our gathering. There was no pressure to look or act a certain way. It was kind of a “sweatpants” group. Do you know who “sweatpants friends” are? Sweatpants friends are those you wouldn’t mind if they dropped by your home unannounced and saw you in your sweatpants!

That said, on the nights our group met, I would leave work early to help my wife tidy the house. With four children, we didn’t always have the “put together” look at the Wiggins casa. If our guests were “sweatpants” friends, why did we clean up the house? Why not just leave stuff lying around, like every other day?  

It’s because we respect our guests, and we want to create a pleasant environment. When we invite people over, everything is considered: the music, the conversation, the food…all to honor, even our sweatpants friends.

What if non-sweatpants friends dropped by? The Pastor or the President? Well, the stakes get higher, huh? If a dignitary dropped by unannounced on an average day, we would freak out! What if that dignitary was Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

In today’s passage, Paul tells us that believers are God’s sanctuaries and that the Holy Spirit lives in us. So, how’s your housekeeping? Do the things you allow into your life honor or defile God’s sanctuary? Do they make God smile or make Him jealous for your worship?

We allow sin in our lives because we don’t understand who we ARE in Christ, or we choose to forget. By sinning, we choose to relive who we WERE in the world.

Consider the nations which, on different occasions, destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. Where are those empires today, the Romans or the Babylonians? What of the persecutors, the Assyrians, Greeks, or the Nazis, for that matter? God ruined those empires & nations. But why did God allow them to persecute Israel in the first place? Because Israel abandoned God first, in the temple of their hearts, before He allowed their places of worship to be ruined. Let’s not be guilty of the same personal offense!

Let’s take this passage as a reminder for us to be continually aware of God’s presence in the sanctuaries of our hearts. God has no problem seeing us in our “sweatpants,” so to speak. Still, He is the Lord of all creation, and we must honor Him as such.

“But the unbeliever does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to know it since it is evaluated spiritually.  The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone.  For, who has known the Lord’s mind, that he may instruct Him?  But we have the mind of Messiah.”   1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (HCSB)

It has been said, “Not everyone is called to be an Evangelist, but everyone is called to evangelize.”  There is a difference between people who have the “gift” of evangelism and your average pedestrian believer who shares their faith.  The evangelist makes everyone feel awkward at a party.  The evangelist witnesses to coma patients, only to have them wake up and accept Jesus!  It’s bizarre, but somehow, these “Evangelists” are so consistently successful that their success can only be attributed to God’s calling.  That said, people who aren’t called to be “Evangelists” can lead others to the Lord as well.

Years ago, my wife and I were involved in a program called Evangelism Explosion (E.E).  No, we weren’t witnessing to terrorists (explosion)…although I have shared the Gospel in a Muslim country!  E.E. is a program whereby people learn to share their faith.  Basically, we met with people in their homes, with the expressed intent of sharing the Gospel with them.  These weren’t uninvited “cold calls”; the people we met with had already visited our congregation and signed a card, asking us to explain the Gospel to them in a more domestic setting.

In sharing the Gospel, one thing I had to get over was my fear of rejection.  In our training, we were encouraged that if people reject the Gospel, they aren’t as much rejecting us; they’re rejecting Jesus.  The communication breakdown isn’t necessarily personal.  Most often, it’s purely spiritual.

During these E.E. visits, I learned to pray for the people I was sharing with, that God’s Spirit would capture their attention and focus them on Jesus.  While not everyone accepted Jesus, many people did.  And everyone (who accepted Jesus) did so, not because of my arguments, but because the Spirit led them to that point of decision…opening the “eyes of their heart,” as it were.  And this “awakening” was contrary to the way they naturally thought.

God desires that people enter into a saving relationship with Him (2 Peter 3:9), yet it is unnatural for them to do so.  The miraculous intervention of God’s Spirit reveals the truth of the Gospel whenever a person believes in Jesus.  At the same time, it is the individual’s personal decision to accept or reject Him.  God reveals what is unnatural for men to comprehend, yet at that moment, man is free to choose or reject that revelation.

Concerning sharing the Gospel, Oswald Chambers wrote, “God gives us a limited participation in something He doesn’t need us to do.”  Put simply, God wants you to share the Gospel because that is how He has chosen to bring people to faith.

“Now to Him who has power to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Messiah Jesus, according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent for long ages but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures, according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith among all nations – to the only wise God, through Messiah Jesus – to Him be the glory forever!  Amen.”   Romans 16:25-27 (HCSB)

What is a “sacred secret”?  It is a secret that belongs to the Lord, whose prerogative it is to withhold or dispense at His will.  

The particular secret Paul is speaking of today is this: God saves all people of any nationality who, by faith, choose to follow Him by receiving the forgiveness offered them through believing in the atoning work of Jesus.  The prophets often spoke of this “secret.” Still, its understanding was not received by most of the Jewish people until Jesus’ resurrection and the Holy Spirit’s filling of believers on the day of Shavuot (Pentecost).  Here is an example from Isaiah:

“All nations will stream to it (Zion), and many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.  He will teach us about His ways so that we may walk in His paths.”  Isaiah 2:3 (HCSB)

When I was in college, I was required to read the original ‘Wizard of Oz”.  When the professor told us the story was actually a parable of American politics, all the images shifted.  Until then, I believed it was a magical story of a girl and her dog.  However, according to the professor’s lecture, the “Tin Man” represents the oppressed iron worker, and the Scarecrow is the desperate farmer.  The Lion represents William Jennings Bryan (Bryan-lion) and Dorothy is a parody of “Theodore” (Roosevelt)…and so on.  It changed my complete understanding of the story!  I was a little upset that my previous understanding of the story had been revised, but was I justified in my feelings of resentment towards the professor for spoiling my preconceptions?  In actuality, he did me a favor because he clarified the author’s intended message.  

Consider how Israel viewed (and mostly continues to view) the images, predictions, and promises of the prophets.  They saw them as pertaining exclusively to Israel and its restoration.  The “mystery,” now revealed, is that the salvation exclusively provided through Messiah is available for people of all nations!

Notice Paul’s closing statements are absolutes.  1) God commands that the obedience of faith be advanced among all nations.  2) The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the only wise God.  3) The “obedience of faith” comes through Jesus.

Apart from the absolutes of God in His Word, no true foundation for worship exists.

“Now I say that (Messiah) Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: ‘For this reason I will confess to you among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.’ And again he says: ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!’  And again: ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!  Laud Him all you peoples!’ And again, Isaiah says: ‘There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope.’”  Romans 15:8-12 (NKJV)

God’s heart has always been for Jews and Gentiles to know and worship Him in unity.  Even in the days of His covenant with Abraham, the Lord’s articulated desire was for the whole world to enter into a saving relationship with Him.

“I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  Genesis 12:3 (HCSB)

Again, through the Prophet Isaiah, God communicated His heart for the nations.

“No foreigner who has joined himself (converted) to the Lord should say, ‘The Lord has excluded me from His people.”  Isaiah 56:3a (HCSB)

I recall being on a tour with Jewish Believers, leaving Israel, and traveling to the predominantly Muslim country of Jordan.  I always leave Israel with sadness for the millions of Jews who are yet to acknowledge Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah.  This time was no different.  None of our Israeli tour guides were Believers, and although we shared a common Jewish understanding, there was a massive spiritual disconnect because of our views on Messiah.

I had never been to a Muslim country, so I expected even more of a spiritual disconnect from my Jordanian guides.  Ironically, they were all Jordanian Believers!!  From the moment our guide began leading us, I felt at home.  Was it his attitude, comments, or demeanor?  Frankly, I believe it was the presence of the Holy Spirit.  We connected as followers of Messiah, even though our bus now consisted of Jews and Arabs, in a way that we could not connect with the group of non-believing Jews.

As the Joel Chernoff song goes, the guides and groups were indeed “Jew and Gentile, one in the Spirit, one in Yeshua’s love.”  In our pursuit of the Lord, let us never forget Jesus’ prayer that all believers would be ONE, as He and the Father are One…and that we continue to share the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, not esteeming one people group over another.  Jesus is the salvation of the world!  (John 3:16)

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor.  Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.  Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.  Night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.  But put on (Messiah) the Lord Jesus, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.”  Romans 13:10-14 (HCSB)

Today’s passage begins with a pretty bold statement about love and the Torah’s (first five books of Moses, i.e., “the law”) requirements.  It echoes Jesus’ message.

“‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’  Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  This is the first and great commandment.  And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments hang all the law (Torah) and the Prophets.’”  Matthew 22: 36-40 (NKJV)

Remember when the Beatles sang, “All you need is love”?  Many naïve Christians try to weave Jesus and Paul’s statements together with those of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.  They say, “Just love people and don’t get hung up on obeying the Bible.”  While the Beatles and Jesus seem to say the same thing, their statements are very different.

We use the word “love” often in our culture.  We say we love our mothers, and we also love apple pie.  Some people say they love the person they are dating, so they sleep together.  Others remain abstinent because they love the person they are dating.  (They rightly know that God would never approve of pre-marital sex.) So, the real question is: What kind of LOVE fulfills the Torah?

Paul (not McCartney) goes on to define such love as being self-denying and others-serving.  Displays of selfless love are not catalysts for salvation; instead, they should be our response to having already received salvation by God’s grace through our faith in Jesus.  Our sincere devotion to Messiah does not fulfill the Torah.  Instead, because of His overwhelming love for us, while we were yet sinners, He has satisfied the law’s requirements on our behalf.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16 (NKJV)

When believers accept the challenge of “loving others as Jesus loved us,” we are fulfilling the Torah, in essence.  Obeying God’s Word is not a means of salvation.  Still, of our appreciation for the salvation we have received from Jesus alone, it is our outward acknowledgment that we understand Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf.

“For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think.  Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.  Now as we are many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Messiah (Christ) and individually members of one another.  According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts:” Romans 12:3-6a (H)CSB

Years ago, I was leading music on a tour of Israel during their Independence Day.  As the lot fell, my wife and I were given a room in one of the most expensive hotels in Israel.  Alongside Israel’s anniversary, there was a global summit of world leaders who were in town to discuss Middle East peace, and many of these leaders were staying in our hotel.  President George Bush was staying at the hotel next door.  (BTW, if you ever want to hear an Arab yell, ask him what he thinks about George Bush!)

When the American President decides to go somewhere, regardless of the country he is visiting, it is a big, BIG deal.  Streets are blocked-off, extra security appears as if by magic, and pretty much everyone is inconvenienced.  At one point, I was detained at length at a rather inconvenient roadblock when suddenly the President’s motorcade drove by, so I waved, and President Bush waved back!  In his thick Israeli accent, the guy standing beside me said, “Who does he think he is?”   That fellow’s question is precisely the point of today’s passage: Who are WE (as individual believers), anyway?  And how do we fit in with the larger community of believers?

Paul speaks of 2 things that God “grants” all believers.  He gives us each a measure of Faith and an allotment of Grace.

Biblically, I am not convinced that God actually gives you Faith like an automatic download.  Instead, I believe God reveals His Way by the power of His Spirit; then He gives us opportunities to act on that “revelation” faithfully.  That whole system, whereby God interacts with His creation in such a way as to see their faithfulness grow, is itself a gift, His Grace towards us.  It is said that faith is a “muscle.”  It grows when we work it out, and it shrinks when we forsake it.  And if you want your faith to grow, start being diligent with small things.  When He faithfully responds to YOUR faith response to His call, you are encouraged, and your faith increases.  

God’s “grace” is not just about our eternal salvation.  Sure, we are saved by grace, through faith alone, but God also calls us to be His hands and feet in the world.  Where God guides, He provides, so He “graces” all believers with the spiritual tools needed to complete His objectives.  Those God-gifted spiritual tools are not for our glory but God’s.

In neither of these scenarios is any boasting appropriate.  All that we have, we owe to the Lord.  Therefore, while some of us may have more high-profile or lucrative jobs, by God’s grace, we are all equal in God’s eyes.  We wouldn’t have anything were it not for the Lord.

“I ask, then, have they stumbled in order to fall?  Absolutely not!  On the contrary, by their stumbling, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous. Now if their stumbling brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full number bring!”  Romans 11:11-12 (HCSB)

In today’s passage, Paul suggests a quasi-role reversal between non-Messianic Jews and followers of Jesus.  Paul describes how the Lord allows the integrated (Jew and Gentile) Messianic Community (the Church) to act as a “bride,” a role Israel had previously exclusively held in Scripture.  

Consider the words of the prophet Jeremiah...

“‘Look, the days are coming’ – This is the Lord’s declaration – ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.  This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. – a covenant they broke even though I MARRIED them.’ – The Lord’s declaration.’”  Jeremiah 31:31-32 (emphasis mine) (HCSB)

And now the words of Paul…

“For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband – to present a pure virgin to Messiah (Christ)”  2 Corinthians 11:2 (HCSB)

I want to stress that I am not suggesting “replacement theology,” which is the teaching that the “Church” has replaced Israel in God’s heart.  A primary goal of Paul’s letter to the Romans was to counteract the “replacement” message as heresy and contra to God’s continued heart and plan for Israel.

Paul puts forth the role reversals between Messianic Gentiles and non-Messianic Jews for two primary reasons:  1) So that the non-believing Jews would become jealous for a saving relationship with God through Jesus by observing God’s love and favor toward the Gentile believers.  This Godly love was previously believed to be exclusively for Jews.  2) To expose how given similar “chosen” status, Gentiles could fall into the same religious pride as the Jews.  In fact, Paul addresses a growing prejudice against the Jews by Gentile believers.

This leads us to two obvious questions: 1) Do you live a life of faith that would make Jewish people jealous for your relationship with God, or anyone else, for that matter?  2) Has spiritual pride caused you to look down on others to the point where you have forgotten the Lord’s grace toward you?  There is no personal boasting for anyone saved by Grace, Jew, or Gentile.

“When the Lord your God drives them (Canaanites) out before you, do not say to yourself, ‘The Lord brought me in to take possession of this land, because of MY righteousness.’  Instead, the Lord will drive out these nations before you because of THEIR wickedness.”   Deuteronomy 9:4 (emphasis mine) (HCSB)