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1 Corinthians
Questions: In a sports contest…like a Super Bowl…how many
different categories of people are there? (Players, coaches referees,
spectators, half-time performers, grounds crew, etc.) In a theatrical play, how many different categories of people
are there? In the U.S. political arena, how many different categories
of people are there? From a Scriptural perspective, do you think there are different
categories of people? Scripture: (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 NIV) The man without the Spirit
does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they
are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are
spiritually discerned. {15} The spiritual man makes judgments about all
things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: {16} "For
who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But
we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3 NIV) Brothers, I could not address
you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. {2} I gave you
milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are
still not ready. {3} You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy
and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like
mere men? …Paul identifies three categories of people in
these verses… What does he call the person in verse 14? (…the man
without the Spirit…) What did Paul say is characteristic of the ‘man without
the Spirit’? What do you think Paul means when he says this person
‘does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God’?
What does he call the person in verse 15? (…the spiritual
man…) What is characteristic of the spiritual man? What does he call the people in verses 3:1-3? (…worldly—mere
infants in Christ…) What is characteristic of the ‘worldly’ Christian? First…how a ‘person without the Spirit’
can become a ‘person with the Spirit’… What did Jesus say about the types of people and how someone
becomes one or the other? According to verse 63, how does one ‘take the spirit
into their life’? (Through the words Jesus spoke—He said, “The
words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life…”) (John 3:33-36 NIV) The man who has accepted it has certified
that God is truthful. {34} For the one whom God has sent speaks the words
of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. {35} The Father loves
the Son and has placed everything in his hands. {36} Whoever believes
in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see
life, for God's wrath remains on him." Which is the person ‘with the Spirit’? Which is
the person ‘without the Spirit’? What determines which they are? (Whether they believe—or
reject—Jesus Christ.) (John 3:18-20 NIV)
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe
stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's
one and only Son. {19} This is the verdict:
Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light
because their deeds were evil. {20} Everyone
who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear
that his deeds will be exposed. Which is the person ‘with the Spirit’? Which is
the person ‘without the Spirit’? What determines which they are? (Whether they believe—or
do not believe—Jesus Christ.) So, a person makes a decision to receive Jesus Christ
and is changed from a person ‘without the Spirit’ to a person
‘with the Spirit’? Now, let’s look at all three categories. (Mark 4:3-8 NIV) "Listen!
A farmer went out to sow his seed. {4} As
he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came
and ate it up. {5} Some fell on rocky places,
where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil
was shallow. {6} But when the sun came up,
the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
{7} Other seed fell among thorns, which grew
up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. {8}
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop,
multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." (Mark 4:13-20 NIV) Then Jesus said to them,
"Don't you understand this parable? How
then will you understand any parable? {14}
The farmer sows the word. {15} Some people
are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they
hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. {16}
Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive
it with joy. {17} But since they have no
root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because
of the word, they quickly fall away. {18}
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;
{19} but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth
and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it
unfruitful. {20} Others, like seed sown on
good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty
or even a hundred times what was sown." Which of the three types of people is in verse 15? (…people
without the Spirit, because Satan took the word away before it germinated
in them…) Which of the three types of people is in verses 16 &
17? (…worldly—mere infants in Christ, because the seed did germinate—they
received the word, but were overcome by troubles…) Which of the three types of people is in verses 18 &
19? (…worldly—mere infants in Christ, because the seed did germinate—they
became plants, but were choked out the worries of life, deceitfulness
of wealth, and the desires for other things…) Which of the three types of people is in verse 20? (…the
spiritual man, because the seed germinated and produced a crop many times
larger than the original seed…) Note: Some people view this parable as ‘3 Ways
to Hell and 1 way to Heaven’, a parable about three ways to miss
salvation and one way to find it. If this view is accurate, then any Christian
who does not personally lead thirty, sixty, even a hundred people to Christ
in their lifetime is one of the first three types of soil…and therefore,
is not really a Christian! Also, this would mean our salvation is determined
by how many people we lead to Christ, in direct conflict with Ephesians
2:8,9. Notice that the parable is clear that the last three
all received the word—the seed was transformed into a plant in each
case—whereas the first never did. However, after becoming a plant,
the first two allowed things in life to interfere with their role as plants…reproducing
more seeds and plants…while the third did everything a plant is supposed
to do—bear fruit. This parable, like Paul’s letter to the Corinthians,
was not to make us wonder whether we are truly saved—but rather,
to encourage us to ask God to give us the strength to overcome the ‘troubles
and hard times, the worries of life, deceitfulness of wealth, and the
desires for other things’ keep us from doing what He made us to do. How then, can we be the type ‘plant’ that
will bear fruit? (Colossians 2:6-8 NIV) So then, just as you received
Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, {7} rooted and built up
in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing
with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:7 NLT) Let your roots grow down into him
and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and
vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving
for all he has done. John 6:63 said we receive Jesus Christ by believing in his
words. These verses say ‘as you received…continue…rooted
and built up in him…strengthened…and overflowing…’
Therefore, how do we ‘grow in him’? (Through continuing to feed
on his word.) (Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV) It was he who gave some to be
apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be
pastors and teachers, {12} to prepare God's people for works of service,
so that the body of Christ may be built up {13} until we all reach unity
in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,
attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. {14} Then we
will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown
here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness
of men in their deceitful scheming. {15} Instead, speaking the truth in
love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is,
Christ. {16} From him the whole body, joined and held together by every
supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part
does its work. Now, for the more positive news about this…how does
Paul tell the believers at Ephesus they can stay in the ‘spiritual
man’ category and ‘no longer be infants’? Notice: Maturity comes in the context of others in the body
of Christ…Lone Rangers never will reach spiritual maturity in isolation. (Hebrews 5:11-14 NLT) There is so much more we would
like to say about this. But you don't seem to listen, so it's hard to
make you understand. {12} You have been Christians a long time now, and
you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you
again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You
are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food. {13} And
a person who is living on milk isn't very far along in the Christian life
and doesn't know much about doing what is right. {14} Solid food is for
those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference
between right and wrong and then do what is right. (Hebrews 6:1-3 NLT) So let us stop going over the basics
of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature
in our understanding. Surely we don't need to start all over again with
the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in
God. {2} You don't need further instruction about baptisms, the laying
on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. {3} And
so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. (Hebrews 5:11-14 NIV) We have much to say about this,
but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. {12} In fact,
though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach
you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk,
not solid food! {13} Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,
is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. {14} But solid
food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to
distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 6:1-3 NIV) Therefore let us leave the elementary
teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation
of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, {2} instruction
about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead,
and eternal judgment. {3} And God permitting, we will do so. What caused the writer to refer to them as ‘need milk’
(like babies) in stead of moving on? (See verse 14…apparently, they
still wrestled over…and were stumbling with…basic issues of
right and wrong!) The writer of Hebrews is saying that until we learn
basic truths like what is right and what is wrong, we can’t progress
to the more responsible issues of spiritual growth. (1 Peter 2:1-3 NIV) Therefore, rid yourselves of all
malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. {2}
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may
grow up in your salvation, {3} now that you have tasted that the Lord
is good. (Don’t confuse this reference to babies and milk with
the previous one in Hebrews. There are two different points being made.)
How does a baby feel about milk? What does milk do for a baby? (The key to survival through
growth.) We are supposed to intuitively crave regular spiritual feedings
(studying the Bible and prayer) as much as a baby craves milk if we expect
to survive and grow spiritually. What is the ‘solid food’ that takes us to the
maturity that produces bountiful crops? (2 Peter 1:3-9 NIV) His divine power has given us everything
we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called
us by his own glory and goodness. {4} Through these he has given us his
very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate
in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by
evil desires. {5} For this very reason, make every effort to add to your
faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; {6} and to knowledge, self-control;
and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; {7}
and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
{8} For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will
keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted
and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Keep adding to the basic foundation of faith goodness, knowledge,
etc. If we do, what does verse 8 say will happen? (Galatians 5:14-26 NLT) For the whole law can be summed
up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." {15}
But if instead of showing love among yourselves you are always biting
and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
(Notice again the ‘infant behavior…) {16} So I advise you to live according to your new life
in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.
{17} The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from
what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite
from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting
each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict. How easy does this sound? {18} But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you
are no longer subject to the law. {19} When you follow the desires of
your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual
immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, {20} idolatry,
participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy,
outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone
is wrong except those in your own little group, {21} envy, drunkenness,
wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have
before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom
of God. What are the trademarks of the wrong decision? (What are
the ways it surfaces?) {22} But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he
will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness, and self-control. Here there
is no conflict with the law. {24} Those who belong to Christ Jesus have
nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and
crucified them there. {25} If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let
us follow the Holy Spirit's leading in every part of our lives. {26} Let
us not become conceited, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one
another. If we accomplish walking in step with the Spirit, what does v.26 then tell us to be careful to not become? Decision #1 Man led by the Spirit Decision #1 is made once in life; Decision #2 we make constantly The consequences of the wrong decision… (2 Peter 2:20-22 NIV) If they have escaped the corruption of the world
by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in
it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
{21} It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command
that was passed on to them. {22} Of them the proverbs are true: "A
dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back
to her wallowing in the mud." Bottom Line: Receiving Christ is not the last decision we make in our spiritual life. In order to grow spiritually, we must decide daily—sometimes moment by moment—to be led by the Spirit rather than by our sinful nature. |