Apostle Paul speaking to the leaders of the church: “I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still NOT READY. You are still worldly.” 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
Wow, is the Holy Spirit telling church leaders today that they are still infants in Christ because they are worldly? I believe so. Read Revelation 2 and 3 in the Lord’s letters to His churches! The great majority is still worldly. And what does that mean to be worldly as a believer?
Paul goes on to answer that question. He points out how they are not really following Jesus Christ when in reality they are following influential men whom they admire, or whom they fear for whatever reason, and wanting to be accepted by someone more important to them than Jesus Christ.
Jealousy was causing them to argue and quarrel over who to listen to about serious issues of their day, and over what God says in His Word about sin; leaders wanting the people to prefer THEM over others because of what they think they know.
“Are you not acting like mere humans when you say, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos’?” What about today? Whose voices and teachings are God’s people following? Dr. Fauci? President Trump? CNN? FOX? Your Pastor? Your psychiatrist? Whose wisdom and teaching is most important for your life and for the tribulations of our day?
It amazes me to hear from Christian women that they don’t meet with the Lord first thing in the morning reading His Word and fellowshipping with Him in prayer. They listen to everyone else on subjects that concern them, but for some reason they don’t see the greatest need they have: to be in fellowship with the Lord first and foremost.
“God is faithful, who has called YOU INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.” 1 Corinthians: 1:9
I truly believe that our Father God is using this plague among other disasters and crisis in our lives to draw us into true fellowship with our Savior Jesus Christ, with no other ‘fellowship’ taking HIS PLACE. As evil intensifies rapidly in our world, with the increasing hostility towards Christianity and the Bible, with all the nations becoming angry with rage over all the natural disasters increasing and with continual threats of chemical warfare – WHO SHOULD WE BE FOLLOWING AND HEARING FROM? Those who have college degrees? Those who are called “professionals.” Those with powerful positions? Those who mean well but have no real solutions? Those who preach about how you can feel better about yourself? Those who think the answer is in medicine? Who?
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate,” says the Lord.
“The foolishness of God if wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (As if God could ever be foolish or weak! NOT!)
“Is Christ divided? Were you baptized in the name of Paul (or your pastor or priest, religions.)?” When Paul asked this – we can ask it as well in our day. Why is the body of Christ divided about spiritual things and even about politics?
“’Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” What does our Lord, who is the SPIRIT – have to say today?
So, what mind should we as Christ’s followers have today or any day coming – going through various tribulations rapidly intensifying as His Day approaches, as He warns of in His Word? What is the faith we need that protects us from fear and compromise?
Where does our ‘unity of Christ’s mind’ come from? It comes from the Word and Spirit of God. How will you know if you are being lied to if you are not in the Word of God each day being taught by the Spirit of God? You won’t know you are being lied to.
When you have the truth of God’s Word ‘secured in you,’ you will be able to discern and judge all things. Paul says it this way, “All things belong to you.”
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that TEMPLE.”
(All these passages have come from 1 Corinthians chapters 1-3)
What do we have to fear – but fear itself. God is the only one rightly to be feared (worshipped) since He holds the keys to LIFE and DEATH, and to ETERNITY with Him.
We walk by faith in the promises and teachings of Christ our Savior/Lord/King. Fear of man, of plagues, of natural disasters, of wars, of rejection by the world (persecution), fear of those in power with the systems of the world – is all worldly.
Faith is freedom; the freedom to love and forgive, our freedom to call and depend on the Lord for His good will in our lives, the freedom allowed by faith in God’s Word – to rise above all the cares and threats of this world, to endure the evils of our day patiently waiting for His return, to joyfully and freely share our testimony of Him no matter the cost, and to expect with full confidence – what the Lord said will come in time without delay.
“No one will be able to stand against those who stand with Me. So, I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-6, 9
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!