Learning To Live By The Words To The Married

Now to the married I command,

yet not I but the Lord:

a wife is not to depart from her husband.

But even if she does depart,

let her remain unmarried

or be reconciled to her husband.

And a husband is not to

divorce his wife.

1Corinthians 7:10–11

            Divorce became a problem with the Roman Empire as Roman divorce was a simple as marriage. To divorce in early Rome was to declare the intentions to divorce in front of seven witnesses. No fault divorce that is common in this present age, and as was listed in a previous blog how divorce has become a part of the Church, had a forerunner in this regard by the ancient Romans. In Rome to divorce, one or both parties in the marriage had only to simply consider themselves no longer married. No public authority was involved. This no–fault divorce developed over time husbands had the right to divorce their wives because of adultery, or even drinking wine, and then divorce evolved to include many other failures. By the time of Jesus, the first century B.C. either spouse could initiate the divorce so long as there was mutual agreement between husband and wife. In time, women could marry without entering their husband’s legal control. Although one must not dismiss that under Classical Roman law, from 100 B.C. there was a need of consent by both parties, the bride and the groom to an engagement and marriage. That was Classical Roman Law, but, and this is important, there was as a practical matter, to force a couple to marry made no sense due to the fact that divorce was easily available.[1] Corinth now a Roman province and under Roman law and as a city of great immorality divorce was a common practice and had affected the Christian Church. This is true today in the Christian Church, divorce is easily done and for reasons that are not according to the will and command of God. We live in a society of “no–fault” divorce. Paul makes this one thing clear in regards to what he is writing to the Corinthian Christians and those words are for our ears and minds. Jesus had give this command that forbid such separation and what Jesus had commanded was dictated to the Apostle and enjoined by the authority of the Holy Spirit; there was and is not to be any separation other than what Jesus Christ allows (Matthew 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11; Luke 16:18). Divorce today as in Rome in the days of Paul had become a frivolous thing and divorce was and done by other pretexts than what our Saviour has allowed and commanded.

            Paul then with full understanding the separation does occur and gives this admonition that the are, if separated, to not marry again, and in fact, the better thing was to reconcile. Today it seems as if divorce is not only for any reason, in many of the cases of divorce, it is almost as though a person jumps from one bed to another and many of us understand that this has occurred and done that which God forbids. Why? One possible reason is that the Church has gone soft on this matter and has allowed divorce to occur outside of the command of Jesus. The wisdom of this world has infected the Church and many of its leaders and little, if any, sermons are so direct and speak against divorce and this is tacitly approving of this immoral practice. There is too much “sloppy agape” being preached and not enough preaching to convict a person due to their sin, or possible sin. But…..What do we do when a person is married to an unbeliever? Paul addresses this: “But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and shi is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him” (1Corinthians 7:12–13). Notice this, Paul makes clear that it is he who is speaking and the Lord, that is, this is to address those situations that may occur that Jesus did not include in His commands. Divorce was not to be done just because the other person did not believe. Probably those persons were married before one of them became a believer, or had not obeyed the command to marry only in the Lord. Why? Paul addresses the why: “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the , and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy” (1Corinthians 7:14). God holds marriage as sacred and marriage is a type of who Christians are: the bride of Jesus Christ. There is this wonderful fact that Jesus is our husband, our bridegroom, and our marriage depicts and demonstrates that we are His and we live according to that fact. We must hold marriage as holy and that our vows are held by God: When you make a vow to God (this is what a marriage vow includes; my words), do not delay to pay it; For He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed––Better not to vow that to vow and not pay. Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands” (Ecclesiastes 5:4–6). Did I say that it takes courage and commitment and holding fast to our convictions to be a Christian? YES! Is it possible? YES! God will take us through anything that we may have done in ignorance. Praise God for He is not only Merciful, full of Grace, He is LOVE!

The LORD also will be a refuge

            For the oppressed, A refuge

In times of trouble. And those who know

            Your name will put their trust in You.

For You. LORD, have not forsaken those

            Who seek You.

                                                Psalm 9:9–10

Live and tell other of our Great God

Richard L. Crumb

---

[1] http://news.stanford.edu/pr/91/911203Arc1041.html

Learning The Meaning Of Marriage

Let the husband render to his wife the affection to her,

and likewise also the wife to her husband.

The wife does not have authority over her own body,

but the husband does.  And likewise the husband does not have

authority over his own body, but the wife does.

1 Corinthians 7: 3 -- 4

            If there is any Scripture that has been used both in the good way and also in the bad way are these two Scriptures.  Therefore I'm going to take a moment to examine the Greek language, and the Greek words, so that we can come to a correct understanding as to what the Greeks understood when they read or heard these words.  The New King James Version states, the husband should render to his wife affection.  In some sense that translation rightly understood is a good translation but does not necessarily tell us what the Greeks understood.  The Authorized King James Version of 1611, renders the Greek word as benevolence, therefore we must investigate so that we truly understand what Paul was telling the Corinthians and telling us: the Greek word in verse three is: "εύνοιαν," and according to wrongs Greek dictionary #2133 defines the word thusly, kindness and as a euphem, conjugal duty, benevolence, goodwill, heartiness. This word is right but also from: "εύνοέω"  Is translated for one to have kind thoughts, be well affected, or kindly, dispose towards.  Paul is very clear in regards to the duty that must be rendered by the husband to the wife and then adds that let the wife is to return the same and the Greek word is very clear for it is an imperative and is: "άποδιδότω"  And has a meaning for one to give an answer to a claim or an expectation, to render aid to, to recompense, to discharge an obligation, to pay a debt, to render back, we quite, to give back, to restore, to refund.  The New King James renders this word as render.  The English dictionary is clear as to what this word also means, which is to cause or to become, to furnish to provide to render aid to pay a debt, to give back to restore, to cover, it is clear that there is a direct command.  The husband is to render goodwill, kindness, and even conjugal duty and to do less than this is to abdicate your duty, and responsibility to the command of God.  Both the husband and wife do not have absolute authority over their bodies.  Both are to work goodwill, benevolence, affection, towards one another.  There will be times when there will be differences of opinion. This is not the time in which one pulls the authority card, and hold their authority over the head of the other in some sort of power-play.  Rather it is a time   to listen carefully to one another and arrive at a solution.  Bickering, anger, shouting, is not following the command of God to love one another and yet this is what is done so often because one wants it in their way and gives no room for another way.  Sometimes this happens: "Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give your self to fasting and prayer; and come together and can sell that Satan does not attempt you because of your lack of self-control" (1 Corinthians 7:5).  It may be humorous to say, "go sleep on the couch tonight" and it may be necessary in the head that does happen, but this should be the exception not the rule.  I'm laughing at myself as I write this because we are human and there are times when we do need to separate for a moment.  Although the separation that may come really should be devoted to a time of fasting and prayer, and not simply to goal of mad and angry and in some sort of huff.  Turn to scripture, turn to prayer, turn to God for the answer for he is ready and able beyond measure to help you.  That is true only if you come to him and asked him to help you: "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble" (Matthew 6: 33 -- 34).

            Paul now adds this to what he had said in verse one of Chapter 7: "but I say this as a concession, not as a commandment.  For I do wish that all men were even as I myself.  But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that" (1 Corinthians 7:6 -- 7).  Paul now furthers explains verse six: "But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry.  For it is better to marry than to burn with passion" (1 Corinthians 7 -- 9).  Paul clearly understands the nature of man and the gift that God has given both men and women can come together and conjugal intimacy but does warn that we are not to allow the fire of passion to over come sold out in morality is committed.  There is never a need to rush off to find some one just because you are burning with passion and Paul is not suggesting this for what he is actually suggesting is that if this is true then it is necessary that they do marry but as God commands that we marry another person who is also a Christian.  I will cover this more in the next blogs.  Until then read this chapter carefully and apply what Paul is writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to guide our allies.  Who then has a priority of our life?  Is it ourselves or is it the Lord Jesus Christ?

The LORD of host is with us;

            the God of Jacob is our refuge.

                                    Psalm 46:7

God has blessed you forever

Richard L. Crumb

Learning The Sacred Way Of Christian Life

 

Now kind discerning the things of which you wrote me:

it is good for a man not to touch a woman.

Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality,

let each man have his own wife,

and let each woman have her own husband.

1 Corinthians 7: 1 -- 2

            It is apparent that the Corinthian Christians wrote to Paul concerning many things that were occurring in the church.  It is also apparent that the Christians in Corinth regarded the apostle Paul as one who had authority and desired to have his decision on some questions.  Now he proceeds to answer their inquiries and in this case, the inquiry is about marriage.  The reason for this inquiry in regards to marriage lies in the fact that some had adopted the sentiment of the Pythagoreans.  The Pythagoreans and their system that consisted of esoteric, and metaphysical beliefs and were considerably influenced by mathematics, music, and astronomy. Pythagoreanism was not something new that developed during or after Jesus Christ for it originated in the fifth century B.C. and greatly influenced Platonism. The Pythagoreans are known for their theory of the transmigration of souls, also for their theory that numbers constitute the true nature of things. They performed purification rites and followed and developed various rules of living which they believed would enable their souls to achieve a higher rank among the gods.  One cannot help but notice that those who are greatly influenced by some mystical or secret aspect of numbers in the Bible are simply following that system of Pythagoras, and even with great emphasis upon purification rites in various rules of living are also to be seen in many of our churches today who believe in special rites.  One such is occurring at the Bethel Church of supernatural ministry in Redding California where people run through a "Tunnel of Fire" where people are supposedly getting drunk in the spirit, and he been finding healing.  This is not only un-Biblical, it's demonic and no Christian should be anywhere near this.  This platonic category and system it found its way into the Corinthian congregation and men and women were falling for the folly to live in celibacy so that they would be more acceptable by God.  Does this sound familiar?  Yes it is good for one not to marry and to spend their time in their life and teaching and preaching and spreading the gospel. For one to do such a thing there must be first a necessity that what they believe they should be doing is according to Scripture and the call of God to them through Scripture.  We translate the Greek word "άπυεσθαι"  Adds package and it is not a bad translation and of itself but the word in the Greek is more expressive than simply not to touch.  The Greek word in this case is present in definitive and in the middle voice and carries this as its interpretation into English.  Number one: to bring in contact, fit, fasten; to light, kindel.  It is also used to state to meddle, venture to partake, and in Colossians 2:21 it is rendered to have intercourse with or to know carnally.  And by implication to harm which also can be seen in 1 John 5:18.  We need to learn to think like a Greek and I get to latch onto words without doing the work study or we might misinterpret what the Greeks actually heard or what the Bible writer was actually intending to teach.  Paul in stating this in regards to marriage is also implicating that one is to keep one from, and avoid all locations of sin, and to flee from fleshly lusts.  While people like Pythagoras, and others who were already beginning to cloister themselves in some ascetic religious system, it would be unfair to say that God desires us to be single unless He determine and will through the leading of the Holy Spirit to be celibate.  Man and woman are made by God to have desires for one another in asexual and intimate way.  It is when that desire given to man by God to produce progeny is misused then it is immorality.  The flame of desire for a woman or a man, cannot randomly be exercised.  Paul instructs that if this is the case then each man or each woman are to have either a husband or a wife.  It must be noted here that Paul is talking about a woman having a man for a husband, and a man having a woman for a wife.  There is no doubt that this is the will of God there for those who are living as husband and wife of the same sex are sinning.  That form of marriage is nothing more than immorality.  The Greek word used in verse two of this chapter that we render as immorality is: "πορνείας"; a word in which we get the word pornography and is understood by the Greek as fornication.  Fornication is immorality and if one is involved in such an act needs to stop if they truly believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is their Savior.

            Taken from the Barna report: Born again Christians who are not evangelical were indistinguishable from the national average on the matter of divorce: 33% have been married and divorced. The survey did not determine if the divorce occurred before or after the person had become born again. However, previous research by Barna has shown that less than two out of every ten people who accept Christ as their savior do so after their first marriage. In fact, when evangelicals and non-evangelical born again Christians are combined into an aggregate class of born again adults, their divorce figure is statistically identical to that of non-born again adults: 32% versus 33%, respectively.  Here are some demographics:

Divorce Among Adults Who Have Been Married
(Base: 3792 adults)

Population Segment	Have Been Divorced	No. of Interviews
All adults	33%	3792
Evangelical Christians	26%	339
Non-evangelical born again Christians	33%	1373
Notional Christians	33%	1488
Associated with non Christian faith	38%	197
Atheist or agnostic	30%	269
All born again Christians	32%	1712
All non born again Christians	33%	2080
Protestant	34%	1997
Catholic	28%	875

George Barna, who directed the study, noted that Americans have grown comfortable with divorce as a natural part of life. "There no longer seems to be much of a stigma attached to divorce; it is now seen as an unavoidable rite of passage," [1]

            This report underlines that there still is a problem with Mary, not only with the secular population, also with the Christian population.  In the next blog were going to cover what it means Scripturally to be a husband and to be a wife.  Research chapter carefully and see how it applies to you.  I pray that you find yourself not wanting in the eyes of God and if so that you are willing to deliberately return to the will of God.

I know that what ever God does,

            it shall be for ever, and nothing

can be added to it, and nothing taken from it.

            God does it, that men should

fear before him.

                                    Ecclesiastes 3: 14

Hold fast to the wisdom of God

Richard L. Crumb

---

[1] Barna Report: https://www.barna.org/barna-update/family-kids/42-new-marriage-and-divorce-statistics-released#.UzMn9qLCaPQ: retrieved: March 26, 2014

Becoming A Friend Of The Bridegroom

He who has the bride is the bridegroom;

but a friend of the bridegroom,

who stands and hears him,

rejoices greatly because of

the bridegroom's voice.

Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

John 3:29 -- 30

            When we forget that we have been bought with a price, and that price was paid by God himself to satisfy His own debt, then we allow unnecessary practices and doctrines to become necessary.  When we forget that we are the bride and the friend of the Bridegroom then we have forgotten who we are in Jesus Christ.  This is exactly what was occurring in the Corinthian church and in fact is occurring in many churches today.  There seems to be a clamor for one to be entertained, and to reach out for things that seem to be godly but are doing nothing more than taking us away from Him and making us our own necessity to our soul.  If this is so, then you are out of God's order.  Yes, we are to be the arms, legs, and mouthpiece for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but this is not to be our first order, for our first order is to be a friend of the Bridegroom.  What is the influence in your life?  If your influence is in the right direction, and your claims to be one of the bride of Jesus Christ then you will not put out your hand to that which is carnality.  What is so unfortunate in the church of Corinth and in many of our churches and Christians today is that Christians are becoming, if not already have become, amateur prominences, and by being this, we are preventing God to have His way in our life.  The Corinthians believed that as a Christian the things that they were now holding of high importance, were nothing more than having a sympathy for the way they saw things should be done.  Often in the church there is group euphoria in a rejoicing of the soul in the wrong things, but we need to rejoice in the right things and to be doing so is to be a friend of the Bridegroom: He must increase while we decrease.  We need to hear the Bridegroom's voice and obey yet no matter what obedience is and what brings or upsets us, whether it be a crumbling of our health or any of the trial, or tribulation.  Our goodness in purity should never bring attraction to ourselves, for our goodness, in purity simply ought to act as the magnets and draw us to Jesus Christ.  If our holiness is not drawing us towards Him, then our holiness is not of the right order, rather it is an influence that will lead us to inordnance affection and lead our soul away into side -- eddies.  This was occurring greatly in the Corinthian church and Paul is addressing this problem, direct and succinctly, and he does so as the Greek so well attest, with force.  If you do not want to be a hindrance and to be a saint that God has called you to be then what needs done is that Jesus Christ is presented, not for what he has done for us, only for what Jesus Christ is our true friend and our bridegroom and we in the bride.  If we do it any other way that all we have done is to make cause for us to stand now as though we had such a fine character which is only an increasing of ourselves which is an absolute contradiction to the Word of God.

            How then are we to maintain this friendship and our loyalty to the Bridegroom?  It is simply that we must be more careful and test all things according to Scripture, and to test our morality, our carnality that may be driving us away from the bride rather than drawing is closer to Him.  We are to obey, and leave the consequences with God.  We must guard our vital relationship to Jesus Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us as we study and read His inspired word.  Even when we feel that there are no things that are needing our obedience, then the only thing we are to do is to maintain our vital connection with Jesus Christ and to what the will of God is for our life and for His children.  Time will come when there will be a crisis in your life and we have the responsibility to find out what the will of God  is so that we can maintain this vital relationship and our friendship with the bridegroom.  So often we have supplemented our faith with work which may be only a means of evading the soul’s concentration on Jesus Christ.  This is what was occurring in the Corinthian church for they were supplanting their faith and placing their Faith in Faith, and supplying even emotional need by over emphasizing and misusing the gifts of the Spirit that were to lead the church and other churches before the complete fullness had come, which is the Bible. Guard against becoming amateur providences which only will lead you to work against Him, and a misuse of the weapons we need to stand firm against the wiles of Satan.

            I have set forth this in order to understand that which was occurring in the Corinthian church has occurred in Christian churches for many years and is even more so occurring in many of the churches in our present age.  Chapter 7 of Corinthians Paul turns his attention to some very serious practices within the church.  Not only do we find the principles spoken to the Corinthian church to be principles for us also, we can also see that that which he speaks about and addresses are to the same things that are happening with many Christians, and in many churches.  Therefore, it is important that we take the next verses and chapters slowly and with great care and examine everything within the Greek language and in context.  As set forth the context of the Corinthian church and how that same context applies to many churches today therefore again, what Paul addresses aptly applies to us today.  The next blog will begin at Chapter 7, in what is needed is prayerful attention to what God is admonishing, and praising, and then applying those principles in our lives.  Pray, read God's word, become the friend of the bridegroom, as you have never before been, for you all are His bride.

Let all those who seek You

            rejoice and be glad in You;

and let those who love Your

            salvation say continually,

"Let God be magnified!"

                                    Psalm 70: 4   

God saves those who love His the name

Richard L. Crumb

Learning How To Live A Sanctified LIfe

...  for you are still carnal.  For where there

are in me, strife, and divisions among you,

are you not carnal and behaving like mere man?

1 Corinthians 3: 3

I say then: Walk in the Spirit,

and you shall not fulfill the lust

of the flesh.

Galatians 5: 16

I began this blog by returning for a moment to an earlier Scripture written by Paul to remind us that we have remaining carnality even though God had chosen us to be one of his children. Therefore, there is a necessity to ensure that what we believe and teach is Scriptural.  There are many books, sermons, and teachings, that have the tickling sound that scratches our itching ears.  On the surface they seem to be good and true, and often that is exactly what they are, but often they are not following Scripture and leading people into a: "Sloppy Agape."  Due to the fact this, "Sloppy Agape" feeds our emotions and even  causes us to feel godly, when the fact is, as Paul has written under inspiration, that no natural man knows anything about carnality.  Because of this fact, that the original sin  has caused our souls to not desire God, or godly things, we often seek for things that will fill that void.  When God has freely given us faith (Ephesians 2: 8 -- 9) so that we can decide, that is make a decision that we could not make without that free gift of faith, then we will do that thing that God has commanded us to do: "Test all things; hold fast what is a good" (1 Thessalonians 5: 21).  This is a fact that no one should dismiss as not being true: the flesh lusts against the Spirit that has regenerated the children of God.  It is also a fact that the Spirit opposes the flesh, and then carnality produces a warring, one thing against another; unless we walk in the Spirit then we will fulfill the lust of the flesh, but when we walk in the Spirit carnality will disappear.  This is a problem that is evident in the Corinthian church.  By allowing the wisdom of this world, and its culture, to infest the thinking and teaching, then the carnality that desires to be godly produces things that are not godly.  Yes some of the things produced seemed to have the ring of truth as though what is being done or said is scriptural.  When examined it is found that the scriptural aspect is nothing more than a twisting and redefining Scripture to meet certain philosophies, ideologies, and developing a theology that is in contradiction to the Word of God correctly interpreted.  That is why Paul has instructed us to test all things and to hold on to that which is good.  Therefore there is a question, are you testing all things?  If not then you are willingly, or even tacitly accepting what ever taught.  I recommend, but you even test every thing that I write or say and if you find that which is not scriptural then please make a comment.  The goal is to change from the Inside/Out, so that we are carrying out the command of God for us to be ambassadors for Him.

Jesus Christ pointed out to us that we are in the world even though we are legally already in heaven, therefore, we are subject to the problems of this world which produces contentions and causes us to be troubled over trifles.  Paul has connected contentions, and troubles, to that which is carnality.  What so often happens when we read the Word of God is that there are truths in the Bible that awakens our petulance.  This is proof that you are carnal.  if sanctification is being worked out, as so often done by certain theological beliefs that we find in such organizations as the Bethel Church of Redding, California, and in other churches who teach and believe in revelatory inspiration that stands outside of the Bible, then all that has been done is to remove any trace of Scriptural truth.  However, if you, not fulfilling the lust of the flesh, and walking in the Spirit then you are working out sanctification, then there is no trace of the Spirit of carnality left in you as you grow in your sanctification.

How then can we have proof that carnality has gone?  Let us not forget this, and never deceive yourself.  It is unimaginable that all carnality is gone, for until Jesus comes and we are removed from all sin and are in the present God and His Son being led by the Holy Spirit, we will always be subject to carnality in one form or another.  As we grow in our sanctification our carnality is being reduced and our faith increasing, and our everyday living is demonstrative of the true faith of God.  God will give you any number of opportunities to prove to yourself the marvels of His grace.  We will never cease to be a natural person while we remain on this earth, but we can be the most amazing person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside, and how you are then demonstrating that which is inside through your outward life.

A reminder of the last two verses of 1 Corinthians 6: 19 -- 20: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s."

Here is a great ministry and marvelous thing: God freely by his own will came to earth, lived as a true man, yet not subject to our original sin, to die upon a cross just purchase you and to give you eternal life.  This should bring us great joy and a desire to not live as carnal persons.

Written by Oswald Chambers:

"We cannot kindle when we will

            The fire which is in our heart resides,

The Spirit bloweth and is still,

In ministry our soul abides;

            But tasks in hours of insight will’d

            can be through hours of gloom fulfill’d

Rest in the promises of God

Richard L. Crumb

Learning How To Exalt Our God

All things are lawful for me,

but all things are not helpful.

All things are lawful for me,

but I will not be brought under

the power of any.

Foods for the stomach and the

Stomach for foods, but God

Will destroy both it and them.

Now the body is not for sexual

Immorality but for the Lord, and

the Lord for the body.

And God both raised us up

 by His power.

1Corinthians 6:12–14

            Paul is now using comparisons to give emphasis to his point that as a human all things are considered lawful, but this does not mean that because a person thinks that all things are lawful are also helpful. If we come to a belief that all things are lawful then we will have taken on an old Gnostic form where some men thought that it was ok to live licentiously. To be brought under such ideology is to make a person servant to that which may be opposed to God’s will. Apparently there were some people in the Corinthian Church that opposed eating of some foods, sounds like a vegan who is very militant rather than being gracious that all things are lawful, and when it comes to food, well food was made for the stomach and stomach for fool, therefore there is no right way to eat, or a certain type of foods to avoid or eat. But this is not the comparison will is using for the next words speak of immorality a problem within the Corinthian Church, especially would this occur as many temple prostitutes and those who availed themselves of their services came into the Church bringing with them the wisdom and practices of the Corinthian culture. The body was and is not made for immorality, although many use it in this manner, for the body was made for the Lord. Then Paul makes this point, God has raised us up by His power: Note the Greek word for “raised” έγειρεν, a present imperative and this is that at the present time for you and for them you are raised up by God’s power. This then means that you cannot do anything to make cause for God to raise you up other than that by the faith given to you by God you choose to believe upon Him. This Greek word also is an imperative and this is a command an order to be followed and God has chosen to follow His own command to raise up those whom He has chosen to be His child. Why then would a person who has chosen God, and to follow His command do anything other than what God has commanded? Why defile your body with immorality, or other sins? God loves you this much to have raised you up in Jesus Christ and that raising was accomplished by Jesus when He became a propiation for your sins: “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly Not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ’the two,’ He says ‘shall become one flesh,’ But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him” (1Corinthians 6:15:–17). What has been known by physicians for many years is that when one has sexual union with another part of you remain with the other person: you are joined into one. Moreover, a most important fact that should be a driving force for your life is: “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. For you were bought at a rice; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1Corinthians 6:19–20). We are not our own if we are a child of God for we are bought at a price and that price was to make adopted children and heirs to the kingdom of God, and a bride of Jesus Christ. This price, the purchase price, is nothing more than that Jesus Christ the Only Begotten Son of God took all the sin of the world, not every sin done by a person, no, the sin that was the debt owed to God, and this Jesus Christ did by dying on the cross a sinless man. Yes, through this propitiation of Jesus on the cross then by His intercession before the Father eternally makes atonement for sins that are of His children and if we repent then God will forgive us our sins. This is the love and grace of God applied to His children. Even with that God give common grace upon all people; i.e., sun, rain, snow, food, and life. Few have much to praise God about and that praise should be externally demonstrated to the world by our life, a life of denial of ourselves and living according to His principles, and His Law.

            We now prepare to set aside the Sabbath, a day to just be with our God and our family, and this may mean not only going to Church and hearing the word of God expounded, it may mean walking along the river enjoying a peaceful time with our God. What have you planned for that day?

Shout joyfully to the LORD,

            All the earth;

Break forth in song, rejoice,

            And sing praises.

Sing to the LORD with the harp,

            With the harp and the sound

Of a psalm, with trumpets and the

            Sound of a horn; shout joyfully

Before the LORD, the King.

                                    Psalm 98:4–6

Exalt Our God and King

Richard L. Crumb

Learning To Be Guided By The Principles Of God

Does anyone of you having a matter against another

dare to be judged before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?

And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy

of small judgments? Or do you not know that we shall

judge angels, not to speak of this life?

If, then, you truly have judgments of this life,

those being least esteemed in the church, you set, (Greek: Καθίζετε.

And means to settle or appoint, especially pertaining to things of this life),

you sit these

1Corinthians 6:1–4

            Paul began this letter to the Corinthian Church and spoke that they were allowing the wisdom of this world to invade their thinking and to guide the Church. This done in contradiction to the will of God for His people, for His people are to guide by His wisdom. To use God’s wisdom in all matters is important on every front and especially so when there are disputes among Christians. We are not to run off to secular court and bare before the world our problems that need settled by elders in the Church. Yet what do we see in the church today? Men and women take each other to court and often over very little matters. The wisdom of God is provided for us as was pointed out in the last blog quoting Jesus in Matthew 10. I have watched several court shows and there are at times people who claim to be Christian and yet before all the viewers bare their complaints towards each other and so often those complaints are very minor. If there are issues such as stealing from a business, murder, and other serious matters, then the secular court and may need be applied and used. They are God’s appointed and ordained ruler and are to rule by His justice, and we have the God given right to use them in some serious matters. But, this is not what is happening so often in the Church; there are many disputes that Paul is referring to, those matters that are complaints against another Christian that the Church’s elders are provided for judging this matter, and this is after the matter has followed the rubric provided by Jesus Christ. Worse than this is the fact that many of those who have need of being judged, or their disputes settled by the Church and have run off to the secular courts are appointed as leaders and even at time judges. Paul goes on and adds: “For I speak shame to you. So, is there not a wise one among you, not even one who will be able to give judgment on his brother in your midst? But brother is judged with brother, and this before unbelievers! Indeed, then, there is already a failure with you all, that you have lawsuits with yourselves. Why not instead be wronged? Why not instead be defrauded? But you do wrong, and defraud, and these things to brothers” (1Corinthians 6:5–8)! To not follow Scripture is wrong! To fight for your rights even before the unjust world brings defamation upon Jesus Christ and all Christians. No wonder there are many who shy away from the truth of the gospel: even Christians don’t follow God’s word, even in such matters as this! We who are God’s children will judge even angels, so why are we so ready to avoid to judge our brothers and sisters who are undergoing trials whether they caused them or caused by others. When we go before the unjust this must be kept in mind: we are going before: “Or do you not know that unjust ones will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be led astray, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, or covetous ones, nor drunkards, or revilers, nor plunderers shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1Corinthians 6:9–10). This is the type of person that may be ruling as judge and you want to go before a person who will judge by the wisdom of this world? Cannot you handle this problem or dispute as God as instructed. Did I say that to be a Christian it takes courage, and a holding fast to your convictions that have grown in faith and sanctification? Are you committed to Jesus Christ or yourself and your pride? Praise God, for we were like those Paul pointed out who will not inherit the kingdom of God: “And some were these things, but you were washed; but you were sanctified; but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God” (1Corinthians 6:11). The Greek word: άπελούσασθε refers to an entire washing – the complete removal of sin and its debt. Note: notice that the washing, sanctification, and justification by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Only God can do this work, and not other person, whether it be an angel, as says the Jehovah Witnesses, and others, it requires one to have the right and power to do such a thing. This is especially important when the Holy Spirit is included in the language speaking that He also was involved. This involvement is not by some separate being, no, it is because the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all of the same substance, there are the makeup of the Godhead. Therefore, this being true, then we ought to follow this settling of disputes among brothers and sisters. Is you Church handling thing this way, or is your church to busy speaking to you philosophically, and psychologically? Are so committed to Jesus Christ, and not your Church even though that is important, that you follow Jesus and not man and man’s wisdom?

            Only you can answer these questions. I hope and pray that you are not just living in this world, rather that you are living in this world as an ambassador and as a citizen of heaven.

And Eli said to Samuel, Go,

            Lie down; and it shall be.

If One calls you, even you shall say,

            Speak, O Jehovah, for

Your servant hears you. And Samuel

            Lay down in his place.

                        1Samuel 3:9

Jehovah God will guide you in all matters

Richard L. Crumb

Becoming A Courageous Christian

I wrote to you in my epistle

to keep company with

sexually immoral people.

Yet I certainly did not mean

with a sexually immoral people

of this world, or with the covetous,

or extortioners, or idolaters,

since then you would need

to go out of the world.

But now I have written to you

not to keep company with anyone named a brother,

who is sexually immoral, or covetous,

or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard,

or an extortion or -- -- not even

to eat with such a person.

1 Corinthians 5: 9 -- 11

            Paul advises Christians to be discerning in regards to who are attending the church.  It is extremely clear that the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write how we are to judge with whom we associate.  Are we to simply become acetic as did many people and monks who separated from the world in monasteries, that is, to cloister, that means to live in a place or state of seclusion usually defined as a walled area with open spaces.  The Christian monk embraced this of monastic life as a vocation for God and his goal was to attain eternal life in the presence of God. What is missing here is that God is with His people wherever they are and we need not do anything to be in His eternal presence.  Monasticism is not confined to just Christianity for there are similar forms of this type of religious life that exist in other faiths, most notably in Judaism, also in Hinduism, and Jainism, although the expressions differ considerably.  Monasticism formed early in the Christian church and even Tertullian (ca. 150-225), one of the early Church fathers and a noted Christian apologist in his later years became even more disturbed over the complacency that he saw in the church leadership. Tertullian, who was trained in law, and spoke Greek and Hebrew fluently, and with this disturbance in regard to church leadership and the fact that many were concerned over the fact that Jesus had not yet returned to Earth as promised wrote his apologetic works that defended orthodox Christianity against various heretics. Tertullian much of his writings were to help the Christians understand what it meant for the return of Jesus Christ and who Jesus Christ was as the second person of the Trinity.  It is true that Tertullian joined the charismatic Montanist sect as they also shared many of his views regarding the ecclesiastical complacency and their strict moralism and their early Christian hope of the imminent return of Christ.  Unfortunately the Montanist sect became extremely radical if not outrightly heretical. Tertullian removed himself from their radicalism. This is not what Paul was advising so that many would become secluded and cloistered in monasteries as the monks or nuns, rather he was writing to the Corinthian Christians in regards to how they were to handle immorality in the congregation and not to be separated from the world which they cannot be separated from.  It would be stupid to say that even in a monastery you are separated from this world for you are not, you are still part of the world only you are not participating necessarily outrightly.  Therefore, Paul is telling us that we are to keep our congregations morally clean and we do this by not keeping company with anyone that is a name to a brother who is involved in immorality.  How are we to handle such a situation?  Jesus told us exactly how we are to go about handling those Christians who are going or have gone astray: "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he hears you, you have gained her brother.  But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more that by the amount of two or three witnesses every word may be established.  And if he refuses to hear then, tell it to the church.  But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector" (Matthew 18:15 -- 17).  The Bible is very clear on this matter that we are discussing.  Unfortunately within the church today seldom, if ever in some cases, is this rubric followed, and the immoral people are allowed to continue with in the church. That is definitely in total contradiction to what Jesus said and what Paul wrote to the Corinthian's who had this problem.  Is the Bible is your guide for life or are you following some other teaching.  The goal is not to be hateful for what we are doing when we excommunicated person due to their immorality as this is to make cause for them to repent.  But do not let this one fact goes unnoticed: "... not even to eat with such a person." Did I say it takes courage to be a Christian?  Yes!  Does it take holding fast to their convictions in regards to what Jesus has instructed us and to us becoming in the image of Jesus Christ?  Yes!  Are we to be committed to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?  Yes!  We are to judge those inside of our congregations: "For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside?  Do you not judge those who are inside?  But those who are outside God judges.  Therefore "put away from yourselves that you will person" (1 Corinthians 5: 12 -- 13; Deuteronomy 17: 7).  This may be hard to digest what we must digest it if we are to grow in our sanctification, that is from milk to meat, to be mature, to grow in our faith so that we are able to not only answered questions forwarded to us by others, but also to be able to keep our congregations clean from immorality.  Question: how will you handle Paul's instruction?

The heart is deceitful above all things,

            and desperately wicked;

who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart,

            I test the mind, even to give every man

according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

                                    Jeremiah 17:9 -- 10; see, Romans 2:6

God our hope, and our salvation

Richard L. Crumb