(Through the Bible) 1 Corinthians - Part 2 — Zac Poonen

Overcoming Sexual Immorality Through Flight

Let's turn now to God's word we'll turn to 1 Corinthians and Chapter 7 this continues from the previous chapter. There is only one way to overcome the temptation to immorality. And that is what is mentioned in chapter 6 verse 18 run away.

When Joseph was tempted By Potiphar's wife he ran away if we don't flee and Stand around. Exposing ourselves to temptation. You can be pretty sure That one day you'll fall. But if you have the attitude of running away from anything that is even a temptation to immorality if you find that a conversation or friendship or a relationship is Moving in dangerous directions.

There's only one thing you must do. Please remember that all your life. If you don't want to destroy your life in your ministry turn around and run. Get away from there. Very very important. There are people who have not taken that advice and have destroyed their whole life and ministry.

Can you imagine the regret they will have an eternity. Because they didn't run. And in that context he goes on to say in chapter 7 about marriage he says. Yeah, it's good not to be married if you are if you can be useful more useful in terms of time having more time for the Lord's work, but Because there's such a lot of immorality in the world verse 2 and it's even more true today.

Let every man have his own wife. And let every woman have her own husband. And that's that says that marriage is a protection from immorality. Now some people think oh, that's a very unspiritual reason for marriage.

Call it whatever you like. The Holy Spirit puts it there in the Bible as a very good reason for getting married. That is to overcome immorality. There's such a lot of immorality in the world. Don't be so super spiritual as to think that this is a very low reason for getting married.

If the Holy Spirit has put it there It's a very good reason for getting married and that's why later on he says in verse 9 if you don't have self-control. It is better to marry than to burn. A person can burn with sexual desire and passion and he does not have the self-control to Limit himself then it's far better to get married and Avoid that burning and avoid unnecessary temptation.

The Bible is very down-to-earth and practical. It doesn't teach some hermit type of life. Where you're away from the world in some type of monastery or forest you live in the middle of the world. Just like Jesus lived an ordinary life with husband and wife it says about Enoch.

He walked with God and he had sons and daughters. You can walk with God and live a married life and have sons and daughters and he walked with God for 300 years and so Marriage can be a protection for you in this world particularly in the ministry.

Mutual Responsibility and Faithfulness in Marriage

Then it says when you do get married husband and wife Must remember that they lose their authority over their bodies the moment they are married. I Find in the Indian culture. It's very very important especially for women who get married to understand this.

Very often there is not enough teaching on this in the churches. People are embarrassed to speak about what scripture speaks so plainly in 1 corinthians 7 verse 3 and 4 that when a Husband gets married The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife.

The wife must fulfill her duty to her husband. It's called a duty that sexual relationship is called a duty nothing to be ashamed of just like duty of Cooking the food taking care of the house the sexual relationship is also a duty in a married relationship.

Was for once a woman gets married. She does not have authority over her body her body from the day she gets married belongs to her husband and Before she gets married she has authority over her body After she gets married from that day.

She has to give her body to her husband anytime. The husband also you see this is the part which sometimes husbands are very eager to let their wives know their Responsibility, but don't recognize their own responsibilities as husbands.

The same verse says. The husband also does not have authority over his body, but his wife does now. What does this mean for the husband I? Don't believe it's referring primarily to the sexual relationship the physical relationship in marriage because husbands may be very eager for that.

But it's talking about the fact that your body Now if you're married belongs now to your wife. What does that mean? That means if you're traveling in a bus. You're a married man, and you see a pretty girl, please remember That your eyes belong to your wife.

That's in practical terms. That's what it means. You're already married. Why are you looking at this pretty girl? No you're not considering a second wife. Are you? Your eyes belong to your wife if you don't want your eyes to belong to your wife don't get married.

Then you look at the different girls and see which one you want to marry, but after you're married Why are your eyes still roaming here and there? It's a very important verse your body belongs to your wife.

You had to be careful with your eyes. You had to be careful with your tongue in the way you converse with other girls. I'm not saying you shouldn't. I believe it's normal to converse with girls and women.

But it's a question of how you do it. You can do it in a flirtatious Loose type of way, and there's a lot of that. You know the amount of immorality there is Among Christian workers in all denominations.

It's a scandal. Where does it begin? It begins in the heart with thoughts it begins with a not a healthy relationship with one's wife. It begins with eyes that aren't wandering and It begins with not running away from close encounters.

So if you steer clear of these things you will not add to the scandals that already are there in Christendom. Apart from the scandals It completely ruins your ministry for God thereafter. Your effectiveness for God so it's very very important as a married person be faithful to your wife and when you find the passion strong the answer is get married and Keep a very close healthy happy relationship as husband and wife because that's a great protection in an evil world and He goes on to mention here that it's possible that God may call some people to a single life.

See for example Verse 7. I wish That all men were like me. Paul was single. But each man has his own gift from God. So you realize he says I realize that some people don't have this calling. See particularly in a ministry like the Apostles in a time in those days when you couldn't travel too much so quickly.

Today you can travel from one end of the other world to the other in less than 24 hours. Whereas Paul if he wanted to travel even 50 miles it would take a whole day. It's very different today, and so in those days an apostle traveled.

He would hardly ever be at home if he were married that's why it says some of the apostles took their wives with them and So in such situations. He says that it's good for an apostle to be Single and there may be certain situations today where It's good for people to be single, but I think it's Perhaps less than 1 of cases.

Because of the chain situation and also the other factor there was persecution there was a lot of persecution at that time and therefore he also Encourages people to be like that now. I want to show you this verse in verse 35.

He says the reason why I want to encourage you to consider single life is basically this to secure your last part of verse 35 to secure your undistracted devotion to the Lord. He earlier says he says if you live in this world You can't afford to be taken up with everything that happens in the world verse 30.

Okay, there may be certain means times and things happen, and you have to weep, but don't keep weeping forever finish with it and Those who rejoice you Don't get so taken up with the joy of earthly things.

Maybe you built a new house and get so excited about it it's okay, but put it in get over it and get on with serving the Lord and If you buy something and you're so taken up with what you bought Don't get taken up with anything in this world.

That's what is basically saying and he says even if you're married verse 29 don't let your wife and your home life be everything to you there is work to be done for the Lord and Remember your devotion to the Lord verse 35 must be Undistracted the Lord must be first in your life, and I want you to notice one other thing that Paul Says here More than once he says words like this Verse 25 concerning virgins.

I don't have any command from the Lord. But I give my opinion in another place he says I Say In verse 8 it's good fun married people and to the others not I verse 12 I say but not the Lord and Somewhere else he says, but this is what the Lord is saying not me so Paul Distinguishes here in this passage in this whole chapter.

He says certain things. I'm giving you verse 25 my opinion. Now it's very healthy for God's servants to Distinguish like Paul did here in verse 25 between the commands of the Lord and their opinions when they preach.

There's nothing wrong in giving your opinion. But make sure you don't confuse your opinion with God's commands. Make it clear to the people. This is God's command and this is my opinion. This is not what God has commanded.

I'm giving you my opinion and the end of the Chapter verse 40. He says in my opinion and He says I think I have the Spirit of God see the humility of this man. His opinion is such a godly opinion, but he doesn't have this arrogance that some people have today.

Who say thus says the Lord? He says I think I have the Spirit of God and I'll tell you this After being a believer for so many years. I would rather listen to a man who says I Think I have the Spirit of God than to somebody who says thus saith the Lord.

Because I've discovered that almost all these people who say thus saith the Lord. The Lord is not speaking at all. It's just they themselves. Whereas when a man is humble enough to say Well, brother, I think I have the spirit when I say this most of the time God speaks through such humble people and I would rather listen to such a man than a man who arrogantly Imagines that he's the mouthpiece of God.

Christian Liberty and the Conscience of Others

Okay chapter 8 He's speaking about Using our liberty to do what we like in a way that hinders other people. You see those days all the meat That was sold in the market was hung in front of the idols in the idols temple and then only sold so.

You could not be a non-vegetarian those days without eating meat offered to idols. There was no other meat. You had to be a vegetarian. In Romans 14 also it speaks about that and so some believers said this meat offered to idols.

I'm never gonna eat it. Fine. So they were vegetarians all through their life. There were others who said what is an idol? Somebody takes a piece of wood and carve something and puts it up there and then you hang some meat in front of it.

It doesn't make any difference to me. Whether it's hung in front of that wooden block or anything. There's no idol. I believe in only one God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ and I give thanks over this meat and I eat it he was also right and Here Paul is saying Yeah, there are both views possible.

He said in Romans 14 and let each respect the other person's view. That he mentioned in Romans 14 don't force the other person to conform to your view. See we face this here in India sometimes and people give you some Diwali sweets and Have they offered it to idols or not, you don't know.

Well Paul says Later on in chapter 10 if some unbeliever invites you Where it one Corinthians 10 27 eat what is set before you and don't ask any questions. Otherwise you may not be able to enjoy that food.

But if someone says to you these sweets were offered to idols. Then you have to say Sorry, I'm sorry that I won't take it. Not because you're afraid of that idol. That's only a block of wood, but for his conscience.

To show him that you don't believe in idol worship. It's for his sake. That's what it says there in verse 28. So in 1 Corinthians 8 he says the most important thing is not these issues the most important thing is Do you have love.

1 Corinthians 8 1 knowledge makes you arrogant you know the people who said what is an idol? Huh, it's nothing a block of wood you fellas don't have knowledge. You're all scared. Okay, you got a lot of knowledge.

You say that's a block of wood correct. You're right. But you don't have any love you don't have any concern that your attitude and the way you're doing something is causing that person to stumble and So he says it's true even if there are so many gods and all that verse 5 that is for us only one God.

And verse 4 we know there's no such thing as an idol because there is only one God. So he says all that is true. I agree with you what you're saying is right, but we're seven some people are Being accustomed to the idol.

I mean they came out of idolatry and they were used to recognizing that block of wood as a God and Their conscience is defiled. He says you don't have that you didn't have that background. Now he says take care verse 9 that your liberty does not cause another person to stumble.

Because if someone sees you sitting in the idols temple, this is the problem. You're sitting in an idols temple verse 10 and eating because you say what is the idol is just a block of wood and this man his conscience is weak and He Also does what you do and he has a problem when he does it.

See the way it applies to us today could be in things like this. Now the Bible does not say that if you drink a glass of beer, it's a sin. There's no verse in the Bible that says that the Bible only says you shouldn't get drunk.

You take a peg of whiskey that's not a sin, but That's not the end of the story. Supposing another person sees you drinking a little bit of toddy or a little bit of beer and You stop with half a glass of what that's finished.

You've got control. That person sees you as a leader or a godly brother. Oh He can drink it and it must be alright. He also starts drinking it and he does not have the self-control that you have. He begins to take more and more and more and becomes a drunkard.

Who led him along the pathway of drunkenness you? So you your liberty to take one glass and stop at that has led to another person falling into sin. So what should you do? You say a true Christian will deny himself.

He doesn't say is it right or wrong. He says is it profitable. All things are lawful. One glass of beer may be lawful, but is it profitable. Is it will it cause another person to stumble. If it is going to cause one person to stumble I will not drink one glass of toddy or beer or whiskey in my whole life.

What do I lose by that? There are a lot of other things I can drink. Because I'm concerned about that person that is love. He says don't live by your knowledge because knowledge will only make you arrogant.

Verse 1 love is what builds up. Please remember this rule by your knowledge verse 11 don't ruin that weak brother for whom Christ has died. See we this applies also to many many things. We have to be very careful if you're a pastor or a elder of a church and.

And You go to visit a home and the man of the house is not at home. Don't go in. I've never done it. Not because I'm tempted not because that sister living there is tempted, but because of my testimony.

I Don't want other people to be stumbled. I may be able to sit there and Have a very pure conversation with that sister and go away, but another younger brother Would see me and say oh brother. Zach can go and visit a home when there's only ladies there only a lady there.

And he also does it and maybe he falls into sin, and I was the one who led him astray. These are little practical examples, or he may see your scooter parked outside that house he may not even come inside and He knows that the man of the house is not there.

And you become a bad example. These are little little things. If you have love You'll be concerned about that other person if you only glory in your knowledge and say no I'm keeping myself pure inside the house.

That is a selfish heathen non-christian way to live. Okay, and then you sin and you wound your brother their conscience, and then you sin against Christ. So he says anything that causes my brother to stumble like that.

I'll never do it. It's so important when handling money. I always tell people in our churches Even if you're the most honest brother in the world when you open the offering box, please have another brother with you so that two brothers together can count the offering and that there's a proper record of it and Don't let the full-time worker who is receiving that money count that money.

That's dangerous let somebody else do it who's not getting any money from that offering box and Let him Do it for the sake of a testimony that nobody should say he is pocketed part of it. So these are little little things.

Apostolic Freedom, Marriage, and Financial Support

It's got many applications. Chapter 8. Chapter 9 speaks about Goes on in the subject of Liberty. He says am I not an apostle. Why do I have to work? Like others. First of all why do I have to remain single.

Verse 5 teaches us that all the Apostles? Were married. Except Paul he says all the other Apostles are married, and they carry their wife take their wife with them wherever they go. Some people think the Apostles were not married.

This verse teaches us all the Apostles were married. So if there's a church today, which says that You have to be unmarried like some churches. Do to be a full-time worker then Peter and James and all could never have joined those churches.

That itself shows you that those churches are wrong if the Apostles could not join those churches. What type of churches are they. And the second thing people say today is That if you want to serve the Lord you must give up all your secular jobs.

And then then Paul and Barnabas could not have joined those churches because we're six. Paul and Barnabas were working with their hands they were supporting themselves and Serving the Lord. Some people like Peter James and John.

Peter and John and others were Not working. They were supported by others, but people like Paul and Barnabas were working and They also were Apostles so you can be an Apostle doing a secular job. Or you can be an Apostle who is supported by other believers.

You can be an Apostle who's unmarried or you can be an Apostle who's married. Marriage and job are No factors in serving the Lord. Okay. Then he goes on to speak about Supporting the Lord's servants. He says God has said verse 9 that you shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn.

While he's threshing is he only talking about oxen he says that was an Old Testament law that you know they thresh the Grain there with oxen going around and some selfish Hard-hearted farmers would shut the mouth of the ox so that the ox doesn't eat some of that.

He said no keep its mouth. God said keep it open so they let the ox eat something after all it's doing some work and All says do you think God was only concerned about oxen no? He that is written for our sake verse 10 that Those who serve the Lord You must provide for them To feed themselves and their families because they are working so hard like the oxen you know doing the Lord's work and So Paul says we have sowed spiritual things to you is it anything great if we reap some material things from you.

That means we have served you so much spiritually. Is there anything wrong if you folks give us some material help to take of our needs? He's not talking about collecting money to build houses and lands and buy property in my family's name.

That's not what he's talking about. He's talking about survival. He's talking about getting enough money to just eat and drink and buy clothes and travel from one place to other for preaching the gospel and Rent a simple house.

He's talking about things like that which has been exploited today by a lot of people to say you must support me and I just spend it Lavishly to live in grand style. It's not that and He goes on to say even in the Old Testament The priests could take from the offer offerings from the sacrifices in the temple.

So also here is the word verse 14 the Lord has directed That those who proclaim the gospel must get their living from the gospel. So that teaches that those who preach the good news here and there have got every right to receive gifts from those who get the benefit of their ministry.

In Fact it says in Galatians chapter 6 that those who are taught Should bless those who teach with material things. I find in Christendom two extremes on this. One extreme is those Who exploit this teaching to make a lot of money for themselves on the basis of this teaching.

And the other extreme? Are people who don't do enough or anything for those who minister the Word of God to them? They are also at one extreme. They think they are better than the others, but they've just fallen over the cliff the other side.

Both are out of the will of God. Those who obey God's Word are honored by God. But this must not be used by us. To make a lot of money for ourselves and Paul says I'm writing all this. But he says now let me give you my example.

I'm not writing that you should do this for me. Because he says I don't need your money. I've never taken money from you Corinthians. And I'm not writing now to saying that you should give me money because I don't need it.

I work with my own hands. Paul was very careful. He received money from the church in Philippi. You read that in 2nd Corinthians 11 Philippians 4. That's Macedonia. He did not receive money from the Corinthians.

You read that 1 Corinthians 9. 2nd Corinthians 11. He did not receive money from the church in Ephesus. You read that in Acts 20. You did not receive money from the Thessalonian Church. You read that in 2nd Thessalonians 3.

Most churches. Paul did not receive any money. In fact as far as we know he received it only from the church in Philippi. So Paul was discerning. He knew where to take and where not to take. He didn't have a standard rule saying thou shall take.

Or thou shall not take in each case. He's sensed by the Holy Spirit. Do I feel free to receive this from this group of churches or this church or this man? So a true servant of God will be like that and he says here Why do I do it like this?

This is a very very important verse. I Do it verse 18. Why am I serving you without taking any money from you? I do it. Because I want to make the gospel free of charge verse 18. The gospel must be free of charge.

People who hear the gospel must know. They don't have to pay one paisa to hear the gospel and that is why throughout my life in any public meetings that I've ever had where I've had the Opportunity. To have a say in the organizing of it.

I've always said We will not take a collection. Because there could be unbelievers here and the unbelievers should not feel that they have to pay even one paisa to hear the gospel and I have never regretted that decision in any place that I've gone.

Only believers have the right to support God's work. Unbelievers have no right to support God's work because they should not one day stand before the Lord and say Lord. How can you send me to hell? I gave hundred rupees to brother Zach for ministering God's Word.

Don't you remember that day? He took a collection in one meeting and I dropped hundred rupees in the bag and he lived on that. Nobody will be able to say that about me In the day of judgment, but there are many many unbelievers who will be able to say about many Organizations and many preachers Lord.

We supported that man. We gave money to that man and he took it and Now you're sending me to hell. What will you say in that day when the Lord asks you? Why did you take it when you know knew this man was an unbeliever?

So be very careful here. Paul was very very careful. He knew whom to take from and whom not to take from and he says the gospel must be free. And he says though I am free from all men I've made myself a servant of all.

So that I can serve them and then in chapter 24 to 27. He speaks about keeping his body under control so that verse 27, he does not end up preaching to others and Being disqualified himself. Do you know it's possible for a servant of God to preach?

So many wonderful truths like Solomon who wrote three books of Scripture and go to hell. If Paul says here in verse 27 if I don't keep my bodily desires under control I Can preach wonderful messages about all types of things to everybody and finally go to hell myself disqualified by the Lord in the final day.

The Apostle Paul the man who established churches the man who wrote Scripture the man who raised the dead the man who healed the sick the man who Preached so many wonderful sermons. He says I Can be disqualified in the final day.

If I don't keep my bodily passions under control and I think oh God has used me so much. So you'll definitely take me into his kingdom not necessarily. So It's your life that God looks at primarily not your ministry.

Temptation, Perseverance, and Living for God's Glory

In chapter 10, he gives an example. He's Speaking about those who Preach and are disqualified and he says I'll give you an example. The Israelites who came out of Egypt did they all get into Canaan? No, they perished in the wilderness.

He says the same thing can happen to you. He says these things have happened verse 6 as an example for us. Verse 11 chapter 10 these things are an example for us. So be careful. Then we have this wonderful promise in verse 13 God will never allow you to be tempted beyond your ability.

Praise God for that. No temptation will ever come into your life, which is more than you can handle. Remember that you can overcome every temptation. Don't ever say this is becoming too much for me. If you say that you're saying God is a liar in 1 Corinthians 10 13 It can never be too much for you.

What you need is more grace. Ask God for grace that temptation is not too much for you. You can overcome. God will make a way it says there to help you to overcome and Then it speaks here about this verse 31.

Whatever you do whether you eat or drink. Do all to the glory of God whenever you're in doubt about God's will in some matter. Always come back to 1 Corinthians 10 31. You have tried every other method of finding God's will and you can't find out what is God's will here come back to 1 Corinthians 10 31 and ask yourself.

Head Coverings and the Lord's Supper

Can I do this for the glory of God? If you feel in your spirit, you can't do it for the glory of God. Don't do it. Whatever we do even eating and drinking must be for the glory of God. Chapter 11 speaks about two things women covering their heads in the church and The Lord's Supper the breaking of bread.

Now remember I told you right at the beginning in chapter 1. This is the Church of God in Corinth. He's not talking about how a woman should behave at home everything is related to the church chapter 5 chapter 6 and all these chapter 11 also and he's explaining here the reason for a Woman's head covering.

There are three reasons why a woman should cover her head in the church. Number one verse 7 a man should not have his head covered because he is the image and glory of God. A woman Should ever head covered because she is the glory of man.

Earlier, it says in verse 3 Christ is the head of man and man is the head of woman. So it is a symbol a Woman is saying a man is my head and the glory of man. Should it be covered or uncovered in the church?

Cover the glory of man should be covered in the church and Since verse 7 woman is the glory of man a woman should be covered in the church very simple because only the glory of Christ should be seen in the church.

The glory of man must be covered in the church and since the Woman is the glory of man a woman must be covered in the church, but a man should not. His head should not be covered because he is the glory of God.

The glory of God should not be covered in the church. That's why a man keeps his head Uncovered so I believe a priest who wears a cap on his head is just as wrong as a Sister who doesn't cover a head just the same.

Okay, and Another reason is in verse 15. Now all sisters will agree That their long hair is a glory. No sister likes to have a shaven head. Long hair every woman will agree is a glory. Should the glory of woman be covered in the church.

Yes. Therefore a woman's long hair should be covered. The glory of man should be covered. The glory of woman should be covered. A woman's glory Is a long hair so that should be covered in the church. That's the second reason and the third reason is in verse 10.

It's a symbol of submission to authority. She's saying I've got a man whose head over me my husband or my father. Or if you're an orphan or a widow the elder in the church. I've got a man who is over me.

I'm not a law unto myself. So those are the three reasons why a woman should cover a head in the church. Now this is an area where Western influence has come into India and corrupted. This teaching in India unfortunately you'll always find wherever Western influences come into India.

This practice is thrown away but where you go to churches where Western influences does not come in the villages they all practice it and Then he finally says he says now if you're going to Have a lot of arguments about this verse 16.

I just want to conclude by saying every Church of God practices this you can do what you like. But I'm not going to get in an argument with you about it. Okay, we go on to the Lord's table in verse 23 to 34 it says if anyone is.

When we come to the Lord's table we are remembering the Lord's death. In in in this we fellowship together and We are testifying that Jesus died for us, and I want to be broken like the Lord is broken for me.

And also we are testifying like it says in chapter 10 verse 17 that this bread is one body. That means I'm testifying when I eat that bread. I'm saying Lord. I want to be Broken like you were broken. I Don't want some priest to break it and put it into my mouth.

He cannot decide whether I want to be broken or not. I have to break that bread myself and put it into my mouth nobody else can decide it for me. I break it and I put it in my mouth, and I say Lord I want to be broken and fellowship with you at the same time before that bread was broken.

It was one bread, and I'm saying I'm not only breaking it as a testimony of my covenant with you. It's also a testimony of my covenant with my fellow believers here. With whom I am one just like this bread was one before we all broke it now.