Tag: 1 corinthians 9

The necessary dedication behind discipline

Our walk of faith is one of tireless self-evaluation and training in righteousness.

Our walk of faith is one of tireless self-evaluation and training in righteousness.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27: “Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win. Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore run like that, not aimlessly. I fight like that, not beating the air, but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.”

This admonition of Paul to the Corinthian believers should be a motto placed on the wall of every congregation to this day. Paul would accept absolutely no compromise when it came to matters of obedience or disobedience to Yahweh. He was so intent on keeping his focus on the righteousness of God and he says he would beat his body into submission if his desires outweighed what was right.

The phrase he uses here means to strike under the eye, as if giving someone a black eye. This conjures up imagery of prizefighting, where fighters train their body is so hard so that they may endure the battle in the arena.

If that’s the level of discipline needed to be successful in worldly games with and earthly reward such as a crown or head-wreath of victory, how much more is at stake in our spiritual lives that we should exercise the same vigilance and determination in keeping ourselves pure?

Yeshua put it this way to his disciples:

Matthew 5:29-30: “If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.”

The issue was not the physical chopping off of hands or gouging out of eyes, but having the same level of diligence in making sure our bodies are disciplined according to God’s word. This is the seriousness with which Yeshua commands his followers to be consistent in their walk of righteousness.

Paul carries this idea forward with the concept of putting our flesh to death. There is nothing more final than the concept of death. If the flesh is dead, it can’t continue to rise up in rebellion to the commands of God.

  • Colossians 3:5-6: “Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience.”
  • Romans 8:13: “For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

It’s true, we must die to ourselves in order to live for Messiah. If we are not willing to make that level of commitment in our walk, then perhaps we need to rethink our understanding of just what it is Yeshua taught.

Matthew 10:38-39: “He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me. He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. “

If you enjoy these daily articles, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.

Now also on YouTube, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.

Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com

Believers can’t make people trust in God

When it comes to those opposed to believing in him, God can’t seem to win.

When it comes to those opposed to believing in him, God can’t seem to win.

When Israel was led out of Egypt, God performed miraculous signs by destroying the land of Egypt and also drowning their army in the Red Sea. He guided them in the desert with a pillar of fire and protected them from the sun with a cloud that covered them throughout the heat of the day.

Yet, as they were poised to enter the land of Canaan and take it over, the people became fearful of the land’s inhabitants, and instead decided to elect a new leader and return to Egypt. This, of course, enraged Yahweh, who was prepared to strike the entire assembly with a plague and wipe them out.

Numbers 14:11 – Yahweh said to Moses, “How long will these people despise me? How long will they not trust in me despite all the signs I have performed among them?

See, when it comes to those who are hesitant or rebellious about exhibiting faith in God, God can’t seem to win. If he doesn’t do miraculous deeds, then people scoff and say that he either doesn’t exist or he doesn’t intervene in life situations. If he does miraculous deeds, the people continually doubt his ability to do the next miraculous thing.

The issue isn’t about God’s ability to do or not do miraculous things. It’s about a person’s heart condition and willingness to accept God’s authority in their life. For those who can accept the authority of a God of all the universe, there is plenty of evidence to corroborate his glory and majesty in both the created world and in his interventions throughout the history of his people. However, for those who cannot accept the authority of an all powerful God, all of the evidence in the world will not convince them it is so.

This is not a dilemma for believers to solve; it is simply the way it is. Our purpose is to share the truth of God’s Word with those who are willing to listen, and to be faithful in not compromising the Word with those who may not be accepting of its conclusions. Like the apostle Paul, we need to do our best to be “all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. Now I do all this because of the gospel, so that I may share in the blessings,” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23).

The Israelites simply had to learn the hard way to trust in Yahweh. Those who didn’t and chose instead to do things their own way ended up perishing in the desert; there was nothing else for Yahweh to do with their non-belief. In the same way, we need to have the maturity to allow people to make their own choices when it comes to trusting in Yahweh. All we can do is point the way, but they are the ones who need to step through the door. Let’s just do all we can to remove every hindrance possible and leave the rest in God’s capable hands.

If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.

Now also on YouTube, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.

Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.