Quote:
Originally Posted by cneasttx
Oh, that was one of my faults Prax. That is what I think keeps people sitting on the pew and not going and doing what we are commanded to do. I am in my 50's and just now learning I was selfish about the gospel. Not that I always have been but lately that seems to be how I seem to myself.
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Let me elaborate too. BTW I think everyone should study Love. Love is not selfish. Read 1Cor. It's really amazing. Selfish people talk more about themselves. Selfish people only go to church for themselves. They only pray for themselves. Their walk...their efforts to live for God...are for themselves. They preach to be heard and seen. The focus is always on them. Selfishness does not necessarily mean being introverted or shy. It's one thing to have a hard time talking to strangers about the gospel. But another when your motives for doing anything is about yourself or for NOT doing anything is because you don't care about others.
Why go to church?
Why pray?
Why have a relationship with Jesus?
Why teach Sunday School?
What is our motive?
The Corinthians were selfish. I've been on Corinthians for a couple weeks now. It started by reading Paul talk about Israel in the wilderness and how their fall was for our example. They were impatient. They were not thankful for what God already gave them. They were not satisfied with the manna.
1Co 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
1Co 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
1Co 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
1Co 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
1Co 10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
1Co 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
1Co 10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
1Co 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
1Co 10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
1Co 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Here is the kicker. If we look at the types here, this is a church that was taken OUT of sin (egypt) and even baptized (red sea) and yet could not enter the promised land due to unbelief
This next part I just read again recently. Love or Charity is supposed to be our reason for everything. Jesus said IF you love me keep my commandments...not "If you want to escape hell keep my commandments"...the greatest command is Love...and love is what?
1Co 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
1Co 13:2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1Co 13:4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
1Co 13:5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
1Co 13:6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
1Co 13:7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1Co 13:8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
1Co 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
1Co 13:10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
1Co 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
1Co 13:13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
You can speak in tongues, prophesy and understand all mysteries and still not have love. You can give to the Poor and still not have love.
Love is
Patient
Kind
Does not envy or boats
Is not arrogant or rude
Does not insist on it's own way (wow)
is not irritable or resentful
Then Paul relates this to being a child. He accused the Corinthians of being spiritually immature and carnal, even though he admitted they had tongues and prophesy and the gifts etc etc. It is said that the Corinthians thought they were spiritual superior because they had the gifts operating but Paul said they were really carnal and immature. They had faith, but not love....
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