Jean's Bible Study Topics of the New Testament

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1Cor 2,1-5

· (56h) Paradox Ø Opposites Ø He must increase, but I must decrease – Paul stripped away all the glamour of his speech and spoke in simple language so as not to obscure the word of God. His demeanor was not a man of power and prestige and great persuasion, but one of weakness and fear and much trembling. He did this to prove his message originated from the power of God that was propelling his life, and not from his flesh. However, what do preachers do today? They use a lot of pageantry in their speech. Why do they do this? It must be that they are not propelled by the power of God! They glamorize the gospel as evidence of God’s presence in their lives, but Paul determined that the power of God would not revolve around him. Rather, he was acting as a mere vessel of God’s strength. Paul wanted to dissociate himself from the glory he brought, and be content as a mere vehicle upon which God would transport His message throughout the world. The power that God wanted to demonstrate among the people was not so much in the gifts of the Spirit (outlined in 1Cor 12 and 14), as it was contained in the boldness to take the gospel in places that put Paul at risk of injury and death, and through that boldness demonstrated the power of God in his words graced with heaven through the fruits of the Spirit (outlined in Gal 5). He spoke words that were off limits to man’s flesh; combined with the Holy Spirit as he spoke the oracle of God with boldness. This had the power to change people’s lives. Paul staked his life on what he believed and risked his life for his audience, yet through a man of trembling, showing the disconnect between Paul and the glory of God. His manner of delivering the gospel of Christ had the effect of focusing people’s attention on the message he brought, and inhibiting people from worshipping him as though he were someone whose flesh was more able than others to carry the gospel. Paul was chosen by God to reach a higher percentage of the population of the known world with the gospel than any other man before or after him. The fact that there are not statues of him erected on every street corner is a tribute to Paul’s dedication to remain below the message he preached. Nevertheless, there was a relationship between the zeal of Paul and the will of God, though even his zeal came from God, not entirely as a gift from the Spirit, but he was actually born with it, which made him an appealing candidate for God’s choice. When God combined His power with the Paul’s character, He got an evangelist who left the world in a different state than he found it. This was an act of God, and Paul played a part in it, being willing to become the person of God’s vision. Knowing the power at Paul’s disposal, not only in his anointing, but also in his character, he knew that people would be tempted to glorify him and build statues to him over the millennia, so he was careful not to draw attention to himself to diminish the glory of God. He did everything in his power to become transparent in order that the glory of God would manifest all the more, as John the Baptist said, “I must decrease, but He must increase,” and as Paul said, “So that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” Paul did not want people to believe in him, but in God, who raises the dead. He didn’t want them to believe in his abilities; he wanted them to believe in God’s abilities.

· (66i) Jesus’ authority Ø Jesus is the power of God Ø Demonstration of His Spirit

· (85g) Thy kingdom come Ø Words that are spoken in faith Ø Testify of God’s works

· (96h) Thy kingdom come Ø Attitude Ø Having an attitude of humility

· (115e) Thy kingdom come Ø Working the grace of God Ø Through your ministry Ø By the word of God

· (129b) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Bearing the fruit of evangelism Ø Spiritual fruit

· (129k) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Unity Ø Being in one accord Ø Single minded Ø Determination

· (147i) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Works of the church bear witness to Jesus Ø Evangelism Ø Solemnly testify about Jesus

· (148d) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Works of the church bear witness to Jesus Ø Evangelism Ø Natural advantage as an evangelist regarding the flesh – Paul was a highly talented person, but he was also gifted, and Paul chose to emphasize his gifts over his talents. His natural born talents are what allowed him to speak in different languages and to understand the word of God as well as the greatest theologians of his time, who were probably more dedicated to their discipline than the theologians of today. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees. He had gone to school for years, learning all the facets of the law, and was extremely committed to God’s word. He was a zealot of zealots. These were his talents, and he used them before he met Christ to persecute the church. Once he met Jesus, he received spiritual-born gifts, and as he elaborated on them, a marriage occurred between his talents and his gifts in what was truly a holy matrimony that God used to turn the world upside down for Christ. Paul was God’s right-hand man, who went from a persecutor of the saints to a leader of God’s church in the blink of an eye along the road to Damascus.

· (227i) Kingdom of God Ø God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø God working in you Ø Dependence on Jesus Ø Depending on Jesus to impart His gifts into us Ø To give us what we give to the world

1Cor 2-1

· (166e) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø Wisdom of the world Ø Nature Of Man’s Wisdom Ø Man’s wisdom is fixed on gaining personal advantage

1Cor 2,2-8

· (89h) Thy kingdom come Ø Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom Ø Wisdom of the Spirit

1Cor 2-2

· (37h) Judgment of God Ø Redemption of man Ø His blood delivered us from destruction

1Cor 2,3-5

· (53m) Paradox Ø Opposites Ø God is made strong in our weakness

· (62j) Paradox Ø Anomalies Ø Being clever Ø Let the Holy Spirit vindicate you

1Cor 2-4,5

· (111a) Thy kingdom come Ø Spirit and the word Ø Spirit and evangelism

· (123a) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Boldness to speak the word by the Spirit

· (71a) Authority Ø Believer’s authority Ø We have authority to evangelize the world

· (246e) Demonstration Of God’s Kingdom (Key verse)

· (246f) Kingdom of God Ø Spirit realm imposed on the natural realm Ø Demonstration of God’s kingdom Ø God demonstrates His glory Ø Demonstration of the Spirit

1Cor 2-5

· (86e) Thy kingdom come Ø Belief Ø God’s works act as evidence to support our beliefs

1Cor 2,6-16

· (156h) Witness Ø Validity of the believer Ø Evidence of salvation Ø Understanding wisdom is evidence of salvation

· (19g) Sin Ø Having the mental disease of the world Ø Man’s twisted understanding – These verses go with verse 14

· (61g) Paradox Ø Two implied meanings Ø The rulers of this age do not understand the wisdom of God: Human authorities/Principalities and powers of the spiritual realm – There is wisdom among those who are mature in Christ that transcends this age. When Paul mentioned this wisdom that even the rulers of this age didn’t understand, he was referring not only to human authorities, but also to principalities and powers of a spiritual nature. Not even the demons of hell understand God's wisdom that transcends the natural mind. This means that demons think in terms of nature, though they are spiritual beings. They claim to have superior knowledge, yet they do not understand the wisdom of God, reducing their knowledge to lies. They will not understand the wisdom of God during New Testament times, any more than the Jews understood God’s plan during Old Testament times. It is a wisdom hidden in plain sight. Paul said that this wisdom is in Jesus, who discloses Himself to those who believe Him through the Holy Spirit.

· (71b) Authority Ø Believer’s authority Ø We have authority in the wisdom of God

· (134c) Abortion (the fruit of immorality) (Key verse)

· (135d) Temple Ø Your body is the temple of God Ø Sins of the body Ø Abortion Ø Consequences of abortion Ø People have abortions for the same reason they crucified Jesus Christ

· (138a) Temple Ø Building the temple (with hands) Ø Maturity Ø Maturing by the word of God

· (156l) Witness Ø Validity of the believer Ø Evidence of being hell-bound Ø Living an ungodly lifestyle Ø Associating with the world -- These verses go with verse 14

· (166f) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø Wisdom of the world Ø Nature Of Man’s Wisdom Ø Man’s wisdom does not know God -- These verses go with verse 14

· (167g) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø Carnality Ø The carnal mind does not receive the things of God Ø It does not understand the word of God -- These verses go with verse 14

· (169g) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø The world is blind to God Ø God blinds their eyes

· (177i) Works of the devil Ø The religion of witchcraft Ø Presumption Ø Misunderstanding the word of God

· (183k) Works of the devil Ø The origin of lawlessness Ø Spirit of error Ø Truth is the enemy of the spirit of error Ø Spirit of error rejects the truth

· (199i) Denying Christ Ø Man chooses his own destiny apart from God Ø Rejecting Christ Ø World rejects God because it does not know Him

· (212e) Sovereignty Ø God is infinite Ø He is the creator Ø Evolution (Defaming God) Ø The scientific mind cannot know God

· (221d) Kingdom of God Ø The elusive kingdom of heaven Ø Kingdom hidden behind the veil from the world Ø God hides from the mind of man Ø He hides behind man’s intellect -- These verses go with verse 14

· (223f) Kingdom of God Ø The elusive kingdom of heaven Ø Miss God Ø Missing the point Ø Miss the meaning of the truth

· (230k) Kingdom of God Ø God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø Mystery of godliness Ø Solving the mystery of godliness Ø The love of Christ is the mystery of godliness – This mysterious wisdom can be summed up in a single word: Love. It is the beginning and the end of God’s mystery. The love of God is as much a mystery to demons as it is to mankind, for had they understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. Love is the wisdom of God. We understand emotional and erotic love, and we understand loving someone who loves us, but loving our enemies is incomprehensible to the natural mind. It is abhorrent to our flesh, and is very difficult to manifest even as a Christian. It clashes with all our fleshly impulses and instincts, yet it is the greatest testimony of God’s presence in the world. If the mystery of God is love, then what is the mystery of Babylon mentioned in Rev 17-5, but the absence of love? So, we have the mystery of godliness on one hand and the mystery of lawlessness on the other with mankind sandwiched in-between, who comprehends neither. Satan epitomizes the opposite of God’s mystery, involving a level of selfish greed that rivals the human imagination, and that is saying a lot! Jesus, who came to show us the love of God, epitomizes this mysterious wisdom. Had people been fascinated by the love of Christ in a way that they will be dazzled by the antichrist when he comes, as it says in Rev 17-8, there could be hope for the world. This proves that people cannot comprehend the love of God because they are simply not interested.

1Cor 2-6,7

· (214e) Sovereignty Ø God controls time Ø God’s timing Ø Dispensation of God’s revelations Ø Dispensations of revelation knowledge

· (220a) Sovereignty Ø God overrides the will of man Ø Predestination Ø Predestined before the foundation of the world

1Cor 2-6

· (170f) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø Outward appearance Ø Temporary Ø Whatever is temporary will perish

1Cor 2,7-13

· (109c) Thy kingdom come Ø Revelations of the Holy Spirit Ø Things revealed by the Spirit

1Cor 2-9,10

· (132f) Temple Ø Your body is the temple of God Ø Holy Spirit is in God’s people Ø God gives his spirit as a pledge Ø God pledges His Spirit – Paul talks about some of the wonders of God’s love and all that He has prepared for those who love Him. He says we can enjoy fellowship with Him, saying that we can experience the better part of heaven in this life. We have the opportunity to experience heaven on earth, not on a physical level, but spiritually. The literal wonders of heaven are sure to pale against the spiritual wonders of knowing God. We have been called to get a head start in knowing Him through the Spirit that He has given us. “For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God,” meaning that if the Holy Spirit searches the depths of God and knows the thoughts of the Father, then the Holy Spirit truly is God, who lives in our spirit. Therefore, His purpose in our hearts is to reveal the mind of God. We have all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge abiding in us, and it is up to us to pull them out and have a look at them through the word of God and prayer. This is the means by which we have fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and as we do, He will disclose Himself to us. 

1Cor 2-9

· (74e) Thy kingdom come Ø Heart is man’s central value system Ø Where man interprets worth

· (226d) Kingdom of God Ø Illustrating the kingdom Ø Rewards of the kingdom of heaven Ø Reserved in heaven Ø Our inheritance is reserved in heaven

1Cor 2,10-16

· (6i) Responsibility Ø Ministering to people by being in the Spirit – Everyone who is a believer in Christ has a responsibility to manage their own unique ministry, but these verses describe our primary responsibility as Christians, and what each ministry has in common – a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. We all have a duty to know what is in the mind of God, so that we can offer that information to the brethren to help them continue to grow in the faith.

· (69b) Authority Ø Church conveys Jesus’ authority Ø Discernment Ø Perceiving the truth

1Cor 2,10-13

· (33l) Gift of God Ø Believers are special to God Ø He has given us all things

· (35f) Gift of God Ø God gives Himself to us Ø Father sends the Holy Spirit

· (68f) Authority Ø Jesus Delegates the Holy Spirit to us Ø He guides you into all truth – This is our assignment: put the thoughts of God into words. Sometimes we feel the Spirit of God welling deep in our souls, and we want to splash our exhortations on everyone around us to help build up the body of Christ, but we can’t find the words. Our job as Christians is to bring them to the surface, and encapsulate them with words to comprehend their meaning for the purpose of sharing His thoughts with others. The way to understand the thoughts of God is to commit yourself to the word of God and prayer, giving time and strength to them, pouring over the Scriptures, until His word becomes part of you. Then things will begin to surface on their own. God wants our hearts and His word to converge so there is no disparity between who we are and what He has given us. Prayer is the equivalent to being spiritual. 

· (109j) Thy kingdom come Ø Spirit and the word Ø Spirit the teacher Ø Spirit of truth is our teacher – It is no coincidence that Paul is combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. The Spirit and the word is reiterated hundreds of times, creating a major theme that runs throughout the New Testament. God works in us as we study the word of God through prayer. If we remain diligent in these things we will develop skills and gifts to live for God the way He intended. We will be prepared to accomplish whatever He calls us to do.

· (110l) Thy kingdom come Ø Spirit and the word Ø Spiritual substance and truth Ø Spiritual substance follows the truth 

· (152j) Witness Ø Validity of the Father Ø Witnesses of the father Ø Prophets Ø The church holds the position of a prophet Ø Receiving a prophetic word from God

· (213e) Sovereignty Ø God is infinite Ø Jesus owns you Ø We are his instruments Ø We are tools in the hand of God Ø We are transmitters of His kingdom

1Cor 2,10-12

· (255f) Trinity Ø Father, Son and Holy Spirit Ø The process of imparting the substance of God Ø Father discloses the word by the Spirit -- These verses go with verse 16

1Cor 2-10

· (213a) Sovereignty Ø God is infinite Ø God is all knowing Ø God knows everything about everything

1Cor 2-12

· (119b) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Freedom Ø Law of the spirit Ø Law of the Spirit of truth -- This verse goes with verse 16

· (132a) Temple Ø Your body is the temple of God Ø Holy Spirit is in God’s people Ø spirit of God in the spirit of man Ø Spirit of the Father

· (183g) Works of the devil Ø The origin of lawlessness Ø Spirit of error Ø Spirit of the broad road Ø Spirit of the world

1Cor 2-14,15

· (17c) Sin Ø Unrighteous judgment Ø Judging in the flesh Ø Evaluating circumstances by the carnal mind

1Cor 2-14

· (19g) Sin Ø Having the mental disease of the world Ø Man’s twisted understanding – This verse goes with verses 6-8

· (64j) Paradox Ø Anomalies Ø Weaknesses of God Ø Foolishness of God

· (156l) Witness Ø Validity of the believer Ø Evidence of being hell-bound Ø Living an ungodly lifestyle Ø Associating with the world -- This verse goes with verses 6-8

· (166f) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø Wisdom of the world Ø Nature Of Man’s Wisdom Ø Man’s wisdom does not know God -- This verse goes with verses 6-8. Tell these things to someone who does not believe in God, and he will reject what you say under the premise that you cannot prove any of your assertions, but the unbeliever is a hypocrite in that neither can he prove that God does not exist, but he believes it anyway, because he is not searching for the truth, but for a comfortable belief system. He looks into the heavens and sees the universe staring him in the face as evidence of God and still he will not believe. What more evidence of God does he need? When God gives us His Spirit and we look to the heavens and we see His handiwork who dwells in us, we can be grateful that God has done these things. It scarcely takes any faith to believe in God, “but the natural mind does not accept the things of the Spirit, for they are foolishness to him,” not from a lack of evidence, but from a spirit of error so strong that the unbeliever actually believes the spirit of unbelief. This creates a paradox in his soul, hardening his heart to the true faith. The truth of God is foolishness to the spirit of unbelief that is in Him. They cannot understand, because the spirit of error will not let him. This is the height of spiritual bondage, which is based on rebellion.

· (167g) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø Carnality Ø The carnal mind does not receive the things of God Ø It does not understand the word of God -- This verse goes with verses 6-8

· (221d) Kingdom of God Ø The elusive kingdom of heaven Ø Kingdom hidden behind the veil from the world Ø God hides from the mind of man Ø He hides behind man’s intellect -- This verse goes with verses 6-8

1Cor 2-15,16

· (35g) Gift of God Ø God gives Himself to us Ø Jesus sends the Holy Spirit

· (6e) Being Spiritual (Key verse) – To be spiritual is to be spiritually minded and spiritually guided. To be spiritually minded is to saturate your mind with the word of God, and to be spiritually guided is to be led by the Holy Spirit in all facets of your life.

· (69i) Authority Ø Righteous judgment Ø Judging the flesh by the Spirit

1Cor 2-16

· (42i) Judgment Ø Satan destroyed Ø Transformed Ø Conform to the mind of Christ 

· (59h) Paradox Ø Two implied meanings Ø Knowledge of the written word / Knowledge of the heavenly word

· (78h) Thy kingdom come Ø Renewing your mind by the word of God Ø Be of one mind, his mind

· (119b) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Freedom Ø Law of the spirit Ø Law of the Spirit of truth -- This verse goes with verse 12. We can discern the thoughts of God, and with this knowledge we judge all things, yet we are not under the world’s scrutiny, for the unbeliever is not on our level of understanding and therefore is not in a position to judge. People do judge us, but the spiritual side of us is immune to their examination, because they have no experience in the things of God. They may not believe it, but there judgment is overruled.

· (132f) Temple Ø Your body is the temple of God Ø Holy Spirit is in God’s people Ø God gives his spirit as a pledge Ø God pledges His Spirit – How do we have the mind of Christ? The Spirit of God dwells in us with the same Spirit that searches the mind of God, all the way to the depths of His being. We have His Spirit who infinitely knows God in all His intimate details. His Spirit belongs to us, enabling us to infinitely know God in eternity. It will take that long for us to fully understand God. We have an introduction to Him, through His grace. It is this pledge that will continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout the eons to come.

· (255f) Trinity Ø Father, Son and Holy Spirit Ø The process of imparting the substance of God Ø Father discloses the word by the Spirit -- This verse goes with verses 10-12

1Cor 3,1-5

· (196d) Denying Christ Ø Man exercises his will against God Ø Immaturity Ø Not mature enough to die to self Ø Unable to put down your own flesh – Paul talked about some of the most profound thoughts about God in the first two chapters, and then switched gears and began addressing the immaturity of the Corinthian Church throughout most of his discourse, and leaves the deep things of God behind. Paul would have loved to speak more to them about the greatness and glory of God, but he had to deal with the issues, in order for the Corinthian Church to continue their relationship with God. The fact that Paul went this direction with them says that our doctrines and our theology, our behavior and our relationship toward one another are important and they have a direct affect on our relationship with God. This uncovers Paul’s reason for first discussing the vanity of worldly wisdom. They were using it to construct their point of view, and Paul was saying, ‘God offers something better than this, but you are not ready for it.’ Instead of growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, they were quarreling with one another about some of the pettiest things. They were steeped in carnality, and were not renewing their minds in the word of God. Strange beliefs kept cropping up, and they were ready to latch onto them, but the truth was unpalatable. They were like spoiled, undisciplined children.

· (199d) Denying Christ Ø Man exercises his will against God Ø Frustrating the grace of God Ø Frustrating Jesus Ø Frustrating the apostles

1Cor 3,1-4

· (167f) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø Carnality Ø The carnal mind is set on the flesh Ø Carnal mind is fueled by our emotions

· (169l) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø Seeking the glory of man Ø Stepping on people to get to the bottom Ø Those who seek their own glory idolize men

· (197a) Denying Christ Ø Man exercises his will against God Ø Spiritual laziness Ø Rebelling Against what God wants you to do Ø Refusing to renew your mind – Paul asks them a question, “Are you not walking like mere men?” Based on that choice of words it sounds like God is expecting us to be more than mere men and women. It sounds like He is expecting us to be superhuman. Well, why not, since we have the spirit of God abiding in us? Isn’t there something more than human about us for that reason? God wants us to focus on that part of us that came from heaven that is above our human nature. We need to let it take precedence in our lives so we can rise above our own humanity and become the children of God as He has called us. This is what the Corinthian Church was not doing. They acknowledged Paul coming to their town preaching the message of eternal life and believing his message, but that was about as far as it went with the Corinthian Church. They never took to heart what Paul was telling them. Instead they were practicing a type of mental ascent toward the gospel of Christ. Theoretically the kingdom of God was supposed to be growing in them, but they themselves were not devoting any of their time or energy to making sure that it was happening. 

· (196c) Immaturity (Key verse)

1Cor 3,3-5

· (173d) Works of the devil Ø The religion of witchcraft Ø Catholicism Ø Scripture that contradicts the catholic faith Ø Worshipping idols

1Cor 3,5-11

· (13d) Serve the body Ø Promoting its health Ø Building up the body of Christ

1Cor 3,6-15

· (101l) Thy kingdom come Ø Ambitious to promote the kingdom of God Ø Preaching the gospel

1Cor 3,6-11

· (150b) Witness Ø Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Works of the church bear witness to Jesus Ø Evangelism Ø Instructions on evangelism

1Cor 3,6-9

· (129d) Thy kingdom come Ø Manifestations of faith Ø Bearing the fruit of evangelism Ø Bearing the fruit of the gospel

1Cor 3,6-8

· (225i) Kingdom of God Ø Illustrating the kingdom Ø Parables about the garden of the kingdom Ø Parables about plants – Since Paul was the planter of the seed, he must have been the original evangelist to bring the gospel to town; then Apollos came later and watered the seed that Paul had planted. However, God was the one in the background causing the growth. We can work as hard as we want, but God is the one who ultimately performs the miracles and changes people’s lives, giving them a new, positive direction. These are all things that man is incapable of doing. The old saying, ‘people don’t change,’ is actually true. With the Holy Spirit, though, they can. In other words a truly changed life is truly a miracle, but a planter of seeds nor a water-er has never changed anyone. Only God can change a person. In this way the person who changes get a full reward. Paul and Apollos were actually working for and with God, who required their services to accomplish His work in the Corinthian Church. So, it was a mutual effort between them all.

1Cor 3-6,7

· (111k) Thy kingdom come Ø Spirit and the word Ø Living and active word of God

· (140g) Temple Ø Temple made without hands Ø Christ builds the temple from the bricks of the church

· (229e) Kingdom of God Ø God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø Kingdom grows by itself Ø God causes the growth Ø Kingdom grows like crops in a farmer’s field

1Cor 3-7

· (31k) Gift of God Ø Gift of His grace Ø Grace is the work of God

1Cor 3,8-17

· (139g) Temple Ø Building the temple (with hands) Ø We build the temple through Christ

· (226a) Rewards Of The Kingdom Of Heaven (Key verse)

· (226i) Kingdom of God Ø Illustrating the kingdom Ø Rewards of heaven Ø Levels of reward Ø God rewards us to the degree of our labors

1Cor 3,9-15

· (137b) Temple Ø Building the temple (with hands) Ø Jesus is the foundation Ø Jesus is the rock of the church’s foundation

1Cor 3,9-11

· (225l) Kingdom of God Ø Illustrating the kingdom Ø Parables about the body of Christ -- These verses go with verses 16&17

1Cor 3,10-15

· (137m) Temple Ø Building the temple (with hands) Ø Maturing with our brothers Ø Employing your gifts to mature the body – We of the new covenant have the foundation of the old and New Testaments, and those who teach the word are building on that foundation. In that respect the building that is constructed upon this foundation consists of our interpretation of the Scriptures.

1Cor 3-10

· (239l) Kingdom of God Ø Pursuing the kingdom Ø Pursuing the knowledge of the kingdom Ø Teachers Ø Let not many of you become teachers Ø Teachers incur a stricter judgment – Paul laid the foundation as the seed sower, and Apollos built upon it as the waterer of the seed, but those who would come after them must be careful how they build upon their foundation. The foundation of the Corinthian Church was the word that Paul originally came and preached to them, but Paul’s contribution to our foundation consists of all his letters in the New Testament. Paul says to the teachers of God’s word in today’s world who are building upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and upon Jesus Christ, who is the cornerstone (Eph 2-20), ‘be careful how you build.’ They need to be careful about what they teach. Jm 3-1 meets the subject head-on, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we shall incur a stricter judgment.” They have a greater influence on the church; hence they have a greater means to lead the church astray. They also have a greater potential to benefit the church, and God will reward them accordingly.

1Cor 3-11

· (227f) Kingdom of God Ø God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø God working in you Ø Depending on Jesus to have compassion Ø Depending on Jesus to receive us

1Cor 3,12-15

· (5g) Responsibility Ø Discipleship tested Ø God tests your motives – Replace the word "works" with the word "motives," and you will understand this verse in a whole new way. This portion of Scripture is primarily referring to teachers of the Scriptures, but also applies to each member of God’s church.

· (45c) Judgment of God God Ø Believer's Judgment Ø God judges our walk in the Spirit Ø He rewards us for bearing fruit – Paul addresses the believer’s judgment, which some Christians are not even aware they will one day experience. After all, God has forgiven us through the blood of the lamb, which has cleansed us of all unrighteousness. Since God sees no sin in us, why then are we still being judged? The believers’ judgment is not like the unbelievers’ judgment in that God adds a sentence of eternal condemnation to the wicked, while He takes away eternal rewards from the saints to the degree that we fail to walk on His trail of good works that He has prepared for us. Eph 2-10 says, “We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Our eternal reward will be based on the degree to which we walk on this trail. If a man’s entire structure burns to its foundation, he himself will be saved yet as through fire. In other words this judgment does not determine whether we go to heaven or hell, but determines our eternal reward in heaven.

· (48j) Levels of judgment Ø Judged by withdrawing rewards

· (88d) Thy kingdom come Ø Faith produces works Ø The function of works in faith Ø Faith doesn’t move God until it is manifested in the natural realm

· (104c) Thy kingdom come Ø Purifying process Ø Purified by fire Ø Purified through fiery judgment – There are those who are truly committed to their faith and they build cathedrals, investing huge amount of time, money and effort into the things of God, but their choice of building material is combustible, meaning their motives were temporal. Perhaps they were seeking the glory of man. If so, God will know it, because He is the God of our hearts. They will watch as their entire lives burn to the ground, and through the smoldering ruins, God will take him by the hand and usher him into the kingdom of God, otherwise empty handed. Yet, for God to extend His hand to us is our precious and most valuable reward, one we cannot earn by faithfulness, rather by faith. Those whose works are destroyed in the fire will wear a robe into the kingdom of heaven purchased by the blood of the lamb, but will have no crown to show their appreciation. 

· (113b) Thy kingdom come Ø The anointing Ø Heaven’s clothes Ø Protection Ø Shelter

· (113h) Thy kingdom come Ø The anointing Ø Anointed through obedience

· (140e) Temple Ø Temple made without hands Ø Hiding place Ø The entrance exam 

· (186a) Works of the devil Ø The result of lawlessness Ø Blasphemy Ø Unwilling to obey the revelation from heaven Ø Unwilling to walk in God’s ability

· (190c) Die to self (Process of substitution) Ø Separation from the old man Ø Masochism (Self-made martyr) Ø Passing through the fire

· (196k) Denying Christ Ø Man exercises his will against God Ø Spiritual laziness Ø Replacing God’s standard of excellence with yours Ø Fattened for the day of slaughter

· (212h) Sovereignty Ø God is infinite Ø God is all-knowing Ø Nothing hidden Ø God exposes things hidden in darkness – On the one hand, the person who is completely dedicated to his faith and to the word of God and to the church and has invested his entire life in these things, who sells everything he owns to buy the gold, silver and precious stones needed to adorn God’s holy temple, his structure will withstand God’s fiery judgment, and all his efforts will be preserved and celebrated throughout eternity. Many who go virtually unnoticed by the world, yet whose motives survive the fire of God’s righteous judgment, will have an offering they can lay at Jesus’ feet. On the other hand, a person who rarely studied the Scriptures and never developed a relationship with God, who stood in front of the congregation and preached a gospel that never affected his own life, is an example of a structure built from straw. Better a couple nuggets of gold that will last forever, than a huge wooden coliseum to suffer a total loss in the flames of God’s fiery judgment.

· (225p) Kingdom of God Ø Illustrating the kingdom Ø Parables about final judgment

· (227e) Kingdom of God Ø Illustrating the kingdom Ø Rewards of heaven Ø God rewards endurance Ø Keeping our rewards through endurance

· (232c) Kingdom of God Ø Pursuing the kingdom Ø Seeking the kingdom Ø Count the cost Ø If you must count the cost, the price is always too high

· (236h) Kingdom of God Ø Pursuing the kingdom Ø Invest in the kingdom Ø Invest your treasures into the kingdom Ø Invest everything you value – Building materials such as gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay and straw, are symbolic to building materials that we would use to establish our interpretation of the truth on the pre-existing foundation of the Scriptures. Whatever building material we use will represent our Christian walk, which God will test by fire. If we selected a combustible material, then it will be reduced to ashes, showing that we have chosen our building material with temporal motives, while at the same time showing that those who have selected a noncombustible material have eternity in mind. Whatever is destroyed has judged itself misguided, made from the wrong substance, not withstanding eternity, but that which survives the fire, the gold, the silver and the precious stones, will remain as rewards that will endure time without end and will integrate into the structure of God’s eternal kingdom.

1Cor 3,13-17

· (173g) Works of the devil Ø The religion of witchcraft Ø Catholicism Ø Unholy sacrifice Ø Offering sacrifice without God’s approval Ø Sacrifice against the will of God

1Cor 3-13,14

· (32g) Gift of God Ø Father will honor you if you die to self Ø Your faithfulness

1Cor 3-15

· (153d) Witness Ø Validity of the Father Ø God bears witness against the world Ø Shame Ø Hiding under a cloud of guilt Ø Your sin will find you out

· (243h) Kingdom of God Ø The eternal kingdom Ø The indestructible kingdom Ø The body of Christ is indestructible Ø The new man is indestructible

1Cor 3-16,17

· (48m) Judgment Ø Jesus’ enemies are destroyed Ø Enemies of His grace

· (51c) Judging the Church with the world Ø God warns the Church

· (132a) Temple Ø Your body is the temple of God Ø Holy Spirit is in God’s people Ø spirit of God in the spirit of man Ø Spirit of the Father

· (133e) Temple Ø Your body is the temple of God Ø Holiness Ø The body of Christ is holy Ø The temple of God is holy

· (135i) Temple Ø Your body is the temple of God Ø Sins of the body Ø Abortion Ø God’s judgment against abortion Ø God’s judgment falls on those who abort their own children

· (189f) Die to self (Process of substitution) Ø Separation from the old man Ø Martyr Ø Martyrs bring about the judgment of God

· (207e) Salvation Ø God makes promises on His terms Ø Eternal security? Ø God Himself will tear you down – This to me is perhaps the only verse in the Bible that addresses suicide, condemning it as an act of treason against the will of God from which a person can never repent. That is, it is the sin of blasphemy from which a person can never receive forgiveness. According to this verse, any so-called Christian who commits suicide is automatically barred from heaven. Paul said, “If anyone destroys the temple of God,” the temple being your body, then, “God will destroy him.” The implication is that God will destroy him in hell. “For the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.”

· (225l) Kingdom of God Ø Illustrating the kingdom Ø Parables Ø Parables about the body of Christ -- These verses go with verses 9-11

· (132a) The Temple Of God — Key verse for the entire chapter

1Cor 3,18-23

· (64j) Paradox Ø Anomalies Ø Weaknesses of God Ø Foolishness of God

1Cor 3,18-20

· (166f) Works of the devil Ø Manifestations of the devil Ø Wisdom of the world Ø Nature Of Man’s Wisdom Ø Man’s wisdom does not know God

1Cor 3-18

· (57i) Paradox Ø Opposites Ø More you profess wisdom, the less you have of it

· (89h) Thy kingdom come Ø Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom Ø Wisdom of the Spirit – Paul is not referring to the wisdom of God as described in chapter two, but to the wisdom of the world. God has made His wisdom available to us, and Paul would not condemn anyone for possessing it. Rather, if any man thinks he is wise in his own eyes; that is, if any man thinks he is wise apart from the wisdom of the Spirit, let him become humiliated, that he may learn to seek the wisdom that is from God. Man’s wisdom is foolishness to God, primarily because it is rooted in a temporal mindset. Man’s wisdom is on a timer and the clock is ticking to reveal itself obsolete. So much of what people thought was true 200 years ago is now known to be false. So, if we think man’s wisdom was foolish 200 years ago, how foolish does God think our wisdom is today? If that were not enough; eternity itself will test the wisdom of the world and find it lacking. Every man is destined to die, then they will be judged by God for their deeds and sent to either heaven or hell. Those who go to hell are proven foolish by their wisdom that led them there, and those who go to heaven were following the wisdom of the Spirit. So, where is a place for man’s wisdom in eternity? It is nullified.

· (94p) Thy kingdom come Ø Perspective Ø False perspective in the church

· (96g) Thy kingdom come Ø Attitude Ø Positive attitude about yourself

· (181h) Works of the devil Ø The origin of lawlessness Ø Deception Ø Self deception Ø Imaginary perception of self Ø Distorted perception of self

· (223b) Kingdom of God Ø The elusive kingdom of heaven Ø Conceit Ø Thinking you are superior to others Ø Having an inflated opinion of self

1Cor 3,21-23

· (33l) Gift of God Ø Believers are special to God Ø He has given us all things

· (33n) Believer Owns Everything (Key verse)

· (34e) Gift of God Ø Believer owns everything Ø All things belong to us – All things belong to those who belong to Jesus. Not only will we inherit eternity and the kingdom of heaven, we will inherit the new creation that God will specially design for his people. It will never pass away. It will be a place where death and destruction and rust and decay do not exist. This is the direction and the gift of wisdom that comes from God. How can the wisdom of the world compete with it? Eternity is more than enough time, and since our inheritance will never end, infinity is more than enough substance to completely vindicate the children of God and prove man’s wisdom wrong. Those who refuse to serve the living God and His divine justice, but choose rather to believe in their own ideas and invent their own truth and develop their own wisdom, a wisdom that has an expiration date even according to man, will learn the hard way that there is no reward outside of serving the living God. The world has nothing to offer in eternity. If man’s wisdom does not last forever, then it is useless.

· (35c) Gift of God Ø God is willing to Give Ø God’s immeasurable generosity

· (70j) Authority Ø Believer’s authority Ø We have been given authority over all creation

· (213i) Sovereignty Ø God is infinite Ø Jesus owns you Ø His will becomes our will Ø We are God’s property

· (253j) Trinity Ø Relationship between Father and Son Ø Jesus is subject to the Father Ø Jesus is under the authority of the Father

1Cor 3-21

· (77e) Thy kingdom come Ø Humility Ø Refusing the glory of man Ø Refusing to be exalted by men

· (195f) Denying Christ Ø Man exercises his will against God Ø Idolatry Ø Worshipping men Ø Idolizing men

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