King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Sunday, December 01, 2024
Chapters: I Corinthians Chapters 5-8
Message: Bought With A Price
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading through the chapters for today, I got to thinking about all the stupid things I got myself caught up in since I got saved and how merciful God has been. No matter what it was that I did He never left me, and guided me back to where I needed to be, along with a lesson or two. True saved born again Christians are reminded that once they receive Christ as their Saviour they are one with Him, and nothing can ever change that, [John 10:28-30 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.]
Since God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son are One, that means that we belong to God as well and we must not forget His Spirit, the Holy Ghost, who indwells all believers and since He is one with them that means that we are one as well, [1 Corinthians 6:15,17,19-20 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.]
[take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot?] While this is an extreme illustration, it does give the picture of Christians who take their salvation for granted by knowingly living a life of sin without any repentance. I might have made some stupid decisions, but that did not mean that I did not feel complete and utter shame and guilt about it and that was the difference, [1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.]
Anyone who has been saved for a while and has gotten caught up in sin knows that continually living in sin without repentance causes a great deal of guilt, shame, and humility on them and they do not even want to step foot in a church. As we continue in the reading of 1 Corinthians Paul, addresses the church and their condoning immoral acts that even the world would not condone.
[1 Corinthians 5:1-5 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.]
[such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles,] When the church condones and allows sin that even the moral world sees as not acceptable then you know some serious changes need to be made. This is why it is important that all Christ centered churches be led through biblical principals, if they are doing sinful things that the world sees as immoral then they will not see the need for Christ.
[he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.] Here is the thing, we are all sinners and deal with sin every day, since church is there to heal the sick and Jesus is their physician, anyone who seeks healing ought to be welcome in church without judgment. However, those who openly consent, allow, and invite sin in the church are only causing confusion and need to go.
[1 Corinthians 5:9-13 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.]
[for then must ye needs go out of the world.] While all Christians ought to be living their lives through Christ, this message is addressed directly to the church who’s members are allowing doing so and it is acceptable. We are sent out into the world to bring others to Christ through our example, but if that example is an immoral one it not only disgraces the church, it disgraces Christ as well because it tells Him that we not care that He sacrificed His life to save our soul, [Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.]
It was not just doctrinal issues and immorality going around in the church, there was also some quarrels, even to the point that they were suing one another. Paul, stresses the importance of working out quarrels among each other and not getting the world involved.
[1 Corinthians 6:1-4,7 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?]
[Why do ye not rather take wrong?] The only reason why friends and family start suing each other is out of pride, bitterness, and offense. If you owe someone something, pay it back, if you cannot pay it back, then work something out with them. Just let them know that you have not taken advantage of them, that is all they want. And if you are the lender, lighten up, listen to what Jesus said, [Luke 6:34-35 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.]
Money and possessions are replaceable, family and friends are not, we are all guilty of something and quite frankly Jesus paid a great debt that we could never pay so we as brothers and sisters in Christ need to stop worrying about things and start being there for one another.
[1 Corinthians 6:9-12 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.]
[but I will not be brought under the power of any.] The second that we take our salvation for granted by justifying sin that is when the sin becomes the power. While no saved born again Christian is required to follow the Law of Moses or even live a moral life after they are saved, we must remember that the Holy Spirit lives inside of us, and that alone ought to convict us to repent. Paul, in particular addresses those who were openly allowing fornication in the church, which is unmarried relations, incest, adultery, and idolatry, which could include drug and alcohol use. Paul, goes on to address the importance of Christians abstaining from unmarried relations, and getting married if they cannot contain themselves.
[1 Corinthians 7:1-5 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.]
[The wife hath not power of her own body,] This just means that when a man and woman enters into the state of holy matrimony, he or she places the body at the service of one another in honorable and undefiled relations. Each, therefore, possesses a legitimate claim upon the body of the other as they are considered as being one flesh in the eyes of God, [Genesis 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.]
[Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time] It is actually biblical to engage in intimate relations with your spouse on a regular basis. Intimacy comes in all forms and I tell you what, my husband and I have learned that just spending time together no phones, no television, no other people, can do wonders for a marriage. Now, in regards to divorce and remarrying, the following statement Paul makes and is careful to say what is directly from God and what he believes.
[1 Corinthians 7:10-15 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife. 12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.]
[yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:] This is actually addressing the Law of Moses when he had written about divorce and how many had divorced their wives if they were not believers, [Ezra 10:3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.]
[For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife,] This does not mean that an unsaved person becomes saved once they marry a saved person, this means that their marriage is legitimate and there is no just cause to divorce unless they leave. Likewise, the children are in the same sense that their parents are, that is they are sanctified, or legitimate. What is all comes down to is this, even in the case of adultery it is advisable to attempt to reconcile the marriage rather than divorce, but remember what Jesus said, [Matthew 5:31-32 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.]
Divorce was way too common back then as it is today over some of the most ridiculous things, the was written in the Bible to make sure people understand how sacred marriage is to God and unless it is a legitimate reason then there ought to be no divorce. The choices we make, regardless of it being that we accepted Christ as our Saviour, got married, signed a merger, took a job, or whatever else it is that we committed ourselves to, needs to be a wholehearted commitment. If we cannot commit to the choices we make, then it is best not to make them. This is what Paul goes on to say.
[1 Corinthians 7:29-33,39 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; 31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. 32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.]
[The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth;] In other words, life is short, we need to make each day count and treat our spouses like we did when we first dated and under no circumstances are we to forsake our ministries because we are married. We are to spend our days loving each other, serving God and worshiping Him whether in or out of church and as much as possible refrain from the indulging and satisfying the lusts of flesh, [Galatians 5:16-17 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.]
Jesus sets us free from the bondage of sin the second we accept Him as our Saviour, and that is a liberty that we are to never take for granted. The liberty of not having to worry that we are not doing enough good on our own to be saved from hell. The liberty of no longer being held bondage to Satan. The liberty of knowing that we are not going to hell, these are the things that Jesus has freed us from. Those things that we are not willing to give up are the actually idols that God is talking about.
[1 Corinthians 8:1-6 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him. 4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. 5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.]
[one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him;] Our salvation may be given to us freely by our faith in Christ, but it was not free, Jesus paid for it with His own life. Are we so ungrateful that we abuse that knowledge and live a life of sin for the justification? Many people are [Romans 6:15-16 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?]
[whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)] This is often confusing to people, but it does not mean that there are literally several gods and lords. A god or lord was often referred to as a prince; a ruler; or judge, still today men of royalty are called lords. Think about this, we were bought with a price, Christ gave His life for us so we do not have to end up burning in the lake of fire. Instead of using that liberty for our flesh, we need to use it to edify the Church. Why? We would become a stumbling block.
[1 Corinthians 8:8-12 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.]
[wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.] The only thing that succumbing to the world does is weaken our own faith, it will never bring them to Christ no matter how strong our faith because the flesh is, in fact, weak. Think about this, we were bought with a price, Christ gave His life for us so we do not have to end up burning in the lake of fire. We should be honored that Christ has chosen us to show the world that while we were once dead in sin we are now risen from the dead and alive through Him, [2 Corinthians 5:13-15 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for purchasing my life when You gave Yours on the cross. I did nothing to deserve salvation, and yet You willingly gave Your own life so that I could obtain it by grace through my faith in You. Now, there is nothing that I could ever do to earn or keep my salvation, for You paid it all once and for all. All I can do is live the rest of my life giving honor and glory to You. I know I fail You every day, but Your mercy endures and Your grace is sufficient to forgive me every time I confess and repent of my sin. I know that I am already forgiven, I just do not want to use my liberty for an occasion of my flesh, rather to live in Your power and love. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Do You Know Jesus?: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/ready-to-follow-jesus/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Read Previous Devotions: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Read The Bible: http://kingjamesbible.imfollowingjesus.com/
Visit I’m Following Jesus: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/welcome/
Like I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2024 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.