The Goal of Godliness

March 12, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹ Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. – 2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV

What promises? Paul has just quoted from several Old Testament passages containing the following promises from God:

I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. – Leviticus 26:12 ESV

My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. – Ezekiel 37:27 ESV

I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. – 2 Samuel 7:14 ESV

Now, with those promises in mind, he asks: what should our reaction be? How should we respond? Paul is reminding his readers that they, like the Old Testament ancestors, have been set apart by God. He has chosen them to be His people and graciously agreed to be their God. He has consecrated them and set them apart from the rest of the nations to be His own possession. As the children of God, they were to live separately and distinctively from the rest of the world; that does not mean that Christians are to live their lives in isolation or in some kind of segregated society, separated from the rest of the world. This is not a call to monastic isolationism, but to sanctification or holiness.

Paul expected the believers to whom he was writing to live in such a way that their behavior differentiated them from everyone else. In the garden on the night He was betrayed, Jesus prayed that His followers would be in the world but not of it.

I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. – John 17:14-17 NLT

The promise of citizenship in God’s Kingdom was to create in them a passion to live as who God had called them to be. They were His possession, and their lives were to reflect that unique privilege and totally undeserved position. They were to cleanse themselves from every defilement of body and spirit. Their former lives were like stained and soiled garments that required the removal of the impurities that accompanied their sinful flesh. Their old habits and sinful predilections had to be systematically and regularly done away with.

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul emphasized the essential nature of this ongoing cleansing of the believer’s life.

God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor—not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 NLT

The privilege of sonship comes with responsibilities. As children of God, we are to behave in such a way that our lives honor our heavenly Father. Ongoing sin is not to be a defining characteristic of the child of God. Paul was not insinuating that Christians cannot or will not sin. He would have wholeheartedly agreed with the apostle John’s assessment.:

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. – 1 John 1:8-10 NLT

The presence of and potential for sin is not eliminated when we come to faith in Christ, but sin’s power over us is. We are set free from its control. The Holy Spirit’s presence within us provides us with the supernatural capacity to choose righteousness over unrighteousness. We can refuse to give in to the temptations that once captivated and controlled us.

Paul’s point in all of this is that our salvation in Christ has a second step: our ongoing sanctification. Coming to faith in Christ is to be accompanied by our continuous transformation into His likeness. And it is as we cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit that we experience what Paul refers to as “bringing holiness to completion.” The goal of our salvation is our ultimate glorification by God, the day when He will complete the process of renewal and reformation of our lives by giving us a new, completely sanctified body. Sin will be completely eliminated, and our transformation into the likeness of Christ will be complete. John describes that day in the following way:

Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. – 1 John 3:2 NLT

In the meantime, as we wait for that day, we are to strive toward holiness, and to accomplish that objective, we must put off our old sinful nature and put on our new nature. That requires us to allow the Holy Spirit to expose the sin in our lives so we can confess it and enjoy the forgiveness Christ paid for. We are to flee sin and pursue righteousness. Paul repeatedly called believers to pursue a life of radical reformation and holy living.

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. – 1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. – 2 Timothy 2:22 NLT

…so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. – 1 Timothy 6:11 NLT

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. – 2 Timothy 2:21 ESV

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. – Colossians 3:5 NLT

If you have been called by God to be His child, live like it. If you know the joy of having your debt to God paid for and your sins forgiven because of Jesus’ death on the cross, your lifestyle should reflect your gratitude and your recognition that you are a new creation with a new capacity to pursue holiness rather than sinfulness.

A child’s behavior reflects back on their parents. In the same way, our behavior as sons and daughters of God reflects back on our heavenly Father. Our attitudes and actions should honor Him, and our behavior should glorify Him. It was Jesus who said, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16 NLT). Peter echoed that sentiment when he wrote: “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world” (1 Peter 2:12 NLT).

Pursue holiness, strive after righteousness, and make godliness your goal — all for the glory of God and the good of others.

Father, I fully believe that I have been imputed the righteousness of Christ. When You look at me, You see me through the purifying power of His blood. Yet, I know that sin remains a constant reality in my life. I wrestle with it daily. But I know it’s power over me has been broken because of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Sin grip has lost its hold on me. But I need Your constant assistance in putting my old nature to death. Thank You for providing the Holy Spirit as my sin-slaying advocate who provides me with the power to pursue righteousness and to reject ungodliness. I don’t always listen to His prompting or avail myself of His power, but I am grateful that He never leaves me or forsakes me. He continually convicts and confronts me about my sin and graciously leads me back on the the right path. It’s an ongoing battle, but I know that one day, You will bring my holiness to completion. My future glorification is guaranteed because Your Son died, was buried, raised to life, and glorified. One day, He will return and finish what He began. In the meantime, give me the strength to live in this fallen world as a citizen of Your Kingdom. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

To Build Up, Not Puff Up

February 7, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

⁷If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? ⁸And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? ⁹So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, ¹¹but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. ¹²So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. – 1 Corinthians 14:7-12 ESV

Paul is not attempting to prioritize one gift over another; he is simply trying to point out the community mindset that should always dictate the use of the gifts. They are meant for the body of Christ, not the individual. The gift of tongues, if used in a corporate context, but without interpretation, would be useless to those who hear it. It would be unintelligible and, therefore, of little or no value to their edification. As Paul mentioned earlier, the unknown language was not the point; the message it conveyed was.

God’s purpose behind giving the gifts of the Spirit was to build up the body of Christ, and there was a time and place for each of them to be utilized. Speaking in a language no one in the audience understood would be inappropriate and unhelpful; it would serve no purpose. In fact, it could be confusing. Paul compares it to a military bugler calling the army to battle, but playing a tune no one understands or recognizes. The result could be potentially devastating.

How will anyone enjoy a tune being played if the notes themselves are unrecognizable? Sounds will be heard, but because they are unknown or unfamiliar, they will go unrecognized. These easy-to-understand metaphors are Paul’s way of illustrating the purpose behind the gifts, particularly tongues. God is conveying a message through the gift, but if it is unintelligible to the hearers, its value is lost. Once again, Paul is pointing out the value of the content or message. Look closely at what he says.

Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. – 1 Corinthians 14:7 NLT

To bring this into a modern context, it is like a contemporary worship service where the musicians play a song that no one knows. It is recognizable to the music team, but the tune and lyrics are unfamiliar to the congregation. No matter how enthusiastically the worship band plays and sings, the congregation is lost and unable to enjoy the experience. They become spectators, watching and listening, but failing to participate in the worship experience as intended. Now, imagine being in that same situation, but the band is singing in a foreign language. They are gifted, skilled, energetic, and well-intentioned, and the song’s lyrics carry a powerful message, but the audience does not understand a word. How will they benefit from the experience? How will the content of the song being played have an impact if those who hear it can’t understand the words being sung?

Paul says, “It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space” (1 Corinthians 14:9 NLT). The objective should always be clear communication and comprehension for the purpose of edification. When it comes to the gifts, Paul says, “seek those that will strengthen the whole church” (1 Corinthians 14:12 NLT). But the New Living Translation actually conveys an unintended message in its translation of this verse. It seems to suggest that Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to seek out particular gifts, as if they had a choice. However, earlier in this same letter, Paul made it clear that the gifts are given at the Spirit’s discretion. In chapter 12, he wrote, “It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have” (1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT). We don’t get to choose our gift; it is given to us by the Spirit of God.

In the original Greek, Paul is essentially saying, “In your eagerness to have a spiritual gift, make sure you don’t forget that their purpose is to build up the church.” The Corinthians viewed the gifts from a selfish perspective, desiring particular gifts because of the perceived status they conferred. They desired the more flamboyant gifts. But Paul reminds them that God’s purpose for the gifts is the spiritual edification of others, not the prideful elevation of the one with the gift. Three times in the first 12 verses, Paul emphasizes the building up of the body of Christ – the church.

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. – 1 Corinthians 14:4 NLT

For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened. – 1 Corinthians 14:5 NLT

Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church. – 1 Corinthians 14:12 NLT

Paul emphasized the same thing in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. – Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT

Earlier in this letter, Paul wrote a very similar thing:

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,

second are prophets,

third are teachers,

then those who do miracles,

those who have the gift of healing,

those who can help others,

those who have the gift of leadership,

those who speak in unknown languages. – 1 Corinthians 12:27-28 NLT

God the Father has appointed the gifts to be given to the church. But it required that the life of His Son be sacrificed before the gifts could be given. Once Jesus was resurrected, the Holy Spirit was free to distribute the gifts as He deemed necessary, for the good of the body of Christ. As a believer in Jesus Christ, your giftedness is guaranteed, and its purpose is clear: the building up of the body of Christ.

When God saved you, He placed you within the body of Christ and made you part of His family, the community of believers. Your presence within that corporate body is God-ordained, and your mission is clear. You are to use the gift given to you by the Spirit to help build up, edify, encourage, and strengthen those around you.

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. – Romans 12:4-5 NLT

Father, You don’t do anything haphazardly or without purpose. You divinely ordained that every believer become part of the body of Christ and You equipped each of them with a spiritual gift that uniquely benefits the entire community. When we function within our giftedness, the body is blessed and You are glorified. We get to see Your wisdom on display as the gifts of the Spirit flow through us to all those around us. It is like being a musician in an orchestra that is playing a beautiiful symphony. Each note that is played is important, but it is the blended effect that makes the symphony recognizable and enjoyable to all who hear it. Lord, may we learn to play our Spirit-ordained part in humility and with excellence so that the final product is music to Your ears and a blessing to all who hear the gospel message it contains. Amen

A Spirit of Unity, Community, and Mutual Dependability

February 6, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹³So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

¹ Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. ²For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. ³On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. ⁴The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

⁶Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? – 1 Corinthians 13:13-14:1-6 ESV

Now Paul begins to differentiate between the gifts. He is not necessarily making one more important or spiritually more relevant than another, but he is prioritizing them based on their particular benefit to the body of Christ. He has just spent an entire chapter emphasizing the importance of love.

He has described love as selfless and sacrificial. Those who practice this godly brand of love under the influence of the Holy Spirit put the needs of others ahead of their own. And the same should be true when they use their spiritual gift. Now, it seems that the Corinthians had so elevated the gift of tongues that it had become a problem within the church. And their practice of the gift was not in keeping with Paul’s admonition that love be the motivating factor behind all the gifts. For the Corinthians, the gift of tongues had become the most desirable of all the gifts. Evidently, they viewed that particular gift as more spiritual and therefore, more preferable. It was flashy and flamboyant, and to be able to speak in an unknown tongue was sure to be an attention-getter. But that was a big part of the problem with their prioritizing this gift over all the others. Those who practiced it seemed to do so with a focus on self rather than on building up the body of Christ.

So while Paul encourages them to earnestly seek the spiritual gifts, he promotes prophecy over tongues, and his explanation is simple and direct.

For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. – 1 Corinthians 14:2 NLT

If no one understands what you are saying, no one benefits from your use of the gift, not even you. It will remain a mystery, known only to God. And while you may be speaking in the power of the Spirit of God, it will do nothing to build up those around you. However, as Paul points out, someone “who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them” (1 Corinthians 14:3 NLT).

The gift of prophecy was the Spirit-empowered ability to reveal truth from God that had not yet been revealed. It was a word from God intended for the benefit of the entire congregation. This gift was evident and necessary in the early days of the church because the Canon of Scripture had not yet been compiled. The Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament) existed but were not always available to the new congregations springing up among the Gentiles. The gospels had not yet been written, and Paul, Peter, and James were still writing their letters, which would later be included in the Canon of Scripture. So, there was a desperate need among these fledgling and far-flung congregations to hear the truth of God. And those who had been given the gift of prophecy were to speak through the Spirit’s power for the benefit of the people of God. But tongues, at least as practiced by the Corinthians, was a more self-centered gift.

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. – 1 Corinthians 14:4 NLT

The one who spoke in an unknown tongue may receive a blessing from knowing that they were being used as an instrument of God, but if no one could understand what they were saying, the body of Christ could receive no benefit. But when someone prophesied, everyone gained from the experience. In the previous chapter, Paul made the bold statement, “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2 NLT).

None of the gifts were of benefit if they were practiced without love. But tongues, because it involved speaking in an unknown language, was particularly troublesome. The first time the gift of tongues was manifested in the church was at Pentecost.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?” – Acts 2:1-8 ESV

The purpose of this manifestation of the Spirit of God was to communicate the gospel so that all could comprehend it. For this to happen, the Spirit enabled the disciples to speak in languages they did not know, for the benefit of the thousands of people from other countries who had gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost.

There was no need for interpretation, because the hearers understood what was being said. However, in Corinth, the use of tongues had become self-centered and self-edifying. They were missing the point. At Pentecost, the people who heard the disciples speak in tongues, or foreign languages, were amazed. They said, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?” (Acts 2:7-8 NLT). But look closely, and you will see that it was the substance of their message that got their attention, not the style. The very same people reacted, “‘We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.’ And all were amazed and perplexed” (Acts 2:11-12 NLT).

It was the content that was important, not the means of delivery. For Paul, the bottom line was the church’s spiritual edification. The question to ask is, “How will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching” (1 Corinthians 14:6 ESV). Speaking in a foreign tongue was of no benefit to anyone unless the message it contained was understandable and from God.

We tend to think of the gifts of the Spirit from a purely personal perspective. We seem to believe our gift was given for our own benefit and spiritual enlightenment. But the gifts are given to individuals for the benefit of the community. My gift is for you, and your gift is for me. The one who receives the gift is simply a conduit through whom God pours His blessings on others. As Paul told the church in Rome, when we practice our gifts in love, all will benefit.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. – Romans 12:6-10 NLT

Notice the other-oriented nature of Paul’s instructions. His emphasis is on the edification and encouragement of the body of Christ, not the individual. The gifts were never to be used in a selfish or self-promotional manner. They were never intended to elevate the recipient’s spiritual status. Instead, they were to promote a spirit of unity, community, and mutual dependability that edified all and glorified God.

Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. You didn’t have to provide us with His presence and power, but You did. And I am grateful that Your Son’s resurrection and return to Your side in heaven was accompanied by the coming of the Spirit. Without Him, we would be helpless and hopeless. Yet, we tend to operate as if He doesn’t exist or we’re tempted to use His gifts as if they only exist for us. But You have always been about unity and community. And, Holy Spirit, Your presence in my life was never intended to make me appear good to others or make me feel better about myself. My life is supposed to serve as a conduit for Your power as it passes through me to all those around me. The gift You have given me was never for my benefit; it was intended to bless others. We have all the gifts we need but, like the Corinthians, we need to learn how to use them for Your glory and the good of others. Amen

The Gift of Love

February 3, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

²⁷Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.

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. ²And 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. ³If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. – 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3 ESV

Paul says that we are individuals who, together, make up the body of Christ, the church. We are individuals, and our Spirit-endowed giftedness makes us indispensable. We have each been given a gift by the Holy Spirit for the corporate good of the rest of the faith community in which God has placed us. God has designed it so that none of us is an independent agent operating in isolation.

As Paul points out to the Corinthians, the body of Christ included some who were apostles. Others were assigned the gift of prophecy or teaching. Some worked miracles or performed healings, while others used their gift of administration or helping. And then there were those who had been given the gift of tongues. Each was necessary. Yes, some of the gifts might seem more significant, but all were essential to the church’s overall well-being. Their fallen nature led the Corinthians to elevate one gift above another. This categorization and prioritization of the gifts produced jealousy or pride, depending on the particular gift an individual received. So, Paul determined to show them a “more excellent way.”

Essentially, Paul addresses the one thing that holds the body of Christ together. Interestingly enough, it isn’t going to be our shared faith in Christ. That is what places us in the body of Christ, but it is not the glue that holds us together. Even our giftedness is not enough to keep us unified and compatible. So what is the glue that holds this unique collection of individuals together? What prevents our diversity, even in our areas of giftedness, from creating division, disorder, and dysfunctionality?

For Paul, the answer was love.

Within the Corinthian church, the gift of tongues had been elevated to rock-star status. In their estimation, tongues was a more flamboyant, outwardly obvious gift that garnered attention and created an aura of spirituality for the one who practiced it. But Paul is going to take a handful of the gifts, including tongues, and show that each is worthless if they are performed without love.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. – 1 Corinthians 13:1 ESV

The gift of tongues, practiced without love, was nothing more than a loud, irritating noise. It may be unavoidably noticeable, but it will also be undeniably unprofitable. The gift of tongues, like every other gift of the Spirit, was intended to build up and edify the body. To practice tongues without love would be to focus on self and to neglect the overall health of the church. The goal of the one speaking in tongues would be to garner attention for themself, rather than allowing the Spirit to use the gift for the good of others.

But Paul is not done.

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. – 1 Corinthians 13:2 ESV

You could have legitimate prophetic power to foretell the future and reveal God’s hidden truth, but if you did so without love, your efforts would be of no value. In essence, Paul is saying that, while your gift might make you a somebody in the eyes of others, in God’s eyes, you would be a nobody, unimportant and non-essential. Your lack of love would negate any value your gift might have had. It is worthless to understand the mysteries of God and to grasp the knowledge of God if that information is shared in a loveless and selfless manner. Paul drives his point home by stating that mountain-moving faith is useless without love. Even if you had enough faith to do the impossible but lacked love, your actions would not impress God, because your accomplishment would lack any redeeming value.

Next, Paul brings up a seemingly contradictory example.

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV

Isn’t sacrifice always motivated by love? Wouldn’t love be the only thing that would cause someone to sacrifice their life? After all, Jesus Himself said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13 ESV). But Paul’s point is that even the gift of giving, demonstrated by the ultimate act of martyrdom, can be done without love. You can die for a cause, but fail to do so out of love for others. You can give away all your possessions to gain the praise of men, but not out of love for them. It was Jesus who said, “When you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward” (Matthew 6:2 ESV). You may enjoy the accolades of men, but you will gain nothing from God.

Love is essential because God is love. To practice any of the gifts without love would be ungodly and out of character. It is possible for us to emulate or imitate the spiritual gifts, but we can’t produce them on our own. We can easily confuse talents with gifts. Just because we are capable leaders in the marketplace does not mean we have the spiritual gift of leadership or administration in the body of Christ. We may be gifted teachers or educators, but that does not mean we have the spiritual gift of teaching. When the Spirit of God gives a gift, it is always accompanied by love and intended to build up others in the body. Each gift is inherently selfless in its expression and is never accompanied by the question, “What’s in it for me?” A spiritual gift simply gives, expecting nothing in return, because that is the essence of love.

As Paul will make clear in the following verses, love is the only thing that will last. There is a day coming when all of the spiritual gifts will be unnecessary, having served their earthly purpose. In the eternal state, there will be no need for tongues, prophecy, healing, or miracles. We will no longer need faith or hope, because all things will have been fulfilled and made complete. God is love, and because He is eternal, so is love. Love is the glue that holds all things together; it is the bond of unity between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

For Paul, love is the more excellent way. It is the ultimate expression of God’s identity and far surpasses any of the gifts. In fact, it is love that gives each gift its true value.

Father, the bottom line for You is love because it is the greatest expression of Your divine character. Even Your holiness is best expressed through Your love. But Your love is not some kind of sentimental, sacrine, Valentine’s card kind of love. It is selfless, righteous, redemptive, and always focused on the betterment of others. Paul seemed to have You in mind when he wrote, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV). You desire that we follow Your example, and You sent Your Son, as an expression of Your love for us, to make it possible. Then You gave us Your Spirit so that we have the power to model Your love here on earth. But we tend to make everything about us. We practice a form of self-love that is always motivated by greed rather than grace. We can even make the gifts of the Spirit all about us. But without love, even the gifts of the Spirit lose their value. Without love, our faith becomes meaningless. So, give us an ever-increasing understanding of and appreciation for Your love for us so that we might pass it on to all those around us. Amen

Disorder, Disunity, and Division

January 30, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁷But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. ¹⁸For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, ¹⁹for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. ²⁰When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. ²¹For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. ²²What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. – 1 Corinthians 11:17-22 ESV

Disorder, disunity, and division. All three took place in the church in Corinth. That is partly the reason Paul had to address the issue of authority and headship. It appears that some were uncomfortable with his teaching on headship and submission. Once again, the issue of freedoms and rights had come up. In the opening verses of this chapter, Paul addressed women in the church who refused to cover their heads during worship. This was not about value or worth; it was about God-ordained headship, authority, and responsibility.

Paul said, “The head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV). It is noteworthy that Paul makes it clear that both the husband and the wife, the male and the female, were free to prophesy and pray when the church assembled. But the man was to do so with his head uncovered, because to pray or prophesy with his head covered “dishonors his head” (1 Corinthians 11:4 ESV). In other words, he would be blatantly rejecting Christ’s headship in his life. And if a wife prophesies or prays with her head uncovered, she “dishonors her head” (1 Corinthians 11:5 ESV). Her actions would be construed as dishonoring her husband’s God-appointed headship.

For Paul, it was all about order, unity, and submission to God’s will. That’s why he now addresses their attitude toward the Lord’s Supper. Ordained by Jesus Christ Himself, this ordinance was to be a regular occurrence in the church, and the early church commemorated it as a feast. Unlike our modern version of the Lord’s Table, theirs was a meal. In the book of Acts, we read, “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:46-47 ESV).

This “love feast” was a communal gathering at which they commemorated the Lord’s death with the bread and the cup. But they also shared a meal, and that’s where the problem began. Paul says, “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat” (1 Corinthians 11:20 ESV). In other words, they had turned the Lord’s supper into something altogether different. Their supper was marked by selfishness, division, and even drunkenness. They were making it all about the meal instead of memorializing Christ’s crucifixion. The food had taken center stage, not the celebration of Jesus’ sacrificial death, which made their salvation possible.

Paul doesn’t sugarcoat the problem. “For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk” (1 Corinthians 11:21 ESV). The gladness and generosity mentioned in Acts 2 had long since passed. It was as if everyone was in it for themselves. Some ate, while others went without. The meal had lost its communal aspect because people were eating without any regard for others. And then there were those who were using the “love feast” as an excuse to get drunk. There was little difference between this Christ-ordained event and the feasts held in pagan temples. Paul was shocked by their behavior and couldn’t understand why they didn’t just eat their meals at home if they couldn’t control themselves. The Lord’s Supper was meant to remember all that Christ had done to make their salvation possible, not to satisfy their fleshly appetites.

In a not-so-subtle attempt to shame their actions, Paul asks them, “Do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing?” (1 Corinthians 11:22b ESV). Their actions reflected a lack of love for their brothers and sisters in Christ. There was no sharing of meals or compassion for the needy among them. The church in Corinth bore little resemblance to the early church recorded in the Book of Acts.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. – Acts 2:42-45 ESV

How easy it is to lose sight of our purpose as followers of Christ. We can turn our times of corporate worship into individually-focused moments of self-satisfaction. If we forget that we gather to worship God, we end up making it all about ourselves, demanding that the music and the message cater to our personal preferences. We can go through an entire Sunday service, neglecting those around us and never truly worshiping God. In doing so, we miss the whole point of corporate worship.

For Paul, the Corinthians had missed the message behind the Lord’s Supper. It was not about enjoying a good meal; it was to be a celebration of their common bond in Christ and a commemoration of His sacrificial death on their behalf. Luke records the words of Jesus on the night that He instituted this sacred service.

When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, “I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won’t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”

Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come.”

He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me.”

After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.” – Luke 22:14-20 NLT

Just moments after this sobering sequence of events, the disciples would argue over who was the greatest among them. They had missed the point. So Jesus said to them, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:25-27 ESV).

The Kingdom of God was about selflessness, not selfishness. Followers of Christ, in imitation of Him, were to be servants, not self-serving. When we focus on the self, we end up loathing the body of Christ. When we make it all about ourselves, we neglect the fact that Jesus died, not just so that we might enjoy the self-satisfaction of our salvation, but solidarity as the people of God.

Father, You are all about unity and oneness. That is what Your Son prayed for in His high priestly prayer on the night He was betrayed. He pleaded that we would be one just as You and He are one. Yet, our sinful natures are prone to selfishness and self-centeredness. We have the unique capacity to make everything about ourselves. We can even turn a communal meal, designed to commemorate the selfless sacrifice of Your Son into a me-centered moment of self-aggrandizement. Yet, You have called us to live selflessly and sacrificially. You have even provided us with the Holy Spirit to make our unity possible. But as Paul said, “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants” (Galatians 5:17 NLT). It is not that we lack the power to live in unity; it is that we lack the desire. Open our eyes to the danger of selfishness. Help us to see that there is no place for self-centeredness in the body of Christ. We are to live in oneness and reflect the unity You enjoy with Your Son. As Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 NLT). Amen

Follow My Lead

January 28, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV

If we didn’t know so much about Paul, this simple statement might come across as little more than prideful arrogance. It sounds a lot like someone with an over-inflated sense of spiritual self-worth. But this is the same Paul who said, “‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ – and I am the worst of them all” (1 Timothy 1:15 NLT). He knew he was far from perfect and was well aware of his flawed past.

I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. – 1 Corinthians 15:9 NLT

At one point, he even referred to himself as “the very least of all the saints” (Ephesians 3:8 ESV). So Paul was far from a braggart. He wasn’t one to boast of his spiritual superiority or to set himself up as some kind of icon of virtue. He was honest about his shortcomings and always transparent about his life being a work in progress.

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. – Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

So how could Paul have the audacity to say, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ”? Why would he set himself up as an example to follow? Wouldn’t it have been more appropriate for him to simply say, “Imitate Christ”? Shouldn’t Jesus be our focus, and not Paul?

But it is essential that we not take this verse out of context. For three chapters, Paul has been dealing with an issue within the body of Christ in Corinth regarding the eating of meat sacrificed to idols. Most of what he has addressed concerns the legitimate rights of believers and their freedom in Christ, but his emphasis has been that their rights were never to trump their obligation to live compassionately and sacrificially among fellow believers and the lost. Their primary goals were to glorify God and to seek the spiritual good of those around them. In order for the gospel to be demonstrated and disseminated, they had to die to themselves. Their rights would have to take a back seat to God’s will and the spiritual well-being of others. And Paul used himself as an example of that very lifestyle.

Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. – 1 Corinthians 10:32-33 NLT

He followed up this statement with his call, “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT).

Unlike the original 12 disciples, we don’t have the benefit of having seen Christ with our own two eyes. We have not been privileged to watch Him work, hear Him teach, or witness His selfless lifestyle firsthand. On the very night He was betrayed, He washed the feet of the disciples, then said to them: “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:12-15 ESV).

The point of that fateful evening was not about washing feet, but about servant leadership. Jesus was their teacher and Lord, and yet He was willing to set aside His rights and privileges to serve them. He willingly stooped down and performed the file of a common household servant. He washed their filthy feet, rather than rightfully demanding that they do the same for Him. Jesus went on to tell them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him” (John 13:16 ESV). He was informing His disciples that they, as His servants and messengers, were never to view themselves as somehow better than Him. They should never consider themselves unworthy and unwilling to serve and sacrifice as He did. They were to follow His example and serve others just as He had served them – humbly, willingly, lovingly, and sacrificially.

It was the apostle John who wrote, “By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:5-6 ESV). So, in a sense, we are to emulate Christ by walking as He walked. We are to conduct our lives in the same manner as He did. If we follow His lead, we should be able to call others to line up behind us. To do so is not to claim that we have arrived at Christ-like perfection; it is to declare that we are faithfully attempting to live our lives in keeping with Christ’s example.

Paul knew that his rights were never to stand in the way of the gospel, because He knew that Jesus had never let His will get in the way of His Father’s divine plan for His life and mankind’s redemption. On the night of His betrayal and arrest, as Jesus prayed in the garden, He pleaded with His Father, “If you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42 NLT).

In His humanity, Jesus dreaded the prospect of the pain and suffering He was about to face. He was no more a fan of facing pain than you or I would be. But in His divinity, knew that He must accomplish the will of His Father, even though it meant that He must sacrifice His life. Paul reminds us that, “being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8 ESV).

Paul was willing to follow Christ’s example, and he was prepared to die for the sake of the gospel if necessary. And even if God did not require his life, Paul was willing to give up his rights and privileges to see that others came to know Christ. He was prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to see that believers in Christ grew in their knowledge of Him and in their likeness to Him. Paul wasn’t afraid to challenge others to follow His example because he knew that he was following Christ, not perfectly but faithfully.

They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery. So when we imitate Christ, we honor Him. But before we challenge another believer to imitate our lives, we must make sure that our attitude and actions mirror His. When we invite others to imitate our lives, we take a huge risk, because we are telling them they can do as we do and say as we say. We are assuring them that it is safe to follow our lead because we are following the example of Christ Himself. But for Paul, setting yourself up as an example to follow begins with sharing Christ’s humble attitude.

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
  he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:5-8 NLT

It all begins with sacrificial service and selfless love, putting the needs of others ahead of our own.

Father, I want to be an example other can follow, but I know it begins with having the attitude of Christ. I must mirror His humility, love, and willingness to put the needs of others ahead of my own. But that is hard. No, it’s impossible. I can’t do it in my own strength. No matter how hard I try, my pride, ego, and autonomy step in and make it all about me. But with the help of Your Holy Spirit, I know I can die to self and live for others. I have seen it happen. I have experienced those rare moments of selflessness and willing sacrifice that are to mark the life of a Christ-follower. But I long for those experiences to become more frequent and natural. I desire that others might be able to model their life after mine and become more like Christ. Please continue Your sanctifying work in my life until my transformation into Your Son’s image is complete. I know it will take a lifetime and will never be complete until Your Son returns or You call me home. But, in the meantime, don’t let me grow weary in doingi good. For Your glory and the good of others. Amen

Protection For Our Affections

January 26, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁵I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? ¹⁷Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. ¹⁸Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? ¹⁹What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. ²¹You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. ²²Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? – 1 Corinthians 10:15-22 ESV

As far as Paul is concerned, this is all about our affections; it is about what we love and choose to prioritize in our lives. As Paul addresses the issue of idols and meat sacrificed to them, he is not implying that the idols actually represent other gods. In fact, he says that when the pagans offer sacrifices to their idols, they are actually sacrificing to demons. The fact that the gods they worshiped were non-existent did not make their activity any less sinful. They were giving their affections to something they believed existed. They were associating themselves with a god who represented an alternative to the one true God, and they were joining with those who shared their beliefs, participating in worship and the offering of sacrifices together. When they held their feasts, they were doing so with those who were of like mind.

Paul uses the Lord’s Table to illustrate what he means. Paul asks the Corinthians to consider that when they take the cup and the bread together as part of communion, “is it not a participation in the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:16 ESV)? The Lord’s Table was a common celebration and commemoration of their shared belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. When the Israelites made sacrifices to God at the altar in the Tabernacle or Temple, did they not do so with a sense of shared belief in God? And Paul insists that the pagans are doing the very same thing. By participating together in their sacrificial services, feasts, and celebrations, they express their common bond as worshipers of their particular god, whether that god is false or real. And when the Corinthians joined them in their celebrations, they were aligning themselves with the pagan worshipers and their false gods, or, as Paul indicates, demons.

“Paul’s line of reasoning proceeds as follows: Christians who eat the bread at the Lord’s Supper express their solidarity with one another and with Christ. Likewise, Jews who ate the meat of animals offered in the sacrifices of Judaism expressed their solidarity with one another and with the God of Israel. Therefore Christians who eat the meat offered to pagan gods as part of pagan worship express their solidarity with pagans and with the pagan deities.” – Thomas L. Constable, Notes of 1 Corinthians, 2007 Edition

There is a spiritual dimension to virtually everything we do. We are spiritual beings, and there is a spiritual battle taking place all around us, hidden from our view, but as real as the air we breathe. Paul warned the Ephesians about this spiritual war.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12 NLT

There is very little in life that is not impacted and influenced by this unseen spiritual conflict. While we may view a particular action or activity as amoral, being neither right nor wrong and not prohibited by God, we need to walk carefully. It is essential that we examine our motives and check our affections. We need to ask ourselves why this activity is so important to us. Would we be unwilling to give it up if the circumstances required it? There were those in the Corinthian church who were eating meat that had been sacrificed to false gods. They were even participating alongside pagan worshipers at the feasts associated with those false gods. But their rationale was that these gods did not exist, so their activity was perfectly acceptable. However, Paul warns them that if their participation caused a brother or sister in Christ to stumble, they were wrong. Not only that, but by joining in the feasts alongside idol worshipers, they were expressing unity with them. To the rest of the world, both pagan and Christian, they appeared to be one with those who worship false gods. And as if that was not bad enough, Paul indicates that they are really associating themselves with demons.

There are many things we are free to do as followers of Jesus Christ. But that does not mean that all of them are things we should do. We are free to read books other than the Bible, but it is imperative that we give thought to the content of the books that we read. As believers, we are free to watch TV and movies, but not every show is one we should expose ourselves to. We need to examine the content and consider the message it sends. There are very few movies that do not have an agenda. The world we live in is heavily influenced by the unseen spiritual battle taking place behind the scenes. Satan will use any resource available to him to influence our affections and diminish our dedication to God.

It always goes back to our affections. When God commanded the Israelites to have no other gods but Him, He was not suggesting that these gods actually existed. He simply knew that He had wired mankind for worship. God’s intention was that humanity share its affections with Him, but men and women are fully capable of giving those affections away.

When the Pharisees asked Jesus to name which was the greatest commandment given by God, He responded, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 ESV). The most daunting challenge we face as Christians involves our affections. Do we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind? The answer is no, because we can’t. We are incapable of doing so. But that does not mean we should not try to make it a high priority in our lives.

The enemy wants to get our minds off of God and to distract our affections from God. He wants our souls to be satisfied by something other than God. There is a spiritual battle taking place all around us, and Satan subtly uses the seemingly innocuous and inconspicuous things of this world to deceive us. Our failure to believe in the demonic realm does not make it non-existent. Just because we don’t see the spiritual warfare taking place all around us doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Because the battle is invisible, we need to arm ourselves with the spiritual weapons God provides. We need spiritual discernment and divine assistance to fight an invisible yet real battle. That is why Paul told the Ephesians, “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13 NLT).

God offers us protection for our affections and a way of escape from every temptation.

God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. – 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

Father, we live under constant siege from the enemy, but sometimes act as if the battle is not even real. Through compromise and complacency, we make alliances with the enemy and allow his subtle lies to dilute our faith and diminish our dependence on You. If we refuse to spend time in Your Word, we will be easy prey for the enemy’s deception. We will find ourselves defenseless and powerless to resist his temptations. He loves to deceive us and cause us to compromise our convictions. He doesn’t waste his time trying to get us to walk away from the faith; he simply tries to make our faith a non-factor in the way we walk. But You have called us to live set-apart lives that reflect Your character and demonstrate the Spirit’s power within us. Don’t allow us to compromise or grow complacent. Keep us alert to the enemy’s lies and more determined than ever to live according to the truth of Your Word. Amen

Pursuing Righteousness Instead of Rights

January 20, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? ²If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

³This is my defense to those who would examine me. ⁴Do we not have the right to eat and drink? ⁵Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? ⁶Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? ⁷Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? – 1 Corinthians 9:1-7 ESV

While Paul was on the issue of rights and the Christian’s need to die to them, he took the opportunity to address his rights as an apostle. There were evidently those in Corinth who were questioning whether he really was an apostle at all. Others may have been confused by some of Paul’s actions, because at times he did not appear to behave as an apostle.

Some of this had to do with how Paul handled himself when he had ministered among the Corinthians. Rather than allow the Corinthians to meet all his financial needs and provide him with food and shelter, Paul and Barnabas had chosen to work (Acts 18:3). Evidently, other apostles, like Peter, had a reputation for bringing their wives with them while doing ministry, and they expected the churches to cover their expenses as well. Paul didn’t fall into this category because he was unmarried. However, Paul’s point is that he had every right to expect the Corinthians to care for him while he was ministering among them. And if he had been married, he would have had the right to bring his wife with him and expect the church to pay her way. But just because Paul did none of those things did not make him any less an apostle of Jesus Christ. He met the criteria.

First of all, he had a personal encounter with the risen Lord and was commissioned by Him to take the gospel to the Gentiles. He was every bit an apostle as much as Peter, James, or John, and the Corinthians were living proof of his apostleship, because their lives had been changed because of his ministry.

Paul gives three illustrations from daily life to prove his right to expect compensation and care from the Corinthians. First of all, he uses the example of a soldier. No member of the military is expected to pay his own way, but he serves on behalf of the people, giving his time and, if necessary, his life in defense of his nation. In return, the citizens of that nation pay his salary and supply his needs for food, clothing, and shelter. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement.

The second illustration Paul uses is that of a farmer and his vineyard. No farmer in his right mind would plant a vineyard and not expect to benefit from the fruit that it yields. He is the one who tilled the soil, planted the vines, and harvested the grapes. As a result, he had every right to enjoy the fruits of his labors.

The final illustration Paul gives is that of a shepherd. To deny a shepherd the benefit of the milk his flocks provide would be ludicrous and unfair. He is the one who has provided for and protected the sheep, keeping them well-fed and safe; so he should be the one who enjoys the benefits of his hard work.

As will become evident later in this same chapter, Paul’s main concern was not regarding his rights as an apostle but about the integrity of the gospel. His primary goal was that the gospel remain unhindered in any way. That is why he and Barnabas had chosen to work rather than demand their rights and expect the Corinthians to cover their costs. These two men did not want the Corinthians to resent their presence or reject the gospel because of an unnecessary financial burden. So, they willingly relinquished their rights.

This goes back to chapter eight and Paul’s warnings about those in the church who were allowing their “knowledge” of right and wrong to cause their brothers and sisters in Christ to stumble. They were using their rights as an excuse to do wrong, and Paul was using himself as an illustration of how dying to one’s rights is sometimes the right thing to do.

At the core of the gospel is the message of love, specifically God’s love for mankind. He sent His Son to die in the place of sinful men and women, out of love. Jesus told His disciples, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12 ESV). In the very next verse, He gave what He believed to be was the greatest expression of love for another human being.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” –John 15:13 ESV

And in keeping with His teaching, Jesus gave His life as the consummate expression of His love for mankind. The apostle John wrote, “By this we know love, that he [Jesus] laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:12 ESV). And that was the primary pointPaul was making in his letter to the Corinthians. Just as Paul had been willing to give up his rights and lay down his life for them, he was expecting them to do the same.

The gospel is not about rights, but about righteousness. It is about dying to self and living for God, which means loving those whom He has made in His image. God did not save us to make us isolated islands of self-obsession, where our rights rule the day. He saved us so that we might die to self and live for Him. And one of the best ways we can express our love for God is by loving those around us, sharing the gospel message of reconciliation in both words and deeds. Jesus Himself made it perfectly clear and simple when He said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 15:35 ESV).

Father, demanding my rights comes naturally, but dying to them can be difficult and counter-intuitive. It seems to make no sense. In a culture that cultivates a what’s-in-it-for-me mindset, dying to self goes against our human propensity for self-protection and the pursuit of personal pleasure at all costs. Demanding our rights has become a sacrosanct, non-negotiable entitlement that makes us the center of our own universe. But Paul calls us to model our lives after that of Jesus. He demands that we practice sacrifice and selflessness, placing the needs of others ahead of our own. He calls us to love others more than we love ourselves. Just as Christ loved us. It’s not easy and it’s certainly doesn’t come naturally. But with the Holy Spirit’s help, even I can display the selfless love of Christ to others and prove that righteousness is far more beneficial than demanding my rights — every time. Amen

The Joy of a Distraction-Free Life

January 18, 2026 / kdmiller55 / 3 Comments

³²I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. ³³But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, ³⁴and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. ³⁵I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

³⁶If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. ³⁷But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. ³⁸So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

³⁹A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. ⁴⁰Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God. – 1 Corinthians 7:32-40 ESV

There is little doubt that Paul’s view is a bit idealistic. His motivation is sincere, but he is looking at the situation through the lens of his own life. He was a single man who had totally dedicated his life to the mission of spreading the gospel among the Gentile nations. He was totally committed to the commission given to him by Christ and would not allow anything or anyone to distract him. When Paul said, “I wish that all were as I myself am” (1 Corinthians 7:7 ESV), he was referring to his singleness. To the unmarried, he stated his opinion that “it is good for them to remain single as I am” (1 Corinthians 7:8 ESV).

Paul knew that life could be difficult and was full of commitments and requirements on one’s time. There are the daily demands of life, such as work, providing for one’s family, relational issues, as well as societal demands and expectations. For the married individual, those things multiply exponentially. Which is why Paul advocated singleness. But this is where his idealistic nature comes out. He says, “the unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:32 ESV). In an ideal world, an undistracted, fully dedicated Christ-follower may find himself “anxious about the things of the Lord,” but not necessarily. There are plenty of unmarried men and women who find themselves anxious about anything and everything but the Lord. Singleness is not an antidote to spiritual distraction or the cure for an anemic commitment to Christ.

There is little doubt that the fewer earthly commitments and distractions we have, the easier it should be for us to dedicate our time and attention to the things of God. But it doesn’t always work out that way.

Paul writes, “the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife” (1 Corinthians 7:33 ESV). He is not saying a husband’s commitment to care for the needs of his wife and family is wrong. He is simply emphasizing the reality that the married individual will have a more difficult time finding the time to serve God without neglecting his family. Again, Paul is not indicating that caring for one’s wife and family is somehow unspiritual or insignificant. In reality, Paul knew well that a Christian was required by God to love his or her spouse and family well. They were to live out their faith in Christ within the context of the marriage union and display a Christ-like determination to love sacrificially and selflessly.

To be a godly wife or husband is a huge commitment, and that seems to be Paul’s point. As a single man, Paul was completely free to go and do whatever God demanded of him. He had few, if any, commitments that would keep him from responding to God’s call on his life.

Ideally, “the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit” (1 Corinthians 7:34 ESV). For Paul, singleness brought a singularity of focus, and he longed for others to experience that same freedom from earthly commitments and concerns. It wasn’t that he experienced no anxiety in his life, but that any anxious moments he had were usually associated with his mission as God’s apostle. Any worries he experienced were not about domestic issues, but about the state of the church.

At one point, Paul told the Galatians, “I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!” (Galatians 4:12 ESV). His concern for their spiritual growth was like that of a woman anxiously enduring the pains of labor as she waits for her child to be born, healthy and whole. Paul had few worldly distractions. He didn’t have a “honey-do” list, carpool duties, soccer games to attend, recitals to sit through, or do-it-yourself tasks to perform around the house. He was free to worry about the things of God, and he desired that same level of freedom for every believer. That is why he wrote, “ I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible” (1 Corinthians 7:36 NLT).

Paul makes it clear that he is not making the state of singleness more spiritual than that of marriage. To get married was not a sin, and to remain single did not make you a super saint. For Paul, it was a matter of practicality. Single people face fewer distractions and demands. They have more discretion regarding their time. Paul told Timothy, “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2 Timothy 2:4 ESV). He seems to have had in mind a stipulation within the Mosaic law.

When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken. – Deuteronomy 24:5 ESV

Undivided attention is difficult when you have divided allegiances. Paul’s primary point in all of this has to do with devotion to God. He believed strongly that he was living in the last days and conducted his life as if Christ could return at any moment. There was no time to waste. The gospel needed to be taken to the ends of the earth. The message of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone needed to be heard by every person on every continent. To accomplish that formidable mission, Paul knew he needed the help of every able-bodied believer. He simply wanted the Corinthians to know that he was out to secure their undivided devotion to the Lord.

I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible. – 1 Corinthians 7:35 NLT

As Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2 ESV). That is the motivating force behind Paul’s words. He lived with the end in mind and deeply desired that every believer would share his passion for proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and experience the joy of a distraction-free life dedicated to the cause of Christ.

Father, it is difficult to argue with Paul’s logic, but it is also difficult to accept his conclusion. As a happily married man, I know firsthand that the role of a husband is full of distractions. My wife could easily testify to the many times I have made her walk with the Lord harder than it has to be. But we both know that God has used our marriage relationship to sanctify and perfect us. I strongly believe that we have accomplished more for the kingdom together than we would have even done on our own. Yet, I hear what Paul is saying. I understand his desire to see more believers sold out to the cause of Christ. Show my wife and me how to use our marriage for the good of the Kingdom. Don’t allow us to turn our divinely ordained union into a self-consumed, it’s-all-about-us relationship that loses sight of the Great Commission and fails to put the needs of others first. Amen

A Healthy Perspective on Life

January 17, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

²⁵Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. ²⁶I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. ²⁷Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. ²⁹This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, ³⁰and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, ³¹and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. – 1 Corinthians 7:25-31 ESV

For the second time, Paul uses the phrase, “now concerning.” It would appear that he is answering yet another question that he had received from the church in Corinth regarding particular matters they were struggling with. He opened this chapter with the words, “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote” (1 Corinthians 7:1 ESV). He has addressed the topic of sexual abstinence, agreeing that it is good, but that due to sexual temptation, it would be better to get married than to “burn with passion.”

He has warned that sexual abstinence within marriage is viable only under one condition: that the couple do so to dedicate themselves to prayer. Otherwise, they should act as if their bodies do not belong to themselves, but to one another. Paul has indicated his desire that those who are single remain so, so that they might dedicate all their energies to serving the Lord. But he knew that to do so and remain sexually pure would require a special gifting from God. Without divine assistance, they would be better off getting married.

Those married to unbelievers should not seek a divorce, but remain in their marriage and have a godly influence on their spouse and children. In summary, Paul was encouraging everyone to remain as they were when God called them. There was no need to seek a radical change in circumstance. What God required of them was a change of heart. Slaves should seek to be godly slaves, rather than spending all their time obsessed with gaining their freedom. Believing husbands should not seek to divorce their wives. Everyone needed to understand that the greatest change in their lives had already taken place; they had been restored to a right relationship with God Almighty. They were children of God, whether they were free or enslaved, married or single, circumcised or uncircumcised. It was their relationship with God that set them apart, not their particular circumstances.

Now, Paul turns his attention to the singles within the church. The Greek word he uses is παρθένος (parthenos), and it can refer to a virgin, a marriageable woman, a single man who has remained sexually pure, or an unmarried daughter. In this context, it would seem that the term, as Paul uses it, “refers to young, engaged women who were under the influence of various groups within the Corinthian church, not to go through with their marriages. The central issue would then be whether the young men and women should continue with their plans and finalize their marriages” (NET Bible Study Notes).

In Paul’s day, fathers were the ones who determined who their illegible daughters would marry, so he is addressing them with these comments. But he most likely has single men in mind as well. The issue remains the same. The Corinthians have a misunderstanding regarding the spiritual and physical dimensions of life. They had been heavily influenced by the philosophy of dualism, and there were those within the church who were advocating abstinence from marriage altogether. Why? Because they viewed sexual activity as evil and unspiritual, because it involved the body. Dualism taught that anything done in the body was either evil and to be avoided or didn’t matter at all. This latter view could lead to license, where anything was permissible because the body was non-essential. It could result in asceticism, a rigorous form of self-denial.

To address this issue and to deal with the singles in the church, Paul repeats that it would be best to remain as they are. If they were single, they should remain so. And he gives a more detailed explanation of his answer this time.

Because of the present crisis, I think it is best to remain as you are.– 1 Corinthians 7:26 NLT

It is unclear what Paul means by “the present crisis”, but it would appear from the context that he is talking about the end times. He also says, “the appointed time has grown very short” (1 Corinthians 7:29 ESV). Paul held a strong belief that the end of the age was near, and it strongly impacted his approach to life. He told the Corinthians, “the present form of this world is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31 ESV)because he strongly believed that the return of Christ was near and that each believer should live with a sense of anticipation and eager expectation that He could appear at any moment. With that in mind, Paul encourages the singles within the church to remain as they are. But he also makes it clear that they are perfectly free to marry should they choose to do so.

But if you do get married, it is not a sin. And if a young woman gets married, it is not a sin. – 1 Corinthians 7:28a NLT

He plainly refutes the false view of the ascetics and dualists. But he also makes it clear that he believes the days ahead will be difficult for everyone.

…those who get married at this time will have troubles, and I am trying to spare you those problems. – 1 Corinthians 7:28b NLT

Paul knew from first-hand experience that life as a believer was difficult. Persecution was an everyday reality for Christians in that day. Rejection and ridicule were to be expected. Even Jesus warned His disciples, “The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you” (John 15:19 NLT). He went on to warn them, “Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you” (John 15:20 NLT).

The bottom line for Paul was that every believer needed to focus on living for Christ. They needed to have a single-minded devotion to their faith, living with their hopes and passions fixed on the future, not the present. He even provides some curious and seemingly confusing advice.

…let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. – 1 Corinthians 7:29-21 ESV

He is not advising married individuals to act as if they aren’t married, and he is not advocating the neglect of your spouse. He is simply saying that marriage cannot be your sole focus in life. As believing couples, they were to make it their mutual goal to live for Christ and to make an impact for the kingdom through their marriage. Those who found themselves experiencing difficulty were not to spend all their time mourning over their problems, but they were to replace their temporal concerns with an eternal focus. Those with money were not to live as if material things were the most important thing in life. Those who enjoyed all the things this world has to offer, such as power, possessions, and pleasure, should hold them with open hands, because this world is passing away.

Debates about marriage and singleness, abstinence and avoidance, spirituality and worldliness, were all a waste of time if believers do not remember who they are in Christ. The distractions and difficulties that come with living in a fallen world can cause us to forget why we are here. Paul’s life was gospel-driven; he saw himself as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, not of this earth. He lived with the end in view, and he longed for the Corinthians to have the same mindset and embrace his outlook on life

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. – Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

Father, Paul can sometimes come across as harsh and a bit of a spoilssport. Yet, he had a healthy view of reality. He knew that salvation came with high expectations and the high probabiliity of tribulation. The Corinthian believers were already suffering for their faith and wrestling with how to balance their devotion to God with the everyday pressures of life. Paul was simply focusing their attention on what really mattered: that their lives would bring glory to God. I want that same thing for my life. I don’t want to get distracted by the cares of this world. I want to be a good husband, father, grandfather, pastor, employee, neighbor, friend, and citizen of my community. But more than anything else, I want my life to glorify You and I want to live with the end in mind. Amen

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