What Do You Have That You Did Not Receive?

We have friends visiting us. A couple days ago we began our day with a meditation and discussion of the Apostle Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 4: What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

This got us into a discussion about the gifts our friends bring to us. We remembered how unique each one of us is. What led up to that was our review of the Apostle's comments upon the divisions and fighting that was going on in Corinth. One group claimed to be followers of Paul. Another said, "No way. We follow Apollos. He's the real leader here." And yet another wanted to claim Peter as their leader. So it went, one bunch going one direction and another pulling away. They were not united.

In God's kingdom we are blessed with leaders and members who bring us many different abilities, interests and insights. I reflect back upon the hundreds who have taught me by their words and by their examples.

The apostle's point is simple and direct. All of them are gifts of God's grace and mercy to us. What do I have that I did not receive?

The same holds true for what I bring to others. I have certain gifts of communicating, teaching and counseling. I have had the privilege of education, reading and experience that many others have not. Dare I claim that all this makes me better than those around me? By no means. What do I have that I have not received as a gift of God's goodness to me?

A good way to begin the day--and the week--is to remember how gracious, forgiving and loving is our Lord. Everything is ours. We are the very children of the heavenly Father because of what our Lord Jesus has accomplished for us upon the cross. We shall inherit life eternal. What can I do but offer back to Him in praise and thanksgiving what I have received?

Are You On The Right Side Of The Road?

Whose side of the road are you on? | Salon News

The above article discusses the background, advantages and disadvantages of driving and walking either on the right or left side of the road. I recall being in Great Britain at an intersection. As normal for me, I looked to the left to see if any traffic was coming. None was, so I stepped out to cross the street. My wife grabbed me back just in time for a car coming from the other direction to pass where I had stood a fraction of a second before. Instinctively I was totally unprepared for people driving on the left side of the street.

In the Bible our manner of life is often called our walk. So I might ask, "Whose side of the road are you on?" Are you on the right side?

Since most of us are right handed, it seems to this majority that right is correct and left is wrong. For instance, way back in Genesis 4 the NIV translates the LORD's conversation with Cain in this manner:

"Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

The word "right" translates the Hebrew word Yatab. The King James translates the question in this way: "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" This suggests that Yatab is a term referring to doing what is pleasing, beautiful, what makes another happy and want to accept you.

Again, when Abraham pleaded with the LORD for Sodom in Genesis 18 he asked, "Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?" In this case the Hebrew word is Mishpat, a legal term used by a judge in the courtroom.

We could go on discussing right from wrong in some detail. For believers the question is always, "Whose side of the road are you on?" The right side is always that side established by the LORD who has rescued us from certain death when we stepped out into the left side. In fact, He stepped out into that side so that He might take our place. Therefore, in gratitude and faith, we walk where He leads. His is always the right side. We live our lives, walk our walks to please Him.

By the way, this analogy and these translations are not in any way intended to offend or judge folks from those countries where it is legal to drive on the left side of the road.

Best Guess or Absolute Certainty

Although we try at times to avoid it, many of my friends and I end up talking about politics and the challenges we face these days. Frequent topics include the proposed new health care system and the state of the economy here in the U.S. We all have rather strong views on how things are, as well as how they should be. We care because we believe the decisions made and about to be made will impact our personal lives as well as the lives of our children and grandchildren for decades to come.

But I am not a politician nor do I choose to write about politics except as it impacts upon our spiritual life. Yet one cannot avoid pondering on what goes on in the hearts and lives of those elected to serve us on all levels of our government. What drives them? In Biblical terms, what is the spirit of the world and those living in it?

The Apostle Paul writes:"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God" (1 Corinthians 2:12).

As I listen to the politicians argue back and forth I realize that much of what they say and do is based upon guesses and experiments. Nobody really knows how to put the economy back on track. Nobody absolutely can say what health care options are best for this country. The best that anyone can come up with are informed opinions. And so, as is often stated, we'll have to wait for history to tell us. Hindsight. Oh the joy of hindsight revealing our foibles, our stupidity, our pride, greed and self-centered ideas and, occasionally, wisdom.

But is this all we have in spiritual matters? Must we merely make guesses about forgiveness of sins, God's love, the resurrection of the dead and eternal life? No, no, a thousand times no. We have certainty precisely because of the Spirit that dwells in us and works among us. The Spirit of the living and resurrected Christ has come to us in the very Word of God to convince us and assure us that we are His children. Because He lives--and He most certainly does--we too will live with Him forever.

Paranormal and Revelation

Another comment today about wisdom, picking up where I left off last time.

For many years I've been fascinated by what psychologists call paranormal experiences. These are events or phenomena such as clairvoyance that are beyond the scope of scientific understanding. Most psychologists reject such ideas. They insist, as good scientists, that everything can and must be explained on the basis of experiments with our five (or six) senses. Nothing exists or can exist beyond that.

Now some psychologists come back to say that is not so. There are human experiences that exist alongside our otherwise normal ones. We non-scientists can discover these in our homes. They call them Ganzfeld Hallucinations. "Ganz Feld" is German, referring to the entire field. It's an area of psychological experimentation that is open to much controversy.

People following the described procedures report things like the following:

“In the right side of the visual field, a manikin suddenly appeared. He was all in black, had a long narrow head, fairly broad shoulders, very long arms and a relatively small trunk…. He approached me, stretching out his hands, very long, very big, like a bowl, and he stayed so for a while, and then he went back to where he came from, slowly.”

I leave you to decide the validity of such experiments. The one thing I note, however, is that we all bring a certain view of how the universe works into our science and into our conclusions. As a Christian I am confident that there are many things outside of what I can discover with my senses and rational mind, things that I can only know if the Spirit of my Creator and God reveals to me. Here's what the Apostle Paul wrote about such godly wisdom:

"We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written:

"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him"— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit." (1 Corinthians 2:6-11)

The Spirit has revealed God's endless love most clearly in the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth, born of Mary, suffered on Calvary, dead and yet raised on the third day as God's sign that His sacrifice has brought all who trust Him forgiveness and unimaginable glories yet to come.

The Wisdom of God

Earlier, I said I was reworking a study of 1 Corinthians. I've veered from that pursuit for a few weeks. I'd like to return to take a look at something Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:

"For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (v.2).

Now that I have the Internet, I wander in fifteen directions, all at one twenty minute setting. Brilliant and learned people want to tell me how to live, what to eat, what magic drug or herb to swallow, what the future holds and who to vote for -- and none agrees with the other. So where does that leave me? Often vastly confused. For all the wisdom of this world, I might as well stay off the Net and toss a coin instead.

Now relate that to matters of the soul, the forgiveness of sins, faith in God and hope for eternity. Where do I turn?

Paul admits in this chapter that he wasn't much of a public speaker. He did not present himself as a brilliant philosopher. Instead he focused upon one thing: "Jesus Christ and him crucified." What's his point?

Behind each word in this phrase is a history recorded in Holy Scripture.

1. Jesus - The Gospels tell us the story of Jesus, his birth, his parents, his ancestry, the place of his birth, where he grew up and how he lived. All of this is critical to my life and yours.

2. Christ - The Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah. Here is the story of the Covenant with God's chosen people, the long history of their belief and unbelief, culminating in the renewed promise to David that one of his descendants would reign forever. The Anointed King would come, said the prophecy, and set up an eternal kingdom.

3. Him crucified - But when He came, he was rejected by His own people. And yet, and yet, they could not thwart the plan of God, foreknown centuries before. The promised Messiah came and died, but God raised Him up on the third day and thus confirmed that Jesus of Nazareth is His Son. He who came once is coming again and when He does, He will raise up His children to live with Him in eternal glory.

This, Paul writes, is his message. This is profound, godly wisdom. Herein lies the wisdom hidden for ages, but revealed now in these last days.

When I am confused, troubled, muddled and overwhelmed by the so-called wisdom of the world, I retreat to this wisdom of God to find comfort in the truth of Jesus. He died upon the cross for me. He is coming again soon. When he comes I and all who put their faith and trust in Him will rise to live in perfected bodily life forever.