Love is superior to the gifts of the Spirit shown in the previous chapter. The gifts of the Spirit must be used in favor of others and not to make one feels superior to others. Besides, these gifts will cease one day, whereas love is forever.
A church full of love and lack of supernatural power is superior to a church full of supernatural power but without love.
However, don't we need power to love? Power to be kind, patient and not envy? Certainly, I need.
Imagine a church where leaders and members want to bless the each other for serving Jesus. It would be a beautiful church. In the Corinth church some members wanted to be respected by others, while others felt that they didn't deserve to be there. Paul wanted them to see themselves as the body of Jesus - where each member has its function and works coordinately with each other. Love is what unifies every one in the church, so that they work coordinately.
In the first century, a woman using a veil in public was showing that she was married. A single respectful woman should use a white ribbon(the vitta) on her hair. Today, a woman uses a ring as such symbol. A woman with an uncovered hair would be seen as a prostitute. In a way, a woman with her hair covered was signaling that she is under authority. Imagine what message would women with her hair uncovered would send to the world at that time! Paul wanted them to show that they should be respected by outsiders.
The church in Corinth was taken the holy communion in a disrespectful way, as they were in a restaurant today. The wealthy people used to eat much more delicacies than the poor in holy communion (the wealthy would drink a very good wine while the poor a bad wine). Paul wanted them to show love (in holy communion) and respect (women with covered hair) for each other in the church.
Some Christians in Corinth thought that they could have a "normal" life in Corinth, i.e., they could consciously eat meat sacrificed to idols with their friends while sharing the holy communion in church. At that time, meat was a delicacy which was commonly sacrificed to idols. As a delicacy, people would meat when doing business, or meeting their family to commemorate something. Paul argued that "love" is above "freedom in Jesus"; so they recommend them to refrain on scandalizing others. The law per se is not what should guide the life of Christians. Perhaps, looking only the law, the meat per se is not bad because a meat is not changed into other thing when sacrificed to idols. Although we don't face the problem of meat sacrificed to idols nowadays, we must ask: "What then should be our basis of conduct?" Paul says:
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. 32 Do not offend Jews or Greeks, or the church of God; 33 just as I also please everyone in all things, not seeking my own benefit but the benefit of the many, so that they may be saved.
Paul was the missionary who spread the Word to the Corinthians, but the church began to think of Paul as someone with less authority than Peter and other disciples. The church was not financially taking care of Paul and Barnabas. Paul argued that it would be desirable that the church took care of him because he worked for them; however, he continued, he is working for Jesus, so he wouldn't charge for his service.
What is the purpose of Paul with this discussion? He shows that he cares for the church and not for his money; besides, it is very important that the church understands Paul's authority to value the gospel.
Who is important to the Corinthian church? Paul wanted that they understood his love for them and mainly his love for Jesus so that they would listen to him.
In the first century, it was very common that meat bought in the market was a leftover from sacrifices to idols. A believer does not want to have anything to idols but could he eat meat that was sacrificed to idols (a very common situation)? The Corinthians were divided. Some argued that they could eat because meat is just meat and they were not worshiping any idol by eating meat. Paul agreed on that, but he said:
1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes one conceited, but love edifies people.
He said that it is better to restrain from eating meat sacrificed to idol for the sake of another Christian that hasn't this understanding. Paul said that love (for a weaker brother) is above the comfort (of eating meat).
A selfish guy doesn't have the freedom to restrain his comfort for the sake of another person. May we have this freedom.
While some members had immoral sexual relations, others, went to another idea: don't have sex even with his spouse. They asked Paul about it. Paul answered in a balanced way: sex in marriage is to please the spouse. Although "no sex" seems much more spiritual, in fact, one's body is not his own; it belongs to the spouse. Paul recommend that in a marriage with a non believer, the Christian must remain the marriage, so that the Christians blesses the non believer.
The Christian must be guided by love and not by self interest. Sometimes, a great ascetic decision as "no sex" must seem beautiful, but it may be a disguised selfish decision. The Christian must not be concerned about himself but be concerned to praise the Lord.
In the Corinthian church, there were some disputes among its members that were taken to Roman tribunals. Paul argues that the Roman law and justice are far inferior to the Kingdom of the Lord rules and justice, besides, Christians are called to rule the world; so how would they rule if they are bellow the law and rules of the world? A ruler must have integrity and this is also seen in how he conducts his sexual life. In the Corinthian world, there was a saying: "Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food"; that is "sex is part of our biology as food is". However, this kind of thought leads one to be ruled by sex when in fact, a Christian is one who finds freedom from himself so that he rules over his own body, which is the Lord's temple.
The church of Corinth misunderstood what is grace. A man was having sex with his step mother, sin even to outsiders of the church; however, the church was proud to be inclusive. Paul see the church as arrogant, as boasting about being inclusive when in fact they were not helping the man to be free of his sin. Paul says that the church should expel the man so that he understand his sinner condition and repent.
The Christian church in general doesn't deal with sin very well because the church hardly confronts sin.
In any organization, it is very common the fight for power: to be friend of who are above and despise who are bellow. The Corinthian church was resembling any human organization when they were discussing who is best: Paul or Apollos? Paul said:
1-4 Don’t imagine us leaders to be something we aren’t. We are servants of Christ, not his masters. We are guides into God’s divine secrets, not security guards posted to protect them. The requirements for a good guide are reliability and accurate knowledge. It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion. I don’t even rank myself. Comparisons in these matters are pointless. I’m not aware of anything that would disqualify me from being a good guide for you, but that doesn’t mean much. The Master makes that judgment.
A leader is usually afraid of how their subordinates see him, however, if a Christian leader thinks as Paul, then may rest even when he is not well seen because he is aware that he must respond to the Lord and not to men.
No all Christians churches are healthy, some are very toxic. Toxic churches are commonly centered in one or more charismatic figures. The church of Corinth were divided, some were more in favor of Paul - the missionary that led many to Christ - and Apollos, the pastor who was with them after Paul left the church. As Paul was the missionary, he could have said: "You are my sons and daughters, never forget this!". However, he said:
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
He said that he and Apollos was God's fellow workers. They were instruments of the Lord to create the field/church. We all must look to ourselves as sinergoi, co-laborers of God. We work together with God. Sometimes we see ourselves working to God, but instead we must work together with God with a purpose. In this case, working to create a temple built by the believers of Corinth. Would Paul think of himself as the founder of the church that should be respected more than others, he would be working to his own ego.
In the last chapter, some members of the church were ranking their preachers, taking sides. Paul said that when he began to preach to them (Acts 18), he was afraid that they would not accept the message:
3-5 I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate — I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God’s Spirit and God’s power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God’s power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.
Now, imagine a greater preacher of today that thinks highly of himself. Would he say such a thing? Imagine a gentile world, full of false gods, with philosophers that saw life in different ways. Now, imagine Paul with the message that Jesus is the Messiah that was crucified for our sins and resurrected from the death. Certainly that this message would sound foolishness to the natural men and yet, Paul says that this is the wisdom from the Lord, the wisdom that the spiritual men received from the Spirit.
Paul writes 1 Corinthians in response to a letter from Chloe’s family and a letter that the Corinthians sent to Paul asking many things. The beginning of the church is written in Acts 18, 3 years before this letter. Corinth was a great port city, gathering people from many places of the world, with their different gods. At that time, the Greek culture, Greek wisdom was very appreciated. It was common to argue about ideas and people and choose one. That is what was happening in Corinth when they were picking sides: Paul, Peter, Appolo and the Messiah. When they were taking sides, they were proud about their own wisdom, their capacity to choose the best ideas and the best people. In this scenario, Paul remembers that they were not outstanding people and even so, they were chosen by God. To be chosen by the Lord to see the beauty of the cross is far more important than to boast about oneself. Paul writes:
18-21 The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written,
I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head,
I’ll expose so-called experts as shams.
So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered stupid—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.
Paul wants that the Galatians be a healthy church where they follow the law of Christ: "Bear one another’s burdens", where one help another when falls (in temptation). Following Galatians 5, this is possible when each sees himself as a beggar that is set free to love, trusting in Jesus sacrifice. Indeed, Paul says:
14-16 For my part, I am going to boast about nothing but the Cross of our Master, Jesus Christ. Because of that Cross, I have been crucified in relation to the world, set free from the stifling atmosphere of pleasing others and fitting into the little patterns that they dictate. Can’t you see the central issue in all this? It is not what you and I do—submit to circumcision, reject circumcision. It is what God is doing, and he is creating something totally new, a free life! All who walk by this standard are the true Israel of God—his chosen people. Peace and mercy on them!
A church will not be healthy when one trust in his own merits, such as circumcision or any other religious deed such as paying the tithes. This leads to people that compare themselves feeling superior to others.
The beggar can´t survive by himself. The Christian is the beggar who is aware that he can't trust in his own works to get near the Lord. The Christian knows that he can only trust in the cross - Jesus died to him and that's why the Lord accepts him. When the beggar is aware of his condition, and aware of what he has received, he is free of himself. He is free for loving others. The Spirit moves in him producing love, peace, joy, patience; but when he trusts in his own works (ex: circumcision), he begins to exalt above others. Instead of loving, he competes with others trying to be some imaginary race. He hates others. He wants to be the number 1.
Am I aware of my condition?
Paul said to the Galatians:
4-7 But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.
Paul said that the Galatians were kidnapped by the Law, but Jesus came to redeem them; so they don't have to (or must not to) apply the ceremonial law (make the circumcision) to them. They became children of the Lord, and they now have the Spirit of Jesus into their lives crying "Papa!" to the Lord.
Paul remembers how the Galatians were friendly to him, but now, due to the Judaizers, he feels that their relations is colder. He said that the Judaizers want them to become slaves when in fact they were the slaves (of the Law).
The Galatians believed in Jesus. There were signs that the Spirit was with them; however, they received Christian-Jews who told them that the ceremonial law, the circumcision, was necessary to be seen as the people of Lord. Why did they listen to these Christian-Jews? Because they were descendants of Abraham, because they were the people that received Moses and the prophets. Paul used the Old Testament to argument that the Galatians are in fact the people of the Lord not by the law but by trusting in Jesus because:
Genesis 15:6 - Abraham was saved (seen as just by the Lord) by faith before the Law.
Genesis 12:3 - The promise to Abraham included all nations.
Deuteronomy 27:26 - The Law demands perfection (and we fail).
Habakkuk 2:4 - The righteous live by trusting God.
Therefore, the Galatians don't need to be circumcised to be accepted by the Lord. In fact, they were already accepted by the Lord when they trusted in Jesus, and it was notorious that the Spirit was with them.
5-6 Answer this question: Does the God who lavishly provides you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do for yourselves, does he do these things because of your strenuous moral striving or because you trust him to do them in you? Don’t these things happen among you just as they happened with Abraham? He believed God, and that act of belief was turned into a life that was right with God.
