哥林多前书

Meditative Reflection
Speak to be Understood

“So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.” (1 Co. 14:9)

I still remember the days when I used my summer vacation to join short-term mission trips to the Interior of British Columbia and the neighboring towns in Alberta as a layman. These short-term mission trips have greatly helped me understand that the gospel is the power of God for salvation (Rom. 1:16). Many times, as we gathered our courage to share the gospel to strangers on the street, in the mall or during home visitations, people responded in repentance—all because of the work of the Holy Spirit who works through the responsible and careful sharing of the gospel by our team members.

But during one visitation, we wanted to train a younger college team member to share the gospel on her own. As we approached the person who answered the door, instead of beginning with a friendly chat to see if the person had the time to talk to us, this young Christian bombarded the person with gospel verses from the Bible one after another like a machine gun. We had to step in to stop her and we took over the rest of the visitation. She was very upset and challenged us afterwards. “Isn’t the gospel the power of God? Isn’t the word of God like a two-edge sword that can cut through our souls and spirits?” she protested.

She was right; the word of God is certainly powerful, except that

(1) It needs to be spoken intelligibly as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:9 and if the hearer does not “grasp the meaning of what someone is saying” (14:11), it is really like speaking into the air.

(2) The word of God is the sword of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 6:17) which means that as we share the gospel to people who are yet to believe, we are sharing with people who are still dead in their transgressions (Eph. 2:1). It is only when the Holy Spirit chooses to work in their hearts will they come to understand, be convicted and repent.

This is why I find evangelism training programs like Evangelism Explosion so helpful, because they teach us to share the gospel systematically, clearly and responsibly; and they usually emphasize the need to recruit prayer-partners, so that we do not rely on ourselves, but on the Holy Spirit as we seek to share the gospel with others.

Meditative Reflection
Your Spirit or God’s?

“God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.” (1 Co. 14:33a)

It is important that while Paul spends much time in I Corinthians 14 to caution us against speaking in tongues in public without interpretation and in a disorderly manner, he does conclude with saying, “do not forbid speaking in tongue” (14:39). I, for one, am not part of the charismatic movement, but I do not agree with the notion that the gift of tongue speaking has ceased since the time of the apostles because there is simply no proof of that in the Scriptures. But I do believe that tongue speaking had become such a big problem within the church in Corinth that Paul had to use chapters 12-14 to build his exhortation against the improper pursuit and use of tongue speaking, especially in their public meetings.

The reason why the gift of tongue speaking had been so elevated above others gifts in the church of Corinth is not hard to understand. They obviously saw tongue speaking as a sign of spirituality and they saw anything to do with the spirit superior was greater than that of the mind. It is in this context that Paul says, “For if I pray in tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do?” (14:14-15a). The answer to most of us would be obvious—is our spirit not more important than our mind?! Surprisingly, Paul answers,

“I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say, “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?...the other man is not edified.” (14:15-17)

The word, edification, as a noun and as a verb, appears many times in this chapter which is Paul’s emphasis when it comes to the life of the church as a body of Christ. Together with edification, the emphasis by Paul is also “order” and “peace”. It is very unfortunate that often in the body of Christ, the “spirit” is used to trump not only the mind, but the order and peace of the church.

As strange as it may sound, Paul speaks of our spirit in this way, “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the control of the prophets” (14:32). Paul is not disputing that as they prophesy, it is not a revelation from God (14:30); but even if it is, its manifestation through prophesying has to be done in order or in peace (14:33). The spirits of those so inspired can control it in such a way that through order and peace, the revelation may be of true edification to the church.

I think this is important as we deal with controversial church matters. Even if we think we have been inspired, we need to wait our turn to express our ideas, and express them in peace. Anytime we express in bitterness, in rage and in a disorderly manner, chances are we are expressing our ideas rather than those of God’s Spirit, “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (Jas. 1:20, KJV). Severian of Gabala would go further and say, “But those who are possessed by an unclean spirit speak even when they do not want to. They say things that they do not understand.” (4^th C. Greek Church Father, Pauline Commentary from the Greek Church)

Meditative Reflection
Wearing the Invisible Hat

“If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.” (1 Co. 14:37)

The Apostle Paul concludes his three chapters on the using of gifts in the church with the admonition that “women should remain silent in the churches” (14:34). Within the context of orderliness and peace within the church (services), it is not unreasonable to believe that some of the women were causing troubles and disrupting church services with speaking up at importune moments, perhaps by asking questions (14:35). However, Paul has already assumed that women could prophesy and pray in public, except that they have to cover their heads in so doing (11:5).

So, the silence Paul refers to should not be about public prayers or preaching, but about disrupting the service or the orderliness of the church. If so, I have to say that there are many men in the church who should also keep their silence. Cyril of Jerusalem (circa AD. 313-386) is right when he says in the Prologue to his Catechetical Lectures:

“I shall observe each man's earnestness, each woman’s reverence. Let your mind be refined as by fire unto reverence; let your soul be forged as metal: let the stubbornness of unbelief be hammered out: let the superfluous scales of the iron drop off, and what is pure remain; let the rust of the iron be rubbed off, and the true metal remain…Then may the gate of Paradise be opened to every man and every woman among you.”

As for women preaching, praying and serving in the church, since there are numerous precedents of women being used in a public setting by God, like the four daughters of Philip, Priscilla, Deborah (in Jdgs. 4-5) and Huldah (the prophetess in 2 Ki. 22), I do not see why they should be prohibited from serving the Lord in public, except as Origen says, “show us the signs” which should apply to whoever wishes to “corporately address the people in the way Isaiah or Jeremiah did” (Origen, Commentary on 1 Co.). However, since the Apostle is addressing this issue with his apostolic authority, I would suggest sisters would so pray and preach in public wearing their invisible head-cover, meaning with a sense of humility acknowledging that although it is not done according to the order of creation, it is so “in the Lord” (1 Co. 11:11). But isn’t it also true of men? “What do you have that you did not receive (from the Lord)”? (1 Co. 4:7)

All of us should serve in humility, knowing that we are absolutely unworthy!

Meditative Reflection
Believing Christ Only for This Life?

“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” (1 Co. 15:19)

From time to time, I have heard Christians say sincerely that it does not matter to them whether there is eternal life or not. They make it sound so cool and noble that you almost want to agree with them, except that this is totally contrary to the gospel and it means that Christ died in vain. Not surprisingly, this notion appears to be common among the Corinthian believers and the Apostle Paul points out the serious implications of such a notion in 1 Corinthians 15 which include the following:

(1) Christ has not been raised (15:13): We have to understand what eternal life is. It is not some vague idea or a warm and fuzzy feeling. It is the life of Christ, the resurrected Christ living in us. He is the eternal life that lives in us. Therefore John reminds us, “He who has the Son has life, he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 Jn. 5:12) If we do not care if we have eternal life or not, we do not care if we have Christ living in us! And if Christ does not live in us although we believe in Him, He has not been raised. He is still dead in the tomb!

(2) Our preaching is useless (15:14): The gospel that we preach, as Paul reminds in 15:3, is that “Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…". Then, if Christ was not raised, our message is absolutely “empty” (which is the meaning of the word, useless). There is no power to the gospel, because Christ was powerless to even be raised to conquer His own death. No matter how earnest we preach the gospel, there will not be any result. It is an empty gospel.

(3) So is our faith (15:14): Indeed, our faith is futile, because Christ has not only failed to conquer death, He has not dealt with the root cause of death which is sin, and Paul says, we are still in our sins. In other words, Christianity would not be unlike any of the other world religions. We would be left to deal with sin ourselves, and as in all other religions in the world, we could only resort to doing good works.

(4) We are then found to be false witnesses (15:15): But Paul does not stop in v.4 in reiterating what the gospel is, he goes on to say, “and that He appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve. After that He appeared to more than 500 of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also…”. The Great Commission that Jesus has given to us is essentially one of bearing witness of His resurrection (Act 1:8). If He has not risen, not only were Paul and all the early Christians lying, so are we! All of Christianity stands or falls based on whether Christ has risen from the dead or not.  It not only proves who He is—the Son of God, but it also gives eternal life to all who would believe in Him.

(5) Those asleep in Christ are lost (15:18): Paul uses the term asleep often to describe those who have died in the Lord and to point to the reality of their resurrection. Death to those who trust in Christ is not an end, not even a disruption, but a transition, a continuation of their life in Christ—eternal life! But if Christ has not risen, they are lost forever, and so also will we be!

(6) We are most to be pitied of all men (15:19): I find the last words of Paul’s argument the most powerful in that he says, “We are to be pitied than all men!” Not only are we liars, but we are deceiving ourselves. Belief in Christ is based on the belief of eternity, acknowledging that this life is extremely short and that God has made us for eternity. If there is no eternity, there is no accountability to the Eternal God and Paul says, “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die” (15:32).

These days, many Evangelical Christians are very zealous in getting involved in social concerns and social justice. This is good. But this is only basic to all decent human beings made in the image of God; it does not distinguish us as Christians. Many devout Buddhists, Muslims and even atheists do this. But our mission—our Great Commission—remains the preaching of the death and resurrection of Christ,"so that whoever believe in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16).

Meditative Reflection
Baptizing for the Dead?

“Now if there is no resurrection what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?” (1 Co. 15:29)

The above verse from 1 Corinthians 15:29 has to rank among one of the most puzzling verses in the Bible. One of the early heretics, Marcion, interpreted this verse literally and baptized those who had died. I would like to share with you Chrysostom’s refutation of Marcion and his practice which has been taken up by the Mormon churches.

Chrysostom (AD 347–407) tells how, when one of the Marcionite catechumens died without baptism, they would place a living person under the dead man’s bed and ask whether he desired to be baptized. The living person would respond in the affirmative and was then baptized as a proxy for the deceased.

This is how Chrysostom argues against such “extreme ridiculousness” by first pointing to the must that one give conscious assent to faith in Christ:

“For it is impossible that any should not be baptized henceforth, this being once devised: and besides, the fault no longer lies with the dead, but with the living. But to whom spoke he, ‘Unless you eat My flesh, and drink My blood, you have no life in yourselves’ (John 6:53)? To the living, or to the dead, tell me? And again, ‘Unless a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God’ (John 3:5). For if this be permitted, and there be no need of the mind of the receiver nor of his assent while he lives, what hinders both Greeks and Jews thus to become believers, other men after their decease doing these things in their stead?”

Then, he refers to rites of baptism to explain what Paul means by baptism for the dead:

“As thus: after the enunciation of those mystical and fearful words, and the awful rules of the doctrines which have come down from heaven, this also we add at the end when we are about to baptize, bidding them say, I believe in the resurrection of the dead, and upon this faith we are baptized. For after we have confessed this together with the rest, then at last are we let down into the fountain of those sacred streams. This therefore Paul recalling to their minds said, if there be no resurrection, why are you then baptized for the dead? i.e. the dead bodies. For in fact with a view to this are you baptized, the resurrection of your dead body, believing that it no longer remains dead. And thou indeed in the words makest mention of a resurrection of the dead; but the priest, as in a kind of image, signifies to you by very deed the things which you have believed and confessed in words. When without a sign you believe, then he gives you the sign also; when you have done your own part, then also does God fully assure you.”
(Homily XL on 1 Corinthians 15)

Meditative Reflection
Death Where is Thy Sting?

“Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?” (1 Co. 15:55)

The latter part of 1 Corinthians 15 has to be one of the most exhilarating passages in the Scriptures, as Paul talks about what the gospel is, with the emphasis on Christ’s resurrection and ours, bursting into that glorious, victorious shout, “Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?” (15:55).

This past week, while all of my siblings went back to Hong Kong to attend the funeral of my sister who passed away at 79, I was alone in San Francisco. My own health condition prevented me from traveling back to Hong Kong and I had just returned there from not too long ago. But my sorrow was outweighed by a sense of thankfulness, because she had become a born-again Christian in her latter years.

I have to admit that I had not been too faithful an intercessor in years past. But in the last twenty years, I learned to schedule my intercession into daily slots each week. This enabled me to remember the extended family members on my side regularly each Friday. However, even before then, I had been more consistent in remembering those siblings and their family members who were not born-again. My sister was one of them.

I did not know her well during my childhood because of our age difference. She went to work in London even before I began grade school. All I could remember was that she and her friends treated me like a toy, because I was a cute little boy.

Upon her return from London, then married with three children, she impressed me as one whose main goal in life was the pursuit of fame and fortune. Together with her husband, they were heavily involved in the stock market. She also made extremely high demands on her children when it came to their academic achievements and careers. When I became a dedicated Christian, she would laugh at me saying, “You Baptists are crazy!”.

When I moved to Canada, I had very little contact with her, except that I continued to pray for her conversion (and that of her husband). It was in the mid to late eighties that she came to visit me in Vancouver and stayed with me. I then  discovered a change in her. She was a gentler and kinder person, and I came to understand that she had begun attending a women’s Bible Study group in Hong Kong. Later on I understand that both she and her husband had taken their faith more seriously than before.

Then, after I became a pastor, I had the chance to stay with them for a few days when I was in Hong Kong. I still remember that Sunday, when we could not go to church because of a typhoon. I conducted a family worship with them, just three of us. It was the first time I got to pray with them together and I knew that they were truly born-again.

As she struggled with her cancer in the last few years, she demonstrated not only great courage, but great confidence in the Lord. This is what she told the reporter of South China Morning Post, “My faith and related social activities were important to me during my illness. They provided me with the support I needed to keep positive and hopeful, even when it was confirmed my cancer had spread.” (SCMP, September 8, 2008)

During her sickness, it was her joy that was obvious to me—joy in knowing that death has been swallowed up in victory because of Christ’s death and resurrection.

I thank the Lord that I could see and pray with her the day before she went home to be with the Lord. But mostly, I thank the Lord for answering our prayers that, in her older years, my sister would come to know Him. I do want to take this opportunity to thank those of her Bible Study Group whom the Lord used to lead her to Christ.

Meditative Reflection
Contagious Love

“But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” (1 Co. 16:8-9)

In the closing chapter of I Corinthians, I find myself drawn to the following:

(1) How deep a bond of love the church in Corinth has with Paul: In spite of some very harsh words of rebuke that he delivers in this letter, his desire is to revisit them, not with just as “a passing visit”, but for a longer period of time, so that they could help him on his next journey. In other words, he knows that, in spite of his harsh words, the Corinthian believers will still welcome him because they know he speaks from love and it is for their good,

(2) Paul’s heart for the gospel: He decides to stay on a bit longer in Ephesus, not because the work is easy and there is no hardship, but because “a great door for effective work has opened” for him. I do not believe Paul is a person who loves confrontation. The fact that he talks so often about love, shows he is a man of peace. But for the sake of the gospel, even though he might have to face fierce opposition, as long as he senses that the Holy Spirit has opened the door of the gospel in that place, he will stay on. Indeed, Paul lives for the gospel.

(3) Paul has many close confidants in the Lord: The names he mentions in his closing greetings include Timothy, Apollos, Stephanas, Aquila and Priscilla and more. These days, many so-called successful evangelists are loners. Not Paul, and it speaks volumes of who he is. He not only talks about love and humility, he walks his talk. The many loyal and faithful co-laborers in the Lord that he has bear witness to his integrity as a servant of the Lord.

(4) His love for the Lord: Paul, in a manner very atypical of his letters, closes with a curse, “If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him.” (16:22) Are the Corinthians so bad that they deserve a parting curse from him. I don’t think so. Rather, it is because of his great love for them and for the Lord that he chooses not to hide his deepest feelings. He loves the Lord and he wishes all of us would do the same!