#1Corinthians16 - It's Personal

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 16:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Although many might skim or skip over this chapter, there is one thing that stood out to me above all else. MINISTRY IS PERSONAL! It's very easy to get caught up in starting more programs, focusing at numbers of participants, talking big theological talk, or thinking about buildings and facilities. But ministry means nothing if it's not personal and relational. After all, the core message about Christianity is about restoring our relationship with our heavenly father through forgiveness of sins. The second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor. There are no commandments about how many programs we're supposed to have, or what mix of new and old songs to play in worship. Paul's series of personal greetings and acknowledgements reminds me that we need to be first and foremost about relationships - with God and others. When the gospel and other teachings of the Bible are encompassed by a loving, caring relationship, it "goes down easier".

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

Actually, many of Paul's letters end this way, with personal greetings (Romans 16, Colossians 4, etc.). When Paul visited a city either to start churches or strengthen churches, he spent considerable time there. He got to know people and love people. So in these letters he acknowledges them and mentions many of them with fondness. Even though there may not me a whole lot to meditate on or discuss from these sections, it is a great reminder that people matter to God.

3. What does this mean for my life?

In the middle of these personal greetings, Paul gives a verse of encouragement and exhortation. Verse 13-14 says, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love." This verse encouraged me today, and reminded me to keep pressing on. Don't give up. Don't give in to pressures and temptations of the world. And above all, do everything in love.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

Some of the people mentioned in this chapter don't appear in other places in Scripture (to my knowledge). I just wonder what role did they have in the ministry of Paul or the ongoing ministry of the churches?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians15 - No More Sting

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 15:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

I once heard a story about a young boy who was allergic to bee stings, and he knew it. One day he was riding in the back of the car with his dad driving. As they were driving a bee flew in the window and was buzzing around the car. The boy became almost hysterical in fear, but suddenly the dad grabbed the bee out of the air and held onto it. He winced in pain as the bee stung him, and he let the bee go. The boy was still frightful until the dad explained that even though the bee is still alive, the stinger was gone - and he showed the boy his hand where the stinger was still embedded. "So you see, son," he said, "You don't have to be afraid of the bee anymore. It can't hurt you." That's the best example I've ever heard of this passage in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57. Death is still a part of life, but as believers we don't have to be afraid of death. The reason people are afraid of death is because they either don't know what happens next, or they know that we will be judged guilty and have not trusted in Jesus for forgiveness of their sins. Death no longer has any sting or power because through faith in Jesus, our sin is paid for and removed from us. He took the stinger for us. Now we can simply enjoy life to the fullest.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

In verses 9-11, Paul humbly acknowledges that he does not even deserve to be called an apostle because of the life he used to live, but because of God's grace he was still chosen to believe and carry out the work of God. That is the very definition of God's grace - that even though we don't deserve it, God still chooses to bless us by giving us the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus, and furthermore he still chooses to use us to advance the gospel and His Kingdom. Paul shares something similar in 1 Timothy 1:12-17. He explains this same concept, even calling himself the worst of sinners. I don't believe he is being smug or sarcastic. I think he just truly feels the depth of God's love and grace.

3. What does this mean for my life?

If I had to choose one word to describe how this passage impacts me and my life, I would choose the word "hope." Paul talks about how if Jesus hasn't been raised from the dead, then none of us will be raised from the dead, and we have no hope but what we can muster up in this life. Yet he goes on to say that in fact, Jesus has been raised from the dead - according to the Scriptures which foretold it's coming and to many eyewitnesses who saw him. Because there is really not much hope to be found in this life, ALL of our hope lies in Jesus. This is good news, because we can count on God to fulfill his promises. So now I am able to life this life to the fullest without fear, and full of hope in the life to come. This is incredibly freeing and allows me to love others, serve others, give generously, and follow God to wherever, knowing who holds my future.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

This isn't a logical question, but rather a curious wondering. What will our heavenly bodies be like? Will I finally be able to dunk a basketball? Will my joints no longer crack and creak? Will I be able to eat whatever I want? I'm not sure any of this will even matter at all in heaven, but I just wonder what it will be like...

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians14 - Order in the Pews!

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 14:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

After explaining about some different spiritual gifts, how we are all one in the body of Christ, and reminding us to do everything in love, Paul speaks specifically about using some of these gifts in worship. What stood out to me is that even though we might think of someone speaking supernaturally in tongues as being a more amazing gift than prophesying, Paul says that prophesying does more to bless those in earshot. He says that speaking in tongues is a miracle and a supernatural gift, so unbelievers may find it amazing and trust in God. But a prophetic word will reach the hearts of all who are listening, as the word from God comes in their own language. That seems backwards, but most of the things of God are like that. :) I also really love Paul's closing plea and lesson. He reminds people that our God brings order out of chaos. He wouldn't give people gifts that throw people into confusion and disorder. God desires order and patience. There's no need for everyone to shout all at once. It's as if Paul were saying, "Order in the Pews!"

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

In Acts chapter 2 the Holy Spirit comes on the disciples, and the sign is that they are all speaking in various tongues. Many who were visiting Jerusalem from other nations were amazed that someone was speaking in their own language. For the Jews who witnessed this, it was a sign that God was at work. However, when Peter stood up and spoke plainly and prophetically, the word of God reached deep into the hearts of many who heard, and 3,000 people became believers that day. Now that's church growth.

3. What does this mean for my life?

As a worship leader, I am so used to having everything planned out and orderly, but verse 30 convicted me a little that I should be open to the Holy Spirit moving during the worship service through anyone else. I know that the point was to bring order to worship, but it sounds like their services were pretty chaotic with everyone chiming in and speaking in tongues at once. I think maybe if Paul were visiting churches today, he would see that in many there is no room for the Holy Spirit to work. The service flows like clockwork, and everyone gets a little edgy if things start to drag a bit or if something has to go to Plan B. So, I really do want to be more open to the Holy Spirit in worship. EXPECT GOD TO SHOW UP!

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I'm going to ask a question that I know separates some denominations from each other, but because this chapter is all about supernatural gifts, I'm going to ask it anyway. "Are all believers suppose to speak in tongues? Or is it just those that the spirit has gifted in that way? Do other supernatural gifts count? How about the other gifts mentioned in chapter 12 that don't "seem" supernatural? I know those are more like spaghetti than real questions, but that's kind of how I was thinking about it. :)

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians13 - The Wedding Passage That Isn't

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 13:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

This is one of the most commonly read passages of the Bible at weddings, because it's all about love and service and sacrifice. Now while all of this is actually really good advice for loving your spouse, the context of the passage actually has nothing to do with weddings. It is sandwiched in between two chapters describing the church as the body of Christ and the gifts that are given to God's people. Paul must have felt that there would be a temptation to focus so much on spiritual gifts, especially the supernatural ones, that the church would forget the main thing. Paul is reminding the believers that our primary focus is to show love to one another, both within the church as a family and outside the church. The Greek word that is translated to love in this passage is "agape" which describes the unconditional love and benevolence of God, who served and sacrificed for us when we didn't deserve it. We are called to show that love to others, even when they don't deserve it.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

I thought immediately of the time in Matthew 22:34-40 the Jewish leaders tried to trap Jesus by asking him what the greatest commandment was. They figured if he picked one of the ten, they could then nail him about why the others weren't important. Instead he gave this answer: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" The Pharisees could not dispute this, but it sounds like 1 Corinthians 13. Paul is trying to keep the main thing the main thing - Love God and Love others.

3. What does this mean for my life?

There are some things in this chapter that are hard for me to do. Oh I can be patient, but "love always trusts." That seems like a good way to get let down quite a bit. "Love always hopes." That seems like a good way to be disappointed often. I need to try and bring out the best in people always, and paint them in the best possible light in an honest way. That's part of showing love. I guess part of loving is being willing to be hurt sometimes. God is hurt almost every day by every person, even those who love him...

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I actually don't think I do have any questions about this passage.

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians12 - Paul vs. Picasso

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 12:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

I love this passage about the body of Christ. Paul brilliantly uses the example of a human body to describe how every member of the church is important. Even though some are in positions of more public recognition (like the hands or eyes or mouth), and others virtually go unnoticed until there's a problem (like the liver or kidneys or alveoli), every part of the body is important. God has created each of us differently on purpose. So rather than wishing you were a different part of the body or attached in a different way (like some bizarre Picasso painting), recognize that God made you exactly the way you are, and wants to use your gifts and personality for his kingdom purposes.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

While part of Paul's message here is about individuality and differences within the body, the main point is that though we are different, WE ARE ALL UNITED AS ONE BODY. This is true for each congregation, each denomination, and the whole Christian church worldwide. It's easy to forget that we are one. In John 17, Jesus prays that we as believers would all see ourselves as one. Despite our differences in practices, stylistic preferences, even biblical interpretation, we should all be one in Christ.

3. What does this mean for my life?

One of my biggest takeaways from this chapter is that I can stop trying to be all things to all people, in terms of excelling in everything. I will try my best at whatever I do, but sometimes it is far better to acknowledge a weakness and bring people into your life who can fill that need. As a leader in a ministry organization, that is huge for me to realize.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

What are the greater gifts mentioned by Paul at the end of this chapter? Why does Paul encourage believers to desire the greater gifts after seemingly telling them to be content with who God made you to be?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians10-11 - Freedom for Glory

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 10-11:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

After the last chapters, where Paul was explaining that we are not bound by some old covenant laws anymore, he uses these chapters to explain what that freedom looks like. He starts out reminding us of Israel's past and urges us to learn from them: "Don't grumble like they did in the desert...it didn't turn out so well..." :) He urges us to be cautious of eating food sacrificed to idols, simply because it could be a stumbling block to others. He speaks to appropriate conduct in worship and to appropriate teachings about the Lord's supper. But the most interesting lesson for me from this chapter was when Paul acknowledges the freedoms we have, but says that not everything is beneficial. It's like the freedoms we enjoy in the U.S. I have the freedom of speech, but not everything I am permitted to say is beneficial. It might hurt someone else. It might be taken the wrong way. It might send mixed messages to others. So I choose not to say a lot. :) The freedoms we enjoy, rather, are to be used for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

I thought it was interesting that Paul is the one instructing the Corinthians about Communion, especially what Jesus said on the night he was betrayed. Paul wasn't there, he must have learned from someone. He did spend time with Peter and the other apostles, so it could have been any one of those encounters where he learned it. Luke's gospel records some very similar words during the account of the Last Supper in Luke 22:17-29. It's neat that these words are still the same words many churches use when celebrating communion together.

3. What does this mean for my life?

1 Corinthians 10:13 really stood out to me. "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." Sometimes I feel defeated just because I'm experiencing strong temptation. The truth is that experiencing temptation doesn't mean I have to give in to it. I can say no. That's the power of Christ in me. God will always provide a way out. Sometimes, I'm sure it's simply to say no and move on. :)

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I actually have quite a few, but I think my greatest confusion comes with the head-covering rules. Paul seems to be pretty clear, that men should not cover their head (or have long hair), but women should cover their heads (or have long hair). Does this apply in every church of all time, or was it something specific that this congregation was dealing with?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians7-9 - Running for the Prize

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 7-9:


After a busy weekend I am playing catch-up, so there will be at least one more post with multiple chapters. It's nice that it's easy to catch up and stay on track with this format.

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Chapters 7 and 8 of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians address some specific questions the church had for him after he had left their company. Although we don't even know the exact questions, we can guess pretty closely by his answers that they had to do with sexual immorality and how it relates to marriage, circumcision versus uncircumcision, and eating food that was sacrificed to idols. Interestingly enough, these would not have been questions for Jews under the old covenant law of Moses. It was clear: DON'T DO THOSE THINGS! But Paul is saying a few things in these chapters. Jesus came to fulfill the law of Moses and the old covenant because we couldn't. In doing so he also brought about the new covenant, which didn't totally do away with the law. Rather we are now freed from the demands of the law, so that eating food sacrificed to idols is now nothing, and circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing. The important thing is that we are preaching the gospel of Jesus and putting as few stumbling blocks in the way of our brothers and sisters as possible. Paul compares this to a race and says that we should "run in such a way to win the prize."

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

In Jesus' famous "Sermon on the Mount" which is found in Matthew 5-7, we hear something very familiar concerning the law and the new covenant. Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:17) He is essentially telling us that we are no longer bound by the old law, although the law is still there to guide us. Throughout the new testament we see passages that help us see in many ways which parts of the old testament laws are not important anymore. Colossians 2, for example, lists several examples of the kinds of laws that no longer bind us - circumcision, rules regarding eating and drinking, rules regarding specific religious festivals or Sabbath days (think of Jesus healing on the Sabbath), and rules about what is okay to touch (ceremonial uncleanness). From Hebrews we read that the old covenant system of priests and sacrifices were basically fulfilled and no longer binding, since Jesus is our eternal high priest and our perfect sacrifice. However, that doesn't mean that all old testament laws don't still have authority over us. Many of the laws were more about morality and God's design for life, including worship of God alone, sexual purity in marriage between man and woman, stealing, murder, lying, envy, etc. These laws are all re-emphasized in the new testament by Jesus, Paul, and others as being important guidelines that are forever in place by God.

3. What does this mean for my life?

I was personally moved by Paul's desire to share the gospel to all people. 1 Cor. 9:22-23 summed it up, "I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings." Paul relates to people, doesn't consider himself worth more than others, and find ways to make the gospel personally relevant to different audiences. His hopes is that some (many) would believe in Jesus and be saved. I especially noted how Paul used to word "all" three times to describe his efforts and then the word "some" to describe the response of his listeners. He knew not everyone would receive the gospel message of Jesus Christ, but he spent his entire life towards that goal regardless. I want that to be true of me too.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

In two different sections of chapter 7, Paul advises people not to be married. He suggests it is better for most that they remain single, unless they can't control themselves sexually (then it's better to be married). What is he really saying and what are his motivations for saying it? Was he addressing this specific congregation and the issues of sexual immorality? Would he say the same thing today? It seems that part of it was a belief that Jesus would come back any day, literally, and that because time was so short we should all dedicate our energy 100% to the work of the gospel. However this presents a problem if every Christian remained single. As that generation died off, there would only be unbelievers left marrying and having kids. If he understood that it would be at least 2,000 years, would he have spoken differently?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians4-6 - Judging others

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 4-6:

**After a busy weekend, I'm going to read three chapters today and three tomorrow to catch up. Anyone who has been following along can just keep moving at the same pace.

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Next to John 3:16, the next most quoted verse of the Bible by nonbelievers and believers alike is "Judge not lest ye be judged." Although usually quoted without any knowledge of who said it or in what context it was shared, it does connect with a theme throughout especially the new testament. We are not God, and we are supposed to let God judge all people. Yet at what point are we supposed to remind people of behaviors that comply with God's scriptural outline rather than conflict with it? Is that judging? Here in these chapters, Paul makes a helpful (although not easy) clarification. We are not supposed to judge the behaviors of those outside the church, but we are to let God be their judge. However, we are supposed to judge the behaviors among people inside the church. We are not supposed to tolerate ungodly behaviors (specifically sexual immorality in chapters 5-6) within the church. Even though we are not playing eternal judge, we are using judgement to strengthen each other and the church as a whole.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

In Ecclesiastes 3:17 we read, "I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.” The writer of Ecclesiastes also knew, like Paul, that we aren't supposed to pass judgment on every deed of every person, because God will hold every person accountable to what they did. Paul says a similar thing in 1 Cor. 4:4-5.

3. What does this mean for my life?

In 1 Cor. 6:19-20, we are told that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we should honor God with our bodies. Although it is in the context of sexual immorality, I tend to also apply this more broadly to taking care of ourselves. We need our bodies to continue to allow God to use us here on earth, so to take care of them is to honor God who dwells within us.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

Are some of the instructions in this passage meant for a certain church at a certain time? Or are they all timeless? Specifically, I wonder about the idea of expelling someone from the church for certain sins. Is that still something that should happen. If so, how and for what offenses?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians3 - Three Little Pigs in the Bible?

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 3:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

As Paul describes his work in the kingdom of God, he uses language of building and construction. He reminds us that there is only one foundation - Jesus Christ, and everyone is secure on that foundation. However, he also teaches us that there will be a day when everyone will be called to judgement and held accountable for every one of our actions. Our actions, our attitudes, and how we invest our lives in general can be seen as how we each build our lives on the foundation of Jesus. Paul lists several different materials, some that would withstand the test of fire, and some that would burn up. Some of our deeds amount to nothing of eternal significance and will be burned up. Others that give God glory and express his love to the world will not only withstand the test but will shine with eternal significance. I really can't help but think of the three little pigs, who built their houses out of different materials. Some held up to the test of the Big Bad Wolf, and others didn't. :)

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

In the first few verses, Paul encourages the believers to move on to maturity, comparing them to a toddler who is still drinking milk when they should be eating solid food. Another interesting comparison is that a child who is eating solid foods is also able to feed themselves. I think this is also a mark of spiritual maturity, that someone is not totally dependent on someone else to nourish them spiritually. Rather they are able to read the Scriptures themselves, and seek out other ways to be fed and nourished by God's word. This concept reminded me of Hebrews 6:1-3, where the writer encourages the believers to move beyond elementary teachings of the faith and move on towards maturity. It's like saying, "Okay, we've mastered addition, subtraction, and letter sounds. We've been dwelling on it far too long, it's time to move to the 3rd grade to bigger and better things."

3. What does this mean for my life?

The part that caught my attention on a really personal level was 1 Colossians 3:16-17. Paul explains that because God's Spirit lives within us, our bodies are God's temple. I think this is one of the most compelling biblical concepts advocating health and wellness at least in a general sense. There are obviously some things that we can't control that happen to us, but there are SO MANY things we can do to care for our bodies, including sleeping enough, eating healthy, not eating too much, drinking enough water, exercising, taking time to rest and de-stress, refraining from too much alcohol or substance use (or any for that matter), and many other daily decisions affecting our health. Caring for our bodies enables God to use us more for his purposes, and hopefully for a longer time in this life. Verse 17 references that together we are God's temple, but I don't think it is a stretch at all to take it personally as well.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I wonder what things Paul would consider to be elementary versus more mature as far as Christian teaching and living. The Hebrews passage mentioned above sheds some light on that, I suppose. I also wonder what Paul would say to churches today. If he would say, "Wow, 2000 years have passed and we still haven't moved passed ______!" Or if he would say, "Well done, we have moved the church into a mature body of Christ." I think either way, he would encourage us to keep digging deeper. :)

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians2 - A Mystery Revealed

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 2:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

After saying in chapter one that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, Paul then goes on to explain that it is not foolish at all. Rather, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus was actually what God had planned "before time began." It was simply a mystery to all, even though God spoke about it through the Scriptures and the prophets. It just didn't make sense from a human perspective, but from God's perspective it was the perfect and only plan to redeem mankind from a fallen state of sin. It's like reading a mystery and not really knowing for sure what's going on until the final clues are discovered and the mystery is revealed.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

Paul also talks about the gospel being a mystery in Colossians 1:25-27, which says, "I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." He explains that the mystery is not only that Christ would die for our sins, but that he would rise from the dead, and through the power of the Holy Spirit dwell within us - his people. That is still bizarre, a mystery in it's own way, but the plan is now clear.

3. What does this mean for my life?

I really appreciate how Paul begins this chapter, humbly stating that it wasn't with any human wisdom that he came. He simply shared the wisdom of God through God's word, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. He didn't win people over with super speeches, but simply with the loving message of the gospel. I hope and pray that I would have that same humble approach to sharing the gospel, that God's wisdom would guide me and that I would not try to sound super spiritual on my own. Rather, I want to simply point people to Jesus and his love for us.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

What did Paul mean when he said in verse 15, "The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments..."?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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#1Corinthians1 - Foolishness!

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 1:

Yesterday concluded my walk through the gospels. Since I have already done Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, my plan is to read 1 and 2 Corinthians, then pick up in 1 Thessalonians and read the rest of the way through the New Testament. That will take us into August sometime, when we will blow the dust off of the Old Testament and dig into the treasures God has for us there. :)

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." It's interesting to me that the message of the cross would be seen as foolishness to anyone. To me it seems like a heroic rescue or a love story, but when I think about it, almost every good thing in this world comes from the reward of good, hard work and positive performance. We work hard in school, and we get good grades and scholarships. We perform well in sports or music and we receive awards, honors, and opportunities for advancement. We work hard and perform well in work, and we receive a promotion or a raise. However the gospel message is not about rewards for hard work, it is about trusting in the perfect work and person of Jesus Christ to forgive our sins, restore our relationship with our heavenly Father, and fill us with the Holy Spirit. From the world's perspective, that just doesn't make sense.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

Verse 25 reminds me a lot of Isaiah 55:8-11, which says, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts..." Even God's foolishness is wiser than our wisdom. So what seems foolish to the world might just be the wisdom and plan of God.

3. What does this mean for my life?

Paul encouraged the people in Corinth not to claim any person as the one they follow except Christ. It was clear that whether they were taught primarily by Paul, Apollos, Peter, or another apostle, that they should still be unified and proclaim to follow Christ. I have experienced lots of different teachings from different people, and while I agreed with some more than others, I appreciated having that variety. Overall it has strengthened my faith and helped me. But as long as Christ is proclaimed, we should see how we can be more unified in the other things.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

This isn't really a question, but I'd like to know more about Apollos. The first book I read through doing this chapter a day was Acts, and I know that it explains a bit about him in Acts 18, but what exactly was he preaching, and what happened to him after this?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

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