Victory through Christ 1 Corinthians 15:51–58 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 1 Corinthians 15:51 When Paul talks about the new body we are going to receive, he begins to think of our bodies’ transformation, and it occurs to him that transformation is to be seen…

Start with Love 1 Corinthians 13:1–13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 You may be one who has never known any of these three responses to the Lord Jesus Christ—neither faith nor hope nor love. You say that you cannot believe, that you have…

Escaping Temptation 1 Corinthians 10:1–13 But with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape. 1 Corinthians 10:13 The way of escape is different in different kinds of temptations. First, there are the sins of the flesh. When we think of fleshly sins, we think of drunkenness, overeating, and sexual sins. Yet there are other…

By Revelation 1 Corinthians 2:6–16 These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:10 It is entirely possible that God could give an inspired writing and yet have that writing be unappreciated by us because we do not have the ability to identify with the things that are found there. It is why…

Foolish Things Wisely Chosen 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. 1 Corinthians 1:27 As you think about what is needed to live a Christian life, to live in a way that is honoring to the Lord Jesus Christ, you naturally feel inadequate to such things; and indeed…

Glory to the Only Wise God Romans 16:25–27 To the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. Romans 16:27 Think carefully about this last word of the letter. What does it mean to say, “Amen”? Amen is a wonderfully rich word. It is found in nearly half the languages of the world,…

Building Up or Tearing Down Romans 15:1–6 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. Romans 15:2 Is all this worth it? Is it worthwhile sharpening our skills and developing our Christian character so that others might grow to be like Jesus Christ? Of course, it is. The problem…

Where Is the Chasm? Romans 14:1–4 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. Romans 14:1 (NIV throughout) Let’s allow God to deal with each of his servants how, when, and as kindly as he will. And while we are at it, let’s be thankful that he has dealt as kindly…

The Debt of Love Romans 13:8–10 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another. Romans 13:8 (NIV) Besides refraining from doing harm to our neighbor, real love is also positive. It “does” for the other. This is involved in the very first thing Paul says, for he writes of the…

Transformation Romans 12:1–2 Be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Romans 12:2 Note what Paul says we are to be: not conformed but transformed by the renewing of our minds. There is a deliberate distinction between these two words. Conformity is something that happens to you outwardly. Transformation happens inwardly. The Greek word translated…