Are You Neglecting God’s Temple?

“God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.” – 1 Corinthians 3:17b

In 1 Corinthians 3:16 Paul uses a powerful metaphor that speaks volumes about how vital Christian unity is: Together, we are God’s Temple.

 

Most of us are familiar with the passage that tells us our own individual bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). But did you know there are more Scriptures in the New Testament that speak about the Church being the temple of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 3:16, Eph. 2:21 and 2 Cor. 6:16) than there are about our individual bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit? Most Christians overlook this clear teaching of Scripture … because, deep down, many Christians in America believe that while Jesus is necessary, the Church is expendable.

 

And for Christians who DO prioritize the Church, we avoid teachings about the Church being God’s temple because it’s uncomfortable. We don’t like to talk about the damage we’ve done to God’s temple through our infighting and complaining. Like the Christians in 1 Corinthians 3, we defile the Church – the temple of the Holy Spirit – when we sow seeds of disunity and division among Christians.

 

Fortunately, in verses 18-23, Paul tells us how to gain and maintain unity in our church … in four steps:

 

Step #1: We must have a proper view of ourselves (vs. 18-20). Many of the Corinthian Christians were intellectual snobs, still chasing after worldly wisdom and holding themselves above other Christians. So, how do we keep from being intellectual snobs? Paul answers, “View yourself as a “fool so that [you] may become wise” (v. 18). To “become a fool” means to check your ego at the door and be humble enough to learn.

 

Step #2: We must have a proper view of our leaders and teachers (vs. 21-22a). The Corinthian Christians were caught up in the cult of personality. They argued and boasted that their leader was the best, whether it was Paul, Peter or someone else. And Paul responds in verse 21, “No more boasting about men!” Paul urges Christians to stop placing their favorite leaders on pedestals and shining a spotlight on them. Only Jesus Christ deserves the spotlight.

 

Step #3: We must have a proper view of the world (v. 21-22). Paul tells us, “All things are yours, whether … the world or life or death or the present or the future.” Christians SHOULD enjoy life and the beauty of God’s creation. But Christians should also enjoy death (in God’s perfect timing), because when our physical bodies die, we remain spiritually alive – transported to be with Christ. That’s why Paul ends verse 22 by pointing out that the future is ours to enjoy. Because of Christ, we don’t just have the gift of the present – we also have the gift of the future.

 

Step #4: We must have a proper view of God (v. 23). It is in Christ that we find our proper view of everything. Only when we fix our eyes on Christ—the author and perfecter of our faith— can we truly eliminate division in the church and be the temple of the Holy Spirit that Jesus has called us to be.

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:45 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd in Victorville. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Are You Building With Straw?

“No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
– 1 Corinthians 3:11

When they started building the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in 1135, it was never intended to lean. But five years into construction, the building began to tilt. The architect and engineer tried to correct the lean by making the remaining stories shorter on the uphill side, but it just kept getting worse.

 

Over the next 600 years, engineers realized that the tower wasn’t just leaning. It was actually FALLING, at a rate of 1 to 2 millimeters per year. Finally, from 1990 to 2001, a team of experts worked together to save the tower. If something hadn’t been done, the tower most likely would have toppled over by now.

 

Do you know WHY the leaning tower leans? It has a weak foundation. The foundation is only 10 feet deep – far too shallow for such a tall building. To make matters worse, the tower was built on spongy marsh soil.

 

In 1 Corinthians 3, the Apostle Paul speaks of laying a foundation and constructing a building. But he’s not talking about building a chapel, a prayer room or a cathedral. He’s talking about building the Church – the body of believers who follow Jesus Christ. Together as a church, you and I – and Christians all over the world – are a building under construction. We are God’s building.

 

And Paul makes it very clear verses 10 and 11 that he laid a rock-solid foundation for the Church. Its foundation was and is Jesus Christ, and that foundation can NOT be changed. Even if someone WANTED to change the Church’s foundation, he/she couldn’t. The foundation of Christ crucified is firmly set in place.

 

However, there is still a way to sabotage Christ’s great building project. All you have to do is construct a shoddy building on top of the quality foundation. Therefore, Paul writes in verse 10, “Each one should be careful how he builds.” In verse 12, Paul gives three examples of quality building materials: gold, silver and costly stones; and three examples of substandard building materials: wood, hay and straw. Bottom line: There are wood churches filled with hay Christians, and there are gold churches filled with precious stones.

 

As we work together to serve God, we need to ask ourselves: Are we building something of quality that will last, or are we building something shoddy that will topple? Contrary to popular belief, a solid gold church isn’t necessarily one that is big and looks successful to the world. Many big, successful-looking churches are wood, hay and straw in God’s eyes. They are built on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ crucified, but because they don’t preach, teach and uncompromisingly live out the enduring word of the Lord, they are wood, hay and straw.

 

In God’s eyes, quality building is building that centers on the Word of God, especially the gospel. In Matthew 24:35, Jesus says: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

 

Therefore, as you serve Christ, give Him your very best. And as you serve Him with your church family, give Him your very best. Build on the solid rock foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ and proclaim the enduring Word of God that is more precious than gold, silver and costly stones.

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:45 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd in Victorville. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Grow Up!

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things.” – 1 Corinthians 13:11

Have you ever known someone who was really immature—someone who did NOT act their age? In an article in “Christianity Today,” Jen Wilkin tells about one of the most immature people she and her husband ever met. Her name was Charlotte.

 

Wilkins writes: “From the moment we stepped into her space, it was all about her. She demanded our full attention day and night. Forget rational arguments or the needs of others; it was The Charlotte Show, 24/7. She thought only of herself and demanded loudly and often that her needs be met. Our schedules bowed to her every whim. She uttered not a word of gratitude…. And we didn’t mind one bit. Because all 7 pounds and 15 ounces of her was doing exactly what she should.”

 

Then, Jen Wilkin adds: “What is appropriate in an infant is appalling in an adult.” And in 1 Corinthians 3, Paul has to call out the Corinthian Christians and tell them: “You’re acting like spoiled brats! Knock it off!”

 

Even after being saved for several years, the Corinthian Christians were still hanging out in the spiritual nursery. They were still immature. That was a tragedy in the church in Paul’s day, and it’s a tragedy in the Christian Church today.

 

So, Paul tells the Corinthian Christians in verses 1-3a: “I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly — mere infants in Christ.  I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly.”

 

“Milk” in God’s Word includes the entry-level teaching that new Christians should be able to digest easily with the help of the Holy Spirit – for instance, the basic Gospel message about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, as well as the beloved Bible stories about Noah, Moses and Jonah. That’s all MILK! “Solid food” is the deeper doctrine that helps us to better understand God so that we can more effectively trust, love and obey Jesus Christ. Learning how Jesus uses the cross to transform you so that you can join Him in His great ministry here on earth—that’s solid food.

 

In these verses, Paul reveals the two main characteristics of immature Christians: #1) They refuse to dig deep into God’s Word (vs. 1-2). #2) Immature Christians’ thinking and behavior are indistinguishable from that of non-Christians (vs. 3-4). As theologian John MacArthur warns, “Spiritual truths that we ignore and neglect will become less and less remembered and meaningful…. Nothing causes us to ignore God’s truth more than not living it.”

 

Christians, use it or lose it! If you don’t want to lose what you’ve been learning in God’s Word recently, you’ve gotta live it out. If you don’t live it out, you will neglect it and will most likely forget it. Jesus Christ gave His life for you. So, how can you help but dive into the deep end and live your life for Him?

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, now meeting Sundays at 8:45 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd in Victorville. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

God’s Secret Wisdom

 “‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ … these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit.” – 1 Corinthians 2:9

Is it REALLY so hard to believe the Gospel message – that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son? And is it REALLY so hard to believe that this same Jesus desires to live inside you and continue His great work through you?

 

For many people, the answer is … YES. In 1 Corinthians 2:7, Paul reveals the main reason so many smart people don’t believe the gospel message. They don’t believe it, because they don’t understand it. And they don’t understand it, because God has hidden its true wisdom from them. Why would He do that?

 

One reason is found in 1 Corinthians 1:29: “So that no one can boast before Him.” If there’s one thing that God hates, it’s pride. So, if someone comes to God proud, puffed up and full of himself, God will intentionally hide the wisdom of the cross from him. But if you come to God with a humble heart and a teachable spirit, the outcome will be very different. His Holy Spirit will reveal to you the wisdom that, because of your former arrogance, was once hidden from you.

 

When someone comes to God with a humble heart, sees the truth of the cross and accepts Jesus as Lord, wisdom begins. But it’s ONLY the beginning. The Word of God has been described as a river: Certain parts are very shallow, where even a little lamb can safely get a drink of water. Other parts of the river are deep enough for an elephant to disappear under the depths. As Christians, we shouldn’t spend our entire lives only sipping in the shallow end.

 

In 1 Corinthians 2:9, Paul writes: “As it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’ … these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit.” In Old Testament times, no one was able to see, hear or even imagine the cross of Jesus and what it would mean to hopeless sinners like you and me. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, we have been blessed with insight and understanding. We can experience God’s love in a way that no one in ages past could.

 

Jesus Christ has blessed every Christian with the gift of His Holy Spirit for many reasons, including THIS reason in verse 12: “that we may understand what God has freely given us.” The Holy Spirit has access to all of God’s wisdom and understands every bit of it. So, if you’re a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is your COUNSELOR, giving you the best advice; your REMINDER, reminding you of what Jesus has taught you in Scripture; and your TEACHER, teaching you about who God is and what He requires of you. The Holy Spirit gives you insight and wisdom you could never have had on your own. To God be the glory!

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, now meeting Sundays at 8:45 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd in Victorville. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Get Out of the Spotlight!

 “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom…. I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”

– 1 Corinthians 2:1-2

 

Scottish pastor John Hutton shared the story of a man who was known as a drunkard and a lowlife. But to everyone’s surprise, one day he gave his life to Christ.

 

His drinking buddies thought he had lost his mind. They said, “Surely you can’t believe in the miracles that the Bible talks about. You don’t actually believe that Jesus turned water into wine!” The new Christian responded, “I don’t know if he turned water into wine. But in my own house, I have seen Him turn beer into furniture.”

 

The new Christian didn’t waste his time arguing with his unbelieving friends. He just pointed to his own transformed life.

 

And in the First Century, the Apostle Paul took a similar approach. The unbelievers in Corinth didn’t get saved because Paul was a stronger debater than all their intellectuals and philosophers. They got saved through the simple, foolish-sounding gospel message about Jesus Christ dying on the cross for their sins. Paul knew that people don’t get saved because you can out-debate them.

 

Paul makes it clear that when he was in Corinth, he did not preach the gospel “with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:17). If Paul had let his high I.Q. and oratory skills take center stage, Paul would have gotten the glory, not Jesus. And that, my friends, is a sin. As we do ministry, Jesus alone must be in the spotlight.

 

In chapter 2, Paul continues: “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 1-2).

 

The Corinthians had seen plenty of professional speakers and philosophers who would “wow” audiences with their amazing speeches. But Paul refused to be an entertainer or a showman who took the spotlight for himself. Instead, he consistently shined the spotlight on Jesus Christ, basically saying, “Look at Him, not at me! Look at what Christ has done! Look at HIM!”

 

Paul writes, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power” (vs. 4-5). And how did Paul’s preaching demonstrate the Spirit’s power? Here’s the answer in two words: CHANGED LIVES.

 

A transformed life is the greatest evidence of the true wisdom and power of the gospel. When Jesus Christ takes hold of a hard human heart and turns beer into furniture, there’s no evidence more convincing than that. The world’s most inspiring sermons will not persuade your family and friends to accept Jesus Christ as much as your changed life will.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, now meeting Sundays at 8:45 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd in Victorville. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc

How to Correct a Christian

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you.” – 1 Corinthians 1:10

The Corinthian church was messed up and needed fixing.

 

So in the apostle Paul’s first letter to the Christians in Corinth, he has his work cut out for him. But before he starts digging into their problems, he spends several verses letting his Corinthian church family know how much he thanks God for them.

 

Paul’s approach in 1 Corinthians 1 reveals this beautiful principle: Before you rebuke or correct a Christian brother or sister, you should reach out to them in love, as Paul does in verse 4: “I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.”

 

Then, before Paul lowers the boom with his first rebuke, he writes: “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (vs. 8-9). Paul lets his readers know that their current failures are NOT permanent failures, because God is at work! He won’t let them become eternal failures. Because “God … is faithful.”

 

Only then does Paul move on to the Corinthians’ first big problem: disunity. Schisms and quarrels were taking place within the church, breaking it up into had no fewer than four factions. They were becoming “groupies” for their favorite church leader. Warren Wiersbe says it so well: “Instead of emphasizing the message … the Corinthians emphasized the messenger.” These divisions had brought the church to the brink of a spiritual divorce.

 

As he pleads with the church for unity (v. 10) , Paul reminds the Corinthians that there is only one Christ in Christianity (v. 13). There is only one Savior who was crucified for you. And He is the ONLY one into whose name believers are baptized.

 

Here are three lessons we can draw from this passage: 

 

Lesson #1: Before you rebuke or correct a Christian brother or sister, share your heart with them and let them know how much you thank God for them. Every Christian needs a rebuke or correction at one time or another. So, never forget this important principle. 

 

Lesson #2: By Christ’s grace, your current failures aren’t permanent failures. The God who was faithful to save you is also faithful to sustain you. You are a work in progress – and so is your Christian brother or sister. God’s still working on you, and God’s still working on them. And God WILL be faithful to finish His work.

 

Lesson #3: Refuse to be a church leader’s “groupie.” Just be a committed follower of Christ and a unifying servant in His Church. Don’t follow men. Follow Jesus. And don’t put servants of Jesus up on a pedestal where only Jesus deserves to be.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, now meeting Sundays at 8:45 a.m. at 17746 George Blvd in Victorville. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.