The Plowman

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1 Corinthians #12. An exposition of 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, January 30, 2011.

Introduction:
Are you happy?  If you could change anything about your life what would you change?  Or would it be easier to ask, “Is there anything that would remain the same?”  Most of us are frustrated with our circumstances.  And not just our immediate circumstances such as our jobs, our income, our relationships – we’re not to crazy about that crowd in Washington!  We’d like to see some real changes.  And while I’m on the subject, this world has lost its moral bearings and we are hopelessly careening down the path of destruction.  So what do we do about it?  It seems by all measures we’re in a hand basket on our way to Hell.  As I listen to Christian radio and television I hear that it is our responsibility as the church to “take back” America.  Is that our job?  The church in America has a long history of “crusading.”  You may remember the social gospel movement of the late 19th and early 20th century when the Gospel was couch in terms of social reform.  Or you may be familiar with the more recent notion of “liberation theology” that says the Gospel is about liberating oppressed peoples.  Of course we can write all that off as the misguided zeal of the liberals.  But what about Disney boycotts and political action committees?  That’s a little close to home but is that the work of the Church?

Don’t misunderstand me.  I’m not arguing that we should not be interested in what is happening in our culture.  I’m certainly not suggesting that we turn our backs on moral corruption and oppression.  I am saying we must be careful that the message of the Church, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is not lost in the fight for moral and social reform.  We must ask the question, “is it the job of the Church to reform the culture?  Is it the job of the Church to seek political, economic and social reform?”

All human institutions and forms of government are imperfect.  Some are obviously corrupt, cruel and unjust.  The question is what are we, the Church, to do about it?  At the risk of being misunderstood, I think we must remember that Jesus said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).  He said in Luke 19:10 that His mission was to seek and save the lost.  Thus  the primary purpose of the Gospel is to change people not to change society.  The focus is inward rather than outward.

I must quickly add (please put down the stones) that when the Gospel takes root it cannot help having radical effects on every person, institution and practice around it.  The Gospel brings change to society through the lives that are transformed by the grace of God.  The changing culture is the result of the work of grace not the focus of the work of grace.  This matters because this is what stands behind Paul’s comments to the church in Corinth which are found in 1 Corinthians 7 starting at verse 17.

Text: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24

Again we need to keep in mind this is not a treatise on church state relations.
This is not the only word related to how believers interact with culture.
Paul is dealing with specific issues in Corinth but the principles apply to all.
Rightly understood this passage is about contentment.
It is not about resigning ourselves to whatever fate brings.
It is about learning the secret of contentment.

Reflecting the same truth Paul addressed to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6-9:

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

Contentment is about acceptance and satisfaction. When we talk about contentment it is always in the context of being content with God. Finding our satisfaction in Christ.

With that in mind I want to point out three secrets of contentment.

1. Contentment demands that you view your life circumstance as God’s assignment.  (7:17-19)
2. Contentment demands that you view your life situation as God’s will.  (7:20-23)
3. Contentment demands that your focus remains on your relationship with God no matter what life brings.  (7:23)

Conclusion:
Whatever your condition – circumcision or uncircumcision, slave or free – it is now transformed by the fact that God is with you.  The phrase “with God” can be translated either as “by the side of God” or “on the side of God.”  Either way the point is we belong to Him and His presence is assured us and that makes all the difference.

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#11 in the 1Corinthians series. An exposition of 1 Corinthians 7:1-16. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, January 23, 2011.

Introduction:
Everyone in the church would agree that marriages are in trouble.  The church cries out again Hollywood and it’s very unbiblical portrayal of marriage.  We note the degrading of woman in music and film as sex objects.  The lower of standards in our culture is appalling.  We would say, “We need to return to biblical standards.”  And we would be right to demand such but we also need to take an honest look at ourselves.  According to a Barna research project, which was confirmed by an Associate Press follow up study, born again Christians had a higher divorce rate than atheist and agnostics (born again christians 27%, atheists 21%)!  The data showed that the highest divorce rates were found in the Bible Belt. Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and Oklahoma round out the Top Five in frequency of divorce…the divorce rates in these conservative states are roughly 50 percent above the national average (http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm).  So maybe we shouldn’t just point our finger at others, maybe we should look ourselves as partially to blame.  Maybe we should recognize the need for us to return to biblical standards.

It is hard to expect nonbelievers to follow biblical standards if we are not willing to follow them. Of course it is hard in our “no fault” culture to blame anyone let alone ourselves but facts are facts.  We profess to higher standards than we are willing to live by.  I’m not so naive as to believe we can, without fault, achieve biblical standards but we ought to aim for them.  We ought to strive toward them and continually hold them out as the standard.  With that in mind let’s turn our attention to Paul’s teaching on the subject as it is found in his first letter to the church at Corinth.  Our text this evening is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 7.

Text: 1 Corinthians 7:1-16

Paul says again and again in this letter – “You are saints, act like it!”
You are set apart for God’s glory – your lives should reflect that fact.
We, as the people of God, are to be markedly different from nonbelievers.
I’m not talking about a “holier than thou” attitude.
I’m talking about living according to different rules.
We are to be held to a higher standard.
The Spirit of God within us ought to make us different.

As we explore the opening verses of chapter 7 it becomes clear that…
Thesis: In a morally confused and secularly dominated culture marital health demands biblical insight.

Obviously that statement makes some major assumptions.  First I assume our culture is morally confused.  Does anyone seriously doubt this?  It has been debated on the floor of the U.S. Congress as well as numerous state houses whether marriage is between a man and a woman.  We cannot even agree on a definition of family.  More than that we can’t even agree on the number of genders.  You and I would say there are 2 – male and female.  Others are arguing for as many as 5!  So I think it is safe to say we are morally confused.  Second I’m saying the Christian worldview no longer dominates our culture.  We are living in a post-Christian world.  Third I’m assuming we are still concern with marital health.  This may be my weakest assumption but remember I am talking to the church.

There are two things I want us to note from this text.

1. Marital health demands a solid grasp of the basic truths regarding the nature of biblical marriage.  (7:1-7)
   a. The single life is good (commendable) if that is God’s gift to you.  (1, 6-7)
   b. Marriage is good and it is to be monogamous.  (2)
   c. Marriage has its physical obligations.  (3-5)
2. Marital health demands that all related matters be decided after careful consideration and based on biblical principle.  (7:8-16)
   a. Should I marry?  (7:8-9)
   b. Should I divorce?  (7:10-16)

3 cases

1. When both are believers – 7:10-11
2. When spouse is an unbeliever but is willing to stay in the marriage – 7:12-14
3. When a spouse is an unbeliever and wants to leave/divorce – 7:15-16

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An exposition of 1 Corinthians 6:1-11. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, January 9, 2011.

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An exposition of 1 Corinthians 6:12-20. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, January 16, 2011.

Introduction: It is an old fashion concept.  One that really seems antiquated in our socially progressive culture.  A bit “prudish” perhaps, even considered unnecessary by some.  But it does not change the fact that we are called to purity.  Holiness is to mark us as the people of God.  The truth is there’s been a lowering of the standard for years.  A lowering not just in the general culture but in the church.  While I would be the first to admit that the pietistic approach to holiness put far too much emphasis on the external to the neglect of the internal we must all admit the lack of concern for external holiness has not served us well.  The last few years has revealed a moral crisis as leader after leader has fallen into sexual sin.  Just last week a friend sent me a link to the news article announcing that the executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention has been forced to resign due to moral failure.  A few years ago the leader of the National Association of Evangelicals resigned in the midst of a scandal involving homosexuality.  We had our own brush with that here in Tulsa Metro Association.  Lest you think this is only a problem with “the clergy” let’s acknowledge that, according to recent studies, 53% of the men in the average church have a problem with pornography.  Let’s acknowledge the the number of couples going through divorce are the same inside and outside of the church.  I’m not calling for a return to puritanical standards I’m just asking if we can admit that there is a general lack of holiness within the church?

Not that there is a lack of rhetorical holiness (holy talk) but practical holiness.  We talk better than we walk.  We theoretically hold to a higher standard than we practice.  Apparently the church at Corinth struggled in this regard.  Paul had addressed earlier the problem of incest within the membership (5:1).  There was a man living with his father’s wife and nothing was being done about it.  It was an open secret within the church.  It was known in the community.  Paul is horrified by this fact.  He said, “Such wickedness isn’t even tolerated among the pagans.”  Now in chapter 6 the apostle comes to deal with sexual immorality in general.  Our text this evening is found in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20.

Text: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Context:
Corinth was an immoral place.
There was a cult of “sacred prostitutes” in Corinth.
In fact relations with a prostitute were so common within Corinth that the practice came to be called “corinthianizing.”  It was an accepted practice within the community.  It had been a part of the lives of many within the congregation during their pre-conversion days making it easy for them to fall back into the practice.

While we may not have sacred prostitutes we are a very sexually charged culture.
Sexual language dominates the music on the radio.
It is commonplace in movies and television.
It is used to sell toothpaste and automobiles.
Every kind of sexual perversion imaginable is available is just a click away on your computer, cellphone, iPod or iPad.

Short of ridding ourselves of all forms of communication and finding a cave somewhere how are we to pursue holiness?

Thesis: Purity, in a sexually charged society, demands a biblical understanding of the body and a solid grasp of the meaning of biblical freedom.

Two things stand out in our text.

1. Christian liberty is not an excuse for sin.  (6:12)
2. We’ve been bought with a price and our bodies are intended for His glory.  (6:13-20)
   our bodies are intended for the LORD – 6:13-14
   our bodies are in union with Christ and must not be compromised – 6:15-18
   our bodies are the temple/dwelling place of the Holy Spirit – 6:19-20

Conclusion: You are a saint – act like one!

We’ve been called to purity.  Purity in a sexually charged society demands a biblical understanding of the body and a solid grasp of the meaning of biblical freedom.

Christian liberty is not an excuse for sin.
Our bodies are not our own – they are intended for God’s glory.