1 Corinthians 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
In this passage, Paul is talking about one of the benefits of those who accept the calling of God to live a celibate life, dedicated fully to God. Paul was a single man who was able […]

1Corinthians 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
In 2 Peter 1:6, we are told that we are to add temperance to our knowledge. According to Thayer Greek Definitions, the Greek word that is translated temperance […]

1 Corinthians 13:8 Charity never faileth:
There are many things in this world that can come to an end, but true love is not one of them. God loved this world when HE made it, and HE still loved it after sin so as to send HIS only Son to the world to die so that […]

1 Corinthians 13:7 endureth all things.
Love endureth all things. Love is a choice that one must make. If you truly love another, there will come a time when things become extremely difficult. If you chose to love, then this means that you choose to suffer patiently with your loved ones.
In the 23rd Psalm, David mentions […]

1 Corinthians 13:7 hopeth all things,
Love trusts. The word hope used in this passage means to expect or confide, hope for, and to trust. If you love someone, it means that you can confide in them and you trust that they will not violate that trust. In Proverbs 31, we are told that one of […]

1 Corinthians 13:7 Believeth all things,
Love believeth all things. This does not mean that if you love someone, no matter what they tell you, you will automatically believe them. This does not mean that you become the king or queen of gullible. Instead, a better way to look at this definition of love is that […]

1 Corinthians 13:7 Beareth all things,
Love bears all things. The Greek word translated bearth in this passage means to roof over, to cover with silence, endure patiently, bear, and to suffer. Thus, by connotation, to love someone, means that you must be willing to patiently endure the things that others do to you. There will […]

1 Corinthians 13:6 but rejoiceth in the truth;
Love does not rejoice in the injustices that occur in the life of others but it does rejoice when it sees the truth. Love looks for the good in others and when it finds it, it receives great joy. When Boaz meet Ruth, he went out of his […]

1 Corinthians 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity,
Love is not glad when injustice occurs. If you have love in your heart, this means that there is no room to be cheerful or full of joy when injustice, unrighteousness, or moral wrongs are committed around you.
When Moses was returning to Egypt after receiving from God the instructions […]

1 Corinthians 13:5 thinketh no evil;
Love does not think evil of another. This means that you must make a conscience effort to think good of others. How many times have you allowed yourself to think wrong of another person? Maybe they cut you off as you drove through town; maybe they did something that provoked […]

1 Corinthians 13:5 is not easily provoked,
Love is not easily provoked. The Greek word translated in this passage as provoked means to irritate, to arouse with anger. Think of a young couple that is in love. While they are in love, the other can do no wrong. Each party is willing to trivialize the mistakes […]

1 Corinthians 13:5 seeketh not her own
Love seeketh not her own. This principle is best understood when we study Ephesians 5:28-29, when he wrote “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth […]

1 Corinthians 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly
Love behaves itself. Love does not do something that is indecent. In this passage, the Hebrew word that is interpreted behave itself unseemly, is used one other time in scripture. In 1 Corinthians 7:36, Paul writes, But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his […]

1 Corinthians 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
The question arose whether it was proper to eat meat sacrificed unto idols. There were some Christians who had no problem with eating meat sacrificed unto idols. They understood that they were not worshiping […]

1 Corinthians 13:4 is not puffed up,
Love is not proud. In this passage we see another attribute of love in that it is not love to think more highly of yourself then you ought. We all have heard the verse that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. If we are to […]

1 Corinthians 13:4 charity vaunteth not itself,
Love does not boast. We all know them, individuals who spend a lot of time letting you know about their good deeds. However, that is not what love is all about. God resists the proud but HE gives grace to the humble. Those who are boasting in their own […]

I Corinthians 13:4 charity envieth not;
In Webster’s 1828 dictionary, he defines envy as “mortified that another has obtained what one has a strong desire to possess”. True love does not contain any envy. We know that love requires you to love your neighbor as yourself. In order to love your neighbor as yourself, this requires […]

1 Corinthians 13:4 … and is kind;
Love is kind. The principle of love being kind is demonstrated in the story of Ruth and Boaz. At the direction of Naomi, Ruth went to the threshing floor of Boaz and let him know that she was willing to be his wife. Boaz replied by saying Blessed be […]

1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long,
Love is patient. A beautiful example of this principle is found in the story of Jacob and Rachel. We are told in scripture that Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. (Genesis 29:20).
We live in […]

I Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Too many Christians worship at the gods of modern education. They obtain knowledge and they allow that knowledge to […]

I Corinthians 8:11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
You are accountable to God for your actions. If your actions cause another individual to stumble, God will hold you accountable. Jesus taught us “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better […]

I Corinthians 8:10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
In this chapter, we learn that we are to have the knowledge that “there is but one […]

I Corinthians 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
Paul desires that every Christian have the knowledge that there is but one God. Most Christians would say […]

I Corinthians 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
How many people can you think of who meet the description in this passage? They have so much learning and so many degrees but they have no practical wisdom. In this passage we learn […]

I Corinthians 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
In Second Peter, we are commanded to add knowledge to our lives but in this passage we see that knowledge makes one proud. Some would say that the Bible is contradicting itself. However, […]

I Corinthians 1:5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
What is your spiritual net worth? Most people know what their financial net worth is; they can add their assets and subtract their liabilities. However, ask them what their spiritual net worth is and they do not […]

I Corinthians 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Paul is finishing his first letter to the church at Corinth and in his salutation he is encouraging the brethren in Christian living. In this verse he gives four different commands that every Christian should incorporate into their life for the purpose of avoiding falling short of the glory of God.

One of the best ways to avoid unintentional sin is to be on guard for it. Just as a watchman guarded the city, so you must be on guard to ensure that Satan does not gain unauthorized access into your life. Just because your faith comes under attack, it does not mean that you should abandon your faith and retreat. Instead, while things may not be going as you anticipated, remember your foundation and stay the course.

Paul then instructed that Christians are to act like men in their Christian�s life. It appears that the Corinth church was too passive in their faith. The church needed to be bold in its approach and needed to be more aggressive when it came to maintaining the faith. As Christians, when trials and temptations come, rather then flee or yield, you need to learn to attack the sin and conquer it. Finally, Paul commanded the church that they are to remain strong. One remains strong physically by exercise. One remains strong spiritually, by reading the word, memorizing scripture, and by praying.

God does not desire that you be passive in your Christian walk when the enemy comes. Instead, HE desires that you first be prepared, that you second stand your ground, third that you fight, and fourth that you have properly prepared yourself for this fight. Absent your obedience to these instructions, you are going to yield to many temptations that you had the ability to overcome. Remember, God is not going to give you a battle to fight unless HE knows that you are able to handle it. However, you must learn that you probably are not going to be able to handle the fight on your own, but that you are only going to be able to concur this trial when you face the problem God�s way.

Satan is not going to be passive when it comes to trying to tarnish your influence for the kingdom of God. As such, you must not be afraid because you understand that greater is HE that is in you then he that is of this world. You must remain attentive and aggressive to ensure that you do not diminish your faith by violating God�s perfect law. Satan is never going to give up, so too, you must never rest spiritually less Satan catch you while you are not watching and not spiritually strong enough to face the trial or temptation.

You are in a spiritual battle. You chose to fight for the side of righteousness the day you accepted Christ as your personal Savior. If you desire to be affective for God, you must be active in your approach. Now is not the time to passively sit back and watch what happens. Instead, you must prepare for the attack and you must prepare to fight.

Incorporate these four steps into your life so that you please God and become an effective servant. Before the trial, you must prepare by staying close to God and by watching for the enemy so you are not surprised. Then when the fight comes, do not back down and do not become passive. Fight because it is not only your faith that is on the line, but also, you are fighting to set an example for all those who come behind you.

I Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

Your faith is centered on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What sets Christianity apart from every other religion in the world is that you serve a God that concurred death. It is because Christ was raised from the dead that you can have faith in God. If Christ had not risen from the dead, what would make the Christian religion any different then the Muslim religion?

Sinful individuals started other religions while the Christian religion was founded upon the sinless Son of God. Other religious leaders have been killed for their false faith in their own God, but only Jesus was able to overcome death. Jesus did not only claim to know the way as other religious leaders did, HE claimed to be the way.

If Christ was not resurrected, then your faith is in vain and you have been wasting your time serving a god that is dead. Without a living God, your religion is no different then all the other religions, a way for you to attempt to appease your your guilty conscience. A living God enable you to still have communication. A living God means that HE is able to show you the way that you are to go.

Remember the power that was demonstrated by Elijah when Jehovah answered his prayers with fire. This is the same God that Peter and John served when they reached down and raised the lame man. Jesus performed many miracles to demonstrate to the world that HE was the Son of God. However, the miracles that HE performed were not to draw attention to HIMSELF but to draw attention to God. Jesus was on the earth to teach you the truth while the miracles HE performed were secondary byproduct.

So how can you be confident that Christ was risen from the dead? You can search the scriptures and see that there were hundreds of individuals who saw Christ alive after HE had died on the cross. You trust that the Civil War occurred in this country even though you were not around to witnesses it. You believe that there was a Civil War because there is credible evidence from people who were there and who recorded the events as they took place. If you were trying to place a criminal at a crime scene, the more witnesses that testified to the fact, the more likely the truth would be established. However, it does not matter how many individuals testify to the facts, if they are not credible witnesses, then the thing cannot be established.

The reason you know that the witnesses who saw Christ�s resurrected body are credible is by examining their life and seeing how Christ changed their life. The fact that they had the power of God in their life shows that they were not just serving a dead god by which they intended to receive the glory of man.

There are many individuals in this world who have great faith in a dead god. These individuals are willing to die for their dead religion. Yet their lives are in vain because they are not serving a living God. You are serving a living God and as such, you have the confidence and boldness to understand that your faith is not in vain. Be bold in preaching the gospel because you know that Christ is raised from the dead.

I Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Great faith is not the ultimate achievement for you as a Christian. The Christian walk is not about just mastering one thing. Peter gave a list of eight items that he called precious promises. Faith was the first item and love was the final item. Paul listed nine different items which together result in the fruit of the spirit. In Paul�s list, love is mentioned first while faith is the seventh item mentioned. Throughout the New Testament, you will come across various lists for daily Christian living and you will find in almost every list both love and faith.

The Christian life is not about mastering just one thing. Jesus Christ your example was perfect in all areas of HIS life, not just one or two. HE is to be your example, and you have an obligation to God to not just specialize in one attribute of Christian living but must strive to allow all aspects of your life to be affected by Christ.

No one is able to maintain a balanced diet by just eating carrots. While carrots may be good for you, if that is all you ate day after day, year after year, your body would be missing several key nutrients that can be found in other food groups. It does not matter how nutritious carrots are, the longer you allow your diet of nothing but carrots, the worse off your health will be.

Faith is an important thing in the Christian�s life. Without faith, you would not be a Christian. Without faith you would not be able to hear and follow the will of God for your life. Without faith your life would not be a testimony to others that God is alive and powerful today and that HE desires to do great things through those who will but listen to HIM. However, while faith is important, you cannot strive to make faith your ultimate goal in life. Instead you must pursue all the precious promises.

It is important to demonstrate great faith in your life because it is by your faith that others will see the power of God. How can the world have a healthy fear of God absent they see the power of God in someone�s life. If you were to study the fear of the Lord, you would see many examples of individuals who did great things for the Lord and those around feared the Lord after seeing the mighty miracles.

Nonetheless, just because you are able to demonstrate the power of God, your life must also demonstrate the second greatest commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself. As Paul mentions in this passage, without love, your faith is nothing.

You should increase your faith. It will be very important for your Christian development for you to learn to have the power of God in your life at greater levels. However, do not focus on just faith at the expense of other aspects of your Christian life. The Christian walk should affect every aspect of your life. The world should see you and know that there is something different about you. While you will never be perfect, you should strive to allow God to be magnified in your life. By faith you obey God and do those things that HE instructs you to do. Faith is important, but it is not the only thing.

I Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Faith is not meant to be understood. You cannot squeeze faith into your own little box. Instead, faith is something that is greater then you. Faith is from the power of God and it is HIS power that enables us to do the impossible for HIM.

By your own understanding you cannot figure out how Peter walked on water, how Jesus feed 5,000, and how Elijah called fire out of heaven. You cannot figure faith out because it is not something that can be comprehended by human understanding.

Faith can only be understood if you listen with your heart rather then your mind. Faith is spiritual and you should not try to figure it out. It is not for you to figure out how God speaks to one person. It is not for you to figure out how God leads another. You cannot analyze God with your human understanding. God and faith are so far beyond your human comprehension that you will drive yourself crazy if you try to figure it out.