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Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win

  Good morning. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. When people are in a physical race, they don’t just lollygag; they put forth full effort and try to win. We should do that also in our Christian life. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Their reward will soon fade away, but ours will last forever. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air. We should not be living our lives aimlessly; but we should have a purpose, and everything we do should be to fulfill that purpose. I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. Sometimes we have to reject the desires of our physical body in order to achieve a higher goal. Our body wants to eat, but we need to fast. Our body wan...
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I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

  Good morning. The Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. So he was saying that he and Barnabas should not have to take care of themselves. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. Paul had no choice but to preach the gospel. It wasn’t just a job to him; he was divinely directed to preach by the Lord Jesus Christ. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. And then he lists various categories in which he behaved acceptably to both sides of the issue. However, he did not compromise himself or the gospel. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Father help us to do the things necessary to bring others to Christ without compromising the gospel. Help u...
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If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?

  Good morning. Paul then gets a little heated under the collar. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. Apparently there were some people who were questioning his apostleship. My defense to those who examine me is this: do we not have a right to eat and drink? Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? Most ministers who came to churches in a city expected the churches to take care of them financially. It appears that some were saying that Paul and Barnabas needed to take care of themselves. He continues on making the case that he and Barnabas had a right to not have to work to take care of themselves; instead to concentrate on ministering to the people. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we e...
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Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble

  Good morning. Remember we are talking about doing things that other Christians might think is wrong. For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food (doing something that my fellow Christian thinks is wrong, but I believe is right) causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat (do that thing) again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. In today’s world, probably the most obvious example would be whether or not to drink alcoholic beverages. One Christian might think that it is OK to drink alcoholic beverages, and there are many who do, but a Christian who does not believe that with whom he/she associates sees that Christian drinking. He/she might either condemn that Christian or think that is OK for themselves to drink. Remember that whatever is not from faith is sin. Our tendency is to say, ...
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For us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

  Good morning. In the following, Paul is talking about meat being sacrificed to idols, which in itself does not apply to us, but some of the things he says about that have applications in general to us. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. That is so true and is very evident in today’s world. If someone thinks they know more than you, they think that makes them better than you, and that your opinion is worthless. If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. For us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. The following is about meat sacrificed to idols, but it is applicable to things in our lives. I will paraphrase what Paul says. Take care that this liberty of yours (to do something that other Christians might think is wrong) does not somehow become a stumbling block to the ...
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I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is

  Good morning. Remember the last statement: he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price (just as a slave is bought); do not become slaves of men. Of course Christ paid the ultimate price for us. Some people had no choice as to whether or not to become slaves of men. Others because of economic necessity became slaves of men. Each is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called. I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. (That does not mean that Paul thought it would be true for all time). Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you marry, you have not sinned. Similarly for virgins. He then makes the argument that those that are married, men or women, are concerned about pleasing their spouse. Those that are not are concerned about pleasing the Lord. This I say for your own benefit; not to put a rest...
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For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who is called while free, is Christ’s slave

  Good morning. Paul then goes through a discussion about believers being married to unbelievers; that they should not divorce them simply because they are unbelievers. However, if the unbeliever desires to leave, they should let them, since the believer has no guarantee that the unbeliever will eventually come to the Lord. Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Of course that is impossible, and is just hyperbole. But the next statement would be possible: has anyone been called in  uncircumcision? He’s not to be circumcised. There was a lot of pressure from Jewish Christians upon the Gentiles to adopt all of the religious ways of the Jews in order to become Christians. We talked about that in Acts. Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; li...
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