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The Cripplegate | A blog for pastors
The Resolved Conference Review. The Cripplegate | A blog for pastors
The Cripplegate | A blog for pastors
In 1 Corinthians 1-3, the apostle carpet bombs the Corinthian church with the gospel and the cross of Jesus Christ before he puts boots on the ground and deals with their specific conflicts, objections and protests. The gospel of Jesus Christ clears the way for the apostle’s responses and various calls for obedience. One of the major issues he deals with is the gospel and Christian liberty. Specifically, “eating meat sacrificed to idols.” Apparently, it was a lightning rod issue in Corinth. He put sufficient ink to paper in dealing with the subject. He spends three chapters in 1 Corinthians (8-10) cutting the right wire on this particular ethical bomb. What’s significant is that Paul, unlike us, does not retreat to the “safe ground” of morality or the “high ground” of legalism when dealing with potentially offensive preference issues. That is, he does not make a prohibition where one does not exist. He had spent a lifetime doing this as a Pharisee. Rather, he makes a b-line for ...
Truth
We say that we want it. We say that we will speak it. We say a lot of things that sure feel different when the words become reality. How many times do we skirt the truth (evade) so we do not have to deal with a negative response? Or how about when you know the person asking really doesn't want the truth, they just want a nice answer so they can go on about their day feeling good that they asked after you? What about the classic "Hey, how ya doing? Great, how are you"? Good...good." That one usually leaves me shaking my head with a smile. I wonder why we don't just stop at "Hey". Sometimes the truth is easier to leave alone and sometimes the truth is the last thing we want to hear. I heard truth spoken today that relieved me as well as unsettled/saddened me. It's not my truth to tell so I won't go in to detail. I am thankful that it was said (the truth will set you free) and at the same time sorry to hear it. I think what is sadder is that ...
Freedom (Elyse Fitzpatrick)
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Gal 5:1 In her book, Comforts From the Cross, Elyse Fitzpatrick talks about the freedom that we have in Christ. (devotion, day 17) Paul was writing to the Galatian church that was being bothered by the Judaizers. They were teaching the believers that they needed to add works to their faith in Christ to be acceptable before God. Paul knew what it was like to be under bondage to law. He had spent his entire life chained to law. Finding liberty in Christ, he was infuriated with the false teachers to the point of saying "I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves". (Gal5:12) Most of us realize that the Christian life is war, but its not only a battle against slavery to sin. It's also a battle against slavery to law. There are two fronts in our war to maintain freedom: the obvious one against sin and the hidden one against...