Convenience Christianity (1 Corinthians 12:1-7)
Gary McManus, 06/06/2021Part of the Holy Spirit series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
June 6, 2021 The Third Sunday of Pentecost
1 Corinthians 12:1-7, 27 Convenience Christianity
Life AFTER this Pandemic. Church life after this Pandemic.
We are learning that it is not so easy as “going back to the way things were.”
American Christian problems are the same problems that the Apostle Paul wrote about to HIS churches.
Review the churches of the Corinth area.
--“Denominations” / “political parties”
(1 Corinthians 1:12, 3:4-6)
Paul calls all that stuff UNSPIRITUAL—i.e.,
NOT of /from the Holy Spirit.
Concerning the Lord’s supper in worship. . .
1 Corinthians 11:17: I have no praise for you,
for your meetings do more harm than good.
1 Corinthians 11:20
KJV: “every one taketh his own”
Paul’s condemnation: 1 Corinthians 11:20
WHEN you come together, not IF.
American Christians in many instances completely
misunderstood the threat of the Coronavirus.
Examples: Pastors in media.
(Bible note: body of Christ= 20 times (16) in the New Testament)
Americans have so valued freedom and independence,
individuality that we have forgotten the notion of church as a body of people.
We call a building a church and we still do. Not quite correct.
The problem often is that American Christians don’t
WANT to see past their own hands if they don’t want to. It is their right. But the Apostle Paul states that it isn’t a right in the body of Christ.
The word “convenience” isn’t even in the Bible.
See Luke 9:23 The Living Bible
The word “preference” ?
Only when it states, “DO NOT GIVE/SHOW PREFERANCE.”
How did we/do we get so turned around?
We believe:
Here are the basics
God is for you in Creation –God created you.
God is for you in salvation—Jesus died FOR YOU.
God is for you who have faith by putting Himself in you
(Holy Spirit).
But we forget/miss that it is plural!
God is for y’all in Creation –God created y’all.
(God is for you all in Creation)
God is for y’all in salvation—Jesus died FOR Y’ALL
(God for you all in salvation)
God is for y’all who have faith by putting Himself
in y’all by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is in you all—all of you.
See Ephesians 4:11-12.
Are these offices listed. . .are they EXCLUSIVE?
Are these the ONLY people to equip the body?
See 1 Corinthians 12:28
1 Corinthians 14:12:
So it is with you.[So it is with y’all. . .so it is with you ALL]
For Americans who love contests and struggles to find a winner. . .
the whole body of Christ, the church is to be the winner, not individuals.
Give credit to our Lord Jesus who WANTS his church by the Holy Spirit to be built up. Amen.
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