I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 89:1).

Heavenly Father, may You fill our hearts with heavenly joy that we might sing together in one voice declaring Your endless mercies

Today’s Hymn

Words: Isaac Watts, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707-1709. Music: St. Cross, John B. Dykes, in Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861.

’TWAS ON THAT DARK, DOLEFUL NIGHT
Click here for tune.

‘Twas on that dark, that doleful night
When powers of earth and hell arose
Against the Son of God’s delight,
And friends betrayed Him to His foes:

Before the mournful scene began,
He took the bread, and blessed, and brake:
What love through all His actions ran!
What wondrous words of grace He spake!

“This is My body, broke for sin;
Receive and eat the living food:”
Then took the cup, and blessed the wine;
“‘Tis the new cov’nant in My blood.”

For us His flesh with nails was torn,
He bore the scourge, He felt the thorn;
And justice poured upon His head
Its heavy vengeance in our stead.

For us His vital blood was spilt,
To buy the pardon of our guilt,
When, for black crimes of biggest size,
He gave His soul a sacrifice.

“Do this,” He cried, “till time shall end,
In memory of your dying Friend;
Meet at My table, and record
The love of your departed Lord.”

Jesus, Thy feast we celebrate,
We show Thy death, we sing Thy Name,
Till Thou return, and we shall eat
The marriage supper of the Lamb.

Thought Provoker

Think of your church like a human body. Every person that makes up your local church is a different part of that body. Ask your family to name the various parts of the body – like the head, hands, mouth, and feet. Then ask them to think about the various people in your church and see if they can identify which part of the body God has placed them in. Some will be the mouthpiece, others the feet, and still others the head. In a real sense your church is the local body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord wonderfully gives each of those He saves a spiritual gift. A spiritual gift is a divine enabling for a particular ministry within the church. God has bestowed each in your family who has been saved by the grace of God with a spiritual gift for service within the body of Christ. Today, we are going to look at some of the gifts that God has given His church from 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. From today’s passage, ask God to show you how He has gifted you for His service.

Dad’s Study

Paul does not want you to be ignorant with respect to spiritual gifts (verse 1). What is a spiritual gift? A spiritual gift is not a talent or human skill. By God’s common grace He gives talents to the saved and unsaved alike. Some of the strongest atheists have been graced with beautiful voices or the hands of an artist. Spiritual gifts are special capacities bestowed on believers to equip them to minister supernaturally to each other. There are a variety of gifts (verse 4) that are to be used for a variety of ministries (verse 5).

Read verses 8-11 and list together the gifts of the Spirit.

The gifts of the Spirit can be catalogued in three categories:

1. Speaking Gifts

a. Word of wisdom (verse 8). This is a speaking gift. Wisdom is the skillful ability to apply God’s truth to life’s situations. This is a gift that can be helpful in Biblical counseling, shepherding the flock of God, or Bible teaching.

b. Word of knowledge (verse 8). This is the God-given ability to perceive and understand the truths of God’s Word. This is a special ability to study and discover the deeper truth of Scripture. This gift should be present in Bible teachers and pastors. It is also a great benefit in Biblical counseling and church leadership.

c. Gift of prophecy (verse 10). Prophecy means to speak forth, to publicly declare the Word of God. Although the office of prophet (speaking new revelation) has passed away, the gift of prophecy (i.e. the public declaring of God’s written Word) is still active today. This is the gift of preaching. This is the gift of the evangelist and pastor.

2. Serving Gifts

a. Gift of faith (verse 9). Those with the gift of faith have the God-given ability to trust the promises of God’s Word even when the circumstances seem contrary. Can you name some of the saints in God’s Word who were gifted with faith? This gift is a blessed gift for every ministry including church leaders and missionaries!

b. Gift of discernment of spirits. Those with this gift have the God-given ability to tell truth from error (1 John 4:1). False teaching floods the church daily. Those with the gift of discernment are like the antennas of the churches. They can sense error even when it is mixed with truth. This gift is a great blessing for a pastor or elder.

3. Sign Gifts

a. Gift of healing (verse 9). The sign gifts were the temporary gifts that God bestowed upon the early New Testament church for authenticating the apostles’ message of God’s Word. Our God is a miraculous God. He still heals the sick according to His sovereign purpose. If any are sick today God directs His church to call for the elders to come and pray (James 5:14).

b. Gift of Miracles (verse 10). This gift was the gift of performing miracles. A miracle is the supernatural intervention into the natural laws of God. Can you name some of the miracles that God enabled His saints to perform in the Bible? When the revelation of God stopped the miraculous gifts stopped. B.B. Warfield correctly wrote, These miraculous gifts were part of the credentials of the apostles, as authoritative agents of God in founding the church. Their function confined them distinctly to the apostolic church, and they necessarily passed away with it.

c. Gift of tongues and of interpretation (verse 11). This is the God-given ability to speak in various languages. This was meant to be a sign gift to the unbelieving Jews. We will see how this gift was to be properly exercised when we read 1 Cor. 14.

How do we receive a spiritual gift?

Are we to seek out a gift on our own?

No. Paul concludes by reminding us that spiritual gifts are sovereignly bestowed by God as He wills (verse 10).

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Dad’s, you can explain the concept of spiritual gifts in the simplest of terms to your youngest child even if you just let them know that there are talking gifts and doing gifts. Help them understand that God wants all Christians to take their gift and serve each other. This is how the church is built up!

Discuss with you family how you believe God has gifted each of you who profess faith in Christ.

Thank those in your church who are faithful servants with God’s gifts.

Ask God to show how He has gift each of you as you faithfully serve Him.

Thank God today for His salvation and gift of service!

Catechism

Question 75

Q. What is Baptism?

A. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ (Mat. 28:19) to be to the person baptised a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death, and burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3; Col. 2:12), of his being ingrafted into him (Gal. 3:27), of remission of sins (Mark 1:4; Acts 22:16), and of his giving up himself to God through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4, 5).

I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord (Psalm 116:13).

Father in heaven we are reminded by the simple symbols that You have given us of your infinite glory. We confess the weakness of our faith and the strength of our flesh and ask that You might draw our hearts closer to Thee!

Today’s Hymn

Words: Isaac Watts, Hymns and Spiritual Songs, 1707-1709. Music: St. Cross, John B. Dykes, in Hymns Ancient and Modern, 1861.

’TWAS ON THAT DARK, DOLEFUL NIGHT
Click here for tune.

‘Twas on that dark, that doleful night
When powers of earth and hell arose
Against the Son of God’s delight,
And friends betrayed Him to His foes:

Before the mournful scene began,
He took the bread, and blessed, and brake:
What love through all His actions ran!
What wondrous words of grace He spake!

“This is My body, broke for sin;
Receive and eat the living food:”
Then took the cup, and blessed the wine;
“‘Tis the new cov’nant in My blood.”

For us His flesh with nails was torn,
He bore the scourge, He felt the thorn;
And justice poured upon His head
Its heavy vengeance in our stead.

For us His vital blood was spilt,
To buy the pardon of our guilt,
When, for black crimes of biggest size,
He gave His soul a sacrifice.

“Do this,” He cried, “till time shall end,
In memory of your dying Friend;
Meet at My table, and record
The love of your departed Lord.”

Jesus, Thy feast we celebrate,
We show Thy death, we sing Thy Name,
Till Thou return, and we shall eat
The marriage supper of the Lamb.

Thought Provoker

Yesterday was a glorious Lord’s day here in Wyoming as we observed together the two ordinances of our Lord’s church. The morning worship included the breaking of bread in remembrance of our Lord’s death. Sunday evening we gathered for preaching, singing, and hearing the testimony of a young lady who God wonderfully saved from a sinful life of drinking and drugs. We waded out together in the middle of the river where she was baptized. These two ordinances, the Lord’s supper and baptism, were wonderfully given by Christ to His church. What was given to the church to edify and unite has become a source of much division and strife. The church at Corinth had already perverted the Lord’s supper. As Paul corrects their abuse of the Lord’s supper he brings to each of our families today a clear teaching on this ordinance.

Dad’s Study

The life of the early New Testament church included the daily preaching of the Word, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. That’s it! Those were the only programs of the church! The church soon began to gather for a “love feast” (Jude 12), followed by the observance of the Lord’s Supper.

Read 1 Cor. 11:18-22 and discuss together the heart problem of the Corinthian church.

The church was divided, due to their self-centered pride. At their regular “pot-luck” dinners, those who could afford fine food brought it and ate it before those who were poor. The observance of the Lord’s supper had degenerated into drunkenness.

Read verses 23-26 and discuss together the meaning of the Lord’s Supper.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Our Lord instituted the ordinance of baptism the night that He was betrayed. It was well into the Passover meal that our Lord introduced this new meal. The Passover looked forward and pointed to Christ, the one sacrifice Who would appease the wrath of God against sinners. The focus of the new meal was to look back in remembrance of our Lord’s death. Before the eating of the Passover lamb, Jesus broke the unleavened bread, gave thanks, declaring the bread to be His body and invited His disciples to eat. When it was time to drink the third cup of diluted wine during the meal, our Lord held up the cup and declared that it was the new covenant in His blood. Today, Paul reminds us of the who, what, and when of the Lord’s Supper.

Who should partake of this meal? This was a meal that Christ reserved for His disciples. This was not a meal for the mixed multitude. Some churches more strictly regulate this ordinance than others do. However, ultimately you should regulate it within your own family. Do not let your unbelieving children receive the communion elements. Let this be a reminder to them that God does not save you as a family, but individually by His grace.

What is the meaning behind this ordinance? The Lord’s Supper has no power to save or impart grace. This is a meal of remembrance. The Lord knew that our faith was weak so He gave us a tangible meal to aid in our remembrance of Him. The church of Rome falsely teaches that the bread and cup literally are transformed into the physical body and blood of Jesus (transubstantiation). When you receive the meal you are eating Christ! The Lutherans also falsely teach that Jesus Christ’s physical body and blood are mystically around the meal so that when you eat the bread and drink the cup you are eating Christ (consubstantiation)! The bread and cup were meant to be symbols for remembrance. However, Christ is spiritually present when Christians gather to partake of this meal together. Those who come humbly in faith will receive a spiritual blessing. They will find their faith strengthened and their lives drawn closer to the Lord!

When is the meal to be observed? The Bible does not give any schedule for the observance of the Lord’s Supper. Here Paul simply says, for as often as you eat. The early church gathered daily and ate the meal of remembrance (Acts 2:46). The church at Troas gathered on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7-11). Clearly, the church should observe this precious ordinance regularly and frequently. When God was directing our elders in the formation of Trinity Bible Church, we were impressed from Scripture to observe the Lord’s Supper each Lord’s Day. As a parent be sure that you are present when your church observes the Lord’s Supper. Prepare your hearts ahead of time for a glorious time of remembering the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*Teach your believing children reverence as they partake of the Lord’s Supper. Remind them that this isn’t a snack in the middle of the church service. The bread and the cup are holy symbols given to us by God as a reminder of the Lord Jesus Christ and His death. Therefore, a heart of reverence is important. Your country’s flag is a symbol of all your country stands for. There is respect and honour in handling it. Yes, it is just a piece of cloth, but it is a piece of cloth that symbolizes all that your nation stands for!

*Teach your believing children to examine themselves before partaking. Your family members should quietly bow before God and examine their motives and attitudes towards God and others. Remind them that this is a special place for the purifying of the church through personal repentance.

*Teach your believing children that if they approach the Lord’s Supper with a wrong spirit they eat judgment to themselves. Some at Corinth were sick; others had died as a result of their abuse of this sacred meal. Warn your children of God’s chastisement for eating in an unworthy manner.

*Teach your believing children to delight in this precious meal because in so doing they are delighting in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Catechism

Question 75

Q. What is Baptism?

A. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ (Mat. 28:19) to be to the person baptised a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death, and burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3; Col. 2:12), of his being ingrafted into him (Gal. 3:27), of remission of sins (Mark 1:4; Acts 22:16), and of his giving up himself to God through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4, 5).

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious (Psalm 66:1-2).

Today’s Hymn

Words: Henry Alford, Psalms and Hymns, 1844. Music: St. George’s Windsor, George J. Elvey, 1858.

COME, YE THANKFUL PEOPLE, COME
Click here for tune.

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home;
All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied;
Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home.

All the world is God’s own field, fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear, then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come, and shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day all offenses purge away,
Giving angels charge at last in the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store in His garner evermore.

Even so, Lord, quickly come, bring Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou Thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified, in Thy garner to abide;
Come, with all Thine angels come, raise the glorious harvest home.

Thought Provoker

As a parent one of the things I want my children to do is to learn from my mistakes and not repeat them. My father told me a story today about his father’s advice to him when he enlisted in the Navy. The last thing my grandfather said to him prior to leaving for boot camp was, “Whatever you do, don’t go AWOL (Absent Without Leave). My father told me that years later after my grandfather passed away he found his military records and learned that my grandfather had gone AWOL. My grandfather had just returned from fighting in Europe in World War I. His first child had just been born and he went on leave to visit him for the first time. My father does not know what happened but Grandpa didn’t get back to camp in time and was considered AWOL. No one knows what action the Army took, but whatever it was Grandpa wanted my Dad to learn the lesson imposed without suffering the consequences of learning it the hard way. Thus, when my father left for the Navy my Grandpa passed on to him what he thought was an important lesson and a mistake he didn’t want his son to repeat. Today, Paul does the same for us, holding forth the mistakes of the nation Israel as an admonition for the church.

Dad’s Study

Paul uses the first 11 verses to recount the sins of the nation Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. These were historical accounts that all Jews would have been intimately familiar with and understood well. Paul then issues a warning and a promise. The warning is to pay attention and don’t make the same mistake. He refers to the one “who thinks he stands.” This would be the one who thinks that he would not commit that particular sin. This is when we are most susceptible to falling to the temptation of that sin, when we think that we are able to withstand sin. Apart from God and His grace, apart from heeding His warnings in His Word, and apart from obediently following after His commands, we cannot stand against the temptation of sin. The promise is this (1 Cor. 10:13), There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Our response to this promise is to flee idolatry. Paul applies this truth in the context of a current problem at Corinth, Christians eating meat sacrificed to idols. In this practice they were uniting themselves to idol worship, just as when we participate in communion we are united in proclaiming the death and resurrection of Christ. This could not be; they could not partake of the table of the Lord and demons both, because it would provoke the Lord to jealousy, just as the nation Israel had done by their idolatry and suffered judgment. Paul asserts to them that it is lawful for them to eat whatever they want. Anything sold in the market is allowed because the earth and all it contains belongs to the Lord. But, it would not be profitable to eat if the meat was sacrificed to an idol and this was brought to the person’s attention. Doing so would offend the conscience of the person observing and provoke the Lord to jealously. In those cases we are to forsake our liberty for the sake of the other person’s conscience.

Paul then sets forth three principles on how we are to walk for the sake of the conscience of others.

• Do all that you do to the glory of God, verse 31.
• Give no offense to Jew, Gentile, or the Church, verse 32.
• Please all men in all things seeking the profit of others that they may be saved, verse 33.

Verse 33 sums up the purpose for putting the conscience of the other person first, “…that they may be saved.” That we might be salt and light to a dark world around, proclaiming the Lord and His death until He comes to the glory of God and the benefit of lost mankind.

Catechism

Question 74

Q. How do Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become spirituallyhelpful?

A. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper become spiritually helpful, not from any virtue in them, or in him who does administer them (1 Cor. 3:7 1 Peter 3:21), but only by the blessing of Christ (1 Cor. 3:6) and the working of the Spirit in those who by faith receive them (1 Cor. 12:13).

A faithful man shall abound with blessings; but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent (Proverbs 28:20).

Today’s Hymn

Words: William Whiting, 1860. He wrote the lyrics as a poem for a student about to sail for America.

In America, “Eternal Father” is often called the “Navy Hymn,” because it is sung at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It is also sung on ships of the British Royal Navy and has been translated into French. It was the favorite hymn of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt and was sung at his funeral in Hyde Park, New York, April 1945. The Navy Band played it in 1963 as U.S. President John Kennedy’s body was carried up the steps of the U.S. Capitol to lie in state. Roosevelt served as Secretary of the Navy, and Kennedy was a PT boat commander in World War II.

ETERNAL FATHER, STRONG TO SAVE
Click here for tune.

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who biddest the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy Word,
Who walked on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our family shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect us wheresoever we go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

Thought Provoker

A Kenyan runner in the Chicago Marathon fell just a few feet short of the finish line of the 26.22 mile race. His momentum caused him to slide to victory and claim the $125,000. prize. The first marathon was mentioned in a 1st century legend where Phidippides, a Greek soldier, ran from Marathon to Athens (21.4 miles) to announce that the Persians had been defeated. Legend has it that just after announcing the victory he collapsed and died. The Corinthians had their Isthmian games which Paul’s readers were familiar with. Today, Paul compares the Christian life to a fight and a foot race (vs. 24-27). Discuss with your family how life in Christ is like a foot race.

Dad’s Study

The moment we profess faith in Christ we come out of the starting blocks, sprinting towards that day when we will see Jesus face to face. The Christian life is advancement in holiness. Like all races there is sweat, effort and progress. Like the marathon runner he keeps his eye on the finish line (Phil. 3:13). It is a race of perseverance. To faint or leave the race is to lose the prize (Jas. 1:12). For those who endure to the last lap there awaits a prize. In the Isthmian games the prize was a head wreath made with leaves from olive, parsley, and pine. These crowns would soon wither and fade away but the crown the Christian receives in an incorruptible crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8), life (Jas. 1:12) and glory (1 Pet. 5:4). Paul is emphasizing that human effort is necessary to win. In fact he beat his body to bring it into subjection (v. 27). However, we must remember that without the grace of God we cannot run.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Are you in the race? You cannot win if you are a spectator. The race begins with a recognition that you have sinned against God and are trusting in Christ’s sacrificial death to purchase forgiveness and everlasting life. But that is only the beginning. Saving faith is not a one lap temporary faith. It is a faith that perseveres to the finish line. It is a faith that bears fruit and every lap grows more like Jesus. The way you run your race will determine whether you will win or lose the race. The difference between life and death!

Catechism

Question 73

Q. How is the Word to be read and heard that it may become effectual to salvation?

A. That the Word may become effectual to salvation, we must attend to it with diligence (Pr. 8:34; 1 Pe. 2:1,2), and prayer (Ps. 119:18) receive it with faith (Heb. 4:2), and love (2 Th. 2:10), lay it up into our hearts (Ps. 119:11), and practise it in our lives (Jas. 1:25).

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High(Psalm 92:1).

Father, we are thankful today for Your unending mercies. May You fill us with joyful praise and delight in Thee alone.

Today’s Hymn

Words: Some sources show the author as “anonymous.” Others credit Charles Wesley, 1757. The words appeared in George Whitefield’s Collection of Hymns for Social Worship, 1757.

In the days of the American Revolution a congregation of patriotic colonists were worshiping in their church on Long Island when the service was interrupted by the arrival of a company of Hessian troops. The captain stalked up the aisle and commanded the people to sing “God Save the King.” The organist started the tune that we call “America”; but the people, true to the cause of the American colonies and to their God, sang this hymn.

COME, THOU ALMIGHTY KING
Click here for tune.

Come, Thou almighty King,
Help us Thy Name to sing, help us to praise!
Father all glorious, o’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us, Ancient of Days!

Jesus, our Lord, arise,
Scatter our enemies, and make them fall;
Let Thine almighty aid our sure defense be made,
Souls on Thee be stayed; Lord, hear our call.

Come, Thou incarnate Word,
Gird on Thy mighty sword, our prayer attend!
Come, and Thy people bless, and give Thy Word success,
Spirit of holiness, on us descend!

Come, holy Comforter,
Thy sacred witness bear in this glad hour.
Thou Who almighty art, now rule in every heart,
And ne’er from us depart, Spirit of power!

To Thee, great One in Three,
Eternal praises be, hence, evermore.
Thy sovereign majesty may we in glory see,
And to eternity love and adore!

Thought Provoker

Have you ever been invited to join Mensa? Mensa International is a group founded in England in 1946 by Roland Berrill, a barrister, and Dr. Lance Ware, a scientist and lawyer. They had the idea of forming a society for bright people, the only qualification for membership in which was a high IQ. How high of an I.Q? To join Mensa, your IQ must in the top 2% of the population. Today, there are some 100,000 Mensans in 100 countries throughout the world. Intellectual knowledge leads to elitist clubs, which can lead to a heart that is puffed up. Today, Paul warns us about an important truth, both inside and outside the church, knowledge can puff up (1 Cor. 8:1).

Dad’s Study

In today’s chapter Paul teaches again on the subject of questionable practices that were covered back in Romans 14. Within this context Paul teaches this morning about the nature of knowledge in the life of the Christian (verses 1-3). The Christians at Corinth who had greater liberty in eating meat that had been offered to idols had a greater knowledge of God’s Word, but they were exercising that knowledge without love, causing their weaker brother to stumble.

Discuss: Is it good for Christians to increase in their knowledge of the Lord and His Word? What does Paul mean when he reminds us that knowledge puffeth up?

There are two extremes that need to be avoided by Christians, ignorance and prideful knowledge.

Ignorance. There are some Christians today who believe that ignorance is bliss in the Christian life. They are critical of Christians who study God’s Word, and they believe that all you need is for the Holy Spirit to guide you in your Christian life. They believe that there is no reason to study and learn doctrine. In these churches there is little or no doctrinal preaching. The focus of the weekly preaching is usually on salvation. This anti-intellectual approach to Christianity is both non-biblical and dangerous to your Christian walk. You do not check your brains in when God saves you.

Read a few of the following passages and discuss together Paul’s view of the importance of growing in knowledge (Romans 15:4; Col. 1:9, 3:10; 2 Cor. 6:4-10 see also Rom. 1:13; 1 Cor. 10:1; 2 Cor. 1:8; 1 Thes. 4:13).

Why is it important that Christians grow in their knowledge of God’s Word?

It is impossible to believe and obey that which is not known.

How do you grow in the knowledge of God’s Word?

Avail yourself of growth opportunities. Attend Bible studies, listen to doctrinal preaching tapes, and begin to personally study God’s Word. There are many tools such as concordances, Bible dictionaries, commentaries, and encyclopedias that are available to help in your growth in knowledge of God’s Word.

Prideful knowledge. The other extreme is to take in increasingly more Bible knowledge and let it puff you up before others (verse 1). Paul uses the word arrogance (puffed up) six times to refer to the Corinthians. Beware of the temptation of falling into self-righteousness, thinking that you are better than someone else is because you have more Biblical knowledge. This is the great temptation of all that have a strong doctrinal knowledge of the Word of God. It is easy to be arrogant because God has opened your eyes to the doctrines of grace or any other theological system. This was the error of the Gnostic heretics that thought they had a higher knowledge of truth and looked down on those who were ordinary Christians.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Knowledge is good as long as it is exercised in Christian love. Charity (love) edifies (verse 1). God wants you to have a knowledge that takes into account others around you and uses His knowledge to build up and strengthen the weaker brother in Christ. It is possible to have the right knowledge but the wrong understanding. The truly humble believer realizes that the more that he knows the more he has yet to learn. Someone has rightly defined knowledge as the process of passing from the unconscious state of ignorance to the conscious state of ignorance. I have found this to be true in my own Christian life. The more I have studied and learned about the nature of our majestic God, the more I realize today how little I truly know Him! Knowledge without love is nothing (verse 3)!

Discuss some ways that your family can increase in their knowledge of God’s Word. Are you faithfully availing yourself of the means of grace that God has provided? Guard your family so that Biblical knowledge does not lead to Biblical pride.

Catechism

Question 72

Q. How is the Word made effectual to salvation?

A. The Spirit of God makes the reading, but especially the preaching of the Word, an effectual means of convicting and converting sinners (Ps. 19:7), and of building them up in holiness and comfort (1Th. 1:6), through faith to salvation (Ro. 1:16).

With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt show thyself forward (Psalm 18:26).

Holy God, You are the most pure God reigning in holiness above Your creation. We thank You for the sanctifying work of grace You are doing within our family. May You please bless each one of us with hearts and lives of continued purity!

Today’s Hymn

Words: John Newton, Olney Hymns (London: W. Oliver, 1779).

HOW SWEET THE NAME OF JESUS SOUNDS
Click here for tune.

How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds
In a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
And drives away his fear.

It makes the wounded spirit whole,
And calms the troubled breast;
‘Tis manna to the hungry soul,
And to the weary, rest.

Dear Name, the Rock on which I build,
My Shield and Hiding Place,
My never failing treasury, filled
With boundless stores of grace!

By Thee my prayers acceptance gain,
Although with sin defiled;
Satan accuses me in vain,
And I am owned a child.

Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend,
O Prophet, Priest and King,
My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,
Accept the praise I bring.

Weak is the effort of my heart,
And cold my warmest thought;
But when I see Thee as Thou art,
I’ll praise Thee as I ought.

Till then I would Thy love proclaim
With every fleeting breath,
And may the music of Thy Name
Refresh my soul in death!

Thought Provoker

I can remember growing up watching the old Little Rascals. This was an accurate name for this diverse neighborhood gang that palled around together. The guys formed a club, which they called, The He-man Woman Haters’ Club. Like most young boys today they did not want anything to do with girls. How quickly all that changes as they become a few years older. No longer is there interest in a He-man Woman Haters’ Club; the focus shifts to the thought of marriage. Today, marriage seems like the normal next step after graduation and beginning your first job. Singleness is almost viewed as less than God’s best. No one wants to grow up to become an old maid. Our kids are never too young to consider the question, “Is it God’s will that they marry or remain single?” This is the question that Paul is going to answer in today’s passage.

Dad’s Study

Singleness is Good!. Although the Bible declares that marriage is good (Gen. 2:18) it is also true that singleness is good (verse 1; 6-7). When Paul declares that it is good that a man not touch a woman, this was a Jewish euphemism for sexual intimacy. In other words, singleness is good, honorable and excellent.

Singleness is Tempting!. However, there is great temptation to sexual immorality by remaining single. For some this temptation is so great that it is good for them to marry rather than yield to sin (verses 2; 8-9).

Singleness is a Gift!. Although Paul is teaching that marriage is the norm, in one sense he desires that all believers could be single, like he is (verses 6-7). Singleness is a great blessing and a gift from God (verse 7).

Discuss together:

1. Why did Paul desire that others could be like him? What advantage is there in singleness?
2. What advantage was there to Paul in being single (verses 32-35)?
3. How many of God’s servants in the Bible can you name who were single?

Singleness is a spiritual blessing because it allows God’s people to be free to serve God without restrictions. A married man must be concerned for the welfare of his family. He is not free to leave and go here or go there for the Lord. I do not believe the current practice of boarding children in missionary schools while the parents go off to the mission field is a Biblical practice. In fact, the qualifications for spiritual leaders require that elder’s home life be in order (1 Tim. 3:4-5)! This God-given ministry at home should not be delegated to someone else in the name of ministry.

I have a good friend who is single and pastoring in Southern California. His single status has freed him to serve the Lord without concern for a family. This has enabled him to travel to mission fields around the world at a moment’s notice. He is also able to serve the Lord in an inner city church at a salary level far below that which most married men with a family would require.

Do you know of any single saints that are faithfully serving God’s kingdom?

Churches today have become so family oriented that it almost seems like there is little room for the single saint. We think in terms of families rather than individuals. Some churches have singles ministries, but they are usually a platform for Christian match making. Would the apostle Paul be invited to dinner in many Christian homes today? Paul is reminding us that the gift of singleness is a blessing. Be sure to teach the blessing of singleness to your children. Remind them regularly of this high calling. Make it a priority to show hospitality to the single people in your church. Maybe God has gifted one of them with singleness.

Click here for Matthew Henry’s Commentary.

Truth in Practice

Relational Purity. This chapter serves as a reminder to the whole family of God’s will that each of you maintain lives of sexual purity. It is not good that a man touch a woman (verse 1). It is important that your children be taught from an early age that sexual intimacy is reserved for marriage. To violate this is to commit the sin of fornication. This can best be maintained by turning from the modern practice of recreational dating and turning to Biblical dating or courtship. This allows for a young couple to explore God’s will regarding marriage in a chaperoned environment. In marital counseling I encourage a young lady to refrain from kissing a young man until their wedding, when her new husband lifts the veil and kisses her for the first time. This seems foreign to many Christian families today but it is a pathway that leads to relational purity. If you would like a free copy of a recent sermon I preached on the importance of parental oversight in Biblical dating, e-mail your request to reformedtbc@yahoo.com.

Catechism

Question 71

Q. What are the outward means whereby the Holy Spirit communicates to us the benefits of redemption?

A. The outward and ordinary means whereby the Holy Spirit communicates to us the benefits of Christ’s redemption, are the Word, by which souls are begotten to spiritual life; Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, Prayer, and Meditation, by all which believers are further edified in their most holy faith (Acts 2:41, 42; James 1:18).