The document discusses principles for Christian living based on passages from 1 Corinthians. It summarizes key points about spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians 12, and discusses principles from 1 Corinthians 8-12 around knowledge, rights, love, responsibility, and unity. It emphasizes applying these principles to examine our own lives and prioritize others over selfish interests.

1. SSMC
SUNGAI WAY-SUBANG
METHODIST
C H U R C H
REV DR NG SWEE MING
12 MAR 2017
CHRISTIAN LIVING
PRINCIPLES FOR

2. Question 1994 - Today
1904–1905 1790–1832 1973-84
New Testament Church
Given a choice – which era
& locality in Church
History would you like to
live in ?

3. The New Testament Church that had it all….

4. The New Testament Church that had it all….

5. City of ‘freed-men’….
 Self-made men …
 Economically Prosperous…
Many Temples...
with temple ‘priestesses’
Many travelling teachers-
preachers & sailors…
Greek culture & pastime …
Reputation ….
Aphrodite - Love
Poseidon - Sea
Apollo – Music
Hermes - Commerce
Venus – Love & Beauty
Isis - Fertility
Asklepios - Healing

6. The Power of the Kingdom (1 Cor 4:20)
• Power of the Message (Christ)
• Power of the Messenger
• Power of Miracles
• Power of Generosity
• Power of Grace
• Power of Growth
Last week’s message by Rev Dr Colin Hurt

7. 1 Corinthians
Focus
Problemswith…
Topics
1 4 5 6 7 8 1011 14 15 16
Now.
.
Now about……….
Responding
to REPORTS
DISRUPTIONS
DIVISIONS
MORAL
&LEGAL
DOUBTS & DIFFICULTIES
Answering QUESTIONS
MARRIAGE
FOOD
&IDOLS
WORSHIP
&GIFTS
RESURRECTION

8. PRINCIPLES FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING
1 Corinthians
problems ….
issues …
Establish PRINCIPLES for
the Church in general …
Christians in particular ….
on HOW TO LIVE OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE

9. Q: "Can Christians eat meat that has
been sacrificed to idols?“
Background :
Idolatrous city ….
Temples of Aphrodite, Poseidon, Apollo,
Hermes, Venus-Fortuna, Isis & Asklepios…
? Reputation ….
Animal sacrifice …. 1/3, 1/3 & 1/3 …
Best meat @ best price ….
NB : Refers to ‘Public’ situation (v10)
1 Cor 8

10. KNOWLEDGE :
 There is only ONE GOD
 Idols are nothing ….
to those who are ‘strong’ …
But to the weak …
to those with a weak conscience…
NLT “…But while knowledge makes us feel important,
it is love that strengthens the church.”
1 Cor 8

11. So PAUL’S GUIDING PRINCIPLE…
 Whatever you do, eat or drink etc.
 do it in love…
Esp love for the ‘weaker’ …
 to build up, to strengthen,
to encourage, to edify…
DO CONSIDER OTHERS ….
1 Cor 8

12. So PAUL’S GUIDING PRINCIPLE
 Rom 14: 1-3
 Rom 14: 14-15
 Rom 14: 19-21
We are not to stumble another bro…
We are not to tear down one another…
We are to BUILD UP one another….
We are to LOVE ONE ANOTHER…
Ref John 13:34-35
1 Cor 8

13. Paul knew his RIGHTS…
6X – Right & Rights …
As an Apostle…
For material support …
For financial support …
1 Cor 9
Rational :
 Normal Practice v7 …
 Old Testament Law v8-12 …
 Old Testament Practice v13 …
 Jesus’s Teaching v14 …

14. BUT… v12b, v15…
Paul choose NOT TO ….
Reasons :
For the Gospel’s sake v12b, 15-18 …
Paul’s Reward ….
Note !
For the Sinner’s sake v19-23 …
For his own sake v24-27 …
1 Cor 9

15. So PAUL’S GUIDING PRINCIPLE
To be Faithful v16-17
To be a ‘Slave’ v19
Servitude : Servant’s Attitude
NB v22 “… all things to all men so that
by all possible means …”
 misused & abused ….
NB. v21 (… am under Christ’s law)
1 Cor 9

17. Israel’s Experience ….
 ‘Red Sea’ Baptism …
 Manna from heaven …
 Water from the ‘Rock’ …
BUT v5 “God was not pleased…”
1 Cor 10:1-22

18. 1 Cor 10:1-22
Exo 32
Num 14, 16
Num 25
Num 21
Reasons:
1. As Examples v6…
 v7 Idolatry
 v8 Sexual immorality
 v9 Testing the Lord
 v10 Grumbling
2. As Warnings v11…
Num 11

19. Reasons:
1. As Examples v6
2. As Warnings v11
3. Way of Escape v13-22
Flee from sin …
Flee from temptation …
eg Idol feast Vs Lord’s Feast
1 Cor 10:1-22

20. PAUL’S GUIDING PRINCIPLE …
• Learn from the past…
Idolatry…
Sexual Immorality….
Testing the Lord ….
Grumbling ….
• Do Not Fall Under Temptation…
1 Cor 10:1-22

21. 1 Cor 10:23-33
1 Cor 10:23-24
23 "Everything is permissible"-
but not everything is beneficial.
"Everything is permissible"-
but not everything is constructive.
24 Nobody should seek his own good,
but the good of others.

22. 1 Cor 8 : ‘Public’ Situation ….
1 Cor 10:23-33 a more ‘Private’ situation …
In a home ….
Served –> Eat –> Do Not Ask
BUT if ‘informed’ ….
Served –> Informed –> Do Not Eat
For ‘his’ sake ….
1 Cor 10:23-33

23. 1 Cor 10:23-33
So PAUL’S GUIDING PRINCIPLE …
 Do Not stumble anyone
 Do all for God’s Glory
NB :
Acts 15:20 ‘…to abstain from food polluted by
idols, from sexual immorality …’
Rev 2:14 (Pergamum) ‘to entice the Israelites to sin
by eating food sacrificed to idols and by
committing sexual immorality.’

24. 1 Cor 10:23-33

25. A. WOMEN in CHURCH
• Women in Greek & Jewish Culture
Middle East culture - women as property…
Jews : Not a slave, a Gentile or a woman…
Greeks : Not made a beast, a barbarian
or a woman….
* Woman –> long hair with a veil ….
except ‘prostitutes’ …
1 Cor 11

26. A. WOMEN in CHURCH…
Reading in-between the lines :
New found freedom for
women ….
Women were praying &
prophesying v5….
Uncovered ….
Hair-length ….
1 Cor 11

27. A. WOMEN in CHURCH
• God’s Order v3-7
God->Christ->Man->Woman
• Creation v8-12
Priority  Inferiority
• Nature v13-16
Woman –> ‘long’ hair
Man –> ‘short’ hair
Q: What is ‘long’ ?
Q: What is ‘short’ ?
1 Cor 11

28. B. LOVE FEAST
• Early Church practice …
• Common meal together ….
• Culminating with Lord’s Supper
• Problem ….
– Social disparity ….
– Divisions & Cliques ….
– Some had too much …
– Some not enough …
1 Cor 11

29. Common Decency ….
Nothing Distracting….
Not Stumbling others …
1 Cor 11
So PAUL’S GUIDING PRINCIPLE …
Right Attire in Worship
Right Attitude in Worship
Right Atmosphere for Worship

30. 1 Cor 12
Corinthian Church - a very ‘Gifted’ Church…
1st Charismatic, even Pentecostal Church …
Few Key Points about Spiritual Gifts
1. v4-7 Entire TRINITY is involved
in the GIVING, SERVING & WORKING
of Spiritual GIFTs
2. v7 Everyone has a Spiritual GIFT,
Gift - something GIVEN
3. v7 For the Common Good
of the Body, the Church

31. List of Spiritual Gifts…
o Wisdom
o Knowledge
o Faith
o Healing
o Miracles
o Prophecy
o Discernment
o Tongues
o Interpretation etc
Fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22-23
 Love,
 Joy,
 Peace,
 Patience,
 Kindness,
 Goodness,
 Faithfulness,
 Gentleness &
 Self-control.
1 Cor 12

32. NB :
1. Spiritual Gifts Subject to God’s Word
Experiences - subjective & Word - objective
Experiences must be tested against the Word
2. Spiritual Gifts are …
 Tools to Build with…
 Not Toys to Play with …
 or Weapons to Fight with…
3. Need to Discover, Develop, Discipline &
Dedicate our Spiritual Gifts ….
1 Cor 12

33. Principles For Christian Living
APPLICATION.
In today’s society ….
 Very individualistic….
 Materialistic ….
 Instant ….
1 Corinthians is …
 so relevant …
 so needed …
 so timely …

34. Principles For Christian Living
APPLICATION.
1 Cor 8-12 is NOT JUST ABOUT …
 food sacrificed to idols ….
 how knowledgeable we are …
 unpaid ‘pastor-ship’ …
 what you wear or don’t wear …
 hair length, colour, style ….
what spiritual gift you have…
YES, Paul was addressing real problems &
questions in a real 1stC church …
BUT in doing so he laid down clear PRINCIPLES …

35. Principles For Christian Living
APPLICATION.
Question ….
 KNOWLEDGE
 RIGHTS
 EXPERIENCE
 FREEDOM
 WORSHIP
 GIFTS
 LOVE
 SERVITUDE
 LEARNING
 RESPONSIBILITY
 ORDER
 FRUIT

36. Principles For Christian Living
APPLICATION
.
DOTA 2
652,388
CS:GO
358,867
TF2
52,398
Civ 5
Garry'sMod ARK GTA5 Warframe
Eg Playing computer games

37. Principles For Christian Living
1 Cor 10:23-24
23 "Everything is permissible"-
but not everything is beneficial.
"Everything is permissible"-
but not everything is
constructive.
24 Nobody should seek his own
good, but the good of others.

39. Principles For Christian Living
1 Cor 10:23-24
23 "Everything is permissible"-
but not everything is
beneficial.
"Everything is permissible"-
but not everything is
constructive.
24 Nobody should seek his own
good, but the good of others.

40. Principles For Christian Living
Phil 2:1-4
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with
Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship
with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded,
having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
4 Each of you should look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others.

41. Principles For Christian Living
John 13:34-35
34 "A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one
another.
35 By this all men will know that you are my
disciples, if you love one another."

42. Principles For Christian Living
APPLICATION.
Question ….
 KNOWLEDGE
 RIGHTS
 EXPERIENCE
 FREEDOM
 WORSHIP
 GIFTS
 LOVE
 SERVITUDE
 LEARNING
 RESPONSIBILITY
 ORDER
 FRUIT

43. Principles For Christian Living
APPLICATION.
Question ….
 KNOWLEDGE
 RIGHTS
 EXPERIENCE
 FREEDOM
 WORSHIP
 GIFTS
 LOVE
 SERVITUDE
 LEARNING
 RESPONSIBILITY
 ORDER
 FRUIT

45. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:23-32,
1 Cor 10:16-17
16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give
thanks a participation in the blood of Christ?
And is not the bread that we break a
participation in the body of Christ?
17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many,
are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

46. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:23-32,
1 Cor 11:23-32
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed
on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was
betrayed, took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and
said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this
in remembrance of me."

47. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:23-32,
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup,
saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood;
do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of
me."
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup,
you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup
of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of
sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

48. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:23-32,
28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats
of the bread and drinks of the cup.
29 For anyone who eats and drinks without
recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks
judgment on himself.
30 That is why many among you are weak and sick,
and a number of you have fallen asleep.

49. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:23-32,
31 But if we judged ourselves, we would not
come under judgment.
32 When we are judged by the Lord, we are
being disciplined so that we will not be
condemned with the world.

50. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17; 11:23-32,
1. LOOK BACK 1 Cor 11:26
2. LOOK WITHIN 1 Cor 11:28
3. LOOK AROUND 1 Cor 10:17
4. LOOK AHEAD 1 Cor 11:26