CHRISTIAN WALK
CHRISTIANITY OASIS HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH THIS CHRISTIAN WALK STUDY. MOST HAVE HEARD OF THE PHRASE CHRISTIAN WALK ... DID YOU KNOW THAT THE CHRISTIAN WALK IS A DIFFICULT PATH FOR ALL CHRISTIANS? PETER DESCRIBED IT AS A FIERY TRIAL. THERE WILL BE TEST, TRIALS AND TRIBULATION AS WELL AS THE GOOD TIMES. LET US SEEK AND FIND THE TRUTH OF THE CHRISTIAN WALK TOGETHER, SHALL WE?

          Welcome back to you once again! It’s a joy to have you here to share more Daily Bread. As we’ve been studying the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians, we’ve been learning quite a lot about the struggles that people have in their walk of Faith, and how to deal with them.

          Don’t forget that there was a wide mixture of people that Paul was writing to in Corinth. Even though he was the Apostle of the Gentiles, there were still Jewish people who lived in Corinth who were converted to Christianity as well. They were many people with many different beliefs, and Paul was guiding them to one common goal . . . Faith.

Be followers of Christ, as I am.

Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things,

and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

          Wait a minute, what ordinances is he talking about? In the book of Acts, Luke referred to this as the WAY. There are “ways” that Christians follow. The Christian Path ... Let me give you some examples. Love one another, be hospitable, be meek, abstain from fornication, evil, and fleshly desires, be holy, help the fatherless and the widowed, just to name a few. Basically, living righteously, and godly is the way. You may know that Jesus said, I am the way, the TRUTH and the life. John 14:6

          Next, Paul talks about the issue of men and women covering their head or having their head uncovered when they pray or prophecy, also about the length of their hair. It’s likely that in such a group, there were people who disapproved of fellow believer’s practices about these issues so Paul gives a some history on the subject, but don’t miss what he adds at the end of this topic. I’ve highlighted it in royal blue so you won’t miss it.

I want you to know,

that the head of every man is Christ;

and the head of the woman is the man;

and the head of Christ is God.

God

Christ

Man

Woman

Every man praying or prophesying,

having his head covered,

dishonors his head.

But every woman that prays or prophesies

with her head uncovered

dishonors her head.

for that is the same as if she were shaven.

For if the woman is not covered,

let her also be shorn (with her hair cut).

but if it’s shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaven,

let her be covered (veiled).

For a man indeed should not cover his head,

since he is the image and glory of God:

but the woman is the glory of the man.

For the man is not of the woman:

but the woman of the man.

Neither was the man created for the woman;

but the woman for the man.

For this reason the woman should have power on  her head

because of the angels.

(Woman was deceived by the angel satan, and also, when the fallen angels came down to earth to cohabitate with women, they were deceived again.)

Nevertheless neither is the man without (independent or separate from) the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman;

but all things of God.

Judge for yourself:

is it proper that a woman pray to God uncovered?

Doesn’t even nature itself teach you,

that if a man have long hair, it is a shame to him?

But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her:

for her hair is given her for a covering.

(disputes this tradition),

we have no such custom,

neither do the churches of God.

          It’s about time for a little Daily Bread Stick. This is a general rule to remember when you read your Bible. How many times do you suppose the Bible has been rewritten and translated and retranslated since it was originally written? In fact, when you read Daily Bread, you’re reading yet another translation of it, so when you’re reading the text out of your Bible and something seems awry, this may be the reason. Paul is very consistent on his teachings about law and Faith. Of that, you can be certain. So you don’t have to let your hair grow long, or cut it short to please the Lord. The long and short of it all is, give Him glory in your heart.

          I have an interesting question for you? Was Jesus’ hair long? And what about the vow of the Nazarite? Numbers 6:5 When a man takes the vow of the Nazarite, he is separating himself or dedicating the time he vows to God. Why would this holy vow forbid a man to cut his hair if it was shameful? Even though it seems this vow was voluntary, wasn’t it part of the Jewish “law”, and isn’t that contradicting? Just more points to ponder. Now let’s get back to our study.

          Paul has heard some things that disturb him about incidents that are happening in the church of Corinth. He makes no bones about his thoughts on the matter.

When you gather together, you come together

not for the better, but for the worse.

First of all, when you come together in the church,

I hear that there are divisions among you;

and I partly believe it.

For there must be also heresies (factions or separate groups) among you,

that those who are approved of may be recognized among you.

When you come together then into one place,

this isn’t to eat the Lord's supper.

For in eating, every one eats his own supper in front of others,

and one is hungry, and another is drunken.

What’s this all about? Don’t you have houses to eat and to drink in?

Or do you despise the church of God,

and shame them that are needy?

What shall I say to you?

Shall I praise you about this?

I praise you not.

Does this sound like the world today, still? The lowly are still looked down upon. The wealthy still seek recognition, and even in the church, one acts better than another. Paul continues:

I have learned from the Lord the same thing I taught to you,

That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread:

And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said,

Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you:

this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also He took the cup,

when He had supped, saying,

This cup is the new testament in my blood:

this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,

you proclaim the Lord's death until He returns.

Therefore whoever shall eat this bread,

and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily,

shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

But let a man look at his own actions,

and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

Because he that eats and drinks unworthily,

eats and drinks damnation to himself,

Not realizing that he is being unrighteous to the Lord’s body

(to both, His memory and to the church).

For this reason many are weak and sickly among you,

and many have even died.

          Did you read that? There are so many things that we don’t know. How many people, even in the world today, suffer illness and death because of actions that they don’t realize are unrighteous in the Lord’s eyes, yet because of today’s society, are accepted? Paul says:

If we would just judge our own selves,

if we would take a look at our own works,

if we would take the effort to discern what is unrighteous,

then we would not be judged with the world.

But when we are judged,

we are chastened of the Lord,

that we should not be condemned with the world.

Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat,

wait one for another.

And if any man hunger, let him eat at home;

That your gathering together doesn’t bring judgment.

And anything else about the matter, I’ll settle when I visit.

          We can apply this message to more than just food. What about spiritual gifts? What about those who, in the body of Christ, are the baby finger, instead of the eye? Do we, in front of others, flaunt our gifts? Do we look down on others who don’t seem as important? Never forget, looks are deceiving, especially when it comes to invisible (spiritual) things.

          Speaking of spiritual gifts, that’s what our next study is about, so be sure to hurry back for more Daily Bread.