SOAP 11/14/2015; 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

Today's reading: Psalm 149; 1 Corinthians 15, 16


S) "³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ⁵ and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve."

1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (NASB)

O) This entire chapter is very good. It is full of verses and passages I could highlight, and in that sense, it was a little hard to choose one. On the other hand, Paul started this section talking about the gospel he preached and the importance that we remember it (see vv.1-2) and then goes right into the verses above (I refrain from saying he started this chapter.... because he didn't differentiate chapters and verses). So, while this chapter has many great things to say, relating to the topic of resurrection (of Jesus, of our own, of the final, etc.), it was fairly obvious which of these verses was the most important. When we break down what he says in these verses, there are a few elements that must be drawn. The first element is the direct truth that the death, burial, resurrection, and revelation of Jesus Christ is the gospel, and it is the most important thing we can ever share with others. The second element to draw from this passage, is the phrase, "according to the Scriptures," which Paul uses twice. Drawing on context, we must remember that there was no collected New Testament when he wrote these words. When he refers to the Scriptures, he means the Old Testament (which was fully collected at this point). This is significant, because it reminds us that the gospel was predicted. God had a redemptive plan for humanity since the fall in the garden of Eden. Throughout the Old Testament, prophecies were given that pointed forward to Christ, and revealed the redemption that was coming, both for Israel and the rest of the world. As with all prophecy, one of the most crucial reasons for this (in its fulfillment) is to build our faith. Both in the topic (the gospel itself) and in the one who authored it (God) we have more faith knowing that it was not random, it was not coincidence, it was not God being opportunistic. This was all according to His plan.

A) For myself, along with the emphasis of sharing the gospel, there is importance in acknowledging all four parts of the gospel (death, burial, resurrection, and revelation). Without a doubt, the part I neglect most often is the revelation. Yet, Paul included the revelation of Jesus to Cephas and the twelve (and more than five hundred at once, mentioned in v.6) as of "first importance" along with the other parts of the gospel. Carefully considering why that final part is important will help me remember to include it when I share the gospel. I need to remember that in the revelation of Jesus, there were hundreds of first-hand witnesses to the truth of the gospel. These eyewitnesses all had the same shared experience. There is some weight given to one eyewitness. There is more than double given to two witnesses, and on the testimony of three witnesses things are received as true. That was given in Deuteronomy 19:15, and even Jesus affirmed it in Matthew 18:16. Even in our culture today, in a court of law where truth is sought, having two witnesses give the same account of an event is taken as solid proof. Having a dozen witnesses would be seen as overkill. Having five hundred witnesses attest to the same even happening would probably be inadmissible because of the redundancy. So, the point is that the witnesses who saw Jesus resurrected confirm it as true and historically proven. This is actually often challenged by the world because of a base misunderstanding about the formation of the Bible and how the gospel was recorded. If more people understood the widespread nature of the witnesses to this event, I'm sure more people would give serious consideration to the validity of the gospel. So, as important as it is that Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected, I must also put an emphasis on the fact that He was revealed alive to a multitude firsthand.

P) Father, Your authorship of the gospel is Your grace at its most full. I am humbled to remember that Jesus died for me. I am not forgiven simply because You have chosen not to punish sin. My sins were punished, and the wrath they incur was indeed poured out. But, it was upon Jesus, that the punishment was meted. The wages of sin is death, and Jesus received my lethal wages. But, it didn't end there. He was buried, laid among sinners, His death fully realized. He took the lowest position a human could take, moving as far from His position of deity as was possible. But, it didn't end there. He was resurrected! He conquered death, and with it conquered the power of sin. He paved the way to eternal life as the first to overcome the grave. His resurrection confirmed that His payment for our sins was sure. His propitiation was received. But, it didn't end there. His glory was restored and revealed. Once again in grace, You gave Your Son to us as the manifestation of Your glory. You revealed Him to the disciples, then to the world. This is the fullness of the gospel. This is the gospel I want to preach. Remind me, God, that when I share the gospel, there are four crucial elements for me to convey. Help me to not neglect any of them, since they each play an integral part in the whole. Give me the boldness, wisdom, articulation, and opportunity to share the gospel. Be glorified. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/13/2015; Job 40:10-14

Today's reading: Job 39, 40; 1 Corinthians 13, 14


S) "¹⁰ Adorn yourself with eminence and dignity,
And clothe yourself with honor and majesty.
¹¹ Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low.
¹² Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him,
And tread down the wicked where they stand.
¹³ Hide them in the dust together;
Bind them in the hidden place.
¹⁴ Then I will also confess to you,
That your own right hand can save you."

Job 40:10-14 (NASB)

O) If the preceding four verses do not make it clear that God is speaking with analogy, comparing Job to Himself, then verse 14 makes it especially clear. The word "confess" can also be translated as praise (per the footnote). So, God is testing Job, to ensure that he understands his place. It is God's right alone, to humble the proud and tread down the wicked. It is God who should receive praise, and confession of might and righteous judgment. It is God alone, by His right hand, that can save. What really stood out to me, though, is taking this contrast back up to verse 10. It is God alone who is adorned with eminence and dignity. God alone is clothed with honor and majesty. Eminence, dignity, honor, and majesty are God's.

A) In the same way that I confess, I have no ability to save myself, I also confess that I have no ability to adorn myself with eminence or dignity. I cannot clothe myself with honor or majesty. Not only am I unable, I am unworthy to do so. Even still, I live in a culture that is constantly telling me that I can save myself, or improve my situation, with hard work and determination. The media tells me I can buy majesty. The medical community tells me I should be treated with dignity. The professional world tells me I should be seeking eminence above all else. Altogether, honor should be mine then, right? But no, this is grotesque appropriation of what belongs to God alone! These are not terms that should, in any way, be applied to me! These are not mine, any more than it is mine to punish the wicked, or humble the proud. I cannot get it twisted, because the Jesus is God and I am not.

P) Father, I confess that it is Yours alone, to be adorned with eminence and dignity, and clothed in honor and majesty. It is Yours alone to look on the proud and humble him, and to tread down the wicked. It is Yours alone to punish. I confess that You alone should receive praise, and by Your right hand alone, am I saved. These are the confessions of my lips, but I also pray that my actions would reflect the truth that I confess. Help me to trust You completely. Help me to submit to You completely. You are my Lord, my King, my Savior, my God; be glorified. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/12/2015; 1 Corinthians 12:26

Today's reading: Job 37, 38; 1 Corinthians 12


S) "²⁶ And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

1 Corinthians 12:26 (NASB)

O) Paul had just gone through a discourse, teaching how all Christians comprise the body of Christ. Within that analogy, we are all members of different kinds, none more honorable than another, none more valuable than another. There is unity in the Holy Spirit, bringing our diversity together, as we are all created with different manifestations of the same purpose. All is to the glory of Jesus Christ, as He has put us each in position by design. Then, when we get near the end of the topic, Paul reminds us that our unity has negative impacts as well as positive ones. This is, perhaps, the most overlooked portion of this whole topic.

A) There are many times when I think I am quite weird. The randomness of my interests, the way I tend to laugh at things without really knowing why, the way I look at math; these things and many more, contribute to what I might like to see as my charming personality. On the other side of things, there are certainly parts of my personality that are clearly negative. With both of these, it's easy for me to forget that I am, In fact, part of a bigger whole. On the positive side of things, God made me special, and He loves me very much! (thank you, Phil Vischer). On the negative side of things, there is no such thing as a "victimless sin." Letting alone the fact that I am a victim, my sins actually weaken the body, to which I am a member! That is hard for me to remember, but it is a motivating truth. I am never neutral. I cannot be, as a member of this body. Everything I do, will either fulfill my purpose and benefit the body, or else it will abandon my purpose and hurt the body.

P) Father, Your fingerprint is all over me. The grace You reveal, in Your plan for Your children, amazes me when I see how it all fits together. It is humbling, for me to realize that my life has an integral part, as a member of the body of Christ. At the same time that I recognize that, keep me from thinking more highly of myself than I ought. Jesus is still the head, and I am only trying to be who I was created to be. I did not create my role. I did not plan my part. I did not make myself who I am. This is all part of Your grace and plan. I just want to honor You, in how I am striving to fulfill Your plan for me. Help me to see clearly, the impact I have in this body, whether positive or negative. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/11/2015; Psalm 89:15-16

Today's reading: Psalm 122; 1 Corinthians 9, 10, 11*

S) "¹⁵ How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!
O Lord, they walk in the light of Your countenance.
¹⁶ In Your name they rejoice all the day,
And by Your righteousness they are exalted."

Psalm 89:15-16 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Psalm 89

O) This was written by Ethan the Ezrahite, who seems to have been part of Solomon's court, and served as one of David's singers in the temple. His wisdom was apparently noteworthy (see 1 Kings 4:31), and the words of this psalm reflect insight. It is unclear exactly what motivated this song (that is, there is no mention of a particular event), but it seems from context, that we see David on the throne. There was plenty of upheaval near the end of David's life, especially concerning his succession, so it may be something along those lines. In this particular passage, Ethan reflected on the goodness of corporate worship, which is something David revived. The "joyful sound" seems to be a reference to music and singing, according to the footnotes. The reference to the light of God's face, is a term of favor the people had with God. What is especially noteworthy, is the sense of corporate worship, being blessed with favor, and then it goes immediately into the impact it has, which is rejoicing all day long. Having the righteousness of God on their side, they themselves were even exalted.

A) This passage clearly conveys the grace of God upon His people. These same principles certainly carry over to me today. When I am worshiping God, especially in a corporate setting, and I am really putting my mind on Him, and worshiping in spirit and in truth as Jesus described (see John 4:24), it really does set my whole day in the right direction. I am able to carry that same joy with me straight out of the church building, and I rejoice the rest of my day. When I am putting my mind on His goodness, His strength, His provision, His peace, His work, His grace, His mercy, and His love, then I am full of zeal to rejoice all day! The last line of this verse, reminds me that this is by grace. His righteousness brought me reconciliation. That is the reason I am exalted, while I exalt Him.

P) Father, it is such a joy to worship You, but I confess that I don't do it nearly enough. I suppose I'm not sure I could worship You enough, but I know there are clearly many missed opportunities to really focus my energy, time, thoughts, and strength into worshiping You. I need to make it more of a priority. Setting aside for a moment, all of the reasons You simply deserve to have my worship first, there are the grace-filled benefits You give me when I worship You. I am full of joy and peace, I am just plain happy, when I start my day with worshiping You. Help me to remember that You give such a blessing, when my priorities are straight. Back to the root of it, though, You are worthy of my first worship. You are worthy of my full attention. You deserve all of my devotion. Thank You for redeeming me, and bringing me back into a right relationship with You, Father. Help me not waste time, and not miss opportunities. Help me to start my day in worship, more often than not, until I start every day worshiping You for eternity. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/10/2015; Job 36:5

Today's reading: Job 35, 36; 1 Corinthians 7, 8

S) "⁵ Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any;
He is mighty in strength of understanding."

Job 36:5 (NASB)

O) Elihu's words continue, here. From this verse, he actually goes into a fair amount of detail, about how God will counsel kings directly, in their afflictions, about their sins. In their repentance there is restoration, but in their resistance there is destruction. The whole of that passage, though, all points back up to this verse. Elihu starts by clarifying that God, even though He is mighty, supremely powerful, completely sovereign, and a righteous judge (all of this relative to be mighty), He does not despise. This is an element of His holiness that cannot be missed. It is human nature, that when we are in the right we will despise those who are in the wrong. It is human nature, that when we are strong we will despise the weak. It is human nature, that when we are successful we despise those who fail. Most people will agree that these aren't really good responses, nevertheless, these responses prevail in humanity. Like many things we observe in humanity, we have a terrible tendency to project those things into God. In His the execution of His judgment or vindication, it can be easy to mistake His actions as contempt or disdain for those who are guilty. But that is how humanity would be motivated. That is not God. In contrast to us, God's actions are motivated, if you will, by His strength of understanding. This is why, as we can read in the ten verses after this, God reaches out to the afflicted, even if He directly caused the affliction.

A) Every verse that reveals God's nature, humbles me as I learn more and more about His character. This verse gives me a key insight into God's grace, and How the plan for redemption extends all the way backwards through time. I need to remember, when I feel afflicted, that God is seeking me during those times. So, when I turn to Him, I am assured that I will find Him quickly. Whether the affliction is the result of some sin in my life, or simply a time of God testing, the solution is the same. Then, my response must be repentance and worship, turning my heart to God fully.

P) Father, Your holiness is alluring to me. I am drawn to Your compassion and lovingkindness, which is uniquely married with Your sovereignty and might. You hold the keys to my redemption, salvation, and rescue. Your grace, that You do not despise me in light of my sin, humbles me and invites me to confession and repentance. Please forgive me, Lord. Help me to remember the depths, and even a glimpse of the cause, of Your grace and mercy. Help me to have a deeper understanding of Your holiness and love. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/09/2015; Psalm 86:11

Today's reading: Job 34; 1 Corinthians 4, 5, 6*

S) "¹¹ Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name."

Psalm 86:11 (NASB)
*because there are already entries for each of these chapters, I also read Psalm 86

O) This is a prayer of David, seeking the LORD for help, and affirming his trust in God alone. In this particular verse, David asked for God to teach him, which was a fairly common thing for David to ask. In his life, there would not have been a lot of men who could teach the king, either because of status or because of trustworthiness. David sought the truth of God from the source, through prayer. Last, there is a fairly peculiar line. There are many verses, even in the Psalms, that deal with the ideal of fearing (i.e., revering) God. However, David used the word, "unite" when referring to the stature of his heart. This has a connotation of a divided heart on the subject. This is really the way most people are, when trying to serve God. This is the same concept Jesus meant, when He said you cannot serve two masters (see Matthew 6:24), James brought up with a double-minded man (see James 1:8), and Paul described, about not doing what he wants to do (see Romans 7:15-16).

A) This is very real to me, especially in the context of fearing God. In my flesh, I am very disrespectful of authority. In fact, it is one of the most clear marks to me, that God is at work in my heart, that I respect authority as I now do. However, it still takes efforts for me to fear the Lord. There are ways that fearing God comes plainly, but obviously every time I sin, I am choosing not to fear Him. Even beyond that, my thoughts of the LORD are not necessarily what someone would call reverential. In the part of myself that chooses, I choose to fear the LORD. In the part of me that is my personality, I might say, that part does not easily fear Him. So, this prayer fits me perfectly, because I want God to unite those two elements of my heart, to fear His name.

P) Father, teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. You are holy, righteous, and mighty. I am guilty, helpless, and broken. In Christ, You have already redeemed me, and I know His righteousness was given to me. I also see, that my sanctification is still in progress, God. So, please continue to teach me, that I will walk in Your truth, and unite my personality with my will, to fear Your holy name. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/08/2015; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13

Today's reading: Job 33; 1 Corinthians 1, 2, 3

S) "¹⁰ Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹ For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. ¹² Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, 'I am of Paul,' and 'I of Apollos,' and 'I of Cephas,' and 'I of Christ.' ¹³ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?"

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 (NASB)

O) The letter to the Corinthians seems to answer many concerns that had been brought to Paul's attention, and in the first letter, we see that there had arisen some division within the church at Corinth. Apparently, there were various believers, who were trying to take sides with different teachers. We don't know to what extent they were debating sides, but that some would call themselves "of Paul" or "of Cephas" clearly means they saw some conflict in the teachings of these two apostles. The tricky thing about that, though, is that God does not contradict Himself. These were both apostles of Jesus Christ, Himself. God would not give them conflicting messages. But, more importantly, Paul is reminding this church, that no mortal man should be the focal point, anyway. After all, Paul was not crucified. It was not into his name that anyone was baptized. So, he implored the believers to lift their eyes higher than their teachers, and put the focus back on Christ alone. Paul had been literally idolized at least twice (recorded in the book of Acts), and he was quick to shut that down. Similarly, he did not want the Corinthians to even remotely idolize anyone. The passage begins with an exhortation to be "made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment." That happens by keeping the focus on the indisputable facts. Jesus Christ was crucified for them (and us), and it is into God's name that we are baptized.

A) With modern terms like "denomination," "dogma," and "systematic theology," it seems like modern Christianity is completely entrenched in divisions. Even going to a "non-denominational" church, I find myself being asked to choose between things like Calvinism and Arminianism. Really, though, this passage makes a pretty hard line against those kinds of divisions. As often as more than one person is reading something, we will find opposing interpretations of the subject matter. Certainly, after thousands of years studying difficult Bible passages, there will be some widely varying opinions. I think the most important thing, is for me to do what Paul did with this exhortation, and that is to bring it back to Christ. While there can be endless debates about eschatology or predestination, there should be no debate about the Lordship of Christ. While I could mine the Scriptures to try and discover how old the earth is, in reality, that is a fruitless debate that is in danger of causing a much more dangerous divide. Even in cases when a point of theology should perhaps be debated, I think it's most important not to take sides with previous debaters about it. It would be actively divisive for me to say I agree with some scholar, while another person says they agree with some other scholar. That is taking sides, highlighting more division. Instead, I must study Scripture carefully, striving to learn what it says, and if my opinion differs from that of another brother, I must tread lightly. I should strip the argument back to the most essential question: what is the gospel? I can never let an argument cost a relationship, inasmuch as it depends on me.

P) Father, I do not want Your house to be a house divided. It seems obvious that it would play directly into the hands of satan, for Christians to be so divided on doctrines that have nothing to do with the Lordship of Christ, or the gospel itself. Give me the boldness to fiercely proclaim the truth of the gospel, and the humility to refrain from meaningless, divisive controversies. Help me to resist the cultural urge to take up names other than Christ. I don't want to be a Lutheran, Calvinist, or Arminian. I don't even want to be a Catholic or Protestant. I want to be a Christian. That is all. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.

SOAP 11/07/2015; Job 32:7-9

Today's reading: Job 31, 32; Galatians 5, 6

S) "⁷ I thought age should speak,
And increased years should teach wisdom.
⁸ But it is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
⁹ The abundant in years may not be wise,
Nor may elders understand justice."

Job 32:7-9 (NASB)

O) These are the words of Elihu, who was a fifth character in the story of Job (that is, not Job and not one of the three friends). In v.4, we see that this man was younger than the other four, and customarily did not contribute to the dialogue. But, because of frustrations at the inability of the other three friends to reach Job (see v.5), he found himself unable to hold back any more (see vv.18-20). Regardless of his judgment of the situation at hand, he showed remarkable wisdom in this chapter. He began with a series of disarming statements, and in them, the above verses are found. He humbly acknowledged that the others were not his contemporaries, but he also gave credit to God for all wisdom. He affirmed that wisdom is not gained from age, but it is gained from God.

A) In years past, I would have related the most to this young(er) man, and the application of this passage surely would have been all about how I must humbly approach those who are older than me, before trying to introduce wisdom that is not truly from within myself, but from God. Those are all still good principles, and no doubt, there will continue to be occasions when I might counsel men older than me. Still, I find myself at a tipping point. No longer do I relate to the younger generations on TV, but instead I relate more and more to their parents on TV. Similarly, in this passage, I find that the words of Elihu are less of an encouragement to me as a young man, and more of a warning to me as a man approaching mid-life. As much as I ever enjoy teaching, I must always value learning. It is such an important thing, that I humble myself to remember that I do not hold the keys of wisdom and understanding. Truly, wisdom and understanding come from God alone. When I study scripture and think through theology, I must recognize that I do not have all of the answers. Good solid counsel is always valuable. I must remember, especially as I get older, that there can be as much to gain from men older than me, as there can be from men younger than me. The most important thing is whether their words align with holy Scripture. Perhaps the least important thing is the age of the speaker.

P) Father, You are the giver of all life and breath, and the giver of all wisdom and understanding. In grace, I have some understanding and wisdom. In grace, You also give more to other people. Please keep me humble, Lord, enough that I am always willing to be taught biblical wisdom, by anyone who knows the Bible, regardless of such temporal things as age (or gender, or race, or stature, or anything else). Open my eyes and ears, to receive whatever wisdom You will give me, by whomever You wish to use to teach me. Let Your will be done. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.