Sun.’s Devo - Problems in the Church

Read: 1 Corinthians 11:2-13:13
When I first read the first of today’s reading I wondered how I could blog on ‘head coverings’ but, after reading about it I think I might have some insight to share. Before Jesus came, women were very oppressed and were totally subservient to men, especially their husbands. Through Christ, they were liberated and esteemed much higher because Jesus gave them so much attention and love. Every time the pendulum swings a new way it swings over the mark and has to slowly come back to the center. Women were boldly expressing their new found freedom and refusing to wear the headdress. It was a matter of the heart. It reminds me of women in the seventies that burned their bras. Christ had set them free but they still needed a spiritual covering. The woman represents the church and the church has to operate under the authority of Christ or it will get into terrible error. Paul was addressing the motives of their heart.
He also rebuked them for making the Lord’s Supper into a food fest instead of a way to feed the poor and honor one another.
They also had a complaint about people with spiritual gifts. They had come out of paganism where demonic spirits would take over a person and he would not have control over his actions. The gifts of the Holy Spirit is not like that. Paul explained to them that the gifts God gives are totally under the will of the person. The Holy Spirit empowers a person but it doesn’t over power him. All of the gifts that God gives bring glory and honor to Him, not the person. If the person wants all the attention then he is operating in the flesh. The purpose of the gifts is to bring others to Christ.
I keep saying that we have entered into the “kingdom age” and we are going to need this chapter during this time to keep things in order. God gives everyone of his children gifts to use for his glory so that others might come to know him.
Lord, we pray that we will use the gift you have given us and the ones you are going to give us to glorify You. May we walk in love, graciously sharing your gifts with others.