Quarrels and divisions within the church are simply the outward expression of pride. The Corinthian church was blessed with faithful leaders and teachers, but they dishonored those servants and the Lord Himself with their self-centered attitudes.

Our role in the world is not to impress people with our message but to confront them with God’s message, the gospel. The thinking and wisdom of the world have no place in that. It’s the gospel simply presented by humble servants that demonstrates the power of God.

It is the distinct privilege of all Christians to have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, giving us greater understanding of God’s Word and spiritual discernment in all matters. This is the source of true wisdom, not the mindset of the unsaved world.

The Lord has given us all we need to grow and prosper in our relationship with Him. If we are not constantly and consistently growing in our understanding of God and in our commitment to Christ, we will remain spiritual infants; and that is neither natural nor desirable.

All Christians are builders—we are building on the church’s foundation in Jesus Christ. The question is this: What kind of builders are we? Are we building with ministry and works that have permanent value for the church?

Godly leaders are not to be a source of pride for the church—they are not to be unduly exalted. They are to be respected, however, as faithful examples and humble servants of God who answer to Him.

Open, unrepentant sin in the church cannot be condoned or tolerated. It must be confronted and properly dealt with. Anything less is to bring Christ’s church down to the level of the world and mute its message that Christ delivers us from sin and its power.

Our impact for Christ in this world is directly tied to our being clearly distinct from the world. We cannot pursue the attitudes and pleasures of the ungodly if we want to glorify the Lord.

The Bible teaches that both marriage and singleness are good gifts from God. Our decisions relating to either must be governed by God’s Word. Thankfully, 1 Corinthians chapter 7 gives us divine instruction on marriage and various issues related to it.

Our freedom in Christ is a precious gift. However, we are called to limit the exercise of our rights at times in order to minister effectively to others. This is Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 8–9, and he supports it with his own example.

The privileges and blessings we enjoy as followers of Christ should never be taken for granted or taken advantage of. Our conduct should always be guided by God’s Word, edifying and not offensive, and directed toward the goal of bringing glory to God.

To glorify the Lord as we are called to do, our worship must align with biblical truth and principles and come from humble hearts that are right with Him. We must examine our hearts for sin and measure our actions by God’s Word.

We have been placed in the church, the body of Christ, so we can exercise the gifts the Spirit has given each of us for the common good of the whole church. We are all important, but we are not all-important in the Lord’s plan for His church.

Many of the problems we face in the church and in our personal lives will be resolved by simply living lives that consistently manifest the love of God. What does that look like? The apostle Paul tells us as he describes the way of love for us in 1 Corinthians 13.

Spiritual gifts can be abused, misused, and misunderstood, even to the point of distracting us from the one who gave them. The apostle Paul gives us an important reminder that God’s gifts are not toys for us to use as we desire but tools for us to use for His glory.

When self-promotion and disorder enter a church’s worship, the worship is greatly diminished. The Bible allows for great variety in worship, but it also gives important guidelines to ensure that the Lord is truly honored in our worship.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical fact, but it is not simply a historical fact. It is an essential part of the biblical gospel, and it is the assurance of a coming resurrection of all who believe in Christ.

Christ’s victory over death will be fully realized when our bodies are raised and changed into the likeness of His resurrection body. This certain hope not only gives us assurance for the future but also motivates us to serve the Lord now.

A church that is motivated by Christlike love will give generously, stand firm in the faith, and honor and follow godly leaders. Paul concludes his first letter to the church at Corinth by stressing that everything we do should be done in love.

God never promised us a trial-free life. But He does promise to be right there with us in our troubles, encouraging us and ultimately delivering us from all our afflictions. He is teaching us to rely on Him and to pray for one another, leading to a great increase in thanksgiving.

God wants us to be firm in our intentions and purposes, but He is not looking for rigidity. Plans will get changed, but if we have made them in good faith, we can trust Him through the disruption and see His good purposes prevail.

Through a set of contrasts between the old covenant of Moses and the new covenant of Christ, Paul demonstrates that we have every reason to be confident and joyful in our relationship with the Lord.

Jesus never promised that following Him would be easy. He actually said just the opposite. But three great truths can keep us going and give us joy no matter what we endure. The apostle Paul sets forth these truths in the fourth chapter of the book of 2 Corinthians.

God has called us to an utterly new life in Him. While we still groan for heaven in our earthly bodies, we have been made new so we can live for Him and display the righteousness of God that He has given us in Christ.

As we live for Christ in an ungodly world, we must be careful not to hinder the working of God’s grace in our lives, particularly by keeping ourselves free from attachments that would pull us away from a pure allegiance to Him.

In today’s study, we look at the greatness of God’s comfort compared to our troubles and learn the important difference between godly grief and worldly grief.

Our passage today makes clear to us that we can never outgive God. Instead, He invites us to become like Him by learning to give with joyful abandon and reaping the fruit of increased generosity that He works in and through us.

We all have critics, and they can be discouraging. Our passage today shows us that as we face criticism, we must adopt the Lord’s attitude, avoid comparing ourselves with others, and give Him all the credit for what He accomplishes through our lives.

Wherever the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed, false teachers are sure to follow close behind, proclaiming a fake Jesus and an altered gospel. Paul alerts us to characteristics of false teachers so that we can be alert and avoid them.

We all know that boasting about ourselves is a bad thing we should avoid. But Paul shows us in today’s passage that if we must boast, we should boast in a way that calls attention to our own flaws and to the power and greatness of Jesus Christ.

In our final look at 2 Corinthians, we see the heart of the apostle Paul (and through him the Lord) toward his friends: a desire for their spiritual welfare, a strong concern that they walk in obedience to Christ, and a passion for joy.

As it was for the apostle Paul, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not a message of human origin. It is the truth of God given to us by God. We can never compromise on it, for to do so is to surrender the only sure hope of salvation for humanity.

The gospel of grace is the true gospel of Paul, the apostles, and the Scriptures. To water down the message of salvation by grace alone is to challenge the effectiveness and even the necessity of Christ’s death. Like Paul, we must make every effort to preserve the gospel.

If the doctrines we teach as Christians are not totally grounded in the Bible, we run the risk of perverting the truth and leading others astray. Paul’s presentation and defense of the true gospel reminds us of how careful and thorough we must be in our study and teaching.

We must be alert to the subtle temptation to ground our relationship with the Lord on our efforts and works. To adopt this position in any measure is to contradict the gospel of grace. The apostle Paul brings clarity to this issue in chapters 3 and 4 of Galatians.

In Christ we are free from the bondage of keeping laws and rules to attain and maintain God’s approval. We are free through faith in Christ to truly follow Him and love one another, living a life that does not give in to either legalism or license.

Many people claim the title of Christian. But what does a true follower of Christ look like? What are the marks of a believer? The apostle Paul answers in Galatians chapter 5, and it is all about being like Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Christian character may be developed quietly as we learn God’s Word, obey His commands, and resist the lure of sin. But as Paul concludes his letter to the Galatians, he offers some specific, practical ways Christlike character is to be revealedin the way we conduct our lives.

We may never be among the world’s wealthiest people. But the Bible says that in Christ we possess the spiritual wealth of God’s gracious blessings, which will result in His eternal praise. Paul gives us a glimpse of some of those blessings in the first chapter of Ephesians.

The depths of God’s grace toward us can be most appreciated only when we see where we are in light of where we once were. Paul reminds us that we were dead; now we are alive. We were separated from God; now we have been brought near in Christ.

We, the church of Jesus Christ, are the blessed recipients of God’s gracious work of salvation. But we are also a divine display for the ages and for all creation of God’s wisdom, grace, and love. These are the themes that run through the third chapter of Ephesians.

All Christians are united in Christ as part of His church. This precious truth is not something we should take for granted but something we should eagerly seek to guard and maintain.

The church belongs to Christ. He has established it, and He has provided all we need as members of His church to thrive and grow as a united body. This key passage in Ephesians 4 tells us how we, the church, can fulfill the purpose the Lord has for us.

As Christians we are “children of light” who are to shine forth the light of the gospel in this dark world. We do that by living pure lives that reflect the character of God. The apostle Paul offers some specific, practical steps by which we can accomplish that.

What this world needs—what the church needs—is people of wisdom. And that means Christians who are obedient to God’s Word and consistently applying its truths to every relationship in life. That is what this passage in Ephesians calls us all to be.

Whether we realize it or not, we are all engaged in an ongoing spiritual battle. Our only hope of standing firm against the attacks and temptations Satan throws at us is to look to God and appropriate the “armor” He has provided for our protection.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians is often called “the epistle of joy.” Joy and praise fill its pages, but not because Paul’s life was trouble-free. He simply chose to concentrate on thanksgiving, prayer, and the hope of eternity with Jesus, as we see in the opening verses.

Today’s passage gives us a window into the profound mystery of Jesus Christ’s incarnation as a man who lived a fully human life among us, while still remaining God. It is the supreme example of humility—one that we are called to follow as we live for Him.

In our passage for today, Paul shows us how the example of selfless humility set by Jesus Christ works out in our everyday lives. By God’s grace, we can live up to His ideal of true greatness.

Paul calls on us to abandon any confidence we might have in our own contributions to our standing with God and instead place all our reliance on the righteousness and sacrifice of Christ. He alone is worthy.

In the last half of Philippians 3, Paul gives us the key to finishing well in our Christian life: Do not get distracted from the goal, follow worthy examples, and maintain focus on the glory that lies ahead for all who are in Christ.

Our passage today is an eminently practical one. The apostle Paul urges us to pursue harmony with one another, prayer and thanksgiving, and a renewed way of thinking. Over all of this is the admonition to keep rejoicing in the Lord. Doing these things is the answer to anxiety.

As he concludes the book of Philippians, Paul gives us the secret to genuine satisfaction in life. It comes as we learn contentment with the circumstances God has placed us in and as we thank Him daily for all His gifts to us.

The Christian faith is not about Christians but about Christ. The book of Colossians begins by telling us who Jesus Christ is and what He has done and how these truths have affected and should affect us, His followers.

The goal of ministry is to bring glory to God by bringing Christians to maturity in Christ. Spiritual maturity should be our personal goal as well. It is marked by godly wisdom—understanding the spiritual treasures we have in Christ and walking with Him.

We identify, reject, and refute error by knowing the truth. The truth is that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh and our Savior, and through faith in Him, we possess everything we need to serve and honor Him.

The Christian life is not conformity to a set of rules but conformity to the person of Jesus Christ. It is thinking like Him, adopting His attitudes, developing His character qualities, and living all this out in every area of life.

Thanking God for fellow believers and recalling what He has done in their lives is an important ministry. It encourages them, as well as us, and it gives us a fresh perspective on God’s grace.

We tend to measure success in ministry by numbers, dollars, and buildings. What we really should be looking at is character, attitudes, commitments, and responses. Paul’s own ministry in the city of Thessalonica shows us what Christ-honoring ministry looks like.

Do we really value our fellow Christians? The apostle Paul’s example shows us how critical it is that we treasure Christian fellowship and faithfully minister to and among one another in the church at every opportunity.

The Christian life is not a refuge for the lazy. It is a continuous, diligent, and strenuous effort to pursue holiness, love, and an exemplary life before the watching world. Paul makes this important point in the fourth chapter of 1 Thessalonians.

We live in a world of great uncertainty and anxiety. But as Christians we can take comfort in knowing the future is in God’s hands and that He is leading it to its climax in the return of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us much about that great event in 1 Thessalonians 4.

What God reveals in His Word about the future should not cause Christians anxiety. Rather, it should encourage us as we understand His plan for us, and it should motivate us to live exemplary Christian lives in light of what is coming upon this sinful world.

God does not guarantee any of us a trouble-free life. However, by God’s grace we can endure persecution and affliction, as we commit ourselves to growing in our faith and as we grasp the great truth that there is coming a time when God in righteousness will judge the wicked.

The only certain knowledge we have about the future comes from the Bible. We must not let human predictions shake us from the promises of God to bring justice, peace, hope, and deliverance for His children.

In the closing section of 2 Thessalonians, Paul reminds us of the importance of encouraging others even when we must correct them. He also emphasizes how critical it is that Christians honor the Lord through diligent, honest work so they do not become a burden to others.

The one constant, irreplaceable characteristic of a true, Christ-honoring church is an unwavering commitment to the truth of God’s Word and all it teaches. The proclamation and preservation of sound doctrine are essential to fulfilling God’s purpose for the church.

Public worship is an essential element of the Christian faith. In the second chapter of 1 Timothy, the apostle Paul gives us some timeless instructions regarding our worship together as believers.

A church’s effectiveness in serving Christ is tied to its leadership. This is why it is crucial that the church chooses leaders—overseers and deacons—who meet the qualifications set for them here in 1 Timothy 3.

The apostle Paul recognizes the ongoing threat of error and apostasy. But in this fourth chapter of 1 Timothy, he also instructs us on how to avoid false teaching and establish a life devoted to godliness.

Believers are God’s children, and Christ’s church is a family. All of us, and especially leaders in the church, need to treat one another as brothers and sisters in Christ who are worthy of our respect, love, and concern.

In the face of false teaching and the constant temptations of pride and greed, it is critical that we examine our motives, our walk with the Lord, and our ministry to others. Paul addresses these matters in his closing words in 1 Timothy.

As he is approaching the end of life, the apostle Paul writes his second letter to Timothy. In this opening chapter of 2 Timothy, he stresses the necessity of guarding the truth of the gospel and standing firm in it without shame or embarrassment.

In 2 Timothy 2, we find the nearest thing in Scripture to a job description for a pastor. Using vivid images from life, the apostle Paul tells us what a pastor should be and do.

Difficult times are certain to come. The Bible makes that clear. It also prepares us for them by telling us what to expect and how we can stand firm in the midst of them.

The apostle Paul knows he will soon die. The converted persecutor of the church can now confidently say he has finished the race and kept the faith. His final words to Timothy offer some insight into the priorities we should all have in life.

We cannot effectively guard the true doctrine of Christ against the onslaught of false teaching without being thoroughly grounded in the Bible. And the key to developing a biblical foundation is godly, biblically qualified church leaders. This is Paul’s emphasis in Titus 1.

Sound doctrine consistently taught and applied produces godly conduct. This is why all members of the church must be taught, not only what God expects of them, but also the doctrinal foundation and motivation for that conduct. This is the task Paul puts before Titus and us.

How do we conduct ourselves once we leave the church building? How do we treat people? Does our conduct reflect the truth we profess? In this last chapter of Titus, the apostle Paul challenges us with regard to our life in the world.

What is a Christian to do when wronged by someone—someone who has now become a Christian? The apostle Paul addresses this very matter in a short letter sent to a man named Philemon.

The book of Hebrews carries one all-important truth for us: Jesus is supreme, and without Him there is no salvation and no relationship with God. In our passage for today, the writer begins to build his scriptural argument for Christ’s superiority.

As we move into the second chapter of Hebrews, we find that Jesus Christ is not only the awesome Creator and Ruler of the universe but also the Savior. This chapter warns us against drifting from the simple, yet marvelous truth of salvation in Him.

The supremacy of Jesus Christ over all things is a truth confirmed by Scripture. It is also a truth that assures us He can and will grant the spiritual rest He has promised when we trust and follow Him.

We need to keep in mind that God knows us fully and perfectly inside and out. Nothing is hidden from Him. That is an incentive for obedience, but it is also an encouragement because His Word, which reveals our hearts, also shows us how we can be more faithful to Him.

As our Great High Priest, Jesus stands before God the Father on our behalf and invites us into His presence in prayer. As man, he understands us and sympathizes with us. As God He is fully capable of meeting our every need.

Every Christian is called to grow to maturity in Christ. But the fact is, not every Christian is maturing. Today’s passage urges us to go beyond the basics of the Christian faith with assurance of salvation and the certainty of God’s promises.

Hebrews 7 explains why Jesus, even though not descended from Aaron, is a better priest than any of Aaron’s descendants. Jesus established and guarantees a better covenant, and He offers an eternal and complete salvation.

Hebrews 8 teaches us that Jesus is not only our Great High Priest who ministers for us in God’s very presence, but He has also brought us into a new covenant relationship with Him that has the power to transform our lives.

Hebrews 9 reminds us that everything under the old covenant God made with Israel dealt with copies of heavenly realities. Actual cleansing from sin comes not from rites associated with the copies, but only through the blood of Christ, offered once for all time.

The first half of Hebrews 10 drives home the truth that, in contrast to repeated sacrifices (or any other good works) that have no power to make us right with God, Jesus’ one sacrifice of Himself has done the job forever. He offers the only permanent forgiveness and cleansing.

Christ’s sacrifice and high priesthood are foundational to a faithful Christian life. The author of Hebrews makes it clear how these truths should affect how we think, pray, encourage one another, and remain loyal to Christ.

Hebrews 11 is known as the “faith chapter.” Here faith is explained by what it does, and it is exemplified in the lives of great men and women of faith in the Bible. Their lives still speak to us and encourage us in our faith.

Hebrews 12 compares the Christian life to a race. To complete our race successfully, we must look in faith to Jesus, who finished the race before us and gives us the hope and strength to keep at it ourselves till we cross the finish line.

The book of Hebrews ends with a chapter full of admonitions and exhortations. They are final reminders of the importance of such things as practicing brotherly love, honoring godly leaders, committing ourselves unreservedly to Christ, and offering praise to God.

Trials and temptations are common to all human beings. This is why the first chapter of the letter of James is so practical to us all—it addresses real-life issues. And that is true for the rest of the book. James presents wisdom for life.

There is no place in the church for partiality of any kind. Yet, this sin can very subtly appear in the way we treat people differently. The letter of James addresses this problem and its solution in clear and very practical terms.

It is by faith that we are justified before God. But as James points out, it is by works that we are justified before people. Our good works are the result of faith, the measure of faith, and the evidence of faith.

In the words we speak, we each carry with us the ability to bring great blessing or great harm. The book of James reminds us of the power of words and points us to how we can control our speech for God’s glory and the benefit of us and others.

Do our lives stand apart from the world or reflect the values and attitudes of it? This is a question we need to ask and answer daily. The fourth chapter of James offers important insight into how we can maintain a godly life in the face of the world’s subtle temptations.

Living, active faith is always evident. It is demonstrated through what we do and do not do, by the strength of our character, our commitment to prayer, and our concern for others. There should be no question in people’s minds as to whether we are followers of Christ.

Peter begins the first New Testament letter he wrote by zeroing in on the great salvation he and all genuine believers in Christ have experienced. Revealed in this first chapter of 1 Peter is the glory of God’s salvation and the implications of it for our daily lives.

God has done a work in our lives so that we can work for Him in this world. The second chapter of the apostle Peter’s first letter reveals who we are in Christ and on that basis urges us to live holy, honorable, and consistent lives that will have an impact for God in our world.

Our success in serving the Lord and being a witness to the unbelievers around us is directly connected to the way we conduct ourselves in the various relationships of life. The apostle Peter gives us the instructions we need.

Perhaps the greatest impact Christians can have on the world is through our attitudes and practices in regard to marriage. When we follow God’s plan in marriage, we present a unique and powerful testimony to unbelievers and ensure God’s blessing upon our lives.

As Christians, we can expect some degree of persecution and suffering for our faith. While suffering is certainly unpleasant, Peter informs us that in God’s plan it also has benefits, providing us unique opportunities for evangelism and personal growth.

As Christians we should expect persecution and suffering. What we need is the proper perspective so that we are prepared and can respond properly when it comes. Peter offers us the way forward and encouragement to stand firm.

How are we to grow and mature as Christians in this dark, sinful world? In this first chapter of 2 Peter, we are reminded that God has already provided everything we need for “life and godliness,” and it is all found in and based on God’s inspired Word.

There is no reason we as Christians should be lured into error by false teachers. We have the objective standard of God’s Word to measure their teaching, and the apostle Peter’s clear warnings regarding their character and actions.

Challenges to our Christian faith, as well as mockery of it, are to be expected. God is well aware of this. The third chapter of 2 Peter answers attacks on the truth of Christ’s second coming and the day of the Lord and reveals the practical impact the future should have on our lives.

As we begin a study of the epistle of 1 John, we get eyewitness testimony of the eternal life found in Jesus Christ and invaluable instruction on how to remain in close fellowship with God in a world filled with darkness.

In today’s passage, the apostle John gives us both assurances and warnings. We are assured of God’s absolute forgiveness and faithfulness, but we are cautioned to avoid tying ourselves to the ungodly world around us.

The apostle John speaks not only of the coming Antichrist, but also of “antichrists” present right now—people who have left the faith and are working against Christ, even seeking to replace Him. With the Spirit’s counsel through God’s Word, we need not be taken in by them.

In today’s passage, John drives home the amazing truth that God calls us His very own children. He then gives us three areas in which this truth should impact our lives on a daily basis.

False teaching is all around us, and it is seductive and dangerous. In our passage for today, John reminds us how to recognize it. He then gives us some of the most definitive statements on God’s love that we will find anywhere.

In a world of increasing uncertainty, the apostle John offers absolute certainty on three key issues: our standing with God, Jesus’ identity as our fully divine and fully human Savior, and our sure salvation in Him. We can stand on these truths with confidence and joy.

In the book of 2 John, we see the heart of John the apostle as revealed in a private letter that also happened to be God’s letter to all believers. In it we are reminded of two intertwined obligations for us as Christians: to walk in truth and to walk in love.

The short letter of 3 John shows how we can be involved in God’s work in the world by faithfully supporting others in their mission for Christ. It also encourages us not to listen to or join in with the critics but instead focus on doing good for the Lord’s sake.

We are called to fight for and preserve the faith—the truth taught in God’s Word. But victory requires that we know our enemies—their teaching, character, and motivations. Jude informs us of these matters and also warns us that enemies will arise within the church itself.

As we face real threats to our Christian faith, our foremost duty is to live consistent, balanced, God-honoring lives. This requires guarding our relationship with the Lord even as we point others to how they can know the Lord as well.