The Tulip Driven Life

Thomas Booher                1 Corinthians Study Notes 9/6/12 1 Corinthians 9:19-16:24 1 Cor. 9:19-23: Paul had already declared that there is no longer a distinction between Jew and Gentile in Christ (Acts 15:9; Rom 3:22; 10:12; 1 Cor. 10:32). Yet here Paul makes a distinction for the sake of gospel clarity. Although in Christ we are valued equally, there remains distinctions between those in the body of Christ, such as varying spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:1-16; 1 Cor. 12:12-31). We also learn that God respects cultural differences and sensibilities, insofar as we learn things best through the medium of our own culture. This is why Paul becomes like the culture he is around: to clearly communicate the gospel. Thus, we should utilize the cultural patterns that we find the lost in to our advantage, and we should be sensitive to the consciences of Christians who have more troubled consciences over matters of liberty than ourselves. ...

Yesterday at a group function that many fellow RBC Bible college students attend, we discussed the importance of church. At one point the question was asked how important it is to be involved, or engaged, or active in church life. We generally agreed that church ministries/outreach programs on a corporate level, are best kept at a minimum. Busyness is not what we are aiming for. Productive, God honoring service and obedience to His will is what we must strive for.  I would argue that work itself is a service to God, and therefore a service to the church, which is the temple of God. Whenever we study at school, unto the Lord, whenever we do our jobs that we get paid for, unto the Lord, we are serving Him, and serving others. Through these fields we often find the opportunity to share the gospel and to spread the Light before other men, so they may see our good works. Through our jobs and hobbies we fulfill the cultural mandate, we subdue the earth. Through our familial obligations...

This is my first blog post that is being written for The Tulip Driven Life. And to inaugurate this blog, I felt I should write on something that is very dear to me, something I am very concerned about and dogmatic about, and yet something that others may not fully agree with me on. I also think this entry will embody the purpose of this blog- to think critically about how we as Christians are to live our lives in accordance with the will of God. The Bible speaks frequently in the New Testament of spiritual gifts. The main places that these are discussed are 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. I get the title of this blog largely from Romans 12:4-8 which says: 4 "For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us p...