1 Corinthians 3: 1 – 4 (MSG) But
for right now, friends, I'm completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings
with each other and with God. You're acting like infants in relation to Christ,
capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then, I'll nurse
you since you don't seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab for what
makes you feel good or makes you look important, are you really much different
than a babe at the breast, content only when everything's going your way?
Paul urges believers in Corinth
to grow up in their faith in the third chapter of 1 Corinthians. Before I go
more into that point, I want to give you a glimpse of the city. Paul planted this
church in 51 AD. The first members of the church were representative of the
diversity of the city itself. A major multi-ethnic city, Corinth
was the connecting link between Rome
and the East. People flocked there to participate in the gambling, legalized
temple prostitution, business adventures and all the “fun” that came from being
a seaport town.
When we come to Christ, we are new creations in Him (2 Cor. 5:17). He
washes away the sins of our “old self” and makes us white as snow… clean. We
are no longer muddied by the sin He pulled us out of; in fact, we are citizens
in Heaven. Our journey with Christ begins. We begin learning more about Christ
through His Word we begin to see the world differently; our perspective begins
to change. We no longer live as we once did, where we often gave into the
desires of our flesh. Now it’s His desires that matter… not ours.
As we “grow up” in our faith, we learn His ways and we submit to His
authority in our lives. The Bible, not the world, becomes the standard by which
we live our lives. As we continue to follow, we grow from being an “infant” in
Christ to being a mature believer – depending more on Christ in every
circumstance and less on ourselves and the world around us.
As Paul writes this letter to the Corinthian church, he is asking them
to stop focusing on the “world” around them. Even though they lived in a very “worldly”
city, once they became followers of Jesus Christ they were called to be
different. Different in the way they lived their lives, conducted business, and
raised their families. The same is true for us today.
As Christians we are not suppose to “blend-in” to the world around us.
We can be a light in the darkness that surrounds us no matter where that may
be; in our jobs, with our extended families and friends, or even in our own
homes. As we grow up in Christ, our “worldly” view changes so that we see the things
of this world through the lens of the Bible.
As maturing Christians, we should strive to be different in every area
of our life… at home, at work, and especially in how we handle difficult
situations. When we have our faith and trust grounded in Christ, we depend on
Him to navigate us through the churning storms. Christ will change our lives BUT we have to do our part too. We have
to take steps in faith knowing that Christ is out in front leading the way.
Remember Peter’s walk on water? He didn’t see the waves crashing all
around him, He saw Jesus. When his focus was on Christ nothing else mattered.
He didn’t see the world around him. (Matthew 14:28 - 29)
Are you growing in Christ or are you just “blending in” to the world
around you? Growth in Christ is up to us. One of the best places to start is by
having a daily quiet time. Get away with just you, your Bible and Christ. You
will be glad you did.
Related scripture: Titus 3: 4-6, Romans 8: 1 – 14, Phil 2:12
– 13, 1 John 3: 4 - 10
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