Jump Start # 114

1 Corinthians 14:37 “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.”

  Someone once said, “Opinions are like noses—everyone’s got one and they think theirs is the best!” There is a difference between what God says and what my opinion is on a subject. My opinion may be based upon my experiences without seeing the whole picture. My opinion, frankly, could be wrong. We get in trouble when we fail to recognize the difference between our opinions and what God says.

  The apostle Paul, as well as the rest of the apostles, wore several different hats. First, he was a Christian. He was a gospel preacher. He was also a chosen apostle. We have to understand which hat Paul is wearing when we use him as an example. There are certain things only the apostles could do and no one else. Even though he was a Christian and a preacher, he was also uniquely chosen and gifted as an apostle. Jesus instructed the apostles, “…whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in Heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in Heaven” (Mt 16:19). Christ gave the apostles authority. Their words carried weight. Their words were the law of Heaven. To “bind” is to restrict or tie up. To “loose” is to release or allow. The apostles had the authority and right to make law. It was not their opinion or their way, but the way of God.

  The verse today is a part of that. Paul was writing the Corinthians about spiritual gifts. He was giving them instructions and rules about how to use them. He reminded them in this verse that what he was writing was God’s commandments. It wasn’t just Paul. It wasn’t just his opinion. To disobey what he said was to break the commandment of God.

  Preachers today do not carry that authority, although some think they do. Church do not carry that authority. So the words of Christ are not just the “red letters” in the Gospels, but the writings of the inspired men of God. The rest of the N.T. is just as much from Christ as if He spoke it. And in many ways He did, through the Holy Spirit to the apostles. The message was a revelation (Gal. 1:11-12) from Heaven, and not thought of by men.

  Understanding this is important. It affects how I view the Bible. It shows that all the N.T. needs to be followed and obeyed. It also shows that churches voting on matters or deciding what their “law” or “creed” will be is not of the N.T. It has already been decided. It was chosen by God and revealed to the apostles. There is nothing left to be settled or voted upon. As society changes, and more become tolerant of things God has declared wrong, the people of God already know where God stands. They know where the church stands. God has spoken. God has declared.

  This is comforting to know. God is not scratching His head trying to make up His mind on things, He has declared. We are to stand with God. The world can’t make sense of this. They view Christianity as intolerant and judgmental and narrow. But consider the source. The world doesn’t believe in God. The world worships itself and puts itself before all things. It never will make sense of the righteous.

   What does God want of you? The N.T. tells you. What does God expect? The N.T. tells you. What’s a church supposed to do? The N.T. shows you. How is one saved? Look in the N.T. What is a church to do with it’s money? The N.T. has the answer. What about marriage? What about divorce? What about raising kids? Go to the N.T. That is our plea. That is our call. Lay down the opinions of man. Walk away from the creeds and by-laws of the church. Follow the book from Heaven and nothing else. Be a Christian—in name, practice and faith. The N.T. will make only one thing, and that is a N.T. Christian.

Roger