From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Tue, Jun 25, 2024 at 5:52 AM

Subject: 6-25-24 THOUGHTS

6-25-24 THOUGHTS

That we inherit the Kingdom of God is a must!  There’s a list of some who won’t, but then it says  “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”  It appears that the Church at Corinth was having trouble with their love behavior.  When they couldn’t agree, they were taking each other to the courts of the land.  They seem to have lost all ability to adequately judge themselves from within.
In this context, there is a jewel that promotes the whole idea of  LOVE!  It's a novel idea that most do not consider.  It is the root of self-denial at the social level.  We find it in verse 6... “Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?”   I can learn to walk off and leave “MY RIGHTS” for the sake of love!  I am not more important than love!  In this context, “love your enemies” makes perfect sense.  Teach and behave love, not reaction and self!  Verse 8 follows with “But you yourselves wrong and defraud —  even your own brothers!”  Matt 7:4   "Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?   What learning is here for all!

1Cor 6:4-11  ESV      So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church?  5  I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6  but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? 7  To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8  But you yourselves wrong and defraud —  even your own brothers!  9  Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

My Prayer:
Teach us, O Lord, that we are not more important than Your will being done.  Help to see that our selfish identity is not more important than us showing the love of Christ.  Strip us of all our little self-protection devices that frustrate our loving responses toward others.   May we always remember that we are washed and sanctified and justified.  Thank You our God!  
In the name of our Savior,  Jesus the Christ,     Amen.