Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

WATER  (1Co 8:3) “But if any man love God, the same is known of him.”  The Bible teaches that when one loves as God would have them love, through the Holy Spirit, those loved will come first in our life. Does the Lord come first, even before yourself, in your life?

(1Co 8:2) “And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.”   Any knowledge that makes us think we are superior to a brother/sister has hurt us, not helped us. It certainty will not, no matter the outward sign, enhance the work of Christ. May the Lord shine a light upon our soul.

 (1Co 8:1) “Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.”  Not all embrace knowledge, or receive it as others. This has a tendency to lift us up in pride. Whereas God’s love (charity) seeks the good of others. The Holy Spirit’s love needs to rule in us over the knowledge we receive.

(1 Cor 7:41b) “… if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. (40)  But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.”  Again, the context is, “times of tribulation”. There is a time of which one is better off being responsible for self only, should the need be to lay down that life. May the Lord give His people wisdom as we move closer and closer to those days of persecution.

(1Co 7:39) “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.”  “Only in the Lord” can be seen in all of Scripture; only in the Old Testament it would read, “of your brethren”. Oneness in marriage is not simply pretty verbiage. It is real and therefore carefully heeded for the glory of God.

(1Co 7:38) “So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.”  Here we plainly see that the Lord is not saying, “It is not good to marry.” No, He is saying, “In times of persecution one would be better off not married.” It is left for each person to decide and thus accept the outcome of their decision.

(1Co 7:37) “Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.”  “His virgin” is the person he loves who he either takes as wife or not as wife. That is the context. “Power over his will” is referring to control of his fleshly desire for intimate relationship. For this individual, each of these things are subject to the perceived will of God.

(1Co 7:36) “But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.”  So, the teaching is not that there is sin in marrying. It is that there are periods of time (ours may be coming), during times of persecution, that one would be better off single. This frees one to make the hard decisions of self sacrifice for the glory of our Savior!

(1Co 7:35) “ And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.”  This portion of Scripture finds us looking at this life from a pure godly and thankfulness for salvation perspective. Before salvation “me” comes first; afterwards our mindset through the Spirit is to change unto “the Lord” first.