Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
In last week’s study titled The Order of Resurrection, we learnt that because Christ resurrected, He became the first fruit of you and I who will also resurrect! We used the parallels of planting a dead seed and the fruit it bears to explain how different our resurrected bodies will be from our earthly bodies. In today’s study, we shall be looking at the concluding 9 verses of chapter 15. In these verses of scripture, the Apostle Paul concludes his glorious teaching on the resurrection. These closing verses are a climactic song of victory, a kind of symphony. It’s a symphony in three movements. The first movement celebrates the future transformation of our bodies while the second movement celebrates the future termination of sin. The final movement celebrates the future compensation of our work.

VERSES 50 – 53: CELEBRATING THE FUTURE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR BODIES 
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

In these first four verses, Paul explains that an earth suit, a natural human body consisting of flesh and blood as we know it, is unsuitable for heaven. Hence, those believers still alive when Jesus returns at the rapture will receive their new bodies by transformation rather than by resurrection. Our earthly bodies made of flesh and blood cannot get into God’s Kingdom. Because perishable bodies are not the right kind to live forever. Our “appearance” and “attire” must meet certain standards to enter heaven! That is the way heaven is. Heaven is a place where there is no pain, no sorrow, no sickness, or death. These perishable bodies that we possess here on earth are not suited for heaven because they are prone to these.
We must receive “imperishable” or “ageless” bodies. They must be changed into a glorified state so that we can live in God’s presence before His perfection, holiness, and beauty.
He goes further to talk about a mystery; something that had not been taught by any other apostle or the Lord Himself; he was referring to a revelation the Lord must have showed him; a newly revealed truth! The “mystery” is what is called the rapture of the church. There will be a generation of Christians that will inherit their glorified bodies without having to “sleep” or die. 1 Thessalonians 4:15
Paul continues his description of the rapture in 15:52a and explains that the transformation of our bodies will take place “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet.” This transformation will not be a gradual process but instantaneous. You hear the blast of a trumpet, and in the time that you look up and blink your eyes—it’s over.

VERSES 54-57: CELEBRATING THE FUTURE TERMINATION OF SIN
“54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The resurrection of dead believers and the transformation of living believers signal the death of death. In verse 55, the apostle refers to Isa 25:8 and Hosea 13:14; two scriptures that both mock death! And then he goes further to show reveal some vital truths in verses 56 & 57.
Death is not supposed to have any power over us; but it is sin that makes death so frightening and the guilt that the law invokes gives sin its destructive power. But since we have experienced redemption from sin by Christ then we can face death without its sting. It would only be a transition from earth to heaven.
This reality ought to cause us to break out in thanksgiving, as Paul did in verse 57 when he said: “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The verb “gives” is in the present tense. Literally, God keeps on giving us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

VERSE 58: CELEBRATING THE FUTURE COMPENSATION OF OUR WORK ON EARTH
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Paul concludes his discussion of the resurrection with an exhortation to be faithful in the present; telling us how these truths relate to our daily lives.  In this verse, he answers the concerns expressed in verses 1-2

The phrase “my beloved brethren” demonstrates Paul’s love for the Corinthians, despite the deficiencies in their theology and their behavior.31 This should compel us to love one another despite our theological differences. Paul was dealing with Christians that were waffling on their own bodily resurrection. Yet, despite their erroneous theology Paul continued to love them.
After affirming his readers, Paul gives further instructions: What we should be (steadfast and immovable), what we should do, (“abound”) and what we should know (that our labour is not in vain in the Lord.)
1. What we should be: Paul commands us to “be steadfast, immovable.” - Like the Corinthians we are prone to be impatient, easily discouraged, and lazy. We let the circumstances of life blow us out of the water. We allow financial setbacks or job problems to depress us. Yet, Paul says, “Get a grip on the resurrection and on God’s final plan for believers, and you will not be so readily shaken.” We will be firmly rooted in what we know to be true about life and death because we have confidence in the resurrection. It gives solid footing. We won’t be swayed by every idea that comes along about this life and the afterlife. We can stand firm. We know who we are, why we’re here on earth, and where we’re headed in the future.
2. What we should do: Paul urges us to be “always abounding in the work of the Lord.” The verb “abounding” pictures something flowing over the edges on all sides. If we want to hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” we need to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. Consistently and continuously.
3. What we should know: Paul encourages us to know (and keep in mind) that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. so, throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. He is a Rewarder! (Heb. 11:6, Heb.6:10)

CONCLUSION
Now that we know that the resurrection brings us to a quality and a dimension of life that is a lifting to a higher, more free, and a more marvellous dimension of existence than we have ever known; we should also remember that death is a tool, and only our enemy on this earth. Just beyond the “curtain”, it becomes our friend. That is why the elderly at the point of death are “mostly” at peace. (The label “Death” is still on the bottle, but the contents are “Life Eternal.”)
Death is not the end of the road; but only a bend. Psalms 116:15 says: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His (godly ones)”
We should change the way we see death; because the death and burial of our earthly bodies is not an unfortunate circumstance; it is a necessity if you want to enter heaven! God sees death as a passage from earth to heaven for Him to enjoy perfect, eternal, delightful fellowship with each of His redeemed children. And that is how we should see it too; as an opportunity to truly rest from all the hard work and be with God! For Christians, death is a transfer, a promotion; it's on to better things; no more problems. The Bible assures us that death is not a tragedy but a triumphal entry into heaven. Revelation 14:13 says:
'I heard a voice out of Heaven, "Write this: Blessed are those who die in the Master...how blessed to die that way!" "Yes," says the Spirit, "and blessed rest from their hard, hard work. None of what they've done is wasted; God blesses them for it all in the end’
The truth is that even after reading scriptures like these we remain afraid of death because of sin. It is sin that gives death its sting and makes it painful! When death comes, there is nothing we can do about it. But by the life we have lived on earth, we can die by death's sting or use death as a transition-channel to heaven to the beginning of a glorious everlasting life!

Parts of this study was culled from Bible.org

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
In the conclusion of last week’s study in verse 19, Paul mentioned six things; six history-changing facts that would have followed if Jesus had not risen from the dead. They are: (1) Our preaching is vain; (2) our faith is empty; (3) the apostles are made to be liars; (4) our sin still remains unatoned for; (5) death has triumphed over our loved ones; and (6) life itself is made utterly miserable.
But thank God for the following verses beginning from verse 20!

Verses 20-28 The Last Enemy Destroyed
“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God[a] has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all."

Twice, Paul mentioned "first fruits." What he refers to here is the ritual given to the Israelites in Leviticus 23:9-14, where on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which followed the Passover, the day after the Sabbath, there would be the offering of the first fruits of the barley harvest. The Jews were commanded to bring a sheaf of grain, the first of the harvest, to the priest, who would wave it before the Lord on the first day of the week after Passover. Jesus celebrated First Fruits in the appropriate manner by rising from the dead on that day. He also gave the Father His Proper First Fruits offering; graves were opened and dead people rose and were seen after His resurrection in Jerusalem (Matt. 27:53). Paul's argument is that not only did Jesus rise from the dead on the exact day predicted by the ritual, but, furthermore, his resurrection is a sample and a guarantee of the entire "harvest" of resurrection, which would include ours as well. Jesus was the first human being ever to be resurrected from the dead.
What about Lazarus and a number of others who were raised from the dead? Yes, they did return from the dead, but they were not resurrected. There is a difference! Resurrection means more than merely coming back to life. They were resuscitated; brought back to the same life they left. But resurrection does not do that. Resurrection brings us to a quality and a dimension of life we have never lived before. It is not simply a return to existence as we know it now; it is a lifting to a higher, more free, more marvellous dimension of existence than we have ever known. Jesus was the first one, therefore, to be resurrected from the dead. It was the same Jesus, he came in the same body, but he came back to a different level of life.
Paul goes further; "For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead." Death passed upon our race because of the fall of Adam, so all who are part of the new creation, the new race in Christ, shall also participate in the resurrection of the dead. As Paul says, "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." Now he is talking about believers, those who have already fallen asleep in Christ. In Verse 18 he says, "Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ ..."; in Verse 20 he speaks of "those who have fallen asleep"; and in Verse 23, "those who belong to Christ." So when he says, "in Adam all die," he is not talking about the unbelieving world, although it is true that they all die in Adam, but he is talking particularly about believers. Believers die because, as far as their bodies are concerned, they are part of the race of Adam, and that is why we are not caught up into glory immediately. But, also, we are "in Christ," and those "in Christ shall all be made alive." This is his argument. By man came the breakout from Eden; by man came also the breakthrough back into Paradise, by means of resurrection. What he is really saying then is that resurrection is just as certain as death.
Beginning in Verse 24, the apostle moves on to that final scene, to the time when Christ has returned into time and reigned already for 1,000 years of millennial peace and righteousness on the earth. He will have completed his work, subdued his enemies, cast the devil and death and Hades into the lake of fire (as we read in the book of Revelation), and then delivered the kingdom back to the Father.
Now the apostle says, "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." This can be seen to be true in both an individual and a universal sense. Universally, death is never going to disappear from this earth until we come to that moment, described in the book of Revelation, when a new heaven and a new earth come into existence. But there is coming a time when this body will die, and death then is destroyed for us. "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." Once we pass through the experience of death into resurrection, like our Lord himself, we shall never die again; that is the wonderful statement. Christ having once died, Paul says in Romans, never dies again, and we share his existence. He is the first fruits of the great harvest of which we are a part.

Verses 29-34 (MSG) - Effects of Denying the Resurrection
“29 Why do you think people offer themselves to be baptized for those already in the grave? If there’s no chance of resurrection for a corpse, if God’s power stops at the cemetery gates, why do we keep doing things that suggest he’s going to clean the place out someday, pulling everyone up on their feet alive? 30-33 And why do you think I keep risking my neck in this dangerous work? I look death in the face practically every day I live. Do you think I’d do this if I wasn’t convinced of your resurrection and mine as guaranteed by the resurrected Messiah Jesus? Do you think I was just trying to act heroic when I fought the wild beasts at Ephesus, hoping it wouldn’t be the end of me? Not on your life! It’s resurrection, resurrection, always resurrection, that undergirds what I do and say, the way I live. If there’s no resurrection, “We eat, we drink, the next day we die,” and that’s all there is to it. But don’t fool yourselves. Don’t let yourselves be poisoned by this anti-resurrection loose talk. “Bad company ruins good manners.” 34 Think straight. Awaken to the holiness of life. No more playing fast and loose with resurrection facts. Ignorance of God is a luxury you can’t afford in times like these. Aren’t you embarrassed that you’ve let this kind of thing go on as long as you have?”

The first part of verse 29 is an interesting read. “. . . what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead?” This is what some religions have erroneously adopted and people go and baptize on behalf of someone who was dead; claiming then that the dead person has fulfilled the requirements of salvation in the after world and can enjoy further spiritual benefits in the spiritual realm. Historically, just north of Corinth was a city named Eleusis. This was the location of a pagan religion where baptism in the sea was practiced to guarantee a good afterlife. The Corinthians were known to be heavily influenced by other customs. It is probable that the Corinthians were being influenced by the religious practices found at Eleusis where baptism for the dead was practiced. So, Paul used this example from the pagans in 1 Cor. 15:29, when he said, "...if the dead are not raised, then why are they baptized for the dead?" Paul did not say we. This is significant because the Christian church was not practicing baptism for the dead, but the pagans were. Paul's point was simple. The resurrection is a reality. It is going to happen when Jesus returns. Even the pagans believe in the resurrection, otherwise, why would they baptize for the dead? He then continued to rhetorically ask: “Why are we (the apostles) in danger every hour?

Verses 35-49 (MSG) - Parallels in nature help us to grasp the truths of the resurrection
(35-41) “Some skeptic is sure to ask, “Show me how resurrection works. Give me a diagram; draw me a picture. What does this ‘resurrection body’ look like?” If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a “dead” seed; soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different. (39-41) You will notice that the variety of bodies is stunning. Just as there are different kinds of seeds, there are different kinds of bodies—humans, animals, birds, fish—each unprecedented in its form. You get a hint at the diversity of resurrection glory by looking at the diversity of bodies not only on earth but in the skies—sun, moon, stars—all these varieties of beauty and brightness. And we’re only looking at pre-resurrection “seeds”—who can imagine what the resurrection “plants” will be like!
(42-44) This image of planting a dead seed and raising a live plant is a mere sketch at best, but perhaps it will help in approaching the mystery of the resurrection body—but only if you keep in mind that when we’re raised, we’re raised for good, alive forever! The corpse that’s planted is no beauty, but when it’s raised, it’s glorious. Put in the ground weak, it comes up powerful. The seed sown is natural; the seed grown is supernatural—same seed, same body, but what a difference from when it goes down in physical mortality to when it is raised up in spiritual immortality!
(45-49) We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. Physical life comes first, then spiritual—a firm base shaped from the earth, a final completion coming out of heaven. The First Man was made out of earth, and people since then are earthy; the Second Man was made out of heaven, and people now can be heavenly. In the same way that we’ve worked from our earthy origins, let’s embrace our heavenly ends.

Contributor: Alex Alajiki

INTRODUCTION: Last week, we looked at the second part of Paul’s instructions for the proper use of the gifts of the spirit during worship services. He corrected the Corinthian Church about the importance of the gift of prophesy to edification. He made us to realise that gift of tongues must come with interpretation to benefit the Church.

This week, we are studying one of the most important subject in the gospel of Christ; the resurrection.

1)  The True Gospel of Christ: 1 Cor.15:1-2

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

The Church in Corinth was going through many doctrinal misunderstanding and Paul needed to remind them the gospel he preached to them, 1 Cor.2:1-2. By means of that message, God had saved them. (In other words, he had given them a right relationship with Himself.) However, that message was not just important on the occasion when God saved them. It is both necessary and essential through their entire lives as Christians to hold fast to the original gospel that they believed. Paul wanted them to know that they were saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord (Eph.2:8-9). He also wanted them to remember the purpose for which God saved them. They learn this from the resurrection of Christ. In other words, Christ became alive after his death - and God will do the same thing for them, too. God is giving them a wonderful life with him, which will never end (Eph.2:5-7, Rom.6:4).

2)  The Risen Christ: 1 Cor.15:3-8

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time

Paul chronicled the passion of Christ here to show that Christians believe are not ideas, but real events that happened
The events of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection were foretold by David 1000 years before in Ps.22 and Isaiah wrote about it 700 years before Christ’s death in Isa.53.

Christ’s death is so important because of what He achieved by his death. All people have done many wrong and evil things that are against God’s law (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23). The punishment that everyone deserves for their evil deeds is death (Romans 6:23). Christ alone obeyed God perfectly (Hebrews 7:26-27); he alone did not deserve death. But Christ suffered death so that God could forgive many people (Hebrews 9:28; Isaiah 53:6)
His death and shed blood is the atonement for our sins (1John 2:2).

Christ was buried for a period of three days to confirm that He actually died. He was in the grave from Friday until Sunday morning when he resurrected (Ps.16:8-11). Paul does not merely mean that Christ’s spirit was alive. The same body that the men had buried became alive again. In fact, his body was not just alive again; it had a new quality of life (1 Cor.15:35-44). His body had received the same quality of life that already existed in his spirit.

Paul gives a list of occasions when people saw Jesus alive after his death (15:5-7). This began to happen on the third day after Jesus’ death, and continued during a period of 40 days. Paul’s list does not include every occasion when this happened. That is clear from such passages as John 20:11-18, Luke 24:13-32 and John 21:1-2. Perhaps Paul selected the most important occasions to give evidence that Jesus is alive.

Peter and John went to the grave, but they did not find Jesus there (John 20:1-10). However, later that same day, Jesus met Peter (Luke 24:34).
Many people were witnesses of the fact that Jesus became alive again after his death. Here, Paul mentions an occasion when over 500 brethren were present.
He was also seen by James. However, it seems quite likely that Paul actually refers to James, the brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3). Paul refers to this James in a similar manner in Galatians 1:19; 2:12.
Paul met the living Christ on his to Damascus to persecute the Church (Acts 9:3-7; Acts 9:17). All these appearances were to show that He actually rose from death.

3)  God’s kindness to Paul: 1 Cor.15:9-11

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Paul too had seen that Christ was alive and from Paul’s experiences, we can see how great God’s kindness is. Christ met this cruel enemy of the Christians, and Christ gave him a new life and commission him as an apostle

Paul hardly dared to consider himself an apostle. He did not think that he had any right to compare himself with Peter and the other apostles. They had served Christ loyally for such a long time. But now, because of the kindness of God, Paul is not only a Christian, but an apostle too.
The word ‘apostle’ means someone whose master sends to carry out an important task. God had given Paul an important task: to declare God’s good news to people from all the different nations (Galatians 1:15-16).

Paul worked harder than any of the other apostles, and he had more success than any of them. However, Paul did not believe that this was the result of his own efforts. God, because of his kindness, had done these things. God showed his kindness to Paul when God saved him. Then God used Paul’s work to show his kindness to many other people. Those people had become Christians when Paul declared God’s good news to them.

4) The Risen Christ, Our Hope: 1 Cor.15:12-19

Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

The resurrection of Christ is the fact upon which the whole of the gospel rested upon (15:17-18). It was after resurrection that He presented Himself before the father (John 20:17)
It astonished Paul that some of the Corinthian Christians actually thought that there is no life after death. He himself had declared in Corinth that Christ became alive after his death. This was the message that Christians were declaring across the world. More than 500 of them were witnesses of that fact. This was an essential part of God’s good news.

Already, twice in this letter, Paul referred to dead Christians as people who ‘sleep’ (11:30; 15:6). Paul was not just using a word-picture. He really believed that after death, Christians will live again. Their spirits are already alive with God in heaven. Their bodies will become alive again when Christ returns. This is as certain as the fact that Christ became alive again. In fact, it will happen because Christ became alive again.

There are still many people today calling themselves Christians although they do not believe in life after death.
In 1 Corinthians 15:16-19, Paul examines the nature of this kind of religion. He considers it a terrible religion, because it cannot offer any real hope to anyone. He feels sorry for a person who has such beliefs. Christ died and became alive again to save his people from their sins (evil deeds). If that did not happen, then God cannot forgive anyone. God’s plan to save people would have failed completely. So, such a belief could achieve nothing.

CONCLUSION
Christianity is not for this life only. That is, its purpose is not to make people happy in this world. People should not become Christians in order to make themselves wealthy, impressive or important. A religion that tries to satisfy people’s feelings now has no value after death.
In the end, the only worthwhile religion is the one that can save people from death and hell. Christ died on the cross to achieve that; he became alive again to prove it.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
Last week’s study saw us looking at the first part of 1 Cor.14 as we considered Spiritual Gifts and Church Order. We learnt that the gifts are for edification of the body of Christ, that worship should be all involving and beneficial, and that common language promotes corporate worship. We concluded by striking a balance that we should do both; pray in unknown tongues and in ordinary language that everyone understands. Today we shall be concluding our study of chapter 14 as we receive instructions that will help us grow into maturity.

THE TRUE PURPOSE FOR THE GIFT OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES – Read Verses (20 – 25)
We know that children are quick to be struck with novelty and strange appearances. They are taken with an outward show, without enquiring into the true nature and worth of things. Do not you act like them, and prefer noise and show over worth and substance; we should show greater maturity in judgment, and act a more manly part; be like children in nothing but an innocent and inoffensive disposition, void of all guile and malice; but should have wisdom and knowledge that are ripe and mature. A double rebuke is implied in this passage, both of their pride upon account of their gifts, and their arrogance and haughtiness towards each other, and the contests and quarrels proceeding from them. Christians should not be unskilful in the word of righteousness (Heb. 5:13), but unskilful in all the arts of mischief.
Apostle Paul then went further to address their misuse of the gift of tongues in the church.
When he quoted Isa. 28:11, he was referring to the fact that tongues were used as a token of judgment from God than mercy to any people (v. 21).  The meaning in this view is that it is an evidence that a people are abandoned of God when he gives them up to this sort of instruction, to the discipline of those who speak in another language.
In verse 22 he mentions that tongues were meant to be a sign to unbelievers and not to believers. They were a spiritual gift, intended for the conviction and conversion of unbelievers, that they might be brought into the Christian church; but converts were to be built up in Christianity by profitable instructions in their own language.
For gifts to be rightly used, it is proper to know the purpose they are intended to serve. To go about the conversion of unbelievers, as the apostles did, would have been impossible without the gift of tongues, and the discovery of this gift; but, in an assembly of Christians already converted to the Christian faith, to make use and show off this gift as the Corinthians did was out of place, because it was of no advantage to the church; not for conviction of truth, because they had already embraced it; not for their edification, because they did not understand, and could not get benefit without understanding, what they heard.
In Verses 23 - 25, Paul inferred that the reputation of the church among unbelievers required them to prefer prophesying over speaking with tongues. Because, if, when they were all assembled for worship, and the ministers were speaking in unintelligible language, and unbelievers should drop in, they would conclude them to be mad! And this would make Christianity ridiculous to a heathen, to hear the ministers of it pray, or preach, or perform any other religious exercise, in a language that neither he nor the assembly understood.
If, instead of speaking with tongues, those who minister plainly interpret scripture, or preach, in language intelligible and proper, the great truths and rules of the gospel, a heathen or unlearned person, coming in, will probably be convinced, and become a convert to Christianity (v. 24, v. 25); his conscience will be touched, the secrets of his heart will be revealed to him, he will be condemned by the truth he hears, and so will be brought to confess his guilt.

DISORDER REPROVED – Read Verses (26-33)
In this passage the apostle reproves them for their disorder, he blames them for the confusion they introduced into the assembly, by showing off their gifts (v. 26). The picture Paul painted here was that of pandemonium that cannot be in anyway edifying. and so, he corrects and regulates their conduct for the future by the following:
1. As to speaking in an unknown tongue, he orders that no more than two or three should do it at one meeting, and this not altogether, but successively, one after another. And even this was not to be done unless there were some one to interpret (v. 27, v. 28) either the speaker or another. Note this is different from praying in tongues.
2. As to prophesying he orders:
(a) That two or three only should speak at one meeting (v. 20), and this successively, not all at once; and that the other should examine and judge what he delivered, that is, discern and determine concerning it, whether it was of divine inspiration or not because there might be false prophets, mere pretenders to divine inspiration.
(b) That all (two or three) might prophesy, one by one, or one after another, which could not be where any one was interrupted and silenced before he had done prophesying; but might easily be if he someone else receives a word while another is speaking, holds his/her peace till the former prophet had finished what he/she had to say. And, to confirm this sense, the apostle quickly adds, “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (v. 33); that is, although they have these spiritual gifts, that can be expressed anytime by the leading of the Holy Spirit, they still possessed their reason, and capable of using their own judgment in the exercise of them.
Divine inspirations are not, like the diabolical possessions of heathen priests, violent and ungovernable, and prompting them to act as if they were beside themselves; but are sober and calm, and capable of regular conduct. The man inspired by the Spirit of God may still act the man, and observe the rules of natural order and decency in delivering his revelations. His spiritual gift is to be managed by his discretion. The apostle gives the reasons of these regulations.
That they would be for the church’s benefit, their instruction and consolation. That God is not the God of confusion, but of peace and good order, (v. 33).
Therefore, divine inspiration should by no means throw the Church into confusion, and break through all rules of common decency. And finally, that things were being orderly managed in all the other churches (v. 33); they kept to these rules in the exercise of their spiritual gifts, therefore the church of Corinth should do the same.

THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE! – Read Verses (34-35)
Here the apostle enjoins silence on the Corinthian women in public assemblies, and to such a degree that they must not ask questions for their own information in the church, but ask their husbands at home. So many scholars have tried to interpret this passage and as it is normal, inclined towards their individual bias! But let’s look at it from a more balanced view as it is our tradition. Let’s say for instance, the Spirit of prophecy came upon a woman in the church, should she not prophesy? Anna, for instance was a prophetess, in the temple she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of him to all them that looked-for redemption in Jerusalem (Luke 2:38). What about Philip’s daughters who prophesied? (Acts 21:9).
The reason that is given why women should keep silence, is, because they are commanded to be under obedience. Apostle Paul referred to the same in 1 Timothy 2:11,12. The early church evidently followed Jewish practices in religious education. In Israel, mothers taught their daughters, and it was the father’s responsibility to teach his sons in all areas, including religious education. So, Paul’s prohibitions here are consistent with the practices of his day. *
Others have said that the silence enjoined in 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 must be a specific, limited silence. Numerous suggestions have been offered, some have also suggested either that 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 was not written by Paul but was inserted by a copyist or that it is a question from Paul’s opponents in Corinth which Paul denounces in 1 Corinthians 14:36.
One view is that the speaking prohibited here is mere babbling. There is, however, nothing specific in the context to support this meaning of “speak,” and such nonsense would certainly have been prohibited to all persons in the worship Paul described not women only. Another view suggests that the speaking prohibited is speaking in tongues (glossolalia) since that is frequently mentioned in the preceding context (1 Corinthians 14). However, glossolalia is always referred to as “tongues” or “speaking in tongues” and never simply as speaking.
The view that seems to make the most reasonable sense is the speaking prohibited here to women to refer only to disruptive questions that wives (usually uneducated in the culture of Paul’s time) were asking their husbands.** 
This is made clearer when we read these verses in the MSG version: “Wives must not disrupt worship, talking when they should be listening, asking questions that could more appropriately be asked of their husbands at home. God’s Book of the law guides our manners and customs here. Wives have no license to use the time of worship for unwarranted speaking.”

CONCLUSION - BE COURTEOUS AND CONSIDERATE IN EVERYTHING. Read Verses (36-40)
In these concluding verses, the apostle closes his argument, by rebuking the Corinthians for their extravagant pride and self-conceit; they behaved in a manner that would not easily endure control nor regulation. As so Apostle Paul addresses them to beat down this arrogant humour. He asks rhetorically in verse 36:
“Did the word of the Lord originate from you [Corinthians], or has it come to you only [so that you know best what God requires]?”
In other words, if you think everything revolves around you; then you are mistaken!
In verses 37-38 Paul adds: “You who claim to have the gift of prophecy or any other special ability from the Holy Spirit should be the first to realize that what I am saying is a commandment from the Lord himself. 38 But if anyone still disagrees—well, we will leave him in his ignorance.”
It is just with God to leave those who choose to remain blind wilfully shutting out the light; to the blindness of their own minds. Those who would be ignorant in so plain a case were justly left under the power of their mistake.  Romans 1: 28, Rev 22:11
He then sums up all in two general advices that once again strikes the required balance in verses 39 and 40. “So, my fellow believers, long to be prophets so that you can preach God’s message plainly; and never say it is wrong to “speak in tongues”; however, be sure that everything is done properly in a good and orderly way.”
With this passage Paul was admonishing the Corinthian church that

(1.) They should not despise the gift of tongues and that they should prefer prophesying. This is indeed the scope of the whole argument. It was to be preferred to the other, because it was a more useful gift.
(2.) And that all things be done decently and in order (v. 40).
Avoiding indecencies and disorders such as childishness (v. 20), or any expression that would give people the opportunity to discredit the church and refer to the church as a gathering of mad people (v. 23), or cause confusion, (v. 33).
Instead they were to do things in order; they were to speak one after another, and not all at once; take their turns, and not interrupt one another. God is not to be dishonoured, nor his worship disgraced, by our unbecoming and disorderly performance of it and attendance at it.

Parts of this study was culled from Mathew Henry's commentary on 1 Cor. 14

* 1Tim2:11-12 footnote on AMP
** DAVID SCHOLER'S ESSAY ON WOMEN IN MINISTRY
 

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION:
Last week in our study of Love - The Universal Spiritual Gift, we learnt the characteristics of love; that it was greater than any spiritual gift because without love, the most glorious gifts are of no account to us, and of no esteem in the sight of God. and finally, that love was eternal.
Today we will be studying Paul’s response to the Corinthian’s misdirected flaunting of the gift of speaking in tongues as we address spiritual gifts and church order.

Verses 1-5 – THE GIFTS ARE FOR EDIFICATION OF THE BODY OF CHRIST
“Let love be your greatest aim; nevertheless, ask also for the special abilities the Holy Spirit gives, and especially the gift of prophecy, being able to preach the messages of God. But if your gift is that of being able to “speak in tongues,” that is, to speak in languages you haven’t learned, you will be talking to God but not to others, since they won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be a secret. 3 But one who prophesies, preaching the messages of God, is helping others grow in the Lord, encouraging and comforting them. 4 So a person “speaking in tongues” helps himself grow spiritually, but one who prophesies, preaching messages from God, helps the entire church grow in holiness and happiness. 5 I wish you all had the gift of “speaking in tongues,” but even more I wish you were all able to prophesy, preaching God’s messages, for that is a greater and more useful power than to speak in unknown languages—unless, of course, you can tell everyone afterwards what you were saying, so that they can get some good out of it too.” (TLB)

From this verse of scripture, we can deduce that Paul wants the Corinthian church to not that gifts are fit objects of our desire and pursuit, but they are not greater than love; hence we should make that which is of greater value our goal. And so, Paul starts off with what everyone should aim for – love. “Make it your greatest aim” he says and then directs the Corinthian church to seek spiritual gifts and then zeroes in on which spiritual gift to prefer. But see what he means by prophecy; being able to preach the messages of God. He also assigns the reasons of this preference. And it is remarkable here that he only compares prophesying with speaking with tongues. It seems, this was the gift on which the Corinthians principally valued themselves.
Paul’s angle was this: “What cannot be understood can never edify". No advantage can be reaped from the most excellent discourses, if delivered in unintelligible language, such as the audience can neither speak nor understand: but he that prophesies speaks to the advantage of his hearers; they may profit by his gift. So, the best and most eligible gift which best answers the purposes of love and does most good is that which benefits the entire body of Christ such as prophesying, or preaching, and interpreting scripture as opposed to that which can edify ourselves only
This is not a license to despise any gift, but the best gifts are to be preferred. Every gift of God is a favour from God, and may be improved for his glory, and as such is to be valued and thankfully received; but then those are to be most valued that are most useful. In verse 5, Paul infers that greater is the one that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, unless he interprets, that the church may receive edifying.

Verses 6-11  WORSHIP SHOULD BE ALL INVOLVING AND BENEFICIAL
"Dear friends, even if I myself should come to you talking in some language you don’t understand, how would that help you? But if I speak plainly what God has revealed to me, and tell you the things I know, and what is going to happen, and the great truths of God’s Word—that is what you need; that is what will help you. 7 Even musical instruments—the flute, for instance, or the harp—are examples of the need for speaking in plain, simple English rather than in unknown languages. For no one will recognize the tune the flute is playing unless each note is sounded clearly. 8 And if the army bugler doesn’t play the right notes, how will the soldiers know that they are being called to battle? 9 In the same way, if you talk to a person in some language he doesn’t understand, how will he know what you mean? You might as well be talking to an empty room. I suppose that there are hundreds of different languages in the world, and all are excellent for those who understand them, 11 but to me they mean nothing. A person talking to me in one of these languages will be a stranger to me and I will be a stranger to him." (TLB)

Obviously, some of the members of the church in Corinth must have flaunted their gift of speaking in tongues due to the emphasis Paul laid on it. He showed them how vain it is to flaunt speaking unknown and unintelligible language is. It was altogether unedifying and unprofitable. He does this by using several illustrations; musical instruments with notes not sounding clearly, the army bugler that calls soldiers onto battle. To talk in an unknown language in a Christian assembly is altogether as vain and to no purpose as for a trumpet to give no certain sound in the field or day of battle.
If one is asked to preach or teach in church and they start to speak in an unknown tongue is to talk gibberish; it is to play the barbarian; it is to confound the audience, instead of instructing them; and for this reason, is utterly vain and unprofitable. 

Verses 12-14  COMMON LANGUAGE PROMOTES CORPORATE WORSHIP
“Since you are so anxious to have special gifts from the Holy Spirit, ask him for the very best, for those that will be of real help to the whole church. 13 If someone is given the gift of speaking in unknown tongues, he should pray also for the gift of knowing what he has said, so that he can tell people afterwards plainly. 14 For if I pray in a language I don’t understand, my spirit is praying, but I don’t know what I am saying.” (TLB)

Having thus established his point, he goes ahead to advise the church to be zealous for those gifts that were most for the church’s edification this way it will become commendable zeal, be zealous to edify the church, to promote Christian knowledge and practice, and covet those gifts most that will do the best service to men’s souls. But if you are gifted in speaking in tongues, you should beg of God the gift of interpreting it. He then enforces this advice with a proper reason, that, if he prayed in an unknown tongue, his spirit might pray, that is, a spiritual gift might be exercised in prayer, or his own mind might be devoutly engaged, but his understanding would be unfruitful, that is, the sense and meaning of his words would be unfruitful, he would not be understood, nor therefore would others join with him in his devotions. It should be the concern of such as pray, preach or sing in public to do so intelligibly, not in a foreign language, nor in a language that, if it be not foreign, is above the level of his/her audience. Language that is most obvious and easy to be understood is the most proper for public devotion and other religious exercises.

CONCLUSION
Verses 15-19  STRIKING THE BALANCE
“Well, then, what shall I do? I will do both. I will pray in unknown tongues and also in ordinary language that everyone understands. I will sing in unknown tongues and also in ordinary language so that I can understand the praise I am giving; 16 for if you praise and thank God with the spirit alone, speaking in another language, how can those who don’t understand you be praising God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t know what you are saying? 17 You will be giving thanks very nicely, no doubt, but the other people present won’t be helped. 18 I thank God that I “speak in tongues” privately more than any of the rest of you. 19 But in public worship I would much rather speak five words that people can understand and be helped by than ten thousand words while “speaking in tongues” in an unknown language.” (TLB)

Paul once again creates balance in his letter! He does not forbid their praying or singing as led by the Spirit, or when they were inspired for this purpose, or had such a spiritual gift communicated to them; but he would have them perform both so as to be understood by others, that others might join with them. He enforces the argument with the following reason; it fosters agreement and participation in prayers, thanksgivings, and worship.
How would someone say “Amen” to prayers in an unknown tongue? How should they declare their consent and concurrence?
The intention of public devotions will be destroyed if they are performed in an unknown tongue. Although the person may pray well, and give thanks well, but not in that time and place, because others are not, and cannot be edified. Paul uses his own example, to make the greater impression; that he did not come behind any of them in this spiritual gift (so they will not think that it is because he didn’t have the gift he held such convictions). He spoke more language than they all. Yet, he’d rather speak five words that people can understand and be helped by than ten thousand words while “speaking in tongues” in an unknown language.”

Parts of this study was culled from Mathew Henry's commentary on 1 Cor. 14

Contributor: Alex Alajiki

INTRODUCTION: Last week, we looked at the second part of the use of Spiritual Gifts. We concluded saying that Paul’s admonishment to earnestly desire the greater gifts is not addressed to the individual but to the collective church. And that the “best gifts” are those that benefit the general body of Christ. He also mentioned “the excellent way.” The excellent way Paul was referring to is love in its fullest meaning; true love to God and man. Without this, the most glorious gifts are of no account to us, of no esteem in the sight of God. A clear head and a deep understanding, are of no value without a benevolent and charitable heart.

1)  LOVE IS GREATER THAN ANY SPIRITUAL GIFT: 1 Cor.13:1-3
In these three verses, Paul mentions spiritual gifts and other God-given abilities: tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, giving, and martyrdom. The first four gifts are listed in 12:8-10. Martyrdom is a God-given ability to die for Christ’s sake. Paul kicks off 13:1 with the gift of tongues when he writes, “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

Paul says you can speak in tongues all you want (of men and angels), but if you don’t have love you are merely making a lot of noise. Then in verses 2-3, Paul mentions more spiritual gifts when he writes,

“If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”

Prophecy refers to the ability to declare God’s truth in a powerful, life-changing way. Knowledge involves the deep understanding of the Word of God. Faith is the unique ability to trust God for great things. These three gifts are all from the Holy Spirit, and yet without love the person who has them is “nothing.”
Verse 3 poses a problem because it asks us to ponder activities that we automatically consider noble. Giving to the poor is a good thing to do. And dying for your faith in Christ is the ultimate sacrifice. But as good as these things are, without love they do you no good. Paul declares that the greatest expression of spirituality is love. We could summarize these three verses like this: Without love…I say nothing, I am nothing, and I gain nothing.
Clearly, we must have love when we are exercising our spiritual gifts. So, let us stop for just a moment and reflect on our spiritual gifts as individuals and as a church. Do you do what you do out of genuine love for people? Or do you serve out of a sense of obligation? Do you serve because of the satisfaction you derive from ministry? Do you minister because you like honing your skills? Although no one has perfectly pure motives, we ought to be seeking to grow in our love quotient. Paul says that love is an action, not an emotion; therefore, we need to put feet to our love. Love is the measure of true spirituality (1 John 4:7-10).

2)  THE CHARACTERISTICS OF LOVE: 1 Cor.13:4-7
After talking about the importance of love, Paul now will discuss how love behaves. Love is expressed by supernatural responses. Love is a word that can only be properly defined in terms of action, attitude, and behaviour. Paul wanted his readers to know what love looks like when we see it. And so, he paints fifteen separate portraits of love. Not our contemporary definition of love as an emotion or a feeling—we love our jobs, we love football and we love pizza. In the biblical definition of agape, love acts, for love is an action, not an emotion.
Verse 4 begins by summarizing the unselfish nature of love. Love sums up our Christian life!
Everything we need to be prepared for heaven, and everything we are admonished to imbibe is what love

1) Love is patient.  Patience with circumstances and patience with people. Love doesn’t have a short fuse. It doesn’t lose its temper easily. A person who exercises agape love does not lose patience with people. Love never says, “I’ll give you just one more chance.” Love is patient; it never gives up (Galatians 6:9)
2) Love is kind. Kindness is not to be equated with giving everyone what he or she wants. Sometimes love must be tough. Kindness means to withhold what harms, as well as give what heals. Love is kind, but often tough.
3) Love is not jealous. Jealousy implies being displeased with the success of others. Yet, true love desires the success of others. The best way to cure envy is to pray sincerely for the one of whom you are jealous. To pray for him or her is to demonstrate love, and jealousy and love cannot exist in the same heart.
4) Love does not brag. Love is not big-headed but big-hearted. This means the more loving you become, the less boasting you need to do. The greater your spiritual gifts, the less prone you should be to brag.
5) Love is not arrogant. The term “arrogant” refers to a grasping for power. It is more serious than bragging, which is only grasping for praise. Arrogant people push themselves into leadership, using people as stepping-stones, and always consider themselves exempt from the requirements on mere mortals. Arrogance disrespects others and carries a distain for others. God calls us to serve others and be gracious toward them.
6) Love does not act unbecomingly. This word is best translated “rude.” There are some Christians who seem to take delight in being blunt, justifying it on the grounds of honesty. Love doesn’t always verbalize all its thoughts, particularly if those thoughts don’t build others up. There is a graciousness in love which never forgets that courtesy, tact, and politeness are lovely things.
7) Love does not seek its own. A self-absorbed narcissistic person cannot act in love. Love is not possessive, demanding, stubborn, or dominating. Love does not talk too much but listens as well. Love does not insist on its own way. It is always willing to defer to others.
8) Love is not provoked. Love is not given to emotional outbursts, is not exasperated by petty annoyances, and refuses to let someone else get under one’s skin.
9) Love does not take into account a wrong suffered. Paul uses the normal word here for bookkeeping. Love does not keep a ledger of evil deeds. It doesn’t write down each injury done and keep the account open to be settled someday.
10) Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness. Love takes no joy in evil of any kind. It takes no malicious pleasure when it hears about the inadequacies, mistakes, and sins of someone else. Love is righteous. Now, after eight sobering negatives come five glorious positives:
11) Love rejoices with the truth. Truth must make our love discriminating, and love must make our truth compassionate and forgiving. If our actions are in accord with agape love, we will always welcome biblical truth, never resist it.
12) Love bears all things. The phrase “bears all things” comes from a Greek word meaning to cover something. It is related to the word for roof—a covering that offers protection from the hostile elements. 1 Peter 4:8 says that love covers a multitude of sins. That is precisely the meaning here. Love protects other people. It doesn’t broadcast bad news. It goes the second mile to protect another person’s reputation.
13) Love believes all things. Love always gives the other person the benefit of the doubt, to believe the best about people. Love always trusts. Love says, “I am willing to wait for the evidence to come in before making my decision. I choose to give you the benefit of the doubt as long as there is reason to do so.
14) Love hopes all things. The third phrase in 13:7 tells us that love “hopes all things.” This is simply a step beyond believing. Love hopes and expects the best. Love never loses faith in other people and gives up on them but remain faithful to them, in spite of their shortcomings.
15) Love endures all things. The word “endures” is a military term that means to hold a position at all costs, even unto death, whatever it takes. Love holds fast to people it loves. It perseveres. It never gives up on anyone. Love won’t stop loving, even in the face of rejection.

3)  LOVE IS AN ETERNAL GIFT: 1 Cor.13:8-13
In these final six verses, Paul discusses the temporary nature of the spiritual gifts and the eternal nature of love. Verse 8 says: “Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.”
Love never ends but spiritual gifts will be done away with one day.
The reason that spiritual gifts like prophecy and tongues will come to an end is revealed in 13:9-10. Paul writes, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.” Paul explains that we are limited in our understanding, but this will not always be the case. A time of perfection is coming! The “perfect” refers to the returning of Christ.
Paul explains himself further in 13:11-12: “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”
Paul explains that our understanding of God is indirect in this life. He uses two analogies: childhood and a mirror. In using the analogy of childhood, Paul is not suggesting that those who speak in tongues are childish and immature. Rather, he is adopting an eternal perspective and simply saying that there will come a time when the gifts of the Spirit will no longer be necessary. The analogy of the mirror implies that our visibility of Christ is indirect. In other words, Paul is comparing the nature of looking in a mirror to the relationship we will enjoy with Jesus when we see Him “face to face.”

CONCLUSION
Paul concludes this chapter in with these words: “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” For all eternity, we will enjoy love. We will experience God’s incredible love, we will experience a deep love for God, and we will love one another with a perfect love. Faith, Hope and love, the greatest of these is love. Love is eternal. Love covers not only what we experience in our relations to others and to God, but what we experience from God Himself.

This Study was culled from bible.org

Contributor: Leye Olayiwola

Introduction:

Last week, we had an in-depth study of the diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit. It was emphasised that these gifts are given by the Holy Spirit, as He wills! We also learnt that a great spiritual gift is no indication of spirituality. It is possible to be gifted and not be spiritual. Continuing further in verse 12 through to 31, Paul further emphasised the importance of these gifts through the diversity and unity of the physical body as an analogy. Due to the competitive nature of bodybuilding, in order to win a competition one cannot have any weak body parts. Bodybuilders understand the value and significance of every single part of the body. There can be no undeveloped or lagging parts. Every single body part must develop and function at its absolute best.
Did you know that God is also interested in bodybuilding? God wants to build every muscle in His church. He doesn’t want there to be any superior or inferior body parts. There can be no undeveloped or lagging parts. God expects every part of the body to grow and do its work. In our passage, Paul is going to discuss the importance of church teamwork. This is not to depreciate the fact that people become Christians on an individual basis, but that once one is a Christian the focus is always on the health, unity, and well-being of the whole.

1. Appreciate the solidarity of the body (verses 12-13)
• These first two verses give the theological basis for the body imagery that is developed in the rest of this passage. Paul states that every part of the body is essential because every believer is a member of the church
• The emphasis here is on unity and oneness. Our body of many members is unified in one body. Paul is so intent on driving home this point of our oneness in the church that he refers to Christ as the church. This is one of the places in Scripture where all believers collectively are called “Christ.” (See Acts 9:4)
• Paul had been persecuting Christians, not realizing that in so doing he was persecuting Christ. Saul, who later became Paul, would one day learn that every believer is a member of Christ’s body. Likewise, you and I are members of the body of Christ…and we are one body
• In verse 13, Paul explains the reason for the oneness of the church: we have all been placed into the body of Christ. Paul argues that every Christian has experienced Spirit baptism. Notice the word “all” as well as the past tense, “were baptized.” Every believer shares in this experience. It occurs the moment we trust in Jesus Christ
• In Spirit baptism the Holy Spirit baptizes the believer into the body of Christ. He makes us a part of His church. The baptism of the Holy Spirit means if you belong to Jesus Christ, you belong to everyone else who belongs to Jesus Christ. This means the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a matter of having a certain level of spiritual maturity, achieving some advanced spiritual state, or receiving a “second blessing.” On the contrary, every believer experiences Spirit baptism regardless of his or her race or social status. We are now on equal footing in the sense that we are all members of the body of Christ
• Now, having been introduced to this important analogy between the human body and the body of Christ, there are two key problems that constantly plague the church and prevent us from enjoying unity in diversity. Those two tendencies are what we might simply call an inferiority complex and a superiority complex, or self-pity and pride. When certain Christians think they just don’t have anything to offer and therefore fail to participate in the life of the church, the body cannot be complete. On the other hand, when some think of themselves as God’s gift to the church and don’t allow others to contribute their gifts, again the body cannot function well. This passage teaches that both inferiority feelings and superiority feelings are out of bounds in Christ’s church. Everybody is somebody because we’re in this together.

2. Do not underestimate your importance to the body of Christ (verses 14-20)
• In these verses, Paul attempts to pass his points across that every member of the body has a different role to play, but that all of these parts are needed in order for the body to function as a unit. In 12:14, Paul writes, “For the body is not one member, but many.” Paul is making a simple statement of fact that every part of the body, every organ, is valuable.
• The phrase “I am not a part of the body” occurs in both verses 15 and 16. This is an indication of a feeling of insignificance: “No one thinks that I am important or significant. I have little to contribute to this ministry. I don’t really matter to this church.” For example, the ear feels inferior to the eye. The foot is jealous of the hand because he is covetous of the hand’s prominence. The hand is in the public and in the limelight, but the foot is in confinement inside a shoe. We manicure hands and put ointment on them. We make hands beautiful by putting rings on them. We put jewellery on the hand but rarely on the foot. Hands take a scalpel, do delicate operations, play the piano or violin. No wonder the foot feels inferior because the hand is in the limelight!
• Yet, the body would be in bad shape without a foot. Did you know that you use more than 200 different muscles to walk? If your feet and their muscles are not working well you aren’t going very far. Furthermore, if you dislocate a tiny bone in your foot your whole body is miserable. Feet are awfully important. So why should the foot say, “I don’t count; I’m not important; no one ever notices me; no one cares about what I do.
• God rewards the foot based on being a foot. If you have been gifted as a foot it’s easy to look at those gifted as hands and think how skilled, how capable they are, and that you’re not important at all. However, all God expects is that you do what you can with what you have.
• Unfortunately, some at Corinth who lacked the more spectacular gifts of others were discouraged and began to ask whether they had any place or function in the church. So Paul moves from the sublime to the ridiculous by envisioning an absurd scenario. In 12:17, he asks, “If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?”
• In verses 18-20, Paul emphasizes that God sovereignly places the gifts in the church that He desires. Paul makes it clear that God is the one that has gifted every church the way He wants her gifted. The church is all about the sovereignty of God.

3. Do not overestimate your importance to the body of Christ (21-26)
• Beginning at verse 21, we have a transition from those who feel inferior in their gifts to those who feel superior. In this section, we see members who suffer from a superiority complex. Paul explains that we need to squash spiritual pride because we all need each other. Paul needs to get across that all of the members in Corinth need each other, and no one is dispensable.
• In verses 22-25, Paul argues that every member of the body is necessary. There are no exceptions. Those body parts that are deemed weaker, less honorable, or less presentable are all critically important. How does this apply to the church? Every church has people who are out in the forefront and love the public spotlight. But what is really essential to the ongoing life of the church is the people behind the scenes—those who serve faithfully and quietly (and often are the ones who make the leaders look good
• In verse 26, Paul pens one of the most powerful verses in the Scriptures: “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it”. As members of the same body we are so closely bound together that we actually share the same feelings. What causes joy for one member delights the whole body. When one member suffers the entire body hurts. If we are family, why is it so difficult to see another member of our own body receive honor? We must desperately yearn for the success of others.

4. Celebrate the diversity of the body (27-31)
• Paul takes the analogy of the physical body and applies it practically in terms of gifting and how ministry is to be expressed. He lists eight kinds of members with special functions. The ranking of the first three items corresponds to their building up the local church. We will briefly discuss these definitions.
• Apostles - the ability to begin and/or to oversee new churches and Christian ministries with a spontaneously recognized authority.
• Prophets - ability to receive and proclaim a message from God. This could involve the foretelling of future events, though its primary purpose as seen in 1 Cor 14:3 is forthtelling
• Teachers - ability to clearly explain and effectively apply the truths of God’s Word so that others will learn
• Miracles - ability to serve as an instrument through whom God accomplishes acts that manifest supernatural power.
• Gifts of healings - ability to serve as a human instrument through whom God supernaturally cures illnesses and restores health. The possessor of this gift is not the source of power, but a vessel who can only heal those diseases the Lord chooses to heal.
• Gifts of helps - ability to enhance the effectiveness of the ministry of other members of the body
• Gifts of administrations - the ability to steer a church or Christian organization toward the fulfillment of its goals by managing its affairs and implementing necessary plans. A person may have the gift of leadership without the gift of administration
• Various kinds of tongues - ability to receive and impart a spiritual message in a language the recipient never learned.
God’s expectation is that every Christian will serve in the local church. Yet, someone may say, “I am an inactive Christian.” There is no such thing. That is like saying, “I am an honest thief” or “I am a godly prostitute.” An inactive Christian is a paradox in terms. No Christian is without a special, supernatural gift from God.

Conclusion (verse 31):
Paul’s final words are found in verse 31: “But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.” The command to “earnestly desire the best gifts” is not addressed to the individual but to the collective church. The implied “you” is second person plural in the Greek. We cannot select our gifts because that is the prerogative of the Holy Spirit. However, as a congregation we can “earnestly desire” that the “best gifts” (superlative gifts) be manifested among us. The “best gifts” are those that benefit the general body of Christ.
 

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
In last week’s study, we considered The Lord’s Supper. We learnt that when we partake of the communion, we are not only reminded that we have partaken of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins, we symbolically demonstrate that we have become a member of His body, the church. In today’s study, we will be looking at the first part of the use of Spiritual Gifts. Paul’s introduction of this chapter implies that the Corinthian church had once again gotten it wrong. We can only assume what the exact question was; but obviously, Paul’s response to their question(s) implies that they must have held an erroneous opinion of spiritual gifts when he said in verse 1: “Now about the spiritual gifts [the special endowments given by the Holy Spirit], brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.” (AMP)

Verses 2-3 (AMP) - The Different Responses to Christ
“2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led off after speechless idols; however you were led off [whether by impulse or habit]. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the [power and influence of the] Spirit of God can say, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is [my] Lord,” except by [the power and influence of] the Holy Spirit.”

Paul addresses the different responses to Christ; the rejection by the pagans, the rejection by the Jews, and the acceptance by faith of the Christian.
Many of the Corinthian believers had been pagans before they became saved. These Gentiles worshipped various idols that could not speak or help.
A second response was the rejection of Christ by the Jews. In 12:3a, Paul writes, Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the [power and influence of the] Spirit of God can say, “Jesus be cursed,” Here, Paul speaks of the typical response of the Jews. Not all the Corinthians were Gentiles before believing in Christ…some were Jews who did not believe that Jesus Christ was the Messiah.
The final response is found in 12:3b, where Paul writes, and no one can say, “Jesus is [my] Lord,” except by [the power and influence of] the Holy Spirit.”
To say that Jesus is “Lord” is to say that He is God. In the context of the Jewish world and the Old Testament, this confession essentially affirmed that Jesus was God. This was a counter-cultural assertion to both the Jews and the Romans. Because citizens of the Roman Empire were required to declare, “Caesar is Lord.” But Christians who believed that Jesus was the only Lord couldn’t say this. It was a challenge to faith. Thus, Paul’s point is this: No one can say that Jesus is Lord except through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is a supernatural act. Paul brought up these three responses to Christ to refute the claims of those Corinthians who assumed that they alone possessed the Spirit. Paul wants all his readers to understand that salvation is the greater leveller. Every member of the Corinthian church who has trusted in Christ (whether they were once Gentiles or Jews) is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and is incredibly valuable to God. This is also true in our church today. If you have believed in Christ, it is because God did a supernatural work in your life and you are incredibly valuable to God.

Verses 4-6 (AMP) - Gifts, Administrations, and Operations – Variety is spice of the Church too!
Now there are [distinctive] varieties of spiritual gifts [special abilities given by the grace and extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers], but it is the same Spirit [who grants them and empowers believers]. 5 And there are [distinctive] varieties of ministries and service, but it is the same Lord [who is served]. 6 And there are [distinctive] ways of working [to accomplish things], but it is the same God who produces all things in all believers [inspiring, energizing, and empowering them]

In other words; Paul was saying that there are different spiritual gifts, but all of them stem from the one and only Holy Spirit (verse 4). And although we may administer (serve with) these gifts differently, but we serve the same Lord (verse 5). There are different types of operations (procedures or methods), but it is the same God who does the work in all of us (verse 6). The Holy Spirit does not employ ONLY ONE method, so we should be sensitive and not be stereo typed.

Verse 7 (AMP) – Understanding the Ultimate Purpose of the Gifts
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good.

Paul was making the distinction here that "gifts" of the Spirit aren't gifts in the sense that the believer owns and operates the gift whenever he wants to. They are gifts of the Holy Ghost, manifested through individual believers as the Spirit of God wills. The gifts of the Spirit aren't just given for the individual, but they are given to profit the whole local assembly or local body of believers. Sadly, too many people have decided that they will not serve in the church or serve only occasionally and when it’s convenient. But the church needs people who will make lifelong commitments and be dependable. So, the probing question today is: “Are you a consistent worker or a convenience worker?

Verses 8-10 (AMP) - The Nine Gifts of The Spirit
8 To one is given through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] the *message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] the *word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit; 9 to another [wonder-working] **faith [is given] by the same [Holy] Spirit, and to another the [extraordinary] gifts of **healings by the one Spirit; 10 and to another the **working of miracles, and to another ***prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and to another *discernment of spirits [the ability to distinguish sound, godly doctrine from the deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults], to another ***various kinds of [unknown] tongues, and to another ***interpretation of tongues. (Emphasis Mine)

The nine manifestations or gifts of the Holy Spirit are generally divided into three groups of three each. Please note that the division into these three groups was not done by Apostle Paul but it is purely to be able to easily distinguish and discuss them and for no other reason.

REVELATION GIFTS: Gifts That Reveal Something 
The word of wisdom: God-given insight into the mysterious purposes and workings of God.
The word of knowledge: God-given insight into what God is doing in the world.
The Discerning of Spirits: The ability to quickly perceive whether such things as people, events, or beliefs are from God or Satan
POWER GIFTS: Gifts That Do Something
Faith: The ability to confidently believe God for changes and spiritual growth that will enhance the purposes of God.
Healing: The faith to believe God for healing. Individuals can serve as agents of God’s healing power. 
The Working of Miracles: The ability (energizing power) given by the Holy Spirit to perform miracles (supernatural acts)
UTTERANCE OR INSPIRATIONAL GIFTS:  Gifts that say something
Prophecy: A declaration of God’s will to God’s people
Divers Kinds of Tongues: Utterance in an unknown (unlearned) language. Not to be confused with the baptism of the Holy Spirit
Interpretation of Tongues: The ability to interpret tongues.

Conclusion – Verse 11
11 All these things [the gifts, the achievements, the abilities, the empowering] are brought about by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as He chooses.

Paul emphasizes once again that every believer can be spiritually gifted as the Holy Spirit chooses. That these gifts are not for some spiritual elite, but the entire body of Christ. We are all called by the Lord to minister with the gifts He has supplied. Each believer, regardless of his or her gifts, ministries, and the manner and extent of God’s blessing, should demonstrate the Holy Spirit’s gifting through his or her life. All the gifts manifest the Spirit’s presence, not just the more spectacular ones in each category. It is important to note that Believers who have spectacular gifts, ministries, or effectiveness are not necessarily more spiritual than Christians who do not. Each believer makes a unique contribution to the common good, not just certain believers.
Remember, the Corinthians were the most gifted church in the Scriptures while at the same time the most carnal church in the Scriptures. They were a church of divisions, immorality, and distortion in doctrine. This serves to remind us that a great spiritual gift is no indication of spirituality. It is possible to be gifted and not spiritual. In this case, the Corinthians were getting high on their spiritual giftedness instead of recognizing the source of the gift—Jesus Christ. Thus, Paul’s introduction in verse 1 about not wanting them to be “unaware” or “ignorant”.

Parts of this study was culled from bible.org

Contributor: Alex Alajiki

INTRODUCTION:
In last week’s study, we looked at the issue of head covering during prayer and worship. Paul’s instruction to women about covering their heads is to demonstrate to the angels and celestial powers their submission to God’s appointed authority. Paul does not present head coverings as a matter of his opinion, but as an apostolic tradition. He does not describe this as a matter of Christian liberty, or as a personal conviction, but as a matter of obedience. I Cor.11:13-15 summed it up; “Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonour to him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her[a] for a covering”

This week, we are going to study about the proper order and revelation of the Holy Communion service.

1) Conduct at the Lord’s Supper: 1 Corn. 11:17-22

“Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19 For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20 Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.”

Paul knew there were sharp division within the Corinthian Church (I Cori.6:1-8). Their coming together for fellowship and communion was not for the better but for the worse. Their coming together for the Lord’s super was supposed to be an opportunity to show love, but it is now an opportunity for the richer Christians to act in a greedy and selfish manner. If they shared their food, it was only with their rich friends. If they shared the wine, they kept too much for themselves. In the way the Corinthian Christians were conducting the Lord’s Supper, the poor were being publicly shamed and humiliated by exposing their deficiencies, rather than concealing them and providing for them. The Lord’s Supper, which commemorated the sacrificial gift of our Lord’s body and blood, had been perverted to an occasion for self-indulgence by giving way to selfish bodily lusts.

In the most general sense, the Lord’s Supper was a celebration of our Lord’s sacrifice on Calvary for our unmerited benefit and blessing (1 Pet. 2:24). The Lord Jesus set aside His own personal interests and sacrificed His body so that by His sufferings in His body, we might be saved. And yet at the Lord’s Supper in Corinth, there is no self-sacrifice but only self-indulgence. The saints are all more concerned with satisfying their own bodily appetites than those of their fellow-believers. The most self-indulgent are those who least need food or drink. Those most in need are denied sustenance. In whatever we do, we must always be conscious of the weak, poor, sick, oppressed and less privileged people among us.  There were poor people in that church; its members included several slaves (1 Cor.7:21-22)

2) Institution of the Lord’s Supper; 1 Corn. 11:23-26

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”
Paul was not present with the original apostles when Jesus instituted the last super in Matt. 26:17-30; Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:7-39; John13 to 17. He received this revelation from Jesus Himself. The last supper was originally a Passover celebration. Our Lord observed this Passover in an upper room, along with His 12 disciples. This “last supper” became the “Lord’s Supper.” Jesus instructs His disciples to continually observe this “supper” until His return. Note; Old Testament, it was flesh while it is now bread, why?  The one loaf of bread, which was broken by our Lord and divided among His disciples, and which we share in communion as well, represents the physical “body of Christ.” in which our Lord came to the earth, successfully endured all the temptations we face, and then in His body, suffered and died in our place (Isa.53:4-5, Matt.8:17).
Paul speaks of the bread as “one bread” (1 Cor.10:16-17), so that all who partake of it are “one body.” By partaking of a piece of the one loaf, we proclaim the unity of the church, the body of Christ, and our communion or fellowship with the rest of the saints, who have also partaken of the work of Christ.
1 Cor.10:17 “Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.”
As he shared the cup, he spoke about the result of his death. A new kind of relationship (Covenant) would now exist between God and his people. Christ’s blood was poured out of his body at his death. That blood makes this new relationship (Covenant) with God certain (Hebrews 9:14). A ‘covenant’ means the promises that establish a relationship. In the new covenant between God and people, it is God who has made the promises. He promised to forgive when people confess their evil deeds to him (1 John1:9). He promises to save people who trust him (Act 2:21, Rom.10:13). When people invite him into their lives, he promises to establish a right relationship with them (Matt.11:28). He can do these wonderful things in a person’s life because of Christ’s death. Whenever we share bread and wine at church, we are declaring the importance or significance of Christ’s death until His return.

3) Examine Yourself; 1 Corn. 11:27-34

“Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

The bread and wine at the communion table are holy because of their connection with the death of Christ. Many Christians in Corinth had not recognised that fact. They thought that they were eating together merely in order to enjoy themselves. The ceremony is a holy occasion so it is very wrong for a person who is living in an unholy manner to accept those sacred gifts. So, at that special moment, Christians should examine their own lives in front of God. We must confess our wrong deeds to God, He will forgive us (1 John 1:7-9).
 
Paul warned the Corinthian Christian that they were acting in an unholy manner on a very holy occasion (Vs 29 “he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body”)
Those Christians in Corinth were not recognising the connection between their meals and Christ’s death. The result of their unholy behaviour was severe.
The Corinthians were experiencing weakness, sickness and death as a result of the unworthy manner at the Lord’s table. The illness or death of Christians is not usually the result of God’s judgement against them. However, it can be so sometimes, as Paul has just explained. God’s holiness is surely evident when He disciplines His children, and so is His faithfulness and love (Heb.12:6). Remember that even in the discipline of death, God’s actions are for our best interest: Vs 32 “But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord in order that we may not be condemned along with the world.”

Finally, Paul told the church leaders to make two simple changes to that meeting:
(a) Formerly, people had brought their own food to the meeting. At the meeting, they ate as much as they wanted. But now the church members must eat their food at home. At the meeting, they would just share a little bread and wine, to remember Jesus’ death.
(b) Formerly, people began to eat their food as soon as they arrived. This made the meeting like a party, except that each person brought his own food. But now anyone who arrived early would have to wait for the other members. So the meeting would begin at its proper time, probably with prayer. That would make the meeting a more serious occasion, and people would respect its importance.

CONCLUSION
The Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of our Lord’s sacrificial life and death for the salvation and sanctification of lost sinners in whose place He was condemned, and in Whom the saints have been forgiven, justified, and glorified. The Lord’s Supper means nothing apart from the gospel, and so it is by revisiting the gospel message through the symbols of the Lord’s Supper that we come to appreciate the significance of the Lord’s Supper. When we partake of the communion, we are not only reminded that we have partaken of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary for the forgiveness of our sins, we symbolically demonstrate that we have become a member of His body, the church. Communion symbolizes our identification with Christ and with His church.

Contributor: Isekhua Evborokhai

INTRODUCTION
In last week’s study, we looked at the concluding part of learning from the mistakes of the Israelites as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land; considering an important learning point -avoiding false gods. We concluded by looking at Paul’s response based on two guiding principles in expressing one’s liberty of eating food sacrificed to idols; our actions in terms of our relationship to God and actions in terms of our relationship to men. In today’s study, we will be looking at what the Bible says about covering of the head in worship as it relates to the man and the woman in the honour of God.

DIVINE ORDER - (Verses 1-3)
"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."

Paul starts off this chapter as a continuation of chapter 10 with a very bold proclamation; one that only Jesus Christ had ever made! (Matt.4:19) His proclamation indicates he was confident that his motives were pure and that he was a true follower of Christ. You will recall from the concluding verses of Chapter 10 that Paul, talking about the abuse of one’s liberty used himself as an example that he did not only preach such doctrine, but lived the life! And as such, they should imitate him!
And then he proceeds to acknowledge the effort the Corinthian church has made in remembering and honouring him by keeping up the traditions of the faith he taught them. A method we see the Lord Jesus Christ use severally in the Book of Revelations (Rev. Chapters 2&3). This is important because when we reprove what is amiss in any, it is very prudent and fit to commend what is good in them; it will show that the reproof is not from ill-will, and a humour of censuring and finding fault; and it will therefore procure the more regard to it.
Having done all that, he then introduces the subject matter of disorders in the Corinthian church in relation to the misconduct of their women in the public assembly, who laid down their veils, the common token of subjection to their husbands in that part of the world. He did this by referring to the spiritual connotation of covering and not covering of hair. He was saying that head covering goes beyond fashion and culture! It is spiritual! “the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” that everyone has a head! And that just as Christ acknowledges the pre-eminence of the Father and men acknowledge the pre-eminence of Christ over them, so women acknowledge the pre-eminence of men in the male-female relationship (or at least the husband-wife relationship). But prominence in a relationship does not imply superiority or inferiority; certainly, it does not carry that meaning in the relationship between the Father and the Son, and it should not mean that between men and women in the church.

HONOR YOUR HEAD – (Verses 4-5)
“4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonours his head. 5 But every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven”.

Having set the foundation in verse 3, Paul proceeds to expound. An understanding of these four verses brings the entire 16 verses in focus. That Paul refers to the “head” here should not be misconstrued that it is separate from the “hair” as some have come to interpret it. (See verse 6)
The man praying or prophesying, having his head (hair inclusive) covered, dishonours his head – CHRIST. The Woman that prays or prophesies with her head (hair inclusive) uncovered dishonours her head – THE HUSBAND
Having said that; back in the era of the first century church, across Jewish, Greek and Roman cultures, the head-covering was a symbol of sexual purity. And for a married woman, it was a symbol of her loyalty to her husband, of her acceptance of his leadership in the relationship. It would be like the wedding bands that a man and a woman wear today. So, for a Christian woman in the church to appear in public without that covering, let alone to pray or to share the Word in worship, was both culturally offensive and from Paul’s perspective, confusing to nonbelievers who were trying to understand what this new community of faith stood for in terms of values and relationships. Paul’s point is this: In the culture of Corinth, it was not proper for a woman to act as a spokesman for people with God by praying publicly with her head uncovered. To do so would be tantamount to claiming the position of a man in God’s order. The apostle did not think it wise for Christian women to exercise their liberty in a way that would go against socially accepted behaviour even though they were personally submissive.
Please note that the manner of doing a thing affects the morality of it. We must not only be concerned to do good, but that the good we do be well done. (Rom.14:6)

COVER OR SHAVE – (Verses 6-7)
“6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. 7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.”
Paul offers two options; cover your head or shave it! But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, (for her hair is her ornament and glory! Verse 15) she should cover her head.

BECAUSE OF THE ANGELS – (Verses 8-12)
“8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. 9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. 10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. 12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.”

Paul first addresses the possibility of the claim for “equal rights” in verses 8 & 9. Simply put, Adam was not created for Eve, but Eve was created for Adam – and this principle applies to every “Adam” and every “Eve” through history. Genesis 2:18 declares God’s intention in creating Eve: I will make him a helper comparable to him. Eve was created to be a helper to Adam, meaning that Adam was “head” over Eve, and she was called to share and help his vision and agenda. Genesis 2:22 says, He brought her to the man. Adam was not brought to Eve, but Eve was brought to Adam – her head. It is an idea offensive to the spirit of our age, but the Bible in this passage clearly teaches that (in the church and in the home) man was not made for the benefit of woman, but woman for the benefit of man.
In verse 10, Paul mentions that the woman “ought to have power on her head, because of the angels.” Power, that is, a veil, the token, not of her having the power or superiority, but being under the power of her husband, subjected to him. Rebekah, when she met Isaac, and was delivering herself into his possession, put on her veil, in token of her subjection, (Gen. 24:65).
The angels, though invisible, are fellow-worshippers with men in the Christian assemblies, and would therefore “see this indecency,” and liable to be offended by it. Also, the Jews believed that that good angels, being under the possibility of falling from the same cause as their evil brethren (Gen 6:4), fly away at once from the presence of unveiled women. So as not to offend the Angels, women ought to (must, should, have to) cover their heads.

COMMON SENSE? – (Verses 13-16)
“13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely (proper, right) that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature (common sense) itself teach you, that, if a man has long hair, it is a shame unto him? 15 But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. 16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.” Emphasis mine

Sentiments aside; Paul urges us (you and I who would one day judge Angels) to judge in ourselves. The Message version renders these verses thus: “Don’t you agree there is something naturally powerful in the symbolism—a woman, her beautiful hair reminiscent of angels, praying in adoration; a man, his head bared in reverence, praying in submission? I hope you’re not going to be argumentative about this. All God’s churches see it this way; I don’t want you standing out as an exception.”
It’s the same agelong argument! Paul knew this command would naturally be greeted with arguments as we have these days; so he appeals to our common sense, our good conscience not our “dogged” convictions! 

CONCLUSION
Paul’s instruction to women about covering their heads is to demonstrate to the angels and celestial powers their submission to God’s appointed authority. Paul does not present head coverings as a matter of his opinion, but as an apostolic tradition. He does not describe this as a matter of Christian liberty, or as a personal conviction, but as a matter of obedience. (“Let her cover her head” in verse 6 is authoritative, buttressed by the “ought” of verse 10.) Paul mentions no other alternative symbol nor does he imply there may be some other way to symbolize submission to male headship. He also speaks of the head covering of women as the consistent practice of every church and not just that of the Corinthian church. He teaches us that in a marriage relationship, there is authority from Christ to husband, and from husband to wife. The authority of Christ is the authority of God. Any man who speaks with God or about God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of Christ, dishonours Christ. In the same way, a wife who speaks with God in a way that shows a lack of respect for the authority of her husband, dishonours her husband. Worse, she dishonours herself—an ugly sight, like a woman with her head shaved. This is basically the origin of these customs we have of women wearing head coverings in worship, while men take their hats off. By these symbolic acts, men and women, who far too often butt heads with each other, submit their “heads” to the Head: God.