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Daily Bread - May 11, 2026 (The Second Day - Genesis 1:6-8)
1 Corinthians 3:1-3 – And I could not speak to you, brethren, as unto spiritual ones, but as those merely human, even as babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, and not meat, for you were not yet able, but still now you are not able. For you are still merely human. For as long as there is jealousy, strife, and division, are you not merely human and walking like a man?
Unfortunately, there were those in the Church of Corinth who were unwilling to leave the actions of the spirit of disobedience and of the nature of the world behind, and were bringing their evil practices into the community of the Church. The fact is, Paul made it very clear that those who participate in this ungodly behavior of strife and dissension have no inheritance with Christ and in the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:4-7; Romans 1:29-32; Mark 7:22-23). There were those in Corinth who were new born babes in Christ and somehow were not grasping their need to move beyond the influences and behaviors belonging to the spirit of the world. They failed to realize such behavior not only jeopardized their soul, but also was such an offence to the community of the Church that Paul commanded such a one not be associated with at all (1 Corinthians 5:11; Ephesians 5:4-7).
One of the important things to realize is that many Greek words are loaded with meaning beyond what a single English word kind provide. Therefore, in an attempt to grasp the behavior that Paul is addressing we have used all the English words that these biblical Greek words represent. If one makes a short list of these community offences contrary to the nature of Christ and a reproach to the community of the Church, we would count up about fifty-two of them: 1- gossip; 2 – whispering; 3 – evil speaking; 4 – malice; 5 – ill will; 6 – hatefulness; 7 – deceit; 8 – guile; 9 – distorting the truth/fraud/ 10 – envy; 11 – insincerity; 12- insolent; 13 – haughty; 14 – boastful (alazon)- boaster/show-off/; 15 – conceit/ conceited; 16 – bitterness; 17 – rage/ boiling/ hot tempered; 18 – anger; 19 – wrangling; 20 – filthy talk; 21 – morbid craving for controversy; 22 – disputes; 23 – quarreling; 24 – dissension; 24 – discord; 26 – debate; 27 – disunity; 28 – division; 29 – suspicion; 30 – conceited; 31- enmities; 32 – conflict; 33 – hatred; 34 – animosity; 35 – feuds; 36 – hostilities; 37 -antagonism; 38 – strife; 39 – debate; 40- rivalries; 41 – contention; 42 – conflict; 43 – arguments; 44 – insults; 45 – jealousy; 46 – factions; 47 – sect; 48 – party; 49 – opinions; 50 – selfishness; 51 – contentiousness; 52 – slander.
Someone may say, “How can I possibly keep up with all of these offenses?” The answer is simply, “Walk in love, even as Christ Jesus has loved, us let us also love one another.” (Ephesians 5:1-2; 1 John 3:11, 4:7-11; John 13:35, 15:12)
Blessings,
Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
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