Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Today's Passage

1 Corinthians 3:18-23

Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness"; and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future-all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

The reason for disputes among people is primarily because we think we are smarter than the other person. As such Paul said, if any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. We need to learn humility before God, and definitely not boast about ourselves. We do not follow people, but we follow Jesus Christ. As such, let us rely solely on Him and look to Him. In fact, as the body of Christ, we really need to understand one thing, which is not to cause strife within the body. Strife causes problems or sicknesses in the body. This is a health principle that we all understand. However, we find it difficult to apply this principle in the Church. As a result, the church is divided as we compare ourselves with others and compete with others. Pray for God to help us, to learn to accept one other.

The truth is we have all things in Christ. Everything is ours. What is there to fight about? Whether it is death or the present or the future, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, everything is perfect in Christ, and in Christ we have all things. When we are in the body of Christ and one member gets the glory, we should rejoice with that person because we belong to the same body. When someone else gets the glory, we enjoy the glory along with that person since we are part of the same body. When one member of the body suffers, we suffer with the person, showing that we belong to the same body.

If you see rebuke another church which you are not part of, you are saying that you do not belong to the same body as them. However, in Christ, there is only one body. Everyone belongs to Jesus, and all things are ours. When we understand this truth, we will no longer criticize or debate or compete with one another. We will focus on lifting up the name of Jesus, because He is the sole foundation of our faith, and He alone deserves all the glory.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, we thank you, because you are the Lord of all things. Only in you, all things are ours. Help us learn, within the church of Christ, to accept and to work collaboratively with one another daily. In this way, the whole body of Christ can manifest its most glorious power, that you may get all the praise. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!