“…whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come– all are yours.”
The believer can profit from any dimension in life.
whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
The believer can profit from sound Christian leaders, but there is no need to claim that these leaders are superior to one another – “I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, I am of Peter.” All these leaders belong to us because we belong to Christ.
or the world or life or death,
If God is God, then the believer has a place in God’s scheme of things. The believer in Christ conquered even death.
or things present or things to come
Everything we experience in this life or the life to come is in God’s scheme for us.
– all are yours.
A Christian needs a total perspective on his possessions. If a believer has this perspective on things, why should he concern himself with rivalry with others?
PRINCIPLE:
We need to have a right perspective on our possessions.
APPLICATION:
If we have God’s perspective on things, there is no need for rivalry among fellow believers. We will not allow personal preference to become prejudice. Blind exclusivism will pit leaders against leaders. It is difficult to follow good teachers if we put our eyes on personalities.
In reading First Corinthians 3:22, I’ve heard other commentators say that “the universe is in Satan’s grip………..”
I have a hard time believing that. First, I’m not sure if Paul means this cretion of mountains, rivers and lakes and the beautiful universe, or does he man the “world’ system” that is to say, the political systems of dictators, corrupt corporations………
I just can’t undertand why Creator would alow Satan to be under his grp.
John, I agree with you. There is a belief out there that asserts a duality in the universe as if there is an evil force equal to God who may win the battle for mankind. This belief violates the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. It is true that Satan runs the world-system (Ep 2:2) but that world-system is a dimension of or an aspect of the universe, not the entire universe. The Christians in “times past” were under Satan’s rule.
I’ve always had a hard time believing that this earth and all its beauty is controlled by Satan. Yes, I read that all of nature groans as in travail.
The systems of this world, politics and “social” systems are or may be under Satan’s influence. I believe that any country, nation of People who are focused on death and not life is evil. Consider rhe missions of babies killed, the genocide of First Natinos in our land, the millions slaughered by Stalin and Hitle, Idi Amin and on the list goes. These are under the control of Satan. Not our microscopic world or the universe .. all work together as systems.