Puzzled about Staying Married to a Non-Believer?

1 Corinthians 7:12-17

January 28, 2024 • Brian Jones • 1 Corinthians 7:12–17

1 Corinthians 7:12-17


12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 


13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 


14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.


15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 


16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?


17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

Puzzled about barriers to the gospel?

May 26, 2024 • Brian Jones • 1 Corinthians 9:19–26

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.  23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Puzzled about paying God's workers?

May 12, 2024 • Brian Jones • 1 Corinthians 9:3–14

1 Corinthians 9: 1-3 1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?  2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 

Puzzled about how we do ministry for free?

May 19, 2024 • Brian Jones • 1 Corinthians 9:15–19

1 Corinthians 9:15-19 15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel. 19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.