Daily Reading Week 4
Sunday
1 Corinthians 10:1-13
DISCOVER:
Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians about pagan worship meals reveal that their actions were not only sinful because they led others to idolatry but also because participating in pagan temples itself was idolatry. After all, Paul couldn’t compare the idolatrous Israelites to the Corinthians unless there was a direct link between eating in pagan temples and worshipping false gods (1 Corinthians 10:1–11).
Remember that one of the main problems with the Corinthians’ eating in pagan temples was their belief that it showed off their spiritual strength. They knew that other gods didn’t exist and that eating was just a natural act, so they thought they couldn’t possibly be guilty of idolatry if they ate with pagan worshipers in pagan temples (chapter 8). But Paul reminds us in today’s passage that such confidence in their own strength was wrong. When Paul says that those who think they’re strong should be careful, he’s basically saying: “Don’t think that your strength will protect you from idolatry if you keep eating in pagan temples. The Israelites thought they were safe when they mixed with paganism, but they ended up falling away from God.”
God exalts everyone, but He also justifies them (Romans 8:29–30). We still have a role to play in keeping our faith. We shouldn’t be too sure we can’t commit serious or unforgivable sins, but we should be careful not to fall. Christ will finish the good work of saving everyone He regenerates (Philippians 1:6), but He does this through us. We can work out our salvation through fear and trembling, continuing to trust in Jesus and repenting of our sins until we die (2:12–13). There’s no way God can’t save everyone with a genuine faith, and the people who have been genuinely converted should still be careful about their hearts. Charles Hodge said it well: “God has promised to save those He has promised to watch over.”
We shouldn’t worry that the Lord won’t give us the strength to resist temptation. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, God will always give His people a way to escape temptation.
RESPOND:
1. How do you relate to the Israelites' experience of being close to God yet still falling into sin?
2. What are some temptations you face regularly, and how can you seek God's help to overcome them?
3. How can you ensure that your faith is not just about being part of a group but a personal relationship with God?
Monday
Hebrews 3:7-19
DISCOVER:
The author of Hebrews starts by warning his readers that they’re at risk of turning away from God, just like the first generation that left Egypt. But he doesn’t leave them hanging. He gives them some practical advice on how to stay on the right path.
One of the things he says is that we need to be in a community of believers who encourage each other. John Calvin wrote, “We’re naturally inclined to do bad things, so we need all the help we can get to stay on the right track.” Hebrews 3:13 says that one way to get that help is to be part of a group of believers who cheer each other on.
The author tells his readers to “encourage one another every day.” That means we should be there for each other, supporting each other, and helping each other grow in our faith. We should also be encouraging other believers to do the same. When we do this, we make sure that we’re not falling for false teachings, and we keep our faith strong. Our faith is always under attack by the devil. He tries to trick us into doing things that go against God’s will. So, we need to be careful and keep our faith strong. We need to be encouraged by other believers, and we need to encourage them in return.
The author of Hebrews also says that this encouragement needs to keep going as long as we’re still called “today.” This means that we need to keep encouraging each other until the end of time. Because if we don’t, we’ll fall for the devil’s tricks and lose our faith.
Just like the Israelites, the first readers of the Hebrews had a limited time to repent. We can only repent and encourage each other while we’re still here. It could be eighty years, or it could be shorter. We don’t know when our time is up. So, let’s make the most of it and encourage each other to salvation today, before it’s too late!
RESPOND:
1. In what ways can you encourage others in your faith community to remain steadfast in their faith?
2. How do you guard your heart against becoming hardened by sin?
3. What steps can you take to ensure that you are listening to God's voice daily?
James 1:12-18
DISCOVER:
Todays passage explores the concept of divine goodness. God’s goodness is a common theme in Scripture, but it’s often misunderstood. So, let’s remember that divine goodness, like other attributes, can’t be understood on its own. God never acts in a way that would contradict another of His attributes.
As a divine attribute, goodness describes God’s basic nature. It means that God is not evil, doesn’t love sin, and can’t even be tempted by evil (v. 13). In a way, it’s like some of what we call divine holiness, which means God is separate from everything else and has a moral character. Divine goodness is also closely linked to divine justice. Goodness hates evil, so punishing evil is part of what it means for God to be good and just (Ex. 34:6–7). The Lord says human judges shouldn’t twist justice (23:2, 6), and that’s not surprising because all His ways are just (Deut. 32:4). So, divine wrath in the service of divine justice is one way God shows His goodness to His creation.
Our Creator also shows goodness in other ways. First, God’s kindness to His creation is a sign of His goodness. God’s kindness includes things like giving rain to both the righteous and the wicked (Matt. 5:45). God has a special love for believers, and by this love, He works out everything for the good of His people (John 1:12–13; Rom. 8:28). But God’s kindness to all people is not the same as His love that leads to salvation.
God’s love for His people is a special kind of love. It’s a holy love, which means that our sins are punished, but they’re punished in Christ, who is the one who makes up for our sins (Romans 3:21–26). When God saves us, He doesn’t ignore His love for what’s good and His hatred for what’s evil. Instead, He judges us in Christ so that He can save us without breaking His justice. In His holy love, God also disciplines us for our good and His glory (Hebrews 12:5–11).
Finally, God’s mercy comes from His goodness. The Lord would still be good even if He never showed mercy, because mercy isn’t required (Romans 9:14–24). But in His mercy to us, we see that He has decided to be especially good to His people.
RESPOND:
1. How do you differentiate between trials that test your faith and temptations that lead you away from God?
2. What are some ways you can remind yourself of God's goodness during times of temptation?
3. How can you cultivate a heart that desires God's will over your own desires?
Tuesday
Wednesday
Galatians 5:16-26
DISCOVER:
In the New Testament, the apostles often talk about the struggle between our physical selves and our spiritual selves. They want us to live by the Spirit, not by our old, sinful nature.
The Bible often uses the word “flesh” to mean our sinful nature, the part of us that’s still against God. Unlike some ancient Greek philosophers, Christianity doesn’t believe that matter is inherently evil. It’s just fallen, but the Bible teaches that the physical world is still good. In fact, it’s so important that God is using it to save all things. A new heaven and earth are coming, a place that’s just as real as the spiritual world (Isaiah 65:17–25).
So, the war between flesh and spirit in Scripture isn’t a battle between our bodies and our souls. It’s a battle within ourselves—a battle between our desires and our new life from the Spirit. We have new life from the Spirit, but our old sinful nature hates it (John 3:1–8; Romans 7:7–25; Ephesians 4:17–24). But if we trust in Christ alone, we’re free from being slaves to sin and can live according to His commands. Our sinful nature is still there until we’re glorified, and it tries to stop the Holy Spirit from working in us (Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 1:8–9).
Until we’re glorified, we need to put our sinful nature to death so we can live in harmony with the Spirit. We can do this by putting on God’s armor against our sinful nature (Colossians 3:5). And when we defeat our sinful nature, we defeat the Devil, who tries to tempt us to sin.
RESPOND:
1. Which fruit of the Spirit do you find most challenging to cultivate in your life?
2. How can you actively choose to walk by the Spirit in your daily decisions?
3. What are some practical steps you can take to avoid the works of the flesh?
Thursday
Romans 6:1-14
DISCOVER:
Legalism and antinomianism are two pitfalls we can fall into when trying to please God. Legalism is the idea that we should follow the law to be good, while antinomianism is the idea that we don’t need to follow the law because we’re saved by grace.
Jesus redeemed us from the curse and penalty of the law of God, and our relationship with the Father is now defined by our union with Christ. But that doesn’t mean we can ignore His moral commands. Our God is a commandment-giving God, and both the Old and New Testaments are filled with regulations that reflect eternal moral and ethical principles.
Jesus said that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments (John 14:16). And Paul’s teaching on grace in Romans 6:14 can’t mean that God’s law has become negotiable. In verses 1–2, he tells us that we miss the point of grace entirely if we think it means we can sin with impunity.
There are different forms of legalism and antinomianism. One form is a crass libertinism that thinks grace gives us a free pass to do anything we want. First Peter 2:16 forbids this, telling us not to exploit our freedom in Christ to cover up sin.
Some Christians might act in ways that go against what God has said, but there’s a more common form of this called gnostic spiritualism. This belief says that there’s a secret knowledge or guidance from the Spirit that can override what God has written down. For example, people sometimes say that the Spirit led them to cheat on their spouse, but that’s not true. God the Holy Spirit doesn’t confuse or contradict people (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
Among all the forms of antinomianism, we’re particularly likely to find ways to justify our actions by claiming there aren’t any clear rules against them in the Bible. But let’s be honest, our actions and intentions are often clearly sinful. So, let’s make sure we read the Bible carefully and don’t try to find loopholes to avoid its demands.
RESPOND:
1. How does understanding your identity in Christ change your perspective on sin?
2. What are some areas in your life where you need to experience freedom from sin's dominion?
3. How can you offer yourself as an instrument of righteousness in your daily life?
Friday
Ephesians 6:10-18
DISCOVER:
Using the analogy of armor, Paul makes clear that we can’t beat the Devil on our own. We need the belt of truth to keep false teachings from cutting us off. Christ’s righteousness gives us complete protection from being judged or accused. The breastplate of a righteous character protects us from the powerful blows of sin that try to destroy our hearts. The shoes of the gospel of peace give us a solid foundation and make us ready to fight. Faith acts like a shield that drives us to seek shelter in God against the tempting arrows of temptation. Salvation is our helmet, protecting our minds so we can stay focused on the kingdom. God’s Word is our mighty sword, the weapon that defeats Satan and keeps us on the narrow path of righteousness. (Ephesians 6:10–17)
The Bible says that we need to pray constantly in the Spirit to be successful in spiritual warfare. (Ephesians 6:18) This means that we should pray all the time, not just when things are going well. It means that we should take every chance we get to acknowledge our weaknesses and ask for God’s help.
So, let’s make sure we’re always praying, no matter what. Let’s pray for strength, wisdom, and guidance. Let’s pray for the people we love and for the world around us. Let’s pray that God will help us to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.
RESPOND:
1. Which piece of the armor of God do you feel you need to strengthen in your life?
2. How can you incorporate prayer into your daily routine to prepare for spiritual battles?
3. What does it mean for you to stand firm in your faith amidst challenges?
Saturday
Proverbs 4:20-27
DISCOVER:
In our busy lives, it’s easy to forget about the quiet moments of reflection and spiritual nourishment. Proverbs 4:20-27 reminds us of how important wisdom is and how important it is to keep our hearts open.
The passage starts by telling us to pay attention and listen to God’s teachings. It’s like a call to action to soak up His wisdom and let His words live inside us. These words aren’t just advice; they’re like medicine for our souls. In a world full of information, let’s make sure we listen to His words and let them guide us.
Our hearts are like wellsprings of life, and everything we do and think comes from them. So, it’s important to take care of our hearts and make sure we’re not letting in anything that’s not good for us. Whether it’s the people we hang out with, the things we watch, or the thoughts we think, all of it can either make us stronger or weaker. Let’s be careful and choose things that will bring us closer to God.
Proverbs 4 encourages us to think carefully about the choices we make. It’s like a call to action to make sure our actions are in line with God’s wisdom. This means taking the time to think about what we want and what God wants, and then making choices that will help us get there. Our words, actions, and focus should all reflect the teachings we hold dear.
Let’s take a moment to think about what’s going on in our lives and how we can make better choices. Let’s pray and ask God for guidance and strength to keep our hearts open and our actions in line with His wisdom.
RESPOND:
1. How can you guard your heart against negative influences in your life?
2. What steps can you take to ensure that your actions align with God's wisdom?
3. How can you make God's teachings a central part of your daily life?