1 Corinthians 1 - GNTD & GNA

Addictions come in many shapes and forms, whether it’s lust, alcohol, substances, gambling, gaming, or even excessive use of your mobile phone and social media. There is professional help to get as well as counselling from your priest or pastor.

Also, read the Bible and lay your addiction before God in prayer. Here are some passages from the Word of God to reflect upon.

James 1:14-15 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

We all have weaknesses within us that can make us fall and lead to an addiction. Acknowledging this, and admitting that you struggle with addiction is an important step to be free from it.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Addictions don’t come from God, but from the world and our desires, lusts and pride. We can rely on God wanting us to be free from any addiction.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

You may feel that you can’t break your addiction. But the Bible tells us that God can. God will provide the way of escape. Turn to God, turn from your addiction. Let God fill you with his presence.

1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.

Addiction is many times when something takes control over you. Those things that are not helpful in your life and dominate your thoughts and desires you may need to cut out of your life.

1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

Addictions come from this world and not from God. In the end, addictions replace God as the number one in our lives. It’s not just about addictions, but also about our souls.

Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Lay your struggles before God. Ask for God’s protection and deliverance.

John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

This is the promise of Jesus Christ, that when he sets us free, it is real freedom.

This article is not intended as a replacement for medical or therapeutic help or treatment for addiction, but a complement and inspiration to those who battle addiction.

1 From Paul, who was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes—

2 To the church of God which is in Corinth, to all who are called to be God's holy people, who belong to him in union with Christ Jesus, together with all people everywhere who worship our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Blessings in Christ

4 I always give thanks to my God for you because of the grace he has given you through Christ Jesus. 5 For in union with Christ you have become rich in all things, including all speech and all knowledge. 6 The message about Christ has become so firmly established in you 7 that you have not failed to receive a single blessing, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be faultless on the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is to be trusted, the God who called you to have fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Divisions in the Church

10 By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ I appeal to all of you, my friends, to agree in what you say, so that there will be no divisions among you. Be completely united, with only one thought and one purpose. 11 For some people from Chloe's family have told me quite plainly, my friends, that there are quarrels among you. 12 Let me put it this way: each one of you says something different. One says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Peter”; and another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Christ has been divided into groups! Was it Paul who died on the cross for you? Were you baptized as Paul's disciples?

14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius. 15 No one can say, then, that you were baptized as my disciples. ( 16 Oh yes, I also baptized Stephanas and his family; but I can't remember whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 Christ did not send me to baptize. He sent me to tell the Good News, and to tell it without using the language of human wisdom, in order to make sure that Christ's death on the cross is not robbed of its power.

Christ the Power and the Wisdom of God

18 For the message about Christ's death on the cross is nonsense to those who are being lost; but for us who are being saved it is God's power. 19 The scripture says,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise

and set aside the understanding of the scholars.”

20 So then, where does that leave the wise? or the scholars? or the skillful debaters of this world? God has shown that this world's wisdom is foolishness!

21 For God in his wisdom made it impossible for people to know him by means of their own wisdom. Instead, by means of the so-called “foolish” message we preach, God decided to save those who believe. 22 Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom. 23 As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles; 24 but for those whom God has called, both Jews and Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For what seems to be God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and what seems to be God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

26 Now remember what you were, my friends, when God called you. From the human point of view few of you were wise or powerful or of high social standing. 27 God purposely chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise, and he chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful. 28 He chose what the world looks down on and despises and thinks is nothing, in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. 29 This means that no one can boast in God's presence. 30 But God has brought you into union with Christ Jesus, and God has made Christ to be our wisdom. By him we are put right with God; we become God's holy people and are set free. 31 So then, as the scripture says, “Whoever wants to boast must boast of what the Lord has done.”

سلام وصلاة شكر

1 مِنْ بولُسَ الذي شاءَ اللهُ أنْ يَدعُوَهُ ليكونَ رَسولَ المَسيحِ يَسوعَ، ومِنَ الأخِ سُوسْتانيسَ، 2 إلى كَنيسةِ اللهِ في كُورِنثوسَ، إلى الذينَ قَدَّسَهُمُ اللهُ في المَسيحِ يَسوعَ ودَعاهُم ليكونوا قِدِّيسينَ معَ جميعِ الذينَ يَدْعُونَ في كُلِّ مكانٍ باَسمِ ربِّنا يَسوعَ المَسيحِ، رَبِّهِم ورَبِّنا.

3 علَيكُمُ النِّعمةُ والسَّلامُ مِنَ اللهِ أبينا ومِنَ الرَّبِّ يَسوعَ المَسيحِ.

4 أشكُرُ إلهي لأجلِكُم دومًا على النِّعمَةِ التي وهَبَها لكم في المَسيحِ يَسوعَ، 5 فَصِرتُم بِه أغنياءَ في كُلّ شيءٍ، في أساليبِ الكلامِ وأنواعِ المَعرِفَةِ. 6 على قَدْرِ ما رسَخَتْ فيكُم شَهادةُ المَسيحِ، 7 حتى إنّهُ لا تُعوزُكُم موهِبَةٌ مِنَ المَواهبِ، وأنتُم تَنتَظِرونَ ظُهورَ رَبّنا يَسوعَ المَسيحِ، 8 وهوَ الذي يَحفَظُكم ثابِتينَ إلى النّهايَةِ حتى لا يكونَ علَيكُم لومٌ في يومِ رَبّنا يَسوعَ المَسيحِ. 9 أمينٌ هوَ اللهُ الذي دَعاكُم إلى شَرِكةِ اَبنِهِ يَسوعَ المَسيحِ رَبّنا.

خلاف بـين المؤمنين

10 أناشِدُكُم أيّها الإخوةُ، باَسمِ ربّنا يَسوعَ المَسيحِ، أنْ تكونوا جميعًا مُتّفِقينَ في الرَأيِ وأنْ لا يكونَ بَينَكُم خِلافٌ، بَلْ كونوا على وِفاقٍ تامٍ، لكُم رُوحٌ واحدٌ وفِكرٌ واحدٌ. 11 فأهلُ بَيتِ خُلُوَةَ أخبَروني أيّها الإخوةُ أنّ بَينَكُم خِلافًا، 12 أعني أنّ كُلّ واحدٍ مِنكُم يَقولُ «أنا معَ بولسَ» و «أنا معَ أبُلّوسَ» و «أنا معَ بُطرُسَ» و «أنا معَ المَسيحِ». 13 فهَلِ المَسيحُ اَنقَسَمَ؟ هَلْ بولُسُ هوَ الذي صُلِبَ مِنْ أجلِكُم؟ أو باَسمِ بولُسَ تَعَمّدتُم؟

14 أشكُرُ اللهَ على أنّي ما عَمّدتُ أحدًا مِنكُم غيرَ كِريسبُسَ وغايُسَ، 15 فلا يَقدِرُ أحَدٌ أنْ يقولَ إنّكُم باَسمي تَعمّدتُم. 16 نعم، عَمّدتُ أيضًا عائِلَةَ اَستفاناسَ. وما عَدا هَؤُلاءِ، فلا أذكُرُ أنّي عَمّدتُ أحدًا. 17 فالمَسيحُ أرسَلَني لا لأُعَمّدَ، بَلْ لأُعلِنَ البِشارَةَ غَيرَ مُتّكِلْ على حكِمَةِ الكلامِ لِئَلاّ يَفقُدَ موتُ المَسيحِ على الصّليبِ قـوّتَهُ.

المسيح قدرة الله وحكمته

18 فالبِشارةُ بالصّليبِ «حماقَةٌ» عِندَ الذينَ يَسلُكونَ طريقَ الهلاكِ. وأمّا عِندَنا نَحنُ الذينَ يَسلُكونَ طريقَ الخلاصِ، فهوَ قُدرَةُ اللهِ. 19 فالكِتابُ يقولُ: «سأمحو حِكْمَةَ الحُكَماءِ، وأُزيلُ ذَكاءَ الأذكياءِ». 20 فأينَ الحكيمُ؟ وأينَ العَلاّمةُ؟ وأينَ المُجادِلُ في هذا الزّمانِ؟ أما جعَلَ اللهُ حِكمَةَ العالَمِ حماقةً؟

21 فلَمّا كانَت حِكمَةُ اللهِ أنْ لا يَعرِفَهُ العالَمُ بالحِكمَةِ، شاءَ اللهُ أنْ يُخلّصَ المُؤمنينَ بِه «بِحماقَةِ» البِشارَة. 22 وإذا كانَ اليَهودُ يَطلُبونَ المُعجزاتِ، واليونانِـيّونَ يَبحَثونَ عَنِ الحِكمَةِ، 23 فنَحنُ نُنادي بِالمسيحِ مَصلُوبًا، وهذا عَقبَةٌ لليَهودِ وحماقَةٌ في نظَرِ الوثنيّـينَ. 24 وأمّا لِلذينَ دَعاهُمُ اللهُ مِنَ اليَهودِ واليونانيّينَ، فالمَسيحُ هوَ قُدرَةُ اللهِ وحِكمَةُ اللهِ. 25 فما يَبدو أنّهُ حماقَةٌ مِنَ اللهِ هوَ أحكمُ مِنْ حِكمَةِ النّاسِ، وما يَبدو أنّهُ ضُعفٌ مِنَ اللهِ هوَ أقوَى مِنْ قُـوّةِ النّاسِ.

26 تذَكّروا أيّها الإخوةُ كيفَ كُنتُم حينَ دَعاكُمُ اللهُ، فما كانَ فيكُم كثيرٌ مِنَ الحُكماءِ بِحكمَةِ البشَرِ ولا مِنَ الأقوِياءِ أو الوُجَهاءِ. 27 إلاّ أنّ اللهَ اَختارَ ما يَعتَبِرُهُ العالَمُ حماقَةً ليُخزِيَ الحكماءَ، وما يعتبرُهُ العالمُ ضُعفًا ليُخزِيَ الأقوِياءَ. 28 واَختارَ اللهُ ما يَحتَقِرُهُ العالَمُ ويَزدَريهِ ويَظُنّهُ لا شيءَ، لِـيُـزيلَ ما يَظُنّهُ العالَمُ شيئًا، 29 حتى لا يَفتَخِرَ بشَرٌ أمامَ اللهِ. 30 وأمّا أنتُم، فَبِفَضلِه صِرتُم في المَسيحِ يَسوعَ الذي هوَ لَنا مِنَ اللهِ حِكمَةً وبِرّا وقَداسَةً وفِداءً، 31 كما جاءَ في الكِتابِ: «مَنْ أرادَ أنْ يَفتَخِرَ، فلْيَفتَخِرْ بالرّبّ».