Is Paul Contradicting Himself Here?

Take a look at these two verse.  Both things that Paul said and both from the same book and chapter.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14(NKJV)

13Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 

14Let all that you do be done with love.
 

1 Corinthians 16:22(NKJV)

22If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be £accursed. O£ Lord, come!

How can you begin to reconcile the second statement with the first?  It doesn't seem very loving to curse someone just because they have rejected Christ does it?  After all even Jesus said to love your enemies didn't he?
 

Do those sound like some of the questions we get from non-Christians?

Let's think it through.  Who does the Bible say we should love with all of our hearts, minds, and souls?  God and Jesus. 

So if someone rejects God and Jesus who we love so much is it wrong to say that they should suffer some consequences?  Especially since God Himself tells us that is exactly what will happen?  God says that when they reject Jesus they have declared themselves an enemy of God and they will feel God's wrath on judgement day. 

So that takes us to love your enemies.  Jesus says love your enemies.  Therefore I think it is safe to presume that Jesus will do the same.  Love His enemies.  But does that mean that Jesus didn't fight back against His enemies?  Does that mean that Jesus just meekly accepted his enemies views? 

Not in the Bible I read it doesn't.  Since Jesus tells us to love our enemies I think it is fair to look to Him for the examples of what that means. 

When I look at Jesus as He interacts with His enemies I see a guy getting angry and overturning the money tables.  How is that loving?  I see a guy that refuses to play silly word games with people who are not sincerely seeking but are just trying to play gotcha.  How is that loving?

I'll tell you how.  It is loving from the standpoint that He continues to challenge them to see that they are wrong.  It is loving from the standpoint that Jesus will always take them back and forgive them if they will simply seek Him out and ask their forgiveness.

But does loving mean always accepting and never correcting?  Not from what I see.   

"...and it displeased Him That there was no justice."

Justice seems to be a big thing with God.

Isaiah 59:15(NKJV)

15    So truth fails,     And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.      Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him     That there was no justice.

So why do we have so many people including Christians who have thrown justice to the wayside in favor of class warfare? 

Isaiah 59:2-4(NKJV)

2    But your iniquities have separated you from your God;     And your sins have hidden His face from you,     So that He will not hear.

3    For your hands are defiled with blood,     And your fingers with iniquity;     Your lips have spoken lies,     Your tongue has muttered perversity.

4    No one calls for justice,      Nor does any plead for truth.     They trust in empty words and speak lies;     They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.

Instead we hear about things like "social justice".  Just because one person has more than another person some people consider that "unjust".  Social justice is meant to favor the "less fortunate" over the "more fortunate", again under the assumption that just because one person has more than the other, that in and of itself is somehow unjust.

But is that Biblical?  I personally don't think so.  There are many valid reason why one person might have more than another.  The simplest of reasons is that one person may simply work harder than the other person.  Is it unjust that the person who works harder has more?  Not according to God's word!

However is it unjust to favor the poor over the rich just because of the disparity of wealth?  I think there is plenty of Scripture that says so.  The first thing that comes to mind is the 10th Commandment.

10)  You shall not covet.

In addition look at what the Bible says about showing favoritism to the poor.  The Bible specifically cites that as a perversion of justice. 
 

Leviticus 19:15(NKJV)

15‘You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor. 

Some things in the Bible just make me chuckle!

The Bible was written long ago so there are many generational differences in speech patters.  That leads to some things that just sound really funny to the modern ear.  Here is an example.

Isaiah 60:16(NKJV)

16    You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles,     And milk the breast of kings;     You shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior     And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Milk the breast of kings?  How does that work exactly?  :)

You mean they don't all get a trophy?

One of the things I love about my daily walk is that there are always new things to discover and learn.  I try to look for guidance in all areas of my life when I read Scripture. 

I wrote the other day "Run the Race Baby!" which was about what I view as society's false belief  that competition is bad and all should get trophies because "at least they tried".   

Today I found another verse that I think backs up my belief that competition is good and not all should get trophies or honors.  Check this out and see if you agree. 

1 Corinthians 12:25-26(NKJV)

25that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 

26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Notice that it doesn't say "if one member is honored" all should be honored.  It says "if one member is honored" the others should be happy for that person.

Big difference in my opinion!

"...that you were enriched in everything by Him…"

Notice that it doesn't say you were enriched in some things by Him (Jesus).  It says you were enriched in everything by Jesus!

1 Corinthians 1:4-9(NKJV)

4I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 

5that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 

6even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 

7so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

8who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

9God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

"...do all to the glory of God."

 

1 Corinthians 10:31(NKJV)

31Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

I can't think of a better piece of advice.  Can you?

Run the race baby!!!

This has always been a foundational verse for me. 

1 Corinthians 9:24(NKJV)

24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 

I think it is a great answer to those in society today who think that competition is bad and that we should reward all of our kids with trophies and ribbons just for competing.  That we should keep score when the kids are playing soccer, basketball, etc. 

Seems to me that Scripture takes a different view. 

In addition I just think it is a great life verse in the general sense of it telling us to do our very best at everything that we do.  In other words be a winner in life!