How much better is it to get wisdom than gold!
and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! Proverbs 16:16
WISDOMABOVEGOLD.COM
It's time you knew what's really going on.
The advice Paul was giving to the Corinthians seems to be rather un-Christian, don't you think? However, it actually expresses a deeply Christian value when properly understood. Please continue to read through the following scriptures carefully. When you are finished, come back & reread what Paul wrote. I think you'll find that the insight gained will have come at the expense of time well spent.
Christ's prayer for his disciples just prior to his arrest
in the Garden of Gethsemane:
That they (his chosen) all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, & I in thee,
that they also may be one in us:
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
And the glory gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one:
I in them, & thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;
& that the world may know that thou hast sent me,
& hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
John 17:21-23
Luke's record of the early Christians:
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul,
and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own,
but they had everything in common.
And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great grace was upon them all.
There was not a needy person among them,
for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold
and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Acts 4:32-37
Christ's admonishment:
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father;
take your inheritance,
the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me,
I was sick and you looked after me,
I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Then the righteous will answer him,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you something to drink?
When did we see you a stranger and invite you in,
or needing clothes and clothed you?
When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you,
whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you who are cursed,
into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not invite me in,
I needed clothes and you did not clothe me,
I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger
or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you,
whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
Then they will go away to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life.
Matthew 25:31-46
Paul's letter to the Corinthians:
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but ONE receiveth the prize?
So run, that ye may obtain.
1 Corinthians 9:24