The following are some of Christ's obvious commands that I see most disregarded in churches in the U.S. (in order of appearance in I Corinthians). Too many well-meaning Christians don't understand that God made no mistake leaving them in the Bible for us "upon whom the ends of the worlds are come" (I Cor. 10:11). He's never said "Oops. I didn't think about that!". You can be sure that God had His holy men write other non-canonical epistles ( I Cor. 5:9, Eph. 3:3, Col. 4:16) for culture-bound issues to churches back then.

^* Don't misunderstand WHERE on the headcoverings. The "In the church" setting doesn't start until eleven verses later ( I Cor. 11:17).

      I was just speaking with someone who just can't shake the belief that we need to be selective about applying teachings in I Corinthians to us. But until God tells us in His word how we can accurately sort out the culture-bound teachings from the rest of it, we shouldn't be sorting at all. Either we take the entire book of I Corinthians, or none of it. This approach is consistent with all other Scriptural teachings, and there should be no doubt in any Bible-believer's mind that God wouldn't leave us having to believe any unwritten final authority otherwise.

      My challenge to those who say we need to be selective: give the chapter and verse that authorizes us to sort out any of it! Without chapter and verse of a sorting method, how would we know which method is inspired by God Himself? I don't care how good it sounds to itching ears. To those who would say that we need to consider who an epistle is addressed to before thinking it could be for everyone, keep in mind that Colossians begins "...to the saints...which are at Colosse..." (Col. 1:2), yet closes by telling the Colossians to have the Laodiceans read that epistle ( Col. 4:16).

      Thank you for reading this far. Now let me challenge you to consider what exactly was the first sin in the Garden of Eden.God said "...thou shalt not eat...for..." (Genesis 2:17).  I draw your attention to the word "for". The serpent (possessed by Satan) beguiled Eve about God's "for" by offering to her his own twisted "for" (Genesis 3:5). Now picture this scene, if you will:

      Friend, this is exactly the sin that most Christians are committing when they reject God's teachings about women speaking in churches...they are claiming to have found a substitute "for". Even though it may appear truthful to us, if we use it to disregard God's commands, we are leaning on our own understanding. Let us reject Satan's and man's substitute "for"s and hold fast to God's, even though we might take offense at His. So, even if we do invent a different "for" that isn't necessarily a lie, that doesn't give us the standing to disobey His clear commands!  II Cor. 11:3, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

      I find no Scriptural evidence that God should want to display any less powerful signs, wonders and works through His people today than He ever has. Our own unbelief will limit Him, however, so if we aren't seeing God's miracles here in the USA, it's our own fault. So many Christians think it is more honorable not to seek the miraculous from God. You know what? I'm not disagreeing with them. I simply don't want to limit God through unbelief. Let's let Him perform the miracles and let Him withhold, believing Him and giving Him glory either way. Just remember that God tells us so often that people gave Him glory when He let them see signs, wonders, and miracles.

      I'd rather be in the position of God asking me "Why did you believe what I said when I didn't really mean it" than "Why did you believe the preachers of your day instead of my word". I'll be able to answer the first question confidently "I believed your word." Any answer to the second question, on the other hand, would be inconsistent with Romans 3:4, "...let God be true, but every man a liar...".

And...

     Why is it so many preachers love to say the Bible was counter-cultural when it was written, but Americans can disregard anything counter-cultural now? I challenge them for chapter and verse to support that rhetoric. God doesn't have much to say about our culture that is complimentary. (Luke 18:8b)

      What do I think of Bible commentaries? The Apostle Paul would have been an excellent Bible commentary author, right? Yet God brags about the Bereans for making sure for themselves that Paul's teachings lined up with Scriptures as written many years prior. We need to reject teachings that aren't consistent with God's written word, even though His word was written to people that lived 2000 years ago! Obsolete words are dead. God's word is living...all of it.

Psalm 101

Want to be a person after God's own heart?

Deuteronomy 13:5,10

Anyone or anything trying to turn us away from God should be put out of our lives! Applies to TV entertainers, also. (No, we don't go out and actually kill them! God tells us to obey the law of the land!)

Psalm 119:136,158

Are you entertained by television?

Isaiah 33:15

A wonderful promise if you avoid being entertained by evil on TV