Monday, August 22, 2016

1 Corinthians Chapter 9

1 Corinthians
Above image from https://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-epistles/first-corinthians

In chapter 8, Paul states the principle that exercising love for one's Christian brothers and sisters is more important than exercising the personal freedom that we have in Christ. In chapter 9, he tells how he has done that. He had the right to marry, but chose to forego that right to devote his full time to preaching the Gospel. He had the right to require his congregation to provide for him financially, but chose to forego that right for their benefit. The main focus was that they needed to concentrate, like him, on running the race and winning the prize.

(1) Am I not as free as anyone else? Am I not an apostle? Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes? Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord?

  • Am I not an apostle:
    • Some suggested Paul was not a real apostle because:
      • He had not seen Jesus Christ; and, therefore, could not be an apostle.
      • He did not live like the other apostles, and was unmarried.
      • He had not accepted their financial support but had supported himself as a tent-maker.
    • Acts 1:21-22: “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus - from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”
    • Acts 9:3-6: As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
    • Acts 10:39-41: “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
    • Acts 22:14-16: “Then he told me, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future.
    • 1 Corinthians 15:8: Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.
    • Galatians 2:8: For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.
    • 2 Peter 3:15-16: And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him - speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.

(2) Even if others think I am not an apostle, I certainly am to you. You yourselves are proof that I am the Lord’s apostle.

  • Proof: Paul does not mean to say that their conversion furnished some evidence that he was an apostle; but that it was absolute proof that he was an apostle. As it says in the KJV, they were the seal proving he was an apostle.

(3-5) This is my answer to those who question my authority.  Don’t we have the right to live in your homes and share your meals? Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does?

  • The Lord's brothers:
    • James, Joseph (also called Joses), Judas (or Jude) and Simon (Mark 6:3). They were either sons of Joseph and Mary after Jesus was born or they were Jesus’ cousins. James and the other brothers did not believe in Jesus until after his resurrection. Jesus made a special appearance to James (1 Corinthians 15:7) and he later became a leader in the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-21; 21:18).
  • Peter:
    • The Roman catholic church claims Peter was the first pope. Yet, Peter was married and the popes and priests are not to be married?
    • Matthew 8:14: When Jesus arrived at Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever.

(6) Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves?

  • Work to support ourselves:
    • Paul and Barnabas had voluntarily chosen to work and support themselves, rather than receive offerings for their personal maintenance from those in Corinth (1 Corinthians 4:11-12 and Acts 18:3). Paul also did this with the believers in Thessalonica (1 Thessalonians 2:9 and 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9). However, he did receive personal offerings from the believers in Philippi on more than one occasion (Philippians 4:10-19), and he commended them for their support.
    • Greek philosophers considered those who worked with their hands as inferior - somewhat like many modern-day elitist politicians and preachers.
    • Acts 18:3: Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tent makers just as he was.
    • 1 Corinthians 4:11-12: Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us.
    • Philippians 4:10-19: How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. At the moment I have all I need - and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
    • 1 Thessalonians 2:9: Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you.
    • 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9: For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow.

(7) What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk?

  • Soldier ... Farmer ... Shepherd:
    • A person deserves a reward for his work. He used the examples of a soldier, a farmer and a shepherd They all expected a reward for their work. Paul was Christ’s soldier in the war against Satan. He was like a farmer because he was spreading the gospel like seed. He was like a shepherd because he was looking after God’s people.

(8-9) Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this?

  • Law of Moses says:
    • If God cares about animals, he must care about people as well.
    • Deuteronomy 25:4: “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.
    • 1 Timothy 5:17-18: Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”

(10-11) Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest. Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink?

  • The one who plows:
    • Paul had acted like a farmer because he spread the gospel like seed in Corinth. They had received a spiritual harvest by becoming Christians. So it was normal for Paul and other people to expect to receive things that they needed for physical life.

(12-13) If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ. Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings.

  • Support others:
    • False teachers sought money (and do today too). Some preachers become extremely wealthy. Paul proved he was not a false teacher by not enriching himself at their expense.

(14) In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it.

  • The Lord ordered:
    • Paul uses Jesus’ words when he sent out the 70 disciples. Jesus told them not to take money with them. They should let people invite them into their homes because ‘the worker deserves his wages’ (Luke 10:7).

(15) Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge.

  • Without charge:
    • 2 Corinthians 11:7-9: Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return? I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost. And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be.

(16) Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!

  • Compelled by God:
    • Preachers are supposed to preach the gospel from a compelling compulsion based on an abiding faith, not as a "hobby" or a "way to make a living". Paul never regarded preaching as just a “career!”
    • Paul was like Jeremiah who said that God’s message was like a fire inside him. Even if he wanted to, Paul could not stop preaching. To stop would have made him miserable.
      • Jeremiah 20:9: But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord  or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!

(17) If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust.

  • No choice
    • Jesus called him on the road to Damascus and he feels he has no choice but to be an apostle because of what Christ has done for him. But, the Corinthians think he is being weak in not taking payment for his work.

(18-19) What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News. Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.

  • My pay: Kretzmann: "The Corinthians have spent nothing on him, but he spent everything, including himself, on them."

(20) When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law.

  • Lived like a Jew:
    • The problem some run into in the next few verses is that they are often taken to mean to compromise with the prevailing culture.
    • Paul, a Jew, used his knowledge of Jewish laws and customs to relate to non-Christian Jews. He did not want to offend or “turn off” the Jews because he wanted to win them to Christ. He took a vow and purified himself and others in the temple to show his good faith to the Jews (Acts 21:23-26). But, he never compromised the message.
    • Matthew Henry: "Though he looked on the ceremonial law as a yoke taken off by Christ, yet in many instances he submitted to it, that he might work upon the Jews, remove their prejudices, prevail with them to hear the gospel, and win them over to Christ.”
  • I am not subject to the law:
    • Paul was not under the Law, but this was a very radical statement to the Jewish minds of his day and to the minds of Jews and legalistic Christians today. In contrast, he says in the next verse that he was subject to "the law of Christ".
    • Wycliffe Bible Commentary: ".. a remarkable statement which emphasizes how completely Paul had broken with the law of Moses."
    • Later, Paul returned to Jerusalem. Then James asked him to take part in a religious promise that four men were making. This was to show that Paul did not expect Jews to give up all their religious practices (Acts 21:23-26). So, Paul agreed with some Jewish customs. But he taught that these customs were not necessary for salvation.
    • Romans 6:14-15: Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not!
    • Galatians 3:23-25, 4:21, 5:18: Galatians 3:23-25: Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. ... Tell me, you who want to live under the law, do you know what the law actually says? ...  But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
    • Ephesians 2:8-9: God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

(21) When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.

  • The law of Christ:
    • Christ’s law was the law of love towards other people (John 13:34-35). Paul’s speeches at Lystra (Acts 14:14-17) and Athens (Acts 17:22-31) show how Paul tried to explain the gospel. He chose to talk in a way that those without the law would understand.
    • Matthew 22:37-39: Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
    • John 13:34: So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
    • Romans 13:10: Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
    • 1 John 2:7-8: Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment - to love one another - is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

(22-23) When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

  • Weak:
    • David Lipscomb: "Paul accommodated himself to the prejudices and preferences of men so far as he could without sacrificing truth and righteousness, in order to win them to Christ ... He did this not that he might be personally popular with any man, but that by doing so he might throw no obstacle in the way of their giving the gospel a fair hearing."
  • Common ground:
    • This is not to say that Paul didn’t “draw the line” at times and fight for his freedoms. Paul was very uncompromising at times. However, there has to be a balance.

Verses 24 - 27 fit better with the next chapter where Paul reminds his readers of Israel's failure in the desert.

(24) Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!

  • Race:
    • Paul knew about the games at Isthmia near Corinth that happened every two years. There were great numbers of visitors who had to live in tents giving Paul the chance to use his trade and support himself.
    • Coffman's Commentaries: "There are important differences, as well as similarities, in such a contest as Paul referred to here. Analogies are: (1) to win; a man must contend legally, being properly enrolled in the contest, suggesting that a Christian must contend along with others in the church, and not as some kind of free-lance operator; (2) discipline is required (Hebrews 12:1); (3) some win; others do not win; (4) a host of spectators views the contest (Hebrews 12:1); (5) patience is necessary; (6) the winner receives the prize. The contrasts are: (1) only one may win an earthly race; all may win the heavenly; (2) the earthly reward is but a trifle; the heavenly reward is eternal life."
    • Dr. Dwight Pentecost, in his book on Philippians called 'The Joy of Living’, wrote "When I was in London I found my way to several of the art museums and galleries of that city. I wanted to see some of the famous paintings I had become familiar with through art books. It was a delightful experience to walk through these corridors. I was particularly struck with one painting: two chariots were racing at breakneck speed, their wheels were just a blur of motion, the charioteers with whip in hand were lashing their horses to the expenditure of every ounce of energy that they had. Intensity was written in their eyes, in their faces, in the set of their bodies. The horses were straining themselves, it seemed, to the point of collapse. Their eyes were wild, their nostrils distended, they gulped great breaths of air as they pressed toward the goal. With the goal before them they were giving themselves unreservedly to their race. Those who had not so extended themselves had been left behind, and were an insignificant part of the background of the painting. The attention of the viewer was focused by the artist upon the two charioteers who strained toward the goal".
  • Run:
    • Run to win - not just to finish!
    • This Epistle is addressed to believers (1 Corinthians 1:2). We are enrolled in a race. They were to strive and disciplined so that they might win an incorruptible crown. Jesus offers a prize to those of us who run well. When the Paul said, “Run to win”, he was speaking of the incorruptible crown which will be the reward of the faithful saint who runs well the race that is set before him. This he will do by looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Each of us is our own individual race - we're not enrolled in running someone else's race! Who is our competitor - ourselves (our temptations, weaknesses, sins, laziness, faithlessness, our flesh). So, run to win!
    • Galatians 5:7: You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?
    • Hebrews 12:1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
  • Prize - Greek braberion:
    • J Vernon McGee: "I think every Christian ought to work for a reward. We do not work for salvation; that is a gift given by the grace of God. My friend, if you are going to get a reward, you will have to work for it. If you are going to get a reward, then you had better get out on the racetrack and start moving."
    • Philippians 3:12-14: I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
    • 2 Timothy 2:5: And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.
    • 2 Timothy 4:6-8: As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me - the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

(25) All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.

  • Disciplined: The word translated “disciplined” comes from the Greek word agonizomai, from which we get our word “agony” or “agonize”.

(26) SO I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.

  • Purpose:
    • Fritz Rienecker, in his “Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament,” translated this phrase this way: “I do not run as one who has no fixed and certain goal.”

(27) I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

  • Discipline:
    • Being disciplined in your Christian life doesn’t mean being straitlaced, sober and sad. Discipline means asking yourself, “Is what I’m doing now going to help me win my Christian race later?”
    • The word “discipline” in this verse comes from the Greek word “hupopiazo,” which means “to hit under the eye (buffet or disable an antagonist as a pugilist), i.e. (figuratively) to tease or annoy (into compliance), subdue (one’s passions)” (Strong’s Concordance). Paul was drawing on the illustration of a boxer that he made in 1 Corinthians 9:26.
  • Disqualified - Greek adokimos:
    • This word adokimos (translated "a castaway" in the KJV) is taken from “bad metals” and relates to the test of whether the metal is genuine or fake.
    • In this context, disqualified doesn't refer to the loss of salvation (no Greek's citizenship was revoked upon losing), but the loss of reward. Greek citizenship, proper training, running according to the rules, being of the correct age and gender were some of the many "qualifications" to run in the Greek games.
    • 2 Timothy 2:5: And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.

1 Corinthians 10:1-12: I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. ALL OF THEM were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and ALL OF THEM walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, ALL OF THEM were baptized as followers of Moses. ALL OF THEM ate the same spiritual food, and ALL OF THEM drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.” And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day. Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

CONCLUSION:

Are you qualified to run the race? Are you in the race? Are you running your own individual race with an eternal prize in mind?

NOTES:

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Monday, August 15, 2016

1 Corinthians Chapter 8

1 Corinthians
Above image from https://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-epistles/first-corinthians

The question of Gentiles eating meat offered to idols was discussed at the Jerusalem Council: Acts 15:28-29, 21:25: “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.” ... “As for the Gentile believers, they should do what we already told them in a letter: They should abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.”

Hampton Keathley IV: "Some of the Corinthians thought that it was wrong to eat meat sacrificed to idols. They were certain that the pagan gods had somehow contaminated the meat and this would offend God. Others knew it didn’t matter as there was only one God. They may even have been proud of their knowledge and were flaunting their freedom. Paul’s point is that the one with Knowledge must practice Love and abstain. Because, just like one cannot reason logically to alleviate a child’s fear of the dark, in the same way some of these Christians were too immature to understand the logic of grace and Christian liberty. ... Paul concludes this section by warning them that, although it is permissible to eat the meat sacrificed to idols (unless it offends your brother), it is not permissible to partake in the religious feasts given in that deity’s honor (10:14-22). And he urges them to only partake in those things which edify and glorify God (10:23-33)."

"Becoming Closer" by John Hendershot: "Remember, please, two facts: First, the Corinthians live in a society in which animals are sacrificed to idols. Second, there are no refrigerators at this time. Combine those two and you will find that the best place to buy a good steak is right next to the temple of some idol. So it wouldn’t be uncommon for a Christian to sit down to enjoy a good meal at the restaurant next door – which might even be connected with that temple. Two factions grew up:
· The first faction knew that this was outrageously immoral. It gives the appearance of a Christian somehow approving of idol worship, and therefore (when in doubt, don’t) is to be banned.
· The second faction just can’t see the point. They are, after all, intellectually mature Christians; they know there’s nothing to this idol worship stuff. What’s wrong with a good steak – bless it in God’s name and pass the barbecue sauce."

What's behind Your Influence? by Ray Stedman: "Then they wrote to him about three things that were troubling them; largely in the church at Corinth. First, they were worried about offending God, and about offending the conscience of the weaker brother, in the matter of eating meat that was offered to idols. Although we are no longer troubled by the problem of whether we ought to eat meat offered to idols or not, nevertheless in this section, we are confronting in principle this whole thorny issue of Christian taboos -- smoking, drinking, dancing, everything that has ever been brought up as a problem within the church that is not specifically identified as an evil in the Scriptures."

Theologically, chapter 8 is parallel to Romans 14:1-15:2: Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval. In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose - to be Lord both of the living and of the dead. So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.

(1) NOW regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

  • We know:
    • Probably, the statement “we all have knowledge” is a quotation from the letter the Corinthians sent Paul. Some of the Corinthian Christians believed it was be right and proper to partake of this food anywhere and everywhere, even in the idol temples themselves - but some others disagreed.
    • Paul Van Gorder, The Church Stands Corrected: “God’s judgment came upon Israel, as recorded in Numbers 25, not only because they ate meat sacrificed to idols, but also because they had engaged in idolatry. Even the twelve apostles had forbidden the eating of such meat (Acts 15). But fuller revelation given to Paul had brought a new liberty to him and to those who heard his teaching. They knew an idol had no substance or being. Therefore, meat was not profaned if offered to an idol, and, for the stronger brother, it remained the God’s pure gift.”
  • Knowledge makes us feel important (puffs us up):
    • The Great Divorce—Separating “Truth From Love” by Bob Deffinbaugh: "Here is an example of the kind of “wisdom” that was prized and practiced by the would-be elite in the Corinthian church. Their reasoning went like this: There is but one God, and no others. Thus, idols, which represent other gods, are really nothing. Therefore meats sacrificed to idols can hardly be contaminated, so I am free to eat these meats."
  • Love:
    • Love was Paul’s underlying theme regarding Christian liberty: 1 Corinthians 13:13: Three things will last forever - faith, hope, and love - and the greatest of these is love.
  • Strengthens the church:
    • “Strengthens” is the word “oikodomei” and is used to refer to building a building. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “oikodomei” is used to refer to building each other up: Thessalonians 5:11: So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

(2-3) Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. BUT the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes

  • Loves God:
    • Ray Stedman: "Paul knows that Christians must learn to deal with what he calls "the law of liberty." ... But with this law, he links two other laws. One he calls the "law of love;" that is the law that says, "I may be free to do it, but if I am really putting a stumbling block in somebody else's path, I won't do it" -- that is the law of love. The limitation is imposed not by my conscience, but by another's conscience. The other is the "law of expediency;" that is, everything is legal, is lawful, but not everything is helpful."

(4) So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.

  • Eating meat ... offered to idols:
    • 1 Corinthians 10:14-33: What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is? You say, “I am allowed to do anything” - but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything” - but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it? So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
    • Revelation 2:14: “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.
  • We all know:
    • The expressions “an idol is not really a god” and “there is only one God” are slogans the Corinthians apparently used to justify their behavior. Paul agrees with the slogans in part, but corrects them to show how the Corinthians have misused these ideas.
  • An idol is not really a god:
    • The problem is that some of the Corinthians are shoving this knowledge down the throats of the less knowledgeable or less mature believers. Many of the Corinthians refuse to act in love.

(5-6) There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. BUT for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

  • Jesus Christ ... created:
    • John 1:3-4: God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
    • Hebrews 1:10: He also says to the Son, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands.

(7) HOWEVER, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated.

  • Not all believers know this:
    • Because of their upbringing, earlier habits, or former lifestyle, the weak still believed that they were participating in idol worship by eating the meat. The Bible suggests that some in Corinth could not shake their past. Also, don't forget that many of the Corinthian believers were Jews.
  • Weak consciences:
    • Since God looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), people’s consciences are more important than their actions. This is why some could be forgiven of terrible acts (such as Paul), because they were done ignorantly in unbelief with clear consciences (1 Timothy 1:13).
    • Having believed the idol to have a real existence before they were saved, they still regard the sacrifice as a sacrifice to a being.

(8-9) It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. BUT you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.

  • Your freedom (liberty):
    • Paul acknowledges that we have “freedom” in Christ. Christian freedom or liberty is one of the central truths of the New Testament, but with freedom comes responsibility.
  • Stumble:
    • Paul’s main concern was how eating meat sacrificed to idols could affect others. Paul taught that we have a duty to others (Romans 1:14). In evaluating the propriety of our actions, we have to take into account the effect those actions will have on others. As I've said many times, "Someone is watching us - is Christianity real?"
    • A “stumbling block” is not an act that offends a person; it is an act that leads a fellow believer into what is sin for him or her.
    • More than Meats the Eye by Keith Krell: "Let’s consider another scenario. Do I have the biblical freedom to stock my refrigerator with Bud Light? The answer is “yes.” However, what would happen if a young man in our church was visiting at my home and when I opened the fridge he saw a case of beer? After seeing my stash, he might think to himself, “Well, if Pastor Keith drinks freely, then maybe I can too.” Yet, what if this young man comes from a family of alcoholics and has determined he doesn’t have the freedom to drink? My example could have a disastrous effect on him. In the end, I choose to abstain from this biblical freedom for the sake of others. I am brother’s keeper."
    • The idea of a stumbling block goes back to Jewish law. "Do not insult the deaf or cause the blind to stumble. You must fear your God; I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:14).

(10) For if others see you - with your “superior knowledge” - eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol?

  • Superior knowledge:
    • Keith Krell: "Paul’s point is: Those Corinthians that are boasting of their freedom to eat meat sacrificed to idols are acting arrogantly, without demonstrating love and respect for their brothers and sisters. Yet the real aim of Christianity should not be knowledge but love. Knowledge apart from love makes one prideful. Hence, we must always be cautious.”
  • Eating in the temple of an idol:
    • Paul is using the form of "in the temple" very ironically. Evidently, people often received invitations to have dinner in temples. Paul imagines a case in which the person with knowledge purposely eats there to assert his liberty and right. But, when the weak person sees what this strong person is doing, he too goes there to eat but the result is horrible. He's confused and unsure whether he may have sinned.
    • A Cultic Meal at the Temples - the issue is eating in a temple:
      • The Cultic Meal had three parts:
        • Preparation
        • Sacrifice
        • Feast
      • The sacrifices or the meat was divided into three parts:
        • Burned to the god
        • Worshipers' portion to be eaten at the feast
        • The god’s portion which was placed on the table in front of the idol during the feast
      • These meals were both religious activities and social events.

(11) SO because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed.

  • Destroyed:
    • People differ on their interpretations of what “destroyed” means in this verse. Some think it refers to just physical death, while others interpret it to mean the weak brother becomes confused, feels guilty, feels he may have sinned and his faith is weakened. So, the consequences for this "weak" Christian are very serious.

(12) And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.

  • Sin against other believers
    • We are not free to damage another person's relationship with God.

(13) SO if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live - for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.

  • What I eat:
    • Paul concludes this chapter by using himself as an example. His point is that we need to remember that there is something more important than our freedom to do as we please - the spiritual development of others.
  • Stumble:
    • “Fine,” Paul responds, “let’s grant your premise for a few moments.” “Even if you had the right to eat meats offered to idols, that right should not be exercised if doing so would cause a weaker brother (who believes eating these meats is sin) to stumble.” “Even if this practice were lawful (which, in truth, it is not), you should not do it because of others.”
    • What about merely eating meat that was offered to idols, without attending or participating in the heathen worship ritual? Paul tells the Corinthians that they are not to be obsessed with the fear of unwittingly eating such meats, either (1 Corinthians 10:25-30). Eat what is sold in the marketplace, without interrogating the butcher about the origin of the meat. If you go to a neighbor’s house and meat is served, eat it without raising agonizing questions. But if someone troubles himself to tell you that the meat was offered to an idol, then abstain from eating it, more for that person’s sake than for your own.
    • Paul revealed that they were arguing the wrong point. The real issue wasn’t the condition of the food but the conscience of the person who was eating it. Paul went on to stress that not just the conscience of the person eating the food was involved, but the conscience of the weak person who observed this was important too. While this issue is not relevant to most Christians today, the principle discussed here has many modern-day applications. Christians should judge the correctness of their actions not only on the basis of what is right and wrong but also on the basis of how their actions impact others. Our witness is more important than our personal liberties.
    • The Greek word translated "cause to stumble [or fall]" is skandalon, the noun form of the word, described the trigger on a trap. Paul viewed eating in an idol temple as a kind of trigger that might set off a trap that could ensnare a fellow believer. It could retard his progress and cause him pain. Paul was willing to forgo all such eating if, by doing so, he could avoid creating problems for other Christians in their relationships with God.
    • Causing someone to stumble in his or her journey to come to faith in Christ, or to grow in Christ, is not necessarily the same as doing something that others do not like. Someone may not like your choice of clothing, for example - assuming it is not immodest or sexually provocative. But Paul did not mean that you should always try to please everyone by what you do. He meant that we should be careful, that what we are doing does not hinder someone else from coming to know Christ, or keep him from growing in Christ. Inviting an observant Jew or Muslim to dinner, and then feeding him pork, would be a modern example of what Paul warned against.
    • Paul Nyquist: The Post-Church Christian: "I read an interesting story after the Texas Rangers won the American League championship title in 2010. Their all-star outfielder, Josh Hamilton has a history of drug and alcohol abuse. Now a Christian, he knows he cannot even sniff the stuff or he will be pulled again into its clutches. As you may know, it's traditional for a baseball team to celebrate after clinching the pennant by drinking champagne in the clubhouse. Hamilton's teammates knew this would be disastrous for him. So, in an intentional break from tradition, and perhaps contrary to most of their deep desires, they celebrated in the clubhouse with ginger ale."

CONCLUSION:

Coffman's Commentary: "It might be inquired, what relevance is the apostolic teaching, with regard to Christians partaking of such meats, to the peoples of this present age; to which it must be replied that they are of the most commanding relevance and importance. This is true because the apostle Paul established four timeless principles of Christian behavior in the course of his writing on this subject, these being:
(1) that what is permissible behavior for one man may, in certain circumstances, be dangerous and sinful in another;
(2) that no Christian conduct should be evaluated solely from the standpoint of knowledge, but in the light of the love of brethren, with regard to its possible influence upon others, and in the light of what others may think of it;
(3) that no Christian has a right to practice anything, however innocent it may be to him, if in so doing he shall damage the faith of another; and
(4) that whatever is done, even to the weakest member of the body of Christ, is also done to Christ himself, and that weakening or destroying the faith of even the least and weakest of Christ's members is a sin of the greatest magnitude against Christ himself. A pleasure or an indulgence which may be the ruin of someone else is not a pleasure but a sin."

Richard Niell Donovan (lectionary.org): "While the issue of eating meat sacrificed to idols might seem irrelevant today, what Paul has to say about sensitivity to the feelings of Christian brothers and sisters is highly relevant. He calls those who are strong (in the case of the Corinthian Christians, those who understood that idols did not represent real gods, so meat that has been sacrificed to idols had no religious significance) to defer to those who are weak (in the case of the Corinthian Christians, those whose faith might be weakened by seeing Christians eating meat sacrificed to idols).What are some real-life situations in which this principle might apply today? The one that seems most obvious to me has to do with alcohol and alcoholics. A person who is strong (isn't likely to get drunk) could say, "I am free to drink whenever and wherever I choose, because I can handle it. I won't get drunk. I won't lose control. I won't drive while impaired." While that might be true, in the presence of one who is weak (an alcoholic or someone who might be disposed to be an alcoholic), the stronger person needs to consider the potential consequences of his/her behavior on the weaker person. If he/she insists on drinking alcohol in the presence of an alcoholic, his/her behavior might tempt the alcoholic to "fall off the wagon"– - to take one drink, which would lead to many drinks. In such a case, Paul would call the stronger person to consider the vulnerability of the weaker person and to defer to the weaker person's sensibilities. The principle of love for the other person trumps the principle of the personal freedom that comes with faith in Christ. Also, there are Christians who feel strongly that the consumption of any alcoholic beverages is inconsistent with Christian discipleship. If they were to see a Christian drinking alcohol, they would be likely to conclude either that the person drinking alcohol (1) is not a Christian or (2) is a Christian engaging in behavior forbidden to Christians -- sinful behavior. That would likely nullify the witness of the person drinking alcohol to the abstinent Christian -- and could have other harmful effects."

Doug Goins (pbc.org): "I remember reading a story from the life of Dr. Harry Ironsides. He went on a picnic with a number of Christians, and there was a Muslim convert to Christ among them. The only sandwiches they had at the picnic were ham sandwiches. This young man graciously refused the ham sandwich. Dr. Ironsides said to him, "Well, you're a follower of Christ; don't you realize that the food restrictions have been taken away? You really are free to eat a ham sandwich."The young man said, "Yes, I know that. I know I'm free to eat ham, but I'm also free not to eat ham." Then he said, "I am the only Christian in my family, and so far I've had the freedom to go home and share my new life in Christ with my mom and dad. Every time I go to the front door, my dad says, 'Have those infidels taught you to eat that filthy pig meat yet?' I'm able to look my dad in the eye and say, 'No dad, I don't eat pork,' which gives me an entrée." He was able to forgo his freedom for the sake of the eternal destiny of his family."

NOTES:

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Monday, August 8, 2016

1 Corinthians Chapter 7

1 Corinthians Chapter 7

WARNING! Chapters 6 and 7 of 1 Corinthians are explicit and are not for children's Bible study!

1 Corinthians
Above image from https://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-pauline-epistles/first-corinthians

(1) NOW regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations.

  • NOW ... questions:
    • Paul now turns to issues raised by the believers in Corinth.
  • Your letter:
    • We don't know the specific questions the Corinthians asked, but we know that some concerned celibacy and marriage. Ray Stedman: "Beginning with chapter seven, Paul turns to the questions they had written to him. And they wrote about four major problems. First, there was a question about marriage; they asked Paul if it was right to be married, in view of the pressures that were around them, if perhaps they should give themselves to the service of God in an ascetic life. Although Paul himself was not married, nevertheless he told them in this section that it is best, it is good for men and women to be married, that marriage is a perfectly proper way of life, and because of the temptation to immorality, he says, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband; that was in view of the Corinthian conditions. Then he shows them that it is also right to have a single life, if God grants this as a special calling to any individual -- this is a perfectly honorable way of life. Marriage is not a necessity, though it often is an advantage, and yet it can be a problem. Paul deals very thoughtfully, helpfully, and carefully with this whole question of marriage. Then they wrote to him about three things that were troubling them; largely in the church at Corinth. First, they were worried about offending God, and about offending the conscience of the weaker brother, in the matter of eating meat that was offered to idols. Although we are no longer troubled by the problem of whether we ought to eat meat offered to idols or not, nevertheless in this section, we are confronting in principle this whole thorny issue of Christian taboos -- smoking, drinking, dancing, everything that has ever been brought up as a problem within the church that is not specifically identified as an evil in the Scriptures. What do you do about it? ... Then, they wrote also about women ... because they were involved with a very difficult problem about hats. Then the problem concerning the Lord's table."
  • Abstain from sexual relations:
    • Apparently, there were some who advocated that sex was dirty, no matter what the context. Hampton Keathley IV: "Some of the Corinthians had ascetic tendencies and thought that celibacy should be practiced by believers. Paul concedes that it is indeed good to be celibate (7:1,6), and he wished that all men could have that special gift, as he did (7:7), so they could devote full-time service to God (7:34), but it was certainly not the norm and it was certainly not commanded (7:6,25). In addition, if one without the gift were to attempt to remain celibate, it might be more than they could maintain and it might lead to immorality (7:9). There is also a possibility that the participation in immorality by some married people had led them to abandon their marital duties to their spouses, or there could have been a unilateral decision by one spouse to practice abstinence, and Paul deals with that issue. Certainly, these actions were self-centered and not done with a view to ministering to the other spouse."

(2) But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

  • But: Greek δὲ.
    • Paul disagrees that married couples should abstain from sex. Unlike what some critics today falsely proclaim, Paul is not anti-sex; he is pro-marriage! The Lord’s provision for sex drive is marriage!
  • Sexual immorality (fornication) - Strong's Greek 4202 - porneia:
    • These Christians lived in a pagan, sex-saturated society known for prostitution where having multiple wives was normal and sexual immorality was a part of pagan worship. These Christians were wondering about the issues of sex and marriage. Some were thinking sex even within Christian marriage is bad. Some were thinking that when one gets saved, they have to divorce their wives. Some were thinking they shouldn't get married.
  • His own wife:
    • Notice that "wife" is singular.
    • Many Greek philosophers, including Socrates, thought it was best for men not to get married because women were so temperamental and troublesome. The Jews, however, regarded marriage as an ordinance of God. And to this day, conservative Jews hold that a man who has reached the age of twenty years and is still unmarried sins against God.
    • Hebrews 13:4: Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

(3) The husband should fulfill his wife's sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband's needs.

  • Amplified Bible: The husband must fulfill his [marital] duty to his wife [WITH GOOD WILL AND KINDNESS], and likewise the wife to her husband.
  • Fulfill ... sexual needs:
    • Albert Barnes: "There is a great deal of delicacy used here by Paul, and his expression is removed as far as possible from the grossness of pagan writers. His meaning is plain; but instead of using a word to express it which would be indelicate and offensive, he uses one which is not indelicate in the slightest degree. The word which he uses (εὔνοιαν eunoian - benevolence) denotes kindness, good-will, affection of mind. He reminds them of the sacredness of their vow, and of the fact that in person, property and in every respect, they belong to each other."

(4) The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.

  • Authority:
    • The equal rights of husband and wife, in the Scriptures, are everywhere maintained. They are to regard themselves as united in the most intimate union.

(5) Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

  • Deprive:
    • The Greek word that was translated “deprive” here is “APOSTEREO,” and it “signifies to rob, despoil, defraud” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary). This is a continuation of the point Paul started making in 1 Corinthians 7:3. Within marriage, one partner does not have the right to withhold normal sexual relationships from his or her mate. Here, Paul gave the guidelines for the only exception to this instruction. To withdraw sexually from marriage, there must be mutual consent for a limited period of time for the express purpose of seeking God through fasting and prayer. No other exceptions are given. Unfortunately, sometimes in a marriage, withholding of sex is used as a tool to punish the partner.

(6) I say this as a concession, not as a command

  • Concession:
    • Paul's will sometimes comment on something as being his own opinion on the matter. Paul's point is that a healthy marriage is one where both spouses are doing their best to please each other as a priority over pleasing themselves. When that happens, it leads both spouses into a closer relationship with God and with each other.

(7) But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.

  • I wish everyone were single:
    • Paul is not commending the single above the married state. In the Roman/Greek world, a wife was a more like a slave, a piece of property. Often, a man had several wives. The man went to the temple of Aphrodite for sex. Paul says that a man must have one wife whom he loves. Paul lifts the slave state of womanhood to that of a partner with man in love.
  • Single ... as I am:
    • Most likely, Paul was married at one time. The book of Acts indicates that Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin (Acts 26:10). This was the group that put Stephen to death in Acts Chapter 7 for Stephen’s belief in Jesus. The Sanhedrin were a large group of Jewish elders that met together to decide legal cases regarding the Jewish law.One of the requirements to be on the Sanhedrin is to be married. Perhaps, when Paul got saved, his wife left him or maybe she died. The Bible is quiet on that issue.
    • Acts 26:10: Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death.

(8-9) So I say to those who aren't married and to widows - it's better to stay unmarried, just as I am. But if they can't control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It's better to marry than to burn with lust.

  • Marry:
    • Paul encouraged marriage in 1 Corinthians 7:2, 9, 28, and 38. He also gave a command to young widows to remarry: 1 Timothy 5:14: So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them.

(10) But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband.

  • But:
    • This verse commences the second part of their question about marriage - the possibility of divorce in a mixed marriage; i.e., where one of the married partners is a believer and the other isn't. The Lord does not want His people to divorce, and in 1 Corinthians 7:11, He said if they do, they are not to remarry.
  • From the Lord:
    • The Jews of Jesus’ day saw divorce not as a kind of necessary evil, but as a right. But, God hates divorce. God never commanded men to divorce. At the very most, God reluctantly allows men to divorce for very limited reasons, due to the hardness of men's hearts. Jesus goes back to the garden and sets before His questioners God’s ideal for marriage: One man, married to the same woman, for life. What God joins together, no man should dare to separate.
    • Deuteronomy 24:1-4: “Suppose a man marries a woman but she does not please him. Having discovered something wrong with her, he writes a document of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house. When she leaves his house, she is free to marry another man. But if the second husband also turns against her, writes a document of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away, or if he dies, the first husband may not marry her again, for she has been defiled. That would be detestable to the Lord. You must not bring guilt upon the land the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession.
    • Malachi 2:16: "For I hate divorce!" says the LORD, the God of Israel. "To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife."
    • Matthew 19:1-12: When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went down to the region of Judea east of the Jordan River. Large crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick. Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for just any reason? Haven't you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’” And he said, “‘This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” “Then why did Moses say in the law that a man could give his wife a written notice of divorce and send her away?” they asked. Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce only as a concession to your hard hearts, but it was not what God had originally intended. And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery - unless his wife has been unfaithful.” Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry! Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps. Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”
  • Not leave her husband:
    • Hampton Keathley IV: "Paul also deals with the situation where a believer is married to an unbeliever. In the previous section and the next section, he does not give a command, but here he does and adds that it is not his, but it is the Lord’s command. God does not want the believer to leave their mate because God’s will is not divorce. Instead, they should live with them and try to win them over to Christ. Paul adds that whatever circumstance you were in when you became a Christian, remain in them. Christianity is not designed to take us out of the world. It is to help us live in it."
    • Probably, many thought it was unlawful to live with those who were not Christians.
    • Christians are now resorting to the divorce courts nearly as often as those who profess no faith at all. When I was young, divorce was looked down on and rarely practiced, but now, divorce is not only accepted but is common. Divorce is so common, so messy and so expensive, many if not most young couples today simply forgo getting married in the first place, avoiding entanglements and permanence.
    • Seneca wrote that women were married to be divorced and divorced to be married. Cicero, in his old age, divorced his wife so he could marry a young heiress, whose trustee he was, that he might enter into her estate, in order to pay his debts.
    • Most couples seeking a divorce today do so for unbiblical reasons. They cite reasons such as poor communication, incompatibility, financial problems, lack of commitment to the relationship, changes in priorities. In short, when marriage isn't working, the common solution is to get out. Divorce is rampant in the United States, and it is rampant among Christians and non-Christians alike. There are some instances where people have married not once or twice, but three, four, five, or six times. They have had a succession of mates, a succession of children, and a succession of problems.

(11) But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.

  • Remain: https://www.gty.org/resources/distinctives/dd04/divorce-and-remarriage: "God providentially allows the circumstances they find themselves in when they come to Christ. If they were called while married, then they are not required to seek a divorce (even though divorce may be permitted on biblical grounds). If they were called while divorced, and cannot be reconciled to their former spouse because that spouse is an unbeliever or is remarried, then they are free to either remain single or be remarried to another believer (1 Cor. 7:39; 2 Cor. 6:14). ... In cases where a believer obtained a divorce on unbiblical grounds and remarried, he or she is guilty of the sin of adultery until that sin is confessed (Mark 10:11-12). God does forgive that sin immediately when repentance takes place, and there is nothing in Scripture to indicate anything other than that. From that point on the believer should continue in his or her current marriage."

(12) Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a fellow believer has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her.

  • Not a believer:
    • Probably many supposed that it was unlawful for a Christian to be married to someone who was not a Christian. to live with those who were not Christians and they thought such a marriage should be eliminated.
  • Willing to continue:
    • There might be many cases where the wife or the husband, that was not a Christian, would be so opposed to Christianity, and so violent in their opposition, that they would not be willing to live with a Christian. When this was the case, the Christian husband or wife could not prevent the separation. When this was not the case, they were not to seek a separation themselves.
    • Many years ago, the Lord used me to lead my boss, an alcoholic, to Christ. But, his wife could not stand this new Christian and divorced him - she preferred a drunk over a "religious nut." He later married a Christian woman and remained happily married to her until his death.

(13-14) And if a believing woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy.

  • One of the probable reasons that the Corinthians desired clarification on this matter was because many of them were in mixed marriages. Their mates not only were non-Christians, but also may have been involved in worshiping other gods and in pagan sexual orgies). They questioned whether or not God wanted them united with unbelievers through marriage. Wouldn't that defile them? How would such marriages affect their children? This verse answers these questions.
  • Holiness:
    • Holiness means "set apart for God's use." Verse 14 says the unbelieving husband or wife is made holy (sanctified in the KJV) by the believing spouse. This does not mean the unbelieving spouse is saved. That would be contradictory to the Gospel message of individual salvation. What it does mean is that God recognizes the marriage and sets apart that family structure as being “set apart” for His use.
  • Children ... holy:
    • There is a principal in the Bible that children are saved until they reach an age of accountability on their own. (Romans 7:8-9). Once the children are old enough to understand individual accountability, their salvation is now “up to them”. There is no set age of accountability. It is different for every child and is based on their upbringing and understanding. The point is there is some age at which a child, brought up in a home with at least one Christian parent is no longer saved just because they came from a Christian “set apart” home.

(15) (But if the husband or wife who isn't a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the believing husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.)

  • Let them go:
    • Many sincere people differ on their interpretation of what this verse means when it says that believers are “no longer bound to the other.” The liberal interpretation would be that Paul was saying they are free to remarry if their unsaved mates divorce them.

(16-20) Don't you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don't you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you? Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches. For instance, a man who was circumcised before he became a believer should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised now. For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God's commandments. Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you.

  • Circumcised:
    • All of the unbelieving Jews, as well as many of the Jewish Christians, believed that circumcision was essential for salvation. Paul said that it was “nothing” (“one of no consequence or interest” [American Heritage Dictionary]).
  • Remain as you were:
    • Paul was simply stating that those who were Jews before they were born again should not renounce their Jewish heritage. Likewise, Gentiles who come to Christ do not have to become Jewish.
    • David's relationship with Bathsheba was adulterous. Yet, when he repented, God forgave him and blessed his marriage with Bathsheba to such a degree that the Lord personally named their child Jedidiah (2 Samuel 12:24-25), meaning “beloved of Jah” (Strong's Concordance). Likewise, marriages that were totally wrong before salvation can be sanctified (1 Corinthians 7:14) and redeemed so that they become blessed relationships.

(21-22) Are you a slave? Don't let that worry you - but if you get a chance to be free, take it. And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.

  • Slave:
    • Slaves abounded in Greece and in every part of the pagan world. Athens had at one time 20,000 freemen, and 400,000 slaves.
  • Free:
    • Those who have freedom in Christ are free indeed (John 8:32) regardless of their situation.

(23-24) God paid a high price for you, so don't be enslaved by the world. Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you.

  • Paid a high price for you:
    • 1 Corinthians 6:20: for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
  • Enslaved:
    • They were actually serving Christ, not man (Ephesians 6:5-7 and Colossians 3:22-24). When this attitude is adopted, then the bondage is removed from slavery. Christian slaves could not be forced to do what they freely offered to do.

(25) Now regarding your question about the young women who are not yet married. I do not have a command from the Lord for them. But the Lord in his mercy has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will share it with you.

  • Now:
    • In this section, he is focusing on those who are engaged to be married. Paul makes it clear that he is giving an “opinion” on the matter of singleness. He also reminds his readers again in 7:40 that he is expressing his opinion
  • Not yet married:
    • The term could refer to virgin women who were not married. The central issue would then be whether or not their fathers should give them in marriage to eligible men. (This is the view which has been widely held throughout the history of the Church.) The view adopted by many modern commentators is that the term refers to young, engaged women who were under the influence of various groups within the Corinthian church not to go through with their marriages. The central issue would then be whether the young men and women should continue with their plans and finalize their marriages.

(26) Because of the present crisis, I think it is best to remain as you are.

  • Present crisis:
    • It’s much more difficult to face martyrdom if you're married. Paul sensed severe persecution was coming. In less than 10 years, Nero would be the emperor of Rome, who burned down Rome because he wanted to rebuild it later and blamed the Christians for the fire.

(27) If you have a wife, do not seek to end the marriage. If you do not have a wife, do not seek to get married.

  • End the marriage:
    • Proverbs 18:22: "The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord."

(28-31) But if you do get married, it is not a sin. And if a young woman gets married, it is not a sin. However, those who get married at this time will have troubles, and I am trying to spare you those problems. But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage.hose who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will SOON pass away.

  • SOON:
    • 1 Corinthians was written before Acts 28:28 when the present dispensation of grace began and God put off the return of Christ until Israel repented. After 2000 years, we're still waiting for His return!

(32-40) I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible. But if a man thinks that he's treating his fiancee improperly and will inevitably give in to his passion, let him marry her as he wishes. It is not a sin. But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry. So the person who marries his fiancee does well, and the person who doesn't marry does even better. A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if he loves the Lord. But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God's Spirit when I say this.

NOTES:

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