Season 3
Our passage here sets the stage for the discussions to follow in chapters 12 to 14, where Paul will provide a more detailed exploration of the variety, purpose, and proper use of spiritual gifts, all aimed at building up the body of Christ in love and harmony.
When Paul says, "For I received from the Lord," he implies that what he's about to convey is not merely his opinion but a revelation he received directly from Jesus Christ. However, the New Testament doesn't specify when or how Paul received this instruction. Though the Bible recounts Paul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, it doesn't explicitly mention Jesus instructing Paul regarding the Lord's Supper. Despite Paul's numerous mystical experiences, including his journey to the third heaven, there's little mention of Christ instructing him on the communion meal. Paul doesn't dwell on how he received these instructions, emphasizing only that he did. This isn't surprising given Paul's independence, firmly rooted in his experience with the risen Christ, as demonstrated in his interactions with the early church leaders.
In our previous episode, Paul shifted focus from personal freedoms and moral matters to address practices within the Corinthian assembly, particularly concerning women and head coverings during church gatherings, especially while praying or prophesying. He then criticizes the Corinthians' conduct during the Lord's Supper and stresses his dissatisfaction. He viewed the church as a gathering of believers and always emphasized the importance of unity. Next, the Apostle confronts unchristian behaviors within the congregation, citing the factions among them and echoing his earlier concerns.
We would have agreed with many who believe a woman’s natural hair is her covering in times past. But after considering the text once again, can we argue this is Paul's intended meaning? And would it also mean that the man should be bald to be consistent with the text? Here are some reasons we no longer adhere to such a view.
Paul’s assertions in 1 Corinthians 11:2-3, where he affirms that "the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man," present big challenges for modern-day Christians due to evolving societal norms and interpretations of gender equality. In today's context, male headship over women can and often does conflict with contemporary understandings of gender equality and mutual respect within marriages and communities. However, Paul's words are direct and unambiguous. He articulates his understanding of hierarchical relationships between God, Christ, man, and woman. While these statements conflict with modern perspectives or preferences, there is no question that Paul intended to convey his theological beliefs as he did based on his interpretation of Scripture and cultural context.
Today, the principle remains consistent: our decisions should always stem from love. The overarching message of the New Testament revolves around love, a theme intricately woven throughout the Epistle to the Corinthians, reaching its pinnacle in chapter 13. In verses 29 and 30, Paul poses questions that resonate with us today. We might rephrase them thus: Why should someone else's conscience judge my freedom? If I partake with gratitude, why am I condemned for the food I bless? These dilemmas arise when group norms clash with individual conscience, unrelated to biblical sin but rather to community-defined "sins." We've encountered churches where membership entailed abstaining from activities like movies, smoking, or alcohol, diverging from biblical sin definitions.
So here we are with another beautiful passage that will cause the gears of our mental faculties to engage. Immediately, we are confronted with a text that, taken in isolation or grouped with other selected texts, can and does lead to a doctrine we call antinomianism. A modern incarnation of this view in the vernacular says the god of the Old Testament was mad and uptight, but Jesus is happy, loving, and a much kinder god. Jesus came as a moral chill pill to free us from the strict guidelines of the Old Testament law. From that perspective, there is no law and, by extension, no sin! Even today, many people within the Christian faith give way to the thinking that says, “Grace kind of null and voids sin.” Have you ever thought to yourself, “I know this is a sin, but I’ll repent later? We must wonder where one gets the notion this is even a thing. Many today do not see the avoidance of sin as morally mandated; today, in many circles, “sin” is seen as a social suggestion.
Consider a scenario where you encounter food offered to idols, a practice mentioned in the Bible. From a biblical standpoint, idols are objects made of stone, wood, or metal, and there is only one true God. In this context, consuming such meat may be seen as a matter of personal conscience. It doesn't involve breaking any laws; it's simply a matter of eating cooked meat. According to Paul's teachings in the Bible, if your conscience allows you to partake in such meat in faith, you are free to do so. However, Paul underscores the importance of considering how your actions impact others. Some may find this act offensive, and in such cases, Paul suggests that love should take precedence over personal freedom. On the contrary, idolatry has no justification, even if one comprehends that the idol holds no genuine significance. Both Jewish and Christian perspectives strictly forbid worshiping anything other than the one true God, a commandment that is explicitly mentioned in the Bible. Violating this commandment constitutes a transgression of the law, leaving no room for interpretation or debate. It is unequivocally a matter of sin, devoid of considerations related to conscience, freedom, or personal liberty. It stands as a clear and absolute violation of God's commandments. In modern times, various denominations, churches, and individuals have crafted their definitions of sin, deviating from biblical ones. The old church phrase “We don’t drink, we don’t smoke, we don’t chew, or hang out with folks that do!” is a perfect example of what we refer to. In some instances, matters of conscience are elevated to moral concerns and sins, while in others, biblical sins, like Adultery, pornography, fornication, drunkenness, wild parties, lying, unforgiveness, pride, jealousy, personal ambition, prejudice, and hatred, are treated as matters of individual conscience. Many justify these outright violations by resting in the idea that God knows their hearts and they are saved by faith, not works. These ideas are undergirded and fortified by preachers who will assure them they are eternally secure.
Now, let's consider this passage with an open mind, free from denominational bias. Depending on one's theological leaning, the interpretation can differ significantly. For instance, Calvinism and Wesleyanism, two contrasting theological orientations, offer varying perspectives on this passage. Calvinism emphasizes God's sovereignty in matters of salvation and sanctification, highlighting the assurance of the elect and the doctrine of eternal security. Calvinists stress the necessity of divine empowerment, mainly due to the concept of total depravity, and perceive sanctification as a gradual process under God's divine control. If these ideas resonate with your understanding, you might align with Calvinism. In contrast, a Wesleyan perspective, often associated with Methodism, centers on God's grace as the foundation for resisting temptation. It affirms human free will, cooperative grace, personal assurance, and transformation through the Holy Spirit. Methodism encourages an active pursuit of holiness while acknowledging individual accountability and the necessity for a personal response to God's grace. If these concepts resonate with your beliefs, you may find yourself in alignment with Methodism. In this passage, Paul delivers a warning to the believers, urging them not to become prideful, a similar message to what he conveyed to the Roman church. For instance, in Romans 9-11, Paul discusses the inclusion of Gentile believers into the spiritual lineage of Israel, cautioning against arrogance and complacency among Gentile believers. He emphasizes the need for humility and vigilance, encouraging them not to boast against the Jewish branches who did not believe in Jesus. Paul uses the metaphor of grafting to illustrate the idea that Gentiles should recognize their reliance on God's mercy and avoid excessive self-importance. In 1 Corinthians 10:12-14, Paul issues another warning, this time to the Corinthian Christians, cautioning them against overconfidence and reminding them not to presume immunity to temptation and sin. He underscores the importance of humility and relying on God's faithfulness when confronted with temptation. The passage highlights God's faithfulness in ensuring His people are not subjected to temptations beyond their capacity to resist. It reassures the Corinthians that God always provides a way to escape temptation alongside the trial, underscoring the divine support and guidance available to believers when facing challenges. Furthermore, Paul reassures the Corinthians that the temptations they encounter are not unique but are shared by humanity. This implies that their challenges are not insurmountable and helps them gain perspective, encouraging them to seek solutions through faith. In essence, 1 Corinthians 10:12-14 challenges the commonly held Christian notion that believers are inevitably bound to sin until death. Instead, this passage encourages believers to take responsibility for their actions, stay vigilant against sin, and trust in God's faithfulness to provide a way out of temptation. It challenges the idea of ongoing, inescapable sin by emphasizing believers' capacity to resist, the shared nature of their temptations, and God's empowerment for righteous choices.
In our previous devotional, we delved into how Paul used Old Testament events like idolatry, sexual immorality, testing God, and grumbling to emphasize the significance of drawing lessons from history—a message of faithfulness and dependence on God's grace. Now, let's dive into the intriguing concept in this passage, which refers to the end of an era. Upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Believers at that time anticipated that Jesus would come back soon to establish His kingdom within their lifetime. The phrase "upon whom the ends of the ages have come" in our passage this morning, indeed raises intriguing questions about the New Testament writers' understanding of the timing of Christ's return and the end of the age. It suggests a sense of imminence and contemporaneity in their eschatological expectations. "But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away." 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (NKJV): "For this, we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (NKJV) "Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand." Philippians 4:5 (NKJV) "Therefore, be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!" James 5:7-9 (NKJV) "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers." 1 Peter 4:7 (NKJV) "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" Revelation 22:20 (NKJV) The logical conclusion that the first readers of these passages would come to is the imminent return of Jesus Christ! They would have interpreted these texts as if they were warning to them because they were! Every 1st-century Christ follower would have seen these verses as a call to be spiritually prepared, to prioritize their faith over worldly matters, and to eagerly anticipate the Second Coming of Christ, (which they believed could happen in their lifetimes.) These passages conveyed a sense of urgency and readiness for the imminent arrival of the Lord.