Christ's Law

[Odë:hgöd]

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● 1Cor 5:6a . .Your boasting is not good.

The Corinthian church was liberal in its attitudes about intimacy. That's no surprise
considering that particular city's culture in their day and age.

Then, as now, liberals tend to think of themselves as sophisticated and progressive;
and vastly superior to stodgy, inflexible conservatives.

NOTE: An article recently in the Epoch Times shares some of the secrets of a
former KGB agent whose standard plan for moving countries towards communism
includes demoralization. He said that Americans make the task easy because they
were, and are, corrupting themselves on their own; and actually accomplishing the
task much quicker than the KGB could even dream.

America's moral decadence began gaining momentum with the counter culture back
in the 1960s -- it continues to this day and, sort of like the expansion of the
universe, is picking up speed instead of slowing down as might be expected.
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● 1Cor 6:1-6 . . If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the
ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints
will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to
judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more
the things of this life!

. . .Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even
men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there
is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But
instead, one brother goes to law against another-and this in front of unbelievers!

Apparently some of the Christians in the church at Corinth let the Sermon On The
Mount go in one ear and out the other.

"Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your
adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may
drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer
throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last
penny." (Luke 12:57-59)

The Lord began his teaching in Luke with the words "Why don't you judge for
yourselves what is right?" In other words; if someone threatens to take you to
court over a tort matter, and you know good and well he's in the right; don't force
him to go to law. Instead, admit to your wrong and settle out of court. According to
The Lord, it’s unrighteous to tie up the courts when you know your own self that
you are the one who's in the wrong. There's just simply no righteous reason why
Christian defendants and plaintiffs can't be their own judge and jury in tort matters.

"Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with
another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves
to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren." (1Cor
6:7-8)

The Greek word translated "defraud" is an ambiguous word with more than one
meaning, and more than one application. The meaning that seems appropriate in
this instance is "deprive".

It works like this: Were I to trip and fall because of a crack in the walk leading up
to the front door of the home of one of my kin; I wouldn't haul them into court over
it because we're related; viz: any injury I might incur by tripping and falling
because of a crack in their walk would be a family matter rather than a legal
matter; and they have a right to be treated by me as family rather than foes. Were
I to sue them for tripping and falling due to a crack in their walk; I would be
depriving them of the lenience that kin have a right to expect from one another.

"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.
. . We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay
down our lives for the brethren." (1John 3:14-16)

I think it's safe to say that if somebody is comfortable taking a fellow Christian to
court; then they certainly are not prepared to lay down their life for the brethren.

It's sad to see relatives suing each other in court; but it happens all the time. When
the world does it; well, that's to be expected; but when Christians sue each other;
that's dysfunctional.
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● 1Cor 6:18 . . Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body;
but he that commits fornication sins against his own body.

The Greek word translated "fornication" basically means harlotry; a term that
Webster's defines as sexual profligacy which would include things like prostitution
(a.k.a. trafficking) adultery, promiscuity, date sex, free love, shacking up, one
night stands, swingers, wife swapping, and all that sort of thing.

The command is not to walk away from fornication; but to run away from it as if
your very life depends upon putting distance between you and it. The same Greek
word is used at Matt 2:13 where an angel instructed Joseph to flee into Egypt in
order to save his little boy's life.

Fleeing is different than shunning. I think what we're talking about here are the
times when a golden opportunity comes along to mess around with somebody who
is absolutely irresistible. Some people would call that getting lucky; but in God'
estimation, it's getting stupid if you play along and see what happens.

The phrase "sins against his own body" is sort of the same wording as at 1Cor
11:27 where it's said "whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of The Lord in an
unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of The Lord."

Some Christians construe 1Cor 11:27 as murder. Well if so, then sinning against
one's own body would be suicide. But actually, what we're talking about here is
gross contempt and disrespect, i.e. sacrilege. In other words; Christian fornicators
are treating their body like a chamber pot instead of a holy vessel; and all the while
dragging God's Spirit into situations that He finds extremely unsavory.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom
you have received from God?" (1Cor 6:19)

"Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of
redemption." (Eph 4:30)

They're also dragging Christ into shame and disgrace too.

"Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take
the members of Christ and unite them with an harlot? Never! Do you not know that
he who unites himself with an harlot is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two
will become one flesh." (1Cor 6:14-16)
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Re: "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,
whom you have received from God?" (1Cor 6:19)

People in the Old Testament weren't sealed with God's spirit so He was at liberty to
get away from them whenever their conduct became grossly unbecoming; hence
David's prayer in Psalm 51:11 which says:

"Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me."

Two notable examples of the Spirit's liberty to abandon folks are king Saul (1Sam
16:14) and Samson (Judg 16:20)

But not so for believers unified with Christ, viz: no matter their situation; the Spirit
is permanent.

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may
abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,
because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but you know him; for He dwelleth
with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:16-17)

"In him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of
promise." (Eph 1:13-14)

So for the sake of the Spirit's peace of mind; I strongly urge minding our Ps & Qs.
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● 1Cor 6:20 . . For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body

Christ's crucifixion and resurrection ransomed his followers from facing justice and
the second death in the scene depicted at Rev 20:11-15.

That was a mighty big favor, and I should think it earns him the right to expect a
favor in return. All things considered; conducting ourselves in ways that honor God
is really not too much to ask seeing as how it was He who donated His heir
apparent's life to pay the price for people's freedom. (1Pet 1:18-19)
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● 1Cor 7:2 . . To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every
woman have her own husband.

The above is especially pertinent in 2022 America. Fornication is everywhere: on a
pandemic scale. It's in our music, in our schools, in the White House, in our offices,
on our televisions, in our movies, in our novels, and in our conversations. People
are even sleeping together on their very first dates.

Even Congressmen, Senators, and US Presidents are indulging in forbidden love. A
previous Governor in my State of Oregon was openly shacking up with a girlfriend.

According to the 2020 World Almanac and Book of Facts, there was a total of
3,855,500 live births in 2017. Of those, 1,534,000 were illegitimate (a.k.a. out of
wedlock) which means that nearly 40% of 2017's live births were the result of
immoral activity. Back in 1970, the ratio was only 10%.

This country is in a state of moral decadence, and steadily becoming more and
more like the ancient city of Pompeii just prior to its destruction by the volcanism of
Mt. Vesuvius.

It's important to note that 1Cor 7:2 makes it okay to marry for pleasure. My
childhood religion taught me that it's a sin to marry for any other reason except
procreation and that couples who decide to remain childless are living in sin. They
get that from Genesis 1:28 where it's says: "God blessed them; and God said to
them: Be fruitful and multiply". But that is clearly a blessing rather than a law; and
it's always best to regard blessings as benefits and/or empowerment unless clearly
indicated otherwise.

* The original purpose of marriage was neither pleasure nor procreation; it was
companionship. (Gen 2:18)
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● 1Cor 7:3-4 . . Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and
likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not authority of her own
body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not authority of his
own body, but the wife.

What we're talking about in that verse is the principle of private property in
marriage that was established right from the get-go.

"And Adam said: This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be
called woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his
father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
(Gen 2:23-24)

There are no specific Hebrew words for "wife". The word for wife in that passage
comes from the very same word as woman-- 'ishshah. The possessive pronoun
"his" identifies an 'ishshah as somebody's wife. The same grammar works for
husbands too, for example:

"And Leah said: God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband
dwell with me, because I have born him six sons." (Gen 30:20)

The Hebrew word for "husband" in that verse is 'iysh which is a nondescript word
for males. The possessive pronoun "my" identifies a male as somebody's husband.

So Eve became Adam's woman; and Adam of course became Eve's man. They quite
literally owned each other: consequently they had a right to all that a proper
conjugal relationship with each other implies, including fidelity.
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● 1Cor 7:5 . . Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time,
that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that
Satan not tempt you by means of your lack of self control.

I think it goes without saying that spouses have an inalienable right to expect their
need for companionship to be satisfied in marriage; and if one, or both, is feeling
lonely and/or marginalized at home, then they're being deprived their privileges
and will be vulnerable to unfaithfulness when someone comes along with whom
they click.

I heard a story some time ago about a rather conniving Christian woman who
wanted a divorce from her Christian husband; but seeing as how God only allows
death or adultery to dissolve the marital bond; she began deliberately avoiding her
husband in order to force him to think about finding an alternative; and when he
did; she proceeded to divorce him on the grounds of infidelity. That way, in her
mind's eye, she was the victim and he the villain. (chuckle) What people won't do
to circumvent the laws of God.
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● 1Cor 7:8-9 . . Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to
stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry,
for it is better to marry than to burn.

Paul said it's good to remain single; but he didn't say it's best.

The Greek word translated "burn" basically means to kindle, to ignite, to glow,
and/or to be inflamed. I seriously doubt Paul meant to convey the thought that the
believers who lacked self control at Corinth were in grave danger of the flames of
Hell since he had already assured them in 1Cor 6:9-11 that they were washed,
sanctified, and justified in the name of The Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Paul was one of those kinds of men with a very low-powered libido. But not
everyone is like him; nor is everyone cut out to live alone.

Webster's defines "celibacy" as (1) the state of not being married, (2) abstention
from sexual intercourse, and (3) abstention by vow from marriage. Celibacy then,
isn't limited to zero carnal activity; it includes zero marriage; even platonic unions.

Not long ago, a Catholic priest here in Oregon quit the priesthood after serving
more than 30 years in order to get married because he couldn't stand being alone
anymore. He wasn't especially looking to get naked with somebody, he just wanted
a companion; which is exactly how normal guys are designed.

"The Lord God said: It's not good for Adam to be solitary" (Gen 2:18)

The problem with a vow of celibacy is that although it may hinder a priest from
getting married, it does nothing to prevent him from pining for a female
companion. 1Cor 7:9 should suffice to silence the mouths of ascetics who preach
it's holy to abstain from every form of earthly pleasure; and also the mouths of
those who preach it's a sin to marry solely to obtain someone to sleep with.

NOTE: Typical wedding vows are unconditional, i.e. couples, as a rule, don't
promise to love each other in proportion to the amount of love they get from the
other. It would be educational for couples to review their vows now and again to
see just how conscientious they've been in complying with the unconditional
portions of their vows.
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● 1Cor 7:10-11a . . Unto the married I command-- yet not I, but The Lord --let not
the wife depart from her husband: but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried,
or be reconciled to her husband.

Divorcing a spouse for any cause other than infidelity is unacceptable. (Mat 5:32)
However, separation is a different issue and is sometimes essential for the safety
and welfare of abused women.

"And let not the husband put away his wife." (1Cor 7:11b)

You know, we really can't expect a man to continue living with a woman who
routinely slams the poor guy with demeaning ridicule and denigrating remarks
and/or constantly rakes him over the coals with relentless fault-finding and cruel
sarcasm, and maybe even pours scalding water on her husband while he's sleeping
or burns his face with a steam iron.
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● 1Cor 7:12-13 . . If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be please
to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband
that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

It's not all that unusual for marriages to start off on common ground, and then
later on to become religiously divided; like for instance when one of the spouses
gets converted at a Luis Palau crusade, or both start out as Christians and one
switches over to Buddhism. As long as the situation doesn't cause intolerable
friction in the home, the couple should stay together.

"For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is
sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they
are holy." (1Cor 7:14-15)

According to Matt 5:32 and Matt 19:9, divorce and remarriage are holy only if one
of the spouses has been unfaithful. So; if a believing spouse divorces their
unbelieving spouse solely on the grounds of religious differences, and remarries;
then as far as the New Testament is concerned, any children produced in the
second marriage will be illegitimate.
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● 1Cor 7:15 . . But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is
not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

In this situation, Christians are neither required, nor encouraged, nor under even
the slightest obligation to attempt reconciliation; rather, "let him depart" strictly
forbids getting back together with the unbeliever.

The unbeliever's departure is a golden opportunity, to permanently escape a
difficult situation that Christ's followers would be foolish to let slip through their
fingers.
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● 1Cor 7:17 . . But as God hath distributed to every man, as The Lord hath called
every one, so let him walk.

"distribution" is likely talking about spiritual gifts. All of Christ's believing followers
are supposed to have at least one.

"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of
administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is
the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to
every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit, yada, yada, yada."
(1Cor 12:5-8)

The "call" likely includes the venue where each individual's gift is put to good use
for The Lord and I don't think we need to worry about how to find that venue; it'll
find us. Thing is, stay in your own zone; don't crash somebody else's party and/or
stick your nose into something that's none of your spiritual business, and quite
possibly out of your spiritual depth too.
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● 1Cor 7:18a . . Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become
uncircumcised.

It was of course impossible to literally reverse circumcision in Paul's day. However,
there did exist a procedure to ceremoniously reverse it. (cf. 1Maccabees 1:15)

"Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised." (1Cor 7:18b)

The circumcision in question is ritual circumcision; specifically the initiation rite into
Judaism.

Paul's advice is very practical because when men undergo Judaism's circumcision
rite, they obligate themselves to comply with the covenant that Moses' people
agreed upon with God on oath per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

As a result; they put themselves in danger of God slamming them with the curses
for noncompliance listed at Lev 26:3-38, Deut 27:15-26, and Deut 28:1-69. (cf. Gal
3:10)

All one has to do is research the last 3,500 years of the Jews' history, up to and
including the Holocaust, to see for themselves that God is serious about those
curses.

FAQ: If 1Cor 7:18b is a hard and fast rule, then why did Paul circumcise Timothy at
Acts 16:1-3?

REPLY: The procedure wasn't done to initiate Timothy into Judaism, but rather, so
that the Jews wouldn't make an issue of Paul associating with an uncircumcised
Gentile which, in their minds, would effectively invalidate his message.

A similar problem exists today among Christians fixated on a particular translation
of the Bible. They will not listen to a teacher, not even a Spirit empowered teacher,
unless he quotes from their favorite version. In their minds; all who use any other
version are heretics right from the get-go.
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● 1Cor 7:20 . . Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God
called him.

I once knew a really good Christian man who felt guilty never going out as a
missionary to a foreign land to help people less fortunate than himself. Well, I
assured him that somebody has to stay back here in the States and hold down a
job in order to earn the money needed to finance missions already in place.

The ratio of soldiers in the rear compared to the ones at the front is something like
six to one. It takes a massive support base to keep our guys on the line out there
facing off with the other guys; all the way from workers in state-side factories
manufacturing war materiel, to the sailors, soldiers, and airmen moving men and
materiel over land and seas, to the doctors and nurses staffing MASH facilities, to
the guys and girls driving supply trucks to the front. We can't all be in the bush.
Somebody has to be in the rear with the gear.

So take comfort in knowing that if you're involved in the effort, then you're a part
of the effort; and will be rewarded accordingly. (cf. 1Sam 30:1-25 and Matt 20:1-16)
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● 1Cor 7:21-22 . . Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but
if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in The Lord while a slave
is The Lord's freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ's slave.

Were this the only life, then slavery would be a terrible fate because there would be
nothing better to look forward to; viz: Christian slaves should think of their
situation as only a temporary set-back. They're missing out on the best that life has
to offer for now, but I'm pretty sure they can look forward to Christ making it up to
them in the next life.

The situation of Christians behind bars, without possibility of either release or
parole, is little different than that of slaves. However, though their time inside may
be for life, it isn't permanent. No, their time inside is just a bump in the road: it's
not the end of the road.

As I was watching a prison documentary on NetFlix some time ago, one of the
inmates interviewed-- an elderly man sweeping with a broom out in the yard --said,
in so many words: Guys come in here thinking their life is over. It ain't over, it's
just different.

That old guy was a lifer, but he was at peace with his situation-- an amazing
attitude for an institutionalized man with no hope of ever again having a normal life
on the outside.
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[jeremiah1five]

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Hello;

There's been times during our 26+ years of internet forum activity when we
encountered people wanting to know what they're supposed to do now that they
decided to become a Christian.

Nobody 'decides' to become a Christian. They don't have the power to change their composition as a wolf or goat and become a sheep. Only God can make a sheep, not man.

A mega Baptist church that we attended back in the decade of the 1970's had a
discipleship program that incorporated an outreach booklet called "The Four
Spiritual Laws" authored in 1952 by Campus Crusade for Christ founder Dr. Bill
Bright.

Those guidelines are helpful as far as they go, but they're pretty elementary and in
our opinion inadequate for taking Christ's believing followers to infinity and beyond,
so to speak.

Some years ago, just for the fun of it, we set out compiling a home-spun catalogue
of Christ's instructions from the new Testament that apply to all his followers
regardless of denominational affiliation. In time we realized that his instructions,
accompanied by a little commentary, would make a pretty good how-to handbook;
so here we are.

* We chose to start in the book of Acts because that's pretty much where Christ's
apostles began telling his believing followers what to do in accord with the Lord's
instructions per Matt 28:19-20.

Buen Camino
Pleasant Journey
_

You're taking command and instruction by Christ to the Jews and trying to make then apply to Gentiles.
I know about this Bill Bright and both he and this 'discipleship' program are a sham. True, biblical discipleship is the student living with their teacher day in and day out just as Jesus did it. Anything short of this is not discipleship.

 

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@jeremiah1five

Hello;

This is to inform you that I don't have the patience to be distracted by your remarks so
I've placed you on my ignore list. Others will still be able to view your content; just not
me. Sorry.
_

 

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● 1Cor 7:23 . .You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

Selling one's body into slave labor was a very common method for settling debts in
a world where bankruptcy wasn't an option (cf. Matt 5:25-26) whereas selling one's
soul is something far more serious. (cf. Job 2:4)

For example in the movie "Wall Street" Charlie Sheen's character reaches a
moment of decision where he can compromise his integrity and be somebody, or
retain his integrity and remain a nobody. I think we'll find that quite a few
politicians, business leaders, educators, scientists, church hierarchy, and medical
professionals have been faced with that very same prospect at some point in their
lives-- quite possibly more than once.
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[jeremiah1five]

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@jeremiah1five

Hello;

This is to inform you that I don't have the patience to be distracted by your remarks so
I've placed you on my ignore list. Others will still be able to view your content; just not
me. Sorry.
_

Thus, you ignore Christ in me.

That's antichrist.