Tag: baptize

  • NO Divisions in our Church ?

    NO Divisions in our Church ?

    I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other.

    Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

    1 Corinthians 1:10 New Living Translation

    IMPOSSIBLE !’ you say. Impossible in Corinth.. and certainly impossible in our local Common Era Church.

    This is the challenge of the Apostle in his exhortation for the Corinthians who Paul has addressed so graciously in his introduction.

    1 Corinthians 1 – 4

    The Apostle’s approach, translated variously in 1 Corinthians 1:10 sets both the tone and outline of his epistle:

    • Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.. – KJV
    • Now I plead with you.. – NKJV
    • I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ.. – NLT
    • Now I urge you, brothers and sisters.. – CSB
    • Now I exhort you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you.. – 1 Cor 10a LSB

    παρακαλέω – parakaleō Lexicon :: Strong’s G3870 – parakaleō

    to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation):—beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort(-ation), intreat, pray.

    How to sustain a CHURCH in the Gospel

    Paul loves these people of the Corinthian church to whom the apostle writes from Ephesus.

    He is beholden to this church he started across the Aegean in a city embracing every imaginable sin – Corinth, where many Greeks and some Jews received the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit through his witness.

    SO HOW IS PAUL TO APPROACH THESE CORINTHIANS SIMPLY BY SENDING A LETTER TO THEIR CHURCH?

    Corinth is a large administrative capital where important policies of ROME must be managed wisely every day.

    Even well-educated Roman Centurions and well-to-do families recognized the benefits of applying a Greek-style wisdom and logic to the goals of their everyday lives.


    The Jews and their religious traditions have an acceptable presence in Corinth as well.

    ANSWER:
    "The Wisdom of the Cross Purifies and Unites Believers, the Wisdom of the World Pollutes and Divides."
    - Kress Biblical Resources Overview Outline of
    1 Corinthians

    The Wisdom of the Cross

    TODAY we will examine Paul's initial approach ONLY from the beginning of 1 Corinthians.

    The Apostle will address more relationships of Christians and the CROSS later in his epistle, but Paul begins with the ROLES of certain people (ministers).


    The wisdom of the cross and Christian ministers

    Problem #1

    For I have been informed concerning you, my brothers, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.

    1 Corinthians 1:11 LSB

    Rumor?

    Hearsay?

    YOU heard THAT about OUR church?


    A.D. 55 – the Corinthian Church

    What is evident here is that the Apostle has been and is in communication with this church he started back in Corinth. His sources are both reliable and concerned for the right outcomes of their church ministry.

    Kress Biblical Resources provides a helpful outline of Paul's approach to this problem of CHURCH QUARRELS.

    The Apostles first states
    • the report of divisions over Christian ministers, THEN
    • rebukes their divisions over Christian ministers, and finally
    • Paul provides the remedy for divisions over Christian ministers 
    ἔρις quarrels

    BEWARE, Christian leader (minister), these divisions could divide and conquer a church once faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ.

    ἔρις éris, er'-is; of uncertain affinity; a quarrel, i.e. (by implication) wrangling:—contention, debate, strife, variance.
    Note the gravity of some headings from 1 Corinthians:
    • Sectarianism Is Sin – NKJV
    • Divisions in the Church – ESV
    • Taking Sides – Contemporary English Version
    • A Church Divided Over Leaders – NIV
    A.D. 49 – Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians

    Paul, in writing to the Galatians six years ago back in A.D. 49 included the same Greek word, translated as ‘strife,’ in a list of what NOT to do.

    Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

    Paul’s Letter to the Galatians 5:19-21 LSB

    Whether is was the ‘foolish‘ Galatians, these Corinthians or YOUR CHURCH, quarreling and strife are serious challenges of the flesh which work against ministers of the Gospel.

    Paul contrasts OUR expected behavior to such foolish quarrels.

    Now those who belong to Christ Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

    Galatians 5:24 LSB

    1 Corinthians 1:10-

    Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 1:12 NKJV

    https://talkofjesus.com/apollos-and-paul-apostles-crossing-paths

    Note Paul’s list from divisions include Christ in addition to Peter and Apollos, the powerful preacher who had followed Paul in Corinth.

    The Apostle then asks:

    • Has Christ been divided?
    • Was Paul crucified for you?
    • Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

    ALL with the same implication for Peter or Apollos or whatever PREACHER they might follow in the place of CHRIST.


    Paul disavows any loyalty to any other than Christ, taking no side of any Corinthian (or any other) claimant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Paul’s summary of the Corinthian Report

    I thank God that I baptized none of you…

    Paul mentions a recalled exception [v.14] of Crispus, Gaius, and [v.16] also the household of Stephanas which mentions later in his epistle.

    For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom or words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

    gar christos apostellō me ou baptizō alla euangelizō ou en sophia logo ina ho stauros christos kenoō

    1 Corinthians 1:17  οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλέν με Χριστὸς βαπτίζειν ἀλλ᾽ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου ἵνα μὴ κενωθῇ ὁ σταυρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ

    Again, the context of Corinth is Greek as an international language and philosophy of an authoritarian ROMAN EMPIRE which created the culture of the Corinthians and Judeans and everybody else.


    NEXT, God-willing, the Apostle’s rebuke of ministers

    Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel


  • Fire of the Living God

    Fire of the Living God

    Exodus 3: 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed… God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!”

    And he said, “Here I am.”

    5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

    And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

    Numbers 9: 15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning.

    16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night.

    Ezekiel 1:4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal.

    Malachi 3:2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

    For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap…

    5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment.

    I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

    Matthew 13: And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”

    37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

    38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom.

    The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil.

    The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

    40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

    41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

    43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

    He who has ears, let him hear.

     Mark 1:8 KJV I indeed have baptized you with water:

    but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

     

  • Rest for the wicked; hope for the weary

    Rest for the wicked; hope for the weary

    It so happens as the Lord had planned it that the launch of http://talkofJesus.com -+- CHRISTIAN SOCIAL WITNESS coincides with the American holiday: Labor Day.  We will have picnics, parades and some much-needed family time.  No school.  Post offices, banks and many not-so-greedy businesses closed to give their employees a rest from their labor – something all of us need at times.

    A prior post began with this same thought. It is about Sabbath rest – a related, but different reference to the word of God in the Bible.  We’ve likely heard the expression:

    ‘NO rest for the wicked and the good don’t need any.’

    NOT true; NOT Biblical.

    We ALL need rest and we all need work.

    +

    American’s inherited this Labor Day idea of rest though the long-standing culture of the King James Bibles so much apart of our Christian heritage.  The original call for rest comes from Jesus.

    “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Matthew 11:28

    At one time Americans realized the importance to honor God through our labor and to honor labors as God’s own workers.  Sadly, in a 21st c. America (or Europe, Asia or any other place) we don’t get that, do we?  (Jesus tells us why – which I will reveal in a moment.) The world has two approaches to labor:

    Work hard for your SELF. (More work, more reward: right?) God doesn’t really need that “offering AND tithe” to honor Him — after all, the Government gets plenty of our required monetary support.  Our Country will take care of us.

    OR

    I don’t need to labor because Uncle Sam* takes care of me and will always help me.

    *  ‘Americanized’ personalization of our impersonal ‘representative’ Government.

    God never intended for ANY to have a rest from the work they will NOT do.  (We won’t go there today. That’s a different scripture.)

    +

    Getting back to talk of Jesus:

    The crowds had flocked to hear Jesus on the hillsides of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.  Jesus traveled from city to city on His northern tour.  Everywhere Jesus traveled, He was expected.

    Matthew 11When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

    Imagine the excitement of the promised Messiah of God coming to your city.  Jesus was predicted by the Prophets.  Jesus was proclaimed by the greatest prophet their contemporary, John the Baptist.

    John was a ‘hell-fire and damnation’ kind of preacher: popular with the people, but imprisoned by the religious establishment.

    REPENT! And be baptized (changed permanently). Cleanse your sins before you must stand before the HOLY ONE.

    Yet our Lord is also calling the people of the cities to hear Him and obey.

    20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent.

    Jesus? … Preaching ‘hell-fire and damnation’ like John?

    Read what He said comparing the disobedient to the people of Sodom.

    Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest

    25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will…

    28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

    What is Jesus saying about our labor?

    Jesus is illustrating a picture of manual labor.  He doesn’t say to just give it all to Him and He will take care of it.  (I’m not saying this about prayer.  We are talking ‘labor’ here.)

    • Take my yoke upon you a picture of the collar of two doing the work of one.
    • learn from me – a direct reference to learning from the example of His life.
    • I am gentle and lowly in heart [Jesus is kind and humble. Have you learned this from His Perfect Example?]

    and [IF you will do this, according to our Lord]

    • you will find rest for your souls. 

    30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

    Jesus didn’t say ‘Take a break and I will do it all for you.”

    Jesus actually called out the people who refuse to repent and listen to Him for their wickedness.

    Our Lord knows how weary we become in this world.

    Do we remember: disobedience was punished in Eden.  Unpleasant work became part of our sinful heritage for having knowledge of good and evil.

    Jesus offers to share in our work in this world.

    Will you work with Him on that?

    Though we are wicked sinners

    Because of the Cross of Jesus 

    Weary laborers have hope.

    Come unto Him.