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Tag: satan

Spiritual Pride Immorality Judged 1 Corinthians 5
Does Spiritual Pride prevent christians who come to church on Sunday from offering more than a cup of coffee (very light with lots of froth) to Corinthians (or Cincinnatians) seeking the Lord Jesus?

Previously in this first letter to his beloved believers in Corinth the Apostle has suggested:

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT
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True evangelism of Christ through all Scripture becomes a personal challenge to us.
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Pride in Preaching!

WE love our church — don’t we?

Our Pastor is more passionate about US than other preachers of competing gatherings on Sunday. (Or so WE tell some in evangelizing a consumer-friendly gospel of our loving Jesus.)

The Apostle has challenged such thinking among divided christians within the Corinthian church — some who doubt his distant authority in the Lord.

Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

1 Corinthians 4:21b – NIV

NOW the Apostle REBUKES (judges) a specific evil known publically in the community of worshipers in Corinth.

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you..
1 Corinthians 5:1a
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As is often the case, it's not necessarily the preacher who is the problem (Paul, Apollos or Peter).

The offenders are generally overlooked witness of fellow christians (with whom you sip coffee and break bread), men and women identified with YOUR CHURCH gathering with their continuing sin evident to all. 

THE LIFE THIS Corinthian christian leads, Paul suggests, is NOT so unlike the pagans WE hope to convert.
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“.. and sexual immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, namely, that someone has his father’s wife.

It may be some other porneia [fornication] sexual sin, SOCIALLY ACCEPTED SINS generally known, perhaps prevalent in OUR church;

i.e. pre-marital sex, unmarried mothers, absent fathers, abortions, extra-marital affairs, divorces…

In Corinth (or Cincinnati, Chongqing or Chicago) our pride flaunts evidence of OUR indiscretions.

Yet sexual sin unconfronted as grace condones a witness of christian culture where unrepentance persists.
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Our Common Era flood of destruction flows from the sins of the church. 

The world sees christian sin witnessed as worship.
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The Apostle calls on leaders of the Church to judge and remove the offender of Christ.

5:2 “And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. – NKJV

“And you are proud! – NIV “

And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. – ESV
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PRIDE in PREACHING or IN THE PRAISE BAND or OUR CHOIR or OUR FESTIVALS; PRIDE in our COMMUNION or BAPTISM or LITURGY or CULTURAL INCLUSION or MISSIONS or PROGRAMS or SCHOOL or other 'church' identities WE CLAIM! 

ALL distract US from the humility of serving Christ Jesus as our Lord in OUR HOMETOWN "Church." 
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Such pride divided the Corinthian Church (as it continues to do in this Common Era).

Judgment between Christ and Satan

Several BIBLICAL HEADINGS added to 1 Corinthians 5 reflect the seriousness of the Apostle’s judgment.

Immorality Rebuked – KJV

Sin in the Church – NLV

Wickedness in the Church – International Children’s Bible

Deviant Behavior – New Catholic Bible

Immorality Defiles the Church – NKJV

Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church- ESV

Throw Out the Evil Person! – NIRV

Paul Condemns Spiritual Pride – New Living Translation

Sexual Immorality Rebuked – NASB
- And also from the NKJV a Sub-HEADING to 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
Immorality Must Be Judged

PAUL’S WRITTEN EPISTLE DOES NOT CONDEMN from afar, but informs.

Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man

1 Corinthians 5:3 NLT

The APOSTLE makes a personal connection to the church in Corinth and by the HOLY SPIRIT casts his authoritative judgment against a certain man who is part of their Corinthian church.

So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

the Apostle Paul’s first Epistle to the Corinthians 5:4-5 NIV

By the Authority of the Spirit the Apostle commands the leaders of this CHURCH to SHOW the Corinthian ‘christian‘ his choice between this SIN of the flesh and saving his spirit.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, .. with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1 Corinthians 5:4-5 excerpt NKJV

Σατανᾶς – Satan

As we frequently fail to enlist the power of the Advocate (the Holy Spirit), so too we dismiss the danger and deception of the Adversary, that is: Satan.
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The Deceiver is an enemy of Christ and enemy of the Church.
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Σατανᾶς – Of Aramaic origin corresponding to Σατάν (G4566)

The KJV translates Strong’s G4567 in the following manner: Satan (36x).

adversary (one who opposes another in purpose or act), the name given to
the prince of evil spirits, the inveterate adversary of God and Christ
he incites apostasy from God and to sin
Σατανᾶς – Lexicon :: Strong’s G4567 – satanas
- What does Paul mean by ‘turning this sinner over to Satan for DESTRUCTION of his FLESH?
- And how can this sinner’s ‘spirit be saved in the day of the Lord’ by his church turning him over to Satan?
- As a matter of practice (church practice, if you like) HOW can he be saved?
the power of our Lord Jesus is present

Take Action, Church! Don’t overlook this.
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The issue is communion, purity of worship. 

Paul illustrates from the Hebrew Law of God concerning leaven and then applies it to worship of the saints in Corinth.
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6 Your boasting is not good.

Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough?

7 Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are.
- Are you truly transformed in Christ?
- Do you count yourself in Christ as part of His body?
  - (Some may recognize this quote of scripture from the traditional church liturgy of Holy Communion.)
For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

8Therefore let us keep the feast..

not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.

1 Corinthians 5:7b-8 BSB

Note the importance of the contrast Paul presents for communion of the saints of this new group of believers, the Corinthian Church (as they will be identified by the world).

When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit.. 1Cor5:4

Judging Outsiders

For what have I to do with judging outsiders?

1 Corinthians 5:12a LSB

PAUL rhetorically asks a MYOB question Christians hear frequently.

YET we know (and easily neglect) the Apostle’s point of his related question here FOR THE CHURCH.

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people;

10 I did not at all mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or with idolaters,

for then you would have to go out of the world.

I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin,

or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people.

Don’t even eat with such people.

1 Corinthians 5:11:20 New Living Translation

Do you not judge those who are inside?
1 Corinthians 5:12b – NKJV

Translations vary, but the Apostle’s pointed QUESTION for the Corinthians is no different than the Spirit commands of us:

Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?

1 Corinthians 5:12b – ESV

13 God will judge those outside.

“Expel the wicked man from among you.”

Seems so simple. Endure such dissentions or face a fellow saint in order to save their soul?

NEXT: Judging Problems Among Christians – 1 Corinthians 6

HEADING: International Children’s Bible
September 19, 2024
Not ME – the deception of SIN
“Not me,” we boastfully sang out as children.

We gleefully sang each verse of the children’s song so familiar we knew the continuous scratches in our 45 rpm record. Who’s afraid of the BIG BAD WOLF? — a story also told on our little black and white television and eventually in living color by Walt’s colorful characters. (We knew the story and song by heart.)

“Who’s afraid of the BIG BAD WOLF?” Not me.
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Who's afraid of the big bad wolf,
the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf,
"Who's afraid of the BIG BAD WOLF?"  
[then 5 familiar notes of melody during which we sang out: 
NOT MEEEE!]
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I’m not even certain ANY version of the song from “The Three Pigs” even included our unanimous care-free response of each little pig; but my sister, brother and I all knew where the story was headed.

A Father’s Letter to his Gentile Children

Now you’re probably wondering what a children’s song has to do with the Apostle Paul.

(I’ll make the connection before the last verse of his letter (so to speak) as we suddenly discover a HOT TOPIC for the church.)

In the year of our Lord 49 to A.D. 51

As the Apostle Paul nears completion of a Second Missionary Journey he sends a letter to a church back in Macedonia from where the Apostle to the gentiles had been forced to flee. Paul’s heart for these new believers looks back to Christ’s love in them.

But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.
First letter from Paul, Silas and Timothy to the Thessalonian church 2:7

Thessalonica

The First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians
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What do you do when travelling away from home and separated from loved ones? We do our best to communicate at a distance, (before hand-held phones) traditionally by letter.

Again, from Corinth, the year ~ A.D. 51 
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These new believers in Christ Jesus in Macedonia receive communication from Paul, a father to them in the faith. Silvanus we know familiarly as Silas and their young protoge Timothy has been their trusted courier and also a pastor to believers in distant towns.

[READ 1 Thessalonians 3 for details that complete the ACTS journey to Athens.]

Like any good father the Apostle encourages and also exhorts these young believers to maintain their new-found righteousness in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

.. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.
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Is this not what every child wants to hear from its father? 

'Well done, good and faithful young follower of Christ' 

Even in other parts of Macedonia and HERE IN CORINTH ACHAIA the Thessalonian faith has become an example to others.

The Apostle then recounts their struggles in other cities.
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2: ²But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. ³For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive…
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Remember this, and remember the big bad wolf who will knock at our door later.
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5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.

Three Weeks in Thessalonica- Acts 17

Opposition to the Gospel in Philippi and then Thessalonica

We are proud of you

11 For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
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CHILD of God, Christ is at work in YOU.
Good job, son! Well done, daughter.
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14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind..

but Satan hindered us
- DO YOU BELIEVE IN SATAN?
  - “Not me,” will be the response of many 21st century claimants of Christ.
- Yet the Lord Jesus AND Paul both include along with the Gospel warnings about the fallen angel Satan who huffs and puffs at the door of faith of every Christ follower.
.. we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.
1 Thessalonians 2:18 διότι ἠθελήσαμεν ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ μὲν Παῦλος καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δίς καὶ ἐνέκοψεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Σατανᾶς ESV

19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming?

Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

Furthermore then we beseech you..
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Many long-time servants of the Lord Jesus may detect a certain fatherly embrace of Paul opening his arms to his Thessalonian children of the faith. 

The more formal quaintness of the King James Version perhaps captures the Apostle's love for these saints best.
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Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians 4:1 KJV

(Some may even recall familiar and more formal prayers of your own childhood in Christ simply at hearing the plea,

WE BESEECH YOU.
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A General Thanksgiving (from the A.D. 1928 Anglican Prayer Book)

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we, thine unworthy servants, do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men; We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.

 And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may he unfeignedly thankful: and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; 

through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.
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NEXT: from Thessalonians 4-5 – WARNINGS

to the children of the Lord facing that Big Bad Wolf, who disguises himself as light while he huffs and puffs at the saints approaching the narrow door of eternal life.
July 13, 2023
Gardener, Shepherd and Hunter: 7 Scenes Unseen by Man

ACT 2 – Scene 1 – in an unseen place

Where am I?

I have brought you to a place unseen by man.

You showed me a scene I had never seen of the death of Abel.. and Eve mourning the loss of her son murdered by her other son… and about sin in Eden. Was this story of Moses true?

I have shown you scenes revealed to Moses from near the beginning of time. His story was true, though Moses was not there.

Tell me, why did Moses leave Egypt?

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter..
[Click here to read NASB in context]
Hebrews 11:24

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as though seeing Him who is unseen.
Hebrews 11:27 NASB

Moses was sort of a shepherd then, wasn’t he?

Yes, in a sense.. But a later shepherd led his followers to the right answer from Scripture to your question. Do you recall what David said?

מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד יְהוָה רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָֽר׃

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Moses followed the unseen Shepherd as he led the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt.

So is this place like when you showed me what happened east of Eden?

These scenes take place in the unseen places above the heavens — or beneath the earth — places connected to the timeline of man yet separate from the mortal life of any one man or woman.

I don’t think I understand, I thought as my Guide explained unseen places where He has evidently led me.

Allow me to show you one such unseen scene from around the time of Moses. The actions here impact a righteous man who lived in a different land. But this scene does not take place there.

Unseen in Uz

One day the angels [sons of God] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan [the adversary] also came with them.

The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”

Job 1:6-7 NIV

Do you know this story?

Yes. It’s about Job, who suffers all kinds of evil without knowing why.

Is Job part of this conversation with the LORD in the unseen place? So who is the main character in this story of Job?

I knew the obvious answer. Job was clueless about God allowing him to suffer severely for some time.

Satan.. And didn’t you also say that Moses called him the Serpent?

You yourself recognized the Serpent as the hunter. And what prey does he hunt?

Souls! The soul of Cain.. the soul of Eve.. the soul of Adam..

So too is Satan hissing at God when he calls for evil to tempt Job’s soul toward the pit of darkness.

So the Serpent’s name is really Satan.

שָׂטָן

śāṭān – noun

superhuman adversary, הַשּׂ׳ :
a. of Job, one of בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים Job 1:6, 7 (twice in verse); Job 1:8, 9, 12 (twice in verse); Job 2:1, 2(twice in verse); Job 2:3, 4 (twice in verse); Job 2:6, 7.
b. of high priest of Israel before י׳, Zechariah 3:1, 2(twice in verse); Greek Version of the LXX. ὁ διάβολος.
c. as proper name שׂ׳ Satan 1 Chronicles 21:1 (interpret 2 Samuel 24:1), Greek Version of the LXX διάβολος (Greek Version of the LXX σατάν 1 Kings 11:14, 23; Σατανᾶς Matthew 4:10; Mark 1:13; Luke 10:18 + 33 times NT).

Source- [Lexicon :: Strong’s H7854 – śāṭān

And as Moses said, this Tempter is cunning; and as a spirit shepherding evil in the unseen places he has many names, sometimes even appearing as a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

שָׂטַן

śāṭan – verb

Outline of Biblical Usage
(Qal) to be or act as an adversary, resist, oppose

Strong’s Definitions
שָׂטַן sâṭan, saw-tan’; a primitive root; to attack, (figuratively) accuse:—(be an) adversary, resist.

Strong’s Number H7853 matches the Hebrew שָׂטַן (śāṭan), which occurs 6 times in 6 verses in the WLC Hebrew.

Job seemed helpless; not able to do anything about the evil.

Satan requested permission from God to contend with him on earth.

My thoughts and countenance were really quite dejected by now..

Remember what David said about the valley of the shadow of death? .. It is the place of evil.

I recalled briefly the Lord’s words to Cain before he murdered Abel.. The LORD cautioned Able BEFORE he turned against his brother and against the LORD who was with him and leading him along the valley of the shadow…

So how can any man resist evil from these unseen places and remain faithful to the LORD?

Do you know how David petitioned the LORD when God was angry at him for his sin?

Just like Moses, I thought, David had murdered a man. He had blood on his hands.. NO LESS THAN CAIN!

A psalm of David. A petition. NIV

LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
Psalm 38:1 NIV

Some prayers are praises to God who we cannot see, while others are petitions from our place near the valley of the shadow to the unseen place — a place above time and circumstance where the Lord sits on the Throne of justice and the Mercy Seat of redemption.

Psalm 38 NASB, KJ21, OJB, WLC

Yᵊhōvâ

Hashem, rebuke me not in Thy wrath; neither chasten me in Thy hot displeasure.

2 (3) For Thine khitzim (arrows) pierce me, Thy hand presseth me sorely.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh, because of Thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sin.

4 For mine iniquities have gone over mine head; as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds are foul and corrupt because of my foolishness.

6 (7) I am bent down; I am brought low

I go in mourning all day long.
7 For my sides are filled with burning,
And there is no healthy part in my flesh.

8 I am feeble and sorely broken; I have groaned because of the disquiet of my heart.

David pleads for mercy, confessing his guilty deeds by which he deserves the WRATH OF GOD.. He then bows down to God acknowledging:

Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.

I know now after seeing these unseen places that I have NO right to expect anything from God…

David is quiet before the LORD, then pleaing:

Yes, I am like a person who does not hear,
And in whose mouth are no arguments.
¹⁵For I wait for You, Lord;
You will answer, Lord my God.

AND listen to David’s plea to the Judge of all men. Read it:

(WLC 38:21) וּמְשַׁלְּמֵי רָעָה תַּחַת טוֹבָה יִשְׂטְנוּנִי תַּחַת רדופי־ טֽוֹב׃

They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
Psalm 38:20 KJV

Eve encountered an adversary opposed to God! As did the first adam and the sons of adam.. Job.. and David.. And yes, so have you. And WHY? David tells us.

Because those who follow God and do what is good suffer evil by the hand of the adversary of the LORD God lurking in the unseen places. For Satan is an enemy of all Light which overcomes the darkness.

21 Do not abandon me, Lord;
My God, do not be far from me!
22 Hurry to help me,
Lord, my salvation!

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Gospel of John 1:5 NIV

To be continued…

May 14, 2022