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Elijah – on a Prophetic Path to Gethsemane
Today, in the first of a 2-part look at ordinary men chosen as extraordinary Prophets speaking for God, we will glance briefly at Moses and Elijah.

Prophets Before Christ

Recall that true Prophets of God speak for the LORD God.

NOT every man who claims to be a be a Prophet of God truly speaks God’s word. Nor is every mortal who speaks a prophesy of God is a worshiper of the LORD.

And not every prophesy of a true Prophet is an oracle into the future or an eschatological look into the fulfillment of days.

Yet many prophesies do point us to places and times not yet seen by any man but the appointed Prophet of the LORD.

The Prophet Moses
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What could be more prophetic than the written words of the man who encountered the 'I AM' speaking the very commands of the Almighty? 
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Moses brought the Law – the very words of the LORD – to the Hebrew people.
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The LORD had called Moses, age eighty to lead the Hebrews out from Egypt. Moses was 120 years old as the Hebrews prepared to cross the Jordan.
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Before he led them from bondage in Egypt into Arabia for forty year prior to crossing the Jordan into Canaan, Moses instructed God’s chosen in the LORD’s ways and means of redemption.

So Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.

“It is Yahweh your God who will cross ahead of you..

Deuteronomy 31:1,3a,5a LSB

Yet the LORD instructs Moses with a prophecy of what the Hebrews will surly do:

a Prophesy through Moses:

.. and this people will arise and play the harlot with the foreign gods of the land, into the midst of which they are going, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have cut with them.

“Then My anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed…

Deuteronomy 31:16c-17a LSB

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.

Deuteronomy 32:8 BSB
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This general reference to humanity and God's 'chosen' would be worthy of your separate study, but we cannot cover it here. 
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from Canaan to Babylon

Let’s go quickly across the Jordan through the years (centuries, really) with the chosen sons until fulfillment of a foreseen time of Hebrew prophesy from Babylon.

In order to move so quickly we must overlook and pass many important scriptural milestones.

Moving past Joshua,
- the capture of much of the promised land
  - 14th c. B.C.
- a time of the Judges
  - 14th-11th c. B.C.
- a king of the people (Saul)
  - 11th c. B.C.
David King of Judah united with Israel
- David united Israel and Judah
  - ~1000 B.C.
- Solomon expands his influence back to Egypt and east to Babylon and beyond
  - 973-931 B.C.
- then, a civil war between Solomon’s sons and their heirs,
A quick glance at the timeline below will reveal the book of 1 KINGS where we will find Elijah’s story.

Old Testament Books timeline

The Prophet Elijah

~870 B.C. – 849 B.C.

Later, as prophesied:
- defeat of ISRAEL the Northern Kingdom
  - 722 B.C.
- eventual fall of JUDAH the Southern Kingdom…
  - 586 B.C.
The Man of God

The LORD sent powerful Prophets to both Israel and Judah during a divisive time when most every leader (king) “did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.”
- This includes EVERY KING of ISRAEL for a little more than 200 years !
Wouldn’t a NATION claiming GOD repent — when confronted by the man of God showing great signs and even raising a man from the dead?
- Furthermore the Kings of JUDAH fared no better in their 334 years with only eight of twenty kings who “did right in the eyes of the LORD.”
Elijah was a man of God WARNING the evil LEADERS of a NATION.

Taking a brief stop on our timeline Before Christ, we proceed past Moses and beyond the break-up of the Kingdom of David to a time of evil kings infamously represented by King Ahab of Israel who reigned for about twenty years from 874 B.C. until 853 B.C. when he was killed in battle.
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Jezebel, the King's wife - arguably a head of Ahab - also proved infamous with her own evil legacy. 
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Elijah’s Prophetic proofs:

Now Elijah the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers, said to Ahab,

“As the LORD God of Israel lives, in whose presence I stand, there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command! ”

1 Kings 17:1 CSB
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The severest of droughts - over one thousand dry days in the land - people  and animals will die. 
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Elijah left and lived at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan.

1 Kings 17:4b CSB

So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood…

But she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I don’t have anything baked — only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.”

1 Kings 17:10a, 12 CSB

Drought. Famine everywhere — and for days upon end.

Have you ever considered the gravity of the fragile mortal lives of those already suffering under the evil reign of Jezebel and Ahab?

But a miracle of God through Elijah: the widow’s flour and food never ran out. But then —

Her son becomes ill and dies. (Probably a common occurrence in these desperate conditions of a three year drought.)

She said to Elijah, “Man of God, what do you have against me?

Have you come to call attention to my iniquity so that my son is put to death? ”

1 Kings 17:18 CSB

That’s some accusation from the widow who has just lost her only son. Yet note the widow’s contrite acceptance of God’s authority to punish sin (iniquity).

עָוֹן
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Note the long list of Scriptures [above] from the Law of Moses (beginning with Cain) pointing to punishment for our iniquity. 
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Elijah raises the widow’s son from the dead!

He cried out to the LORD and said, “LORD my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again! ”

So the LORD listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived.

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God and the LORD’s word from your mouth is true.”

1 Kings 17:20-22, 24 CSB

Elijah – a contest to the DEATH

Three years of drought. The King will not like this and consequently blame the righteous man of God.

When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him,

“Is that you, the one ruining Israel? ”

He replied,

“I have not ruined Israel, but you and your father’s family have, because you have abandoned the LORD’s commands and followed the Baals.

1 Kings 18:17-18 CSB
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Tell me if this does not apply to Israel in this day (except that their gods are dreams of their past)? 

Tell me how King Herod and the religious rulers of Judea were so different from Ahab as the King of Israel challenged the true Prophet of the Lord? 
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Then Elijah approached all the people and said,

“How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.”

But the people didn’t answer him a word.

18:21 וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ אֶל־כָּל־הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר עַד־מָתַי אַתֶּם פֹּסְחִים עַל־שְׁתֵּי הַסְּעִפִּים אִם־יְהוָה הָאֱלֹהִים לְכוּ אַחֲרָיו וְאִם־הַבַּעַל לְכוּ אַחֲרָיו וְלֹא־עָנוּ הָעָם אֹתוֹ דָּבָר׃

Much later King Ahab will publically repent! But it will be too late…

Next Contestant

~852 B.C. After the death of Ahab

“Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down! ’ ”

.. “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”

Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

2 Kings 1:9- excerpts CSB

So the king sent another captain with his fifty men to Elijah.

“Man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down immediately! ’

“If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”

So a divine fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

Then the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. The third captain went up and fell on his knees in front of Elijah and begged him,

“.. Already fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains with their companies, but this time let my life be precious to you.”

Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken.

2 Kings 1:11-17 excerpts CSB

The Ascension of Elijah.

The time had come for the LORD to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal,

2 Kings 2:1 CSB

Elijah’s departure is unique, as he is one of only two people in the Bible, along with Enoch (Genesis 5:24), who did not experience death.

The whirlwind signifies God’s powerful presence, often associated with divine intervention (Job 38:1, Nahum 1:3).

Elijah’s ascension prefigures Christ’s ascension into heaven (Acts 1:9-11), symbolizing victory over death and the promise of eternal life.

2 Kings 2:1:: Biblehub.com STUDY BIBLE commentary
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First Century A.D.
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A Son of David, the Son of Man, rides victoriously into Jerusalem now captive of Rome, challenging Jerusalem’s leaders to a duel to the death –

+ His +

– for the redemption of sinners.

“King Jesus, King Jesus, King Jesus, Hosanna!, they cry out…

And within a few days their KING of the JEWS will be crucified on a Roman cross.

An Uplifting Recollection

The Son of Man walked once more toward a familiar hillside covered with an olive grove.

What must Jesus have recalled as the Lord approached Gethsemane with His eleven dear friends one last time?

Remember?

After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured in front of them, and his clothes became dazzling — extremely white as no launderer on earth could whiten them.

Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.
Gospel of Mark 9:4 CSB

A cloud appeared, overshadowing them, and a voice came from the cloud:

“This is my beloved Son; listen to him! ”

Mark 9:7 CSB

.. They kept this word to themselves, questioning what “rising from the dead” meant…
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NEXT: Ezekiel 
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April 8, 2025
Spiritualities – ‘I would not have you ignorant’
Spiritualities – πνευματικός

Spiritual:

“always connotes the ideas of invisibility and of power. ..it is in fact an after-Pentecost word.

the activities Godward of regenerate men are ‘spiritual sacrifices,’ 1Pe 2:5; their appointed activities in the churches are also called ‘spiritual gifts,’ lit., ‘spiritualities,’ 1Cr 12:1; 14:1;

Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words Adjective Strong’s Number: g4152 Greek: pneumatikos

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
First Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians 12:1 King James Version

I want to begin HERE by proceeding with the Apostle’s letter to the church in Corinth because SPIRITUAL GIFTS seem not only mysterious, but frequently misused in preaching and therefore confusing to Christians growing in our faith.

So in addition to working our way through 1 Corinthians 12 we will also examine and hopefully clarify the context of these spiritualities of which the Apostle writes throughout his epistle.

The Corinthian connection of Spiritualities

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

You know that when you were pagans, to mute idols you were led, as being carried away.

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking in the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed,”

and no one is able to say, “Jesus is Lord,” if not in the Holy Spirit.

Ignorant?
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21st century Common Era christians don't use such offensive self-evaluation of ANYONE in our church, do we? Yet the Apostle Paul did in asking church members to examine themselves.
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ἀγνοέω – agnoeō – verb
- to be ignorant, not to know
- not to understand, unknown
- to err or sin through mistake, to be wrong
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We may eventually acknowledge what we formerly did not know or did not understand. But how we avoid confession of current err and continuing sin.

Yet the Apostle consistently corrects the Corinthian church in these things pointing to Christ in a Spiritual sense: 
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For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:1-4 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

The Idolatry of Baptism – the Idolatry of Communion

In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul outlines the SIN and ERR of IDOLATRY
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Soon the Apostle warns the Corinthians that God may not recognize some worshippers gathering for their communions:
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But if anyone remains G50 ignorant G50 about this, he is ignored G50 by God.

1 Corinthians 14:38 LSB

Spiritual Gifts

Let’s clear this up FIRST through basic and ROOT definitions of this important adjective.

REMINDER that an adjective describes a person (you, me, a fellow saint).

pneumatikos

relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as the part of man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ
- opposed to ἡ ψυχή: hence, τό πνευματικόν, that which possesses the nature of the rational soul, opposed to τό ψυχικόν,
The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.

1 Corinthians 15:46
- The Apostle Paul uses pneumatikos 15 times in his first letter to the Corinthians.
Root Word (Etymology)
From πνεῦμα (G4151)

pneuma – spirit

neuter noun From πνέω (G4154)

The KJV translates Strong’s G4151 in the following manner: Spirit (111x), Holy Ghost (89x), Spirit (of God) (13x), [more]

“See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit G4151 does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

Gospel of Luke 24:39 LSB

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost G4151 which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV
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Paul uses the Greek πνεῦμα (pneuma) 41 times in 33 verses in 1 Corinthians, pointing to the spirit in the body and also referring to the Holy Ghost.
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Now there are diversities G1243

1 Cor 12:4a KJV

And there are differences G1243

1 Cor 12:5a KJV

And there are diversities G1243

1 Cor 6a KJV

What distinctions?
1. gifts
2. administrations
3. operations
1 Cor 12: 4b,5b,6b KJV
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OR perhaps less formally:
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- spiritual gifts
- ministries or service
- effects or workings
And the Paul’s connection of these three outlined?
1. but the same Spirit [G4151] pneuma
2. but the same Lord. [G2962] kyrios
  - Root Word (Etymology)
  - masculine noun
  - From kuros (supremacy)
3. but the same God [G2316] theos is working all things in everyone.
No matter which English translation or version of Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians you prefer note the frequency of applying this

Higher Authority over the Church.:

πνευματικός

pneumatikos – pnyoo-mat-ik-os’
- relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ
- belonging to a spirit, or a being higher than man but inferior to God
- belonging to the Divine Spirit
  - of God the Holy Spirit
  - one who is filled with and governed by the Spirit of God
- pertaining to the wind or breath; windy, exposed to the wind, blowing
πνεῦμα – pneuma – Spirit

occurs 40 times in 32 verses in ‘1Co’ in the MGNT Greek.

1 Corinthians 12:7- 11 BSB

Now to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit, for the common profiting.

For truly, to one is given a word of wisdom by the Spirit, and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, and to a different one faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another working of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another distinguishing of spirits, and to a different one various kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues.

Now one and the same the Spirit works all these things, apportioning individually to each as He wills.
1 Corinthians 12:11 BSB – Spirit,
Πνεῦμα (Pneuma)
Noun – Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong’s 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

spiritualities (or spiritual gifts)

The Apostle assures that these spiritualities (or spiritual gifts) are just that: GIFTS of the Holy Spirit of God.

Therefore the Lord chooses which saint may receive what gift,

θεός – theos – God

occurs 106 times in 86 verses in ‘1Co’ in the TR Greek.
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And where in the Apostle's first letter to the Corinthians did Paul first point to the Highest Authority of God?
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Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God,^G2316 …

1 Corinthians 1:1a
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From his call by Jesus Christ after the Lord's resurrection and consequent authority 'through the will of God' the Apostle Paul will proceed to instruct Christ's body (the Church, as he will illustrate) in the humility and nature of the gifts of their spiritualities. 
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And God G2316 hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:28 KJV
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MORE on that NEXT time... 
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κύριος – kyrios – Lord, lord and master

From kuros (supremacy)

occurs 69 times in 59 verses in ‘1Co’ in the TR Greek.

— he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord

Lexicon :: Strong’s G2962 – kyrios
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And when does Paul first mention the Lord and at the same time extend the line of His authority and mission to Corinth?  
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To the church of God in Corinth,

to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy,

together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:

Salutation of the Apostle Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians 1:2 BSB

Throughout his letter Paul reveals the unseen unfolding mysteries of Christ through the Spirit of the Triune God.

The Corinthian saints are no more like the communities in which they live who have spiritualities of their own.

Were the communities and spiritualities of Corinth so different from our own 21st century C.E. gatherings and communions which include all with great diversity, yet with considerable ignorance of the Spirit?

And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:5 KJV
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NEXT: Members in Christ's body 
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February 20, 2025
How Dare You Defer Discipline 1 Corinthians 6
Church discipline continues to be the focus of the Apostle’s letter.

Previously Paul spoke of Judgment between Christ and Satan, but by discipline the Apostle does not mean judgement of Corinthians who do not identify with Christ Jesus. So now Paul INSISTS that the Corinthians judge a fellow church member in this case of moral sin.

Church Discipline in Moral matters

Dare^G5111 any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust and not before the saints?

1 Corinthians 6:1 King James Version – Paul’s challenge to judge our fellow believers rather than defer any matter of church discipline to a civil court.

Strong language from the writ of Judgment by Christ’s Apostle to the gentiles!

But note Paul’s comparison of the civil court –– (Roman law for Corinthians, even as civil common pleas law is practiced in the US and by other Common Era courts).

The Apostle directs the Corinthians to remain within the jurisdiction of God’s Law indicting common justice as law before the unjust .
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τολμάω - From tolma (boldness, probably itself from the base of τέλος (G5056) through the idea of extreme conduct)
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Paul applies his authoritative instruction of church discipline to what he has just stated.

It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.

Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 5:12 New Living Translation
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Clear instruction to the church! Yet how many Common Era christian churches will obey God's word in this?
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God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” – 1 Corinthians 5:13 NIV

κρίνω –krinō – go to Law

The Apostle presents a case to the Corinthian Church supporting his judgement that THEY should judge their own members and therefore become accountable to the Lord God rather than the civil courts.
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* krinō is a case study in itself in the context of the Gospel and how Jesus Christ instructed disciples and saints to use judgement and discernment differently than the world. Study its linked definitions and see what I mean. God-willing, I may return to it.
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1 Corinthians 6:

‘HOW DARE YOU!’ or ‘Dare any of you,’ say some more authoritative English translations.

Now the Apostle will introduce his gentle case to the saints of the Corinthian Church.

Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? – Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians 6:2a NLT
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'But wait!' Paul might quickly follow. 'Not yet and here's why:'
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And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? – 1 Corinthians 6:2b NLT
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Let's glance at a perhaps more palatable explanation from the International Children’s Bible *additional link to the NIRV
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You should be ashamed! Why do you not let God’s people decide who is right? 2 Surely you know that God’s people will judge the world. So if you are to judge the world, then surely you are able to judge small things as well. 3 You know that in the future we will judge angels. So surely we can judge things in this life.

4 So if you have disagreements that must be judged, why do you take them to those who are not part of the church? They mean nothing to the church. 5 I say this to shame you.

a Plea for Church Discipline

Surely there is someone among you wise enough to judge a complaint between two brothers in Christ.

6 But now one brother goes to court against another brother. And you let men who are not believers judge their case!
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Has YOUR Common Era pastor preached this (or does he hope that his unseen judgements will go unnoticed)? 

Do Elders of your local church wisely judge such offenders?
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But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!
1 Corinthians 6:6 NIV

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.

1 Corinthians 5:1 NIV

Spoiled Fruit of deferred Church Discipline

Will a pagan court, a jury of those condoning and practicing such fornication (porneia) not equate Christ’s saints to common practices of those who worship their self-gratifying gods of the flesh?

7 When you take another believer to court, you have lost the battle already. Why not be treated wrongly? Why not be cheated?
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The Apostle asks: Are you NOT willing to suffer injustice by the hand of a fellow saint as witness of Jesus' love?
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8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong.
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'Christians,' they say, 'they're not so saintly, but openly sinful, just like us.'
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And you do it to your brothers and sisters.

Who has died to the flesh?

9 Don’t you know that people who do wrong will not receive God’s kingdom? Don’t be fooled…
- 11.. You were made holy.
- You were made right with God.
- All of this was done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- It was also done by the Spirit of our God.
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Paul lists additional sins to this single case of one man of the Corinthian Church.
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- (9) Those who commit sexual sins will not receive the kingdom.
- Neither will those who worship statues of gods
- or commit adultery.
- Neither will men who sleep with other men.
- 10 Neither will thieves
- or those who always want more and more.
- Neither will those who are often drunk
- or tell lies
- or cheat.
- People who live like that will not receive God’s kingdom.
11 Some of you used to do those things. But your sins were washed away.

Discipline and discernment – Growing up in Christ

Later in his letter Paul will instruct the Corinthian saints:

When I was a child, I talked like a child,

I thought like a child,

I reasoned like a child.

When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

1 Corinthians 13:11 NIV
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Continuing once more, beloved saints young or mature, from the International Children's Bible
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- 6:12 “I am allowed to do all things.”
  - But not all things are good for me to do.
- “I am allowed to do all things.” [“I have the right to do anything.”]
  - But I must not do those things that will make me their slave.
    
    [But I will not be controlled by anything.]
- 13 “Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food.”
  - Yes. But God [theos] will destroy them both.
- The body is not for sexual immorality [fornication, G4202].
  - The body is for the Lord [kyrios] , and the Lord is for the body.
Flee fornication. G4202 Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

1 Corinthians 7:2 King James Version *G4202 – porneia

Paul will add to this application for the saints of the Corinthian Church:

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, G4202 let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians 7:2 KJV

God raised the Lord Jesus

By God’s power God raised the Lord Jesus from death.

And God will also raise us from death.

1 Corinthians 6:14 International Children’s Bible

15 Surely you know that your bodies are parts of Christ himself.

So I must never take parts of Christ and join them to a prostitute! 16 It is written in the Scriptures,

“The two people will become one body.”[Genesis 2:24]

Spoiled Fruit goes to Law

Paul will next include more delicate matters concerning sexual behavior between men and women, but first the Apostle appeals to the church as members of a holy body, the Temple of God – ONE SPIRIT WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:17 KJV
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Once more, from the International Children's Bible
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So run away from sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person does is outside the body.

But those who are sexually immoral sin against their own bodies.

19 You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is in you. You have received the Holy Spirit from God. You do not own yourselves.

20 You were bought by God for a price. So honor God with your bodies.
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NEXT: Married Life of the saints in Christ
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October 8, 2024