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Tag: spirit

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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Talk of JESUS .com

Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel
February 20, 2025
The Holy Spirit IS that I AM
The Holy Spirit IS.
I am the Spirit of God.
I am the LORD.

The HOLY SPIRIT of Trinity

Who IS God?

It’s a question we all ask and a familiar question asked by many souls before us.

Moses said to God,

“If I go to the Israelites and tell them,

‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’

and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ – what should I say to them?”

Exodus 3:13 NET Bible

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
Exodus 3:14 KJV

JESUS asked His Apostles a rhetorically similar question:

While he was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them,

“Who do the crowds say that I am? ”

Gospel of Luke 9:18 CSB

And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

τὸν Χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ

And Peter answered and said, “The [Messiah] Christ of God.”

Gospel of Luke 9:20 LSB – Transliterated Greek [above] – ‘ho christos theos’

The Apostle Matthew’s Gospel witnesses this same relational answer of his fellow Apostle Peter:

And Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:16 LSB

God our Father and Lord

We get it humanly – the relationship of a son (or daughter) to a father (or to our mother).

Human AND ever-existing SON

Mortal men and women can relate to a Son of THE FATHER.

We understand, in part, that JESUS was flesh and blood, body and brain a perfect human son of man (Mary, actually: ‘man‘ as in human like all of us).

John, the Apostle who speaks so well relationally in the witness of his Gospel tells us:

But these [signs, proofs or miracles] are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Gospel of John 20:[30-]31 New English Translation

The Twelve, having loved their friend and Master whom they followed willingly, understood a relational link between JESUS and each of His disciples personally.

When the Lord in so many ways showed His Disciples His ever-existing relationship to Almighty God our Father — HIS Father from before the beginning — they could not have been more awe struck that GOD stood in their human presence.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

I and my Father are one.

Gospel of John 10:27-30 KJV [context: John 10:22-30 KJV ]
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We get that - in a human sense of relationship.
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Jesus and Spirit

Yet think from the witness of any of the Twelve of the impact of JESUS, the living Christ they follow, telling His disciples: “I and the Father are One.”
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Just like all faithful Jews, these disciples had recited the Sh'ma since their childhood:
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Sh’ma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Eḥad

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד׃

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

דְּבָרִים (Deuteronomy) 6 : 4
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Even so, the Disciples had heard their Master instruct Nicodemus, a leader of the Sanhedrin:
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Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Gospel of John 3:5-6 ESV [in context of John 3:1-21]

John’s Gospel continues with Jesus’ further explanation of the Spirit:

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Gospel of John 3:23-24 LSB – Words of Jesus Christ to a Samaritan woman

What is JESUS telling us about spirit and the Holy Spirit?
- Although mankind is flesh and blood, created from dust and water,
- and Man is created in God’s image;
- Man, LIKE GOD, is also spirit.
What is Spirit?

John begins his Gospel with Jesus (the Word) and the Spirit.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.

Gospel of John 1:1-4 Berean Standard Bible

John’s clear reference is the beginning written in the word of Moses:

בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ׃

וְהָאָרֶץ הָיְתָה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵי תְהֹום וְרוּחַ אֱלֹהִים מְרַחֶפֶת עַל־פְּנֵי הַמָּיִם׃

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep.

And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Genesis 1:1-3 [Hebrew] Berean Standard Bible

JESUS, THE WORD, WAS WITH GOD AND WAS GOD — ‘hovering over ‘a waste and emptiness,’ in the darkness over a face of the deep…

And the Word said:
“Let there be light,”
and there was light.
Genesis 1:3 in the context of John 1:1-5
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READ MORE BELOW
NOTE: 
Although I generally limit your reading time to ~5 minutes, today I'll expand our TOPIC of SPIRIT with additional definitions and more Biblical verses than we could cover in a single post on the SPIRIT.

Please continue and COMMENT at the end of this entire post.- RH
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Spirit [spirit] – rûaḥ – רוּח
- The KJV translates Strong’s H7307 in the following manner: Spirit or spirit (232x), wind (92x), breath (27x), (various additional)
- Two additional uses in Genesis show both the Spirit of God and His quickening spirit in His creatures, including mankind:
  - And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; – Gen. 6:3a NKJV
  - And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life.. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. – Gen. 7:15,22 NKJV
COMMENTARY

The Spirit of God; not the wind, which was not yet created, as is manifest, because the air, the matter or subject of it, was not yet produced; but the Third Person of the glorious Trinity, called the Holy Ghost, to whom the work of creation is attributed, Job 26:13, as it is ascribed to the Second Person, the Son, Joh 1:3 Col 1:16-17 Heb 1:3, and to the First Person, the Father, every where.

– Matthew Poole’s Commentary on Genesis 1

Job asks [12:10 LSB]:

In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all the flesh of man?

Man cannot grasp the whirlwind or the unseen breath of God, yet JESUS, who IS One with the Father tells us:

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”

Gospel of John 4:24 CSB

πνεῦμα – pneuma in the New Testament

Spirit in the New Testament – basically has the same meaning AND is just as mysterious, illusive as the breath of angels. – RH
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(Note the prepositions, 'the' or 'a' in the Strong's definitions) 
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spirit in a living soul
- the spirit, i.e. the vital principal by which the body is animated
  - the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides
  - the soul
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How do you think of your own spirit? 
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“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Gospel of Matthew 5:3 LSB from the Beatitudes of Jesus Christ
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Consider a mysterious ethereal truth: observable, yet beyond measure of man's contemporary thought. 
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spirits apart from your own mortal soul
- a spirit, i.e. a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting
  - a life giving spirit
  - a human soul that has left the body
  - a spirit higher than man but lower than God, i.e. an angel
    
    used of demons, or evil spirits, who were conceived as inhabiting the bodies of men
    
    the spiritual nature of Christ, higher than the highest angels and equal to God, the divine nature of Christ
“Now when the unclean spirit G4151 goes out of a man [anthrōpos – a human being, whether male or female], it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.

Matthew 12:43 LSB

spirit and soul alike, yet distinct

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
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Before proceeding to the more powerful and most mysterious Holy Spirit of God, 

consider beyond flesh and blood, mind and spirit --
that which is the same in Old and New Testaments, yet having subtle ungraspable distinction: spirit and soul.
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“BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN;

MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL [psychē] IS WELL-PLEASED;

I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT [pneuma] UPON HIM,

AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.

Gospel of Matthew 12:18 LSB quoting Isaiah 43:1 quote of the LORD

We hear it also in the heart of Isaiah, a Prophet of God:

With my soul [nep̄eš] I have desired You in the night,
Yes, by my spirit [rûaḥ] within me I will seek You early;
For when Your judgments are in the earth,
The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

Isaiah 26:9 NKJV
- soul – psychē – NT Greek
- soul – nep̄eš – נֶפֶשׁ – OT Hebrew
the HOLY Spirit
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Although related to spirit, we cannot examine the soul today as part of our brief topic of the Trinity and Holy Spirit.
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Spirit – rûaḥ or pneuma

H7307 – rûaḥ – רוּחַ

Spirit of God, the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son
1. as inspiring ecstatic state of prophecy
2. as impelling prophet to utter instruction or warning
3. imparting warlike energy and executive and administrative power
4. as endowing men with various gifts
5. as energy of life
6. as manifest in the Shekinah glory
7. never referred to as a depersonalised force
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Gospel of Matthew 1:18 NKJV

Simply the human beginning of the son of man (Mary, a virgin, that is; bearing a second adam in the line of God’s created ones).

Certainly mysterious, controversial to this day to the psyches and spirits of mortal men and women who resist the Spirit of God.

In His love and in His pity He redeemed them;
And He bore them and carried them
All the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit;

Isaiah 63:9b-10a NKJV

πνεῦμα – pneuma – spirit OR ghost

When you hear an ENGLISH translation of pneuma in the King James Version it will most often suggest an image of the Holy Ghost.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Gospel of John 14:26 KJV – the promise of Jesus Christ

As mysterious as Ghost or the Spirit may be to mankind, its root word [Strong’s G4154 – pneō] directs our thoughts
- to breathe hard, i.e. breeze:—blow (of the wind)
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’

The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Gospel of John 3:5-8SB

The HOLINESS of God

NO mention of Trinity is absent the key concept of HOLY in reference to the HOLY GHOST or the HOLY SPIRIT.
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We have examined the doctrines of Holiness previously:
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DOCTRINE: GOD IS HOLY

He will give you another Helper – the Holy Spirit

I encourage you in the spirit to pray with ears to hear the Holy Spirit of the Lord God, who IS ONE with the Father and the Son our savior Jesus Christ.

Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

David, King of Israel – Psalm 51:11

Acts of the HOLY SPIRIT

God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.

Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

Acts of the Apostles 2:32-33 BSB

– testimony of the Apostle Peter in Jerusalem’s Temple

“Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied,

“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,

and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

With many other words he testified, and he urged them, “Be saved from this corrupt generation.”

Those who embraced his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to the believers that day.

Acts of the Apostles 2:37b-41 Berean Standard Bible
November 16, 2024
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