1st & 2nd Corinthians
Key Learnings from Sunday School
Jul 2021 - Jun 2022
Corinthians Introduction
Morality Poor
• To behave like a Corinthian = your a fornicator
• To Corinthianize is to have sex with a prostitute
• All things are possible for me.
Religious Diversity
Movements
• Epicureanism (Hollywood)
• Stoicism (environmentalism),
• Sophisticism (trust the science; trust the experts)
Architecture contributions.
Military Technology.
Geographically:
• 5th largest city in the empire
• Isthmus - a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land masses. Therefore a two port city.
Only God makes things holy
• "sanctified" - to make holy (past tense)
The church is the community of believers
• Where the Gospel is preached in its purity and the sacraments (Baptism & Communion) are administered according to the Gospel.
• Athanasian Creed the Christian standard
• CFW Walther - Theses on the Church
• Ofiice of the Keys given to the church - who's ministers then uses publicly on the church's behalf
• WELS and LCMS differences
The Gift of Grace is faith in Christ Jesus
Appeals for Unity
• Denominations demarcate one church from another
• Christian churches are still part of the universal church
Theology of the Cross
• Divine power is not comparable to human power (even if magnified).
• God’s power is hidden in the form of weakness.
Worldly Expectations
• Miracles (Signs)
• Science (Wisdom)
God is enough
Our testimony not based on clever argument traps
• Reason has an adversarial role in faith
• 3rd Article: "I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Christ Jesus"
The duality of Christ
• Fully human (Under the Law; Death)
• Fully divine (Fulfill the Law; Overcome death)
God desires a steadfast love and knowledge of Him, not mindless adherence to rituals.
Whoever wishes to be saved must, above all else, hold the true Christian faith.
Spiritual Milk & Food Metaphor
• Jesus Loves You and Theology of the Cross that focuses on Christ
Gardener analogy
• Its about God's Word & work; not the ministers or teachers
Our foundation is Christ Jesus
• Beware of false teachings placed on that foundation
Worldly wisdom is... well, ... see Original Sin.
• Church discipline applies to the openly unrepentant sinner (within the church)
• Excommunication: a last resort meant to lead to repentance; prevent leading others into sin
• In the world but not of the world
• Lex orandi, lex credendi (Law of what is worship is what is believed; what is believed is what is worshiped.)
- Marriage is the general rule
• Between one man and one woman
• Sex within marriage good. Reciprocity
• Reproduction was NOT part of the discussion
- Celibacy can be good.
- Divorce allowed: Sexual Immorality; Abandament
- Mixed (believer and unbeliever)Marriages
• Remain faithful if already
• Discourage if not yet
• The written Word of God valued by the Early Church
• Different Altars and the horizontal dimension - Standing with a common confession of faith
• Communion Understandings
-- Symbolicism
-- Consubstantiation
-- Receptionism
-- Sacramental Union
• Be thankful; Food - Assume safe unless told of a religious meaning
• Previous chapters spoke of reliance on God and Christian freedom
• [women need to wear head coverings?]
• Had Paul meant to speak of rule and subjection, he would not have brought forward the instance of a husband and wife, but rather of a master and slave.
• [There is some concern that we work the text to much to arrive at these conclusions.
- Adam was to bring God’s glory to Eve but failed
- Men are to reflect the image of God to women
- Women are to help men to reflect the image of God
- Women are not to replace men
- Men should dress like men and women dress like women]
• We are a codependent; We are all born of a women
- Means of Grace - the means through which the Holy Spirit works
- Sacrament - Instituted by God; Visible element; Forgiveness of Sins
- Sacramental Union
• the real presence of the body and blood of Christ united with bread and wine.
• God is the active agent so His Real Presence is in the Sacrament regardless of what the celebrants think or believe.
- Confessional Highlights
• Not to be force upon us
• Not bound to special times
• No adoration of the elements
• Words of institution are never omitted
- Distribution
• Handling the elements in a way that shows reverence (Adiaphora)
• Common Cup; Individual Cups; or Intinction (Adiaphora)
A Brief History of English Translations
1382 Wycliffe Bible- Latin (Vulgate)
1534 Luther Bible*- Hebrew & Greek
Tyndale Bible- Hebrew, Greek, Vulgate, & Luther
1535 Coverdale Bible- Wycliffe, Tyndale, Luther
1537 Matthew Bible- Tyndale, Vulgate, Erasmus’s Latin, & Luther
1539 Great Bible- Tyndale, Vulgate, & Luther
1560 Geneva Bible- Hebrew, Greek & Tyndale
1569 Bishop’s Bible- Hebrew, Greek, Great & Geneva
1611King James Version- Hebrew & Greek
- God does the work in Communion, not the pastor nor the celebrant.
- The congregation owns the Keys not the pastor.
- Benefits of Communion
• Forgiveness of sins
• Strengthen faith
• Public confession
- Warnings with Communion: receiving in an unworthy manner
• No acknowledgment of iniquities (faithlessness)
• Unwillingness to change behavior (unrepentiveness)
• Different confession of faith
- Lutheran Confessional Hightlights
• Communion is not to be forced upon us as it was under the papacy (SC 340.21, LC 452.51)
• Communion should not be bound to special times (LC 452.47)
• No distinctions can be made between clergy and laity (Apology 237.9)
• Adoration of the sacrament elements is rejected (Epitome 486.40; SD 591.126)
• Words of institution are never omitted (SD 584.79)
-12:3 - Used to ferret out Christians; 3rd Article Explanation.
- 1st Article gifts are not subordinate to 3rd Article gifts
- List of Gifts may be referencing abilities, offices, persons, roles, or activities.
• Wisdom and Knowledge: May be supernatural endowment or acquired through instruction and study; May refer to God’s plan of salvation
• Faith: May be different from saving faith all Christians share or may be not
• Healings: May be supernatural or natural in nature
• Miracles: Unclear - clearly supernatural in nature
• Prophecy: May mean preaching and/or expounding on Scripture
• Discernment: Identifying false teachers, teachings, and/or spirits.
• Tongues: May reference an “angelic” language or foreign human languages.
One Baptism
1Cor 12:13 (ESV)
In one Spirit = Means - One Baptism
• “essentially literal” translation seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text
1Cor 12:13 (NIV)
By one Spirit = Agent - Another Spirit Baptism?
• “dynamic equivalence” is “thought-for-thought” rather than “word-for-word” - more susceptible to influences from contemporary culture
“Inferior” verses “Superior” members is not a real thing.
1Corinthians 12:27-31a
Lenski - It is Paul’s evident intention not to distinguish fixed offices from occasional functions that were exercised in the church but to call attention to the great variety of notable gifts and functions that are distributed in the church.
1Corinthians 13
• And I will show you a still more excellent way (1Cor 12:31b).
• God is love
• Grow up
Pursue Love
Tongues - Foreign human languages (not divinely learned as in Acts 2)
• Speaking in foreign languages is so that foreigners can hear the gospel.
Prophecy - Public interpretation of Scripture; preaching; exhortation or instruction.
• Prophecy is for all Christian individually to share the gospel
All things should be done decently and in order.
Scripture is the Word of God (LCMS) not just a container for God's Word (ELCA).
Office of Keys - Given by God to the congregation. The pastor uses the key publicly on behalf of the congregation.
• (LCMS) Other offices are created support that one key.
• (WELS) Each office is given a key.
1Corintians 14:34
• (ELCA) - Conflicts with 1Corinthians 11:5 therefor the more lenient passage is to be preferred.
• (LCMS) - Narrowly applied to the Pastoral Office. Prohibits women only from preaching and teaching in worship.
• (WELS) - Broadly applied to all offices of the church. Prohibits women from preaching and teaching in all church settings.
Our Key Learnings from 1Corinthians 11:1-16 reflects 1Corinthians 14:26-40
• Men are to reflect the image of God to women
• Women are to help men to reflect the image of God
• Women are not to replace men
• We are a codependent
According to the Scriptures - the focus of Scripture
• Christ died for our sins
• He was raised on the third day
Witnesses of the Resurrection
• Go ask them
• Paul is the lest righteousness of the witnesses
Function of creeds:
• Teaching device,
• Highlights what is central,
• Provides a common identity
• Attacks false teaching
Written new testament
• To counter false documents,
• To counter false prophets,
• Death of the eyewitnesses.
Resurrection of the Dead
- Cemeteries are for those who have fallen asleep in Christ; Graveyards are for those who have perished.
- 1st Adam - legacy of brokenness; 2nd Adam - legacy of restoration
- The Trilemma: Liar, Lunatic, Lord
- If there are no resurrections then Christ is dead
- If no resurrected Christ then
• 1) faith is futile
• 2) our proclamation is false
• 3) sin remains
• 4) all die
• 5) despair
- God is a God of the living
- Baptism on behalf of the dead: An argument of life to respond to Corinthian misconceptions.
Resurrection of the Body
- A physical life after death (no soul sleep)
- Not a return to an ordinary life (perishable body)
- A fundamental change; an exchange; a transfiguration (imperishable body)
- Cremation no official position; but discourages the scattering of the ashes
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
Note: The Church in Corinth is gathering together on Sundays. We worship on Sunday because of Easter
Sponsoring an LCMS Missionary
Book Outline
1. God makes things holy
2. God is enough
3. Jesus if the foundation of faith
4. Focus on Jesus not yourselves
5. Be in the world not of the world
6. You are washed, sanctified, & justified
7. Hold fast to the Lord
8. Protect your Christian witness
9. Strive to preserver in faith
10. Christ is our Rock
11. Gather together in Christ
12. One Church
13. God is love
14. Purse Love in an orderly fashion
15. Resurrection
16. Stand firm in the faith
The Church is for us to hear other Christians speak God’s Word to us, to proclaim our salvation in Christ Jesus again and again or we will become uncertain and discouraged at those times when our feelings work to undermine God’s promises.
Mass Formation Psychosis
• Lack of social connection
• Lack of meaning
• Free floating anxiety
• Free floating frustration and aggression
Soteriological - the teaching of salvation
• We are the children of God through faith in Christ.
• Jesus is both God and man.
At least we don’t water down God's Word, and then peddle that diluted concoction on the street (2Corinthians 2:17)
Wounded Theology (heresy)
• Someone wounded me
• Man centered solutions
Theology of the Cross (Jordan Peterson)
• God didn't take away the snakes
• God centered solutions
Office of the Keys (2Corinthians 2:10) - The congregation owns the keys.
Pleasing Aroma (2Corinthians 2:15-16) - Our lives, our faith, our witness. (Hosea 6:6)
Trinity References - 2Cor 3:3,16-17
Work of the Holy Spirit
• Provides Faith
• Guard’s Faith
• Makes us Holy
Law/Gospel distinction
• Focus: Law - Me; Gospel - Christ
• Purpose: Law - Curb, Mirror, Guide; Gospel - Salvation
Moral vs Ceremonial Law
• Ceremonial Law pointed us to Christ
• Moral Law still shows our need for Christ
Covenant Theology (Law/Gospel is a lot less complicated and makes more sense)
• Covenant of Works
• Covenant of Grace
• Covenant of Redemption
Subordinationism (Possible problem with Covenant Theology)
• Jesus is a lesser god
• Lord in title only
• Heresy addressed in the Athanasian Creed
Gospel Reductionism
• Using the Gospel to answer a Law question
Veil of Moses
• Veil no longer need because God himself came to us
• To lift the veil we need the Holy Spirit
If the Gospel is veil, its veiled for those who are perishing 2Cor 4:3
• Light (Jesus) is what makes things visible
• God’s Word (Jesus) gives meaning
• Light (Jesus) is that which gives meaning
The Filioque Controversy
• Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son
• The Great Schism (1054) split between West and East
Treasure (Justification/Sanctification) in fragile containers to show God's Power
• Afflicted & persecuted so that Jesus may be manifested
• Threaten with dead so that Jesus may be manifested
• Proclamation of Gospel so that the glory of God is shared
Tent/Building
Temporary/Enduring
Early Life/Eternal Life
Translation difficulties with tent = body (ESV vs CEV)
• conflicts with bodily resurrection teachings (1Corinthians 15)
• a departure from what we have read so far
Faith clothes/sanctifies.
• faith that is given to us by the Holy Spirit
• without the Holy Spirit we are naked (without faith)
• faith that makes our good works acceptable
"Fear of the Lord" - Being respectful, Being attentive.
Rabbit Holes:
• Subordinationism
• Divergent views on the Sacraments
Christ died for all
• In chaos the world lives for themselves forsaking He who has died and was raised.
• In good order we live for others for the sake of He who has died and was raised.
• Faith in Christ is life. In unbelief there is death.
Good and gracious will of God: Name Kept Holy; Word Taught Correctly; Sinners Brought to faith; We live godly lives
2Corinthians 5:17; 2Corinthians 5:21
Squandering the Grace of God given (2Cor 6:1): Rejecting the Holy Spirit; Following false teachers.
The Holy Spirit equips so that endurance is achieved and the affects of the heart are seen.
Unequally Yoked (2Cor 6:14): An issue of compromising our proclamation of the Gospel and rejecting false teachings.
Terms
Cheap Grace: Used to justify and remain in sin. Changes nothing, costs nothing.
Altar Fellowship: Receiving Communion is a public confession of faith and unity.
Pulpit Fellowship: Pastors who preach and/or lead worship.
Christian charity - responsive; selfless; compassionate; freedom
Welfare - forced; reciprocity; demagoguery; dependency
Act of grace - responding to God’s favor;
Will of God - Name kept holy; Word taught correctly; Sinners brought to faith; godly lives
Stewardship - Listening to God; Trusting in God; Gaining perspective
• Tithing is giving as a response to the Law (Where the focus is on me).
• Christian giving is responding to the Gospel (Where the focus is on Christ).
• A tangible means to gain perspective of the treasure we have already received (Justification/Sanctification), so that we ourselves may grow in the mission and work of the church.
• Without faith nothing is acceptable to God.
• The bride (The Church) is betrothed (by the Gospel) to the bridegroom (Christ)
• The bride is to devote herself solely to the bridegroom
• Eve (the bride) was deceived by the serpent (false teachers)
• Therefore beware of false teachers and remain faithful
• Note: Eve/Serpent illustration is not an exoneration of the culpability of Adam
3rd Heaven (2Cor 12:2)
• The abode of God (1st Atmosphere, 2nd Space)
• The context doesn’t support different degrees of reward
• All forms of work righteousness is contrary to God's unmerited grace in Christ alone
Thorn in the flesh (2Cor 12:7)
• Theology of the Cross
• “You are Mortal. You are just a man. You are Mortal.”