Tag Archives: Corinthians

Christian

Convenient Context

According to many Christians including pastors, preachers, and teachers you don’t need most of the Holy Bible.

We are no longer under the Old Testament. (True, but it is published bound together with the New Testament for a reason. There is much to learn from the Old Testament and parts of it including the Ten Commandments are incorporated into the New.) So, cut the Old Testament out of your Bible.

The New Testament doesn’t begin until Christ died. So, cut the four gospels out of your Bible.

Letters such as the Corinthians were written only to the Church at Corinth and any Commandments were only for them at that time. So, cut out the Letters to the Churches.

All these cuts make for a very, very light Holy Bible. In the end the only cut that will last is your name from the Book of Life.

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Christian, Inspirational

Context is Key II

I have heard it said that the Ten Commandments were Mosaic law (given to Moses in the Old Testament) and we no longer need to follow them since we are now under the New Testament.

I have heard it said we don’t need to follow the laws and precepts of Corinthians because Paul wrote them only to the Church of Corinth.

I have heard people claim promises throughout the Old Testament which were specific only to Israel at a specific time.

Context does matter. Discernment and rightly dividing the word of God requires us to first look at the Holy Bible as a whole. It was written for us. It is directed at the modern day reader. Things written to others in times past are lively and directed at us today.

1 John 2:7 KJV
Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

Is not the law that which we have heard from the beginning, whether by faithful preaching or by our own reading of the Bible?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 KJV
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

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Christian, Inspirational

Defining Behavior

People define God’s law as they see fit. Instead of stretching definitions to suit our own benefit, what if we strictly defined the law in accordance with God’s original intent.

Exodus 20:13 KJV Thou shalt not kill. Seems clear enough, but man changes it to thou shalt not murder. We search out excuses. It’s okay in war, it’s okay in self defense, it’s okay if someone breaks into your home, it might be okay if adultery was involved, maybe there are extenuating circumstances, maybe it’s only manslaughter.

Exodus 20:9-10 KJV …thou shalt not do any work,… Yet, man says it’s not work if it was necessary. It’s not work if you wanted to do it. Even if it was work, surely God won’t hold it against me.

If you’ve never read Corinthians you may skip this paragraph. For those of you desirous of learning and keeping the law, keep reading. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 seems pretty clear. The only question is what is Church. Is it a building? Is it a time? Is it a combination of the two? Is it whenever and wherever two or more are gathered together in Christ’s name? This like all of God’s law depends on the heart of the listener.

When you read or hear the law seek understanding. When you have understanding seek strength. When you find yourself seeking excuses – you should know you are definitely walking in the wrong direction.

When you realize your walking in the wrong direction, there remains 1 John 1:9. Turn and define (live) the law favorably within God’s original intent. Why? Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Matthew 7:14 KJV

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