Christian Maturity

A believer has been given wisdom by God so that they may know the things of God and apply it to their lives (1 Cor. 2:10, 13). But even though they (believers who have been given God’s wisdom) are called to maturity, at times they act worldly, under the control of the world and the flesh (cf. the Corinthian believers whose actions were antithetical to those given God’s wisdom; 1 Cor. 3:3-4). Keep in mind, “while all believers are alive in the spirit, not all believers’ actions and attitudes conform to the status of being alive in the Spirit (Samra, p. 66). Seeing that believers are no longer slaves to sin and are now “sons’” because “God sent his Spirit within our hearts” (Gal. 4:6), it is expected that they should live in freedom, to walk in their new status, not enslavement to the law, the world, nor the enemy.

Concerning Marriage & Divorce

Do we live by the Facts or Do we live by Principles (God’s Principles)

Corinth was a key Greek urban center under Roman rule that eclipsed Athens in size and importance by the time of the great fire in 146 BC. It was rebuilt in 46 BC by Julius Caesar as a Roman colony and inhabited with approximately 100, 000 persons. By the time of Paul, it had become the wealthiest city in Greece (Blomberg). The city of Corinth was famous for a huge stone mountain called the Acrocorinth, with the temple of Aphrodite on top. This was the ultimate symbol of the dominance of pagan religions. Before Christ, these temples employed thousands of priests and priestesses who “doubled as prostitutes”. In addition to this, there were more prostitutes available on the ground level for interested parties. It is from this culture that the word “Corinthianize” (“play the harlot”) and “Corinthian girl” (whore) became a slang (Blomberg).

Practical Applications of the Shepherd & Slavery Motifs

Believers have been liberated from the bondage/spiritual slavery of sin and now belong to Christ (slaves of) who is their Shepherd (1 Pet. 2:25). Using the pericopae of 1 Peter 5, the reader will find useful instructions for leaders within the body of Christ. Christian leaders are under-shepherds of God’s called people,  charged with “exercising oversight” of His flock (1 Pet. 5:2). The Greek word for ‘shepherd/tend’ here is “poimanate,” which describes the task of  tending to, rule, govern, (serve as shepherd/pastor)[Gruden 2009, p.194]. Although Christian leaders are slaves of Christ, the call to shepherd God’s flock is to be done of free will (not under constraints), ungrudgingly, according to God’s will (5:2-3).  The church belongs To God (Acts 20:28), and under-shepherds in carrying out their oversight responsibilities guard the flock (from threats, false doctrine), administer edification, watch over their souls (Heb. 13:17), and be careful not to be overbearing, prejudicial, uncaring, nor “lords over God’s people” (5:3). The reader will note here the stark contrast between those who serve the Good Shepherd versus the power-hungry false shepherds of the world’s system who Jesus called hypocrites (Jn. 10; Mat. 20:25). Leaders are called to humility and a sacrificial spirit.

Use of the Slavery & Shepherd Motifs in Scripture

         

                                                            Slavery

Historically, the metaphor of slavery “was capable of multiple connotations.”[1] It is sometimes used as “servants of God” (δούλους – Acts 2:18), “fellow servants” (σύνδουλοι – Rev. 6:11), in the singular “slave” (doulē – Luke 1:38), “slaves of Christ” (douloi Christou – Eph. 6:6) and “fellow- slave” (syndoulou – Col. 1:7).  It is defined as “someone whose person and service belongs wholly to another,”[2] resulting in “the total subjection of the slave and the absence of the slave’s freedom  to choose his action or movement.”

The two types of slavery concerned with this discussion are: (1) physical/literal – the actual imposition over a person; and (2) metaphorical/spiritual – “an inward relationship in which a person is under the influence of another.”[3] Keep in mind that first century Christianity was primarily influenced by Judaism; therefore any use of the slave motif would have first a Jewish bent, then the historical Greek/Gentile meaning. However, Harris contends that the reader should consider the slave motif within the framework of Jewish, Greek and Roman conceptual backgrounds.[4]

Based on the historical use of the slavery motif, we can therefore conclude that the New Testament (N.T.) neither endorses nor reject slavery, and draws both positive and negative images from it.[5]

Growth Within The Body Of Christ

God's missional plan is the salvation and sanctification of the world (Eph. 1:9-10). This mission is best achieved when the Body of Christ operates as a fully functional ecosystem. Christ, is the head of the church, and believers are being fitted together with an expectation of a harmonious and interconnected togetherness. Ernest Best describes the way this spiritual ecosystem should function:

  "If one member fails to exercise his gift, that hinders both the growth of the whole and the individual growth of each member (no member can grow apart from the whole). The growth of each member is involved in the growth of the whole and the growth of the whole in the behavior of each member."[1]

The Goal Of Christianity

"Christianity in essence is concerned with the transformation of character and conduct

rather than with the reformation of societal structures. Its primary focus is on the individual ethics within the Christian community rather than on corporate ethics within society at large; on interpersonal relationships rather than on societal reformation through institutional change. The principal change sought is in the individual, and the secondary in society, through transformed individuals."

Murray J. Harris, Slave of Christ, (Downers Grove, IL: Inter Varsity Press, 1999), 67-8. 

Saving The Lost: Jesus Raises The Status Of An Accused Adulterer

 The Mission – Confronting Sin With An Aim To Elevate        (Jn. 4:16-18)

The stage is set for further revelation of Christ’s identity and mission. Keep in mind the betrothal theme, the reader will notice a shift in the story. With the awareness of  “Jesus’ identity

as the covenantal husband of Israel and the biblical typology of the well as the meeting place for a betrothal, we can understand the statement by Jesus, “Go call your husband?” (4:16) as the primary purpose of this encounter.”[1] Jesus’ aim here “is not so much to discuss ethics or the woman’s lifestyle as it is to show his revelatory knowledge, so that the woman would begin to recognize his identity.”[2]

Discouragement

 Don't Get Discouraged

Ever fell into the trap of asking (or even complaining to) God about the returns on your investment in His kingdom? One young man felt so good about his prospects that he was confident enough to say to Jesus “I’ve kept all the laws.” The disciples looking on saw a very disappointed young man walk away in response to Jesus’ answer. At this point, Peter quips “Well, we’ve left everything to follow you. What’s in it for us?” (Mat. 19:27; emphasis mine).

We just can’t help ourselves in not only comparing ourselves with others, but asking the same set of questions the original audience put to Jesus:

ü  “What will I (we) get for our labor? 19:27

ü  “Why don’t I get more for my effort? 20:11

ü  “How can this be fair?” 20:12

ü  Since I (we) have sacrificed so much, will I (we) receive more than him/her?” 20:21-22

Spirit-Filled Living: The Role of the Holy Spirit

 

Walking in the Flesh or Walking in the Spirit? - Romans 8

Key Verse: “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (8:1)

What does it mean to be spirit-filled? How does one live life empowered by the Spirit(of God)? How does one become of-the-Spirit?

To understand the mind of Paul (the author), it is necessary to consider the context of Romans chapter 8:

The apostle Paul addressed this letter to “to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints” (Rom. 1:7). By this time, the church was beginning to take form – meeting in Priscilla’s home (16:5) and elsewhere (use of “saints” instead of “church”; 1:7). The Jewish diaspora in Rome was still small in comparison to the Gentiles of Rome. Therefore, when Paul spoke, he used words directed to his audience (2:17;4:1;11:17-31;15:14-16. Paul had not yet reached Rome, neither Peter, and Rome was still his goal (15:20). So, how did the church in Rome get started? There were visitors from Rome in the crowd on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:10). No doubt the witness of the Spirit returned to Rome with these visitors. Migration patterns and the economic attractiveness of Rome made this city a magnet.

The Practice of Footwashing in the Bible

1.   

     

Footwashing was standard practice for first century culture in light of the dry climate. Since most people traveled by foot, wore sandals, and eating necessitated close proximity to each other, the standard practice was to wash the guests’ feet as they entered the house. “To wash the feet of one’s guests was common hospitality, the breach of which was a serious affront” (Lk. 7:44)[1]  The task of washing feet was usually reserved for a servant. It was considered such a debasing act that even (some) “Jews insisted that Jewish slaves should not be required to was the feet of others; this job should be reserved for Gentile slaves, or for women and children and pupils.”[2]