New Testament Survey: Acts-Revelation - Lesson 9
1 Corinthians (Part 3)
It’s better to be cheated than to take a fellow believer to court. If you are a fully devoted follower of Christ, your behavior will show it. (44:35)
1 Corinthians (Part 3)
I. "Flow" Romans 2:6-10
II. Root problem: arrogance
B. Problems of church purity: arrogance 5:1-6:20
2. Lawsuits 6:1-11 (cont)
3. Sexual immorality 6:12-20
III. Theology of cross applied to contemporary issues in church 7:1-16:4
A. Purity and marriage 7:1-24
B. Purity and virgins 7:25-40
C. Idol meats: edification and danger 8:1-11:1
Dr. Thomas Schreiner
New Testament Survey: Acts-Revelation
nt504-09
1 Corinthians (Part 3)
Lesson Transcript
This is the 9th lecture in the online series of lectures on New Testament Survey by Dr Thomas Schreiner. Recommended Reading includes: Article on Divorce and Remarriage – Craig Blomberg, Trinity Journal, 1990; The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross by Leon Morris; Are there Two Will in God by John Piper; Two views on Women in Ministry by James Beck and Craig Blomberg; Word Bible Commentary: Pastoral Epistles, Volume 46, by William D. Mounce and Recovering Biblical Manhood and Biblical Womanhood, by Wayne Gudem and John Piper (article by Vern Poythress entitled, ‘The Church as a Family’)
(Any slides, photos, notes or outlines that the lecturer refers to should be down loaded separately. If they are not available, you may be able to find something similar using the Google© search engine.)
‘Flow’ Romans 2:6-10
God will render to every man according to his deeds. He will grant eternal life. ‘God will render’ is implied here. The indirect object is to each one according to his works. ‘To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life, but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.’ Wrath and indignation will be to those who are selfish and ambitious. We have a ‘but’ which gives us contrast. He will give eternal life for those who seek for glory and honor and immortality. This is another way of speaking of the judgement. Those who are righteous will receive eternal life. The unrighteous will receive God’s wrath and indignation. ‘There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.’ Those who do not obey the truth but instead obey unrighteousness, but there will be glory and honor and peace to every person who does good. This is a negative to positive that is nicely structured. When we look at these verses together, it becomes a restatement of the idea of what we had before. We have a nice A, B, B1, A pattern there. This can be called a chiasm which is typical to Hebrew poetry. We just need to explain verse 6 now, ‘God will render to every man according to his deeds.’ Verses 7 and 10 is looking at this text; here is the out working of it in these verses. So you have the principle and outworking of that principle. And then you have verse 11, ‘for God shows no partiality.’ Why does it work out this way? It is because he is impartial. I do think that Paul is speaking to Christians in these verses. I think he really believes that there are people in the category of verse 7 and 10. But they do those good works by the power of the spirit and I don’t think that this passage is hypothetical. I think Paul is saying that those good works need to be there to have eternal life; this is the result of good works, worked in our hearts by the Spirit of God.
2. Lawsuits 6:1-11 (continued)
Now we go back to 1st Corinthians. We are in chapter six discussing lawsuits. Last time we said that they were civil cases, not criminal cases and Paul tells us that it is better to get cheated. Notice that in verse 7, he is using lawsuit language, ‘to have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you.’ They would think that victory would be in winning the lawsuit. You either win or lose a lawsuit, but Paul says that to have a lawsuit is a defeat. As Christians, we will have conflicts among ourselves but it is the way we work them out and how they are resolved. Why not rather be cheated. Well, that sounds easy but if someone has mistreated you, you think that you should not let that happen. I can’t let them get away with this. I will get my revenge and assert my rights. I am going to get what I deserve out of this. Paul says, ‘why not rather be cheated? Why not rather be defrauded?’ But instead he says, but you, yourselves are doing wrong! You injury others, you mistreat them. This is the link in 6:9 but don’t you know that the wrong doers will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Paul is saying that if you continue along this course in an unrepentant way you will be amongst the wrong doers and don’t you know you will not inherit the kingdom of God. We should say this to people because the Bible says this. Don’t be deceived about this, Paul says.
The Unrighteous and the Homosexual
In verse 9, there is a reference in Greek to the passive partner in homosexual relations. Another word relates to being in bed and this comes from Leviticus 20, this verb is used with this noun and it seems Paul put these two words together. Some appeal to this verse to say that Paul only criticizes abusive homosexuality, but it seems clear from this work alone that he is indicting homosexuality as a whole. Those kinds of people will not inherit the kingdom of God so if we have someone in our church and/or our own lives committing adultery and not changing and doesn’t seem willing to change. It is right to tell them, they are being deceived. Don’t you know, whatever sin it is, if it is not repented and if one continues to go in this direction, it calls into question whether you are going to inherit the kingdom of God? We all fall into the category of sinners but you were washed in Christian baptism. Verse 11, justification means that you were declared to be in the right; you were justified in Christ; you were sanctified and washed by God. Three different ways of speaking of conversion; our sins were washed away, our sins were made holy in Christ and we were declared to be in the right in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Therefore, Paul argues, live like it and act like that you have been changed because that is the evidence that you have been changed. This not perfect, but it is significant and observable. Paul is talking about a new life where there is change. Many people go over these verses and don’t see what Paul is saying.
3. Sexual immorality 6:12-20
In this passage, the Corinthian’s seem to be arguing: when you are hungry you eat, when you want sex you have it. Secular and unsaved people talk like this all the time; you just fulfill the bodily appetite when it comes upon you. But Paul argues that this is absolutely wrong. Nothing should master you and the body is not meant to fulfill every desire that comes into it but the body is meant for the Lord and for the future resurrection. So we don’t take our bodies and join them together with a prostitute or anyone else to whom we are not married. And then he says, ‘what do you do with sexual sin?’ He says to run from it; flee from it. He doesn’t say prove how strong you are and how far you can go. Some Christians and non-Christians want to know just how far they can go or how close they can get to doing wrong without doing it. But shouldn’t the question be how far can we go to glorify God? Our bodies are meant to glorify God.
III. Theology of the Cross Applied to Contemporary Issues in Church 7:1-16:4
A. Purity and Marriage 7:1-24
Now we deal with the questions that the Corinthian’s ask about different issues. The first issue is on purity and marriage. The Corinthian’s apparently thought that one would be more spiritual that one would abstain from sexual relations totally. However, you need to put this with chapter 6 where are committing sexual sin. It seems to be a weird congregation but then again, perhaps there are weird things happening in every congregation. Verse 1 says, ‘it is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.’ I believe Paul is quoted a slogan from the Corinthian church. He is quoting one of their sayings. It is good not to have sexual relations, obviously. This is their slogan and their belief. Paul sees that this has good things about it and bad things about it. I think some of the Corinthians were arguing that this was even true in marriage. This is asceticism isn’t it? Some of them were apparently arguing that it is okay to be married but we are not going to have sexual relations which might explain perhaps why some are going to prostitutes. It is because they are not having any sexual relations in marriage. I have never heard this sort of thing before, especially in the west, but the west doesn’t really suffer with asceticism. However, there may be some legalistic groups in our country and some of you may have come from a very legalistic background where there are all kinds of rules and that sort of thing. I really haven’t travelled in those circles in the last twenty years. Verses 2-5 say, ‘because of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.’ This is part of Paul’s view of marriage and he says your rule shouldn’t be followed ultimately because it will lead people into sin. This is part of Paul’s view of marriage. Part of that view says that regular sexual relations are necessary in marriage in verse 3.
Complementary and Mutuality
The husband and wife have mutual control over each other’s body. When we think of male and female relations, we are known as being complementarians and we are, but this verse emphasizes our mutuality doesn’t it. There are people who are complementarian or hierarchical or whatever word you want to use and they are so rigid about it. They are almost militaristic in the way they understand marriage, but Paul is not like this. There is also the mutuality. He even says that the wife has authority of the husband’s body and he uses the word, authority. Both complementary and mutuality keeps a marriage together. You just can’t say to someone, not to have sexual relations. It is saying that healthy marriages have regular sexual relations and if it doesn’t happen, it is going to lead to sin, Paul is saying. Verse 5, it says that you shouldn’t refuse one another sexually except by agreement that you both might commit yourselves to prayer and fasting. But you must come together again to make sure that Satan doesn’t tempt you. I say this in terms of concession not a command. This is not permission to have sex out of marriage. The concession here is that you can abstain if you want to. I’m not arguing that you have to do this, but if so, it must be a limited period of time.
Remain Single if You Can
Then Paul says he wishes everybody was like him, single. I don’t think Paul ever married. He continues to say, but each one has his own special gift from God; one with one kind and one with another. Most people have the gift to be married; I think that is simply what the Scriptures teach. Paul says being single is a good thing also. A catholic priest can’t be married and now the Catholic Church is suffering from this with homosexual priests who now prey on young boys. Some churches will not hire you unless you are married, but that is a mistake also. It is interesting to see the two extremes out there. In verses 8 and 9, Paul says, ‘to the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am.’ But if you have strong sexual desires, you should get married. That is one indication that you ought to get married. He is not saying to marry the first person you find. But this is the whole theology of marriage, this is only one indication. Those who can’t marry have to trust God, but at the same time there is no excuse for sexual sin. Paul continues in verses 10 and 11, ‘to the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband. (But is she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. Here, Paul refers to the teachings of Jesus on divorce and remarriage. Evangelical churches are often very weak on divorce and remarriage. We hardly hear any sermons against it, because our churches are rift with it. Because it happens all the time, because when people want to get divorced, they do. And they disobey Scripture and the churches don’t discipline those who do it. Often, they just let it go. It is a huge problem in our churches. But what is the rule?
Divorce and Remarriage
The rule is no divorce and no remarriage, but of course there are exceptions. But this is the rule and we ought to preach and teach on this because it will help people not get divorced. Of course, there are a lot of other things we should do in terms of seminars and marriage classes to help people stay together and not get divorced. When I was young in the early 1960’s in the Catholic community, no one got divorced. It just didn’t happen. It was a rare thing if someone got divorced in our community. But now, so much has changed in our society. It was said then that it was better for the child but now that has been proved false; it is not better for the child. Kids struggle psychologically for years and even for the rest of their lives. If you are marriage to an unbeliever, what should you do? Of course, the Scripture is clear; if you are a believer you should not marriage an unbeliever. This is in 1st Corinthians 7:39 as it says marry only in the Lord, but you have some people who disobey this and then sometimes you have a person who is married to an unbeliever and then becomes a believer. Early Christians would possibly have said that you should divorce that person because they are unclean. Paul says that you as the believer sanctify that person. You make them clean so to speak. They are not saved and your children, but you put them in the sphere of the holy where they may be saved. So, do not divorce them, but stay with the unbeliever. If they want to get a divorce, then you are free, I think, to remarry. I think this is what Paul is saying. But with believers, if there is no grounds for divorce, the church should exercise church discipline and if the person repents and goes back to the marriage; well then okay, but if they don’t repent and leave; the other person can marry again. The person who leaves gives every indication of being an unbeliever. I also think that divorce and remarriage is permissible in abusage situations, but the Scripture doesn’t say anything about this.
Serve God in Your Situation
Now we are in verses 17-24 where Paul gives us a rule. Don’t think that changing your situation is the key to your spiritual health. Don’t think that if you were only single or if you were married, you could be better off. If only I were a slave or free, etc. These things are irrelevant to God. Stay with what you are doing. If you can get your freedom as a slave then get it, but don’t that if only you weren’t doing what you were doing, then I could really be effective for God. If only I were free from School. If only I had kids, etc. It just doesn’t work that way. There will be new problems that come along in our lives. So Paul is saying for you to serve God where you are in whatever situation you are in. God can use you right where you are. He is telling the Corinthians not to think if only I could be in a different situation I could be more effective. The Bible tells us to trust God in the situation that we are in.
B. Purity and Virgins 7:25-40
So what does he say to people who are engaged to one another? They are to follow God’s leading. Do what the Lord has called you to do. There are good reasons not to get married, for one it will bring problems into your life. If you are not married, you can go places and do things in ministry that you can’t do if you are married. He is not against marriage but of course Paul has experienced this first hand. He can go into situations and circumstances that married people can’t. In verse 39, he says to marry only in the Lord. Actually though, not as many marriages were arranged in the ancient world as we might think. In the Greco-Roman world, the women actually had a lot of choice on what to do. Usually, women were not required to marry a part from their will. But they had quite a bit of freedom. I think remarriage is permitted in case of sexual sin. There is a guilty party; hey, we are all sinners but there is a guilty party. Whenever they remarry, they are committing adultery. I would marry the innocent party but not the guilty party. That is how I would do it.
C. Idol Meats: Edification and Danger 8:1-11:1
So what about food offered to idols? This is the subject in chapters 8 to 10. In the ancient world there were lots of pagan temples, unlike the western world of today. And there were social situations within these temples and they usually offered sacrifices to their gods, food and meat. Some of that would be offered to their gods and some consumed or burned up. But then it would be sold out in the market place. Can a Christian eat that food in a temple and can you eat it when it sold in the market place? There are two groups here, the knowers and then the weak. The weak said that it was always wrong; there are idols involved and you are defiled by it. It hurts your life. But the knowers seem to say that it is okay because idols are nothing. This is only superstition and food is nothing; food is food. God doesn’t care what we eat. Paul is basically with these guys. Well, not totally but certainly closer than he is to the weaker ones. He has more problems with the weak, theologically. Food really can’t hurt you and there is only one God. These weaker ones are going by memories and their conscience which is wrong. But the knowers have big problems and the first problem focuses around a lack of love. They are so interested in being right, theologically, that they grind the weak down with their arguments. If we want to win an argument, theologically, we smack others down. So he says to the knowers in chapter 8, think of what would edify these other people and don’t do this when they are around because it bothers them so much. It is so difficult for them. Think of what would help them and build them up in the faith.
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Acts is a continuation of the gospel of Luke, which is a historical account of the life and ministry of Jesus. Acts begins with the 40 days that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection, and continues with his ascension and the work of the Holy Spirit in the early church.
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Dr. Schreiner was not able to record this lecture for the class, but he provided a transcript that we were able to read to create an audio recording.
Acts Chapter 1 is an account of Pentecost and the first times the apostles proclaim gospel publicly.
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The kerygma is the proclamation of the gospel to nonbelievers. The first presentations were made to people who were familiar with the teachings of the Old Testament. (Begins on page 6 of the outline)
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The kerygma is the proclamation of the gospel to nonbelievers. The first presentations were made to people who were familiar with the teachings of the Old Testament. Steven’s speech and Paul’s conversion are significant events. (Begins on page 6 of the outline under Acts: Outline Summary, point I, F.) (43:40)
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Description of the expansion of the gospel to the gentiles.
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Beginning in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul calls us to watch for the second coming of Jesus by being aware that there will be a great falling away from the faith in the body of Christ and the Lawless One will appear. When God calls us, his calling creates life. (43:16)
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God chose not the wise, powerful or noble, but the foolish, weak and despised so that we would know that our relationship with God is based on what Christ did, not what we do. Paul boasts in the power of God, not the wisdom or eloquence of his arguments. The only way we know about God is when the Spirit reveals him to us.
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The core problem of the Corinthians is pride. God turns everything for our benefit, even things that cause pain or death. The fight of faith is to believe this, even when circumstances are difficult. Only God can judge a person’s relationship to God. (43:36)
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It’s better to be cheated than to take a fellow believer to court. If you are a fully devoted follower of Christ, your behavior will show it. (44:35)
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Paul believes in cultural flexibility and contextualization. Paul uses the example of a race as a picture of be motivated to live well. He is saved and needs to live in a way to be saved. Whether or not to eat meat offered to idols is still a significant issue in some cultures. (41:23)
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Audio content is missing at this time for 1 Corinthians chapters 12-16, 2 Corinthians and Romans chapter 1.
However, a transcription and outline for this material is provided.
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Romans 4 tells us what kind of faith Abraham had that was saving faith. You are not saved by working for God, but by believing in God. Hope is confident, sure expectation. Paul’s main rhetorical question is, “Can the law transform us?” His implied answer is "no!" (43:03)
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The law doesn’t give life because commands don’t transform us. Romans 8 says we need the Spirit to transform us. The witness of the Spirit that we are his children is a mystical sense and evidence of our obedience. Paul says all the promises for relationship to God are for the gentiles as well as the Jews. God is in charge of everything. (44:25)
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Christ is the very image of the invisible God. He partakes of his essence. Jesus is preeminent, because he’s God and he’s the reconciler of all things. Jesus is Lord of Creation and Lord of the Church. Paul calls the Philippians to unity. (46:43)
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Summary of main themes in Ephesians. The first three chapters communicate who and what we are in Christ. Chapters 4-6 is the practical outworking. Paul equates maturity with doctrinal purity and stability, not being swayed by every idea. The Christian life isn’t mathematical because it’s a relationship with the Spirit. (43:54)
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Your view of authorship of biblical documents and how you translate those documents depends quite a bit on your presuppositions. Some people think that because of the vocabulary and the way some subjects are addressed in the Pastoral epistles that Paul did not write them. However, others are convinced that Paul wrote them and offer responses to objections that others have raised. (42:24) This lecture was given by a teaching assistant of Dr. Schreiner's because he had planned to be out of town.
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God wants to work in our hearts so we are full of love for him and others. Paul gives his testimony as an example that anyone can be saved. God desires to save all, and he elects some. Elders are described as people of character who lead and teach. In Titus, the ethical exhortations are anchored in the gospel. In 2 Timothy, Paul calls on Timothy to suffer for the gospel.
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We should think of Hebrews as a sermon. The warning passages are exhortations following theological teaching. It was probably not written by Paul. The book was written to Hebrew Christians to warn them against committing apostasy.
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Christ is more important than Moses. Warning passages encourage us not to drift away or harden our hearts. Since Jesus was fully human, he experienced the full range of temptation, but never gave in. (43:55)
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The main points in the book of Hebrews beginning with chapter 6. Jesus was a priest in the order of Melchizedek because he was superior to the Levites. Christ’s sacrifice is better than the animal sacrifices because it is once for all. The sacrifices are good because they are a shadow and an image of what is coming, but the sacrifices are temporary and imperfect. (43:55)
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The author of Hebrews concludes by exhorting people to put into practice the theological truths he has just explained.
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Defining questions about the content and origin of the epistle of James. (43:01)
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Summary of the teaching of James on justification and wisdom. (41:58)
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Peter’s call to look forward to our future inheritance and live as God’s people. (42:35)
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Flow assignment 1 Peter 2:18-25
Peter calls followers of Jesus to persevere by responding to suffering in a godly way. (44:48)
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Concluding verses in 1 Peter and the epistle of 1 John. The purpose of John’s epistles is to give people assurance of their faith.
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God has given us everything we need for life and godliness.
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The purpose of Revelation is to encourage suffering saints. (44:47)
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This lecture was cut short because of technical difficulties during the recording. The audio covers point III. Visions of God, points A and B, beginning with Revelation chapter 4. The next lecture begins at point IV. The Seven Seals, point D.
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Main ideas in Revelation chapters 6-13.
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Summary of the last days of judgment and then the creation of the new heavens and new earth. The time for this lecture was shortened to give students time to complete an in-class evaluation. (30:15)
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