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1. Read 2nd Corinthians as many times as you can before class
2. Identify differences between 1st and 2nd Corinthians
3. Mark down or high lite frequently repeated words (Comfort, Affliction/sufferings, power, etc.)
4. Paul references at least ten Old Testament passages go back and read those in their context.
5. Note the subjects from the first letter that are repeated in the second letter.
6. Outline the Epistle and identify its theme.
7. Study and understand all the geographical locations mentioned in the text.
The first class will be an introduction and overview of the letter and then the rest of the class will be a textual study. About one chapter per week.
We have some family members who have a dog that I really like and sometimes they will bring her to our house. One time though when we thought she was in a secure area she got out and killed one of our free ranging chickens. She was scolded and seemed sorrowful
It wasn’t a big deal (except to that chicken) because we still had 17 other chickens. I forgave that dog (although I do call her “Chicken Killer”) and I still like her. But… I made a rule, whenever she was at our house she had to stay on a cable or leash. We haven’t lost another chicken since then and I'm sure if the chickens could thank me they would.
Sin and sinners are kind of like that dog. Yes we can forgive them, even forgive them 70 time 7, but they need some restrictions.
For instance the fellow who pilfers out of the church treasury. Yes we accept his repentance but he can no longer be involved in the church treasury… sorry… not sorry.
The guy involved in chronic, repetitive sexual sin. Forgiven? Yes but perhaps no more unrestricted internet access to view pornography.
I’m sure there are plenty of other examples but those should suffice.
If all I did was forgive the “Chicken Killer” every time she killed a chicken eventually I wouldn’t have to forgive her any more because I would be out of chickens and we could be at peace but that’s a high price for peace.
Open your ears and listen to this… If we don’t put restrictions on those who sin chronically and repetitively we are complicit and guilty for those sins and don’t think the Lord doesn’t know that.
Help the poor sinner to live a pure sin free life. You will be doing him… and yourself a big favor.
There seems to be a transition in the Old Testament in regards to the Holy Ark of the Covenant.
Recall that the exact construction details of the Ark are given in the scriptures and also its contents… the ten commandments carved in stone, a container of manna and Aaron’s staff that budded.
We also know from the scriptures that only priests could transport the Ark and if anyone else, even by accident, touched it they would die instantly.
Early in the scriptures we see that the Ark is used by the Israelites to separate the river Jordan so the Israelites could cross over to the promised land.
The Ark was also taken into battle (Jericho) to help conquer enemies.
Hophni and Phineas took the Ark into battle against the Philistines and after the defeat of the Israelites the Philistines had it in their possession for seven months. They finally gave it up because the Lord struck them with disease and caused them a lot of trouble.
In 1 Kings 8:9 the scriptures state that the only thing in the Ark were the tablets of stone.
At some point King Manasseh removed the Ark from the Temple and replaced it with Idols.
King Josiah restored it to the Temple and that’s the last record we see of it in the scriptures (2 Chronicles 35:1-6).
About 40 years later King Nebuchadnezzar attacked and conquered Jerusalem and took all the Temple relics including presumably the Ark of the Covenant.
When those items were eventually restored to Jerusalem and the Temple there is no mention in the inventory that the Ark of the Covenant was ever returned.
See what I mean? In the early years only the Levites could handle it. In later years Philistines, Babylonians and King Manasseh handled it.
In the early years people died if they touched it. In later years people were struck with disease (hemorrhoids) or in the case of the Babylonians no distress or consequence is even mentioned.
In the early years the Ark was used to conquer enemies. In the later years it was not used in the huge and desperate battles against the Assyrians and Babylonians.
I really don’t know what all this means but as Bible students we should think about it and what it might mean.
1 Corinthians 5 contains a principle that in my opinion has application for us today as well. Remember that the Apostle Paul was admonishing the Christians in Corinth for taking each other to court over legal matters.
Among other things he advised them that their behavior did not reflect a good picture of the church to non-christians.
Let me suggest that taking our problems to another court… the Court of Popular Opinion might also reflect poorly on christians and the church.
Nowadays we have all kinds of platforms to complain about individuals and businesses… google reviews, yelp, Facebook, etc.
I personally have been called on social media both a “monster” and a “god”. Which is the truth? Probably neither. And here’s the other thing on these types of platforms you’re only seeing one side of it because it does no good… no good at all… to start a battle of words on a social platform.
I’ve noticed on some social media arguments that people go back and edit their comments so that it appears that they didn’t say at all what they did say and the responder’s comments then don’t make any kind of sense. So it’s just better to stay out of those kinds of arguments.
I’m reminded of something my mother told me… if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all.
Try to stay out of legal Courts and definitely don’t take your issues to the Court of Popular Opinion. If you can’t resolve your issue directly then remember what the Apostle Paul said to the Corinthian Christians… its okay to take wrong without complaint. After all Jesus Christ is the supreme example of that isn’t he?
Most People know that Yeast is used in the manufacture of bread. There are many kinds of Yeast but the specific yeast that is used in the making of bread is “Saccharomyces cerevisiae” which means “Sugar eating fungi”
The flour dough is kneaded together with the yeast which eats the sugars in the dough and releases carbon dioxide which makes our bread nice and fluffy. The process is called leavening. In Latin… “to raise”.
In the scriptures Yeast is used figuratively to describe what sin does in a congregation (1 Corinthians 5) and how the Kingdom of Heaven changes the world (Luke 13:20).
In congregations, if sin is ignored and not addressed it has the potential to affect the whole congregation and change the congregation described in its purity as unleavened bread to impure leavened bread… a fungus (sin) has entered and changed the congregation.
In the Parable of the Yeast (Luke 13) the world is like a lump of dough. God’s word is like the yeast… it permeates and penetrates the dough (world) and like a fungus eats up all the sugars (sin) and changes the world to righteousness which is tasty and delectable to God.
As Christians we should be careful not to let the yeast of sin corrupt us and potentially corrupt the church.
If we do that, then the sinlessly pure collectivity of Christians (the Church) can spread like a fungus through the whole world and bring glory to God.
When I was in school taking Math classes the teacher during testing always wanted us to “show our work” he didn’t want to just see an answer… because even if we got the wrong answer he wanted to see where our thinking went awry so he could make the proper correction.
I see the same thing in Bible study. How do we reach the conclusions that we do in regards to God’s Holy Word?
Did we actually study and reach those conclusions on our own or did we, like happens sometimes in Math class, just cheat (so to speak) and copy the conclusions of others?
Here are some examples of conclusions reached by some that may be correct or may not be correct that we need to re-examine.
God will not violate the free will of people.
The Church is not only capable of completing its mission but no other organization is authorized to duplicate that mission.
The work of the individual and the work of the church are separate and distinct.
The Church exists in a universal sense and a local sense and the Church Universal has no mission or human hierarchy.
Once we’re saved we’re always saved and cannot lose our salvation.
One of the first questions we should ask ourselves is how do these conclusions fit with what we know about God. Another question would be do we have command, example or necessary inference for any of them? And was there some kind of motivation for reaching these or other conclusions?
Many years ago I reached some conclusion on my own and one of my friends commented…. “congratulations… you just invented the wheel”
In retrospect I’m proud of that because I did invent the wheel and it makes little difference that someone did it before me because my brain is better for it.
I encourage you as Bible students to not just learn or teach the conclusions of others. Investigate those conclusions and look at opposing views. Work those problems out on your own and “show your work”… you will be better for it and so will those you teach.
In Luke chapter 2 we read this (in part)…
The time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them…
Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
Jesus, like all babies, was born in sinless perfection. Contrariwise, unlike any other baby born on earth by the time Jesus was in his thirties he was still sinlessly perfect. And when he was nailed to the cross and his life ebbed out of him and his blood pooled at his feet it was pure and sinless blood… never guilty of anything.
Here’s the thing… that pure and holy blood that was spilled at the cross has the power to thoroughly cleanse us so we too can be sinlessly perfect… just like an innocent and pure and sinless baby.
Mary was given a great gift because she was chosen to be the mother of our Savior and Messiah. We have been given a great gift too… the gift of blood that enables us as chosen sons to approach the throne of our Father in purity and perfection.
