Dear Student of the Word,
Time once again for your dose of the Word. Below you will find the sixth installment from our First Corinthians study. We focus this week on Paul's need to address many practical issues in his apostolic work, issues such as marriage, sex, divorce, and food sold or served that had ties to idol worship. It wasn't enough for Paul to teach the great truths of the faith; he also had to help people apply those truths to everyday life.
This week I wrote:
v. 19 -- I am constantly amazed at Paul's theological transformation and flexibility, given his background and training. For example, there were men called Judaizers (believing Jews) who taught that men who were saved still had to keep the Law of Moses, including circumcision. Paul vehemently opposed these brethren, some of whom were probably former friends and colleagues.
Paul was adamantly opposed to anything or anyone who took away from the primacy of faith in Christ for salvation. Thus he declared that circumcision had no meaning in the new economy of Christ. This shows the radical change that had taken place in Paul for him to make such a statement. There was nothing in him that was prepared to defend or maintain his past belief system. Paul was indeed a new man in Christ; the old had passed away.
How about you? Are you a new person, or are you still clinging to past traditinos or thought patterns that are contrary to faith and life in Jesus Christ? Don't answer too quickly. Ask the Lord to show you "you" and see if you measure up to the Apostle Paul where flexibility and change are concerned. Are you more committed to Christ or your traditions?
Remember that the Bible study archives of 13 other New Testament studies can be found on my website along with The Faith Files. You can unsubscribe by clicking on the link below (if you receive this through Feedblitz). You can give a gift subscription by going to the site where these studies are posted every week. And please feel free to post your own comments, insights, and questions at the same site (just click on the word at the "comments" at the bottom of this post).
Here is this week's study: Download 1_corinthians_study_6.doc
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