Summary - Part 6 of 6

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure , children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars … Phil 2;14

Sanctified, called to be holy … 1 Corr1 ;2

Between the years 1685 and 1815 we have what is known as the Enlightenment …

• During this period politics, philosophy, science and communications changed radically

• It was referred as “The age of reason”

• The people of this persuasion questioned traditional authority and embraced the notion that humanity could be improved thru rational thought.

The Enlightenment produced many …

• Books and essays along with

• Inventions, scientific discoveries,

• Plus the American and French revolutions and the war between Prussia and Austria.

We are talking about men like …

• Francis Bacon, John Locke, Thomas Jefferson, Voltaire, Rousseau and Frederick the Great and later Darwin

• Brad Pitt, Mr Bean, Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins, Clooney, Kiera Knightley

It was also a time of religious and anti-religious innovation

• Christians sought to reposition their faith along rational lines.

• They argued that the universe seemed to determine its own course without Gods intervention.

• This thinking has given way to liberalism and the modernism we have today.

This can all be summarised under the title “The wisdom of man”

• Which is a major theme in 1 Corinthians.

It remains very much in our places of learning under the title “Humansim”

• Which is opposed to the belief in the existence of God the creator and firmly entrenched in evolution.

From a Christian point of view in this summary of the period of Enlightenment we can see questions being asked about …

• The authority of Scripture

• The existence of God

• The resurrection of Jesus

We also see biblical interpretation being changed to accommodate the so called wisdom of man.

This thinking of course is the very thinking Paul was warning against and what we are faced with today.

• God is not the creator … evolution is

• Jesus was just another religious leader … is not the only way to heaven

• I have the power within me to become great without Gods intervention.

  • Self-actualisation.

• There is no God therefore

  • I am free to do as I please.

• Richard Dawkins …

  • There is no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference …

  • Let’s just create a better place …

    • But what is better if there is no good

The purpose of this series has been made very clear …

• To the church of God in Corinth, sanctified, and called to be holy, together with all those, everywhere, who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. as examples

Clearly this letter was written to the church in Corinth but must be applied by all people who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ

• These things happened to them as examples and written down as warnings to us … ch 10;11

So we come to you with a serious warning from the Lord Jesus …

• Salvation thru faith in Jesus Christ is under serious attack.

  • Do not allow the thinking of the world to envelope the church.

  • As is being done thru the enlightenment

This letter speaks about two camps …

• The one runs by the wisdom of man …

  • Enlightenment … rational thinking

• The other the wisdom of God…

  • In and thru correct interpretation of the Scriptures

• It is the major theme in Corinthians

  • It is the primary warning. 

Sanctified simply means separated from and to …

• As believers we are separated from the world and its total commitment to the wisdom of man …

  • WIth all its questionable thoughts and practises.

• Separated to the wisdom of God in Christ Jesus.

  • To be holy …

  • To live our lives constantly looking to him for wisdom and direction.

  • Separated for his purposes.

Holy means pure …

• That means not just a few good acts … but without sin …

  • Let us purify ourselves … perfecting holiness …2 Corr 7;1

  • Blameless and pure , children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation … Phil 2;14

• The wisdom of man says … a few good deeds is sufficient

  • The wisdom of God says absolute holiness …

    • Obedience unto purity … nothing less.

We are recreated and made holy by faith in Jesus … 1 Pet 2;9

• But on a daily basis we must live it out … 2 Corr 7;1

So the purpose of Paul message to us is clear …

• Sanctified …

  • Separated from the world and its wisdom

  • Separated to His purposes

• Called to be holy .

  • We should all stand out as totally different from the world.

    • Shining like stars in the night… Phil 2;14

      • Stars are seen from millions of light years away.

• If we are living any other way … it is unacceptable.

Stuart spoke about being free to choose …

We are free to choose but there are consequences …

But we live with the consequences …

• And very often they are long term consequences…

  • Coming to know Christ sees forgiveness from sin …

    • With its own eternal consequences

• But often the consequences of bad choices remain way beyond salvation.

  • An unwanted pregnancy or S.T.D.

  • A broken limb that cripples for life.

  • An addiction.

    • They remain beyond salvation.

• That is the way the world in its wisdom lives …

  • It’s my life …

    • I can do what I want.

    • Go where I want

    • Think what I want

• In Corinthians that is not true …

  • The context here is freedom from the law of Moses …

    • Not because it has been done away with …

      • But because it is fulfilled …

        • And certain aspects are past their due by date…

          • And are no longer applicable.

• But that does not apply to the moral laws … it is talking about the ceremonial laws …

  • The sacrifices, eating of certain foods etc.

    • And that does not mean we are law less…

• Now there is a new covenant in place …

  • A new covenant requires a new law … Heb 8;13

    • The law known as …Faith in Christ Jesus…

    • Leaving the old obsolete.

      • But much of the old is incorporated in the new …

        • Love the Lord your God with all your heart

        • Love your neighbour as yourself … Luke 10;27

    • James …

      • The refers to this as the perfect law that gives freedom … James 1;25

        • Calls it the Royal Law … James 2;8

          • In which all law is based …Math 22;40

So as Paul writes to the lawless Corinthians he says …

• You have freedom in Christ but it is subject to certain T’s and C’s

  • Twice he uses that phrase … everything is permissible …

  • But there are terms and conditions attached …

    • And failure to apply the T. and C’s have consequences.

• T.and C’s attached are …

  • Beneficial and not master you … 6;12

    • E.g. Sunday cycling, a beer or two or watching movies.

      • But only if it is beneficial … to who

      • But only if does it lead to mastery

        • Movies/Porn, beer/ drunkenness.

  • Beneficial and constructive …10; 23

    • Not self-seeking …but for the good of others

    • Not a stumbling block for others … 8;9

      • How is my freedom impacting others.

      • Is my freedom being used as an excuse by others.

• Our purpose as believers is to help and grow others.

  • This is all about living for other people and not me…

    • The world says … ME

    • Jesus came to live and die for OTHERS

      • His life was all about serving other people

      • And says … take up your cross … Follow me

• You have got to be joking … everyone’s doormat?

• For you are not your own … you are bought with a price …

  • Therefore honour God with your body… 6;20

    • Sanctified … separated to God

• Whatever you do …

  • Do it for the glory of God …10;31

• Therefore my dear brothers stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain … 15;58  

Sanctification and holiness are major issues for the Christian …

• It is a command not a free choice… 1 Pet 1;15,16

• T. and C’s apply

• The body of Christ is made up of various parts …12;12

  • Christ is the head that controls everything

  • We make up the body parts .

    • Each of us is interdependent … common good …12;7,14

    • Performing our function for the sake of others is essential to the whole body …indispensable …12;22

• Where do you stand in relation to the work of the Lord …and your participation in the body …

  • Is it permissible for you to say … naa not me

  • Are you free to withdraw …

    • Despite the fact that you are not your own

• These hands are the hands of Jesus.