Butterworth Gospel HallThe Problems of the Local Church

in CorinthPROBLEMS RAISED BY CHLOE’S REPORT: (CHS. 1-6)JUN 2013 - PT. I – CHS. 1-4 PAUL APPALLED AT THEIR CONDITION9 JUN 2013 - PT. II – CHS. 5, 6 THEY ABUSED THEIR OWN BODIES1 SEPT – PT. III – CHS. 7-10 PAUL ANSWERED THEIR PROBLEMS

ON PERSONAL LIBERTY & RELATIONSHIPS

A.RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MALE AND FEMALE

8 SEPT – PT. IV – CHS. 8-10 PAUL ANSWERED THEIR PROBLEMS

ON PERSONAL LIBERTY. CHS. 7-10 LETTER FROM THE CHURCH Concerning (7:1) 1. Re: Relationship between Male and Female.

A Person Surrenders his Right to Marry … to Minister to the Lord. 7:32, 33

2. Re: Relationship between Strong and Weak brethren – do not Stumble. Ch. 8 (8:1)

A brother in Love Surrenders his Right to Self… to Consider the Conscience of another. 8:12, 13

3. Re: Relationship between the Missionary and the Church Members. Ch. 9

A Missionary surrenders his God-Given Right to support…that the Gospel may be free. 9:19-22

4. Re: Relationship with others – be an Example, be Expedient and Edify Ch. 10

A Believer surrenders his right to Please himself to Profit all in all (things) that many be saved. 10:24, 33

1. Re: Relationship between Male and Female. I Cor. Ch. 7

a. Concerning Food offered to Idols touching/concerning. 8:1a cf. 7:1

b. Consider a Few Contrasts:- 8:1-3

i.Knowledge puffs up; Love Builds up. 8:1b

ii.One who Claims to know Completely (perfect tense) may not be so. 8:2

iii.If one Loves (present tense) God, then God knows him. 8:3

•Hence, concerning food offered to idols, consider What you Know and Whom you Love.

b. Consider a Few Contrasts. 8:1-3c. Concerning eating of Food sacrificed to idols.

8:4-13

i.What and Whom we should know: 8:4-6

ii. An idol is nothing in the world. Ct. 10:20

iii. There is none other God but one – an idol is no god. 8:4, 5 cf. Deut. 6:4; Isa. 44:17-19

iv. There is but one God, the Father,

of whom are all things, and we in [for] Him; One Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom are all things, and we by Him. 8:6

i. What and Whom we should know: 8:4-6 ii. Know, how eating food offered to idols

may affect the brethren:- 8:7-12, 13The Weak Conscience – it

Associates an idol with past beliefs. 8:7The Defiled Conscience –

it is Affected by what it sees as wrong. 8:7The Emboldened Conscience – it follows Another to do

what it considers wrong. 8:10, 1The Wounded Conscience – it is Stricken a blow and is

wounded Seriously. 8:11, 12

the offending persons Sin against Christ. 8:12

d. The Conclusion:2. As touching Relationship between those who eat Meat offered to idols and those who do not – the Strong and the Weak. 8:1-13i. The Strong must not Stumble the Weak. 8:13ii. Meat commendeth us not to God: for

neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 8:8

iii. Liberty vs. Love: Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. 8:13

Love Limits what Conscience Permits.Also Consider Rom. 14:1-15

3. Re: Relationship between the Missionary and the Church Members. Ch. 9 (9:19-22)

A Missionary surrenders his God-Given Right to support, that the Gospel may be free.

a.The Rationalisation of Paul’s Reasons. 9:1-14

b.The Renunciation of Paul’s Rights. 9:15-18

c.The Seriousness of Paul’s Surrender 9:19-23

d.The Strictness of Paul’s Self-Discipline. 9:24-27

a. The Rationalisation of Paul’s Reasons. 9:1-14

i. Paul’s 4 Personal Questions to the Assembly.Am I not an apostle? Am I not free?

Have I not seen Jesus Christ (our Lord)?Are not ye my work in the Lord? 9:1, 2

ii.Paul’s Pertinent Answers to his questions with 3 more questions re: his Rights. 9:3-6

iii. Paul’s Public and Logical Questionsthat require their Answers. 9:7-14

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 9:11 cf. 12

b. The Renunciation of Paul’s Rights. 9:15-17

i. He Countered that he was not Soliciting Support for Self – he would rather die! 9:15

ii.He was Constrained to preach the Gospel – he had nothing to Glory! 9:16

iii.He was Committed to preach the Gospel without Charge! 9:17, 18, NIV

iv.Not by Consent - If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward;

v. But by Constraint - if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.

a. The Rationalisation of Paul’s Reasons. 9:1-14

b. The Renunciation of Paul’s Rights. 9:15-17 c. The Seriousness of Paul’s Surrender. 9:19-23

i. His Surrender and Goal was his personal choice –

• Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

9:19

i. His Surrender and Goal was his personal choice – 9:19

ii. His Submission, to Gain for the Gospel…The Jew and the Gentile. 9:20, 21The Weak, i.e. those not Strong in their Stand to Stablish them. 9:22a cf. ch. 8

iii. His Stand: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means Save some. 9:22

• I do all this for the Sake of the gospel, that I may Share in its blessings. 9:23, NIV

a. The Rationalisation of Paul’s Reasons. 9:1-14 b. The Renunciation of Paul’s Rights. 9:15-17 c. The Seriousness of Paul’s Surrender. 9:19-23d.The Strictness of Paul’s Self-Discipline. 9:24-27

i. The Common Knowledge: 9:24, 25

d. Athletes Run in a Race, but only one is Rewarded. So Run! 9:24

e. Athletes Compete but they must exercise and agonise for Self-Control. 9:25a

f. They Contend for a Corruptible Crown; we, an incorruptible. 9:25b

d. The Strictness of Paul’s Self-Discipline.(24-27)i. The Common Knowledge: 9:24, 25i. Paul’s Certain Determination -

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; 9:26

ii.Paul’s Control in self-Discipline as a Boxer – he Buffets and Beats his Body –lit. = giving it a Black eye. 9:26b

iii.Paul’s Deep Desire not to be Disqualified or Disapproved for Service. 9:27

Lest…when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway [disqualified]

4. Re: Relationship with others – be an Example, be Expedient and Edify Ch. 10

A Believer surrenders his right to Please himself to Profit all in all (things) that many be saved. 10:24, 33

a. The Example in Type set for Teaching the Church.(i) Their FIVE Blessings: 10:1-10 (6, 11)

(1) God’s Privileges for all Israel. 10:1-4 (5 occ.) Baptism (all baptized) assured them of God’s…10:2

(2) Protection-all our fathers were under the cloud. 10:1

(3) Power - all passed through the sea; 10:1b

(4) Promised Provision - all eat the same spiritual meat…all drink the same spiritual drink: 10:3, 4a

(5) Presence – The spiritual Rock followed them. 10:4b

i. God Provided for all Israel. 10:1-4 (5 occ.) (ii) Their FIVE sins: With many of them God was not well pleased: even as some of them (4 occ.) sinned. 10:5-7-10a

(1) We should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. (cp. Num.11:4, 5) 10:6

(2) Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them. (cp. Exo. 32:6) 10:7

(3) Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. (cp. Num. 25:1-9) 10:8

ii. But with many of them God was not well pleased: even as some of them (4 occ.) sinned.

10:5-7-10a. (4) Presumption: Neither let us tempt Christ (put Christ to the test), as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. (Num. 21) 10:9

(5) Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

(Cp. Num. 16) 10:10a

iii. God sent the Destroyer to Punish them. 10:10b (Cp. Exo. 12:23)

The Problem: Privileged yet Perished!

a. The Example in Type set for Teaching the Church. 10:1-10 (6, 11)

b. The Exhortations – they were Examples to us for our Admonition in Ages to come. 10:11-33

i.Re: Testing – God is Faithful. 10:11-13Any one can Fall when Tempted. 10:12But God is Faithful – no one will be Tested beyond his ability. 10:13

ii. Re: Testimony – Flee Far From Idolatry. Learn from Israel’s Failure.10:14,15 (6:18)

Paul Speaks to the Spiritual and Sensible. 10:15

i. Re: Temptations – God is Faithful. 10:11-13ii. Re: Testimony – Flee Idolatry.10:14,15 (6:18)iii. Re: the Tables – Two Fellowships – the Divine and the Demons’. 10:16-22 The Table of Divine Fellowship: 10:16, 17The Cup Blessed – Communion in the Blood

of Christ, the Basis for Fellowship.The Bread Broken – Communion in the Body

of Christ.The one Bread is His Body – Communion of all members in the One Body of Christ. 12:12

The Table of Divine Fellowship: 10:16, 17The Table of the Demons’ Fellowship.

10:18-22Jewish Priests Partook of the altar sacrifices

offered to God. 10:18Idols were nothing, but Idolators sacrificed to

demons! (cf. Deut. 32:16, 17 21) 10:19, 20Believers cannot take part at the Lord’s Table

and also at the Table of demons. 10:21We cannot Provoke the Lord to jealousy or

Play fast and loose with His Claims.10:22

The Table of Divine Fellowship: 10:16, 17The Table of the Demons’ Fellowship. (18-22)

The Table of Fellowship with unbelievers:10:23-33

The Principles: 10:23, 24 Of Personal Liberty: all things are Lawful. Of Personal Love: all things are not Expedient

or Edifying: 10:23

• Consider the good (Edification) of others. 10:24, NIV

The Principles: 10:23, 24The Practice: 10:25-31 Eat What is sold at the Market, ask no questions

for all things are the Lord’s. 10:25f If invited to a Feast by an unbeliever… Eat what is on the Table, ask no questions.

10:27

Cf. Eat, for you have given thanks. 10:30 Eat not, if told the food has been offered to

idols, for his sake and for the sake of the weak brother’s conscience 10:28, 29

WHATEVER – EAT, DRINK OR DO,

DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD. 10:31

The Principles: 10:23, 24 The Practice: 10:25-31

The Purpose 10:32, 33 Give no offence to the Jews, the Greeks,

the Church of God Paul Limits his Personal Liberty because

of his Love to Profit others –

That they may be saved! 10:33 cf. 9:22Paul’s Personal Pattern for all to follow: 11:1

Be ye followers of me,

even as I also am of Christ.

Next Lord’s Day (D.V.)5. Paul’s Answers (7:1) Re: Relationships and Personal Liberty. Chs. 7-10a. Relationship between Male and Female. Ch. 7b. Relationship between Strong and Weak Brethren

Ch. 8c. Relationship between the Missionary and the Church Members. Ch. 9d. Relationship with others – be an Example,

be Expedient and Edify Ch. 10AND NOW MAY

"THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THE LOVE OF GOD,

AND THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WTH YOU ALL. AMEN. - II Cor. 13:14