{"id":7123,"date":"2016-08-23T22:39:20","date_gmt":"2016-08-23T16:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intelligent-torvalds.74-208-171-134.plesk.page\/?p=7123"},"modified":"2023-09-10T17:57:46","modified_gmt":"2023-09-10T22:57:46","slug":"pauls-religious-mind-revisited-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/?p=7123","title":{"rendered":"Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

I want to compare and contrast Paul\u2019s teaching in his letter to the Corinthians to Jesus\u2019 letter To the angel of the church in Thyatira<\/em>[1]<\/sup><\/a> under the rubrics: \u201cPaul\u2019s Regime\u201d and \u201cJesus\u2019 Regime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Paul\u2019s Regime<\/td>\n\n

Jesus\u2019 Regime<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

It is actually reported that sexual immorality (\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u1f77\u03b1<\/a>) exists among you (\u1f51\u03bc\u1fd6\u03bd<\/a>; plural<\/a>), the kind of immorality (\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u1f77\u03b1) that is not permitted<\/a> even among the Gentiles, so that someone is cohabiting with (\u1f14\u03c7\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd, a form of \u1f14\u03c7\u03c9<\/a>) his father\u2019s wife.<\/p>\n

1 Corinthians 5:1<\/a> (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

But I have (\u1f14\u03c7\u03c9) this against you (\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6, a form of \u03c3\u03cd<\/a>; singular<\/a>): You tolerate (\u1f00\u03c6\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2, a form of \u1f00\u03c6\u03af\u03b7\u03bc\u03b9<\/a>) that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality (\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u1fe6\u03c3\u03b1\u03b9, a form of \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u03cd\u03c9<\/a>) and to eat food sacrificed to idols (\u03b5\u1f30\u03b4\u03c9\u03bb\u1f79\u03b8\u03c5\u03c4\u03b1, a form of \u03b5\u1f30\u03b4\u03c9\u03bb\u03cc\u03b8\u03c5\u03c4\u03bf\u03bd<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Revelation 2:20 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

<\/td>\nI have given her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality (\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u1f77\u03b1\u03c2, a form of \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u1f77\u03b1).<\/p>\n

Revelation 2:21 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Experiencing these as two distinct regimes is new for me.\u00a0 As long as I assumed that Jesus\u2019 spoke to the second person plural the two passages seemed virtually identical.\u00a0 And without doubt I love and respect Paul.\u00a0 He led me to Jesus, helped me to see Him in a different light.\u00a0 Apart from Paul\u2019s writing in the New Testament I may never have learned to trust Jesus.\u00a0 I\u2019ve tried to imagine that the man Paul wrote about had kidnapped his father\u2019s wife, kept her against her will, raped her repeatedly and refused to release her.\u00a0 But that\u2019s as much, or more, to ask of \u1f14\u03c7\u03b5\u03b9\u03bd than the idea that he was pimping<\/a> her for cultic purposes.<\/p>\n

The man who had his father\u2019s wife compares to Jezebel, who by her teaching deceives<\/em> [Jesus\u2019] servants to commit sexual immorality<\/em>, as a man who walks into a congregation with a loaded gun compares to an active shooter.\u00a0 Jesus gave Jezebel time to repent.\u00a0 Paul didn\u2019t say anything about time to repent, though I\u2019m hard-pressed to determine what form the man\u2019s repentance might have taken.<\/p>\n

When I believed that \u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u1f77\u03b1 meant pre-marital sex<\/em>[2]<\/sup><\/a> repentance seemed fairly straightforward: The man should dump the woman, go to college, get a high-paying job, return home, settle down and marry a nice girl\u2014one who wouldn\u2019t cohabit <\/em>with her husband\u2019s son.\u00a0 That changed as I began to take the law (Exodus 22:16, 17<\/a>, Deuteronomy 22:28-30<\/a>) more seriously,[3]<\/sup><\/a> as a way to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom<\/em> [He] sent<\/em>.[4]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Of course, the woman in this case was or had been married<\/a> to the man\u2019s father.\u00a0 By law both should have been condemned to death (Leviticus 20:10, 11<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Paul\u2019s Regime<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Jesus\u2019 Regime<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

And you (\u1f51\u03bc\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2, a form of \u1f51\u03bc\u03b5\u03af\u03c2<\/a>) are proud (\u03c0\u03b5\u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03c9\u03bc\u1f73\u03bd\u03bf\u03b9, a form of \u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03cc\u03c9<\/a>)!\u00a0 Shouldn\u2019t you have been deeply sorrowful instead and removed<\/a> (\u1f00\u03c1\u03b8\u1fc7, a form of \u03b1\u1f34\u03c1\u03c9<\/a>) the one who did<\/a> this from among you (\u1f51\u03bc\u1ff6\u03bd<\/a>)?<\/p>\n

1 Corinthians 5:2 (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Look!\u00a0 I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness, and those who commit adultery (\u03bc\u03bf\u03b9\u03c7\u03b5\u1f7b\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c2, a form of \u03bc\u03bf\u03b9\u03c7\u03b5\u03cd\u03c9<\/a>) with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds.<\/p>\n

Revelation 2:22 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Paul addressed everyone (\u1f51\u03bc\u03b5\u1fd6\u03c2 is second person plural<\/a>) in the church at Corinth except the man who had his father\u2019s wife, accusing them of being proud.\u00a0 Of the seven occurrences of forms of \u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03cc\u03c9 in the New Testament, six are found in Paul\u2019s first letter to the Corinthians.\u00a0 (It is at least his second<\/a> letter.)\u00a0 Pride or arrogance<\/a> was a consistent theme in his mind as he wrote.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Paul claimed I became your father<\/em> (\u1f10\u03b3\u1f73\u03bd\u03bd\u03b7\u03c3\u03b1, a form of \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03bd\u03ac\u03c9<\/a>) in Christ Jesus through the gospel<\/em>.[5]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Actually he wrote, For though you may have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers <\/em>(\u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u1f73\u03c1\u03b1\u03c2, a form of \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u03ae\u03c1<\/a>) \u1f10\u03bd \u03b3\u1f70\u03c1 \u03a7\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03c4\u1ff7 \u1f38\u03b7\u03c3\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03b4\u03b9\u1f70 \u03c4\u03bf\u1fe6 \u03b5\u1f50\u03b1\u03b3\u03b3\u03b5\u03bb\u1f77\u03bf\u03c5 \u1f10\u03b3\u1f7c \u1f51\u03bc\u1fb6\u03c2 \u1f10\u03b3\u1f73\u03bd\u03bd\u03b7\u03c3\u03b1 (literally, \u201cfor in Christ Jesus through the Gospel I gave birth to [KJV: have begotten<\/em>] you\u201d).\u00a0 The NET translators shaded the arrogance<\/a> of that statement a bit.\u00a0 But you are not to be called \u2018Rabbi,\u2019 for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers<\/em>, Jesus taught his disciples. \u00a0And call no one your \u2018father\u2019 <\/em>(\u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u1f73\u03c1\u03b1, another form of \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u03ae\u03c1) on earth, for you have one Father<\/em> (\u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u1f74\u03c1, another form of \u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u03ae\u03c1), who is in heaven. \u00a0Nor are you to be called \u2018teacher,\u2019 for you have one teacher, the Christ<\/em>.[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

The grandiose claim that the Corinthian believers were born of<\/em> Paul (John 1:13 NIV<\/a> \u1f10\u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03bd\u1f75\u03b8\u03b7\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd is another form of \u03b3\u03b5\u03bd\u03bd\u03ac\u03c9) was out of character with Paul\u2019s own teaching earlier in the same letter (1 Corinthians 3:6, 7 NET):<\/p>\n

I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused it to grow. \u00a0So neither the one who plants counts for anything, nor the one who waters, but God who causes the growth.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I have applied these things to myself and Apollos<\/em>, Paul wrote, because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn \u201cnot to go beyond what is written,\u201d so that none of you will be puffed up<\/em> (\u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c3\u03b8\u03b5, another form of \u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03cc\u03c9) in favor of the one against the other. \u00a0For who concedes you any superiority?\u00a0 What do you have that you did not receive?\u00a0 And if you received it, why do you boast<\/em> (\u03ba\u03b1\u03c5\u03c7\u1fb6\u03c3\u03b1\u03b9, a form of \u03ba\u03b1\u03c5\u03c7\u03ac\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9<\/a>) as though you did not?<\/em>[7]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Of course, then he wrote (1 Corinthians 4:18-20 NET):<\/p>\n

Some have become arrogant (\u1f10\u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u1f7d\u03b8\u03b7\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd, another form of \u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03cc\u03c9)<\/em>, as if I were not coming to you. \u00a0But I will come to you soon, if the Lord is willing, and I will find out not only the talk of these arrogant (\u03c0\u03b5\u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03c9\u03bc\u1f73\u03bd\u03c9\u03bd, another form of \u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03cc\u03c9)<\/em> people, but also their power. \u00a0For the kingdom of God is demonstrated not in idle talk but with power.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Though God\u2019s power (\u03b4\u03c5\u03bd\u1f71\u03bc\u03b5\u03b9, a form of \u03b4\u03cd\u03bd\u03b1\u03bc\u03b9\u03c2<\/a>) would clearly be the truth of his final declaration, in context it doesn\u2019t seem to be the power Paul had in mind.\u00a0 What do you want?<\/em> he continued as if the following choice would be made by the Corinthians rather than by Paul himself.\u00a0 Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline <\/em>(\u03c1\u1f71\u03b2\u03b4\u1ff3, a form of \u1fe5\u03ac\u03b2\u03b4\u03bf\u03c2<\/a>) or with love<\/em> (\u1f00\u03b3\u1f71\u03c0\u1fc3<\/a>) and a spirit of gentleness<\/em> (\u03c0\u03c1\u03b1\u1fe3\u03c4\u03b7\u03c4\u03bf\u03c2, a form of \u03c0\u03c1\u03b1\u03b0\u03c4\u03b7\u03c2<\/a>)?[8]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 (While I assume that Paul\u2019s threat to return to Corinth to\u00a0beat the arrogant <\/em>with a stick was bluster, it is heartwarming to find such punishment distinguished from love in the New Testament.)\u00a0 In the very same letter Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 8:1b-3 NET):<\/p>\n

Knowledge puffs up (\u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03bf\u1fd6, another form of \u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03cc\u03c9)<\/em>, but love (\u1f00\u03b3\u1f71\u03c0\u03b7)<\/em> builds up. \u00a0If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know. \u00a0But if someone loves (\u1f00\u03b3\u03b1\u03c0\u1fb7, a form of \u1f00\u03b3\u03b1\u03c0\u03ac\u03c9<\/a>)<\/em> God, he is known<\/a> (\u1f14\u03b3\u03bd\u03c9\u03c3\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9, a form of \u03b3\u03b9\u03bd\u03ce\u03c3\u03ba\u03c9<\/a>)<\/em> by God.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And (1 Corinthians 13:4-13 NET):<\/p>\n

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious.\u00a0 Love does not brag, it is not puffed up (\u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9, another form of \u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03cc\u03c9)<\/em>. \u00a0It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. \u00a0It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. \u00a0It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.<\/p>\n

Love never ends.\u00a0 But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside. \u00a0For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when what is perfect comes, the partial will be set aside. \u00a0When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. \u00a0But when I became an adult, I set aside childish ways. \u00a0For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. \u00a0Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. \u00a0And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. \u00a0But the greatest of these is love.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Paul formed\u00a0his conclusion that the Corinthians were proud <\/em>(\u03c0\u03b5\u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03c9\u03bc\u1f73\u03bd\u03bf\u03b9, a form of \u03c6\u03c5\u03c3\u03b9\u03cc\u03c9), not by direct observation and interaction with them but, by hearsay[9]<\/sup><\/a> and by the fact that they had not removed the one who did this from among <\/em>[them].\u00a0 Paul had asked rhetorically, Shouldn\u2019t you have been deeply sorrowful instead and removed the one who did this from among you?<\/em>\u00a0 The Greek word translated deeply sorrowful<\/em> is \u1f10\u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u1f75\u03c3\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5 (a form of \u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03ad\u03c9<\/a>).<\/p>\n

I am afraid<\/em>, Paul wrote, that when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve<\/em> (\u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u1f75\u03c3\u03c9, another form of \u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03ad\u03c9) for many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality<\/em> (\u03c0\u03bf\u03c1\u03bd\u03b5\u1f77\u1fb3), and licentiousness that they have practiced<\/em>.[10]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Truly, love is not glad about injustice<\/em>;[11]<\/sup><\/a> it does not rejoice in iniquity<\/em>.[12]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Grieve, mourn<\/em> (\u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u1f75\u03c3\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5, another form of \u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03ad\u03c9), and weep<\/em>, James wrote. \u00a0Turn your laughter into mourning <\/em>(\u03c0\u1f73\u03bd\u03b8\u03bf\u03c2<\/a>) and your joy into despair. \u00a0Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you<\/em>.[13]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 But I can\u2019t help wondering if this mourning wasn\u2019t more cultural than divinely inspired.<\/p>\n

Granted, Jesus said: Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn<\/em> (\u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u1f75\u03c3\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5, another form of \u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03ad\u03c9) and weep<\/em>;[14]<\/sup><\/a> and, The wedding guests cannot mourn<\/em> (\u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03b5\u1fd6\u03bd, another form of \u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03ad\u03c9) while the bridegroom is with them, can they?<\/em>[15]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 He also said, Blessed are those who mourn<\/em> (\u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03bf\u1fe6\u03bd\u03c4\u03b5\u03c2, another form of \u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03ad\u03c9), for they will be comforted<\/em>.[16]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 But I still remember the contrast between Ezra and Malachi<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Ezra<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Malachi<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself to the ground before the temple of God, a very large crowd of Israelites \u2013 men, women, and children alike \u2013 gathered around him.\u00a0 The people wept loudly [Table<\/a>].\u00a0 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra: \u201cWe have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the local peoples. \u00a0Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard [Table<\/a>]. \u00a0Therefore let us enact a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, and that of those who respect the commandments of our God. \u00a0And let it be done according to the law [Table<\/a>].\u201d<\/p>\n

Ezra 10:1-3 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

You also do this: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you [Table<\/a>].\u00a0 Yet you ask, \u201cWhy?\u201d\u00a0 The Lord is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young, to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law [Table<\/a>].\u00a0 No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this.\u00a0 What did our ancestor do when seeking a child from God? \u00a0Be attentive, then, to your own spirit, for one should not be disloyal to the wife he took in his youth [Table<\/a>]. \u00a0\u201cI hate divorce,\u201d says the Lord God of Israel, \u201cand the one who is guilty of violence,\u201d says the Lord who rules over all. \u00a0\u201cPay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful\u201d [Table<\/a>].<\/p>\n

Malachi 2:13-16 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

As Jesus\u2019 disciples mourned his death (or perhaps their own loss) they didn\u2019t believe his comfort when it came to them in the form of a woman: Early on the first day of the week, after he arose, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven out seven demons. \u00a0She went out and told those who were with him, while they were mourning<\/em> (\u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c3\u03b9, another form of \u03c0\u03b5\u03bd\u03b8\u03ad\u03c9) and weeping. \u00a0And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe<\/em>.[17]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0So to the first part of Paul\u2019s rhetorical question I can only give a qualified yes<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The Greek word translated removed <\/em>in the second part of Paul\u2019s rhetorical question was \u1f00\u03c1\u03b8\u1fc7 (a form of \u03b1\u1f34\u03c1\u03c9).\u00a0 \u201cTake this man away<\/em> (\u03b1\u1f36\u03c1\u03b5, another form of \u03b1\u1f34\u03c1\u03c9)! \u00a0Release Barabbas for us!<\/em>\u201d[18]<\/sup><\/a> an angry mob before Pilate rejected Jesus.\u00a0 \u201cAway<\/em> (\u03b1\u1f36\u03c1\u03b5, another form of \u03b1\u1f34\u03c1\u03c9) with him!\u201d<\/em>[19]<\/sup><\/a> a mob in Jerusalem rejected Paul.\u00a0 A crowd listening patiently to Paul\u2019s defense turned ugly when he said that the Lord said to him, Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles<\/em>.[20]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Then they raised their voices and shouted, \u201cAway<\/em> (\u03b1\u1f36\u03c1\u03b5, another form of \u03b1\u1f34\u03c1\u03c9) with this man from the earth! \u00a0For he should not be allowed to live!\u201d<\/em>[21]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Here again I can\u2019t help wondering if Paul\u2019s reaction wasn\u2019t more cultural than divinely inspired. \u00a0But calling it cultural <\/em>isn\u2019t entirely accurate.\u00a0 Paul\u2019s reaction was precisely correct for a time under law when ye<\/sup>h\u00f4v\u00e2h <\/em>was present among his people in a way unknown since the garden of Eden, before He gave his life<\/a> as an atonement for sin.\u00a0 Consider Achan<\/a> (Joshua 7<\/a>) as a case in point.<\/p>\n

Exile for the man who had his father\u2019s wife (and the woman along with him, presumably) would be considered more merciful than death, but Jesus\u2019 parable<\/a> persuades me to reject the second part of Paul\u2019s rhetorical question\u2014Shouldn\u2019t you have\u2026removed the one who did this from among you?<\/em>\u00a0 When Jesus\u2019 slaves asked if they should uproot the weeds planted by the enemy He said, No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them. \u00a0Let both grow together until the harvest<\/em>.[22]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 This is not to say that I know whether the man who had his father\u2019s wife was a weed planted by the enemy or a sinning saint.\u00a0 It is to say, if this is Jesus\u2019 attitude toward uprooting weeds planted by the enemy I dare not risk uprooting a sinning saint.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Let\u2019s say for the sake of argument that I\u2019m reading too much into Jesus\u2019 parable.\u00a0 Let\u2019s say that I\u2019m wrong<\/a> about the angel of the church in Thyatira<\/em>, that he was a human being rather than a higher order being. \u00a0Let\u2019s grant, for the sake of argument, that Paul as an apostle had the authority and God-given wisdom to recognize a weed and uproot it.\u00a0 Did he have the authority to turn the church of Jesus Christ in Corinth (and any who hear him today) from the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of the Holy Spirit, and transform them into a paranoid police force? \u00a0Rather than knowing no law<\/a> against loving our neighbor<\/a> as well as our enemies<\/a>, does every infraction of any law call us to dam up the fruit of the Holy Spirit?\u00a0 Must we judge one another constantly lest we be proud for loving one another excessively?\u00a0 I admit I sat silently through a sermon declaring that, Do not judge so that you will not be judged<\/em>,[23]<\/sup><\/a> meant that we should judge and be judged.[24]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>Hear Jesus\u2019 regime by contrast: Look!\u00a0 I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness<\/em>.\u00a0 That is Jezebel, the one who by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols<\/em>.[25]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Secondly, He is throwing those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds<\/em>.\u00a0 But there is not one word to the rest of the church in\u00a0Thyatira about being proud because they had not removed Jezebel and her followers from their midst.\u00a0 The criticism<\/a>\u2014But I have this against you<\/em>\u2014was laid directly on the angel of the church in Thyatira<\/em>, whether human or a higher order being. Yes, the letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira<\/em> was to be read by all the churches, but its content was directed with surgical precision.<\/p>\n

To be fair the only reason I have the audacity to make this kind of critique of Paul\u2019s writing in 1 Corinthians 5 is Paul\u2019s extended treatise on love in his later writing to believers in Rome.\u00a0 Therefore we must not pass judgment<\/em> (\u03ba\u03c1\u1f77\u03bd\u03c9\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd, a form of \u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03bd\u03c9<\/a>) on one another, but rather determine<\/em> (\u03ba\u03c1\u1f77\u03bd\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5, another form of \u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03bd\u03c9) never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister<\/em>.[26]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Actually, Paul described love this way: \u039c\u03b7\u03ba\u1f73\u03c4\u03b9 \u03bf\u1f56\u03bd \u1f00\u03bb\u03bb\u1f75\u03bb\u03bf\u03c5\u03c2 \u03ba\u03c1\u1f77\u03bd\u03c9\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd[27]<\/sup><\/a> (literally, \u201cno longer then one another judge\u201d).<\/p>\n

\n
Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited – Part 2<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 7<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Romans, Part 90<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/a>[1]<\/sup> Revelation 2:18a (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[2]<\/sup> An article by Bromleigh McCleneghan, \u201cSex and the single Christian: Why celibacy isn\u2019t the only option<\/a>,\u201d was interesting bait for an unsuspecting moralist.\u00a0 Obviously single people can have sex.\u00a0 That\u2019s how they become married people in God\u2019s sight.\u00a0 The rest is ceremony, celebration\u00a0and government paperwork.\u00a0 If anyone actually believed that religious leaders knew magical rites that could transmogrify illicit sex into holy matrimony those religious leaders would be compelled by law to perform those rites equally for all in a pluralistic society.\u00a0 The only thing single people cannot do is fool God into thinking they are not guilty of adultery if they have sex with somebody different tomorrow night, simply because they have not signed government paperwork or had a ceremony or celebrated.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[3]<\/sup> Condemnation or Judgment? \u2013 Part 12<\/a><\/em>, Ezra and Divorce<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a>[4]<\/sup> John 17:3b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[5]<\/sup> 1 Corinthians 4:15b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[6]<\/sup> Matthew 23:8-10 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[7]<\/sup> 1 Corinthians 4:6, 7 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[8]<\/sup> 1 Corinthians 4:21 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[9]<\/sup> My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe\u2019s household\u00a0have informed me that there are quarrels among you<\/em>. (1 Corinthians 1:11 NIV<\/a>)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[10]<\/sup> 2 Corinthians 12:21 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[11]<\/sup> 1 Corinthians 13:6a (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[12]<\/sup> 1 Corinthians 13:6a (NKJV)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[13]<\/sup> James 4:9, 10 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[14]<\/sup> Luke 6:25b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[15]<\/sup> Mathew 9:15a (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[16]<\/sup> Matthew 5:4 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[17]<\/sup> Mark 16:9-11 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[18]<\/sup> Luke 23:18b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[19]<\/sup> Acts 21:36b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[20]<\/sup> Acts 22:21b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[21]<\/sup> Acts 22:22b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[22]<\/sup> Matthew 13:29, 30a (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[23]<\/sup> Matthew 7:1 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[24]<\/sup> This point of view is surprisingly common.\u00a0 \u00a0I found the following paraphrase online<\/a>: \u201cIf you don\u2019t want your life to be scrutinized, then don\u2019t judge others. \u00a0If you can stand the scrutiny then go ahead.\u201d\u00a0 I will freely admit to needing as much grace as possible.\u00a0 There are other voices online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[25]<\/sup> Revelation 2:20b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[26]<\/sup> Romans 14:13 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[27]<\/sup> Romans 14:13a<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I want to compare and contrast Paul\u2019s teaching in his letter to the Corinthians to Jesus\u2019 letter To the angel of the church in Thyatira[1] under the rubrics: \u201cPaul\u2019s Regime\u201d and \u201cJesus\u2019 Regime.\u201d Paul\u2019s Regime Jesus\u2019 Regime It is actually … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3489,2719],"tags":[1652,2386,3474,3472,3476,2233,3475,172,738,3477,3478,3486,3487,805,3483,3479,222,3485,3480,181,3484,3488,3473,3482,294,3481,3463,3464,3471,3425],"class_list":["post-7123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pauls-religious-mind","category-section-three","tag-1-corinthians-134-13","tag-1-corinthians-136","tag-1-corinthians-36-7","tag-1-corinthians-415","tag-1-corinthians-418-20","tag-1-corinthians-421","tag-1-corinthians-46-7","tag-1-corinthians-51","tag-1-corinthians-52","tag-1-corinthians-81-3","tag-2-corinthians-1221","tag-acts-2136","tag-acts-2221","tag-acts-2222","tag-ezra-101-3","tag-james-49-10","tag-john-173","tag-luke-2318","tag-luke-625","tag-malachi-213-16","tag-mark-169-11","tag-matthew-1329-30","tag-matthew-238-10","tag-matthew-54","tag-matthew-71","tag-matthew-915","tag-revelation-220","tag-revelation-221","tag-revelation-222","tag-romans-1413"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7123","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7123"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7123\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21810,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7123\/revisions\/21810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}