Category Archives: bible

NT Doctrine — 2 Corinthians 3

The previous chapter ends with Paul contrasting his ministry against that of the hucksters. Did that sound like a sales pitch? Those same hucksters were fond of pieces of paper that recommended them to the next church they visited: letters, … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — 2 Corinthians 2

Again, the church came very near to being ostracized from the other churches. They would have been denounced and no longer see an apostolic visits. Instead of rejoicing with them in their victories over sin, Paul would have been obliged … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — 2 Corinthians 1

Brief reminder of the chronology here: Paul was in Ephesus building up the church there when he got alarming news about Corinth. So he wrote a brief message we do not have, and someone responded, perhaps several people, from Corinth. … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

It was part of the arrogance of Greek philosophy that some would mock Paul’s teaching on the issue of resurrection. They asked how it was possible, and asked sarcastically if Paul could describe what kind of body one would have … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — 1 Corinthians 15:1-34

There is one fundamental and radical difference between the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman culture: The former asserted that a separate spirit realm existed, whereas the latter asserted that this world is all there is. If you can get … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — 1 Corinthians 14

Let’s remind ourselves once more that the earliest churches were all patterned on Jewish synagogues. That is, churches were simply Christian synagogues. The men sat down front and could interact with the speaker. Women sat in the back half of … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — 1 Corinthians 13

One thing Paul never had to say to the church at Corinth was that they were free from the Law. This was probably the one teaching they understood best. Unfortunately, it became the excuse for an awful lot of extreme … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — 1 Corinthians 12

Paul moves from ritual matters to spiritual matters. There are lots of spirits in this world. Prior to Paul bringing the gospel to Corinth, some of the church members were idolaters, following whatever spiritual influences that got their attention. It … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — 1 Corinthians 11

Keep track of how Paul’s teachings lead naturally from one thing to another. The previous chapter was about self-restraint for the sake of the gospel. We are feudal servants of Christ by covenant; His reputation is our first consideration in … Continue reading

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NT Doctrine — 1 Corinthians 10

The fleshly nature is an inveterate enemy of the Spirit. The flesh must be captured, humbled and kept enslaved. Once we are spiritually born, it must be made to surrender sight unseen to whatever the Spirit will direct through the … Continue reading

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