LESSONS FROM 1 CORINTHIANS 7'S EXAMINATION
What lessons can one learn from the above examination?
A major lesson is to live according to Yah'shuah's command in Yahchanan (John) 15, that we remain or abide in him, doing so by remaining or abiding in his words. But when we ADD to his words we are found to be exceeding the bounds that he has set for us! And by so exceeding the bounds that he has set for us we stop remaining fully in his word. We therefore then cease to bear much fruit, bearing only such fruit as is commensurate with the degree to which we remain or abide in his word. We must therefore strive to remain fully in Yah'shuah's word, without adding our own or other peoples' words!
Learn From Shaul's Words In 1 Corinthians 1-4
We should also learn from Shaul's words to the assembly at
1 Corinthians 1:10-13 reads,
1:10Now
I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Master, Yah'shuah the Messiah,
that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but
that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 1:11For it has been reported to me concerning
you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe's household, that there are
contentions among you. 1:12Now I
mean this, that each one of you says, "I follow Sha'ul," "I
follow Apollos," "I follow Kefa," and, "I follow
Messiah." 1:13Is Messiah
divided? Was Sha'ul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of
Sha'ul?
Addressing Fleshly Rather Than Spiritual People?
1 Corinthians 3:1-4:6 reads,
3:1Brothers,
I couldn't speak to you as to spiritual, but as to fleshly, as to babes in
Messiah. 3:2I fed you with milk, not
with meat; for you weren't yet ready. Indeed, not even now are you ready, 3:3for you are still fleshly. For insofar
as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren't you fleshly, and
don't you walk in the ways of men? 3:4For
when one says, "I follow Sha'ul," and another, "I follow
Apollos," aren't you fleshly? 3:5Who
then is Apollos, and who is Sha'ul, but servants through whom you believed; and
each as the Master gave to him? 3:6I
planted. Apollos watered. But the Mighty One gave the increase. 3:7So then neither he who plants is
anything, nor he who waters, but the Mighty One who gives the increase. 3:8Now he who plants and he who waters are the
same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 3:9For we are the Mighty One's fellow workers.
You are the Mighty One's farming, the Mighty One's building. 3:10According to the grace of the Mighty One
which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and
another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it. 3:11For no one can lay any other foundation
than that which has been laid, which is Yah'shuah the Messiah. 3:12But if anyone builds on the foundation with
gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or stubble; 3:13each man's work will be revealed. For the
Day will declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire itself will
test what sort of work each man's work is. 3:14If
any man's work remains which he built on it, he will receive a reward. 3:15If any man's work is burned, he will suffer
loss, but he himself will be saved, but as through fire.
3:16Don't
you know that you are a temple of the Mighty One, and that the Mighty One's
Spirit lives in you? 3:17If anyone
destroys the temple of the Mighty One, the Mighty One will destroy him; for the
Mighty One's temple is holy, which you are. 3:18Let
no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this
world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. 3:19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness
with the Mighty One. For it is written, "He has taken the wise in their
craftiness." 3:20And again,
"Yahweh knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless." 3:21Therefore let no one boast in men.
For all things are yours, 3:22whether
Sha'ul, or Apollos, or Kefa, or the world, or life, or death, or things
present, or things to come. All are yours, 3:23and
you are Messiah's, and Messiah is the Mighty One's.
4:1So
let a man think of us as Messiah's servants, and stewards of the Mighty One's
mysteries. 4:2Here, moreover, it is
required of stewards, that they be found faithful. 4:3But with me it is a very small thing that I
should be judged by you, or by man's judgment. Yes, I don't judge my own self. 4:4For I know nothing against myself. Yet I
am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Master. 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time,
until the Master comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of
darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his
praise from the Mighty One. 4:6Now
these things, brothers, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos
for your sakes, that in us you might learn not to think beyond the things which
are written, that none of you be puffed up against one another.
Seeing that Shaul clearly acknowledged that he was NOT the Messiah, and also upheld the Messiah, his counsel to believers that they should not think of him, and other servants of Yah'shuah, more than "the things which are written", is, in my opinion, GOOD COUNSEL! For by stating that the believers should not "think beyond the things which are written" indicates that he was teaching them to UPHOLD SCRIPTURE, and not to exceed the Scriptural word! And in this counsel he agrees with Yah'shuah's words in Yahchanan (John) 15, of remaining in and not exceeding Yah'shuah's word!
In 4:2 Shaul mentions that stewards, such as he was, are required to be found faithful. Indicating that, depending on their conduct, they may or may not be found to be faithful. Further indicating that the POSSIBILITY exists that they could be unfaithful! In other words, stewards are fallible human beings who are not yet perfect!
Shaul then taught who should really be doing the judging of stewards - the Master, and not human beings! In fact, seeing that human beings should not be judging stewards, he did not even bother to judge himself with human judgement. For the one who can truly judge sees things that humans cannot see, such as the hidden things of darkness, the counsels of the hearts!
Yah'shuah's Comments Concerning Judging
With respect to judging, the Master, Yah'shuah the Messiah, had a number of things to say. Mattityahu (Matthew) 7:1-5 reads,
7:1"Don't judge, so that you won't be judged. 7:2For with whatever
judgment you judge, you will be judged: and with whatever measure you measure,
it will be measured to you. 7:3Why do you see the
speck that is in your brother's eye, but don't consider the beam that is in
your own eye? 7:4Or how will you tell your brother, 'Let me remove the speck
out of your eye;' and behold, the beam is in your own eye? 7:5You hypocrite! First
remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the
speck out of your brother's eye.
Luke 6:37 reads,
6:37Don't judge, and you will not be judged. Don't condemn, and
you will not be condemned. Set free, and you
will be set free.
Luke 7:40-43 reads,
7:40Yah'shuah
answered him, "Shim`on, I have something to tell
you."
He said, "Teacher, say on."
7:41"A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five
hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 7:42When they couldn't pay, he forgave them both. Which of them
therefore will love him most?"
7:43Shim`on
answered, "He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most."
He said to him, "You
have judged correctly."
Luke 12:54-57 reads,
12:54He
said to the multitudes also, "When you see a cloud
rising from the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it
happens. 12:55When a south wind blows, you say, 'There will be a scorching
heat,' and it happens. 12:56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of
the earth and the sky, but how is it that you don't interpret this time? 12:57Why don't you
judge for yourselves what is right?
There Are Two Types Of Judging
From these words of Yah'shuah it appears that there are two types of judging, one concerned with sin and condemnation, and the other concerned with assessing the correctness of a situation, especially when a decision has to be made. With respect to the second type of judging or correctly weighing up a matter, seeing that Yah'shuah asked Shimon to judge or assess in the situation he presented before him, it is indeed evident that this second type of judging is appropriate for us human beings. In fact, it appears that we are required to make this second type of judgement, assessing between what is good and what is bad, between the way that we ought to walk and the way that we ought not to walk.
The Father Has Given Judgement To The Son
Yahchanan (John) 5:19-30 reads,
5:19Yah'shuah
therefore answered them, "Most assuredly, I tell
you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For
whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise. 5:20For the Father
loves the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him
greater works than these, that you may marvel. 5:21For as the Father
raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he
desires. 5:22For neither does the Father judge any man, but he has given
all judgment to the Son, 5:23that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He
who doesn't honor the Son doesn't honor the Father who sent him. 5:24Most assuredly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes
him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has
passed out of death into life. 5:25Most assuredly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when
the dead will hear the Son of the Mighty One's voice; and those who hear will
live. 5:26For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the
Son also to have life in himself. 5:27He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is
a son of man. 5:28Don't marvel at
this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his
voice, 5:29and will come forth; those who have done good, to the resurrection
of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. 5:30I can of myself
do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don't
seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.
In 5:30 Yah'shuah gives us a KEY to righteous judging. For he says that his own judgement is righteous BECAUSE he does not seek his own will, but the will of his Father who sent him. Thereby showing that those who judge righteously seek the Father's will. Therefore, to judge righteously, to correctly assess situations, one must first be seeking the Father's will, rather than one's own will!
Don't Judge According To Appearance
Yahchanan (John) 7:21-24 reads,
7:21Yah'shuah
answered them, "I did one work, and you all marvel
because of it. 7:22Moshe has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moshe,
but of the fathers), and on the Shabbat you circumcise a boy. 7:23If a boy receives
circumcision on the Shabbat, that the law of Moshe may not be broken, are you
angry with me, because I made a man every bit whole on the Shabbat? 7:24Don't judge
according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment."
Yahchanan (John) 8:13-18 reads,
8:13The
Perushim therefore said to him, "You testify about yourself. Your witness
is not valid."
8:14Yah'shuah
answered them, "Even if I testify about myself, my
witness is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you
don't know where I came from, or where I am going. 8:15You judge according
to the flesh. I judge no one. 8:16Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone,
but I am with the Father who sent me. 8:17It's also written
in your law that the testimony of two men is valid. 8:18I am he who
testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me."
Yah'shuah, in responding to the Perushim, stated that his judgement was true BECAUSE he was with the Father who sent him. Thereby indicating that those who are with the Father judge or assess truly.
Yah'shuah also gave an example of how the Father was with him, giving an example that his audience could appreciate. He stated that his conduct was in harmony with the Scriptures. And by his conduct having been in harmony with the Scriptures he was demonstrating that he was indeed with the Father. Implying that those who act in harmony with the Scriptures - the Father's word - are indeed with the Father! Therefore, to be with the Father, we ought to act in harmony with the Father's word - Scripture! In this manner our judgements or assessments will be true!
Yah'shuah's Words Will Judge Human Beings
Yahchanan (John) 12:44-50 reads,
12:44Yah'shuah
cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me,
believes not in me, but in him who sent me. 12:45He who sees me sees him who
sent me. 12:46I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes
in me may not remain in the darkness. 12:47If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn't believe, I don't
judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 12:48He who rejects
me, and doesn't receive my sayings, has one who judges him. The word that I
spoke, the same will judge him in the last day. 12:49For I spoke not
from myself, but the Father who sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I
should say, and what I should speak. 12:50I know that his commandment is eternal life. The things
therefore which I speak, even as the Father has said to me, so I speak."
It should therefore be evident that Yah'shuah's words, words he received from the Father, are the one's that will judge human beings in the judgement. Therefore, in assessing the appropriateness of various matters before us, we ought to use Yah'shuah's words, which are in reality the Father's words, as our basis of assessment or judgement. Therefore, even in assessing whether a particular word has originated from the Father, has been inspired by the Holy Spirit, the manner we can so assess that word is by comparing that word with the Father's other words, contained in Scripture! If the assessed word is in harmony with Scripture then it can be said to have been inspired by the Holy Spirit. But if the assessed word conflicts with Scripture, then it is evident that the Holy Spirit did not inspire it.
Judge According To The Father's Words
Revelation 20:12-13 reads,
20:12I
saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Books
were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The
dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according
to their works. 20:13The sea
gave up the dead who were in it. Death and She'ol gave up the dead who were in
them. They were judged everyone according to their works.
It should therefore be evident, from Yah'shuah's words, including Revelation 20:12-13, that those to be judged will be judged according to what is written in the books, according to the Father's words, according to Scripture! Therefore the manner of correctly assessing the veracity of any matter is checking its harmony with the Father's words, which are contained in the books - Scripture!
Shaul Did Not Claim That All His Words Came From The
Master
Having assessed some of Shaul's words, especially those he wrote to the assembly at Corinth as noted in 1 Corinthians 7, it has indeed been seen that some of Shaul's words were not in harmony with the Father's words as recorded in Scripture! These words of Shaul not in harmony with the Father's words were Shaul's own opinions devoid of the Holy Spirit's inspiration. In fact, in a number of places in 1 Corinthians 7, Shaul stated that he did not have commandment from the Master with respect to what he was saying. Thereby showing that he was not claiming that those particular things that he spoke of were the Father's words.
Do Not Conclude That The Spirit inspired All Of
Shaul's Words
Also, having clearly seen that some of Shaul's words were not in harmony with the Father's words, thereby showing that these particular words were not inspired by the Holy Spirit, we MUST NOT conclude that all the contents of Shaul's epistles as contained in the "New Testament" were inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit inspired some of the contents of Shaul's epistles, while other portions of his epistles were not so inspired.
Only The Father's Words Are Binding Upon Believers
The contents of Shaul's epistles that are binding on believers are those that were inspired by the Holy Spirit. For these words inspired by the Holy Spirit are the Father's words. But the portions of Shaul's epistles that were not inspired by the Holy Spirit do not bind believers. These portions, especially those that are not consistent with the Father's words, SHOULD NOT be abided by. For if believers abide by those portions of Shaul's words that are inconsistent with the Father's words, they will not be abiding or remaining in Yah'shuah the Messiah with respect to those words. And if they do not remain in Yah'shuah the Messiah with respect to those words they will not bear much fruit, for Yah'shuah said that those who bear much good fruit remain in his word, and he likewise abides in them!
Believers should therefore fully abide in Yah'shuah the Messiah our Master, clearly noting that Yah'shuah is greater than all of his servants, and should avoid adding to his words.
What About Kefa's Words In 2 Kefa 3:15-18?
What about the comments in 2 Kefa 3:15-18, which reads,
3:15Regard
the patience of our Master as salvation; even as our beloved brother Sha'ul
also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you; 3:16as also in all of his letters, speaking in
them of these things. In those are some things hard to be understood, which the
ignorant and unsettled twist, as they do also to the other scriptures, to their
own destruction. 3:17You
therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried
away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness. 3:18But grow in the grace and knowledge of
our Master and Savior Yah'shuah the Messiah. To him be the glory both now
and forever. Amen.
All Of Shaul's Letters Contained Words Spoken By The
Holy Spirit
3:15-16 notes that Shaul, in ALL OF HIS LETTERS, wrote according to the wisdom given to him. Yet in 1 Corinthians 7, part of one of Shaul's letters, we have seen that not all of his words were according to the wisdom given to him. Yet in 1 Corinthians 1-4, part of the same letter, we have seen that his words were indeed according to the wisdom given to him, the wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit. It should therefore be noted that while all of Shaul's letters indeed included the Holy Spirit's inspiration, NOT EVERYTHING in those letters was of the Holy Spirit. Some things that he wrote were of the Holy Spirit - according to the wisdom given to him. Other things that he wrote were his own opinions. It is therefore a matter of ascertaining what he wrote according to the wisdom given to him, and what he wrote according to his own opinion.
Grow In The Grace And Knowledge Of Yah'shuah The
Messiah
3:18 stresses the very lesson that Shaul taught in 1 Corinthians 1-4, that we should look to the Messiah, and not to Shaul, or Apollos, or Kefa, or any other servant of the Messiah. It is the Messiah that was crucified for us, and not his servants. It is the Messiah that we were baptised into, not his servants.
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