The purpose of this lesson: To stress the urgency of Christians considering the long-term significance of commitments they make as individuals. Making a present commitment may forecast a future problem that places personal allegiance to Jesus Christ in jeopardy.
Do you think it is demanding to be a Christian today (I agree--it is demanding!)? The more secular a society becomes, the more demanding the challenge to be a spiritually focused Christian becomes. The more secular a society becomes, the more avenues of temptation develop for the man or woman committed to a spiritual existence in Jesus Christ. Secularism in an individual or a society changes acceptable values, changes acceptable priorities, changes the definition of morality, and changes concepts of right and wrong and good and bad.
It has never been simple or easy to be a Christian. Rarely are the values advanced and supported by society the values advanced and supported by those who give their lives to Jesus Christ. The objectives of those in Jesus Christ are not the objectives of those who do not place their trust in Jesus Christ. Today, the dividing line seems to be the line between secular objectives and spiritual objectives.
If you think it is demanding to be a Christian today, transport yourself back to the first Christian converts and the first Christian congregations. (We are not as likely to feel sorry for ourselves if we honestly observe those who obviously had worst circumstances than we have! Such observations do not eliminate the challenges of our situation, but such honest observations improve our perspective.) Suppose you and your spouse before conversion belonged to a religion that encouraged involvement in sacred prostitution as a religious act. One of you converts to Christianity. Would your conversion impact your marriage?
The object is NOT merely to dismiss todays challenges or to say that someones struggles should not be struggles at all, but (1) to put our struggles in perspective through comparison and (2) to realize that people who live by faith in God always have known struggle.
Suppose your boss was a devout, practicing idolater. As such, his definition of honesty and being truthful differed significantly with your Christian concepts. He literally could freeze you out of the local job market. Would your concepts and your bosss concepts clash as together you two pursued business objectives?
The concepts of honesty and truthfulness between a Christian and a person who places little or no faith in Jesus Christ always have differed regardless of the time period.
Suppose the person who pretty much controlled your life was very into the citys political life. This person was prominent in business and could afford to be a significant force in the citys affairsthis person had serious clout that reached far beyond the city. To maintain that importance, the person had to be actively involved in the most prominent idolatrous religion in the area. Do you think the persons idolatrous involvement would place pressure on your life as a Christian?
The Christian always has faced unjust consequences that resulted from a person who did not believe in Christ being in control of the Christians life.
The actual scenarios are endless. The point is this: it has never been simple and easy to be godly. It may be more simple for you to be godly in our democratic society than it was for a person who lived in a society controlled by a king or idolatrous forces. This is not an attempt to declare that situations today are simplesituations are not! However, it is not uncommon for situations to be difficult for godly people. Read Hebrews 11:13-16, understanding that this was written to distressed Christians (10:32-39).
Being godly is challenging for any man or woman in any generation. In every situation of hardship, the Christian must never fail to see his/her advantages or count his/her blessings. The objective is not to demean the challenges or say the challenges do not exist, but to put the challenges in perspective.
In our text today, Paul wrote to the same Christians in Corinth that he wrote in the last two lessons. His directions must have been startling considering the realities of their world. Consider a single illustration of the common reality. The world of the Roman Empire functioned on the patronage system. A wealthy man tried to anticipate his future needs. He would, as we would say, put someone he thought he might need on a monthly retainer. The someone would receive a monthly payment for doing nothing. However, if the wealthy man needed the someones skills and services, the someone was to respond to the wealthy mans request immediately and use his abilities in the wealthy mans interests.
Passages in scripture, such as todays text, easily can be misapplied if the circumstance at the time of the writing is not considered. A serious student of the Bible would be blessed in his/her studies by an understanding of the patronage system in the Roman Empire.
That was simply the way business operated. The common issue was NOT do I agree with the wealthy mans policies, concepts, and methods. The common issues to be addressed were (1) Do I need the money? and (2) Can I deal with the fallout of rejecting the offer of the wealthy man? It was commonly more of a pragmatic decision than a decision based on idealism. Commonly, the question was more What do I need right now? than What conflict might find me in the future?
Every adult Christian has experienced a situation when the right now looked so wonderful that future potential conflicts were ignored. For the Christian, there is always more to consider than the perceived needs of the present. Also, disappointing the wrong people commonly results in unwanted consequences. The decision to be godly is sometimes sacrificial!
Thus it was todays need versus speculation about the future difficulty. The upside was easy--dependable monthly money with little or no effort right now. The downside was the loss of control of self in possible future conflicts. Sound familiar? And you thought todays dilemmas were new!
There are few difficulties a godly person faces today that were not faced in previous generations. The forms may change, but the foundation issues still exist.
First, note that Paul said, Look ahead to spiritual conflict before you form any bond. Idolatry and Christianity cannot and do not mix (or we might say materialism [Christlessness] and Christianity [spirituality in Christ] cannot and do not mix). The nature of the bond is not the issuemarriage, business, social commitment, etc. The issue is the incompatibility of the forces involved in the situation.
The bond may present itself in modern forms. However, when entering the obligation of bonds with an ungodly person, little has changed in the basic conflicts that develop. When the basic objectives are incompatible, the bond will produce disappointments and conflicts in the future.
Second, note that, again, Paul used the we are the temple of the living God concept to address the problem. The issue was not What do I want? The issue was Who am I? The issue involved accepting what was approved by society versus being family to God who is the Creator. The Christians at Corinth were declaring that membership in society was as important as being accepted by God as family. Paul said, You cannot declare both because you (collectively) are Gods temple! Gods values and societys values were not the same!
Their understanding of the seriousness of appropriate temple conduct and temple practice would make a profound point if they realized they were the temple. That realization would impact behavior and relationships. Being Gods temple would carry a message that confrontation could never convey.
Right and wrong as defined by materialism and right and wrong as defined by God are not compatiblein fact they are hostile to each other. Who are we as Christians? We are Gods temple. What would be inappropriate behavior in a pagan temple would be inappropriate in Gods temple! The Christians at Corinth must remember that they are Gods temple!
Christianity is not an occasional function, but a lifestyle. The concern is Who are you as a person 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in town and on vacation? not merely Do you go to church and act godly on Sunday?
For Thought and Discussion
1. The more secular society becomes, the more demanding being spiritual in Christ becomes.
2. Give 3 illustrations of how demanding it could be to be a Christian in the beginning.
a) Being married to a spouse who is still idolatrous and worships in a fertility cult.
b) Having an idolatrous boss who defines honesty and truthfulness differently.
c) Being controlled by an idolatrous person (on the job) who is wealthy, has much influence, and is much into politics.
3. It has never been simple or easy to be what? Why?
It has never been simple or easy to be godly.
Society is rarely godly, and Christians live and manage in society.
4. Read Hebrews 11:13-16 and 10:32-39 and comment on these scriptures.
Godly people do not fit into the material world. They long for an existence in which they belong.
5. In todays text, whom did Paul write?
He wrote the Corinthian Christians he wrote in 1 Corinthians. He also included other congregations in Achaia.
6. How did the patronage system function in the Roman Empire?
The discussion should include the concept You owe me because I paid you.
7. In the patronage system, the common issue was not what?
The common issue was not do I agree with the wealthy mans policies, concepts, and methods.
8. The common issues to be addressed were what two things?
a) Do I need the money?
b) Can I deal with the fallout of rejecting the offer?
9. The issue was what versus what? The upside was what? The downside was what?
a) The issue: need versus speculation about future difficulty.
b) The upside: easy, dependable monthly money that required little or no effort.
c) The downside: the loss of control of self in future conflicts.
10. What did Paul first say? What was the issue?
a) Look ahead to spiritual conflict before forming a bond.
b) The issue was incompatibility.
11. What did Paul say second? What was the issue?
a) We are the temple of the living God.
b) The issue was Who am I? not What do I want?
12. What is not compatible?
The definitions of right and wrong in materialism and in Christianity are not compatible.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 10