Catch The Power – “Resurrection” & The Gospel #CrazyCorinthians

You can listen to the Worship Service and sermon preached at The Blue Point Bible Church at the following link, https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/12472439-3-19-bpbc-worship-service-crazycorinthians-catch-the-power-resurrection-the-gospel

---

“Catch The Power of This” – “Resurrection” & The Gospel
1 Corinthians 15:11-19 

Review 

I began having us think through these Scriputures called 1 & 2 Corinthians, or better said these 2 letters sent by the Apostles, Paul & Sosthenes, to the church at Corinth in, with a 3 part sermon called OT texts, syllogisms, & debates. I hope reading through the 2 particular texts that Paul cites from, Hosea chapter 6 and Isaiah chapter 53, helped you gain a bit of context regarding the “hope of Israel”. This is all about restoration to God and a means of righteousness attained by God’s people. By way of syllogism, I have put in your hands opportunity to review other texts and previous sermons regarding the timing, nature, and reality of the resurrection – looking at Matthew chapter 24, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, and 1 Corinthians chapter 15. However please know we are not limited to these correlating texts, more will be revealed as we continue through the New Testament documents. 

I’ve mentioned the past and present debates regarding the ‘resurrection of the dead’ that have been had and are being had, not focusing on those outside and with the church, but rather those within the church, to show that this is not a doctrine we should presume or assume thoughts about. We must seek, search, study and prove the things of the Scripures, defending God’s truth, maintain the one hope fulfilled in Jesus Christ, and appreciate God bringing forth reformation and revival, not just in past generations, but right now in ours. 

Let’s go to the text, 1 Corinthian chapter 15. 

v. 11 -12 – “Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” 

• “We preached, you believed”
  What did they preach that was believed?
  Jesus Christ; Already but not yet; soon; change was coming; the judgement; resurrection; salvation
  
• “Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead…”
  Cleary they preached Christ and that He had been raised from the dead.
  Physically raised – yes, however, to what affect? Some seem confused about this. We need not be.
  Jump ahead in time a bit to gain a bit of clarity here – (see, 1 Peter 3:18-22)
  
• What does 1 Peter 3:18-22 establish about the suffering and resurrection of Christ? What does it provide for us? 

v. 13 – 19 

“Each of these consequences represented a state or condition that the Corinthians knew to be false.” – Max King 

(A) Christ has not been raised/ Christ had been raised. 

(B) Paul’s preaching was in vain/ Paul’s preaching was not in vain. 

(C) you faith is in vain/ their faith was not in vain 

(D) apostles are found to be false witnesses of God/ Paul was not a false witness 

(E) ye are still in your sins/ they were not still in their sins 

(F) those who had fallen asleep in Christ had perished/ those who fell asleep in Christ had not perished 

Define resurrection of the dead (ones) as established at this point (OT texts, syllogisms, & previous points).  

• Like Adam, they violated the covenant – Adam was shamed and removed from the Garden. God would restore. 3rd day imagery. 
• The “Suffering Servant” would bear the sins of His people, remove their sin and shame. 
• See, Colossians 1:13 – 23
  

Why would Christ not be raised? 

Remember now, these ins the Church of Corinth believed in the Gospel of Jesus dying for sin and raising from the dead, in fulfillment of the OT promises. The resurrection this statement talks about is the picture we gained from 1 Peter chapter 3. This is the resurrection of Christ out of from among the dead ones (see chart), so that the rest of the dead ones can be raised. If the dead are not raised, and that was the very prophetic purpose of Christ’s resurrection, then Christ has not been raised from among the dead ones, despite the physical resurrection many claimed to have seen, witnessed, and touched Him after. 

Why would your faith be in vain if there was and is no resurrection of the dead? 

You are putting your hope in faithless realities. 

Christ come to bear the sins of His people, that was an Old Covenant promise. If it meant nothing for them (the Old Covenant dead who died hoping), the dead are not raised, God has not been faithful to those promises,  then your faith, which is in Christ being the fulfillment of the promises, is for nothing. It dissolves right in front of you. 

As Paul explains in Romans chapter 1, the Gospel is the to the “Jew first”. “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).  God accomplishes those promises. Jesus came to fulfilled every detail, “jot and tittle” of the Old Covenant. The outpouring of that faithfulness would even bring salvation to the Gentiles. This my brethren is the “hope of Israel” accomplished! 

Why would you still be in your sins if there was and is no resurrection of the dead? 

If Christ did not accomplish the fulfillment of the hope, it’s most likely that His dying on the cross for sin, wasn’t the fulfillments of anything either. Your sins have not been removed, taken away, etc. 

“The error of some at Corinth was that of interpreting their present state in Christ (as opposed to Israel’s continuing hardness), as meaning that Israel was being excluded from their own promised future; that the Gentiles were becoming the replacement of Israel”. To the contrary, “…the validity of Christ’s gospel was grounded in the fidelity of God to His covenant people, Israel. But if Israel is excluded from her own salvation, God’s faithfulness to His promise is invalidated, and therefore, what is to be gained by the inclusion of others (Gentiles) into that which has already failed?”. – Max King, The Cross & The Parousia 

———————

Lately there have been some conversations around me and about me regarding the focus on “the power of preterism” as if this rivals the power of the Gospel. By no means. Or that somehow there is a way to pit Preterism versus the Gospel in our focus, attention, efforts, etc. I’d like to speak to that this morning. 

Please allow me to share an analogy that comes to mind. 

Could one say, stop loving your wife so much, focus on loving you family? 

Obviously not. You’re wife is part of your family. Leave your mother and father and cleave to your wife, is what we read in Scripture. The wife becomes the very foundation of the family system. Loving your wife should be encouraged within the family and prayerfully encourages you to love your family – mother, father, sister, brother, children, etc. all the more! Your church family as well. The love for each of these is mutually-inclusive and interdependent. So it is with the Preterism and the Gospel. If it wasn’t for the saving and efficacious work of Jesus Christ, I wouldn’t care about Preterism, which simply highlights all that He has accomplished. 

Taking your mind back to the wife and family analogy. Sure, there are some that have allowed an idea of love for their wife to detract from their love for family or their idea of love for family to detract from their love for their wife. This is simply put, aberrant ideas of love. So the same with Preterism and the Gospel. It is possible to have an aberrant view one way other another. There are some who have a great understanding of the Gospel, however a weak or inconsistent eschatology. Whereas there are some who have come to understand Preterism however have fostered aberrant ideas regarding the Gospel. 

Gospel – talk 

Just the other day, a social media friend, asked me “How is someone saved?”. That’s a valid and great question. And while we have covered that in teaching, discipleship, orthodoxy and orthopraxis, I’d live to respond to that bit this morning. In light of what we have already established regarding Christ saving His people from their sins and providing resurrection – to the living and the dead. 

Romans 1:16-17 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” 

Gospel of Christ = power of God unto salvation

For everyone who believes 

Jew first 

Greek/ Nations 

Righteousness of God

“The just shall live by faith” (cf. Habakkuk 2:4) 

God does the planting (Isa. 5:1-2; Psalm 1)

God does the growing (1 Cor. 3:7) 

What there fruit looks like (Galatians 5:22-23) 

A few texts; 

Matthew 5:19-20 – a righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees 

John 13:8 – washed by Jesus 

Romans 10:8-10 – What does it say? If… Confess with mouth, belief in heart – Jesus is Lord! 

1 Timothy 1:5 – goal of faith = love from pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith 

2 Peter 1:8-11 – his divide power, possess and increase 

(ie., “Immersed Discipleship)

Conclusion 

Did you catch the power of all of this, this morning? 

• The complexity of Corinthians & Bible prophecy
  Is it important? Yes. Need we get caught up in confusion? No. 

Simplicity of the Gospel. 

Saved – by a faithful God, by and to His promises. 

Revived – A God who continues to breathe life into things 

Reformed – ever-reforming faith; seeking, searching, studying, and proving the things of God. 

Full Preterism: Proclaiming the Presence & Purpose of God. – appreciating all that God has accomplished & provided. 

“From hoping to having”. – Glenn Hill 

---

Today’s texts: 

1 Corinthians 15:11 – 19

1 Peter 3:18 – 22 

Colossians 1:13 – 23 

Romans 1:16 – 17 

Habakkuk 2:4 

Isa. 5:1 – 2

Psalm 1

1 Corinthians 3:7

Galatians 5:22 – 23

Matthew 5:19 – 20 

John 13:8

Romans 10:8 – 10

1 Timothy 1:5

2 Peter 1:8 – 11

Find more notes at www.MianoGoneWild.Wordpress.com 

A Contextual Study on the Hope of Israel/ Resurrection of the Dead (Pt. 32)

You can review this week’s study session on YouTube at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anjVyESZtb0

---

CONFUSION 

• Doug Wilson latest blog – https://dougwils.com/the-church/s16-theology/seven-basic-observations-on-full-preterism.html
  
• Daniel 12 & Philippians 3? 

“A word about method. It is a basic principle of exegesis that you not use the much disputed Daniel 12:2  as the key to unlock Phil. 3:20-21. As many wives have said to their spouse, while standing on the front porch in the dark, with him fumbling at the lock, “it goes the other way.” Clear passages should provide the framework for understanding the difficult ones, and not the other way around.” – Doug Wilson 

“This of course raises the question of how to identify which ones are in fact the clear passages…” – Doug Wilson 

“But it also means that we have to allow the obscure passages to remain obscure until we have better light (which is why my view that Dan. 12:2 is about the general resurrection of the dead remains tentative). We are not allowed to establish a system with the clear passages and then force-fit the unclear passages into our system.”  – Doug Wilson 

But Kenneth Gentry said,  Returning now to Daniel, it appears that Daniel is drawing from the hope of the future, literal resurrection and applying it symbolically to the first century leading up to AD 70″.

---

CLARITY

DANIEL 12 TIMING – Mike Bennett 

“There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. (<= QUOTED IN MATT 24:21) But at that time (<= THE TIME OF MATT 24:21)  your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. (<= YES THAT BOOK) 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (<= RESURRECTION)”. 

Luke 21:20-22, “…proves that the resurrection is now past because it is promised in Ezekiel 37 and Daniel 12…Jesus taught Full Preterism in His Olivet Discourse!” – Beyond Creation Science

 “Paul characterizes Christians in his day as “shining stars” by saying, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe (Phil. 2:4-5)”. – Beyond Creation Science

“…Paul is not talking about inter – intergalactic radiation. His  statement is covenantal – related to the world of man. Paul’s language comes directly from Daniel 12. He applies it to the experience of the Christians in his day. This is a very strong indicator that Daniel 12 (resurrection and all) was fulfilled in the first century”. – Beyond Creation Science 

---

CONCLUSION 

Pastor Mike noted, “Theological truths are best understood by gaining a narrative background, or easily stated – by understanding the whole story.”

What we read in Scripture – The Narrative Story of Sin, Death, Resurrection, Salvation (i.e., “The Kingdom of God”). 

---

RESOURCES 

• Dr. Don K. Preston (Youtube; books – Seal Up Vision & Prophecy; 70 Weeks Are Determined) 
• Tim Martin (Daniel Sermon Series) – https://timmartinteaches.wordpress.com/2023/02/09/daniel-sermon-series/
• Daniel in the Preterist Den – Thomas Howe 

Old Testament Texts, Syllogisms, & Debates (1 Corinthians 15 – Pt. 3) #CrazyCorinthians

You can listen to the Worship Service & Sermon from this past Sunday, 3/12, at the following link, https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/12434713-3-12-bpbc-worship-service-crazycorinthians-1-cor-15-pt-3

---

OT Texts, Syllogisms, & Debates (Pt. 3) 

#CrazyCorinthians 

Hosea 6

Isaiah 52-53 

(Responsive Readings) 

---

Back in 2014 :

“The key to understanding the prophets is to understanding the chronology of the prophets….Immerse yourself into the Biblical story. Simply put, as you pay attention to the context of the prophetic hope of Israel, you will not find a focus on physical resurrections or individual bodies. Nor the focus on an individual reality. Pity on us, selfish Western-minded Christians who completely dismiss the proper understanding of a corporate reality and hope.” – Michael Miano 

Sermons:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/288761-returning-to-our-first-love-the-biblical-prophets-part-1

https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/290588-returning-to-our-first-love-understanding-the-written-prophets

Just last week: 

“Always keep the whole in tact…You deal with the parts, you deal with the many texts, but always in light of the whole. Always in light of the whole. But if you don’t understand what that whole is, you’re gonna get yourself in a bunch of weeds. You’re going to get lost. You’re going to get off the track. It’s the whole, it’s the one that defines the many, the many don’t define the one, the one defines the many”. – Kim Burgess 

---

Consider: 

Hosea 6

Isaiah 53 

What despair or death is being demonstrated? 

What’s the problem? 

What hope or resurrection is being highlighted? 

What’s the solution? 

---

“Showing Our Work: 

(OT Texts) 

Adult Sunday school

Tuesday night Study 

#CrazyCorinthians – 1 Cor. 15

(Syllogisms & correlations)

#AfterAD70 – Church History Study (Debates)

———————————————————————— 

Unfortunately because: 

“People often get upset when you teach them what is in the Bible, rather than what they presumed was in the Bible.” 

-N.T. Wright (renowned scholar)

Popularized portion of the Prayer of St. Patrick: 

“Christ with me, Christ before me,Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.“

A Contextual Study on the Hope of Israel/ Resurrection of the Dead (Pt. 31)

You can review the Pt. 31 on YouTube at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8cfQHc7P5g

---

Resources on Resurrection

Two sermons on The biblical Prophets by Michael Miano
https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/288761-returning-to-our-first-love-the-biblical-prophets-part-1

https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/290588-returning-to-our-first-love-understanding-the-written-prophets

Michael Miano’s – Fulfilled Realities Sermon Series
https://www.bluepointbiblechurch.org/peace/?page_id=2175

2017 blog – Resurrection Notes – https://mianogonewild.wordpress.com/2017/05/27/notebook-review-resurrection-of-the-dead/

“Rethinking The Resurrection” (Mar. 2021) & this study
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLaVytIdK38&t=854s

Current teachings on 1 Corinthians 15
https://mianogonewild.wordpress.com/2023/03/06/old-testament-texts-syllogisms-debates-1-corinthians-15-pt-2-crazycorinthians/

Covenant Hermeneutics & Biblical Eschatology podcast
https://sites.libsyn.com/453213

---

Last session – Amos 9:11“On that day” “Day of the Lord” (will prove to be significant in our further study)Romans 13:11-12 (see, Dissection or Vivisection; Covenant Hermeneutics & Biblical eschatology)

---

Do you have any resources specifically on Zechariah 12 & 14?

Intro & study outline
https://faithconnector.s3.amazonaws.com/olive-tree/files/sermon_attachments/zechariah_in_the_nt.pdf

Don Preston series on Zechariah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgXHVi797GY&list=PLhBAF9HxvYYkw_CeA5noj6ZR4rinL9a0P

---

Our texts tonight are Zechariah 9, 12, & 14

Historical context of Zechariah
“Zechariah was written about 520-518 BC after the Jews returned from captivity in Babylon beginning 539-536 BC. (The rebuilding of the second temple was completed in 515 BC.) The fall of Jerusalem in Zechariah’s book could not be any other time but AD 70.” – Charles Meek (see, shared notes below)

---

Zechariah 9:9 – Palm Sunday
cf. Matthew 21:5; John 12:12-15

• Zechariah 9 is about God’s judgement upon the nations
• v. 7 – remnant from among the Gentiles
• v. 14 – 15 – the coming of the Lord
• v. 16-17 – “the hope of Israel”/ reality once it’s fulfilled

Sermon by Michael Miano
https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/499275

---

Zechariah 12
cf. Joel 3:1-6; Ezekiel 38-39
cf. Matthew 24:30 – the sign of the Son of Man

• All nations against against Jerusalem
• v. 4 – “In that day”.
• There will be great mourning because of there Lord’s coming.
• v. 10 cf. John 19:37; Mt 24:30 Re 1:7
• v. 11 cf. Re 16:16
• v. 12 cf. Re 1:7
• v. 14 cf. Mt 24:30 Re 1:7

Don Preston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VviHn4JnLM4

---

Zechariah 14

v. 1 – “A day is coming…”
v. 2 – “I will gather all nations against Jerusalem…”v. 5 – Mt 25:31 1 Th 3:13 2 Th 1:7 Jd 14
v. 7 -8 cf. Revelation 21:22-25; 22:5; 22:1-2, 17
v. 9-21 – the Lord will be King. Kingdom of God.
cf. Re 11:15; 19:6; 22:3

“So many are waiting for a physical return to the Mount of Olives because of a false understanding of Zechariah 14:4.
If they would only see that their expectations are foreign to the original concept- See, Genesis 11:5-7; Exodus 3:8; Nehemiah 9:13; Psalm 144:5; Isaiah 31:4, and Isaiah 64:3. That is just some Bible verses that prove that the coming of Christ had ZERO to do with a Jewish God/man coming out of the sky on a horse to end the world. Instead, just as Babel, just as the judgment upon Egypt, and many other “covenant judgments” recorded in the Bible, the Lord coming in glory is signified by clouds and invasion of foreign armies or diseases.” – Michael Miano

Don Preston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcs2MOkR0VI

---

Further comments:

Charles Meek – Zechariah 12-14, An Exegesis (Parts of his longer comments)
While some Christians think this prophecy will be fulfilled in our future, I will show why the major theme of Zechariah 12-14 is clearly the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (Zechariah 12:2, 11; 14:2, 11).
There were three major judgments against Israel by God in history:
(1) In 722 BC, God used the Assyrian army to judge the northern kingdom for her sins. The Jews were dispersed, never to recover.
(2) In 586 BC God used the Babylonian army to judge Judah and Jerusalem. God allowed the return of the Jews from Babylon and restoration of Judah, in part, to maintain the genealogical line of Jesus.
(3) In 70 AD God used the Roman army to judge apostate Israel for her sins (Matthew 23:13-24:2), her failure to accept Jesus as Messiah (Matthew 23:37-38), and her participation with the Roman authorities in Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 27:25).
AD 70 marked the end of biblical Judaism. According to Josephus (“Wars of the Jews” 6.3.4) 1,100,000 Jews died during the war (AD 66-70). The temple was reduced to rubble, and along with it, animal sacrifices for sin ended forever. The priesthood has never been re-established after its demise in AD 70. Note the finality of the coming destruction in Zechariah 14:11. There is no hint anywhere in the Bible of a yet-to-be rebuilt third temple.
The AD 70 devastation of Jerusalem marked the only judgment on Israel future to Zechariah.
After the “final judgment” of Zechariah 14, there are still people who do not worship the Lord (14:16-17)—so it cannot be the end of history. Zechariah 14 is a parallel to Isaiah 65-66, where we see that (a) regular human history continues after Armageddon as there are births, deaths, building, etc. (b) there are still people living on earth who never heard of God, and (c) the survivors of the final judgment evangelize those who never heard of God.

Zechariah is also about Jesus’ Messianic fulfillment and work of salvation. Zechariah 14:8 mentions “living waters,” which means the blessings of salvation from Messiah, available to all who believe (Isaiah 55:1-5; John 4:10-14; 7:38; Revelation 22:1, 6). Jesus’ living water is not a promise of an event future to us. It is available NOW as a result of Jesus’ finished work. Matthew 21:1-11 (Jesus riding on a donkey) sees Zechariah 9:9-10 as being fulfilled with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem―another first-century tie.

Now let’s consider some difficulties.

1. Zechariah 14:4-5. This passage mentions that, at the coming of the Lord, the Mount of Olives is “split in two.” Futurists think that has not happened yet. But we should note that this is standard, non-literal Hebraic apocalyptic language. It is common in the Old Testament to see poetic descriptions of disruptions of the created order at God’s judgments. See Isaiah 13:10-13 (against Babylon), Isaiah 34:4-10 (against Edom), Jeremiah 4:23-31 (against Judah and Jerusalem), Ezekiel 32:7-8 (against Pharaoh and Egypt), Joel 3:15-16 (against the nations), Amos 5:20, 8:9 (against Israel), Micah 1:2-16 (against Israel and Judah), Zephaniah 1:14-18 (against Judah, Jerusalem, and Judah’s enemies). Further, Jesus placed his coming in judgment (with his angels) against Old Covenant Israel in his own generation (Matthew 10:23; 16:27-28; 23:35-36; 24:29-34; 25:31; 26:64).
2. Zechariah 13:8 says that “two-thirds will be cut off.” Futurists think this means a future time when two-third of Jews will be killed. I can hardly imagine a more anti-Semitic interpretation. But remember that numbers in the Bible are often figurative. Yet, depending on how many people were in Jerusalem in AD 70, this number may fairly represent the number killed.

Ronald Taylor
 Could someone help me with understanding who the nations are in Zechariah 14:1-3 and how the Lord fought against them in verse 3 and Zechariah 12:9? Any articles, books or videos available on these nations?

---

Conclusion

“Always keeping the whole in tact…You deal with the parts, you deal with the many texts, but always in light of the whole. Always in light of the whole. But if you don’t understand what that whole is, you’re gonna get yourself in a bunch of weeds. You’re going to get lost. You’re going to get off the track. It’s the whole, it’s the one that defines the many, the many don’t define the one, the one defines the many”. – Kim Burgess

---

Next week: Daniel 12: 1-3, 10

Old Testament Texts, Syllogisms, & Debates (1 Corinthians 15 – Pt. 2) #CrazyCorinthians

Review the audio Worship Service and sermon that was preached on 3/5/23 at The Blue Point Bible Church at the following link, https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/12383512-3-5-23-bpbc-worship-service-crazycorinthians-1-cor-15-pt-2

---

I.) Review of #CrazyCorinthians Sermon Series

II.) Review of last week’s Pt. 1 – Old Testament Texts, Syllogisms, & Debates (1 Corinthians 15 – Pt. 1)

• Entered in on 1 Corinthians 15:1-19 
• Perhaps you did your HW this week, however, we are going to read Hosea 6; Isa 52-53 
• Syllogism chart (in your bulletin this morning) 
• Church History & debates (have begun and will continue)
  – Adult Sunday School – Prophets – “What’s the Hope?”
  – A Contextual Study on the Hope of Israel/Resurrection of the Dead
  – Saturday Morning Bible Study – #AfterAD70
  – Engaging other resources….
  
  III.) Interact with church history & debates
  – Justin Martyr – On Resurrection
  https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0131.htm
  “They who maintain the wrong opinion say that there is no resurrection of the flesh; giving as their reason that it is impossible that what is corrupted and dissolved should be restored to the same as it had been.”
  “But again, of those who maintain that the flesh has no resurrection, some assert that it is impossible; others that, considering how vile and despicable the flesh is, it is not fit that God should raise it; and others, that it did not at the first receive the promise.”
  “…it seems to me that I should show that they are ignorant, professing as they do in word that they are believers, yet by their works proving themselves to be unbelieving, even more unbelieving than the unbelievers.”
  – Treatise on the Resurrection (Nag Hammadi)
  – Athenagorus of Athens – The Resurrection of the Dead
  – Irenaeus (Against Heresies)
  https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103531.htm
  “Since, again, some who are reckoned among the orthodox go beyond the pre-arranged plan for the exaltation of the just, and are ignorant of the methods by which they are disciplined beforehand for incorruption, they thus entertain heretical opinions. For the heretics, despising the handiwork of God, and not admitting the salvation of their flesh, while they also treat the promise of God contemptuously, and pass beyond God altogether in the sentiments they form, affirm that immediately upon their death they shall pass above the heavens and the Demiurge, and go to the Mother (Achamoth) or to that Father whom they have feigned.”
  – Tertullian 

“If ye were Christians as ye profess to be, ye would believe that every mortal man who ever existed shall not only live by the immortality of his soul, but his body shall live again, that the very flesh in which he now walks the earth is as eternal as the soul, and shall exist for ever”. – Charles Spurgeon 

IV.) 2 contemporary resources; 

“1 Corinthians 15 is by far the fullest treatment of the Christian hope of resurrection within the entire Bible. However,  many contemporary readers of this chapter, on both popular and scholarly levels, believe they find there a form of resurrection hope radically different from the hope we find in the Gospels, the book of Acts, and the historic Christian creeds. To be sure, a number of scholars, such as Richard Hays, N. T. Wright, and Anthony Thiselton, argue that Paul’s conception of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15, in continuity with the  Gospels and  Acts, involves the resurrection (and glorious transformation to imperishability) of the once-dead body of flesh and bones from the tomb. But the mainstream view in contemporary New Testament scholarship is represented by scholars such as Dale Martin, Troels Engberg-Pedersen, and Marcus Borg, who argue that Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 envisions an heavenly or “spiritual” body which excludes participation of the earthly, mortal body in final salvation.” 

https://hc.edu/news-and-events/2016/07/15/jesuss-resurrection-according-paul-apostle/

“This thesis argues that the ancient Jewish and Christian notion of resurrection cannot be restricted within a re-animated body but includes a broad spectrum of eschatological hope, particularly the renewal of relationship with YHWH, the dispensation of justice, and the transformation of creation as a whole. Jesus’ resurrection is the fulfilment of these broader eschatological hopes and cannot be reduced to the return to life of a personal body.” 

https://hc.edu/news-and-events/2016/07/15/jesuss-resurrection-according-paul-apostle/

V.) Why such response to Debates in the Early Church?  

• Over-reaction to Gnosticism; misapplication of Biblical context
  “Anyone aware of the 2nd and 3rd century heresies that plagued the early church will recognise that these Full Pretetist assertions seem to align with the devaluation of the physical which was characteristic of the Gnostics and Manicheans….physical existence is evil, or at least substandard.” – Steve Gregg
• Over-simplicity/ “leaning on own understanding”/ Private interpretation/ encouraging ignorance
  “”It would seem clear, without any special coaching from the Full Preterist, the original audience would understand….” 
• Protecting “Pet Doctrines”; presuppositions and paradigms
  “Neither the Sadducees, the Pharisees, nor Jesus (nor any Biblical writer, incidentally) ever associated any part of the doctrine of the Resurrection with “heaven” (nor should we)”. – Steve Gregg 
• Perceived credibility
  

VI.) Why Not Full Preterism? By Steve Gregg 

A great point made by Steve Gregg: 

“The resurrection of Christ, however, is not treated in Scripture as only significant in terms of His own exaltation, but of ours as well…It was clearly God’s desire to have not only one risen and glorified Son, but a large family of such risen and glorified sons and daughters”. 

Texts he bases his idea of resurrection upon (I concur): 

See, 1 Corinthians 15:20, 22-23; Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:5; Romans 8:23, 29

Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:16-18 

Acts 23:6; 24:15 

Genesis 1:26, 28

He also mentioned; 

Jesus’ words on resurrection

Paul’s Thessalonians Correspondance 

Paul’s Corinthian Correspondance 

“This makes these two letters, the earliest written documents in the New Testament to mention these eschatological events”. 

A major part of Gregg’s misunderstanding (this statement is false): 

“Though the Old Testament is relatively quite on the subject of the resurrection, there are several passages from which Jews seemed to derive their ideas”. 

See, Ezekiel 37:1-14; Job 19:25-26; Ps. 16:10; Daniel 12:2; Isa. 25:7-8; Isa. 26:19; Hosea 6:1-2; 13:14; 

Steve writes, 

“I am not denying that the destruction of Jerusalem was a great matter in terms of the redefinition of the identity of God’s people, but it would have had very little impact upon the day-to-day life of the average Gentile Christian in most of the Roman Empire”. 

What redefinition was provided? Did it have little impact on covenant life for both Jews & Gentiles? Or was it the very sign and event being waited for? The very “change”? 

He further shows his confusion in stating; 

Upon what grounds such a change would be assigned to AD 70, instead of 40 years earlier, at Pentecost, seems a mystery”. 

You see, Steve Gregg wants to assert; 

“The traditional Jewish belief was essentially the same as the historic Christian position – namely that each body in the grave will stand up again, in order to resume physical life in a renewed physical earth”. “…those devoted to any version of Full Preterism have reason to want Paul’s teachings to differ radically from those of the Jews regardless of his strong statements affirming that he held a view compatible with theirs”. 

He talks of the Preterist view, specifically CBV as; 

“…nothing more than a spiritual status change for a collective body”. 

“Covenantal recalibration” 

VI.) Syllogisms 

(Look at chart; we will talk through this more in weeks to come) 

“…the similarities between Paul’s teaching in 1 Thessalonians and the Olivet discourse are really very few and unspecific”. 

“…I would in no way challenge, that two passages may legitimately describe the same event without including all the same details in both”. 

---

VII.) Let’s lean in on the text a bit more… 

1 Corinthians 15:1 – 28 

• Believers
• Resurrection of Jesus Christ 
• Resurrection of the Dead
• Then Your Faith is Worthless/ Hope For This Life 
• Living, Asleep, Dead Ones 
• “By a man came death”; “In Adam” 
• v. 23
• v. 24
• v. 25 – 
• Death 
• “God may be all in all”
  (all promises – Old & New Covenant fulfilled & established) 

---

Steve Gregg: 

“The most extensive discussion of the doctrine of the resurrection is found in 1st Corinthians 15”

“The resurrection chapter”

“The nature of the error seems to be related to Greek philosophy. The Corinthians were Greeks, who seemed to tend toward an inflated opinion of their own philosophical sophistication”. 

“Paul, and all right thinking Christians, clearly held to the Jewish view, but some of the Corinthians, being Greeks, inclined the other way”. WRONG!

“We confess that these points have a measure of cogency, though they are not sufficient to overthrow Paul’s arguments throughout the chapter, or elsewhere in Scripture”. – Steve Gregg 

• Do they have a measure of cogency? the quality of being clear, logical, and convincing; 
• Does it seem I have a desire or intent to “overthrow Paul’s arguments? Or, is this a straw man tactic to discourage clarity and consistency in this doctrine? A scare tactic?
  ————————

IX.) Conclusion 

OT texts – Hosea 6; Isa. 52-53 

“On closer inspection, Jesus (The Resurrection) is stressing the power and covenantal faithfulness of God rather than an afterlife, let alone personal reanimation. For Wright (some scholars), the implication that the Patriarchs are still alive means an intermediate state where they await resurrection. This was not an uncommon idea (e.g. 1 Enoch 22, 4 Ezra 4.42, and 2 Baruch 30.1-5), and by the first century many Israelites envisaged the Patriarchs as residing somewhere awaiting their resurrection. However, this does not appear to be the focus of this passage. Rather, by referring to the Patriarchs and their relationship to God, the focus is upon the covenant and whether the covenantal promises made to the Patriarchs will be kept. If they are dead, God’s promises become finite and unfulfilled. On the contrary, Jesus proclaims, they are alive, and God’s covenant has not been invalidated. By specifically referencing Exodus, Luke makes it all the more explicit by providing the context (“in the story about the bush”), the covenantal promise of delivering Israel into the land promised to them is implied. If they are still alive, God remains obligated to fulfil this promise, and, hence, the Patriarchs would need to be resurrected.”

A Contradictory Preface? Why Not Full Preterism? (Book Review)

Back in 2013, Steve Gregg debated Dr. Don K. Preston. You can review that debate, as well as some review notes that I offered regarding that debate, at the following link, https://powerofpreterism.wordpress.com/2022/08/11/review-of-the-2013-preston-gregg-debate/

Since the publishing of this book, Why Not Full Preterism?, Dr. Preston has offered quite a few video responses, which I have not yet personal enjoyed, however you are encouraged to review them. Visit Don’s YouTube page by simply searching for his name to access those videos. 

---

This “Part 1” will include a response to the Preface and part of Chapter 1 of Steve Gregg’s book, Why Not Full Preterism? 

---

Let’s jump right in, starting with a quote from none other than Sam Frost. In the preface he writes, “While not agreeing  with everything Gregg has written in the book, I entirely agree with the fact that Full Preterism’s attempt to force every verse having to do with this topic into their paradigm is obsessive and way off balance”. 

Most folks in theological studies know not to take Sam Frost very serious, so it was interesting to see him cited in a work that seemingly wants to be taken serious. Couple that write a host of quotes and insights from Roderick Edwards (“The UnPreterist”) and you know you in for some cognitive dissonance. Ohh this effort doesn’t fail in that regard. 

Steve Gregg wants to encourage readers, “Remember that in order to disprove the special claims of Full Preterism it only takes one verse that will not fit the AD 70 paradigm. If every other verse can be made to fit AD 70, but just one statement of Scripture cannot reasonable be forced into that fabricated mold, then that one verse proves that that not everything was fulfilled in that singular cataclysm”. He further writes, “What they must demonstrate is that there is not one verse of Scripture predicting any event that has not been fulfilled”. So Sam Frost can have areas of disagreement with Steve Gregg, which inquiring minds would love to know what he did not agree with, however, Full Preterism doesn’t work as an interpretational effort unless effort area of Scripture is in perfect harmony with AD 70 and must be according to the way Steve Gregg (or whoever) says they were fulfilled. What a preface to cognitive dissonance regarding the clarity that Full Preterism brings. 

By the way, let’s clarify from the beginning that no Full Preterist claims “superior knowledge”, rather, just honesty, willingness, and a desire for consistency that goes beyond the false unity of thought common-day “defenders of orthodoxy” have offered up. 

Even Steve Gregg’s outline of ‘history’ regarding Full Preterism was a bit disappointing. He failed to take note of debates regarding Full Preterism that happened early in the 1930’s. Men like Norman Voss could tell you more in that regard. I was glad he did away with the S.D.A. idea that Luis De Alcazar, a Jesuit priest, created the Preterist framework (that was in chapter 2). In doing so, he highlighted that Andreas, bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia (563 – 614) and Arethas, a later bishop of the same church, offered commentaries on Revelation, highlighting the Preterist approach. As I mentioned, the citations and usage of history from works by Roderick Edwards seemingly takes away a bit of the seriousness of this work, however it also seemed that Steve Gregg would do well to actually review and read through the resources he cites. I might mention, we at The Blue Point Bible Church have been on a 3 year journey studying through Church History, in a study called #AfterAD70, and we have realized putting together historical thought on Biblical prophecy regards a review of the theology and sociology of each generation. A general outline of quotes from “Church Fathers” does no justice to an honest study. A quick read that has already demonstrated that for years is, Kurt Simmon’s writing, The Road Back To Preterism. 

---

You can find and read, The Road Back To Preterism, online at the following link – http://www.preteristcentral.com/The%20Road%20Back%20to%20Preterism.html

---

Unfortunately, though he endeavorer to explain why someone should not consider Full Preterism, he also demonstrates that he does not understand Full Preterism. For example, he writes, that according to FP, “The only future hope of the Believer is to die and go to heaven while the Earth and countless future generations continue on forever”. That is simply not true. The “future hope”, or expectation for the future, of a Full Preterist is to see the Kingdom of God advance in the Earth through the converted minds and hearts of God’s people. Oddly enough. Steve’s assertion as to the Full Preterist hope is more in line with other ideas ‘Futurists’ have offered up, a concept that wreaks of Gnosticism and it’s earlier forms- the whole it’s all about glorified humanity – somewhere else, some other time, or simple going to heaven to be with Christ in the air. Those are ideas offered up by popular ‘Futurist’ preachers, who claim to be defending the Biblical hope. Consider the message given by Dr. Joel Beeke at the recent “Founder’s Conference” regarding “Glorified Humanity”. So, no, that’s hardly a Full Preterist assertion or problem. Steve unfortunately leans upon that idea quite a bit in the book. 

He does on to write, “…they seem to have difficulty with the concept that Jesus’ predictions concerning the end of the second temple could be fulfilled at one time, while his predictions concerning the resurrection and judgement of all people and all nations would be fulfilled at another time”. I am just one of the many, who for years, have asked our ‘Futurist’ brethren to distinctively offer and distinguish between Bible texts regarding AD 70 and some yet future resurrection and judgement. Has anyone ever seen a clear list that can be agreed upon by 2-3 “defenders of orthodoxy”? I surely haven’t. Even the list of texts mentioned in Steve Gregg’s book create confusion. So yes, there is some difficult with said concept, not only for Full Preterists, but in the host of confusion that has been offered up by “Partial-Preterists”. 

Steve writes, “It would, indeed, compromise my ministry if I were to take the Full Preterist position – for the simple reason that doing so would seriously undermine my credibility as a responsible Bible teacher – in own eyes as well as others’”. Sir, your credibility to whom? To the host of Christians that remain Biblical ignorant, especially as it pertains to eschatology? To those who will write prefaced thoughts to your book and yet admit areas of disagreement? Why would your credibility be undermined in taking on a position that has showed more consistency of thought than you have offered going all the way back to 2013? 

---

I’ll end this “Part 1” of this review with some encouraging insights from Steve Gregg regarding – Why Preterism? 

“The more a student reads from Josephus, the more likely he or she us to take some form of Preterist approach to the book of Revelation”. 

“I had never noticed how persuasive the AD 70 theme was throughout Scripture until reading J. Stuart Russel’s masterful work”. 

“…we conclude that the Parousia, the Resurrection and the Judgement, and the Last Day, all belong to the period of the destruction of Jerusalem”. – J. Stuart Russel 

Review written & submitted by Michael Miano 

Old Testament Texts, Syllogisms, & Debates (1 Corinthians 15 – Pt. 1) #CrazyCorinthians

You can listen to the sermon, as well as the entire Worship Service at The Blue Point Bible Church at the following link, https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/12332302-2-26-23-bpbc-worship-service-crazycorinthians-1-cor-15-pt-1

---

SERMON NOTES

Last Sunday, I continued our thinking through the text of 1 Corinthians, specifically from 1 Corinthians chapter 14, namely the roles of women, women preachers/teachers/leaders, and why the text tells us that “women are to keep silent in the church”. Oddly enough, this week, the largest Christian denomination in America, SBC, removed the 2nd largest congregation in their network for the ordaining of women preachers. Some simply will not allow the truth of Scripture to override their preconceived notions and or particular paradigms. The good that came out of that is that my sermon was added to a slew of resources that have produced this week regarding the role of women in Christian leadership. 

Sure, it is a bit disappointing that here we have an Apostolic letter, 1 Corinthians, that was written to bring clarity to the identity, fellowship, and mission of the Church, unity in the midst of diversity, yet, the details of the letter tend to divide current day Christianity rather than unite us. As I said weeks ago in a blog I wrote, “Lord, Help Us, Your Church Seems So Confused”. 

Today, we are going to continue in our #CrazyCorinthians Sermon Series and move into 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Just as the previous portion, 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14, has been used and abused by so many to foster division in the Church, so too has been the case with 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 tends to be the linchpin Bible text used to argue for and against the Preterist view of the ‘resurrection of the dead’. That being so, I have written about, preached, taught, and debated the details found in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 on many occasions, so my goal is not to give you exciting or novel wisdom, but rather clear and simple information regarding the text and read in the text. 

I tend to believe the details of the ‘resurrection of the dead’, when understood in context of the Biblical narrative, the “hope of Israel” and what was happening in the 1st century, or as Scripture puts it, “the fullness of time” (see, Galatians 4:4) and/or “the consummation of the age” (see, Hebrews 9:26) is rather clear. However, this demands that we enter into the historic context of the hope, be willing to let go of our preconceived notions, presuppositions, paradigms, and rightly understand the point being made in the Scriptures. If you’d rather lean on your own understandings, bolster “church tradition”, or demand a personal interpretation, you will mark out the clarity I provide as “deluded” (which Sam Frost, a man, a professed Bible teacher, who claims to understand the Bible, regularly likes to assert regarding my view). 

Today’s sermon it titled, “OT Texts Syllogisms, & Debates”, and this is how I will frame this part 1 look at 1 Corinthians chapter 15. We will take out time in the text for the next few weeks. Also of course, continued study through these things can be found and participated in through my Tuesday night online study, ‘A Contextual Study on the Hope of Israel/Resurrection of the Dead’. 

Hope of Israel = Resurrection of the Dead

Technically, “Anastasis nekroi” – resurrection of the dead ones 

(Who? This will be revealed through the text) 

I’d like to start out look at Scripture in 1 Corinthians chapter 14:36 – 40
v. 36 – an urge toward unity and clarity; it’s not all about you; your unity and clarity, or lack thereof affects others (we can apply that individually of course, however here the Apostle is speaking corporately to the Church at Corinth). Might I highlight, this has been the point and goal of the whole letter – “maturity and progression of the BODY, God’s people”. 

Goal of the letter – “Let all things be done…”

• For the edification of the Church (stronger in our mission) 
• With decency and in order (not causing division, arrogance, judgementalism, or lack of judgement in our midst)
• In love (read 1 Cor. 13 or Romans 12) 

1 Corinthians 15:1-19 

v. 1-2 – The  clear & consistent message being preached;
“I want to make clear for you brethren” 

Correlates with previous texts we read and studied through – Matthew 24 & 1 Thessalonians 4. 

These were written and passed by the Church before 1 Corinthians was. 

Syllogism – a form of deductive reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn (whether validly or not) from two given or assumed propositions (premises), each of which shares a term with the conclusion, and shares a common or middle term not present in the conclusion (e.g., all dogs are animals; all animals have four legs; therefore all dogs have four legs ).

Matthew 24 is 1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4 is 1 Corinthians 15 

Matthew 24 is 1 Corinthians 15

Understanding that will lend to immense clarity regarding the unified idea of the resurrection and the goal of fulfilled Bible prophecy. 

v. 3-4 – “According to the Scriptures” (what Scriptures?) 

OT Texts in 1 Corinthians 

“…under a veil in the Old Testament, but it has been revealed in the New Testament”. – Augustine
(See chart) – again mention Tuesday night study 

“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” – Isa. 53:5; 

“He was buried, Rose on the 3rd day according to the Scriptures” – Hosea 6:2 

A question to ponder: 

What were the hopes of Isaiah & Hosea? 

v. 12 – “How can some of you say…”

Church Debates 

Notice – “some of you” – this is those of the Church. This isn’t a group of folks who don’t believe in God, or Jesus’ resurrection, or those who hold to unbelieving ideas. These are those who claim to be in Christ, of the Church. 

Why would someone say there was no resurrection of the dead? 

Where would this come from? 

What did this affect? 

v. 12 – 19 – Consider what is going on here 

• v. 13 – 16-  how does that make sense? 
• v. 17 – the hope of Israel = salvation! 
• v. 18 – “this life”;  a life of professing Christ’s resurrection as the source of hope for the ‘dead ones’, without a resurrection of the dead
  A false hope is no hope at all! 

As I mentioned, we will take our time in the text, prayerfully gaining a full understanding of what was hoped for, what was confused, and how the Apostolic wisdom provides clarity. 

Unfortunately, even with the clarity that the Apostles bring regarding the ‘resurrection of the dead’, confusing in this area has continued in the historic church. In the early centuries, we have writings from Justin Martyr, Athenagorus of Athens, Ireneaus, and Tertullian, to name a few, who wrote about this topic and demonstrated that there were other views and various misunderstandings. I’ll be reviewing some of those writings and sharing details, resources, and link throughout our study of the text. 

Resurrection

Click to access Chidgzey2019.pdf

I will encourage you in this regard. Don’t let those who try to argue that the historic church has always been clear on some form of this doctrine. Many try to find false unity in asserting that the historic church has always agreed on the physical resurrection of the saints and a future glorified reality. Not necessarily. While we, as Christians take our stand upon the facts that Christ was raised and that was the foundation the source of the ‘resurrection of the dead’, we can admit that many continue to seem perplexed in the goal of resurrection, how resurrection would be attained, and how that applies to each of us and our restoration in Christ.

Conclusion 

I hope in the very least this morning, I’ve given you some points to ponder and have demonstrated consistency of thought, as should be found when reading and reviewing a letter. 

I’ll let the ‘cat out of the bag’ so to speak and inform you, at least those of you who might not already know, I hold to and will be teaching the collective/corporate body view regarding the resurrection of the dead. This view, not necessarily the popular view, namely because it moves us away from our own personal paradigms and brings us into the hope of Israel, was bolstered and clarified by Max King (who as I mentioned in my exhortation passed away yesterday). Max King wrote, The Cross & The Parousia, (this rather large Bible looking book), that endeavors to help you connect the contextual points and prophecies fulfilled from the cross to the coming of the Lord. 

A Contextual Study on the Hope of Israel/Resurrection of the Dead (Pt. 30)

You can review the study on YouTube at the following link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZJ_vmb4hK4

---

I.) Review our study thus far 

• Death/ Despair of Israel
• Hope/ Life
  

“The resurrection of Christ, however, is not treated in Scripture as only significant in terms of His own exaltation, but of ours as well”…“It was clearly God’s desire to have not only one risen and glorified Son, but a large family of such risen and glorified sons and daughters”. – Steve Gregg

“Though the Old Testament is relatively quite on the subject of the resurrection, there are several passages from which Jews seemed to have derived their ideas”. – Steve Gregg

See, Job 19:25-26; Psalm 16:10; Hosea 6:1-2; 13:14; Isa. 25:7-8; 26:19; Ezekiel 37:1-14; Daniel 12:2 

ImmerseBible.com 

II.) Amos (historical context) 

Date of Writing: The Book of Amos was likely written between 760 and 753 B.C.

BACKTRACKING A BIT…

Purpose of Writing: Amos is a shepherd and a fruit picker from the Judean village of Tekoa when God calls him, even though he lacks an education or a priestly background. Amos’ mission is directed to his neighbor to the north, Israel. His messages of impending doom and captivity for the nation because of her sins are largely unpopular and unheeded, however, because not since the days of Solomon have times been so good in Israel. Amos’ ministry takes place while Jeroboam II reigns over Israel, and Uzziah reigns over Judah.

Amos 2:4, “This is what the LORD says: ‘For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath]. Because they have rejected the law of the LORD and have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed.'”

Amos 3:7, “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.”

Amos 9:14, “I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.”

III.) Amos 9:11 

“On that day I will raise up the fallen shelter of David, And wall up its gaps; I will also raise up its ruins And rebuild it as in the days of old;”

• Ironically we read about the building of the ‘Mikdash or Mishkan’ in this weeks parshat reading (Jewish readings) – Exodus 25-27 (tabernacle)
• In Amos 9:11, Sukah is used (the sukah represented the reality of the tabernacle)

Amos 9:11 fulfilled understood 

Tabernacle, Temple, Last Days (days of fulfillment); Genesis imagery corresponds to Exodus; Genesis corresponds to Revelation 

• understand the development of the tabernacle into the Temple (narrative reading) 
• Understand the temple and the last days (Preterists) 
• Understand the Genesis creation & the Exodus tabernacle (Jewish parshat – pg. 199; 200; 201; 202) 
• Understand the correlations between Genesis and Revelation (covenant creationists)
  Revelation 21:3; 22:2-5

IV.) Correlating Texts
Numbers 24:18; Ps. 80:12; Isa. 16:5; 58:12; 63:11; 65:9 

IV.) Apostolic commentary
Acts 15:16-18 

Let’s read Acts 15:1 – 20 

Jerusalem Council 

“The traditional Jewish belief was essentially the same as the historic Christian position – namely that each body in the grave will stand up again, in order to resume physical life in a renewed physical earth”. – Steve Gregg

“…these devoted to any kind of Full Preterism have reason to want Paul’s teachings to differ radically from those of the Jews, regardless of his strong statements affirming that he held a view compatible with theirs”. – Steve Gregg 

See, Acts 23:6; 24:15; 1 Cor. 2; 1 Peter 1 

V.) Further resources 

Gary Demar podcast – Covenant Theology & Biblical Eschatology – The Hope of Israel 

VI.) Next Week – Zechariah 12 & 14 

“Let The Women Keep Silent” – Sermon Audio, Outline, & Resources

On 2/198/23, Pastor Michael Miano preached a message titled, “Let The Women Keep Silent” at The Blue Point Bible Church. You can listen to the audio at the following link, https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/12321778-2-19-23-women-keep-silent-crazycorinthians-1-cor-12-14-pt-5

---

Here is the written outline of the sermon (below you will find accompanying resources as well):

A short preface to the sermon this morning, ultimately what we represent and highlight here as #AThinkingFaith. 

It was TJ Smith, who in his book, Kingdom Come, who explained, “Life application in our culture has become equivalent to the Allegorical Method of the 2nd-4th centuries, where the true meaning of Scripture is traded for some cheapened, perceived deeper, hidden meaning. “Instead of studying to fully understand the depths of God’s redemptive plan, Christians feast on feel-good messages that dull the Spirit and lullaby their souls to sleep, rendering them ineffectual for the Kingdom”.

#AThinkingFaith is our way, here at BPBC, of endeavouring toward the “true meaning of Scripture” and thereby each of us becoming effectual for the Kingdom. A people of possessing and increase. 

Furthermore, it was Clement, a 3rd century teacher in the church who said, “One must offer to those who demand it the kind of wisdom with which they are familiar so that as easily as possible they can make their way through their own world of ideas to the belief in truth”. 

Elder Steve Hernandez has sometimes referred to this, as our effort of ‘undoing the damage done by bad theology and lack of understanding the Scripture’. We lament a current “zeal without knowledge” that is alive in well in the contemporary church, just as it was in the Apostle Paul’s generation (see, Romans 10 to read Paul’s lamentation). Because we understand that God desires to give us clarity, we acknowledge that ‘God speaks to people in ways they can understand’, not only should that compel us to speak to people in ways they can understand, be relatable, but also, it should compel us to read the Bible with ‘audience relevancy’. How did these Spirit-led Apostles understand the Word of God speaking to them, in their day. What did it mean to them. It is only when we consider what it meant to the original audience that we can find any true relevance for us today. 

This past Tuesday, I had the privilege of interviewing Rich Welch of the The Burros of Berea Podcast regarding his testimony in Christ and in Preterism. In that interview, Rich said something that in my estimation highlights the importance of us finding true relevance  in the Scriptures today, he said, “I am an ambassador”, speaking to his and each or own roles in the Kingdom of God. That had reminded me of something I shared 6 years ago, around this time, a  paraphrased – quote from Robert Macafee Brown, “Our task, in all of our dealings, is to bring forth a taste of the reign of God – living glimpses of what life is meant to be, which include art and music and poetry and shared laughter and picnics and politics and moral outrage and special privileges for children and wonder and humorous and endless love”. Amen? 

Let’s pray. 

(Clarity, possess & increase; Kingdom-mindedness) 

The text we our going to focus on today is 1 Corinthians 14:33-40. As you probably noticed from the front of your bulletin, this is a text that men preachers want to strategically teach on after Valentine’s Day but before Women’s History Month. LOL – I Jest, I jest. To the contrary, when properly understood, our text provides more clarity than confusion when it comes to the topic of women’s roles, women working, and women preaching. Unfortunately, lamenting the things I mentioned in the preface, this text has divided the Church, and has caused massive confusion, as well as disdain. I hope to offer a unifying perspective, clarity, and appreciation for God’s work in the Church. 

Quick review  

#CrazyCorinthians – confusing and chaotic 

4 sins – division, arrogance, judgementalism, lack of good judgement 

“Let all things be done…”
(edification, decently and in order, in love) 

1 Corinthians is a Response. 

Let’s consider the text 

• 1 Cor 12-14 (Pt.5 ) – What’s been the focus? 
• 1 Corinthians 14:33 – 40 

Outline 

• v. 33 –  No confusion! Ending or beginning a statement? 
• v. 34 – women not permitted to speak? Wives? “Just as the Law says”? (Law of Moses? Roman Law?) 
• v. 35 – “learn anything”; “ask husbands at home” 
• v. 36 – Has it been or is it all about you? O Corinthians, clear up the confusion! 
• v. 37 – 40 – “If anyone thinks…”, But if anyone does not recognise…”, “Therefore…”, “But…” 

CF.’s – Genesis 3:16; Galatians 3:28; 1 Timothy 2:11-15 

Woman – roles, speaking in the church, serving and preaching in the church. 

• Film at Founder’s Conference (By What Standard?) 
• Facebook convos, etc. 
• My preconceived method of thinking – History, Scripture, Renewing of My Mind; Application  
• November – You’ve Got Mail Podcast – Gender roles, etc. 

“Women are to keep silent in the Church”

“If we take this literally, it would mean that women are not allowed to sing in church nor respond when the pastor asks for comments or questions from the audience. Moreover, it would contradict what Paul said in chapter 11, where he said that women could pray and prophesy in church if they had the appropriate attire.

“Common sense, church custom, and good principles of biblical interpretation all say that we should not take these verses literally—and almost no one does. Paul is not making a blanket prohibition that says that women can never speak in church. Rather, he was addressing his comments to a certain situation, and his comments are limited in some way. The question is, What are the limits of Paul’s prohibition?

“His intent was to prohibit disruptive and disrespectful questions and comments that were part of the chaotic Corinthian meetings—and in Corinth, these particular practices were coming from the women. Just as he told the disorderly tongues-speakers and prophets to control themselves because God is not a God of disorder, he also told the women to control themselves because the law teaches self-control. If they want to learn something, they can ask questions somewhere else. Only one person should speak at a time. Everyone else, whether male or female, should be quiet, for it is disgraceful for people in the audience to be talking while someone else is speaking to the group. Just as Paul’s call for tongues-speakers or prophets to be silent should not be turned into a demand that they never say anything at all, so also his call for women to be quiet should not be turned into a demand that they never give messages of spiritual value in church.”

https://learn.gcs.edu/mod/book/view.php?id=4261&chapterid=12#:~:text=In%201%20Corinthians%2014%3A34,submission%2C%20as%20the%20Law%20says

Women preachers? 

No – 1 Timothy 2:12; 3:2; 1 Cor. 14:34; Titus 1:6-9; Titus 2:3 

Yes – Acts 2, 21; Romans 16; 

Conclusion With Clarity 

For some, this issue is simple. There perspective is right. I’d hope we are those who can ponder, study, and explain even in the midst of differences. 

For some this issue doesn’t matter. For some this issue matters very much. I hope each of us can find balance individually and corporately. 

For me, the answers are not only found in Scripture, but also with a multitude of wise counsellors. In closing, I’ll share some counsel I have received from others in this area of discussion. Before I do, I’ll also encourage and challenge you to join with us in March, when we watch the film, ‘By What Standard’ (which yes will challenge much of which I said this morning). So the conversation and discussion will continue). 

In Untamed, Alan Hirsch goes on to say that we suffer from a “hemiplegic” condition, which is when one half of a person’s body is paralyzed. He then goes on to write, “…the church in America will never reach its fullest potential unless it takes seriously the women’s issue”. 

I love how missiologist Mike Breen frames this conversation as he remarks, “However one might understand the controversial texts in Paul’s writings regarding the place of women in ministry, the greater sin by far is to relegate women to the role of being secondary agents In the Kingdom”.

Chad Mansbridge, a preacher from Australia, writes, “Is Paul here issuing Heaven’s inspired instruction regarding female voices in the church, or is it possible he is quoting another source – perhaps a false teaching that was circulating among the Corinthians at the time – and then refuting the claim with his “I hear you, but” retort?… Is it possible that, due to a lack of punctuation, Bible readers for centuries have wrongly attributed the “women should keep silent” command to Paul, when instead he was correcting an anti-female heresy propagated by a so-called “prophet” in the Corinthian church? Does this not make more sense in light of the fact that just three chapters earlier he had detailed specific instructions regarding female voices praying and prophesying in church meetings (1 Cor. 11:5, 13), and that nowhere in the Law were women ever forbidden to speak, as it is here claimed?”.

---

https://learn.gcs.edu/mod/book/view.php?id=4261&chapterid=12#:~:text=In%201%20Corinthians%2014%3A34,submission%2C%20as%20the%20Law%20says

You’ve Got Mail – https://www.buzzsprout.com/2059990/11681873-talking-through-biblical-manhood-headship

By What Standard? Film – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFHfa0s1XLM

Knowing In Part & Knowing Fully (1 Cor 12-14) – Pt. 4

You can listen to the worship service and the sermon from 2/12/23 at the following link, https://www.buzzsprout.com/11630/12274219-2-12-23-bpbc-worship-service-crazycorinthians-1-cor-12-14-pt-4

---

Knowing In Part & Knowing Fully 

#CrazyCorinthians 

(1 Cor. 12-14) Pt. 4 

Today, I’d like to offer a part 4 to our look at 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14, specifically looking at 13:8-13. 

This sermon series is titled “CrazyCorinthians” because that’s exactly what we see in the 1st century Corinthian church, craziness. Rampant division, arrogance, judgementalism, and lack off good judgement had made things chaotic and confusing in the Church. So we have, with these 2 letters, Apostolic doctrine, leading the congregation toward clarity and order. In a time when we see much of the same issues, again division, arrogance, judgementalism, and lack of good judgement in the Church, I truly believe this Apostolic wisdom speaks to us today. 

Oddly enough, many of the issues that divided the church in Corinth about 2,0000 years ago, continue to divide the church today. Hopefully you have seen, through the whole letter at this point, that the Apostles are trying to keep the “bond of peace” in the congregation, maintaining unity, while allowing the various differences and distinctions. Unity in diversity, not disunity and division. There were difference of convictions in the Church at Corinth, which we saw largely in 1 Corinthians chapters 1-9, however as we have been looking at chapters 12-14, I am sure you have noticed the differences regarding gifts that was also present. As I mentioned last week, we, just like them, are allowed to have differences in our perspectives and exercising of gifts, however they and thus we, are not to allow them to divide us. 

Unfortunately, in the contemporary church, these chapters 12-14 tend to foster the most division. Some of you may have heard the phrases: 

• Charismatic v. Cessationist (as with most divisions, there are divisions within the divisions). Not to mention to division even exists within the Preterist community. 

The Charismatic perspective, in my estimation, is based largely on the fulfillment of Joel in our modern times, as a fulfillment of the last days. Preterism helps alleviate that confusion, namely that we properly place the end times where they belong – in the first century. Also, of course, is the perspective of tongues as a ‘heavenly language’, rather than dealing with known languages being spoken in miraculous ways, that is held to by those of the Charismatic persuasion. 

So does the fact that we are no longer living in the ‘end times’ remove the need for tongues? The text we will look at in a moment has been used as a proof-text to make that case. We will have to see if that’s what the text is doing. 

Those who argue against the continuation of the gift of tongues, and many of the other gifts, if not all of them, are referred to as Cessationists. Rather than believing and demonstrating the continuance, those who hold to Cessationist views believe that once certain things were fulfilled, removing the need for the gifts, the gifts ceased. After all, the text does says, …tongues will cease…, right? 

It is important to mention that the Cessationist view comes with a variety of differences and distinctions, as well. Preterism has surely helped clarify what prophecy was pointing to, however, there still remains areas of difference and dare I even say confusion when it comes to what continues – as well as, how, when, and why. 

My apologetic regarding using the entire Biblical narrative to mark out doctrines has made it perplexing for me to fit in one of the boxes – Charismatic and Cessationist. While I surely differ with Charismatic perspectives, I find myself agreeing with continuance and being open to it, in contrast to those of the Cessationist view. I believe I can prove that out with both the text and some analogies this morning. 

1 Corinthians 13: 8-13 

v. 8 – “Love never fails” 

“But if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away”

“If there are tongues, they will cease”

“If there is knowledge, it will be done away”.

(In my estimation it seems as though the Apostle is using a bit of exaggeration. Everything contrasted to love will be done away with, and all these things without love don’t matter). 

v. 9 – 10 – “For we know in part, and we prophecy in part” (current situation) 

“But when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away”

(What is “the perfect”? When would it come? What does it mean for “the partial to be done away?) 

v. 11 – “When I was a child…when I became a man, I did away with childish things”. 

(So much application for each of us in that, especially for us men, Biblical manhood. However each of us are urged toward maturity. A mature wisdom as we discussed in 1 Corinthians 2.) 

v. 12- looking in a mirror – current (dimly/ in part); then “face to face” (then I shall be known fully) 

cf. v. 10-11 

“But then I shall know fully just as I am fully known”. 

“But now I know fully just as I am fully known”. 

God has truly made all things known. He provided the “change” that was anticipated and needed, namely His presence. 

v. 13 – pretty much concludes the point being made – “But now (current situation) abide faith, hope, love, these three” 

“But the greatest of these is love”. 

It really shouldn’t be a confusing text, nor should; the topic of tongues and gifts be so divisive. Not only do we have to take in the entirety of the letter and the point being made, unity in the diversity, but as we have looked at chapters 12-14 for a few weeks now, hopefully you see love in the midst of difference. We don’t have to agree to be fair and loving to one another. When we allow love to be the main thing and the building up of the Body of Believers to be what is seen in and through us we are operating in a God-glorifying, proper and orderly manner. Amen? 

3 analogies of “in part” and fully” 

If we read the narrative in Exodus chapters 12 – 19, which we were urged to become familiar with in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, we would see this analogy of “in part” and fully”. 

The Exodus – Wilderness (in part); Land (fully) cf. Joshua 23:14-15 (‘fulfilled bible prophecy’)

In our Wed. Night Bible Studies we have reviewed quite a few videos from Ray Vanderlaan regarding the Exodus. I am indebted to his knowledge and the connections he mades regarding the Exodus, and others I have mentioned before in the pulpit and on other programs that have laboured in helping us see the “2nd Exodus” going on in the New Testament. 

Ray Vanderlaan teaching (we will be reviewing this week) 

4 promises fulfilled in progression. 

 “I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians…”

 “I will free you from being slaves to them…”

“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and mighty acts of judgment…”

“I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God…”

If we read the Gospels and pay attention to audience relevance and time-statements this idea of “in part” and “fully” regarding Christ accomplishing the ‘New Covenant Reality’, we can see this analogy of “in part” and “fully” 

New Covenant Reality – transition period (in part); Temple destroyed (fully) cf. Matthew 24:33; Luke 21:20-22, 25 – 36 

If you read Isaiah chapters 24-28, John 14, or Revelation Revelation chapters 19 & 21, you see the image of marriage used by God to explain what He was doing with and for His people. A fitting concept to highlight this morning since we are in the middle, closer to the end of ‘National Marriage Week’ and of course in a few days many of us will celebrate Valentine’s Day. Concepts of intimacy, getting to know each other more, love. 

Marriage – engagement (in part); married (fully) cf. John 14:1-6 

Matter of fact, I have a 4th analogy, another rather timely one; the birth of a child. 

Pregnancy – in part; Labor – “fully known” 

Matthew 24:8;  Romans 8:18 – 23; John 16:16-22

Conclusion

Rather than be confused by what we read in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 and allowing that to divide the Body, we should let love lead the way, and appreciate what has been made fully known to us. Our identity in and with Christ. Since God has made known to us everything pertaining to life and Godliness, not in part, but fully because of fulfilled Bible prophecy, we can rejoice in knowing what we know and make that known to others. After all, that’s the goal, the big picture here – ‘that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known through the Church’ (cf. Ephesians 3:10). 

Because of Fulfilled Bible prophecy, I know just as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians. 13:12) 

Because of Fulfilled Bible prophecy, I see Him as He is and am like Him (1 John 3:2)

Because of Fulfilled Bible prophecy, I know the ‘old covenant’ has been rendered obsolete and has vanished. (Hebrews 8:13) 

That’s what I often refer to as the “Power of Preterism”. 

To conclude this morning, hopefully we are in agreement that the goal of this text is not to confound/confuse/divide the Church, which it unfortunately has done, but rather to urge us toward unity in the midst of diversity – diversity of conditions, diversity of perspectives, diversity on the gifts – what they are and howe we use them. 

Some claim to know in part, some claim to know fully, some know nothing. All in all we need to find unity and love to work together for the glory of God, all things are to be done for the edification of the church and the glory of God. 

Consider this quote from the Our Daily Bread booklet I gave out a few weeks ago, Going The Extra Mile: Learning to Serve Like Jesus. J.R. Hudberg exhorts us; 

“When we meet the needs of others in an act of love, we are acting toward one another in a way that honors their dignity and value in the eyes of their Creator. But when we meet the needs of others so that they too are in a position to flourish, to live according to the designs and desire of God our Creator and Savior, this glorifies God too. It is when we live the way God intended us to live and help others do the same that God is most glorified. When we live in the God-intended pattern of community and justice, honouring the creative intentions of our Maker for ourselves and others, we are proclaiming that God’s plan is best, that His desires for us are for our good”.