G
Gene_C
Guest
Another purgatory thread!!!
The other one is too long and winding down many paths. Here are my thoughts.
1 Corinthians 3:10-17
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
Question #1 – In the context of the chapter, is Paul talking only about people like himself and Apollos who are ordained to the ministry of the Gospel, as they lead people to Christ and then help them mature? Or is he talking about ALL followers of Christ, since each one of us builds on the foundation of Christ in our lives? In other words, is it only the ministers of the Gospel who are having their “works” tested by fire, or will ALL believers have their “works” tested by fire?
I say he is referring to all believers (who die in a state of grace, obviously).
Question #2 – What are the “works” that Paul is referring to? Are they simply good works, whether done “in the flesh” or “in the Spirit”? Or do they include sins? (These would be “venial” sins, obviously.)
I say that by works, Paul is referring to ALL works, whether good works, done in the flesh or in the Spirit, with the good works done in the Spirit being those that pass the test of “fire”; and evil works, or sins, but not sins that lead to spiritual death (mortal).
Please be aware that Paul in the following passage from Galatians 5 refers to sins as “acts” of the sinful nature. The Greek word for “acts” is ergon, the same word that Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 3. And in 1 Corinthians 3:3, Paul mentions that there is “envying, strife and divisions” (KJV translation). The Greek words for these acts are also mentioned in Paul’s list of “acts of the sinful nature” in the Galatians passage.
Galatians 5:19-21
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
**
**Peace,
Gene
The other one is too long and winding down many paths. Here are my thoughts.
1 Corinthians 3:10-17
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. 16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
Question #1 – In the context of the chapter, is Paul talking only about people like himself and Apollos who are ordained to the ministry of the Gospel, as they lead people to Christ and then help them mature? Or is he talking about ALL followers of Christ, since each one of us builds on the foundation of Christ in our lives? In other words, is it only the ministers of the Gospel who are having their “works” tested by fire, or will ALL believers have their “works” tested by fire?
I say he is referring to all believers (who die in a state of grace, obviously).
Question #2 – What are the “works” that Paul is referring to? Are they simply good works, whether done “in the flesh” or “in the Spirit”? Or do they include sins? (These would be “venial” sins, obviously.)
I say that by works, Paul is referring to ALL works, whether good works, done in the flesh or in the Spirit, with the good works done in the Spirit being those that pass the test of “fire”; and evil works, or sins, but not sins that lead to spiritual death (mortal).
Please be aware that Paul in the following passage from Galatians 5 refers to sins as “acts” of the sinful nature. The Greek word for “acts” is ergon, the same word that Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 3. And in 1 Corinthians 3:3, Paul mentions that there is “envying, strife and divisions” (KJV translation). The Greek words for these acts are also mentioned in Paul’s list of “acts of the sinful nature” in the Galatians passage.
Galatians 5:19-21
19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
**
**Peace,
Gene