Bizarre Sayings of Paul

[The Reverend Bob]

1. 1 Corinthians 7:32-35. But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
2. 1Corinthians 7:39-40. A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

• Context is important.
  
• Likewise, the realization that Paul believed in the immanent return of Jesus Christ. If you think Jesus' return is imminent, what benefit is there in a marriage and breeding children?
• When Paul says "I think also that I have the Spirit of God", he's just saying: "This is my recommendation and I 'm inclined to believe that my recommendation is in accord with God's will.

That is not what is saying. It is saying men who are married should act as if they are not. In contradiction to 1 Corinthians 7:4-7 it is amazing how they same epistle can contradict itself, I wonder why that is so.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Wow, you would have to read a LOT of the NT to have found these verses. Did you cull these from your months of fervent Bible study, or just pick them off a website run by atheists?

Books on Biblical Criticism. Maybe you should try reading one.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Saddle up. We're going to take a ride.

In Titus 1:12-13. Paul was quoting the Cretan, Epimenides. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimenides. The quote has, at since the time of Paul, and possibly earlier been turned into a silly paradox when, in fact, Epimenedes was mocking his fellow Cretans who believed something that he did not believe. What did Epimenides and his fellow countrymen disagree on?

https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/expositor/series7/02-305.pdf

So if Cretans are always liars how could Epimenides' testimony be true? Have a gander at Psalm 116:11

 

[Terry Sampson]

That is not what is saying. It is saying men who are married should act as if they are not. In contradiction to 1 Corinthians 7:4-7

King James Version:

• 1 Corinthians 7-9
  • 4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
  • 5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
  • 6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
  • 7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
• 1 Corinthians 7:29
  • 29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
  • 30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
  • 31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

New American Standard Bible:

• 1 Corinthians 7:4-9
  • 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
    
  • 5 Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
    
  • 6 But this I say by way of concession, not of command.
    
  • 7 Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.
• 1 Corinthians 7:29-31
  • 29 But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;
  • 30 and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; 31
  • 31 and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.

Terry's paraphrase/comments:

• From verse 29, "I [Paul] say, the time is short, Jesus could come back any minute, so..."
  
  • from verse 5, "don't deprive one another of nookie except by agreement, instead pray and fast together"
    
  • from verse 29,"you guys who are married, act as if you had none (i.e. no grabbing your wife's body parts any time you please)
  • from verse 30, "you who cry, cut it out; you who party, cut it out; if you buy something, act as if you don't own it;
  • from verse 31, "you who are surrounded by material things, don't make full use of those things, because our priorities are different now."

 

[nPeace]

If any of you can explain to us how these examples make any sense I will be grateful for your effort but it should be a rational explanation. Let the weirdness begin.

One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons. This testimony is true. Titus 1:12-13

Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it. Romans 13:3

Women will be saved through childbearing 1 Timothy 2:15

From now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none 1 Corinthians 7:29

But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 7:40

I have to brag. There is nothing to be gained by it, but I must brag about the visions and other things that the Lord has shown me. I know about one of Christ's followers who was taken up into the third heaven 14 years ago. I don't know if the man was still in his body when it happened, but God certainly knows.
As I said, only God really knows if this man was in his body at the time. But he was taken up into paradise, where he heard things too wonderful to tell. I will brag about that man, but not about myself, except to say how weak I am. 2 Corinthians 12:1-5

I do not permit a woman to teach. 1 Timothy 2:9

We also gave you this rule: If you don't work, you don't eat. 2 Thessalonians 3:10

1 Corinthians 2:13-3:1 - Paul.

 

[nPeace]

I think he would put us all on ignore

From what I we know of Paul, from the scriptures, no. He simply would have... Acts 17:2, 3 2 ... according to Paul’s custom he went inside to them, and for three sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving by references . . .

 

[The Reverend Bob]

1 Corinthians 2:13-3:1 - Paul.

And of course that means you are not suppose to apply common sense, discernment and reason when reading the Bible

 

[nPeace]

Peter's recommendation.
2 Peter 3:15, 16
15 Furthermore, consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you according to the wisdom given him, 16 speaking about these things as he does in all his letters. However, some things in them are hard to understand, and these things the ignorant and unstable are twisting, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Peter... a giant of an apostle, or a liar?

 

[nPeace]

And of course that means you are not suppose to apply common sense, discernment and reason when reading the Bible

Paul
2 Timothy 1:7  For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but one of power and of love and of soundness of mind. . .
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason.

 

[BilliardsBall]

Books on Biblical Criticism. Maybe you should try reading one.

GREAT idea. I NEVER read or debated or encountered biblical criticism books when I was a Religion major or when I debated people about Jesus for the past umpteen years.

You're right! The books written by critics defame the glorious Bible, as surely as Rotten Tomatoes can tell you whether a movie is bad, saving you the trouble of even watching it. Right? Critics ALWAYS know more than the uncritical.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

Critics ALWAYS know more than the uncritical

That is true.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Be careful in saying God will destroy false religion, in as much as the book of Revelations
details the fall of false religion - all on it's own (white dragon, great city, harlot etc..) I feel
there won't be much religion when Christ returns.

I think you are Not alone in thinking that there won't be much religion when Christ returns.
Revelation gives us a clue that ' religious waters ' ( people ) will dry up spiritually, but still be around.
- notice Revelation 16:12; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 17:15; Isaiah 57:20
So, there will be religion ( religion that thinks she sits protected as some sort of religious ' queen '- Revelation 18:7 )
However, it will comprise spiritually dried-up religious peoples.
Remember: Jesus said MANY would ' come in his name ' but be proving false as per Matthew 7:21-23.
Thus, religion does Not collapse on its own but Jesus comes surprisingly as a thief - 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3.
So, at this coming ' time of separation ' of Matthew 25:31-33,37,40 the figurative ' sheep' will be genuine.
The ' sheep' are the ' great crowd ' of Revelation 7:9,14 who come through the great tribulation when Jesus comes.
As for the wicked they will be ' destroyed forever ' as per Psalms 92:7; Isaiah 11:3-4; Revelation 19:14-16.

 

[PruePhillip]

I think you are Not alone in thinking that there won't be much religion when Christ returns.
Revelation gives us a clue that ' religious waters ' ( people ) will dry up spiritually, but still be around.
- notice Revelation 16:12; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 17:15; Isaiah 57:20
So, there will be religion ( religion that thinks she sits protected as some sort of religious ' queen '- Revelation 18:7 )
However, it will comprise spiritually dried-up religious peoples.
Remember: Jesus said MANY would ' come in his name ' but be proving false as per Matthew 7:21-23.
Thus, religion does Not collapse on its own but Jesus comes surprisingly as a thief - 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3.
So, at this coming ' time of separation ' of Matthew 25:31-33,37,40 the figurative ' sheep' will be genuine.
The ' sheep' are the ' great crowd ' of Revelation 7:9,14 who come through the great tribulation when Jesus comes.
As for the wicked they will be ' destroyed forever ' as per Psalms 92:7; Isaiah 11:3-4; Revelation 19:14-16.

And no doubt you are right. Religion is still there - but a shadow of its former self (paraphrase "no more the candle,
no more the sound of the bridge and bridegroom.... a cage of every hateful and unclean bird...")
There was no church building in the foundation church 1st Century. It's wonderful how "they" knew there would be
a Christian temple and people would be married in it, but there would be a fall in religious values and politicization
of religion.)

 

[URAVIP2ME]

And no doubt you are right. Religion is still there - but a shadow of its former self (paraphrase "no more the candle,
no more the sound of the bridge and bridegroom.... a cage of every hateful and unclean bird...")
There was no church building in the foundation church 1st Century. It's wonderful how "they" knew there would be
a Christian temple and people would be married in it, but there would be a fall in religious values and politicization
of religion.)

Your ^ above ^ thinking reminded me of the conditions found at Ezekiel 8:8-18. (see also Jeremiah 32:34-35 )
Notice how they had the temple building, but used it wrongly for ' sun ' worship - Ezekiel 8:16 B
As today, idols are God-dishonoring symbols. There is No distinction between so-called true idols and false.
There are religious people who set themselves up as *stars* (idols) to be admired and have a following.
Yes, the religious and politicization coalition - Ezekiel 13:10 with Jeremiah 6:14.
So, the political coalition may achieve what they perceive as 'Peace and Security', and may include the religious,
however, it will be religion which will choke with sudden horror.- Revelation 18:3-8
This does Not mean true worship will Not be restored, for God's faith-strengthening promise is that pure worship will be restored.
As back in Ezekiel's day there was an exact plan or 'blueprint ' to follow - Ezekiel chapters 42-45 (Ezekiel 43:3)
Even chapters 40-48 assures us that God will restore pure worship, clean from idolatry and religious pollution.
First, we have biblical knowledge or education that brings right-hearted people to 'spiritual life' - Ezekiel 47:12
You might want to compare verse 12 with Revelation 22:2.
Those brought to 'spiritual life' then will gain the healthy 'physical life' as described in Isaiah 35th chapter.

 

[PruePhillip]

And no doubt you are right. Religion is still there - but a shadow of its former self (paraphrase "no more the candle,
no more the sound of the bridge and bridegroom.... a cage of every hateful and unclean bird...")
There was no church building in the foundation church 1st Century. It's wonderful how "they" knew there would be
a Christian temple and people would be married in it, but there would be a fall in religious values and politicization
of religion.)

The condition of Ezekiel concerned Israel. I suspect the condition of Revelations
concerns the whole world. I noticed that since the rise of Jihadism in the Muslim
world there has been a 14% reduction in young Arabs believing in religion. Seems
to be happening everywhere and in every religion.