Lessons 8/9
Paul's Basic theology
Paul's Jewish method of scripture interpretation was used over and over in each of his letters.
I. Midrash - method that seems to find in a text it's inner significance. It tries to discover principles (application) for living or to reveal what is authentic in religion. 1 Corinthians 10:1-11 - a Midrash passage. Illuminates inner significance & principles for living. Much scripture preaching done is Midrash.
1 Corinthians 10:1-11 1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. 6 Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved. 7 And do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, " The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play." 8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (NASB)
II. Appeals to Jewish legend - (Pharisaic also in method). He talks about Abraham a lot and David - heroes of the Jewish faith. Explains what they were looking for ( Heb. 11). These are stories of ancestors Gal. 4:21 Using Jewish legend to make points about covenant of law.
Gal. 4:21- 26 21 Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 This is allegorically speaking: for these women are two covenants, one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother.
III. Scripture to interpret scripture. Common type of hermeneutics came out of school of Hillel. This is throughout Paul's writings. There are many references to OT in his writings.
1 Corinthians 2:16 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (NASB)
Isaiah 40:13 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? (NASB)
Paul is quoting directly from the Greek Septuagint
Isaiah 53:12 12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors. (NASB)
Romans 4:25 25 He who was delivered up because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. (NASB)
Taking elements they had and expounding on them to help them understand.
IV. Collection of random texts that cluster around a common theme.
A collection of random texts similar OT scriptures with a common theme - SIN.
Romans 3:9-18 9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; 10 as it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one. " 13 "Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving," "The poison of asps is under their lips"; 14 "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness"; 15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood, 16 Destruction and misery are in their paths, 17 And the path of peace have they not known. " 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." (NASB)
V. Reading of the Prophets as Seers. Paul quotes OT prophets more then 40 times. He draws from them and expounds on certain topics. In this:
A. He saw the prophet predicting the eschatological age now dawning. They foretold this day (Paul's day) and the days to come. 1 Thess. 5, 1 Cor. 15, Rom. 1:2, Rom 3:21 & 16:26
B. The prophets foresaw the rejection of Jesus and the inclusion of the gentiles into the promise. Rom 3:29, 9:25-6, 10:20
C. A new cornerstone in Jesus. ( it was the law - now Jesus). Paul illuminates the prophet's talk. The New covenant and cornerstone are the same.
D. Present manifestations of God - righteousness.
E. Their rejection (the prophets by the people) foreshadowed death of Jesus.
1 Thess. 2:14-15 14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, 15 who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men,
VI. Reasoning from the Lesser to the Greater. Also called the 1st rule of Hillel. Primary example - from Adam (the lessor) to Christ (the Greater). Rom. 5:15-17
VII. Attempt to draw analogies through link words. This is the 2nd rule of Hillel. Uses link words to build on what he is trying to say. For ex. Rom. 4:1-12, links words - righteousness and circumcised.
Rom. 4:1-12 1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not reckoned as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, 6 just as David also speaks of the blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: 7 "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, And whose sins have been covered. 8 "Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account." 9 Is this blessing then upon the circumcised, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say, "Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness." 10 How then was it reckoned? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; 11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned to them, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised. (NASB)
Paul uses these methods to write his letters. All seven methods are used in his writings.
Paul's theology (con't)
Terms to know:
Systematic Theology - Follows all of the doctrines in the Bible to their logical conclusion, and examines how they inter-relate with one another.[ give background of systematic and relate to why it arose strongly during Reformation]
In our century there has been two beliefs on how the church should operate. Heretical Liberation Theology - comes from oppressive nature of the Catholic church especially in Latin America. It is a theology of "God helps those who help themselves". God loves the poor and hates the rich. It is a backlash to governmental atrocities in Latin America.
Liberal Theology - found root where divinity of Christ is denied and the blood of Christ is of no avail. Denies the power of God and therefore downplays the miraculous. Denies the inspiration and inerrancy of scripture.
Liberal theologian wrote the screen play for "Jesus of Nazareth".
Pauline Theology - used OT, but had elements not contained in OT. It was not systematic in that he did not make an attempt to systematically explain things. More Task oriented. We take random texts (items) from his writings and attempt to fit them systematically into Bible doctrines.
Problems come when you read about faith in Romans and compare it to James. Martin Luther threw James out of the canon. This is why systematic theology is important. It takes the whole Bible as it's premise.
Where do we start in Pauline theology?
a. We start with topics that run a course through his writings.
b. In systematic theology, there are areas that are incomplete from Calvinism and Arminianism [Reformation].
c. These are: (1) concepts of ministry, (2) pneumatology, (3) ecclesiology and (4) eschatology.
Building and teaching a theology of relationships or relational theology has not existed before. It will propel the church into the next reformation.
(1) Pauline concepts of ministry -
a. It is a gift and not an achievement. Yet it may result in achievement. (CLFS). It is your life and how you live it based on the gifts that He has equipped you with.
b. Ministry is diverse and is manifested by a variety of gifted (charismatics) ones. Not just pastors, etc. but helpers, givers, artists, etc
c. Paul believed in ministry as manifestation of KOG.
1st as appeared in Jesus' ministry and then His church
2nd as will appear in judgment at 2nd coming.
d. Paul believed in ministry as an activity of the Body of Christ.
i. The nature of the church's own existence, determines the nature of it's ministry. (specific churches have specific calls upon them.)
ii. Nature of the church's ministry illuminates it's relationship to the present world or to secular society. (ie. some church's are shelters, some teaching centers, some healing centers, etc).
e. Paul addresses ministry in the secular world. It is an aspect of kingdom and not goal.
Is socio-political action ministry? (Kingdom Now!)
a. In regards to socio-political action ministry or political activism. Paul never suggests that serving or changing society is an aspect (much less a goal) of Christian ministry. It will happen however. Paul is not a cynic (hopeless) or Pharisee (aloofness) - but promotes a new identity in Christ. It is not by word & deed, but by power and Holy Spirit. We change society by the mighty power of God working through us. Showing wonders, signs and miracles. The power of the kingdom is to change hearts - not anti-government. Early Christians were not anti-Rome.
b. In all of Pauline letters - every Christian is a minister (diverse).Ministry - Holy Spirit choosing what He desires to do and through whom (1 Cor. 12). Ministry deals with our function(s) within the KOG. One ministry we are all called to do - ministry of reconciliation (God making his appeal through us.).
Ministry is contained within the plan of salvation.
a. God set us apart for service. We see salvation as God saving us from death. Paul says yes, God saved us - making us ministers of reconciliation to appeal to the world. We get
1. Eternal life and
2. Spirit of God and
3. Gifts of which purpose is ministry.
None of this will function without knowledge of the role of the Holy Spirit in the church (pneumatology).
What is the goal of ministry?
a. To build the church!
b. That is where moves of God have gone astray.
2. Minister - anyone who is saved and believes in Christ. Ministry is "every joint supplying"
Ephesians 4:16 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint (relationship - not the parts in contact, but the relations between the adjacent parts) supplies (ministers - Greek phrase meaning to bear the expense of training and maintenance for another) [joint whose office or purpose is to supply], according to the proper working [working efficiently] of each individual part [ according as each part works in its own proper measure] causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself [the body increases the body according to the vital life-giving power within itself] in love [the element in which this takes place]. (NASB)
From whom all the body constantly being joined closely together and constantly being knit together through every joint of supply according to the operative energy put forth to the capacity of each part, makes for increased growth of the Body resulting in the building up of itself in the sphere of love.
The degree to which this life of the Head flowing through the members operates, joining the members of the Body more closely together into a more compact organic union, is determined by the individual saint's fellowship with the Lord and with his fellow saints.(Wuest)
The reason the Holy Spirit gives gifts is to edify the Body. Without the churches ministry, the secular world will not be illuminated. It illuminates society, making them want to be a part of it. Because the church only exists corporately, it has a corp. ministry seen on the earth. It is the diversity that makes it unique and shows God's power. I Cor. 1:10-15 deals with division in the church as ministry that does not reflect God power.
PNEUMATOLOGY - STUDY OF THE SPIRIT. Means spirit or breath. In the NT, the Spirit is identified with the spirit of God. Nowhere in OT does it talk about HS as a separate person.
There are hints as when it says "Let us make man in our image". Elohim - pl. term, describes trinity. In NT, HS is descriptive of a person. HS is exclusively mediated through Jesus, and proceeds through Jesus. The HS speaks of no one else but Jesus.
Paul believed that the Spirit isn't primarily involved in sustaining the present creation, but toward bringing to birth the new creation of the KOG.
The HS in the OT sustained the work of the Word (Christ). Christ created all things the spirit sustained it. In NT role, the HS is not primarily sustaining creation. It is in seeing the new birth happen in KOG. To indwell, and change everyone into transfigured resurrected life. His function is to make everyone like Jesus. He is poured out on mankind for this purpose.
In the Paulus Corpus - this subject is probably pre-eminent. It is saturated in all his books, although it is handled indirectly. To Paul, the HS is the greatest power of all. HS is reserved for those redeemed by the blood of the lamb.
Paul's concept of pneumatology is vastly different from that presented in most systematic theology books. They are weak in this area.
In the beginning, it was the triune God (Elohim) that created man and all creation. The power that accomplished these things was the Spirit. The Spirit is the least defined person of the trinity. The OT did not have the revelation given to explain role of the spirit. Paul's OT theology exceeded those before him in revelation on this subject. Most of what we have today on HS is from Paul, and only He has it in his writings.
Jesus performed miracles under the power of the HS. Jesus is the first of many brethen. Unlike OT prophets, he ushers in new phase of the spirit. What are the evidences in Christ's life that exemplify the KOG, - miracles. They indicate that the kingdom has come to us.
The spirit's new role was initiated through Jesus by miraculous signs (works), and that now the future kingdom of God is manifested in the present. Jesus sends the 70 out, and they do the same works. But Jesus says that they will do greater works. He tells them to wait for the promise of the father. The HS comes upon the redeemed. On earth, Christ submitted to the spirit. Now the spirit is submitted to Him. The role has changed. We function like Jesus did when he was on the earth, under the guidance of the HS. Everything we are now - the church - is a foretaste of what is to come, of the age to come [ show difference in kingdom concepts of NT vs. OT ].
God has let there be a greater reality of what is to come - now! That is our prayer. Empower us, quicken us, move among us.
a. New Birth. Paul believed that the power that would cause Jesus to be transfigured is the same power that works today. Heaven has been opened up for me to be like him. Not just an escape from hell - that's just legalistic.
b. The exaltation of Jesus sends the Spirit and the spirits gifts to the Christian community. What are the functions of the HS within the redeemed community at the present time?
1. Baptism in the spirit.
2. Fruit of the spirit
3.Gifts of the spirit
4. Final regeneration of the individual believer at the end of the age - he will change our bodies and usher us into the presence of Jesus.
a. Baptism in the Spirit - regeneration (water baptism) and then empowerment (HS baptism).
1. What comes first or does it happen simultaneously? Yes.
2. We say it is a two-part thing that can happen simultaneously.
3. Paul appears to say the same. The initial coming of the HS was called First Fruits. Paul calls it a down payment. It is a foretaste and pledge of the things to come.
4. The HS is given to believers who are living in the constraints of time.
5. We are in the intermediate stage or state for the redeemed community (people reborn & empowered).
6. We are between the 1st and final acts of the HS. Creation - Church – Parousia The HS dispenses gifts to the church & creates fruit in the believer. Fruit and gifts.
b. Fruit of the Spirit - the evidence of Christ's character (Gal. 5:22).
1. Paul says that to manifest fruit in your life is the same thing as Walking in the Spirit.
2. Gifts enable the believer to fulfill the mission of Christ, to be able to minister.
3. In this intermediate state we live in, fruit and gifts are the things working in us for service (ministry).
4. Fruit is result of the inward work of the Spirit that prepares the person for the call (to sonship).
c. The church by fruit.
1. You may be the greatest prophet that every lived, but if you are an adulterer - you are nothing.
2. If the redeemed community says - don't prophecy - you must not. Why? Ministry (service) in the church is a privilege for those who have/show fruit.
3. Paul says fruit represents the character of Christ.
4. The gifts manifest the particular ministries of Christ, but the fruit represent his character. Fruit will abide forever; gifts are bestowed only in part and only for the mission of the church in the present age.
5. The gifts will not be needed in next age.
6. From OT perspective, the difference between false and true prophets - is the character (fruit).
7. Paul says that at judgment, Christ will look at the fruit or character in a person life.
8. All deeds will be judged by the fruit they came from - what was the heart motive. The fruit of the spirit is what all Christians have or should have in common.
9. Gifts are tools for Christian ministry, but apart from fruit, they become ineffective.
d. Gifts of the spirit - Gifts are the empowering tools to get the job done.
1. They are transitional & will come to an end at 2nd coming. Distributions of gifts are given for diversity of ministry & for common good. Four types (classifications):
i. Prophetic types - (Eph. 4) prophecy, tongues and interpretation.
ii. Miraculous - healing, discerning of spirits.
iii. Leadership - (Tim., Titus)
iv. Faith - to each member is given a measure of faith.
2. Paul says that believers differ in their functions, not according to their natural abilities, but according to their gifts. What makes an apostle an apostle - function and gifting No one gifting is greater than others, but there is a recognition that the person is endowed with the ability for works of service that need to be submitted to. All members of the body or redeemed community have gifts that only they can impart to the body.
3. Law of Compensation - a balancing out of these gifts. Some appear higher or greater in value. While others seem lower. Paul says we need to esteem the weaker giftings among us. Without them, the whole body is lacking. (Imagine life w/o your foot, toes, fingers, etc. - helpers, servers, exhorters)
Romans 12:3-8 For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (NASB)
1 Corinthians 12:1-27 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, 24 whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. (NASB)
e. Since we all have gifts according to the HS, then we are the gifted (charismatic) ones.
1. These gifts are from the age to come - now in our midst.
2. They are eschatological events of the Kingdom visibly demonstrated in our midst.
3. The HS will build on natural abilities, but he is never identified with them.
4. Gifts are not the product of our own effort.
5. The church affirms and recognizes these giftings, but cannot create the gifting (no class for).
(3) ECCLESIOLOGY - PAULINE
a. Regulation of the meeting of the local assembly. Deals with procedure, conduct within the service, worship and what we call church life or fellowship.
b. Constitutional pattern - in it's various institutional manifestations and regulations of church life (regulation of the life of the individual believer - yes there are standards [OT & NT] for the people of God. Deals with function, structure, leadership, discipline, membership and something called common expression.
The pattern goes like this:
1. How leadership (or discipline, membership, etc.) is set up
2. How disseminated through body
3. How believers respond to leadership.
c. You can't get these two points from any one of Paul's books, but must use all his writings to see them. How does this come out in the wash?
1. I, II Cor. - Paul deals with horrible church problems. There are church factions, immorality, etc.
2. These are Greek people with Greek mindsets, and Stoic ones at that. Paul had to combat this Hellenistic mindset.
3. We are all of Christ - not some philosophic club. Paul has to combat these Greek philosophies and lifestyles, and explain what Christian ecclesiology is.
4. He had to dispute everything they believed (ie. immorality, mysticism, etc.).
5. 2nd Cor. sums up how things are progressing there. He says - I took nothing from you. Then he sets up how leadership works - which is the opposite of that
c. Greek philosophical system. We are learning Paul's basic mindset of how ecclesiology works. He says that ecclesiology or how the church functions is based on:
1. Charism - a gift based on the HS. An impartation of the HS From the beginning of the church, the charisms was manifested not only as free impulses of the spirit, but also within an ordered context.
2. Offices - The concept of ministry. Still tied into the HS, but has more practical out workings
3. No priests- all believers function in priestly ministry. Within all of the charisms and offices it is implied that:
a. The early church had a structure, but the structure was informal and tentative. The NT church was based on the spirit's prerogative, and the leadership and structure of the church was something that could be seen but wasn't something that could be controlled by men. If men controlled it, it became dead, regulated, confining and lifeless.
b. The appointment of apostles preceded the coming of the HS. Jesus gave apostles to the church before Pentecost (the office was initiated before then). Yes there were apostles appointed afterwards also. Jesus knew that He was the first fruits of this new kingdom, so he put into motion the principle elements upon which the ecclesiology rest upon.
c. In Revelation, the 12 apostles are the pillars in the city of God. Apostles are totally NT, - there is no OT equivalence. Christ put new structure into his church in NT. Our attitudes towards apostles are non-Pauline. We either believe that they aren't for today, or we see Them as the ultimate authority in the church. Pauline apostleship - Paul calls himself a bondservant and a slave. The other position is that they are well-paid dignitaries. Paul's experience - they get whipped up on and imprisoned.
d. Apostle - in the Greek - sent one or messenger. Doesn't seem to have so much of a new distinct gifting, but a combination of the other five-fold ministry. (ie. Timothy - pastoral, Titus - pastoral, Apollos - teacher, James - pastoral, Barnabas - prophetic, Paul - evangelistic.). Apostle doesn't mean church starter, but more of an imparter of something new, a coordinator. Paul says the mark of apostleship - is to see Jesus and impart revelation of who he is. He releases a variety of ministries, imparts vision, brings everyone else to completeness of their call.
Three examples of Paul's apostleship:
1. Itinerant evangelist - 1st missionary trip.
2. Pastor - at Corinth on 2nd trip, at Ephesus on third trip.
3. Coordinator of missionary activities - this is the one we look at the most and make the contemporary pattern.
e. He is apostle in all three examples. He didn't plan for these; they were just thrust upon him. There was an ordered ministry that was traditional in 1st century Judaism. This concept was in the synagogues throughout the empire. There were ruling elders in each synagogue that were pastoring the sheep. Some of this structure was in the early church. There were other offices such as administrators, but this appear later in the NT church.
Gift vs. Office
Gift - That which is given by HS to church (5-fold + 9 spiritual gifts)
Office - only five-fold. From those 5, appointed ministries emerge.
Paul appoints ministries (ie. elders). He chooses these from the office gifts. Yet not all are appointed in that church. Appointed means to recognized. In old temple structure, ministry came from bloodline. It was rigid, and if old structure had been used then the NT church would also have become rigid. But Christ enacted a new ecclesiology for us.
In NT, appointment deals with recognized ministry. Those that had authority based on their gifting by the HS. You can have 10 pastors in a congregation - if only 100 people in the fold. It is a matter of who has the stuff - authority and gifting. Ministry was appointed based on gifting given by HS. However, if fruit didn't match gift, you were not to accept him.
- Wolf has bad fruit, character makes them refuse to walk within limitations of their office (get too big for pants)
- character is out of line, they move beyond their call (super apostles - they're wolves)
Those who had responsibilities were entitled to financial support. How did that come about - by collections. We call them tithes and offerings. Paul just calls them collections.
On Paul's 2nd missionary trip, he appoints leaders - ordered ministries based on authority given by HS (elders, bishops) and gives them responsibilities:
1. Oversight of churches
2. Taking up collections
3. Preaching
Greatest book Paul wrote about ecclesiology in Ephesians. It deals with overall view of what the church is. Really, most of the church doesn't live in Eph., most live in 1 Cor. There is a need to recognize what the church is - it's believers functioning in new priesthood, it's charism - allowing gifted ones to function appropriately in HS. Mystery of the glorious church will be a reality if people will function within their call. People can't function well outside of their call.
Pauline vs. Contemporary ecclesiology.
Pauline Contemporary
1. Charism is primary. There is order/structure 1. Office - based on education. Bureaucratic appointment
within these gifts. - a business.
2. All are priests. No OT priests, but priesthood 2. Concept of priest follows an OT pattern. It does not
of the believer. follow a Pauline pattern.
3. No sacraments (confession, extreme unction 3. Sacraments
for the dead). Paul dealt with Lord's supper
only because the Corinthians abused it.
Non-Pauline to say that the two sacraments
are Lord's supper and baptism. He expounded
on them due to misuse. The pre-eminence we
give to sacraments is not Pauline.
4. Elder's rule 4. Pastor's try to rule, boards really rule, and denominations ultimately rule.
(4) eschatology. Pauline eschatology contains 5 things:
1. Man of sin
2. Parousia (2nd coming) - revelation of Christ.
3. Resurrection
4. Judgment
5. Eternal state of the believer
There are three Biblical views on eschatology:
1. Pharisaic
2. Johanine
3. Pauline
The view from John and Paul are a compilation of Pharisaic and the teachings of Christ, yet each is
distinctive. There are two ever-towering final events that each of the three views contain, but they
elaborate on them in different ways - Judgement & Resurrection.
Eschatology is important. What you believe on the subject, determines how you will live. Most of the church world has a narrow view of eschatology. They believe that Jesus is in their heart, and that this has no relation with end time. The reason why there were so many martyrs in the 1st and 2nd century were because they believed in the finality of the 5 things of eschatology.
We don't have their concept in our society or church. When revival comes, it causes people to look at their sin, and to have a fascination with the end times. In the Pentecostal revival in the early part of the century, there was such a fascination with the end times that Chiliasm developed, and it still impacts the church today.
Chiliasm (Kielism)- pre-tribulation rapture. A doctrine nonexistent until in church history until the first 20 years of this century. The AOG denomination is the most impactive movement of our day, with 35 million members. They believe in Chiliasm.
Chiliasm is non-Pauline. It emerges in 2nd century among Gnostics, but was not defined until Pentecostals. People who hold to Chiliasm have a warped view of the church. We don't look down on them, it just is not a Biblical doctrine and it moves you in wrong direction. (explain).
Chiliasm - (generic version) church is waiting for Christ to come - looking for 2nd coming.
Man of sin is loose. John calls him the anti-Christ. Jesus calls him the abomination of desolation and Pharisees call him the false messiah.
He performs miraculous signs and miracles, and the Jewish nation will proclaim him the messiah.
At this point the church will be taken up (rapture), leaving only the Jews and unregenerated men for 7 years.
People left behind want to be saved (& some are). The man of sin goes to war with the whole world. At this point Christ appears with the whole church. He destroys the man of sin.
After 2nd coming, there is a new age where time is no more. The judgement takes place and results in the millennium.
Then the devil is loosed for an unspecified amount of time to torment men (saints) into rebellion against God. God steps in and throws him into the pit forever.
Then God creates a new heaven and earth.
Chiliasm is the predominate belief of our age. This doctrine was refuted in the 1920's (Larkin).
Problems with Chiliasm:
1). The church is non-victorious. Christ has to come and rescue it or all the redeemed would be killed. Does
not take into account the sovereignty of God or grace in people's life.
2). Millennium is horribly defined by Chiliasm. During the millennium all nations submit to Christ, some willingly
and some not so willingly. During this time the regenerated man and the natural man live (co-exist). When
time is up the devil will tempt both. All live and don't die during this millennium.
The mark of the beast is from the Johanine view.
Paul's view:
1. Christ is resurrected
2. Church exists
3. Man of sin occurs toward end
4. Church is accelerating while evil is accelerating.
5. When they meet - Christ comes.
6. Christ comes with the dead in Christ (they are pulled out of their graves), then those who are alive are caught
up with him in the air.
Paul is unclear about the end state. He does not talk about the new Jerusalem, he just talks about judgment and the eternal state. John in Revelation is where we get all the rest.
60 AD - 1st Book that Paul wrote.
Revelation written 90 AD
What Paul addresses, John Expounds. We get confused with Paul because of the son of perdition - 1 Thess 2:1-12.
Chiliasm is wrong because it takes things that Paul says and tries to fuse them into John's things. It tries to build a systematic out of them all - where there is not one.
Paul's eschatology views are spread through all his 10 epistles except Gal. John's revelation was one big picture eschatology. Revelation is story told five times, over and over.
1 Cor. 15 - Paul is crystal clear - at the last trump, the dead shall rise. John is figuative. Revelation does not say that A, B, C has to happen, then the final.
11 Thess. 2:1-12 - In Paul's eschatology, this is the most perplexing passage. It is the most unclear. It seems better to leave it by itself then to try and fuse it into Revelation.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you may not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. (NASB)
The two pillars upon which eschatology is built - judgement & resurrection.
1. Judgment - inevitable summing up of the world process that has fallen into the decay of sin.
2. Resurrection - serves for restoring what has become prey for decadence and death. It is not intended to put
man only back at the point where he stood before the invasion of sin and death. It carries the believer to a
plane of life not attained before the fall. The revealing of the sons of God, is more than the pre-adamic state.
Four Theories of eschatology - when does the church get taken out of the world.
Pre, Post, A, and Mid
Pre- the pre-tribulation rapture or pre-millential or Chiliasm is the predominate view today.
This is not Pauline. It is a mixture of Johanine, Pauline and some Pharisaism.
Mid - this is Pharisaic. They could not differentiate the suffering messiah and the Lord of Glory. Pharisees believed that David brought in the true kingdom. They believed that they were in the midst of the eschatological time table. Certain things still had to happen before the messiah came. They used Daniel vision statue with Ezekiel revelation.
Post - The second coming only happens at the end of the millennium. Christ's resurrection ushers in the millennium.
This theory is held by the Reformed Theology group - John Calvin, Presbyterians
A- means no, no millennium or tribulation. It is all figurative.
Pauline -
Man of sin - is a dark passage.
Parousia - 1 Cor. 15:23, 1 Thess. 2:19, 3:14 & 4:15. A Greek word without equivalent in Hebrew literature. Hebrews talk of it as a revelation and not a 2nd return. Paul says this in 11 Thess. 1:7. It is commonly thought of as a joyous event for church, but a catastrophic event for all else.
Paul talks of the Parousia and the Day of The Lord as being the same thing. 1 Thess. 5:12 & 2:8
The early church believed the parousia was immanent. They gave themselves to the wild beast and torture because Christ was coming. This is Pauline.
Paul says that believers meet Christ in the air and then they come to earth. The meeting in the air is part of Christ's 2nd coming. If there is a parousia, then there is a resurrection.
Keleusma - Greek - short for the dead when Christ comes. At the trumpet or shout from messiah, the dead shall rise from grave - and we meet him in the air.
Trump - how many trumpets are blown in Revelation - seven. Paul says the 1st trumpet is when the world was made and the last is when the world ends.
Believer's resurrection - is equivalent to becoming a new creation.
Rom. 4:25 Believer's Resur. ˆ From our Justification ˆ based on Christ's Resur.
The Resurrection of Christ was more then a demonstration of God. It was an exploit of God to show that those justified would experience the same.
In Resurrection:
1. New creature
2. Final removal of condemnation and our contamination with sin
3. Manifestation of sons of God.
Paul says that in the resurrected state - led and ruled by HS, - when before were ruled by physical restraints of the world and time.
Judgment - Paul is brief & specific, ˆ defeat and termination of God's enemies.
1). Death
2). Satan
3). unjustified - non-believers on earth.
Johanine doctrine talks about 2 types of judgement:
1) Believer - appear before Christ to get reward for deeds on earth
2) Non Believer - thrown into hell with Satan
Eternal State - Paul is brief. Does not talk about New Jerusalem - that is Johanine (Rev. 22-27 only revealed to John).
Paul says the spirit rules in this state. Believers will all be ruled by the spirit. We get to enjoy foretaste now.
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