Class 2

Issues of Life and Death

© John Stevenson, 2008

Course OutlineCourse OutlineWeek One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Intro to Paul;

Epistles as a

genre

Paul’s Epistles & TheologyThe

General Epistles

Life & Death

Doctrinal Epistles

Pastoral Epistles

Session ObjectivesSession Objectives

• Use basic hermeneutical principles for interpreting and applying epistles.

• See the Big Idea of Philippians, 1 & 2 Corinthians, and 1 & 2 Thessalonians.

• Assess aspects of current worldview, ethical practice, and church life in light of theological principles taught in these epistles.

Thessalonica

Philippi

Athens Corinth

The First Epistle The First Epistle to the to the

Thessalonians Thessalonians

An Encouraging Expectancy

What are your basic What are your basic impressions of the impressions of the Two Epistles to the Two Epistles to the

Thessalonians?Thessalonians?

Purposes for the EpistlePurposes for the Epistle• The Problem of Persecution: 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 (2:14).

• Encouragement in Holy Living: For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God (3:3-5).

Purposes for the EpistlePurposes for the Epistle• Establishing a Christian work ethic: Make it your

ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you; 12 so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need (4:11-12).

• Comfort for the Death of Loved Ones: But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope (4:13).

• God’s choice of you (1:2-5).• Your imitation of Christ (1:6-8)• Your turning to God (1:9-10)

A shared salvation history

Chapter 1

A shared salvation history

Chapter 1

Paul’s ministry in

Thessalonica

Chapters 2-3

1 Thessalonians 2:9. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

A shared salvation history

Chapter 1

Paul’s ministry in

Thessalonica

Chapters 2-3

1 Thessalonians 3:1-2. Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,

• The principle stated (4:1)

• Sexual purity (4:3-8)• Responsible work (4:9-

12).• A Promise of Comfort in

the face of Death (4:13-18).

A shared salvation history

Chapter 1

Paul’s ministry in

Thessalonica

Chapters 2-3

Exhortation to walk in a

worthy manner

Chapter 4

A shared salvation history

• Living in light of the Day of the Lord (5:1-11).• Attitudes toward Christians workers (5:12-13).• Closing instructions (5:14-28).

Chapter 1

Paul’s ministry in

Thessalonica

Chapters 2-3

Exhortation to walk in a

worthy manner

Chapter 4

Living in light of Christ’s return

Chapter 5

What God has done in our lives

How we are to live as a result of what God has

done

The Second The Second Epistle to the Epistle to the

Thessalonians Thessalonians

Facing the Flame

A Promise of Relief to those under present Persecution

• The persevering faith and love of the Thessalonian church (1:2-4).

• A promise of affliction to those who are afflicting (1:5-10)

• Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians (1:11-12)

Chapter 1

A Promise of Relief to those under present Persecution

• A Dangerous Deception (2:1-2).• The Man of Sin (2:3-12)

Chapter 1

A Warning of troubles that must precede the day

of the Lord

Chapter 2

First…• The apostasy• The Man of sin

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

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.

Day of the Lord

Day of the Lord

First…• The apostasy• The Man of sin

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7

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.

Day of the Lord

Day of the Lord

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.

First…• The apostasy• The Man of sin

2 Thessalonians 2:8-10

Day of the Lord

Day of the Lord

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.

First…• The apostasy• The Man of sin

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Day of the Lord

Day of the Lord

Identity of the “Man of Sin”• Roman Emperor Caligula

– Ordered a statue of himself placed in the temple in Jerusalem

• Roman General Titus– Destroyed the temple in Jerusalem

• Roman Emperor Trajan– Built a pagan temple on the site of the temple

• Roman Catholic Church– Pope is said to be the Vicar of Christ

• Future fulfillment?

A Promise of Relief to those under present Persecution

• A Dangerous Deception (2:1-2).• The Man of Sin (2:3-12)

Chapter 1

A Warning of troubles that must precede the day

of the Lord

Chapter 2

• Thanksgiving for God’s gracious choice (2:13-17)

A Promise of Relief to those under present Persecution

• A Call to Prayer (3:1-5).• A Call to Separation from

Unruliness (3:6-15)• Closing Benedictions

(3:16-18)

Chapter 1

A Warning of troubles that must precede the day

of the Lord

Chapter 2

A Call to Staying

Steadfast in Christ

Chapter 3

What we are to believe regarding the future

How we are to live in the present

1 Corinthians1 Corinthians

Practical Lessons on UnityPractical Lessons on Unity

Corinth

CorinthCorinth• A smelting pot of many peoples.• Pagan cults.• Immorality.• Church plagued by division.• Divorce• Trend to glorify the scientific and

philosophical and to ridicule the spiritual.• The role of men and women in the church.• Questions of the uses and misuses of the

spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 1:10-111 Corinthians 1:10-1110 Now I exhort you, brethren, by

the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.

11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you.

Chapters 1-6

• DivisionsDivisions• Need for Need for

UnityUnity• Necessary Necessary

DivisionsDivisions

Chapters 7-10 Chapters 11-16

UnityUnity

5:1-13Sexual misconduct that calls for church

discipline

Unity broken by sin

6:1-11Legal lawsuits that

call for church oversight

Unity threatened by disagreement

6:12-20Lustful temptations

that call for a connective reminder

Unity shared in Christ

Chapters 1-6

• DivisionsDivisions• Need for Need for

UnityUnity• Necessary Necessary

DivisionsDivisions

Chapters 7-10

• Single & Single & MarriedMarried

• Meat & IdolsMeat & Idols

Chapters 11-16

UnityUnity QuestionsQuestions

Christians in Corinth

Those who felt it was wrong to eat

Those who felt it was okay to eat

They did not eat, but were troubled by those who did

They ate in spite of

thinking it was wrong and their

conscience was

troubled

They ate without

regard to the feelings

of others

They limited their liberty

from concern for

other brothers

8:1

A call to limit liberty for the sake

of the weaker brother

9:1 9:15

An example of this type of limited liberty seen in Paul’s limitation of

his liberty to be paid in the ministry

Paul has the right to be paid

in ministry

Paul has limited his liberty for the

sake of the Corinthians

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

25 And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were… (10:1)

• All under the cloud• All passed through the sea• All were baptized into Moses in the

cloud and in the sea• All ate the same spiritual food• All drank the same spiritual drink

Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in

the wilderness (10:5).

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 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.

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

Chapters 1-6

• DivisionsDivisions• Need for Need for

UnityUnity• Necessary Necessary

DivisionsDivisions

Chapters 7-10

• Single & Single & MarriedMarried

• Meat & IdolsMeat & Idols

Chapters 11-16

• Women & Women & WorshipWorship

• Lord’s SupperLord’s Supper

• GiftsGifts

• ResurrectionResurrection

UnityUnity QuestionsQuestions ErrorsErrors

Universal versus Local Universal versus Local ApplicationApplication

What sort of applications should be made to the teachings found in

1 Corinthians 11:4-6?

Chapter 12

There are many

different gifts, but each are no less a part of the body

Chapter 13 Chapter 14

Having and exhibiting

various gifts is not nearly so important

as having love

The use of tongues in the

church; it is better to do that which

edifies others

1 Corinthians 151 Corinthians 15• Christ rose from the deadChrist rose from the dead

• We will also rise from the deadWe will also rise from the dead

15:3515:35 15:3615:36 15:4515:45 15:5015:50

Two Two QuestionsQuestions

Three answers: The resurrection Three answers: The resurrection body is…body is…

How raised?How raised? What body? What body?

Illustrated Illustrated in naturein nature

Necessary Necessary from Old from Old TestamentTestament

Experienced at Experienced at the Second the Second ComingComing

You have just taken on the role of You have just taken on the role of youth pastor in your church…youth pastor in your church…

The group tends to be divided into several cliques. Worse still, some kids in the group are not included in any clique. These “misfits” are treated as insignificant and are viewed as offering little to the “important” people in the group.

Form an action plan to

deal with this

problem

First First CorinthiansCorinthians

Striving for Striving for UnityUnity

John Stevenson