Practical Christianity – Countering the Problem of Division – Capacity and being filled with the Breath (I Corinthians 3 v 1)

Paul adds a qualification to what he has been saying. He has been explaining the superior position of Christians, those pertaining to the realm of the Breath of God, when it comes to knowledge, understanding and persuasion of God and the unseen, intangible heavenly realm. Does what Paul has been saying about the Breath mean that Christians are infallible? Are they perfect in what they say and do? In taking hold of the Breath of God do they instantly become fully enlightened beings? Are they above any kind of inquiry or criticism, even from their fellow Christians? Given their enlightenment or illumination within the Breath, are Christians meant to be dogmatic, authoritarian and superior in their attitude? Not at all! Our own experience is surely enough to tell us that this is not the case. Paul agrees. Straight away he counters any idea of perfectionism. ‘But brothers, I am not able to continue talking to you as to those full of Breath but as to fleshly, simple-minded infants within the Messiah’ (I Corinthians 3 v 1). This is another example of Paul’s literary style of making a ‘grand general statement’ when introducing a new theme. Then, in subsequent verses he will expand and explain what he means by this initial general statement.

Paul introduces two metaphors. First, the metaphor of capacity. He presents his readers with the concept of being ‘full of Breath’, and this has its opposite implication of being empty or only partially filled with the Breath. Some Christian leaders teach being ‘filled with the Breath’ as some kind of transcendent or ecstatic experience – a ‘second blessing’ or ecstatic experience leading to entrance into a ‘higher level’ of Christian development, knowledge and service. Thus, in some assemblies, Christians are exhorted to ‘empty themselves’ of their daily concerns and anxieties, to ‘let go’ of their busy, distracting thoughts, and ‘surrender’ to the Breath and ‘allow God’ to fill their hearts. Nowhere do we find Paul presenting such teaching. When Paul talks about being filled with the Breath he is not talking about ecstatic experiences or being ‘transported’ into transcendent heavenly delight. Rather he is talking about being sensitive and responsive to the movement or inclination of the Breath of God within Christians, moment-by-moment, in the various situations and circumstances that they face. By paying attention to the Breath, by scrutinising and investigating everything, Christians become perceptive and sensitive to how God would have them speak and act in a way that is worthy of and consistent with their calling. And instead of being ‘quenched’, the Breath fills and influences them in such a way that when they co-work with the Breath they walk around within the Breath and bring to completion the fruit of the Breath.

Second, Paul presents the metaphor of maturity – whether or to what degree a Christian has grown and developed from the position of being brought forth as a spiritual ‘baby’ so as to develop through childhood and adolescence into mature adulthood.

All that Paul has been saying so far goes back to chapter 1 v 10 – 12. There was division, contentions, quarrels and partisanship with regard to the Christian leaders at Corinth. These arguments and disputes were about who was the best Christian leader, about who followed which leader, and about who had the best spiritual gifts, as we will see in I Corinthians 12 v 1ff. Paul has been writing about the wisdom of God and the Breath because the Christians in Corinth had an eager, passionate desire to be ‘the best’. They had ‘spiritual ambition’ and wanted to excel. A number of them thought of themselves as being wise, clever, educated and intellectual to the point of dismissing or demeaning some of their fellow Christians and leaders. In their competitiveness and eager desire to be the best, they were adopting the ‘wisdom’ of the worldly arrangement.

Paul has been explaining basic theology or teaching pertaining to the realm of the Breath. He has said that God’s wisdom revealed through the Breath is radically different from worldly methods and standards with regards to wisdom, and far superior. But…. Paul introduces an important qualification to what he has been saying with this word ‘But’. Despite this talk about the superior wisdom of God being revealed through the Breath to those who pertain to the realm of the Breath, Paul says that he cannot continue talking to the Corinthian Christians and leaders as if they were full of Breath. He still regards them as Christians ‘within the Messiah’. He is not saying that they are ‘outsiders’. But he has to speak to them as if they are worldly people still thinking and acting by being influenced by the fleshly passions and energies of their physical constitution. Thus, in terms of the realm of the Breath, they are like simple-minded infants within the Messiah. They have a low measure of the Breath and thus they remain immature, therefore he cannot speak to them like adults. Tell it like it is Paul. You want a practical statement? Well there it is.

What Paul is saying is both a natural and a spiritual principle. If a young child wants to learn physics for example, we can’t begin by talking about quantum physics – the concepts are too advanced. If a young child wants to learn to play the organ, we don’t begin by getting them to practice Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Young beginners are unable to start at advanced levels. It’s the same with the realm of the Breath. When speaking to Jews outside of the Synagogues who were not ‘religious’, Jesus spoke to them in parables. He presented his teaching by means of illustrations from everyday life, and often ended them with the phrase, ‘If you have ears to hear, then listen, if you have eyes to see, then perceive’. This approach is fully consistent with what Paul has been saying about the Breath of God when it comes to announcing the cross.

Perception, enlightenment, illumination, with subsequent examination and scrutiny of everything, is an ongoing process that leads to growth and development within the realm of the Breath, and walking around as an obedient servant within the Breath leads to being filled with the Breath

But the Corinthian Christians were not full of the Breath. They were lacking in ongoing enlightenment pertaining to the realm of the Breath, they were not fully walking within the Breath, and their growth and development with the Breath had, as it were, stalled. They were ‘late developers’, they did not always ‘see’ and ‘hear’, and the result was that in their thinking they remained fleshly and worldly and this affected their behaviour and attitudes. Although people pertaining to the realm of the Breath, they were still like simple-minded children and as such Paul had to change and adapt the way in which he spoke to them. He had to come down to their level of understanding.

Practical Christianity – Countering the Problem of Division – Those pertaining to the realm of Breath (I Corinthians 2 v 14 – 16) [2]

Paul continues to explore and unify the theology of the polarising differences between ‘outsiders’ who do not welcome the Breath of God that reveals God’s wisdom, and the man who pertains to the realm of Breath – the Christian. (The singular male tense is used here – ‘man’, ‘he’, ‘his’. The reference is to all Christians but especially to those teaching and/or leading, which in Scripture is a male role). ‘But he pertaining to the realm of the Breath is scrutinising and investigating everything, however he himself is being scrutinised under no one. 16 Because who is knowing and discerning the intellect of the Lord? Who will join together to teach him? Indeed, we are holding and possessing the intellect of the Messiah’ (I Corinthians 2 v 15 – 16). The man pertaining to the realm of the Breath is scrutinising and investigating everything. Note this emphasis on the Christian being actively engaged in investigation, inspection and evaluation in the light of what the Breath reveals. It is part of making assessments and judicial decisions. This is especially the case for Christian leaders. The Christian is not ‘letting go’ and ‘surrendering’, or seeking transcendent experiences, or ‘getting going and getting involved in meetings and projects to promote group cohesion. The individual pertaining to the realm of the Breath is busy examining, investigating and evaluating everything, in the light of their awareness of the reality of the heavenly realm and their sensitivity and responsiveness to God. Such an individual is no longer walking around within the darkness, lies and half-truths of worldly ignorance.

Paul will continue the theme of Christians making assessments and judicial decisions in chapter 5 and 6.

But there is more. He himself is being scrutinised under no one. Who, of whatever class or level of education within the dark ignorance of the world will join together to teach the one pertaining to the realm of Breath? Because who knows the intellect of the Lord? Who stands above God and His Messiah so as to examine those pertaining to the realm of the Breath? Who teaches God? No one. Those who pertain to the realm of the Breath of God hold and possess the intellect of the Messiah. ‘Outsiders’, remaining in their natural constitution, are unable to perceive, grasp or warmly receive that of the Breath of God. Evaluations of Christians by ‘outsider’ philosophers, scholars and intellectuals are, in effect, uninformed and misguided when it comes to matters pertaining to the realm of the Breath of God. This is why Paul did not stay to debate philosophy with the Epicurians and Stoics on Mars Hill (Acts 17). He stated the gospel, and when they began to sneer and oppose what he was saying, he walked away. The power of God was within the realm of the Breath and the declaration of the word of the cross of the Messiah, not in clever, incisive, persuasive philosophical arguments.

This is a completely different arrangement from that of the world. The worldly arrangement stumbles and trips up at this and sees the declaration of the cross as dull and foolish. But the wisdom of God does not use the methods and values of the worldly arrangement. These two approaches are mutually opposed to one another. Worldly approaches to preaching the gospel, such as creating slick advertising, or using charismatic leaders, eloquent speakers, clever debates and popular attractions do not apply. Such worldly approaches and standards do not apply to evaluating Christian leaders either.

Practical Christianity – Countering the Problem of Division – The Christian’s means of perceiving the wisdom of God – The Breath of God [1] (I Corinthians 2 v 10, 11)

As I said in the previous post, Paul has not yet finished with explaining basic theology. Rather, he expands his basic theological teaching. Although previous generations, including God’s chosen people, the Jews, had not seen or heard how much God is preparing for those taking pleasure in and esteeming Him, now ‘God is continuing to uncover to us through the Breath’, (I Corinthians 2 v 10a). Paul first mentioned the Breath – often translated into English as the ‘Spirit’ or ‘Holy Spirit’ – in verse 4, and now he is going to say more about the Breath of God. The means or channel through which the uncovering of this previously hidden knowledge is happening is the Breath of God. This is a quite separate and distinct channel or means of knowledge from the means of wisdom and knowledge engaged in by the worldly arrangement.

Paul often uses a particular method when it comes to introducing a new theme. First of all he makes a grand general statement and then goes on to explain and add detail to this initial statement. God is uncovering or revealing to Christian leaders by means of His Breath. That is his initial general statement. The Breath of God distinguishes Christians from ‘outsiders’ and the means of the Breath is different from the present ‘worldly arrangement’. This difference between Christians and ‘outsiders’ is attained by the Breath of God ‘unveiling’, ‘uncovering’ and ‘revealing’ to the point of obedient persuasion – or faith – exclusively to Christians.

Why is the Breath of God so important and necessary? One reason is ‘because the Breath is diligently searching and examining even the profound depths of God’ (I Corinthians 2 v 10b). If we think for a moment about our own breath, we can quickly conclude that our breath enters into and comes out from our inner depths. Our breath does not simply enter our mouth or nostrils and then come out again – it permeates the depths of our being. Paul is alluding to the same idea with regard to the Breath of God. A few New Testament references to the Breath refer to the ‘Breath of the Messiah’, but there is of course the sense that the Messiah has been brought forth by God as the ‘Word’. The Ultimate Source of Breath therefore is God, and Paul’s allusion is to the profound inner depths of God. As is the case with human breath, the Breath of God ‘diligently searches and examines’ the profound depths of God.

Why is this relevant? Paul has been talking about the wisdom of God that is different from the ‘wisdom’ of the world. Human beings are naturally blind, deaf and even opposed to God and His wisdom. So how do human beings receive the wisdom of God? They do so by means of the Breath of God (verse 10a). Why the Breath? ‘Because who among men perceive and know the things of the man if not the breath of the man within him? So also no one knows and perceives the things of God if not the Breath of God’ (I Corinthians 2 v 11). The Breath knows and perceives the things of God, the ‘inner depths’ of God. Paul presents the breath of an individual as coming away from deep within them, as thoroughly knowing and inspecting the individual deep within, portraying their essential nature and character. He uses this by way of comparison to the Breath of God knowing and inspecting the ‘inner depths’ of God. The Breath is the perfect means to reveal God to humanity as an informed, faithful and trustworthy means of God’s wisdom. The Breath of God knows and perceives the things of God, (verse 11), and is the means or channel through which God is continuing to uncover or reveal Himself to us, (verse 10a), that is, to the Apostles, Christian leaders and Christians in general. Without the Breath of God no one can know or perceive the things of God to the point of obedient persuasion.

I John 3 v 24b – 4 v 6 – Assurance, the Breath of God and pseudo-prophets (2)

‘The one guarding the end result of his instructions – he is remaining in the Messiah and the Messiah in him and we are knowing in personal experience that he is remaining within us within this – from out of the breath that he puts in place in us. 1 Beloved, don’t be persuaded of or entrust every kind of breath, but be putting breaths to the test in order to approve and demonstrate whether they are from out of God, because many pseudo-prophets are coming out into the ordered arrangement of the world. 2 You know God’s breath in experience within this – Every kind of breath that speaks together, agreeing by moving to the conclusion that Jesus the Messiah comes within the flesh, is from out of God; 3 and any kind of breath that is not speaking and moving to the conclusion that Jesus the Messiah comes within the flesh is not from out of God – this is that of opposite to the Messiah that you comprehend – because it is coming at this present time, existing within the orderly arrangement even now’ (I John 3 v 24 – 4 v 3).

How are Christians assured in their individual experience that the Messiah remains within them and that they remain within the Messiah? John says that they know this in their individual experience by means of his breath that he puts in place within them, within their hearts. Scripture uses abstract or metaphorical terms to describe the various aspects of our inner subjective experience. Thus the word ‘heart’ does not refer to the physical organ that pumps blood around the body but to the subjective inner focal point at which our thoughts, emotions and choices arise and coalesce. Right there, at the very core of our inner experience – at the foundation of our thoughts, emotions and choice, is where the breath of God and His Messiah remains in Christians.

We have already seen that the Christian’s natural, earthy, fleshly constitution retains its raw impulses and energies that lead the Christian towards behaviour that God disapproves of. But on being brought forth by God and receiving the breath of the Messiah, Christians become a new creation. They are not the same as they were before. Instead of using the word ‘breath’, most Christians, and indeed Bible translators, refer to the ‘Holy Spirit’, but the Greek word ‘pneuma’ when used in conjunction with ‘set apart and pure’ or with ‘God’ or the ‘Messiah’ means ‘the set apart and pure breath of God and/or His Messiah’.

By definition, ‘breath’, like the breeze or a gust of wind, is nebulous and unseen in and of itself. We know of a breeze in personal experience not because we see the breeze per se, but because we feel its movement and energy and we see its effects. We feel the movement of air on our skin and we see leaves being blown on the trees and so on. John says that in the same way, Christians know the breath of God and His Messiah in their individual experience. We only have to take a cursory look at Christian history to see those who claimed and believed that they were being influenced and led by the breath of God.

But their actions and teaching sometimes contradicted their claims of divine influence because some of these people proposed that the breath of God was leading them into what we can clearly see to be behaviour that God disapproves of. Because of the nebulous and unseen quality of the breath of God it is easy for Christians to fall into error in this way. There are many Christians who mistakenly conclude that his or her own fleshly energies, emotions and desires are the unction, movement or leadership of the breath of God. Thus John straight away presents a caution to his Christian readers – ‘don’t be persuaded or entrust every kind of breath but be putting breaths to the test in order to approve and demonstrate whether they are from out of God. Because many pseudo-prophets are coming out into the ordered system of the world’ (I John 4 v 1).

I John 3 v 24b – Assurance, the Breath of God and pseudo-prophets (1)

‘The one guarding the end result of his instructions – he is remaining in the Messiah and the Messiah in him and we are knowing in personal experience that he is remaining within us within this – from out of the breath that he puts in place in us’ (I John 3 v 24b).

Christians are not free to believe whatever religious or spiritual concepts they fancy or that ‘resonate’ with them, or that they find endearing. Nor are they free to place their trust in whatever religious leader they want. Neither are they free to behave in any way that pleases them. This is because they have been purchased with the precious life-blood of the Messiah, and so Christians are now in a position of being bond slaves owned by their new master/owner, Jesus. Thus Christians are not free to follow any religion or religious teacher because not all of them lead to the light, or to God, and not every spiritual path leads to deliverance through the Messiah.

Even within what has become the broad spectrum of modern day Christianity there are wayward sidetracks which at first seem to hold out the promise of a good approach to life and to God, but eventually turn out to be dead ends. More than this, there are those people who, in order to satisfy their own fleshly energies and purposes would lead and entice Christians along such wayward paths into lawlessness. Given all of the worldly philosophies and alternative religious pathways in the world, and all the different spiritual and religious leaders who are promoting one or other of these different pathways, how can Christians be assured that God approves their path?

John says that the person who is entrusting in the name and character of Jesus the Messiah such that they are holding on to and guarding the end result of the instructions of Jesus, is remaining within the Messiah. By continuing to possess and guard the end result of beneficial, practical love towards fellow Christians, a person continues within the Messiah and the Messiah within him or her.

The specific end result or goal of the primary instruction away from Jesus has to be guarded, watched over and preserved in the face of all of these alternative pathways and pseudo religious leaders, because they miss the mark and lead to a position of no share in God’s inheritance.

Verse 24b acts as a link to what John has just been saying. ‘The one guarding the end result of his instructions – he is remaining in the Messiah and the Messiah in him and we are knowing in personal experience that he is remaining within us within this – from out of the breath that he puts in place in us’. It presents summary conclusion to the previous section – Christians have assurance if they are guarding the end results of the teaching of Jesus, namely to be showing practical, beneficial love to fellow Christians – and it also introduces us to his next theme in relation to Christian assurance, which is ‘breath’ – the breath of God, and the breath of pseudo-prophets.

I John 3 v 9 – The Seed Remaining Within Christians (2)

What I said in the previous post still doesn’t answer the question regarding what the ‘seed’ remaining in Christians actually is. Christian commentators have variously interpreted as the ‘gospel’, the ‘word of God’, the ‘principles of enlivened truth’, and the ‘new nature, or new human being’ that Christians become as a result of the work of God and His Messiah. In the previous post I proposed that the whole analogy refers to human generation as opposed to the germination of plants. Furthermore, the tense suggests that the birth from God is a process that is still continuing, it is ongoing, rather than an event that is past and gone. In other words, Christians are in a process of being brought forth such that they remain alive and responsive to God – they were not brought forth in the past to then be at risk of becoming dead and unresponsive again if they fall into error and disobedience. This concept of ongoing life is often used in the New Testament – Christians, like everyone else, were once dead and unresponsive to God and to unseen realities, but now they are alive, they are in the process of ‘aliveness’. The word of God – the Scriptures – may indeed be part of the means or channel through which this ‘aliveness’ is brought about and maintained, as Peter declares: ‘Being brought forth absolutely not from out of perishable sown seed, but imperishable – through the living and remaining word of God’ (I Peter 1 v 23). But Peter uses a different word for ‘seed’ here, one that means ‘sown seed’, and so his reference is indeed to plants and crops. John’s reference on the other hand is to ‘birth’ rather than ‘plants’ and this provides the context for understanding what John is saying.

Similarly it is also possible that the word ‘seed’ refers to ‘the breath of God and His Messiah’ – to what most Christians refer to as the ‘Holy Spirit’. The Breath of God does indeed abide and remain within the heart of Christians, uniting them to Jesus and the Father. Because the Breath of God raised up Jesus from out of the dead and this same Breath now abides and remains in the Christian’s heart, they too will be raised up from the dead. But whether we would be correct if we interpreted the word ‘seed’ in this verse as referring to the Breath of God is by no means clear. We still have a degree of obscurity and so we need to explore further.