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To: Tell It Right

1 Corinthians specifically seems to be pretty much against personal interpretation as in

Chapter 1 “10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

1 Cor 1:16 validates infant baptism and baptism as a sacrament

1 Cor 1:18 “but to us who are being saved “ contradicts the “just say I’m bjorn again and you will be saved”


434 posted on 09/14/2023 8:05:14 AM PDT by Cronos (I identify as an ambulance, my pronounces are wee/woo)
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To: Cronos
Wow! So many posts! LOL

1 Corinthians specifically seems to be pretty much against personal interpretation as in Chapter 1 “10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

Please read on. If anything it's against the belief in apostolic secession. Here's 1st Corinthians 1:10-17:

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas[b]”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Obviously Paul's wish in v. 10's is not against personal interpretation of Scripture but against what Catholics call apostolic succession. Paul told them to end their division by quitting lifting themselves up on which of the church leaders each person claimed being discipled by or baptized by. Paul even humbly excludes himself from being one to claim succession of (verse 13). Last but not least, Paul said to not make a big deal on succession from some guy named Cephas (verse 12). (I'm sure you know who that is.) Wow! Something to think about the next time someone tells you his teaching is more authentic than others because of some imagined apostolic succession from X apostle. (Hint, you only hear it from people who claim to be Cephas' successors -- the RCC leaders.)

1 Cor 1:16 validates infant baptism and baptism as a sacrament

For one, the context is in the Bible verses I posted above and it's clear that Paul was making a larger point that he's glad he didn't baptize a bunch of folks so they wouldn't all claim apostolic succession from him. So what to make of verse 16's "baptized the household of Stephanas"? Let's see.

"Baptized" in the Greek is baptizo, which means:
1. to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)
2. to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe
3. to overwhelm

Are you sure you want to use verse 16's argument about baptism? That verse makes it sound like you're making an argument for baptism by dunking, not sprinkling. LOL As to what is meant by baptizing the "household" I honestly don't see an argument for or against infant baptism. There's not enough there there to know if it includes the adults only or all ages.

1 Cor 1:18 “but to us who are being saved “ contradicts the “just say I’m bjorn again and you will be saved”

I guess you're suggesting it means salvation by works instead? Let's read it in context. You point to me where it's talking about salvation by works. And I'll point to you where it's talking about salvation by faith (declaring). Here's 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (obviously bold-faced is mine):

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c]
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d]

So let's look at that. The verse you referred to (v. 18) associate salvation with God's power (which I bold-faced, and remaining reference to power). I paid particular attention to the next verse (v. 19) because Paul used it to explain verse 18 ("for"). He referenced Isaiah 29:14's teaching on wisdom of God vs wisdom of the world (even those who call themselves wise). Therefore I bold-faced both wisdom and power in the rest of the verses, obviously those two points were important in Paul's teaching on the matter. And this section begins and ends on salvation (v. 18) and redemption (v. 30), including what I believe to be a related step (v. 31). What do I include verse 31? Because verse 31 begins with "therefore". And what does verse 31 say? Does it say to therefore wisely earn salvation with works? Nope. It says to therefore boast in the Lord. That to me it seems to be that Paul is associating salvation with making a statement of faith.

442 posted on 09/14/2023 9:39:25 AM PDT by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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