Anne

Good morning!

     “The Lord is risen!” He is risen indeed, alleluia! I learned that during the time of the former Soviet Union, brothers and sister would greet each other secretly this way, because our faith is founded on Jesus Christ and His victory over death.

     Winter has come. It can feel gloomy in the cold months, because the body responds to warmth and sun. Not able to get out very much, my mother and I especially appreciate your letters. Thank you for the warm greetings!

     Today, I’d like to share from 1 Corinthians 3.  Before we begin, let me give you some background about the Corinthian church. Corinth, according to my studies, was a small segment of the old world which was full of industry, indulgence and idols. In the center of the New Testament was Israel, of course, in the Roman provinces of Syria and Judea (insulting to the Jews, to be included with Syrians). Paul was from Tarsus, up north, where a number of scholarly Jews had settled with the Roman traders.  North still was Galatia, where serious-minded Ukrainians and Russians lived. To the east was the Orient, where Rome had not been able to successfully do business yet. (China was very exclusive at the time.) To the west was Phrygia, Lycia, Pamphylia and Asia, filled with high-strung Arabs, philosophical Greeks, militaristic Romans and quick-tempered Assyrians. The further west you traveled, the more “civilized” (or mixed up) the populous became.

     Corinth was just across the Aegan Sea from Ephesus, and the two churches were dealing with much the same group of people: the Gypsies.  Who were they?

     Because of trade routes, the Arabs, Turks and Assyrians made a business venture with Rome, capturing slaves and selling them with cargoes of gold, spices and cloth.  These slaves included Africans, indigenous tribes of Russians (who still live like Native Americans), and fellow Greeks.  Of courses, where there is humanity, there’s sex. It so happened that a new ethnicity was born from this slavery, the Gypsies.

     Horse-breeding Palestinians + lazy Greeks + laid-back Africans + temperamental Turks + a couple “Espresso” Italian Romans + a few witchy Hindus = a force to be reckoned with! (They still exist today, and have taken over Hollywood and the fashion world.) Gypsies are well-known for being traders, thieves, musicians, artists, mafia, running black market, and doing anything for a buck.  Ever heard of “getting Gypped”?

     Enter apostle Paul. Stately, not spectacular, very blunt, extremely Jewish with a thick Yiddish accent, ex-Pharisee.

     Remember the incident when the apostles visited Ephesus? The local people at first thought Paul and his companion were gods, and began to worship them; but when they preached Jesus and condemned Diana, it created a riot and the apostles were thrown out.  However, there were many who did repent and believe on Jesus Christ. When a Gypsy repents, and gets on fire about anything, you’d better get out of their way. They’ll go to the opposite extreme of anything they’d done before, so they can prove they’re different. But they’re also very emotional and give up easily if they think it’s hard going; and they need as much encouragement as they need rebuke.

     The Corinthian church had generations of deep, dark sin habits to get rid of, including lying, stealing, child trafficking, bestiality, witchcraft, etc. Paul was their daddy in the faith, so whatever he said, went. Unless one of the Gypsies had been saved under Apollos. Sorry, Paul.

     Maybe we think Paul sounded harsh in the books of Corinthians, Ephesians and Galatians.  Bear in mind he was talking to some very blunt-tongued people, who said everything on their minds. Because they were so emotionally-driven, he told them in 1 Corinthians 3, “I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”

     Coming back from R--- several years ago, I'd left behind me my beloved Gypsy babies and all their needy parents, some of them on the brink of the Kingdom of God. Stepping from the plane back home, I saw America in a new light. It’s a Gypsy country. Everyone does what is right in his own eyes. I am of Me. I am of I. I am of Rick Warren or Donald Trump. I am of the Panthers or the Cardinals. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.  And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.”

     The same thing can apply to racism. I am white. Well, I am black. I’m Mexican. I’m Puerto Rican. I’m Jewish. I’m Greek, and therefore I’m smarter. Kiss me, I’m Irish.

     Pride. Isn’t that what it all comes down to? You gotta have self-respect and self-esteem, right? Try this on for size, and recall who said it. This person had very good self-esteem: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” It was Lucifer. Want to be of Lucifer? I didn’t think you did.

     How about we all be of Jesus Christ who died for us? Please study these verses. With love and prayers, Anne

-Ephesians 2:1-22; 4:1-24; 5:1-6:23 

How do we all work together?

-1 Corinthians 1:10-2:5 

What wisdom is it we use, men’s or Scripture’s? Is that all the time or sometimes?

-Acts 2:1-21 

Who will be saved? The elect? All? Some? What is the key verse?

-Hebrews 1:1-2:18 

How big is Jesus Christ? How important is God to us? What part does holiness, instead of pride and self-esteem, need to have in our hearts?

-Hebrews 13 

Paul gave bullet-points for us to remember. How do they compare to Romans 12?