Addition to my previous post:
PAUL’S LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH (1 CORINTHIANS)
The Corinthian church was a "fleshly” or "carnal” (KJV) church and Paul could not speak to them as to spiritual men.
1 Cor. 3:1-3 (NASB) ”“
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly.
1 Cor. 2:14 (NASB) ”“
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.
To a "fleshly” church, Paul had to give instructions suitable for "fleshly” men.
PAUL’S LETTERS TO TIMOTHY
Paul wrote his letters to Timothy circa A.D. 63 (1 Timothy) and 67 A.D. (2 Timothy).
Timothy was pastoring the church at Ephesus at that time.
The Ephesian church had had the precious knowledge of the glorious church in resurrection power seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus at the right hand of God the Father, far above all rule and power and authority and dominion (Eph. 1:20-21, 2:6).
But 5 years before he wrote his letter to Timothy, Paul had warned elders in the Ephesian church that wolves would enter the church to draw disciples after them with perverse teaching.
Acts 20:28-30 (NASB) ”“
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
The wolves had appeared. And Timothy was instructed by Paul to stay at Ephesus to save the situation.
1 Tim. 1:3-4 ”“
As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines,
1 Tim. 1:18-20 ”“
This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.
There were men going away from the truth and upsetting the faith of some (2 Tim. 2:18).
There were men who were "lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power” (2 Tim. 3:2-5).
There were women who had already turned aside to follow Satan (1 Tim. 5:15).
It was to such a church that Paul’s corrective instructions to Timothy were written.
The church at Ephesus would quickly lose her first love (Rev. 2:4).
Other things would quickly take the preeminent place in their hearts and their lives.
Christ Himself would no longer be known and loved and desired above all else.
As David loved the Lord:
Ps. 18:1-3 ”“
And he said, "I love You, O LORD, my strength."
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;
My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,
And I am saved from my enemies.
Ps. 44:8 ”“
In God we have boasted all day long,
And we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah.
PAUL’S LETTER TO TITUS
Paul wrote his letter to Titus circa A.D. 65.
Titus was pastoring the church at Crete.
Cretans were known to be "liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons”.
Titus 1:12 (NIV) ”“
One of Crete's own prophets has said it: "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons."
And the Cretans in the church were living up to this deplorable reputation and Paul was instructing Titus to rebuke them so that they may be sound in their faith.
Titus 1:13 ”“
This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,
Titus 1:10 ”“
For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, WHO MUST BE SILENCED because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.
Titus 1:16 ”“
They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.
Titus 3:8 ”“
This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.
It was to such a church that Paul’s corrective instructions to Titus were given. The whole church, including the leadership, needed to be made right.
COMMENT
If your church assembly is fleshly like that at Corinth or corrupted like that at Ephesus and Crete, where Satan still walks within and still has the power to deceive, then, yes, Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians, to Timothy and to Titus are applicable.
But we are in Christ. The new creation has come. The old has gone. The new is here! (2 Cor. 5:17)
We are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
We have been baptized into Christ and clothed ourselves with Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:27-28).
We are in Christ and Christ is in us (John 14:20, 17:22-26).
We are seated in the heavenly places in Christ FAR ABOVE ALL RULE AND POWER AND AUTHORITY AND DOMINION.
By God’s doing we are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, (1 Cor. 1:30).
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2).
Proverbs 29:18 (CSB) ”“
Without revelation people run wild
Hosea 4:6 --
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
2 Cor. 3:18 ”“
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Jude 24-25 ”“
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
