1 Co 11

Ron Brooks

1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

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Democracy is as dangerous as it is comfortable

the focus on personal rights over collective good often leads to the greatst confusion and corruption

while it is true that our founders turned to SCR for an awareness of individual rights, it’s also true that 1- there was an historical context that drove them (they weren’t infallible) and 2- teh undamentals of government checks and balances do not necessitae only democracy

Democracy is a pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance.

H. L. Mencken

Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage.

H. L. Mencken

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

Winston Churchill

Democracy... is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder; and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike.

Plato

Remember where we have been:

1co 10:28-

1 Corinthians 10:28–33 ESV

But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Note where Paul’s concern was—indivdual rights bend to community benefit

We have a real problem with sorting out freedom in Christ from political independence

1 Corinthians 2:16 ESV

“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1co

James 2:12 ESV

So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.

Galatians 5:1 ESV

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:13 ESV

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Freedom in Christ does not mean freedom from obligation

Romans 15:1 ESV

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

So here, Paul is concerned with the connection between communion and community

Communion in the church means integrated individuality

When it goes wrong- conflict, bite and devour, strain, drain

When it goes right- build, encourage, nurture, etc

Paul’s recurring sentiment:

BOdy:

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 ESV

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

Used 35x in 1 Cor—almost as much as in all other of his epistles combined—word repetition is significant in study—it points out theme—and here, doctrinal theme

The repetition of Body reflects God’s heart (jealously guards—sick and dying)

The repetition of Body reinforces the essential message—your faith can’t be isolated from your faith community

Even more—you can’t disrespect teh body without disrespecting the head

Even more still—every God ordained collective needs community-minded involvement (look at how these principles apply to family—in fact, even Paul here can’t get around seeing the family involvement and family parallel

Note “husband” and “wife” language

The church is often stated to be an organism, not an organization

Whatever the case, this is true either way--

Order Creates Health

Democratization kills communion (the preference of the individual over the group;

Often said, “7 last words...” but we have seen only 3--”what about me”

The problem isn’t individuality but individualism

(That’s coming in next chapters)

(it creates winners and losers, drives suspicions (no trust), fosters manipulation (give to get / deal making rather than truth and purity and love—self-centered love; and systematic selfishness, whether people or organizations, then the ensuing jealousy and rivalry)

(it creates

Paul’s remedy for unhealthy individualism is a combination of humility and honor

Corinth—city of wealth—Aphrodite, Apollos- rivaled Athens; had isthmean games—thoroughly greed; then fell until 44AD—Caesar revived, once again important trade etc—in both instances, thorough acient democracy

Cf. opinions like noses...

existing male / fe,ale roles—lost in culture

The city soon became a melting pot for the approximately 500,000 people who lived there at the time of Paul’s arrival. Merchants and sailors, anxious to work the docks, migrated to Corinth. Professional gamblers and athletes, betting on the Isthmian games, took up residence. Slaves, sometimes freed but with no place to go, roamed the streets day and night. And prostitutes (both male and female) were abundant. People from Rome, the rest of Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor—indeed, all of the Mediterranean world—relished the lack of standards and freedom of thought that prevailed in the city.

These were the people who eventually made up the Corinthian church. They had to learn to live together in harmony, although their national, social, economic, and religious backgrounds were very different.