1 Corinthians 10:1-5 - There's some deep stuff in here. Paul says that the people in Moses' day were 'baptized' by the cloud over them and the sea, however, they were baptized into Moses.
I tried to wrestle my mind into an understanding of this with regards to what we know as baptism, but my mind failed me. There's lots that could be read into it, but in the end it's not really a passage to be dogmatic about. That Paul chose to use baptism as the parallel here may help illuminate what Paul's view of baptism was, a gateway or a point of transformation perhaps, but then in verse 5 he points out that not all were transformed. Do you have any insights?
1 Corinthians 10:9 - Paul uses 'Christ' interchangeably with 'God' in this chapter. (He also says in verse 4 that they drank from the same 'spiritual Rock' and that Rock was Christ), Clearly, in Moses' day, Jesus had not yet come, nor had most of the prophesies of His coming been made, I don't believe. So one could argue that Moses and the Israelites could not have had any idea of Christ. Yet Paul says they tested 'Christ' and drank from 'Christ'. Though we see Jesus existing at a specific point in time, Christ is timeless and one with God. So Moses and the people challenging and testing God was the same as challenging Christ, though he hadn't yet been seen.
1 Corinthians 10:12 - One of the wisest single verses in the Bible, and perhaps one of the most ignored.
1 Corinthians 10:19-22 - We can look at this passage and say, "Yeah, no demons, OK, whatever." because 'demons' seem so medieval or whatever. But Paul is almost pauses to make sure tehy get the point - demons are not to be taken lightly. Consider what you do and the implications. Oh, it's just a movie with a little too much violence or nudity. It's just a song, yeah, it's not the best lyrics, but wow, what a great beat. When the world creates these things, they bow at the alter of sensuality. If you endorse it or participate, even though you know the difference, are you too participating in that offering? It's not as easy as saying no R rated movies or no heavy metal or gasta rap, but neither is it as simple as to the pure all things are pure. We must guard our hearts and remember where our allegiances lie, and that will mean taking a stand sometimes where we really don't feel like it.
Well said, Doug. It's humbling stuff.
Hey. You use MT. Do you use IIS 6, FastCGI, and Perl? Not much chance of it, I know, but it's worth an ask. :-)
Been using MT for 6 years, but not IIS 6 (which is ... ? :-D), FastCGI or Perl. Well, since MT runs on Perl, I guess I'm using it, but I certainly don't know it. :-D
Why, do you have a job opening? :-D
I need to read up on that. Good stuff.
I don't know but it's pretty interesting. Baptised in the cloud and in the sea but they passed under the cloud and through the sea.
Two weird thoughts. One metaphor is baptism by fire. This could be baptism by fire, air (cloud), and water (sea). Not much there but it's seems to be metaphor.
The other thing is baptism, since Jesus time, seems to be with water. In this case both sea and cloud as have water though one is in gaseous form.
So it's interesting. I just think Paul is on a different plain here where what he is saying is in a riddle, like Jesus spoke, but it also makes perfect sense to him.