Transcript

1 Corinthians chapter 7. We continue going verse by verse through this new Testament book as the apostle Paul writes this epistle, just means a letter, which God wanted preserved as authoritative scripture and we have it today, we call it 1 Corinthians and he’s writing to an immature, mixed up church, but he’s straightening them out one issue at a time and he’s been dealing with marriage and divorce and singleness, now we’re looking at social position in life and other things that they just had a many misconceptions about.

1 Corinthians 7, let’s look at verses 17-24. [1 Cor. 7:17-24] “Only as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this matter, let him walk. And thus I direct in all the churches. Was any man called already circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. Let each man remain in that condition in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price, do not become the slaves of men. Brethren, let each man remain with God in that condition in which he was called”.

I’ve entitled the message “True Spirituality”. True spirituality. Now what an impact, the gospel had when it first hit planet earth, when it was first preached. In the original days, when the gospel was preached, it was accompanied by signs and wonders and miracles and all sorts of special gifts. It announced the equality of men, that all men, kings or priests or peasants or paupers or wherever you live, were from, wherever you lived, everyone needed the gospel. It announced the singularity of Jesus Christ as absolute Lord over all. It pointed out the insignificance in the limited nature of everything concerning of this world, that this world had no ultimate final value. It was going to pass away. It talked about the certainty of Christ’s second coming and produced a great zeal and ferment in the heart and minds of so many believers. So its no surprise that these first century believers, seeing all of this happen, and hearing these glorious truth for the first time, acted the way that many of them acted, they over compensated and got out of balance on many things.

One of the things they did which was out of balance, was they began to break all social ties. They thought man, if all of these things are true, Christ is coming soon, and we ought to be get, he’s the only Lord we have, when, well, we need to give him all the devotion possible. So many husbands, at least in this church in Corinth were leaving their wives saying the way to truly be spiritual is to abandon your spouse so you can use all your time for the Lord. Some wives were divorcing their husbands, simply so they could expend all their energies for the Lord. Slaves were saying we need to revolt against our masters because we only have one Lord and that is Christ.

Though there are elements of truth here, they were completely out of balance. And Paul points out that the gospel is no revolutionary, disorganizing element. You don’t come to the gospel and totally rethink all the present relationships in your life. What the gospel does is change the inner man, it brings truth to the inner man, regardless of the external, social, or religious conditions of your past.

The gospel is to change the inside of man, which will also ultimately change the outside. But the essence of Christianity is not outward change or, or rather, not outward revolution from your social or even trying to erase your past religious experience.

Now let’s begin by looking at verse 17 and we’re continuing in the spirit of introduction here. Paul says here, “only as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each in this manner, let him walk and thus I direct in all the churches”. In other words he says, you should remain as you are socially speaking. When you get saved, stay where you are, don’t think that you are suppose to change something social speaking, to be a Christian. Because the Christian life is not about social revolution. It is about spiritual regeneration. Now check that statement. True Christians in any country may effect social revolution, but Christianity’s goal and the preoccupation of the Christian mind should not be social revolution. There’s a big difference between the two.

Now, when he’s talking about verse 17, “only as the Lord assigned to each one, as God has called each in this manner let him walk”, he’s referring at that point specifically back to marriage and singleness of verses 1-16 earlier in the chapter. Where he’s saying, if you’re single, then just stay single for now and serve God with all your heart. If you are divorced then just stay single as a divorced person, and serve God with all your heart, if that’s the condition you were saved in. If you were married and, and got saved as a married person, stay married and serve God with all your heart. They had been influenced that you have to do some sort of rash thing to your present social condition in order to honor the Lord. He said, that’s not true.

Now he’s also in these following verses, the next verses we’re coming to, that, going to talk about our social or rather our religious ritual and our social condition and he says you don’t need to, to worry about any of that either. What’s behind in your past, as far as your religious background, whenever you are saved, just stop that there and just go on for the Lord. Don’t worry about that.

Now remember social change may happen, but it happens as a result of transformed lives, that were transformed from the inside out. And I think we’re in a situation in our country today where good well meaning Christians perhaps are putting too much emphasis on external coercion and correction and not enough on inward transformation. We should purpose to serve the Lord in that position he has assigned to us. Notice that’s the way he words it there only as the Lord has assigned each one. Now that’s a strong statement, because what he’s implying there is the position or the social status you were in when you were saved is God’s assignment for you. Don’t try to change it, unless of course its obviously an evil corrupt position in life. I’d say if you’re a bar tender or a drug pusher, you ought to change your social position, alright. That’s not what he’s talking about. He’s talking married or single or slave or freedman, things of that nature. He says don’t’ worry about it, that’s your assignment form God. Stay right there and be the bets God, you can be for God.

And then he goes on and say sin verse 17, “only as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each”. In other words, that position he assigned you, when he called you to salvation, that’s the status or the position that you are in, stay there and just be the best Christian you can possibly be. Then he ends verse 17 by saying “and thus I direct in all the churches”. He’s making it clear this is not some sort of optional guideline that just meets the particular need of the church at Corinth. No, this is an absolute truth, for all Christians of all ages, in all areas.

Wherever you are saved, start there, just serve the Lord with a pure heart. Now God may change your assignment, but let him do it, don’t think you’ve got to change it, just because you’ve become a Christian.

Now, talking about true spirituality. Again, they were thinking you can’t be truly spiritual and be married. Others were teaching you can’t be truly spiritual and remain single. Others were saying, you can’t be truly spiritual and be a slave to anyone. You can’t be truly spiritual if you don’t add the laws of Judaism, over to Christianity. All these external things.

And so Paul here in a couple of particular situations is going to define for them what true spirituality is. Now number one, notice, true spirituality as it relates to religious ritual. True spirituality as it relates to religious ritual. Or you could just say religion, and we see this in verses 18-20. And what he’s going to point out here very, very clearly is that, internal regeneration, not external religion is what true spirit, spirituality is all about. Let me say that again. Internal regeneration not external religion and ritual is what true spirituality is really all about.

Now look at verse 18, the first phrase. He says, “was any man called already circumcised, let him not become uncircumcised”. Now some understood the error of the Jewish legalist who would come into a church and these Jewish legalists would gather as many people together as they possibly could and they said, now listen guys, if you are going to be really spiritual, if you are going to really know God and please God, if you are going to be truly spiritual, then you’ve got to receive Jesus, but you also must receive physical circumcision or you can’t really be right with God, because that’s what the Old Testament law taught.

And then there were others who taught if you have been circumcised and you really want to please God, you’ve got to become uncircumcised. And history actually records that there was a quite common surgical procedure whereby men could become uncircumcised who already had been circumcised. I want to tell you, this is a mixed up church. And Paul is saying, all of those external religious rites and rituals, which ever way you are going, are not important.

And so Paul says simply here, “if you were already circumcised”, following the laws of Judaism, then you got saved, don’t worry about it. Go on and serve God from there. And then he continues inverse 18, the last half, has anyone been called in uncircumcision, let him not be circumcised, just the other side of the same coin.

Look at verse 19, the first part. “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing”. It absolutely makes no difference. You see, none of these rituals can make you any more or any less a child of God. What happened in regeneration made you God’s child. What happened when God regenerated your soul, you were saved, therefore placed your faith in Christ, its settled, you’re God’s child, the relationship is fixed. And the gospel raises us above all of these so called religious rites and rituals that are suppose to make a person righteous or more spiritual before a holy God. It simply makes no difference.

And look at verse 19, the last half. “but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God”. Now listen to this statement. The external motions of religious practice are of no importance in themselves. The external motions of religious practice are of no importance in themselves. This is what I mean. Now you say preacher, now, now wait a minute. The Bible teachers baptism for the New Testament church, baptism is important. I agree. The Bible teaches also the ordinance of the Lord’s supper. Now that’s very important, I would agree, but in themselves they are nothing. They are only meaningful if the person being baptized is truly regenerate in their heart and their heart means something in that baptism. The supper only means something if you’ve truly been saved and are regenerate of the holy spirit and that supper means something to you. Just going through the motions so that they themselves may do something to make you more spiritual, that’s nothing Paul says. Its nothing to any of that.

All that really matters, he says there, last phrase of verse 19 is “the keeping of the commandments of God”. You now what he means. He means having a heart and a life that purposes to love and honor and obey Christ. He said, that’s what matters. When it all springs form a heart that’s been changed because the Lord Jesus Christ has come in, that is true spirituality. That is what God’s looking for.

Now, should you be baptized after you are saved. Absolutely. Its a command of God. You are rebelling if you do not. But that’s not what made you spiritual. Christ made you spiritual by changing your heart. Should you take the supper, in as often as the church observes it. Like the Bible says, certainly you should. But not because the supper is going to make you more spiritual or more pleasing to God, but because it means something, its the expression of your new changed heart. The bread says I love my Lord and his precious body that was bruised and beaten and became the sin bearing sacrifice for me. You drink the juice and you say I love my precious Lord and his precious blood was poured out there on the cross, signifying he died so that I don’t have to taste the blow of death. it means something, that is true spirituality.

You may want to jot down these verses and look at them a little later, I’ll not turn there because of time. Romans 2:25-29. Romans chapter 2 verses 25-29, and Galatians 5:6. Galatians chapter 5 verse 6.

Now continuing his insight on true spirituality as it relates to religious ritual, notice verse 20. He said, “let each man remain in that condition in which he was called”. Now this is not an absolute command, he’s not saying that you absolutely, cannot, if you’re saved, if you’re saved and your 18 years old and you’ve got a job washing cars at the gas station on Saturdays, that’s the only social position you’ve ever had, you’ve got to stay right there. No, he’s not saying that of course. He’s just saying you should not be preoccupied that changing something about your religious past, something about your social status, whatever, can make you anymore spiritual or anymore right or any more pleasing to God. Those things should not preoccupy our minds, those things do not matter.

Now there were two groups here in this religious ritual camp, there’s that group that says you’re wrong if you’ve ever been circumcised. If you’ve ever been circumcised, then you cant please God until you are uncircumcised again, somehow.

And then there was that other group that says, you absolutely must receive circumcision, just like the law of Moses commanded, but really both are totally wrong. Paul simply says, when you get saved, start where you are and serve God with a new regenerate heart. Why? Because true spirituality emphasizes internal regeneration, not outward external religion and ritual.

Now he goes to the second area. First of all, true spirituality as it relates to religious ritual. And now secondly, true spirituality as it relates to social status. True spirituality as it relates to social status.

Now, now the flesh rejects this kind of thing, the flesh raises up against these truths, but listen to me carefully as we look at these. First of all, let me say very clearly, that the purpose of Christianity and the purpose of becoming a Christian is not to produce social change. I could not make that statement strong enough and loudly enough. The purpose of Christianity and the purpose of becoming a Christian is not to make America, or even the world, a better place to live. That may be one of the resulting byproducts of more and more people becoming Christian, but that’s not the goal of Christianity.

A friend of mine, a business class one time, and I think actually it was a marketing class, and he was asked to do a paper, and express something, and he came to me and said, I want to do a paper and do the oral report on the paper, about selling the gospel, or sharing the gospel. I said, that’s a pretty bold move. He said, yeah, but I’ve got to have an authority and I’m going to use you as the authority so tell me what the gospel is. Of course he knew, but he had to get my so-called blessing on it, or, use me as his reference. And he did all of that and after he sat down his professor said you don’t understand and pastor Noblit doesn’t understand, Christianity is just about behavior change. Just trying to help people be better and let them live a better life in a better world. Wrong. Not right, Christianity, the goal is not about social change.

Christianity is internal. And being internal, Christianity is compatible with any social status. Unless of course, it in itself is some corrupt and evil social position. We’ve already talked about that. For example, if you are single, you can serve God and obey God as a single. If you re divorced, you get saved, you can serve God and obey God now as a divorced single person. If you are widowed, you can serve God and obey God as a widower, or a widow. If you are a slave, he said, yes, you can obey and honor and serve God as a slave. If you are free, or a master even, you can obey and serve God as a freed man, or master. If you are a Jew, get saved, you can obey and serve God as a saved Jew. If you are a Gentile, that’s all of us, and get saved, you can serve God, now as a converted Gentile.

And its also compatible with any type of society. Christianity is compatible with democracy. It’s compatible with socialism, its compatible with communism, and even an absolute dictatorship, which is what reigned under the Caesars of our Lord, in the day of Paul. And we don’t’ have any record that I know of in the sacred text where Paul or Jesus said we need to rise up against this wrong totalitarian government. As a matter of fact, both of them teaches to honor government authority. Amen.

Now that’s not to say in a free country where we vote, and, and express our opinion, we shouldn’t push for a particular type of government. I’m not saying that. Of course that’s true. But he’s, the point Paul is going to make here is that we’re not preoccupied with changing a government of changing a social situation that’s not the goal of Christianity.

Now the Corinthians again were misrepresenting the spiritual truths. In they were saying, hey, man, if you’re, if you’re a slave, no way you can honor and obey Christ as a slave, you’ve got to become free. Where Christ is your only Lord, and they were out of balance. They said, man, if you own slaves, no way in the world you could have people under you and under your authority, you’ve got to let them go free, or if you are single, man, you’ve got to get married, if you’re divorced, some were saying, man, you can never serve God. And on and on and on, they were misrepresenting the spiritual truth.

Now look at verse 21, the first part. “Were you called while a slave, do not worry about it”. Now he’s saying, if you are a human slave to another human being, and in that condition you were saved, don’t worry about it. Now, in this day two-thirds of the people in the Roman empire were slaves of some status. You understand there are all sorts of levels of slavery, many of them were much like our employees today, but nonetheless some were bond slaves. Now what’s Paul’s point. He’s not endorsing, neither is he condoning the evils of slavery, we’re agreed on that. His point is that you are every bit as able to live the Christian life to obey your Lord and honor your Lord in the state of slavery as you are, as if you were free. Being a slave does not hinder you from being a good Christian. As a matter of fact, I think history will record that most Christians are better Christians under slavery then when they are free.

And Paul says, that’s the most important thing. True spirituality, loving and honoring God from the heart. Not you outward social status or condition. Slavery is not an obstacle to Christian living.

As a matter of fact, keep your finger here, and turn over to Ephesians chapter 6, would you do that, over to the right a few books and look at Ephesians chapter 6. Now look at verses 5-8. He says, “slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ. Not by way of eye service, as men pleasures, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will render service as to the Lord and not to men”.

Now if you would turn to Colossians, a couple of books over, Colossians chapter 3. Look at verse 22. “Slaves in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work hardly as for the Lord rather than for men”. I think Paul’s made it very clear, three different books and he’s very clear about the issue.

Now look at verse 21 in our text again, 1 Corinthians 7:21. Now he’s already said in verse 21, did you get saved while in the social status or condition of being a slave, but don’t worry about it. You shouldn’t be preoccupied with changing that status. That’s not your goal, its not that well, now I’m a Christian I’ve got to overcome this evil in my life. That’s not, he says no, don’t worry about it.

Then notice also inverse 21 he says, but “if you are able also to become free, rather do that”. So the goal of Christianity is not changing our social status, or our social condition, not to move on the other side of the tracks, not to move up the social ladder, or the economic ladder in the community, you can be a good Christian and be poor just like you can be a good Christian and be rich, those things don’t change anything. As far as your ability to live out the Christian life. Although that should not be your goal and you should not be preoccupied with that he says, if the opportunity does arise, then be free.

A big part of the apostle Paul’s ministry was spent in jail. But when they let him go, he left. It didn’t hinder his ministry, it didn’t hurt him, it didn’t hurt his witness, it didn’t hurt from being God’s apostle at all. As a matter of fact, in the book of Philippians he writes, and at the end of the book he says oh, by the way, all the believers in Caesar’s household send their greetings. You know what Paul meant by that. He was locked up in Caesar’s household, he was in prisoned in the palace of Caesar. But while he was in prison there, he led a whole bunch of them to Christ. He just made a church out of the place.

His point is, you can enslave a Christian, doesn’t hurt him at all, he can still obey Christ. Folks, is that not the goal. Not freedom, not social position, not social status, not a change of position in society, its honoring and obeying my Lord that’s the factor that I’m concerned about, he says you can do that as a slave. Doesn’t matter.

Look at verse 22, notice the glorious paradox here in verse 22. “For he who was called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freed man”. The slave who saved is free in Christ. Listen to what the great systematic theologian Charles Hodges said about this verse. “A man need care little about his external condition in this world who is freed from the bondage of satan, the curse of the law, the dominion of sin, and who is made a child and heir of God, that is who is conformed to the image of his Son and a partaker of his exaltation and his kingdom”. He says, you’ve got all that going for you, you are nobody’s slave, you’re free.

You got all that going for you, it doesn’t matter about your external position, you’re free. You maybe a slave to men temporality down here in this temporal world, but you’re free from satan’s dominion. You’re free from sin’s bondage. You’re free from the lust of the flesh. You’re free from the coming judgement and condemnation that’s coming on this temporal world, you’re free from the curse of the law.

Now notice also the other side of the paradox here in verse 22. First of all he said, the first phrase, “for he was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freed man, likewise he who was called while free is Christ’s slave”. So the distinction between master and servant once you are saved is obliterated. The Lord bought and owns the man whose free, he’s bought him with his own blood, so he’s the Lord’s slave. And now he uses his freedom not for self, but for his Lord. The slave usually uses his slavery not for self but for the Lord, the freed man uses his freedom not for self but for the Lord, same difference Paul says. In other words, don’t be preoccupied that you can’t please God if you’re a slave.

That’s not the point, Paul says. Its Christians generally speaking should not be preoccupied with changing their social condition. If Christians ever get attached to a social or politician revolution they will lose the gospel, the main thing.

History records that each time Christendom has attached itself to a social movement, the message of the cross has been lost. All of a sudden we see our end as the equality of all men, all of a sudden we see our end as to end racism. All of a sudden we see the end of our purpose as Christians to eradicate the world of poverty, or hunger or whatever else we may as individual Christians be involved in some of those things, but those things are not the chief occupation of our heart and mind, or the goal of becoming a Christian. Or the goal of Christian after you are saved.0

Now true Christianity, listen to me, true Christianity lived out will abolish slavery. In any country. True Christianity lived out from individuals who are truly saved, will cure social ills. But you do not become a Christian to attack social ills. Its more the result and the by-product than the goal. I think the history of this country is a good statement about that. We know everyone who came to this land from Europe was not a born again child of God, but I believe there was a substantial percentage who were. You notice they didn’t start coming over here to say we’re going to start a political and social revolution, start up a new government. No, they came over here saying, we want to honor God. And the result happened to be the established of the type of government and society where all men are free. And we blew it on that one in the south for a while. The result happened to be a society where there’s checks and balances and no absolute dictators running the country. A house and the senate and the judiciary branch, the legislative branch of government. Those were the result of individual Christians influencing culture, not of Christianity being about social change. There’s a huge difference.

Paul says we do not need to be overly concerned about our earthly state, we don’t’ need to be too concerned about that, because internal spirituality is far more important. You can obey and honor Christ as a slave as easily and as effectively as you can honor and obey Christ as a free man. And that’s what true spirituality is all about. Not your external social condition, but your inward spiritual freedom. In Christ.

Look at verse 23. “You were bought with a price, do not become the slaves of men”. You see the one who truly owns you, if you’re a slave, is the one who also instructs you not to be preoccupied with changing your social condition. He simply says, serve the Lord with a whole heart, in the condition in which you were saved.

Now in verse 23 also he says, “do not become the slaves of men”. Now that Christian who happens to have the social status of slave, in the truest sense is not a slave to any man. His position as a slave, and his earthly master do not possess him. He’s owned and possessed by God, not them. They do not control his heart and his mind. God controls it and preoccupies it. They cannot remove this man’s joy, and this man’s peace in Christ.

Now if he were not saved, and was the slave of men, he would be enslaved to joylessness, inner turmoil, resentment, despair, bitterness. And in essence his social position then would control his inner self. Then he’s a slave indeed.

Now the believer is the slave of Christ, and therefore he cannot be the slave of man, because a man can’t serve two masters. Once you become the slave of Christ, doesn’t matter your social position, you belong to him. You are owned by him and he rules and reigns over everything else.

Now I want you to turn one more time to Ephesians chapter 6 and remind ourselves of these truths and we’ll be through. Ephesians chapter 6, look at verse 5 again. Ephesians 6:5. “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling and sincerity of your heart as to Christ”. In other words, every day slave, as you get up and your master says do something, you do it with the vigor, the zeal, the genuineness, the sincerity, the whole heartedness, as if that master himself were Jesus. You see, Paul said, don’t be preoccupied with leaving slavery, when you get saved you’ll be the best slave in town. For Christ’s glory, because you name his name now.

And so those other problems they had out, being out of balance on their perspective of what true spirituality was, if your wife, its not spiritual to leave your husband. You ought to be the best wife in town. Because now you name the name of Jesus. If you’re a husband, don’t think you are more spiritual if you leave your wife under some notion that you can devote more time to Jesus. No, you ought to be the best husband in town, that’s his point.

Now verse 6 in Ephesians 6. “Not by way of I service, as men pleasers”. In other words, don’t just be loyal and honor and devoted to your master when he sees you or other people see you and can report your performance, “but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart”. With good will render service as to the Lord not to men. You men that work for people, you ladies that work for people out in the work world, it ought to be their testimony every week, you know, John works for me, Jim works for me, Jane works for me, Sally works for me, as hard and they don’t know I know about it, as when they do know I’m watching. You know I think I know why. Because I’ve heard they’re Christians.

You see, one who is redeemed by Christ’s blood, one who knows he belongs to Christ, one for whom Christ’s rule and Christ’s law is all that matters in his heart, and that one who may have to serve an earthly master is not pleasing that master, he’s not pleasing men, he’s pleasing his Lord, and that person is inwardly free, regardless of his external relations and his social condition.

The true slave, the true slave may be that master whose unsaved. The true slave maybe the freed man, as they called them in this day, whose not saved, whose enslaved to his lust. Whose enslaved to materialism, whose enslaved to greed, whose enslaved to sin, and whose enslaved to satan, whose enslaved to this world, and he faces the judgement to come, and beyond all that, he’s blinded to the fact that he is a slave. Christ said, you’re far better off, even though you have an earthly master being saved and free in Christ, then being free but enslaved by sin, satan and the world, and facing the judgement to come.

True spirituality Paul says, as far as our social condition, don’t be too concerned about that. He says, if you get the opportunity to improve yourself, go for it, take the promotion, get the education, do the extra study course, try to get the promotion in the race, its good. But that’s not what really matters, ultimately. But you can honor and obey God, working for minimum wage. If that’s where he has you.

Well, does a minimum wage job keep you from honoring Jesus Christ. Obeying Jesus, it doesn’t keep us at all. But if you get the chance, do better for yourself and for your family. Paul says, that’s fine. But true spirituality has nothing to do with your social position or condition.

True spirituality has nothing to do with religious ritual and rite. It comes from the heart that’s been born again, birthed a new life in you. Birthed by the spirit of God.

Verse 24 of 1 Corinthians 7, Paul ends, for the third time with this simple exhortation. “Brethren let each man remain with God in that condition in which he was called”. Quit running and struggling and striving and working to change something about your religious past or something you are going to do different religiously in the future. Quit worrying and fretting about whether or not you’re a slave or a freed man, just right where you are, honor God from the heart, obey Christ, and live for Him, that is true spirituality.