Dear ITEM Partner,
This has been a long long day. Up at 6:15 and got to venue about 9:30. Last lecture ended at 3:15, giving of certificates took over an hour (135). Then innumerable pictures. The to a team member’s home for dinner. I was zonked and pretty much useless during the dinner. Thankfully, Bill was there to carry the conversation. I fot to my room about 8:30pm. I am only going to upload a few pictures and the recent Q&A and Ill give more detail about today, tomorrow.
Q: You (Bill) said that Paul actually wrote four letters to the Corinthian church. Not just 1 & 2 Corinthians. Why are they not in the Bible? Is the Bible incomplete?
ANS: There is a reference in 1 Cor 5:11 is to a previous letter. So there as one before 1 Cor. In 2 Cor 2:4 Paul again writes about a severe letter he wrote to them. Most do not think 1 Cor meets that description. So it must have been a letter that he sent between 1 & 2 Cor. So, there was a previous letter, then 1 Cor. Then a severe letter. Then 2 Cor.
Q: The Bible says the pastor is to be the husband of one wife. What if the pastor is not married? Can he be the pastor?
ANS: The literal meaning of the original language means “a one-woman man.” The pastor is to be devoted to just one woman. If he is single, he should not be a womanizer, a man who is going out with a different woman every night.
Q: The Bible says the pastor’s children are to be under control. Can a man be a pastor and not have children?
ANS: Yes. This is a general qualification because it was understood that most pastors will have families and he is to be a good manager of his family.
Q: In your (Bill) lecture about church discipline you spoke of someone who is involved in “known, continuous, willful sin.” How do we know what sin is willful and what is unwilful sin?
ANS: Continuous sin and willful sin are basically the same thing. These are sins this person does often and is not bothered by it. Maybe a better word would be “unrepentant” not “willful” sin; “continuous, unrepentant” sin.
Q: Why are some serving as pastors just to make money?
ANS: Because their motivation is wrong. In 1 Cor 9, Paul gives six reasons why the pastor should be paid. Then he says in 1 Cor 9:15, “I use none of these so no one will question my motive for preaching the gospel.” The false teachers mentioned in 2 Pet 2 were motivated by greed (2 Pet 2:3, 14). And in 1 Pet 5:2 the pastor is told that he is to serve voluntarily no for sordid (filthy) gain.
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More tomorrow when I am alert.
By His grace,
Steve