Pictured to the left is a copy of a version of the Holy Bible, known as the ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION ( ESV ). 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 read as follows:
"17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 21 Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God."
Moreover, Ephesians 4:1-12 read as follows:
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit-just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says, 'When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.' 9 (In saying, 'He ascended,' what does it mean but that he also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ."
The word "parenthetical" is defined as follows:
". . . adj. 1 Pertaining to a parenthesis. 2 Abounding in parentheses. 3 Thrown in; episodical. . . ." [ See NEW ILLUSTRATED WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY Including THESAURUS of SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS, PMC Publishing Company, Inc., 118 EAST 28th STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10016, dictionary portion: pages 1-1150, Copyright 1992, by J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, p. 706. ]
Paul ( see 1 Corinthians 1:1 ) wrote ( see 9:1; 16:21, for example ) the parenthetical statement ( at the end of verse twenty-one, above ) as a means of setting the context for what he would be writing in verse twenty-two. Here, he throws in the concept of gaining one's freedom as a means of stressing obedience to the gospel of our Lord Jesus ( see 2 Thessalonians 1:5-12 ( especially verses 8-10, for example ), for example ).
Specifically, one is freed from his or her past sins when he or she is baptized, by immersion in water, in the name of Jesus Christ ( see Acts 2:38; 8:26-40 ( especially verses 36-39, for example; KJV, for example ), Romans 3:21-26 ( especially verse 25, for example; KJV, for example ); 6:1-4 ( especially verses 3 and 4, for example ), Colossians 1:15-20 ( especially verse 20, for example ), and Revelation 1:1-5 ( especially verse 5, for example ), for example ). Thus, in this parenthetical statement, Paul was simply stating that one needs to avail himself or herself of the opportunity to gain freedom from his or her past sins. This observation agrees with the context of the next two verses, where the concept of being called ( as we read in the first verse twenty-two, above ) is a reference to obedience to the gospel of our Lord Jesus, and the first verse twenty-three ( above ), teaches that we, as Christians ( see Acts 11:26, for example ), being slaves of Christ ( again, as we read in the first verse twenty-two ), were bought with His blood: we are His property ( see Leviticus 25:44, 45, Acts 2:41, 47 ( KJV, for example ); 20:17-28 ( especially verse 28, for example; KJV, for example ), Romans 10:1-4 ( especially verse 4, for example ); 12:1-8 ( especially verse 5, for example ); 15:1-4 ( especially verse 4, for example ), for example ), 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 ( especially verses 19 and 20, for example ), Ephesians 1:15-23 ( especially verses 22 and 23, for example ), and Hebrews 9:11-14 ( especially verse 14, for example ), for example ).
The final thought of Paul, in this context, is that of remaining in whatever condition one is in when called ( as we read in the first verse twenty-four, above ). Namely, if one is free, then he or she must remain free. Likewise, if one is a slave, then he or she must remain a slave. One implication, regarding this observation, is that not only is the free person called to have a ministry in the kingdom of God ( of which the New Testament church, the church of Christ, is the earthly realm - see Daniel 2:31-45 ( especially verse 44, for example ), Joel 2:28-32, Matthew 16:17, 18, Luke 1:26-33 ( especially verse 33, for example ), Acts, chapter 2, and Romans 16:16, for example ), but the lowly slave, as well. This means that the heavenly Father ( see Matthew 5:9, 16: 6:9, 14, for example ) calls one to the ministry regardless of his or her social status: He "shows no partiality" ( see Acts 10:34 ).
The question, then, becomes one with respect to an individual's calling. What were you, the reader, called to be in His kingdom? From the list that we find in the first verse eleven ( above ), apostles with miraculous powers and prophets are no longer necessary ( see Mark 16:20, John 2:11 ( see John 2:11 ( KJV; with center-column references ) to get the equivalent translation for the word "miracles" ), Acts 1:12-26 ( especially verses 21 and 22, for example ), and 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, for example, and cf. the footnote for 2 Corinthians 8:23 to get the alternative translation for the word "messengers").
Therefore, in this context, one's calling is that of evangelist, shepherd, and/or teacher. Christian women can be teachers ( see 2 Timothy 1:1-5 ( especially verse 5, for example ); 3:10-17 ( especially verse 15, for example ), and cf. Ephesians 6:4, for example ) but they are not allowed to be evangelists, in the full sense of that calling ( see 1 Timothy 2:12, for example, and cf. Luke 15:8-10, for example ), or shepherds. A Christian man, though, can have the calling of evangelist ( see 2 Timothy 1:2; 4:2, for example ), shepherd ( 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and 1 Peter 5:1-11 ( especially verses 1-4, for example ), for example ), or teacher ( see Acts 11:19-26 ( especially verses 25 and 26, for example ), for example ), or all three.
Please study the Holy Bible ( which is God's word - see Psalm 119:65-73, 142, and 151, John 17:1, 3, and 17, and 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ). If you have any questions about the Holy Bible, you can contact me be e-mail at:
<rewillis1_1@juno.com>
<Russell E. Willis>.
NOTE: Please read the Wednesday, September 16, 2015 and Monday, September 28, 2015 entries to this weblog to find additional facts regarding this subject.
