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The Church-Community: An Outpost of the Future
In 1 Corinthians 6 Paul continues to address the specific problems within the Corinthian community (lawsuits and sexual immorality), but with an interesting twist. He frames their disunity in terms of eschatology. For Paul the future of the whole world (which just is the risen Christ) has already arrived ahead of time in the middle of time. Paul encourages the Corinthians to live into that future now in the midst of the present.
For Paul the Corinthians’ issues all boil down to disunity within the church-community. Whether it is sexual immorality, members taking other members to court, etc., the issue is that individuals are putting themselves before the community.
In 1 Cor. 15 Paul uses the image of the first and second Adam. The first Adam was an “animated being” with breath in his lungs. The second Adam (Christ) became a “life-giving spirit.” The first Adam breathes only for himself. His whole life is about preserving his own breath by whatever means necessary. The second Adam does not try to preserve his own breath, but hands his breath over (John 19:30) for the sake of others. His breathing (the Spirit!) gives life rather than taking it.
Those who have been “washed, sanctified, and justified” in Christ, the second Adam, are called to live into the future that Jesus has made a reality right now.
The church-community is to be a congregation, an embassy, and outpost that is from the future God intends for all things. That is our reality whether we realize it or not. Our calling is to live in the world and with one another bearing witness to God’s ultimate future. By the power of the Spirit that Christ has given to us we are called to live in such a way that we “bear more pain than we inflict on the world” (Tim Keller).
1 Cor. 6:12—14 is almost universally acknowledge by scholars to be a dialogical argument between Paul and the Corinthians. Paul quotes popular slogans from the Corinthians and then provides his rejoinder. Here’s how I think that works in this passage:
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cameroncombs.substack.com
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By Cameron CombsIn 1 Corinthians 6 Paul continues to address the specific problems within the Corinthian community (lawsuits and sexual immorality), but with an interesting twist. He frames their disunity in terms of eschatology. For Paul the future of the whole world (which just is the risen Christ) has already arrived ahead of time in the middle of time. Paul encourages the Corinthians to live into that future now in the midst of the present.
For Paul the Corinthians’ issues all boil down to disunity within the church-community. Whether it is sexual immorality, members taking other members to court, etc., the issue is that individuals are putting themselves before the community.
In 1 Cor. 15 Paul uses the image of the first and second Adam. The first Adam was an “animated being” with breath in his lungs. The second Adam (Christ) became a “life-giving spirit.” The first Adam breathes only for himself. His whole life is about preserving his own breath by whatever means necessary. The second Adam does not try to preserve his own breath, but hands his breath over (John 19:30) for the sake of others. His breathing (the Spirit!) gives life rather than taking it.
Those who have been “washed, sanctified, and justified” in Christ, the second Adam, are called to live into the future that Jesus has made a reality right now.
The church-community is to be a congregation, an embassy, and outpost that is from the future God intends for all things. That is our reality whether we realize it or not. Our calling is to live in the world and with one another bearing witness to God’s ultimate future. By the power of the Spirit that Christ has given to us we are called to live in such a way that we “bear more pain than we inflict on the world” (Tim Keller).
1 Cor. 6:12—14 is almost universally acknowledge by scholars to be a dialogical argument between Paul and the Corinthians. Paul quotes popular slogans from the Corinthians and then provides his rejoinder. Here’s how I think that works in this passage:
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cameroncombs.substack.com