Notes For Taking Notes

 

Notes taken from the lectures of Herman Mark, 1929

by Georg Bredig (1868-1944)

My own notes that prompted this blog are no more readable than those above are to me. September 6, 2020, Billy Thompson taught our Sunday School class, the one we joined following Covid-19. Billy followed workbooks available to classes, and I started saving those - but I have no idea which class book we used September 6! Therefore, this note I took has little context:

Spiritual Maturity

Check your appetite: v 1-2 If we are still taking only milk, we are not maturing (i.e. only John 3:16 without v18!!)

Now, since I may not have a greater biblical knowledge base than some of my readers (go ahead, find where we were studying before reading further) and others already know where this is headed, let's take a look at verses one and two in 1 Corinthians 3:

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 

Paul knew the church at Corinth were not only new to beliefs in Christ, they were for a good part, new to Judaism, with its Laws that had both been followed and broken for centuries before. Corinth had a completely different set of rules and personal beliefs. F. B. Meyer Bible Commentary must have had that in mind as the author requests our own self-examination:

He is a babe who needs to be fed with milk, little and often, because unable to digest solid food. He is a sectarian, throwing contempt on those who do not belong to his own school of thought. He allows himself to be infected with jealousy and strife. Let us test our Christian life by these symptoms. Where are we?

It does take getting to the "meat" of issues, including why we make our own statements regarding controversies encountered in modern societies that differ by creed as well as country. To say "that's what the Bible says" is insufficient unless we know:  1) why it is in the Bible; 2) who said it in the Bible; 3) why was it necessary when it was said and is still necessary today. These issues that are divisive among mankind must be investigated to determine why they exist, and how are they to be addressed.

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 

Carnal, as used here, is shown in Strong's translation as "pertaining to flesh, that is (by extension) bodily, temporal, or (by implication) animal, unregenerate, fleshly." As in opposition to what is spiritual and/or godly. It is easily understood that as new Christians, it would take a bit to become knowledgeable as to the differences from when we did not know Christ to after we've been learning of Him.

For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:1-9 KJV)

How many of us, when asked about our beliefs give a denomination's name? Why do we not do as those in Antioch?

Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (Acts 11:25-26 KJV)

This is part of the "meat" - followers of Christ should consider themselves Christians. My faith is based on God's promises of the Messiah for the Jews, the promised blessing for the world told to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and the promise to King David there would be a continuation of his kingly line. To believe all that also means we believe in God. The difference is, Christians accept the prophecy fulfillment of Jesus' life, death, and the number of people who confirmed His resurrection. 

Each Christian denomination is based on those fundamental items. Yes, I have heard and read of church priests, pastors, and leaders who cannot accept those fundamentals, yet continue to serve in their chosen denominations. To me that is regrettable, but does not erase the common belief among people who do profess to be followers of Christ.

Can we, based on the biblical writers, accept that while some denominations may house, or even support, carnal Christians without question, they may also include spiritual brethren who believe we are laborers together with God? If so, we can get down to the fundamentals of believing Genesis 1:1 and John 3:16-18, Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21, praying together:

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:21 KJV)