Pathways For Sojourners

[hawkman]

In my opinion, prophesying is an altogether different gift and not relevant to
tongues.
_

Here is how I have seen the operation of the Gift of prophecy work . A message from the Holy Spirit is given out in tongues and then the message is interpreted by someone with the gift of interpretation of tongues , unless there is someone in the congregation that speaks the language the tongues message is in then they can tell what the message was . Example below .

My wife told me of a Chinese lady missionary visiting here in Alabama at the local church . One of the regular church members spoke a message in tongues during a church service . But problem was after the message in tongues was given no one offered an interpretation . Then the Chinese missionary spoke up and said the message was for her , it was spoken in Cantonese . Part of the message was for her and part was for her church back home in China . She said the message was delivered in perfect Cantonese , the lady that spoke the tongues message in Cantonese spoke Appalachian like me .

 

[hawkman]

Back in 1968 when I was a young welder, a production manager at my place of
work began chatting with me about Christianity and made me aware that Jesus was
thinking of me when he went to the cross. So, in time I went with the manager to
his church and along with him and two elders went down to the front rail and
prayed this rather simple prayer.

"Lord I know I'm a sinner. I would like to take advantage of your son's death."

Then began 57 years of Sunday school classes, seminars, sermons, Bible books,
and radio Bible teachers the likes of J.Vernon McGee and others. I appreciate your
offer but I already know as much about the gift of tongues that I'll ever need to
know at 81+ years and dying of end stage esophageal cancer.
_

Thanks for sharing with us . You know I am praying for you , carry on brother .

 

[Beetow]

.
111) 1Cor 14:29-31 . .Two, or three, prophets should speak, and everyone else
should weigh carefully what is said. If a revelation comes to someone who is sitting
down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that
everyone may be instructed and encouraged.

The Greek word translated "prophets" isn't restricted to foretelling future events. It
also pertains to inspired folks who were able to quote the new testament before it
became available in writing. In other words, some, if not all, the prophets were
walking Bibles and thus extremely valuable to congregations as in-house sources of
the word.

● 1Cor 14:32 . .The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

Though God endows certain Spirit-selected people in church with the gift of
prophecy (1Cor 12:4-11) it is not He who endows them with the compulsion to talk
all at once and/or talk out of turn. Self control and chaos prevention are the
prophets' responsibilities, viz: no matter how inspired the prophets might be, nor
how important they think their information is, Paul expected them to act like adults.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
112) 1Cor 14:34 . . Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are no
permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says.

It could be argued, with some merit, that this rule applies only to tongues and
prophecy; but Paul expanded its scope in a letter to his friend Timothy.

"Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to
teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first
formed, then Eve." (1Tim 2:11-13)

It's important to note that this is neither a gender issue, nor a competence issue,
nor an intelligence issue when it's so obviously a primogeniture issue, viz: it's about
seniority.

FAQ: What about women like Anne Graham Lotz and/or Tara-Leigh Cobble? Aren't
they out of order?

REPLY: The instructions are limited to congregational meetings. They don't include
public venue's, e.g. forums, town squares, street corners, coliseums, stadiums,
convention centers, radio, television, or social media like YouTube and/or Facebook.

FAQ: What about Deborah in the old testament book of Judges? Exactly how was
she an exception to the rule, if indeed she was?

REPLY: Things are quite a bit different now with Christ at the helm, i.e. Christ's
association with his church trumps Deborah's association with the Jews. I do not
recommend using her, or any other woman in the Bible, as an excuse to circumvent
Paul's instructions in matters pertaining to the management of Christian
congregations.

* Paul appealed to "the law" as the basis for 1Cor 14:34. Normally when Paul
speaks of the law he's referring to the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon
with God as its written in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

Exactly where in the covenant that women are forbidden to lead an assembly
and/or speak in a mixed group I don't know. However, it's quite obvious that the
covenant is very sexist, i.e. women were not installed in either the priesthood or
the Sanhedrin, to wit; the priesthood was Israel's teaching arm and the Sanhedrin
was Israel's governing arm.

* Moses' law doesn't always specifically address certain things. Sometimes the law's
rules and procedures imply principles that we call "the spirit of the law".
_

 

[Beetow]

.
113) 1Cor 14:35 . . If women have questions, they should ask their own husbands
at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

What's an inquiring wife to do if her husband is spiritually inept? I'd suggest that
women married to spiritually inept Christian men, and/or women married to non
Christian men, and/or unmarried women; seek assistance from one of the ladies in
church known to be somewhat of a Bible expert.

But for safety's sake, she shouldn't seek assistance from another woman's
husband; even if he's the pastor, or a deacon, or an elder; it's not only disobedient,
but that's also how rumors (and other things) get started.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
114) 1Cor 14:37-38 . . If anybody thinks he's a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him
acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.

If your Sunday school class is chaired by somebody who disagrees with the Lord's
instructions relative to a woman's activities in church, or the use and abuse of the
gift of tongues, and/or the exercise of the gift of prophecy; then believe me you have
a serious problem because it indicates that your church's management practices are
secular instead of inspired.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
115) 1Cor 14:38 . . But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

In other words: if a spiritual influence refuses to accept the apostle Paul as a duly
authorized agent speaking for Christ; then do not try to fix them. Instead, regard
the influence as severely compromised; and avoid speaking with them about your
religion. In point of fact: it's probably best to regard them as feral creatures. (Matt
7:6)
_

 

[Beetow]

.
116) 1Cor 14:39 . .Therefore, brethren, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid
speaking in tongues.

That rule applies only to people who actually have the gifts of tongues and/or
prophesy because according to Rom 12:4-6, 1Cor 12:10, 1Cor 12:29-30, and 1Cor
14:5 not everyone does.

So then; it's okay to speak in a tongue, and it's okay to prophesy, but both must be
done not only according to the rules, but also as if by adults in possession of their
faculties, i.e. grown-ups.

● 1Cor 14:40 . . Let all things be done decorously and in proper order.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
117) 1Cor 15:34 . . Come to your senses and stop sinning. For to your shame I say
that some of you don't have the knowledge of God.

Those instructions are in connection with some of the Corinthians suggesting that
dead people stay dead and never recover.

"Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some
among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" (1Cor 15:12)

Apparently some of the Corinthians couldn't see that Christ's resurrection proves
it's possible for dead people to be revived.

A measure of that blindness exists even today among people who insist that
Christ's crucified dead body wasn't restored to life. They insist he came back from
death with another body: a so-called glorified body; and some even insist that
Christ came back from death as a spirit being instead of a human being, and others
postulate that his post crucifixion appearances were done as an angel disguised in a
fully functioning human avatar. But if any of that were true, then Christ's prediction
at John 2:19-22 would be easily invalidated.

According to 1Cor 15:51-53 and 1Thes 4:13-17, Christ's followers will first be
restored to life as they were, and then be transformed into something very
wonderful as they levitate up to meet the Lord in the air.

It's very likely that Christ underwent the very same process, to wit: his crucified
remains were first restored to life just as he predicted; and then forty days later, at
some point during the flight up to Heaven per Acts 1:9, his natural mortal body
underwent transformation into a supernatural immortal body.

* According to 1Cor 15:34, people who insist that Jesus' crucified dead body is still
dead aren't fully conscious; viz: they're like someone in a stupor; i.e. dazed.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
118) 1Cor 15:56-58 . .The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is The
Commandments; but thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing discourage you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of The Lord, because you know that your
labor in The Lord isn't futile.

When I was a growing Catholic boy, The Commandments kept me anxious about
my afterlife future. Well, no more; not since I discovered that Jesus' crucifixion
somehow manages to insulate people from The Commandments' ability to ruin their
chances for happiness in eternity.

"He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we
like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and The
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa 53:5-6)

"When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the
written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to
us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross." (Col 2:13-15)

In light of those two passages. I have to agree with the angel the night Christ was
born that his was a message of "great joy". (Luke 2:10)

Now; just imagine if somebody had it in the back of their mind that they might be
giving The Lord unreserved quantities of their time, talent, and resources in a
difficult spiritual endeavor only to end up being condemned anyway per Matt 7:22
23. Well, Paul assured the Corinthians that Christ's work on the cross, and in the
grave and out of the grave, guaranteed that wouldn't happen to them-- their future
in a better life was in the bag; therefore they needn't fear that in the end their work
for The Lord will be judged all for nothing.

Ironically; and at the time of his writing, the Corinthians were not all that spiritual.
(1Cor 3:1-3). However; though their work in The Lord was being performed by
Christians whose spirituality was basically substandard, they were still useful; which
tells me that it isn't necessary to be a super saint before one can begin serving
Christ. Just serve him as best you can and pay no attention to your location on the
curve: keeping in mind that loyalty and reliability count more than quantity.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
119) 1Cor 16:1-3 . . Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the
Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set
aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come
no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of
introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.

The "God's people" to whom Paul referred were Jewish Christians whose church was
located at Jerusalem. They were having it pretty rough in the early days of
Christianity.

Lest somebody should get the wrong idea, that wasn't a tithe. Christ left it up to
each individual in Corinth the amount that they felt like donating towards the Jews'
relief effort.

● 2Cor 9:7 . . Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not
reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Tithes are not gifts; no, tithes are demanded rather than donated out of the
goodness of one's heart. I don't give the government my taxes; no, they wrest
them from me by force of law; viz: I pay taxes against my will, both reluctantly and
under compulsion; and I have little to no say in how revenue is allocated. When it
comes to taxes: I am not cheerful; no, I am grudging. Well; that is not Christian
giving. No; Christians have a faith that works by love, not by law. (Gal 5:6)

NOTE: It would be interesting to take a poll among America's churches just to see,
out of curiosity, how many have a program for assisting Jewish Christians over in
the modern State of Israel.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
120) 1Cor 16:13a . . Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be men of courage;
be strong.

The Greek word for "men of courage" basically means to act manly; defined by
Webster's as: (1) having qualities generally associated with a man; viz: strength
and virility, and (2) appropriate in character to a man.

These days; progressive politics (a.k.a. woke) would have us to believe that things
like manliness, strength, and virility are toxic, viz: threats to public health and
safety. Well; all I can say to Christian men is: DO NOT permit progressive politics to
define your manhood or you'll just end up a sissy boy and thus useless for standing
firm in the faith; instead your stance will become flexible, i.e. influenced by
evolving social customs.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
121) 1Cor 16:14 . . Do everything in love.

The Greek word translated "love" in this instance doesn't necessarily indicate
fondness or affection but does indicate benevolence; defined by Webster's as the
disposition to do good, e.g. generosity, charity, altruism, compassion, and
sympathy, i.e. thoughtful, cordial, affable, genial, sociable, cheerful, warm,
sensitive, hospitable, considerate, tactful, diplomatic, accommodating, cooperative,
kind, courteous, lenient, tolerant, patient, helpful, civil, approachable, and friendly,
etc.

I would imagine that "everything" includes the business of managing a Church.

If a church officer's management practices tend to be more Machiavellian than
Christian, then maybe he really ought to consider stepping down and finding
himself a seat in a pew rather than a chair on the board. I mean it; this is not
something to take lightly. 1Cor 16:14 isn't optional; it's mandatory.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
122) 1Cor 16:15-18 . .You know that the household of Stephanas were the first
converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I
urge you, brothers, to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the
work, and labors at it. I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus
arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed
my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition.

Paul and his associates depended pretty heavily upon the hospitality of local
believers for accommodations and daily necessities. Congregations do well to follow
the examples of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus either by opening their
homes to genuine missionaries or by funding their stay in a motel, providing them
with some pocket money, and possibly a rental car too.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
123) 1Cor 16:20 . . Greet one another with a holy kiss.

Kissing was a common form of greeting in the old world; and still is in the Middle
East and certain parts of Europe; but here in America-- a super-sized
racial/cultural/ethnic amalgam of customs from all over the globe --it's wise to
dispense your kisses with discretion. Some of us don't even like to be hugged, let
alone bussed; and if you should perchance try to make physical contact with an
autistic Christian, you're liable to cause them a panic attack; so go easy on the
touchy-feely stuff.

* The people to whom Paul referred as "one another" are one's fellows unified with
Christ. We're not required to be religiously cozy with outsiders.
_

 

[Beetow]

.
124) 1Cor 16:22 . . If anyone love not The Lord, let him be accursed.

One's love of The Lord is exemplified by loyalty. (John 14:15, 21, and 23-24)

Does a Muslim have to be a terrorist to be accursed? No; they only have to be a
loyal follower of Muhammad ibn `Abdullāh instead of Christ's loyal follower; same
goes for Atheists, Nonreligious, Baha'i, Buddhists, Chinese Universalists,
Confucianists, Jains, Kabbalah mystics, Shintoists, Spiritists, Taoists, Zoroastrians,
Jews, Sikhs, and Hindus-- they're all accursed and there is nothing to be gained in
arguing about it.

How many people am I talking about? Well, as of mid 2014, worldwide there were:

550,000 Scientologists
1,500,000 Mormons
8,200,000 Jehovah's Witnesses
18,479,257 Seventh Day Adventists
7,794,000 Baha'i
515,951,000 Buddhists
451,292,000 Chinese Folk Religionists
8,424,000 Confucianists
974,597,000 Hindus
5,567,000 Jains
14,142,000 Jews
1,673,590 Muslims
2,819,000 Shintoists
24,918,000 Sikhs
14,183,000 Spiritists
8,660,000 Taoists
196,000 Zoroastrians
828,594,000 Nonreligious
692,111,000 Agnostics
136,483,000 Atheists.

The grand total of just those categories alone is 5,3387,550,257

If those figures are in the ball park, and if conventional Christianity is the reality;
then a minimum of at least 75% of the world's 2014 global population of 7.2 billion
people wasn't unified with Christ.
_

 

[hawkman]

124) 1Cor 16:22 . . If anyone love not The Lord, let him be accursed.

One's love of The Lord is exemplified by loyalty. (John 14:15, 21, and 23-24)

Does a Muslim have to be a terrorist to be accursed? No; they only have to be a
loyal follower of Muhammad ibn `Abdullāh instead of Christ's loyal follower; same
goes for Atheists, Nonreligious, Baha'i, Buddhists, Chinese Universalists,
Confucianists, Jains, Kabbalah mystics, Shintoists, Spiritists, Taoists, Zoroastrians,
Jews, Sikhs, and Hindus-- they're all accursed and there is nothing to be gained in
arguing about it.

Let us see ALL the verse here for 1Cor16:22 .
“If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.”

I believe Paul was talking about those that did know about Jesus yet refused to follow Him and not the people with absolutely no knowledge of Jesus . How could someone love that they do not know ? I Need an answer here Beetow .

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ,.... The Vulgate Latin, and the Syriac and Ethiopic versions, read "our Lord". The apostle here does not so much mean profane and unregenerate sinners, who are destitute of love to Christ, from ignorance of him; nor such who, from the same principle, might persecute him in his members, for such are to be even prayed for, and wished well unto; and oftentimes such are called by grace, and become true and sincere lovers of Christ; and the apostle himself was an instance of it: some think the Jews are intended, who were the mortal enemies of Christ; hated his name and person, his Gospel and interest, and maliciously persecuted the same; they called Jesus accursed, and therefore deserved an anathema to be pronounced on them; it was prophesied of them, that their name should be left for a curse; and it was threatened to them, in case of non-repentance, upon the coming of John the Baptist, in the spirit of Elijah, that the Lord would come and smite their land with a curse; which had its accomplishment in the destruction of Jerusalem; see Isaiah 65:15
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-65-15/
; others think the Gnostics are intended, one of whose tenets was, that it was lawful not to confess Christ in a time of persecution, in order to save themselves; and such might be truly said not to love our Lord Jesus, and on whom such an anathema as after mentioned might rightly be denounced: though it should seem rather, that some persons in this church, or that infested it, are referred to as the false teachers, and those who sided with them, who made factions and divisions in the church of Christ; allowed themselves in the commission of fornication and incest, and such like impurities; had no regard to the peace of the consciences of weak brethren, but laid stumblingblocks in their way; behaved in a very irreverent manner at the Lord's table, and gave in to very pernicious errors and heresies, particularly denying the resurrection of the dead; and by their many bad principles and practices plainly showed that they did not in deed and in truth love our Lord Jesus: wherefore of every such an one the apostle says,
let him be anathema. The word anathema, answers to the Hebrew and is rendered by it here in the Syriac version; and signifies anything separated and devoted to holy uses; and so it is used by the Septuagint, in Leviticus 27:28

, and in the New Testament, Luke 21:5, and which, if alienated to any other purposes, entailed a curse on persons; hence it is often translated "accursed", as Romans 9:3 1 Corinthians 12:3, and here it signifies, that such persons that love not the Lord Jesus, should be rejected by the saints, and separated from their communion; and so the Arabic version renders it, "let him be separated"; that is, from the church; let him be cast out of it, and cut off from it; as, so living and dying without love to Christ, he will be accursed by him at the last day, and will have that awful sentence denounced on him, "go ye cursed". The apostle adds another word, about which there is some difficulty,

maranatha; some make this to be the same with "anathema"; the one being the Syriac, the other the Greek word, as "Abba, Father"; and think that "maranatha" is put for "maharamatha"; others think that it is the same with "maharonatha", which signifies "from wrath to come"; and being joined with the other word, intends an anathematizing or devoting persons to wrath to come: others take it to be the last, and worse sort of excommunication among the Jews; and observe, that the first sort was called "Niddui", which was a separation from company and conversation, to which reference may be had in Luke 6:22; the second sort was called Cherem, to which "anathema" answers, and was a separation, attended with curses and imprecations; and a third sort was called "Shammatha", and is thought to answer to "maranatha", giving the etymology of it, as if it was, , "the name", i.e. "God cometh", as "maranatha" read as two words, signify "our Lord cometh": but this is not the etymology the Jews give of "Shammatha" (g); they ask,

"what is "Shammatha?" says Rab, , "there is death"; and Samuel says, , "desolations shall be";''

but of the other etymology there is no mention made among them; nor is ever the word "maranatha" used by them for excommunication; the sense of which certainly is, "our Lord cometh"; and the Ethiopic version, joining it with the former word, renders the whole thus, "let him be anathema in the coming of our Lord", which seems to be pretty much the sense of the apostle: it is best to consider this word, or rather these two words, "maran atha", "our Lord cometh", as added by the apostle, to put persons in mind of the coming of Christ; either at the destruction of Jerusalem, to take vengeance on the Jews, who did not love, but hated him, and maliciously persecuted him, and his; or of the second coming of Christ to judgment, when all the wicked of the earth shall be accursed by him, and all such that love him not will be bid to depart from him.

(g) T. Bab. Moed Katon, fol. 17. 1.

 

[Beetow]

I believe Paul was talking about those that did know about Jesus yet refused to follow Him and
not the people with absolutely no knowledge of Jesus . How could someone love that they do not
know ?

Well; for sure those who do know about Christ, yet refuse to follow him, are in
grave danger of retribution.

● John 3:18 . .Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not
believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of
God's one and only Son.

I'm pretty sure-- though I admit not 100% sure --that in the year 2014 everyone
on my list did know about Jesus. However, back in the first century, when the
gospel was just starting out, a huge percentage of the world knew nothing of Christ
so Paul's curse likely didn't apply to them.
_

 

[Johann!@#]

I believe Paul was talking about those that did know about Jesus yet refused to follow Him and not the people with absolutely no knowledge of Jesus . How could someone love that they do not know ? I Need an answer here @Beetow .

I'll answer for him hawkman

The term “anathema” in the New Testament is derived from the Greek word ἀνάθεμα (anathema), which originally meant "something set up" or "a dedicated object." In its biblical and theological context, however, it came to signify something devoted to destruction or condemned.

Anathema in the Septuagint (LXX) and Tanakh
In the Hebrew Bible, the concept that aligns with anathema is חֵרֶם (ḥērem), meaning "devoted to destruction" or "under the ban." The root verb חרם (ḥāram) means "to ban," "to devote," or "to utterly destroy."

Key Instances of חֵרֶם (ḥērem)
Leviticus 27:28 (ESV): "But no devoted thing that a man devotes to the Lord, of anything that he has, whether man or beast, or of his inherited field, shall be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy to the Lord."

Deuteronomy 7:26 (ESV): "And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction."

Joshua 6:17 (ESV): "And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent."

Usage and Meaning
In the Tanakh, ḥērem typically refers to objects or people irrevocably given over to God, often by total destruction. This can include cities (Joshua 6:21), idols (Deuteronomy 7:25–26), or even individuals who violate sacred laws (Leviticus 27:29).

The notion of being devoted to destruction indicates something irrevocably set apart for divine judgment, not to be reclaimed or redeemed.

Rabbinical Writings on חֵרֶם:
In Rabbinic literature, ḥērem evolved to signify a ban or excommunication from the community, particularly when someone committed a grievous sin or heresy. This concept later developed into various forms of excommunication in Jewish law, like niddui (temporary ban) and ḥērem (more severe and often permanent).

Talmudic References:
Mishnah, Sanhedrin 10:1: Those who deny the resurrection or divine inspiration of the Torah are described as having "no share in the world to come," akin to being under a divine ban.

Babylonian Talmud, Moed Katan 17a: Discusses the procedure and severity of excommunication, using the concept of ḥērem as a form of social and religious isolation.

Pesachim 49b: A person who acts contemptuously toward the Torah or the Sages can be put under ḥērem.

Berakhot 19a: If a person publicly shames another, they may be subject to ḥērem.


In Rabbinic thought, being under ḥērem is a spiritual death-a person cut off from the community of Israel and from God’s covenant blessings. The severity of ḥērem as divine judgment parallels the biblical idea of something irrevocably devoted to destruction, but the rabbinical application often focuses more on communal purity and discipline rather than physical destruction.

Anathema in the New Testament:
The Apostle Paul uses ἀνάθεμα (anathema) in a few critical contexts:

Galatians 1:8–9 (ESV): "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed (anathema)."

Romans 9:3 (ESV): "For I could wish that I myself were accursed (anathema) and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh."

1 Corinthians 16:22 (ESV): "If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed (anathema)."

NT Significance--
Paul uses anathema to express a state of being cut off from Christ, indicating spiritual condemnation. The theological parallel with ḥērem lies in the irrevocable nature of the curse-complete separation from divine favor.


The concept of anathema in the New Testament has its roots in the Tanakh’s idea of ḥērem, both signifying something devoted to divine judgment and destruction.

While in the Old Testament, this often meant physical destruction or death, in the New Testament context, it signifies spiritual separation and condemnation.

In rabbinical writings, ḥērem as excommunication highlights a communal aspect where one is cut off from religious and social life, maintaining the idea of being outside the covenant blessings. Let me know if you need a deeper comparison or more sources.

There is a massive apostasy occurring globally, as prophesied in 2 Thessalonians 2:3: "Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first..." The Greek word used here is ἀποστασία (apostasia), meaning "rebellion" or "falling away" (Noun, Nominative Singular Feminine), indicating a deliberate departure from the faith.

Many individuals profess to know our Lord, but their lives contradict their claims. As stated in Titus 1:16: "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works." The verb ὁμολογοῦσιν (homologousin), meaning "they profess" (Present Active Indicative, 3rd Person Plural), indicates a verbal acknowledgment, while ἀρνοῦνται (arnountai), meaning "they deny" (Present Middle/Passive Indicative, 3rd Person Plural), reveals a lifestyle that contradicts their confession.

These are people who display an outward appearance of godliness but deny the power of the Messiah through their actions. As Paul warns in 2 Timothy 3:5: "Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power." The Greek verb ἔχοντες (echontes), meaning "having" (Present Active Participle, Nominative Plural Masculine), indicates continuous possession, while ἠρνημένοι (ērnēmenoi), meaning "having denied" (Perfect Middle/Passive Participle, Nominative Plural Masculine), shows a settled state of rejection.

Such a condition aligns with Matthew 7:21: "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." The verb λέγει (legei), meaning "says" (Present Active Indicative, 3rd Person Singular), signifies a verbal claim that lacks true obedience.

This global falling away reflects a tragic reality where many outwardly align with Christianity but live lives that deny Christ’s lordship, confirming the prophetic warning of a widespread departure from the true faith.

Someone rightly said--"therapeutic moral deism"

J.

 

[hawkman]

Anathema in the New Testament:
The Apostle Paul uses ἀνάθεμα (anathema) in a few critical contexts:

Galatians 1:8–9 (ESV): "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed (anathema)."

Romans 9:3 (ESV): "For I could wish that I myself were accursed (anathema) and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh."

1 Corinthians 16:22 (ESV): "If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed (anathema)."

Who do you think Paul was saying was "accursed" in 1Cor 16:22 ?