Catholic Doctrine Bible Study

Though Paul repeats many of his themes from letters we’ve previously studied, note that 1:24 is perhaps his most clear exposition of the “Redemptive Value of Suffering” Church teaching.  (Someone might ask “What could be lacking in Christ’s suffering and the benefits we received from it?”  The answer: “Our participation in it.“) We can “offer up” our suffering, to unite it with Christ’s suffering on the cross, for the benefit of others.  Don’t waste your suffering!!!

2:12 “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”   Works are important in our salvation process!!!  “Fear and trembling” means with awe toward God and what he has done for us, and with seriousness, and making our eternal life our #1 priority. 3:8 Paul considers the things of this world to be “rubbish” (“skubala” in the original Greek. Look it up for it’s literal meaning!!) relative to our eternal life. 3:20 “Our citizenship is in heaven...” 4:11-13 Paul has learned to be content regardless of his circumstances (remember, he was in jail when he wrote this!) because he could look forward to heaven.

Paul speaks of joy despite being in prison!  He has his eyes on the prize! The prize is not in this world, but ultimately in the next! 2:5-8 We should humble ourselves, as Christ did for us. 2:7 This verse spawned heresy (“Jesus was not really human”), a heresy that could not be refuted by “Sola Scriptura” (the “Bible Alone”) .  We need the Church to guide us in doctrinal matters, the Church founded by Christ, which was given the Holy Spirit to guide it into all truth.

5:21-32 We are to love our spouses with a sacrificial love, as Christ loved the Church. (Enough to die for it!)  Our goal in heaven is to help each other to get to heaven.  Not 50/50 but 100/100.  Love is an act of the will...we love our spouse even when they’re not so lovable.  Marriage is a covenant, not merely a contract.  6:1-4 Your MOST IMPORTANT JOB as a parent is to “bring them (your children) up with the training and instruction of the Lord”...more important than college, anything!   Their Eternity is entrusted to you as they are growing up! 6:5-9 Why is their no prohibition of slavery in the bible?  The writers, and especially Paul, were interested in changing hearts and bringing people to an eternal relationship with Christ.. they were not first-and-foremost social reformers.....though a relationship with Christ will, and in fact did, lead to social reforms.  This question about slavery exposes the fallacy of the “sola scriptura” (“bible alone”) doctrine held by many non-Catholics.  The Church, given the power by Christ to bind-and-loose” (Mt. 16:17-20) condemns slavery, though prohibition of slavery is not explicitly found in the bible. 6:10-17 “Put on the armor of God...” We have so much at our disposal!  Eucharist, rosary, adoration, confession, prayer....use them!

2:14-18 The peace that Paul speaks of is INTERNAL PEACE;  the peace of knowing that heaven awaits us if we walk with the Lord.  It doesn’t mean there won’t be wars or problems on THIS earth. 2:19-21 Paul refers to the Church, the ONE Church, “built upon the foundation of the apostles...“ 4:2 “Humility...Gentleness...Patience... bearing with one another through love... (How are you doing in these areas?) 4:3 -13 “Unity...”ONE body”...”ONE faith”.... (There was to be ONE CHURCH!) 4:24 “put on the new self”  We are to conform our will to that of Christ. 4:26 “Be angry but do not sin..“ (Righteous indignation is sometimes needed when encountering evil. Remember Jesus in the Temple! )  Anger in and of itself is not a sin! 4:27 “Do not leave room for the Devil.” (Avoid the near temptation of sin....the Devil is stronger than you, .....but not stronger than Christ!!!) 4:29-31 No foul language...bitterness, fury,... shouting...malice.  (How are you doing ?Are you being a good example?) 4:32 “Forgiving one another AS GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU in Christ.”  (That’s WHY we forgive others!) 5:6 “The wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.” (Hell really exists!  And, our deeds do matter!!)

1:7 God redeemed us by Christ’s BLOOD!  (As God, he could have done it another way, but this sacrifice demonstrates God’s intense love for us.) 1:12 and 2:10 We are created “for the praise of (God’s) glory” and “for...good works that God has prepared...” NOT for our own amusement while we are on earth. 1:22,23 The Church is the Body of Christ.  (We are the hands and feet of Christ.  Also, we worship communally, not just as individuals.) 2:5,8 These verses suggest that believers by grace (already)have  “been saved”, and, in one sense, we have!  Christ has finished his work, and those who have acknowledged that have (already)  accepted that grace, and  entered into a relationship with Christ, which SHOULD end in eternal life with Christ in heaven. Yet, we must persevere in that relationship (Mt10:22, Mt24:13,Rom13:11), and demonstrate it by our actions (Rom2:5-8, 2Cor 5:10, 2Cor11:15, 1Pet1:17, Col 3:24-25, Rev20:12-13,Philippians2:12, among many, many others.

1:18, 2:2 Paul stresses that he is legitimate because he spent 15 days with Peter, and checked with the Church leaders to make sure he is teaching correctly. (“In vain.”)  ( He didn’t try to start his own church or introduce doctrine that conflicted with the One, Universal Church.) 2:11-14  Paul mentions he DID rebuke Peter for Peter’s BEHAVIOR.  (Not eating with Gentiles when Jews were present.) But this is NOT an indictment of Papal Infallibility!!  It was Peter’s ACTIONS that were wrong, not Peter’s TEACHING!! (See Peter’s TEACHING in Acts 10:34 and in Acts 15:7-11. )  Papal Infallibility applies only to the TEACHING of the Pope, and then only in matters of faith and morals, and then only when explicitly teaching to the entire Church, and then only when it doesn’t conflict with previous Popes’ infallible statements.  5:6 All that matters is “faith WORKING through love.” (Not “faith alone” in the understanding of many Protestants.) We must demonstrate our relationship with Jesus through our LOVE and WORK for Him and our brothers and sisters. 6:9 “Let us not grow tired of DOING GOOD, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, IF WE DO NOT GIVE UP.” (WORKING and PERSEVERING!! What could be clearer?) 6:15 Are you a “new creation?”  Christ seeks to change us!

6:14 “Do not be yoked with unbelievers.”  Surround yourself with people that will encourage your closer walk with Christ, and who are open to encouragement by you in their own walk with Christ.  (If you want to change your life, change who your examples are: friends, what you watch, listen to, etc.) 8:9 Consider what Jesus gave us as we plan our own giving. 9:6:7 We are only stewards....God owns it all!! Be s cheerful giver, reflecting on 8:9 11:24 Paul’s hardships on his missionary journeys.  We all must be willing to suffer for sharing the Gospel.  (But the retirement plan is great!  Out of this world!!) 12:7- 9  We all have our own “thorn in the flesh.”  (What is yours?)  Remember what Jesus tells Paul...”My grace is sufficient.”  Give it to God!  Offer it up! “Build up” the Church, and each other, is a recurring theme in this letter.  Reflect: What am I doing/what should I be doing, to build up the Church/others/myself? In 96AD, Pope Clement in Rome wrote an authoritative letter to this distant church in Corinth, telling them that they must “follow the Bishop.”  ( Another example of the authority of the Papacy in the early church, which remains today.)

1:21-22 All three persons of Trinity mentioned here. 2:7-8 Possibly a reference to the man in 1 Cor. 5:2 and 5:13 that Paul urged then should be excommunicated.  Here, Paul talks about forgiveness and encouragement of the man.  (Excommunication is not to be punitive, but to encourage repentance.)  No sin we’ve committed is beyond God’s forgiveness, if we will ask for it and turn back to God. 4:18 We must look to what is eternal; everything else passes away! 5:10  What you DO matters!!! 5:17 We can become a new creation in Christ;  our priorities and activities should be Christ-centered. 6:14 “Do not be yoked with...unbelievers.”  We should WITNESS to all, but marriage and business partnerships with unbelievers can compromise the effectiveness of our faith.

Chapter 14:1-12 “Speaking in tongues” (Glossolalia- a “spiritual” language-not the same as speaking in other human languages as in Acts 2)  There must be an interpreter if in church.  Chapter 14 6x mentions we are to do things to “build up” the Church (and each other!)  What are you doing to “build up” others? (Or “tear down” others, that you need to confess?) 14:34-37 (Regarding women speaking in church.)  Meant for a specific culture, place, and time. But the timeless truth is found in v. 40....”but everything must be done properly and in order.”  (Reverence in church.) 15:5-8 WHY I AM A CHRISTIAN!!! (500 witnesses to the resurrected Jesus at the same time!)  He did what HE said He would do!!  We live by faith, but it is not a blind faith. Chapter 15 When our resurrected body is reunited with our spirit in Heaven, we will have no pain, no imperfections.  We will experience no boredom. (Because that would be pain!)  We will be in God’s presence, and whatever that is like, it will eclipse anything we can imagine on earth. 16:1 Paul’s collecting for a distant location shows the Church Universal.