Catholic Doctrine Bible Study

11 Paul’s comments about hair length/covering were directed to a specific community at a specific time in history.  Though the SPECIFICS change with the culture, the timeless principle remains:  Your appearance should  reflect your faith and is a reflection of your faith....don’t adapt your appearance to be that of a prostitute, a gang member, a pagan, etc. 11:24-25 The words of institution of the Eucharist are the same as in Mt., Mk., and Luke’s account.  (See Session on Mt 26 and also John 6:66 for further development of Christ’s Real Presence, and what “remembrance” (“memorial”) entails. 11:27 Partaking in communion “unworthily” means: -Not recognizing Christ’s Real Presence (This is a reason why we don’t have “open communion.”) -Receiving communion while in a state of serious sin.  Per verse 28, we must “examine ourselves” (Examination of Conscience) before receiving, and go to confession if we are in serious sin, before receiving, to avoid further judgement. 12  The Church is One body, with many parts.  (Pray to discover your part/parts.) 13 (The “Love Chapter.”) Faith without love is nothing.  (Not “Faith Alone” as some understand it!)  You can’t love God and not love God’s children! Agape love- sacrificial, unconditional, as Christ loved us. 13:4-7 Check yourself on these love essentials.  Where do you need improvement? 13:13 Faith, hope, love....the greatest of these is ...love!

7:32-33 Paul makes a good argument for Priestly celibacy! 8 -Don’t become a stumbling block to others. 9:20-22  Find a common ground with those who you wish to tell about Christ. 9:27 Underline this verse!!! ( “I drive my body....for fear that.....I myself should be disqualified.” )   Evidently, Paul didn’t think that his own salvation was complete!!  Salvation is a lifelong process.  We can’t quit the “race” until the end! 10:12 More of the same!!  “Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.”  10:13 Don’t blame God when you fail; God provides a way out (of temptation.) 10:17 We are to be ONE body, we eat of the ONE loaf.  (ONE Church!)

6:12 What (even an otherwise good activity) is getting in your way of having your best relationship with God?  (Paul was thinking that the Lord’s 2nd  Coming was imminent, which explains his advice not to marry unless “on fire.”) 7 Marriage is about giving, not taking.  You marry in order to help guide each other toward Heaven. 7:10 Marriage is to be permanent, on earth. 7:15 “Pauline Privilege” 7:23 “You have been purchased at a price.”  “Christ’s death on the Cross.” We work for Him!  (We all serve somebody....God or Satan!  Choose God!) 7:19 “what matters is keeping God’s commandments.”  (Not just a prayer said one time!)

4:4 Paul is not absolutely sure of his OWN salvation!  (We must persevere to the end! (See Mt. 24:13, 1Cor 9:27, 1Cor 10:11-12.) 4:7 Every ability and every thing and every relationship and every happiness we have is a gift of God, so we cannot boast, except about God. 4:15 “I became your father in Christ Jesus....” vs Mt. 23:9 “Call no man Father.”  How do we reconcile this apparent contradiction?  We are not to revere anyone as though they have equal standing with the Lord. We honor priests, but we are not to put their word above the Lord. 5 This Chapter legitimizes the need for Excommunication at times.  (If you play with dogs, you can get fleas!) 6:1-8 Against lawsuits; let the Church decide.  Set aside your rights where possible to preserve relationships. 6:9-11 A specific list of grave sins.  Yet, Confession gives us a fresh start!

God’s wisdom is superior to the “wisdom” of this world.  (Do you think you are too “wise” to follow God?)  We need to follow the Spirit! 3:6 We are to be about planting and nurturing the word of God in others; God (specifically the Holy Spirit) is responsible for the growth. 3:10-15 An analogy of Purgatory!  (....”saved, but only as through fire.”) Our imperfections will be “burned” off...may or may not be a literal fire, but we will, if we die in friendship with God, be “purged” (cleansed) of our connections to past sins before entering Heaven. Purgatory mentioned in CCC 1031

See Acts 18 for background on Paul in Corinth. Ch. 1 v. 10 Paul warns against divisions in the Church.  (Would Paul, or JESUS, have approved of the Protestant Revolt?) v. 11-13 Paul warns against the cult of personality.  (Following a specific preacher that we like vs. following the teachings of the Faith.)  (As Catholics, we attend Mass to worship God, and to receive the grace of Eucharist to give us strength for our mission.)

15:4 Another verse that refutes “Once Saved, Always Saved” error:  It refers to the need for endurance, and that we might have HOPE (not absolute assurance.)  (See, by the same author, 1 Cor. 10:12- a warning to those who think they are standing secure.) 16:1 Phoebe is referred to, in some translations, as a “deacon(ess)” who served the Church.  We have no record of women being ordained, so she was most likely similar to a “nun.” See the 1994 Papal Encyclical by John Paul II for a further explanation of the issue of women’s ordination.  Women are essential in the life and leadership of the Church, but..... 16:17 Paul warns against “dissensions” and “opposition to the teaching that you learned.”  (We believers are to be part of ONE Church!) 16:26 Paul mentions the “obedience of faith.”  (So, it’s not one or the other that leads us to salvation, it is both!)   (Christ can give us the grace to become obedient, through Word and Sacraments.)

10:22 We must REMAIN in a good relationship with God.  (Not just accept God at only a moment in time.) 12:20 Paul says we must DO good (to show we are truly the Lord’s. 13:9-10 We must love others, not just God. It’s not either/or, it’s both/and. 13:11 Another verse that shows salvation is a lifelong process. 14:13-23  Think of the weaker brother: Don’t take your alcoholic friend to a bar!

We don’t get to Heaven based on our bloodlines or even merely through reception of the Sacraments.  (Though the graces received through them will help us!)  10:9 and 10:13 -To put these verses  that many Protestants use for their false understanding of “once saved, always saved” doctrine in proper perspective, “confessing Jesus” for the Jew in Paul’s day meant, at best, ostracism from one’s family, friends, synagogue, social and occupational networks, and possible DEATH at the hands of the Romans. It meant more than just words;  it meant being totally committed to Jesus to the point of death.  When studying 10:13, we get the full meaning of “call(ing) on the Lord”  by also looking at Mt. 7:21, which says “Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who DOES the will of my Father. Again, a lifetime commitment, not the utterance of a phrase at one moment in your life. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kMseLbnxknkdgvKxm49N42u42XAS1I16/view?usp=sharing

8:1 We stay “in Christ Jesus” through listening to and  following the  Holy Spirit vs the world’s views (flesh), as Paul mentions “spirit”  11 times in 10 verses.  Also, we abide in Him through frequent reception of Eucharist (see John 6:56!) which gives us grace to continue the journey with Christ. 8:18 Being in Heaven is worth more than whatever we suffer here.  (This earth is not our home!) 8:28 God can use all things that happen to us for the good (growth) of the Kingdom(even, from our perspective, bad things!) And , if we’re “called according to God’s purpose”, the good of the Kingdom should be the goal.  8:28 doesn’t mean that everything will work out for us (in human terms) on THIS earth.  (Don’t comfort a mourner with 8:28! 8:35-39 Yes, nothing else “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus” ....we agree!  This does not mean the Protestant  “once saved, always saved” idea.  God will always love us, but WE can CHOOSE to separate OURSELVES from God! We must persevere! (Mt.24:13)