Logos Word of God – BT2:  Even the preached logos “Word of God” gospel can be powerless

 

 

 

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Even the preaching of the logos “Word of God” as the gospel can be powerless!  But the apostle Paul confidently said in Romans 1:16:  “For I am absolutely-in-fact-NOT ashamed of the gospel, for it is the dunamis dynamite-like-enabling-power of God for salvation to everyone who routinely/habitually trusting-relying-faith.” (a).

 

So what could make the preaching of the gospel powerless?  Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, 4-5: “I did absolutely-in-fact-NOT come routinely/habitually kataggello ‘decisively proclaiming down to a point’ to you the marturion testimony/witness of God kata down-from/according-to huperoche superior/preeminent-speech nor wisdom [v.5: of men], for I had decided to already [with ongoing results] to eido mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know absolutely-in-fact-NO thing among you except ‘Jesus Christ and/coupled Him having been [with ongoing effects] crucified’ . . . and my logos message and/coupled kerugma ‘proclamation/preaching’ were absolutely-in-fact-NOT by-the-means-of peithos ‘enticing, persuasive, skillful’ logos messages of wisdom [v.5: of men], but-instead by-the-means-of apodeixis ‘showing-off demonstrating-proof’ of/belonging-to [singular] Spirit and/coupled enabling-power (a), in order that your trusting-relying-faith might in-possibility-NOT rest en in-the-location-of the wisdom of men (b) but-instead en in-the-location-of enabling-power of God (c).  <Notes> a) kai coupling Spirit and power together is like saying “Spirit’s power” or “power of the Spirit,” a) human wisdom of vv. 4-5, wisdom of this age and its rulers in v. 6 is absolutely-in-fact-NOT the wisdom of God in v. 7, c) By parallelism, ‘God’s power’ is the ‘power of the Spirit’ thus making God and Spirit” the same.

 

And in verses 6-10, Paul continues:  “Moreover we speak of a wisdom absolutely-in-fact-NOT of this age (a), absolutely-in-fact-NOR of the ‘firsts’-rulers of this age (a), . . . we presently/ongoingly speak wisdom of/belonging-to God by-the-means-of a musterion secret/mystery, the one having already-been [with ongoing effects] hidden/kept-secret . . . for to US God dia ‘thru the realizing channel of’ the Spirit has definitively/wholly revealed/un-hid [it].  For the [singular] Spirit ereunao ‘examines, diligently-searches’ all-things, kai specifically the bathos ‘full-dimensions of depth & height, extreme degrees, immensity, or profundities’ of God.” <Notes> a) human wisdom of vv. 4-5, wisdom of this age and its rulers in v. 6 is absolutely-in-fact-NOT the wisdom of God in v. 7.

 

Paul continues in verses 10-13:  “We definitively/wholly have lambano ‘grabbed hold of to receive’ . . . the [singular] Spirit, the one out-from God, in order that we already-had [with ongoing effects] might eido mentally ‘see’ to perceive/know the things hupo ‘under the authority or subordinate under’ God, having already-been charizomai ‘extended/granted to US by charis unconditional-loving-favor-of-grace,‘ which we also presently/ongoingly speak-of, absolutely-in-fact-NOT en by-the-means-of (a) taught (a) logos messages of/belonging-to human wisdom (see note a above) but-instead en by-the-means-of (a) taught (a) of/belonging-to [singular] Spirit, by-the-means-of-Spirit-kind-of-things/people (c) (e) interpreting (d) Spirit-kind-of-things/people (c) (e). The psuchikos ‘psyche soulish natural-man consisting only of mind, emotions, and will, devoid of God’s Spirit‘ absolutely-in-fact-NOT presently/ongoingly dechomai ‘warmly welcome’ the things/people (e) of/belonging-to the Spirit of God, for they presently/ongoingly exist-as/are-defined-as absurd-foolishness to him, kai and/coupled/even absolutely-in-fact-NOT [he is] powerfully-enabled to experientially, relationally ginokso know them [the Spirit-kind-of things] because they presently/ongoingly are Spirit-kind-of discerned (f)” – see New Covenant Ways – BT16.

 

<Notes> a) The preposition en with a noun in the dative case can mean in the location of, by the means/instrument of, or with the company of – see Bible Info problem with prepositions.  Logos messages is actually the dative-case direct object of “we speak,” and the phrase “NOT en taught of/belonging-to human wisdom” is adverbially describing how they spoke, but also adjectively describes the content of the logos messages.  For that reason en could be translated by-the-means-of (adverbially) or with-the-company-of (adjectively).  However, in the second occasion, Paul uses it in association with pneuma Spirit, and we know this would likely mean very much like his normal construction of en pneumati Spirit in the dative case that is always “by-the-means/instrument-of [singular] Spirit” as Douglas Petrovich in The Meaning of En Pneumati and Daniel B Wallace in Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament note.  For that reason, Paul is likely treating en as ‘by the means/instrument of’ in both cases.  Nevertheless, in both cases, the awkward construction puts the emphasis on “taught” to defend his ministry as being unique.

 

<Notes> b) Even though Paul leaves out the phrases “logos messages . . . of wisdom” by parallelism, Paul’s argument is:  “we are mentally-perceiving things under God’s authority . . . granted to US by God’s grace . . . spoken by US by-the-means-of logos messages TAUGHT [to US] NOT of/belonging-to human wisdom but-instead [spoken by US] by-the-means-of [logos messages of wisdom] taught [to US] of/belonging-to Spirit.

 

<Notes> c) pneumatikos is the plural neuter adjective of pneuma that in context, as with most of Paul’s writings, refers to the Holy Spirit, so this should NOT be translated “spiritual things” but-instead “Spirit-kind-of things.”  The 1st use is in the dative case of means/instrument, thus “by-the-means-of Spirit-kind-of things,” and the 2nd use is in the accusative case of direct object of the phrase, thus translated in our reverse English word order “interpreting Spirit-kind-of-things by-the-means-of-Spirit-kind-of-things” – though in Greek the emphasis is the opposite word order.  To complicate matters, “things” includes “people,” as we see in note ‘e’ below, so “prophecies from Christian’s using their Spirit’s grace-gift of prophecy reciprocally/mutually interpreting each other’s prophecies, d) interpretation by joining together or combining things for comparison/contrast purposes.  This is NOT the rabbinical method of comparing/contrasting manuscripts and teachings from previous rabbis through argumentative debate.

 

<Notes> e) dative case of means/instrument.  In context, this means testing prophecy, even Paul’s teachings that he claims are from the Lord in 1 Corinthians 14:29-40, is NOT by comparing/contrasting to any gramma writings and certainly NOT graphe scripture or teachings of it, which is called the rabbinical method that Paul had been an expert of but considered “rubbish” per Philippians 3:8, and certainly NOT comparing/contrasting to the philosophies and teachings of the Greek-Roman world, for ALL of this would be from “the natural psyche man” that is impossible to understand the things/people of the Spirit.  However, the way to judge/critique prophecy, even Paul’s own teaching, from 1 Corinthians 14:37 is spelled out in vv. 14:29-31 for “the prophets to speak, one-by-one while the others listening silently, kai and/then [I strongly urge you to let] the allos others-of-the-same-kind (i.e., the Spirit-kind-of person distinct from a prophet in v. 14:37) diakrino ‘throughly critique/judge by doing this back-and-forth ‘interpreting’ among them’ in order that you ALL presently/ongoingly may manthano ‘learn the essentials’ and/coupled ALL may-become presently/ongoingly parakaleo ‘encouraged/strengthened or consoled/comforted from alongside/close-beside calling/summoning or teaching/counseling – all functions of the Paraklete Spirit.”  We see this same calling-together of the prophets and other Spirit-kind-of people in Acts 15:28 to get a consensus through “Spirit-kind-of-things/people interpreting Spirit-kind-of-things/people” – “the brothers/church of Antioch, the apostles, and elders” of Acts 15:22 – together writing to the Gentile churches “it dokeo is-the-opinion of the Holy Spirit and/coupled of US to in-possibility-NOT lay upon you a further burden (rules) except these necessary things.”  The idea of testing prophecy against the bible is foreign to the NT, simply another “tradition of men” and “wind of doctrine blowing through churches” – see Bible Info – BT5,  f) anakrino:  to judge/distinguish vigorously ‘down to up’ by closely, even forensically, examining, investigating, or interrogating, thus a careful study or evaluation.  Discernment is the New Covenant Way to know God’s Will – see New Covenant – BT16, even for little children and other uneducated “Least Among Us” – see Least Among You – BT8.  There is a simpler WAY than the scholarly method to know God’s Will – Bible Info – BT2.

 

 

 

I’m sure “interpreting or discerning Spirit-kind-of things/people by-the-means-of-Spirit-kind-of-things/people” is what Paul had in mind when he told Timothy to “straightly ‘cut’ the logos message of The Truth” (a) in regards to his own evangelistic calling (b) to preach/proclaim/herald the gospel (c).  Essentially Paul is saying from his own experience as a Pharisee that you can “[diligently] search the scriptures” until you are blue in the face, like the bible students of Christ’s day did, erroneously “dokeo opinionating that in/by/with them they will hold-to-have zoe genuine-life” as Jesus observed of the scribes-Pharisee bible-students (d), and even be as zealous about studying the NT and preaching of the its logos gospel message, yet still “always be learning, yet never able to arrive at a genuine, full, experiential, relational epignosis knowledge of [singular] Truth,” who is the person of Christ (e).  <Notes> a) 2 Timothy 2:15, b) 1 Timothy 4:14, c) 2 Timothy 4:2, 5, d) John 5:39, e) 2 Timothy 3:7.

 

How can this happen?  Because the 1 Corinthians 2:14 psuchikos ‘psyche soulish natural-man consisting only of mind, emotions, and will, devoid of God’s Spirit‘ approach of so many philosophical, religious people, and even “wise & understanding” bible-students & scholars of John 5:37-46, Matthew 11:25, Luke 10:21, and 1 Corinthians 1:19-25 simply can’t experientially, relationally ginosko know these Spirit-kind-of things of God, the “Spirit-kind-of wisdom and understanding” that is acquired only thru proseuche conversational-prayer per Colossians 1:9 and James 1:5, because they are Spirit-kind-of interpreted and discerned.  They have to be unhidden/revealed by-the-means-of the Spirit.  It’s NOT gnosis informational-knowledge to study from a bible!

 

The gospel logos message by itself falls flat – it’s just as powerless as anything the Pharisees preached – if it is not accompanied with the “showing-off-demonstrating-proof of the Holy Spirit and/coupled [its] dunamis dynamite-like enabling-power” per 1 Corinthians 2:4, “that bebaioo ‘confirms, ratifies, or guarantees’ the logos message by accompanying signs and/coupled wonders” per Mark 16:20 Great Commission.  With this, we can be like those in Acts 14:3 “speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore-witness to the logos message of His unconditionally-loving-favor-of-grace [by] granting signs and/coupled wonders to be done by their hands.”

 

Paul said of his FULL-gospel ministry to the Gentiles in Romans 15:18-19 “speaking of only what has been accomplished thru me eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of the’ obedience [of trusting-relying-faith from v. 1:5, 16:26] of-the-Gentiles by-the-means-of [singular] logos-message and/coupled/also [singular] deed – by-the-means-of [singular] dunamis dynamite-like-enabling-power of signs and/coupled wonders by-the-means-of [singular] dunamis dynamite-like-enabling-power of [singular] Spirit of/belonging-to God, so as for me . . . I have peplerokenai (from pleroo) FULLY/completely-proclaimed the gospel of the Christ (Anointed One).”  This is FULL-gospel preaching, just as Paul also said in Colossians 1:25 “I became a minister kata down-from/according-to the oikonomia household-management/stewardship of God, this having-been-given to me eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ you to definitively/wholly pleroo FILL-to-completion the [gospel] logos-message of God.”

 

It’s NOT just a logos-message but “the deed” of the Spirit’s demonstrating-proof!  If we want the same results as Paul, we have to preach a FULL-gospel!  Hebrews 2:3-4 says the gospel of “such a great salvation.  It was spoken at first by the Lord, and/then under-[His]-authority by-those having heard [it], eis ‘toward and reaching the goal/purpose of’ US it was confirmed-as-solid, [participially described as] God routinely/habitually testifying/bearing-witness by-the-means-of signs te kai both-and wonders and/coupled miracles kai and/even merismos distributions (likely grace-gifts, per note ‘a’ below) of/belonging-to the Holy Spirit kata down-from/according to the will of Him (God).”  Compare 1 Corinthians 1:17, 2:1, 4, 13, 4:20; 2 Corinthians 1:12, 10:10, 11:6; 1 Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Peter 1:16.

 

<Notes> a) merizo is the verb form that Paul used in Romans 12:3-8 for distribution of the metron ‘standard-sized measuring-cup’ of [singular] faith (“The Christian Faith” throughout Paul’s writings), so God is impartial in giving us the same grace-gift of the Holy-Spirit “promise” of The Christian Faith, but this results in differing praxis functions of the Spirit’s grace-gifts for effective Body-Ministry, so nobody ‘hogs the ball’ in v. 12:3 – see Leadership.

 

Reflections:

 

 

As Christian musicians, do we want to be involved into something that uses up a lot of our time and energy but is powerless?  Do we want to evangelize or preach, even a gospel message, that is powerless to bring salvation, falling flat on deaf ears?  Even if we use all our Zechariah 4:6 “might and power” external resources and internal abilities to bring superior/preeminent speech with enticing/persuasive/skillful messages of great human wisdom to preach the gospel, even with all the zeal of the Pharisees, it will still be powerless without the accompanying signs, wonders, miracles, and even grace-gifts of the Holy Spirit that are the showing-off-demonstrating-proof of God to confirm the gospel.  Without Spirit-kind-of prophetic revelation, interpretation, and discernment, Body-ministry simply can’t function effectively as it was intended to get God’s powerful results!

 

Prayer:

 

 

Lord, we want our words to count!  We want them to have Your power!  We surrender our “might and power” striving for excellency of speech to persuade men of Your Truth of Jesus for their salvation.  We ask you instead for Your Zechariah 4:6’ss “By My Spirit” showing-off-demonstrating-proof by accompanying signs, wonders, miracles, and grace-gifts of the Holy Spirit to powerfully-enable the preaching of the gospel for Your Truth to be revealed, interpreted, and discerned through your Body-of-Christ by the means of the Spirit. Amen!

 

 

 

 

 

Spiritual Education, The preached Gospel logos message can be powerless if unaccompanied by signs & wonders, Only the FULL Gospel is powerful for salvation, Miracles & Gifts is God’s Spirit working with our preached Gospel, Excellent wise persuasive speech of gospel is NOT powerful enough, The gospel needs to demonstrable-proofs of the Spirit’s power by signs wonders gifts, Prophecy tested by Prophecy not bible writings, Interpretation by prophecy NOT bible writings, Discernment is by Spirit not bible writings, Jesus & Paul reject the rabbinical method of understanding the Spirit’s things, Only the Full Gospel is effective, Proper handling of the gospel is by the Spirit’s prophetic discernment NOT rabbinical study analysis, Bible-scholar may be devoid of Spirit’s prophetic insight, Christ’s Great Commission said signs & wonders would confirm the Gospel to prove God was working with us, A gospel message without The Deed of the Spirit’s powerful miracles & gifts is powerless