Q4. The Spirit's Power

[Old Jerry]

My understanding of the rhetorical standards of his day was for the elite. But Paul wanted more than the elite to come to Jesus. Paul would have had to repackage the message in order to preach the word and that probably would have misled some of the followers.

Paul could do miracles at times and that was the demonstration of the power of the Spirit. It was the Spirit that had rescued him.

[csreeves]

Repacking the Gospel has lead so many straight to hell. Paul knew that spiritual conformation is nothing like the people on earth who he uses the Holy Spirit to conform them so becoming like them will not show a difference.

[dixonle]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 2:1-6) Why didn't Paul conform to the rhetorical standards of his day in order to communicate more clearly? What is the danger of "repackaging" the message? What does it mean that Paul relied on a demonstration of the Spirit's power?

 

Paul did not conform to the standards ofd his day because his message came from the LORD through the Holy Spirit and did not need to include any lofty eloquence, wisdom or pursuaveness of the world at that time.  His message was fresh and new and atypical of the time, and that is what is so refershing of the Word of the LORD God.  That was his focus and remained his stance no matter his circumstance nor his physical condition...he was content in his situation and remained strong in using the Holy Spiriti of God and the LORD Jesus fromhis heart to share the message of Almight God.

[Commissioned]

Q4. (1 Corinthians 2:1-6) Why didn’t Paul conform to the rhetorical standards of his day in order to communicate more clearly? What is the danger of “repackaging” the message? What does it mean that Paul relied on a demonstration of the Spirit’s power?

Paul did not conform to the rhetorical standards of his day because he relied on the power of God.  Paul was full persuaded that

the  power of the Holy Spirit was all that was needed to move the hearts of the people to conviction.  If the message of the gospel is repackaged there is a danger of losing those receiving the message because the power of the Holy Spirit who convicts will be absent.  Persuasive words without the Spirit's power don't transform people's lives.  It is the power of God's Spirit that brings people to salvation.

[JoanG]

Paul wanted to be true to the word and with the word. he want the word to stand on it's own merit. He wanted people to be inspired and he wanted the Holy Spirit to work with the hearts and souls of the people just like it did for him. Paul did not want to be credited with the conversions of people. He knew the power of God and wanted God to get all the credit. To repackage the message is a grave mistake. 1) We run the risk of losing the true message that God intended. 2) We run the risk of our human egos taking over and we start believing that we are the ones that have changed people. We get a false sense of pride.

[Paul Irving]

On 2/5/2014 at 2:35 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q4. (1 Corinthians 2:1-6) Why didn’t Paul conform to the rhetorical standards of his day in order to communicate more clearly? What is the danger of “repackaging” the message? What does it mean that Paul relied on a demonstration of the Spirit’s power?

Paul states that he had weakness, much fear and trembling, not with the excellency of speech or wisdom.  He even says he didn’t know anything that they knew except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.  It can be dangerous to repackaging the message because you might be making God to be the God you think He is not what He really is.  Sometimes people put God in a box and put Him away, not keeping Him in their life, like He wants them to do.  For He is not like a false god or an idol that cannot hear or save, but He is an Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent God.  Paul said that the people’s faith should not be as the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.  Not wisdom of this world, nor or princes of this world which come to nothing, but wisdom given to us by God through the Spirit.

[Irmela]

1 Corinthians 2:1-6)

Why didn't Paul conform to the rhetorical standards of his day in order to communicate more clearly?

What is the danger of "repackaging" the message?

What does it mean that Paul relied on a demonstration of the Spirit's power?

Paul was not prepared to water down the Gospel. He presented the Gospel as is. He did not repackage it just so that it was acceptable to all and sundry and thereby be misunderstood. He remained focused on Christ and Him crucified, then risen. He testified of what Christ had done and did this even amidst persecution. Sometimes signs and wonders happened. But he relied on the convicting Power of the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of the people. 

[Krissi]

The cynic in me thinks that by speaking poorly Paul was "packaging" himself as an outsider to the culture, perhaps to emphasize Christianity's essential differences with the culture.

A more charitable explanation would be that Paul was battling pride. True humility among very talented men/women is hard to come by because very able people tend to rely on their own abilities, strengths and expertise. Paul was a famous trained rabbi! He knew how to argue well. He was able to speak well. He had a good mind. He must have jettisoned his own abilities and social station for a reason, then -- he was trying to depend solely on spiritual gifts and power and not his own natural talents and abilities.

But why?

Had Paul been a bit more confident in his own humility, he may have been willing to submit his own abilities for God's glory. I do not think that God only calls us to do things in which we're not gifted. Could Paul have reached more people had he been spiritually confident enough to use the rhetorical techniques of that time? Reaching people "where they're at: is not a sin. Only pride is.

The danger of repackaging the message is two-fold. First, the message itself becomes diluted or altered. Second, the messenger becomes the focus, not the message.

Paul denied his own gifts. He refused to speak well and competently. He had that option but refused it.

Could the Holy Spirit worked WITHIN Paul's abilities and talents -- Yes, I think so. But Paul chose a safer route, one less morally challenging, which was to not do his personal best, but let the Spirit guide His words. He thus humbled himself by choosing NOT to not winsome and clever, erudite and articulate. 

The cynic in me thinks that by speaking poorly Paul was "packaging" himself as an outsider to the culture, perhaps to emphasize Christianity's essential differences with the culture.

A more charitable explanation would be that Paul was battling pride. True humility among very talented men/women is hard to come by because very able people tend to rely on their own abilities, strengths and expertise. Paul was a famous trained rabbi! He knew how to argue well. He was able to speak well. He had a good mind. He must have jettisoned his own abilities and social station for a reason, then -- he was trying to depend solely on spiritual gifts and power and not his own natural talents and abilities.

But why?

Had Paul been a bit more confident in his own humility, he may have been willing to submit his own abilities for God's glory. I do not think that God only calls us to do things in which we're not gifted. Could Paul have reached more people had he been spiritually confident enough to use the rhetorical techniques of that time? Reaching people "where they're at: is not a sin. Only pride is.

The danger of repackaging the message is two-fold. First, the message itself becomes diluted or altered. Second, the messenger becomes the focus, not the message.

Paul denied his own gifts. He refused to speak well and competently. He had that option but refused it.

Could the Holy Spirit worked WITHIN Paul's abilities and talents -- Yes, I think so. But Paul chose a safer route, one less morally challenging, which was to not do his personal best, but let the Spirit guide His words. He thus humbled himself by choosing NOT to not winsome and clever, erudite and articulate.