REFLECTION & RESPONSE FOR CHAPTER ONE
REFLECTION ON CHAPTER ONE THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH THE HIDDEN SECRETS (PART ONE) History has revealed how particular the biblical truths regarding the family system and morals were changed from biblical to non biblical and how pagan ideas came to be accepted as being “Christian” truths. There is no doubt that the Roman culture preceding and surrounding the birth of Christ was greatly influence by the Greek culture, and the Greek culture carried many Babylonian carry-overs. Hellenism greatly influence Jewish thought and practise preceding Christianity and after its birth, this influence was then spread around the world through Romans and Greek Catholism. For better understanding, bible readers ought to enlighten their mind with cultural context, both preceding culture and the culture context within which the bible was written as this will bring tremendous enlightenment to the meaning of a particular text or subject. One particular Hellenistic influence paramount to the book, is the introduction of monogamy as a state law. This was not a Judaic or Christian idea. It was Hellenistic and pagan. RESPONSE I agree with the author that the Roman culture preceding and surrounding the birth of Christ was greatly influence by the culture, and its often called the Greco-Roman culture. I am also not disputing the fact that the Greek culture carried many Babylonians carry-overs. Because of the clever way that paganism was mixed with Christianity, the Babylonians influence became hidden –a mystery. Over the centuries, God has called his people out of bondage of Babylon. Still today his voice is saying “come out of her, my people that ye be not partakers of her sin.” (Revelation 18:4) However, I strongly disagree with the author his assertion that monogamy is not a Christian but Hellenistic and pagan idea. This is false doctrine as far as Christianity s concerned. In Genesis 2:22-25, the bible says “And the rib, which the lord God had taken from man, he made woman, and brought her unto the man” “And Adam said, this is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called a woman. Therefore shall a man leave his Father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” If God intended or ordained polygamous marriage I believe he would have created more than one woman or wife for Adam. In Genesis 4:19, we read about the failure of Lamech who was the first polygamist and the first murderer. The author’s idea that monogamy not only promotes immorality but actually prohibits morality is not true. Sexual immorality does not occur as a result of monogamy but because people have not repented and there is no fear of God in them, and they don’t love God otherwise they would keep his commands. “thou shall not commit adultery”. The author’s exegesis on Paul writings in 1 timothy 3:2, 12 is totally wrong. He the author misunderstood and misinterpreted Paul’s writing that a bishop and deacon should be a husband of one wife.
REFLECTION ON CHAPTER ONE THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST AND THE CHURCH THE HIDDEN SECRETS (PART ONE) History has revealed how particular the biblical truths regarding the family system and morals were changed from biblical to non biblical and how pagan ideas came to be accepted as being “Christian” truths. There is no doubt that the Roman culture preceding and surrounding the birth of Christ was greatly influence by the Greek culture, and the Greek culture carried many Babylonian carry-overs. Hellenism greatly influence Jewish thought and practise preceding Christianity and after its birth, this influence was then spread around the world through Romans and Greek Catholism. For better understanding, bible readers ought to enlighten their mind with cultural context, both preceding culture and the culture context within which the bible was written as this will bring tremendous enlightenment to the meaning of a particular text or subject. One particular Hellenistic influence paramount to the book, is the introduction of monogamy as a state law. This was not a Judaic or Christian idea. It was Hellenistic and pagan. RESPONSE I agree with the author that the Roman culture preceding and surrounding the birth of Christ was greatly influence by the culture, and its often called the Greco-Roman culture. I am also not disputing the fact that the Greek culture carried many Babylonians carry-overs. Because of the clever way that paganism was mixed with Christianity, the Babylonians influence became hidden –a mystery. Over the centuries, God has called his people out of bondage of Babylon. Still today his voice is saying “come out of her, my people that ye be not partakers of her sin.” (Revelation 18:4) However, I strongly disagree with the author his assertion that monogamy is not a Christian but Hellenistic and pagan idea. This is false doctrine as far as Christianity s concerned. In Genesis 2:22-25, the bible says “And the rib, which the lord God had taken from man, he made woman, and brought her unto the man” “And Adam said, this is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called a woman. Therefore shall a man leave his Father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” If God intended or ordained polygamous marriage I believe he would have created more than one woman or wife for Adam. In Genesis 4:19, we read about the failure of Lamech who was the first polygamist and the first murderer. The author’s idea that monogamy not only promotes immorality but actually prohibits morality is not true. Sexual immorality does not occur as a result of monogamy but because people have not repented and there is no fear of God in them, and they don’t love God otherwise they would keep his commands. “thou shall not commit adultery”. The author’s exegesis on Paul writings in 1 timothy 3:2, 12 is totally wrong. He the author misunderstood and misinterpreted Paul’s writing that a bishop and deacon should be a husband of one wife.