The Ohio Independent Baptist, September 1966

Glimpses of Truth from the Greek New Testament By Dr. Geo. Lawlor ln II Cor. 13: 11, believers are instructed to ' be perfect" ( katarti– <lzes tlze ). This is a mo t unusual ad– n1onition , and Paul has just u sed the ame word in its noun form in vs . 9 , "and thi s also we wish , even your perfection" ( katartisis ) . What do these passages mean? What is it that the H oly pirit intends that we should understand from the u se of this \.\'Ord? Just what i this "being per– fect " which is comn1anded, and the tate of "perfection,, desired in the people of God? The great practical intere t and importance of katartidzo lies in the fact that it is a word which particu– larly expresses Christian discipline, training, and correction. In early time it meant ' 'to adjust, put in o rder, res tore," hence it was used to de cribe the setting of a broken arm or leg, and of reconciling friend who were e tranged for some rea on or other. It also referred to "an equip– ping or furnishing omeone or some– thing for some stated purpo e." A woman wrote to a friend and aid that the preparation and furni bing of the gue t chamber was complete and all was ready for the friend when she arrived. In the New Te tament, it i the \.vord used of the disciples' "mend– ing" their nets (Matt. 4:21); it oc– cur in Hebrew 11 : 3. where we are told that the ages "were framed,, (put in order, arranged completed) by the Word of God; it is the word u ed in Gal. 6: 1 of the "re toring" of a brother who has been caught in 1)QOMOT€R C>F'WORLO MtSS(ONS! .. - {Th_ 'I ihcrf w~ .SC~TT£REDABROAD w (U?f EVERY WrlERE~dllnc; fh.t., WORD.~@ cr.sa: 4) H O HIO I f DEP r D I BAP IS a ' in· it i found in I Cor. I : I 0. \.\r here it i translated "perfectly joined to– gether ' peaking of the unifying of the di cordant elements in the Corin– thian Church: and it is u ed in Luke 6: 40, to de cribe the fact that the properly equipped student may be a hi teacher but not above him. It i clear then, that here we h ave a most ignificant word for believers. Chri tian di cipline and correctio n are for our greatest good, for our learning, a means of training u in the element of the faith. Di ciplinary learning help u to make nece ary adjustments in our Chri tian life and devotion, and enable u to put cer– tain thing in order. It equip u for meeting more effectively our temp– tation and the demand of life. It prepare u for battle. and treng– then us for the pecific purpo e f contending strenuou ly for the faith. It i meant to "mend' ' a believer. and ' repair and refurni h' him for a better witne , and to re tore him to hi proper place in the rank . It i · intended to draw the people of a church more clo ely together. etting in place the thing that are di lo– cated and broken. re toring rder an1ong di gruntled brethren. bringing peace and quiet confidence to troubled m i n d . and providing trength to overcome evil and to d the right. It i thi Paul ha in mind when he expre e to the orinthian hi de ire for their "perfection." and tirge them to "be perfect." The aint are to let them el b fitted out, they arc to ubn1it t di ciplinar,, training. accepting ad 111onition and in truction, and recei'1ing the correc– tive mea ure a the mean · f dra,\ – ing then1 together into , l hri~tian ·ociety which plea c · an<.l hl)nOr\ God ab ve all. YOUR FIGHT AGAINST COMMUNISM. • • . . . takes on new meaning when you suppor t dedicated missionaries daily help– ing Chris t ian bre thren throughout the world who are suff ering the devastation o f war, disease, overpopulation, and the ravages of na ture. They have nowhere to turn because of t heir B1bl1cal stand f ron, larger denon1inational and govern· ment agencies. Your financial help i:> sorely needed. A few dollars goes a long way in their teaching of the Word of God, bringing comfort, even su:ataining life Itself an,ong those less fortunate th n you. Any contribution, no n,atter how n,all, ill be a bles 1ng 10 these people Wr ite: R v. J me. T. Sh INTERNATIONAL HRI TIAN RELIE 801 H ddon A e , Colling :> ood N. J. 08108 S PTEMB R 1966, PA E 1