The Italian Memorandum

(A Cape Church of Christ Sunday Morning Series in March)

Sunday Morning March 5       “Now is the Favorable Time”
                             (Introduction to 2 Corinthians 6)

Sunday Morning March 12      “Why Is ‘Now’ the Favorable Time’?”
                             (Motivation of 2 Corinthians 6:1-2)

Sunday Morning March 1       “Now is ‘the Favorable Time’ for What?”
                             (Basis for a Redemptive View of Time- 2 Corinthians Ch. 5)

Sunday Morning March 26      This Now-ness and You
                             (Living with a Strong Sense of Contemporaneity)

Sunday  Morning April 2      Lessons Learnt in the Crucible of Time
                             (Bringing Relevance to Reality)

“I’m excited about our evangelistic prospects for the future in the Cape congregation. Now is the favorable time. Does anyone doubt this?

–Robert M. Housby

(Rethinking 2 Corinthians 6)

“If I only had the time…”

The apostle Paul urges all Christians to live with a redemptive view of time (2 Cor. 6:2; Eph. 5:16). To rethink 2 Corinthians 6 is to be confronted by Paul’s Biblical philosophy of time:

1. Grace (6:2 is connected to 6:1). Often, in the church, we hear—let’s study “grace,” “reconciliation,” or “ministry”. Note: these are all present in the verses leading up to 2 Corinthians 6 (see 5:11-21). There is a place for topical Bible study. But, it mustn’t be forgotten that biblical context is as much a part of inspiration as are isolated Bible words.

2. Now (6:2, twice). Note the strong sense of contemporaneity (now-ness). This stands in contradistinction to procrastination or laissez faire.

3. Favorable time (6:2, twice). There is a complete theology behind this phrase (see Isa. 49:8; Ps. 32:6; 69:13; Heb. 3:13).

4. Salvation (6:2, twice). What is it? (see 5:14,15). Where is it? (see 5:16,17). How is it acquired? (see 5:18-21). Is it worth it? (see 6:3-10).

Although these Christians had been baptized, some were not living the life (5:15). “We implore you…be reconciled to God…Now is the favorable time” (5:20; 6:2).

-Robert M. Housby

“In him we have redemption”

(Ephesians 1:7)

The story is told of a young boy who made a boat, sailed it down a stream, and subsequently lost it. Sometime afterwards he was walking among the local shops, when, to his surprise and delight, he spied in the window of one of the shops the very boat which he had lost. He entered the shop and made his case that the boat belonged to him. “That may be,” said the man, “but you’ll not have it until you’ve paid the price.” So, the boy scratched together the monies necessary to acquire the boat. And, as he carried it back home, he said to the boat, “Now you’re twice mine: first, I made you; and then I bought you!”

The story of the boy and his beloved boat points out a fundamental concept about Biblical Redemption. Redemption is about economics. The price paid underscores the price due. Leon Morris wrote, “All these words [synonyms of redemption] go back ultimately to lutron, and in all there is to be discerned the fundamental idea of a process involving release by payment of a ransom price.” The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (p. 10). The term redemption, from lutron, goes back to the verb luo, to loose. “The –tron suffix denotes basically the means whereby an action is performed” (Morris, p. 9). The idea of redemption involves a purchase-price, stemming from such passages as: Numbers 3:51 and Jeremiah 32:6-15.

But, a fascinating feature about the redemption under Christ Jesus comes from Isaiah 52:3, “…you shall be redeemed without money” (See Eph. 1:7,14; 1 Pet. 1:18; Rev. 5:9). The power to deliver (Isa. 50:2) resides with God (Isa. 60:16). Yes, the Christian is “twice mine:” once by the Creation, and second, by the Redemption which is in Christ. “Let the redeemed say so” (Ps. 107:2!).

-Robert M. Housby