01. Live How You Were Called (1 Corinthians 7:17-19).
• 1 Corinthians 7:17 let him walk is περιπατέω (ĕripatĕō) from í, around or about, and éō, to walk, thus meaning how one lives his life (cf. Ephesians 2:3; Ephesians 4:20--24).
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• ordain I** is διατάσσω (ō), from á, through, and ássō, to select, to put in order, meaning to thoroughly organize.
• The Greek noun for church is ἐκκλησία (ĕkklēsia) from two Greek words: from ek, out and καλέω, to call. This was the common word to describe a group of citizens who were called together by a herald to deliberate the politics of the free state.
• In English, we get the noun for church from κυριακός (ŏs), with the root word κύριος (ŏs), usually translated as Lord, meaning“The Lord's Place.“Kirk" means “church." The Greek κυριακός was used of houses of Christian worship since 300AD.
• “gathering of those summoned", in ancient Greece, assembly of citizens in a city-state. Its roots lay in the Homeric agora, the meeting of the people. The Athenian Ecclesia, for which exists the most detailed record, was already functioning in Draco's day (c. 621 BC)... coterminous with the body of male citizens 18 years of age or over and had final control over policy, including the right to hear appeals in the public court, take part in the election of chief magistrates, and confer special privileges on individuals.
**• The Oxford Universal English Dictionary: * **especially the general assembly of Athenians. Later, the regular word for church.*
• Acts 19:32; Acts 19:39; Acts 19:41; Acts 7:38
• KJV translators were given a list of 15 Instructions from King James himself: #3. The old ecclesiastical words to be kept, as the word church, not to be translated congregation.
• Ephesians 5:23 Paul says that Jesus is the head of the Jewish assembly, the nation of Israel.
• The Scriptures are replete with passages that speak of the nation of Israel belonging to God (cf. Exodus 6:6-8; Exodus 19:4-6; Exodus 23:25-31; Deuteronomy 7:7-9; 1 Samuel 12:22; 1 Kings 6:13; Psalm 89:31--37; Psalm 94:14; Isaiah 41:17; Isaiah 42:16; Jeremiah 31:35-37; Jeremiah 33:19--26; Lamentations 3:31-32; Zechariah 2:8; Romans 11:1; Hebrews 13:5).
• 1 Corinthians 7:18 being circumcised is περιτέμνω (ĕritĕmnō) from í, around or about, and émnō, to cut, meaning to cut around* *(cf. Genesis 17:12; Genesis 21:4; Leviticus 12:3; Luke 1:59; Luke 2:21; Acts 7:8; Philippians 3:5).
• not is μή (ē) is the conditional negation, thus do **not become uncircumcised** if you are already circumcised.
• uncircumcised is ἐπισπάομαι (ĕpispaŏmai) from í, *over,* and áō, to draw or pull, meaning to draw the foreskin over again, and the only time found in the Greek Scriptures.
• Josephus writes about some Jews who renounced their religion and wanted to build a gymnasium in Jerusalem to prove that they were no longer Jewish. The word gymnasium means to exercise naked, from gymnos, naked. Aulus Cornelius Celsus 25 BC -- c. 50 AD), a Roman doctor wrote De Medicina, and is regarded as one of the best sources of medical knowledge from the time of the Romans. He wrote about a procedure to undo the circumcision of a male.
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• Paul writes about another state or condition one might find himself in: uncircumcision** is ἀκροβυστία (ŏbustia) from ákron, meaning the extreme, the highest point, and úō, to cover.
• To call somebody uncircumcised means to label someone as not being a Jew, and one who is outside the promises of God to the nation of Israel calling them a Gentile pagan.
• The word uncircumcised refers to a medical procedure that is done, while uncircumcision refers to how one is naturally born.
• 1 Corinthians 7:19 nothing is οὐδείς (ŏudĕis), from ou, not and ís, one, no not even one.
**• keeping** is τήρησις (ērēsis) from ērós, meaning a warden or a guard, keeping a close eye on. the commandments of God.
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• the commandments** is ἐντολή (ĕntŏlē), from en, in, upon and éllō, to accomplish, fulfill.
• Thus, what Paul is writing here is very Jewish, dealing with circumcision, and the commandments of God.
• To the Jews in the Corinthian assembly, they all would know that the rite of circumcision was part of keeping the Law, but now that Paul talks about remaining who you are as you came to Jesus, whether circumcised or not, it's no matter
