Jensens survey of the old testament adam 459
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individuals who responded acceptably. Men
persisted in doing their own will rather than
God’s will, and they became utterly
rebellious and disobedient. God allowed
men to go on in their self-chosen ways.
But from the multitudes of the world
living around 2000 B.C. God selected one
man, Abraham. From him He made a nation
that was to be His chosen people, special
representatives to whom and through whom
He could speak and act. The top line of
Chart 69 represents the descendants of
Abraham, known as Jews or Israelites. The
name Gentiles shown on the bottom line
represents all other people.
CHART 69: THE STREAM OF THE HUMAN RACE
Not all Jews were believers, just as not all
Gentiles were unbelievers. For nearly two
thousand years God patiently dealt with that
chosen nation of Israel and sought to get
more than just a remnant to obey and
represent Him. But the nation as a whole
repeatedly refused to do that, although
there were individual Israelites who obeyed.
The nation became so corrupt and rebellious
that God allowed them to go on in their selfchosen ways. The pattern was the same as
for the human race before the time of
Abraham.
Finally the day came when God sent His
only begotten Son into the world, to redeem
lost sinners (whether Jew or Gentile) and
form a new, unique people, the church,
Christ’s Body (1 Cor. 12:27). That invisible
church is composed of all twice-born men,
women, and children, who have received a
divine nature from God upon believing on
Jesus Christ as their Savior.
Not long after Christ’s death, resurrection,
and ascension, the Holy Spirit came down
from heaven to indwell and empower the
rst members of that church. From the very
beginning the believers at Jerusalem
worshiped together as a local church, and
when some moved to other cities, they
started local churches there. And all the
local churches together made up the visible
church at large. The visible church at large
is God’s representative body of Christians on
earth today, through whom He speaks to
nonbelieving
Jews
and
nonbelieving
Gentiles.
II. BACKGROUND OF THE CORINTHIAN LETTERS
Ancient Corinth was very similar to
today’s large cities of the world. It was a
busy, cosmopolitan, commercial center
known by all. The rst Christian church of
Corinth had an equally strong likeness to
many urban churches of today. As you
anticipate surveying the Corinthian letters
try to visualize the setting of those letters. In
doing so you will nd it very easy and
natural to apply their teachings to the
twentieth century. Assuredly the letters
were written not only for a local
congregation of one generation, but for
Christians everywhere, throughout the
entire Christian age.
A. CORINTH: THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE
