Luther explained koinonia in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 as follows:

“Finally, ‘participation’ here means the common possession in which

they all participate and share, viz. something which has been given to

them all in common” (AE 37:353).

29. How might this interpretation help us to more fully appreci-

ate the “communion [sanctorum communion; koinonia]of saints” as we

confess in the Apostles’ Creed?

30. Read 2 Corinthians 8:13-15; Romans 12:12-13; and He-

brews 13:15-16. How is the depiction of Christian love as a “sacri-

fice” particularly important given the familiarity early Christians had

with the temple services?

 

COR 8:8-15

⁸ I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 

⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,

so that you by his poverty might become rich. ¹⁰ And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who 

a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. ¹¹ So now finish doing it as well, so that

your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. ¹² For if the readiness

is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. ¹³ For I do not

mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness ¹⁴ your abundance at the

present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.

¹⁵ As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

 

ROM 12:9-13

 ⁹Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. 

Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,^[g] serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice

in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show

hospitality.

 

HEB 13:7-16

⁷ Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life,

and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹ Do not be led away by diverse

and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not

benefited those devoted to them. ¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who serve the tent^[a] have no right to eat.

¹¹ For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for

sin are burned outside the camp. ¹² So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through

his own blood. ¹³ Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. ¹⁴ For here we have

no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. ¹⁵ Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise

to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. ¹⁶ Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have,

for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

 

34. Read Philipians 3:30; Romans 6:3-4; and Galations 6:2.

While individual members serve each other in holy love, why is a

Christian congregation different from a support group or a special-

interest group?

 

 

PHI 3:8-11

⁸ Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake

I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him,

not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the

righteousness from God that depends on faith— ¹⁰ that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may

share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection

from the dead.

 

ROM 6:1-4

¹What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to

sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 

⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead

by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

GAL 6:1-5

¹Brothers,^[a] if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. ² Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

³ For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ But let each one test his own work,

and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. ⁵ For each will have to bear his own load.

 

 

35. Read Ephesians 3:6 and Galatians 3:26-28. How does the

Lord supply us with a family of faith that transcends race, culture,

political persuasion, nationality, and even time and space?

 

EPH 3:1-6

¹For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— ² assuming that you have heard of 

the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, ³ how the mystery was made known to me by

revelation, as I have written briefly. ⁴ When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 

⁵ which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles

and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶ This mystery is^[a] that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and 

partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

 

GAL 3:23-29

²³ Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 

²⁴ So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that

faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. ²⁷ For

as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither

slave^[g] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you are Christ's, then you

are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

 

To prepare for “The Gift and Service of the Pastor,” read 2 Co-

rinthians 5:17-21.

 

2 COR 5:17-21

¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.^[b] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 

¹⁸ All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ that is,

in Christ God was reconciling^[c] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us

 the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,

so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.