WITCHCRAFT? NO!
(But what is it?)
1 Cor. 5:3-4, “ For I, on my part, though being absent in the body but present in the spirit, have already judged, as if being present, him who has thus done this,
In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you and my spirit have been assembled, with the power of our Lord Jesus” (RcV)
Footnote on verse 4.2 says, "The apostle's spirit was so strong that it attended the meeting of the Corinthian believers. His spirit was assembled with them to carry out his judgment upon the evil person."
This verse, in my opinion, is a very difficult one (there is something similar (?) in 2 Ki. 5:26). I have, at the moment, more questions than answers. According to the footnote (or according to these verses?), it seems that the spirit of Paul “attended the meeting of the Corinthian believers”.
FROM THE LS OF 1 CORINTHIANS
“
"In verse 4 Paul clearly says, “When you and my spirit are assembled.” By this we know that Paul's spirit attended the meeting in Corinth. This does not mean, however, that his spirit actually traveled to Corinth. This has absolutely nothing in common with witchcraft, which claims that a person's soul can leave his body and visit other people. According to this verse, Paul's spirit was so strong that he could somehow attend the meeting in Corinth. When they were gathered together, his spirit was with them to deliver the evil one to Satan. This is altogether a spiritual matter, something wholly in the spirit.”1
In his LS W.L. is more careful (?). First he denies that this was witchcraft (“which claims that a person's soul can leave his body and visit other people”). I know nothing about witchcraft, so my first question is: Does witchcraft claim that only souls can leave the body or that the soul or/and the spirit can leave the body?
Then, he says,
“We should never think that Paul's spirit actually went to Corinth and attended the meeting. Nevertheless, as the Corinthian believers were meeting together, Paul exercised his spirit to be with them and to judge the evil one and to remove him. We also may learn to visit a brother by our spirit. While we remain at home, it is possible for our spirit to visit a brother. This is what Paul's spirit did regarding the situation at Corinth.”1
This contradicts his footnote (someone might say that there isn't enough space to explain everything in the footnote). I believe the footnotes should be considered as is “final word” on things shared in the LS.
Lastly, he suggests that we can do the same! “We also may learn to visit a brother by our spirit. While we remain at home, it is possible for our spirit to visit a brother.” I have never met a believer who claimed to have learned this practice! Did you, my dear readers? Did he (W.L.)?
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NOTES:
1 (Life-Study of 1 Corinthians, Chapter 36, Section 1)