16:22 What does "Anathema Maranatha" mean?
16:22 What does "Anathema Maranatha" mean?
What Paul is saying here concerns believers, not unbelievers. 1Cor 16:22 is a reminder to all those who profess to love Christ, that if they do not love Him, they are given up to the curse and doomed to eternal damnation (CP Ga 1:8-9).
Anathema does not mean punishment intended as discipline, but being given over to Divine condemnation.
To not love the Lord means to not obey Him. Many professing Christians claim to love the Lord yet do not obey His word, and the only way we can prove our love for Him is by our obedience to His word. (CP Jn 14:15, 21; 1Jn 2:3-6; 3:24; 5:2-3; Rev 14:12; 22:14 with Mt 7:20-27).
See also comments on Mt 7:13-14, 7:21; Lu 19:11-27; Ro 2:13; Jas 1:22:25, 2:14-16 and 1Jn 2:3-6 and author's studies Conditions of Entry into Heaven in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1) and Christian -
Beware of Failing God's Grace and Forfeiting your Salvation in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 2). Maranatha means "O Lord come", or "our Lord cometh". It focuses on the time when Jesus returns and will visit judgement upon all those who do not love Him (CP Jude 1:14-15; Rev 22:11-12).
These are but a few of over a 1000 questions answered from scripture in the QUESTION AND ANSWER STUDY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
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