I read the first 3 chapters of 1 Corinthians today, and I almost missed catching a verse filled with hope for anyone feeling weak or tempted, and for anyone who, like myself, wants to persevere but is sometimes unsure that they can. 1 Corinthians 1:8 says, "He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." Thank God that He freely offers His strength, and upholds us in our strength, which is also a gift from Him.
One other thing I noticed is Paul's focus on unity, and how worldly an attitude of jealousy and division is. In 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, and again in all of chapter 3, Paul points to the fact that we should be following Christ, not arguing and fighting over which other leader we're following. Our call is to be Christlike, not 'Paul-like', 'Peter-like', or dare I say 'local-pastor-like' or 'radio-pastor-like' at the expense of unity in Christ. No matter how solid a preacher's biblical basis and application is, it's never an excuse to say, "We're the only church", or "We're the best church". How arrogant, and how far from God's heart! Certainly recognize sin for what it is and speak against it for the benefit of everyone's relationship with God, but do not be so proud that in your mind you deny God the ability to work in godly ways outside of your particular leader. Paul had a lot of very godly teaching to give, but even he was quick to say, "Hold on! I'm not God! I didn't die for your sins, and you're not saved by me. I'm just a servant. All the glory goes to God for the work He's doing in you."
Speaking of the work that God is doing, it reminds me of the purpose of the Godly Man Project - to work together with God on what He is doing in my life. 1 Corinthians 3:9 says it very well: "for we are God's fellow workers, you are God's field, God's building." I need to be certain that if I'm doing work in my own life, or trying to help in anyone else's, that I am indeed working alongside God, and not doing my own thing. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 is very clear on that, including phrases like, "But each one should be careful how he builds", and "his work will be shown for what it is".
The last note I want to make is that God's ways often seem like foolishness to the world, because worldly wisdom is opposed to God. Has it ever seemed like the more someone knows, and the more aware and proud they are of their knowledge, the more blindly they miss the simple, evident truths of God's way? I'm sure that has been true for me. When I think I know just how things ought to work, God does something that doesn't fit into my little box of knowledge, and I realize that I was unaware of something that is simple to Him. I was just thinking about an example of that yesterday, so I know it has been true of me. A few verses really point to just how much wiser God is than the best minds of our world: Chapter 1, verses 20-21, says, "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? / For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe." Again, verse 25 says, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." and verses 27-29 tell us, "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. / He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, / so that no one may boast before him." Once again, chapter 3, verses 18-20 say, "Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a 'fool' so that he may become wise. / For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: 'He catches the wise in their craftiness'; / and again, 'The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.' " Since this is the case, how can we be truly wise, with God's wisdom? 1 Corinthians 2:11-13 says this: "For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. / We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. / This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words."
God, I pray that I would speak from the wisdom that You give through Your Spirit, that I would work alongside You in Your strength and in keeping with Your will, and that I would always point the glory to You rather than myself or some leader, and that I would work toward the unity that You seek in Your church. Amen.
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