I appeal to some of our other members to post comments to correct and augment this week's post. I arrived a bit late because of an early appointment that ran late. This week we discussed last week's topic, especially 6:11-7:4 that deals with the difference between believers and nonbelievers. Paul has very high standards and expectations for believers which include witnessing and being accountable to self, others, and God.
On one hand Christ (and Paul) expects us to go and make disciples in all the lands. But we are also to avoid everything that defiles or distracts us. how do we remain accountable and still be open and accepting? And if we try to distinguish between the things that defile or distract and the people we are trying make into disciples, are we being judgmental? Yikes! Somebody help me figure this out!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
New Life
In 2 Corinthians 6:3-7:4 Paul is again defending his authority and encouraging the Corinthians to persevere. He describes the trials and tribulations, the tools of the trade, and warns against the dangers that he has and the Christians will face. But, if you consider his words on a different level, he is also describing a New Life in The New Covenant.
Remember, the Corinthians were living in a pagan society, full of sin and vice. (Sound familiar?) In verses 6:3-6:13 Paul talks about the trials he has personally faced, and the virtues that have helped him endure. Throughout this section he juxtaposes positive and negative to show us that while we may feel persecuted and hopeless, there is always something good that comes our of it. Like the Velveteen Rabbit, I imagine those trials are just God loving our fur off.
Verses 6:14-7:1 have been considered a digression, but to me it seems more a reminder that we are each a temple. The New Covenant is about taking the laws into our hearts rather than keeping them written on stone tablets. It is about living our faith every minute of every day. If God is to dwell within us, what kind of vessel must we provide? That is exactly what Paul describes in this section. We need to live a New Life in order to be part of the New Covenant, and Paul cautions us to beware of those who profess to believe but whose actions do not support their words, as well as those who reject God.
The one thing Paul doesn't tell us is how to know the difference. We decided that it requires discernment, listening for God's quiet voice. Only then can we know that we are on the right path, doing God's work and remaining cheerful and joyful while persevering through struggles. Does anyone have a hearing aid I can borrow...?
Remember, the Corinthians were living in a pagan society, full of sin and vice. (Sound familiar?) In verses 6:3-6:13 Paul talks about the trials he has personally faced, and the virtues that have helped him endure. Throughout this section he juxtaposes positive and negative to show us that while we may feel persecuted and hopeless, there is always something good that comes our of it. Like the Velveteen Rabbit, I imagine those trials are just God loving our fur off.
Verses 6:14-7:1 have been considered a digression, but to me it seems more a reminder that we are each a temple. The New Covenant is about taking the laws into our hearts rather than keeping them written on stone tablets. It is about living our faith every minute of every day. If God is to dwell within us, what kind of vessel must we provide? That is exactly what Paul describes in this section. We need to live a New Life in order to be part of the New Covenant, and Paul cautions us to beware of those who profess to believe but whose actions do not support their words, as well as those who reject God.
The one thing Paul doesn't tell us is how to know the difference. We decided that it requires discernment, listening for God's quiet voice. Only then can we know that we are on the right path, doing God's work and remaining cheerful and joyful while persevering through struggles. Does anyone have a hearing aid I can borrow...?
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Reconcile Yourself...
In 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2 we found a continuation of some themes. Paul continues to defend his authority and ministry, but as always deflects and glory or praise, focusing on God as the source of everything. Paul's reiterates that his ministry is based on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus for E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E. Although God offers us grace there are consequences and judgment to be faced. And Paul again describes sacrificial Christian love.
But the majority of our discussion today centered on two concepts - we are acting as ambassadors for Christ (5:20) and reconciliation (5:18). We explored what it means to us to be "Ambassadors for Christ." The definition we settled on is that how you live your life is a testimony to your beliefs and faith. We agreed that you communicate God's glory with your life. But then the next question is what are you going to do this week to "live for Christ.?" Our discussion naturally led us to those outstanding examples that awe and amaze us - the successful lawyer who chucks it all to become a pastor, the couple who abandon a comfortable retirement to become missionaries halfway around the world, Saul becoming Paul... That kind of intimidation (yes, intimidation) makes anything I can do so insignificant that it is almost not worth the effort. Almost. We decided that even small acts communicate our testimony - going to Bible Study, going to church, keeping our devotional time, prayer, helping our neighbor. We need not be intimidated by those grand examples, we are not all called to be extreme, we are simply called to be faithful.
Reconciliation was an important concept to the Corinthians, coming from such a mixed background. What does reconcile mean? According to the dictionary it meas to cause to be friendly or harmonious, to conform, t o accommodate, come to terms with, reunite. Several of us liked the idea of harmony because, as in music, each of us can be different and an individual, singing our own song, but when we come together in harmony the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. One of us liked the synonym reunite, feeling it conveyed the idea of having once been in relationship with God, having broken that relationship and then repairing it. No where in the Bible does it speak of God being reconciled to man. In fact, it is always the other way around - man must be reconciled to God. God's work is done, he offers us grace. As Paul says in 6:1-2, it is here, it is now, it is up to us to respond.
But the majority of our discussion today centered on two concepts - we are acting as ambassadors for Christ (5:20) and reconciliation (5:18). We explored what it means to us to be "Ambassadors for Christ." The definition we settled on is that how you live your life is a testimony to your beliefs and faith. We agreed that you communicate God's glory with your life. But then the next question is what are you going to do this week to "live for Christ.?" Our discussion naturally led us to those outstanding examples that awe and amaze us - the successful lawyer who chucks it all to become a pastor, the couple who abandon a comfortable retirement to become missionaries halfway around the world, Saul becoming Paul... That kind of intimidation (yes, intimidation) makes anything I can do so insignificant that it is almost not worth the effort. Almost. We decided that even small acts communicate our testimony - going to Bible Study, going to church, keeping our devotional time, prayer, helping our neighbor. We need not be intimidated by those grand examples, we are not all called to be extreme, we are simply called to be faithful.
Reconciliation was an important concept to the Corinthians, coming from such a mixed background. What does reconcile mean? According to the dictionary it meas to cause to be friendly or harmonious, to conform, t o accommodate, come to terms with, reunite. Several of us liked the idea of harmony because, as in music, each of us can be different and an individual, singing our own song, but when we come together in harmony the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. One of us liked the synonym reunite, feeling it conveyed the idea of having once been in relationship with God, having broken that relationship and then repairing it. No where in the Bible does it speak of God being reconciled to man. In fact, it is always the other way around - man must be reconciled to God. God's work is done, he offers us grace. As Paul says in 6:1-2, it is here, it is now, it is up to us to respond.
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