Thorn in the Flesh (12:7)
I believe both the timing and vagueness of this verse are significant for its application. Paul discusses the humbling effect of his “thorn” right after discussing an incredible experience that could have easily caused pride (2 Cor 12:1-6). Paul viewed his character as more important than his comfort, therefore he could see the goodness of God in stripping his comfort to protect his character.
Yet the “thorn” is also vague. While the best guesses seem to be sight impairment from the Damascus road experience, it is impossible to be sure. I believe Paul (by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) used a metaphor to describe his ailment instead of a precise description so that we would be better able to relate to God’s work in Paul’s life.
Reflection: Can you see the goodness of God in the midst of your suffering? Admittedly, this is a very difficult question. Paul came back to God at least three times before he could answer it affirmatively. Does your struggle to see God’s goodness come from valuing comfort more than the refinement of your character? When you speak of your suffering do you consider the way others may be reading their experience of suffering onto your words (2 Cor 1:3-5)?
Sufficient Grace
(BCH_2Cor_12_handout for Printable PDF Handout)
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9),” are some of the sweetest and most difficult to apply words (personally, not abstractly) in all of Scripture. These are words we can cling to in the darkest night of our soul, yet when we try to figure out what to “do” with them it gets hard.
Almost by definition (God’s power in our weakness), the “application” of these verses will be an altered perspective rather than a set of steps. This sanctified perspective emerges from three concepts.
- Redefined Weakness (“Therefore I will boast all the more of my weakness, so that the Power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Cor 12:9b): Paul so lived for God that anything—including his own weaknesses—that pointed people to the greatness of God was a reason for celebration. Paul’s life was so not about himself, that insecurity was an irrelevant concern. Yet neither did he become a doormat—by being a people-pleaser—because that also would have defamed God (2 Cor 10).
- Contentment (“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities”2 Cor 12:10a): What an amazing list. It captures most every dimension of human suffering. Once Paul’s life became about proclaiming the sufficiency of God’s grace, then every moment of suffering became an opportunity to proclaim, “God is more satisfying than this suffering is disheartening.”
- Redefined Strength (“For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Cor 12:10b): In a world that constantly tried to measure “good enough,” what a liberating statement! The best part is that Paul did not wait until everyone agreed with that statement before he lived in its freedom. But by living in the emotional freedom that Christ’s strength defined him more than his weakness, Paul’s “boldness” opened many doors to share the message of God’s sufficient grace.
As you face your own forms of suffering, and subsequent insecurities or fears, walk through this passage asking God to change your perspective rather than telling you what to “do” next.
Seeking Not Yours But You (12:14)
What a great definition of love! So often our loving is a self-centered seeking or savoring of something about the other person. In this case Paul was saying I was not seeking your money (see 2 Cor 9), but we could legitimately transfer this principle to attractiveness, intelligence, humor, touch, or power. But Paul would say that a love that pursues another primarily for what it gets from the other person is still an immature, selfish love.
Rather Paul says, “I was seeking you. I long to see you redeemed and enjoying Christ more than anything else you could give me in return. You were the ‘cake’ and I did not care if it came with ‘icing.’” Paul goes on to compare this love to the love parents have for their children (a mature love); a love that gets joy out of seeing the joy of their beloved grow.
Reflection: Are you a mature lover? Do you measure relationships based upon what they have to offer to you? Do you tend to insist on things being done the way you enjoy them? Can you take delight in the interest of another person and be deeply satisfied by their enjoyment? This is not natural for any of us, but is harder for some than others. Pray earnestly that God would make you a mature lover.
Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“
Posted 1 year, 5 months ago at 12:37 pm. Add a comment
Wealth in Poverty (8:2)
Paul gives an incredible description of the churches of Macedonia. They were in “extreme poverty” but also “overflowed in a wealth of generosity.” We tend to think of wealth as a commodity and generosity as a disposition. Paul seemingly reverses that mindset. He speaks of generosity as a commodity and wealth as the disposition.
In our current economic situation it is easy to become pessimistic, cynical, and tight-fisted. We tend to have this reaction when we think of money as our primary asset. When we begin to view our faith, relationships, love, and character as our primary assets, it is easier to maintain encouragement and generosity.
Application: What do I have to give? That should be a question that is on my mind frequently and the only response should not be money. When we are generous towards God and others with our time, encouragement, talents, homes, emotions, affection, compliments, and interests, then we will find (most often) that we have adopted a heart of generosity that transforms what we do with our money.
Jesus: The Model Giver
(BCH_2Cor_8_handout for Printable PDF Handout)
When Paul was discussing financial giving and the Christian faith (2 Cor 8-9) he places the example of Jesus in the middle of the discussion (2 Cor 8:9). There are many reasons given about why Christians are called to give. I think the most important is “to be like God.”
We serve an amazingly generous God and the pinnacle expression of this generosity is Jesus’ willingness to step out of heaven and bear the penalty for our sin. If we say we want to be more like Jesus, then generosity must be on our “to become” list.
Consider these truths to spur you towards greater generosity.
- Life is a gift we could not earn.
- Health is a gift we could not earn.
- Love is a gift we could not earn.
- Natural talent is a gift we could not earn.
- Relationships are a gift we could not earn.
- Faith is a gift we could not earn.
- Hope is a gift we could not earn.
- Heaven is a gift we could not earn.
- The Bible is a gift we could not earn.
- Salvation is a gift we could not earn.
- Peace is a gift we could not earn.
- Forgiveness is a gift we could not earn.
As we consider all that you have been in given and by Christ, let us be motivated to model His generosity as a witness to our great Savior.
Finish Well (8:11)
Paul recognized the temptation of not finishing well that becomes more prevalent during difficult financial times. During difficult times we become more dependant upon the “follow through” of one another. There is not as much margin to catch our slack. For this reason, it is clear to exhort the Corinthians to complete their proposed giving.
Reflection: What commitments have you made? Who is currently waiting on you to do what you said you would? Have you become nonchalant with your willingness to say “yes” to things? Have you made pledges to a church or ministry that set its budget based upon your commitment (BTW – Crossroads does not have a pledge-based budget so that is not a self-serving question)?
Application: Recognize that every time you say “yes” to something you are coming under Matthew 5:37, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” This is a reminder that we need to take our word seriously. In the effort to have generous hearts (see above) this is only virtuous if we follow through and finish well.
Posted 1 year, 5 months ago at 12:29 pm. Add a comment
The Love of Christ Controls Us (5:14)
What rules your heart controls your life. What you love most will determine your behavior. Primary relationships always get the most mental air time. Day dreaming reveals your current life dream. These are all different wordings of the same answer to the ultimate question, “Why do we do the things we do?” Answer: we do what we do to serve who we love. That is as true when we sin as when we obey. It is as true when we are angry as when we express affection.
Paul is asking the Corinthians to assess his words and ministry based upon Who he loves most. It is important to note, Paul is not doing this as a tactic to get them to excuse an outburst or moral indiscretion. That would contradict his entire point and a horrible abuse of this passage. Paul is referring to his personal loving sacrifice as a way for the Corinthians to consider the accusation levied against Paul’s ministry—it was not outwardly impressive (assumedly, Paul’s opponents were flashier or had more charisma).
Reflection: Is it the love of Christ that controls you? One way to determine this is with the same dilemma that faced the Corinthians. When you are faced with two options (choosing friends, church/pastor, books, etc…), do you choose the more outwardly impressive or the Christ loving option? Paul made his appeal to the Corinthians on the basis of what should be “attractive” to a Christian. Paul trusted genuine conversion would influence them to the right choice.
Might No Longer Live for Themselves (5:15)
“But doesn’t God want me to be happy?” many people have asked as they struggle with a temptation that they are struggling to even call a temptation (after all that word sounds so negative). To which God replies, “Yes, I do want you to be happy, but as the Author of happiness and the Creator of you, I know what makes for true happiness.” This question is ultimately not about happiness, but trust.
Either we think we know best (and therefore live for ourselves), or we trust that God knows best (and follow His ways). Either way we are pursuing happiness, but it’s just a matter of whose map we trust to get us there. Jesus was very clear that this battle between trusting self and trusting God is foundational to happiness, “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’ (Luke 9:23-24)”
Reflection: When are you most tempted to trust your definition of happiness more than God’s? What expressions does this false trust usually take? In these moments what is it that you are after that appears more satisfying than God? These are hard questions to be honest about. Yet until we are honest about our God-replacements we will not replace our idols with God. As you struggle to be honest with yourself and God, rely on the Gospel for the courage to see what is there. Remember, Christ became sin so that we would be defined by His righteousness not our failures or foolishness (II Cor 5:21).
New Creation with a History
(BCH_2Cor_5_handout for Printable PDF Handout)
In Christ we are a “new creation” (II Cor 5:17), but we still have a history. We have habits, preferences, relationships, and a fatally-wounded-yet-living-flesh as baggage in this new life. It does us little good to deny these things exist. As we seek to reconcile these two realities without succumbing to the temptations of shame or defensiveness, it is important to ask two questions.
What does it mean to be a new creation?
- Salvation is secure – when we become a new creation we die to death. Christ bore our sin. We are no longer the person who was damned to hell.
- Residual guilt is false – there is no condemnation for those in Christ (Rom 8:1). Guilt over past sin is a tool of our adversary not our Father.
- New gifts have been received – a transformation has occurred which should make us expect changes; namely, a heart for God’s kingdom and gifts to serve God.
What role does our history play in our life as a new creation?
- We are exploring redemption – with the curiosity of a child we are to explore our new life. Our history gives us a basis of comparison for the superiority of what we have in Christ.
- Our history gives a platform for ministry – we are a rescued captive called to rescue the captives. Our history gives us insider information about the enemy’s lies and traps by which we can express more clearly the message of redemption.
- God is greater than [our particular sin] – without history we have no basis of comparison. To know that God offers the most love, freedom, hope, peace, or joy we need something to measure by. Our past is “ground zero” by which we begin to measure the vast superiority of the Gospel (and our growth in grace) to anything else that could be offered.
Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago at 12:43 pm. 1 comment
Tamper with God’s Word (4:2)
In II Corinthians 3:5-6 Paul had already said, “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Paul is now explaining what this competent ministry in God’s sufficiency looks like – faithful handling of God’s Word with a reliance upon God’s Person (God’s Spirit not our interpretation of the letter).
This is a hard balance to strike. On one side, many come to Scripture and ask, “What does this passage mean to me?” They tamper with God’s Word (often putting words in God’s mouth) that are not consistent with the words God inspired. On the other side, others explore Scripture exclusively in its historical context thinking an extensive understanding of the culture and setting in which the Bible was written is a “deep” understanding of Scripture. They tamper with God’s Word by ignoring or being silent about the modern relevance of God’s Word.
For what it’s worth, both groups often treat conversations with other people the same way. One group thinks what they feel is the same thing as what you meant. The other group thinks that if you only understood the context of their thinking you would agree with them. Here again we see that we tend to treat other people the same way we treat God (life reveals our hearts).
Application: If you have never read a book on interpreting and applying the Bible, I would recommend two. The first one does an excellent job of teaching you how to interpret each genre of Scripture (epistles, narrative, parables, prophetic literature, wisdom literature, and psalms). The second gives excellent examples and a model of how to make application of Scripture to the modern context and struggles of life.
Blinded the Minds of Unbelievers (4:4)
Evangelism is about more than convincing someone about the Truth of who Jesus is, why Jesus came, and how the Bible says we are to respond. Evangelism is a miracle in which God gives sight to the blind. Ezekiel described humanity in his prophecy, “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.”
With this in mind we can see how evangelism is more spiritual warfare than it is education. The Gospel does have exclusive content, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).” But it takes a supernatural intervention in the heart of an unbeliever for him/her to “see” this truth. When you share the Gospel you are conducting a “spiritual vision check (even believers need this; II Pet 1:9).”
Application: When you pray for a lost friend or family member, pray that God will open their eyes to His truth. When you meet resistance or confusion in sharing the Gospel recognize that you will not argue someone into sight. At that point, your first goal is to help them “see their blindness” (which oddly enough spiritually blind people are the only blind people who think they can see). The type of question (modify it to fit the conversation) I advise for this is, “What do you think makes life worth living?” Only when they see the inadequacy of their current hope will they “see” their need for an eternal hope.
Outer Self vs. Inner Self
(BCH_2Cor_4_handout for Printable PDF Handout)
In Ephesians 4:20-24 Paul discusses the old man and the new man in reference to our battle with sin. In II Corinthians 4:16-18 Paul contrasts the outer self and the inner self in reference to our struggle with suffering. We learn from this that we are conflicted people (without a derogatory connotation) whether our challenge is moral or endurance.
Unless we realize this we will often wonder “Am I going crazy?” when we feel so torn in the midst of every life challenge (sin or suffering). The points below are meant to help you find encouragement by rooting your identity in your “inner self” during episodes of suffering.
- The “inner self” lasts longer. The passage contrasts wasting away with being renewed and transient with eternal to make this point. We are called to treat suffering like a woman treats pregnancy. The condition is temporary and comes with a great reward.
- The “inner self” is more real. We would tend to think the outer self is “weightier” than the inner self. But we learn the opposite. The outer self is the shadow that will fade away when we come fully into God’s light (presence).
- The “inner self” belongs to the unseen reality. Just like there are more micro organisms (which we can’t see) than there are animals, there is more unseen reality than seen. Before we acknowledged germs we got sick for lack of washing our hands. Until we acknowledge the greater unseen reality we will be sick for lack of hope in suffering.
- God understands our attachment to the “outer self.” God gave us this passage to comfort us in our current level of awareness. God is not impatient with our finite limitations. He believes the benefits of the process are worth the effort in ways we probably cannot understand because of our limited awareness. We must trust that Father knows best.
- It is right to grieve the decay of the “outer self.” God does not expect us to be unmoved about the process of change. We should not grieve the dying of the “old man” (it is sin), but we should grieve the decay of the “outer man” (God said it was “very good” Gen 1:31). God has not told us we can only come out of our room when we stop crying. After all it has already been said He is “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (II Cor 1:3).”
Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago at 12:53 pm. Add a comment
In Our Affliction (1:4)
I am often struck by one prevailing assumption of Scripture that we often miss (largely because many of us disagree with it) – the people of God knew one another’s business. A large reason we cannot (or do not) apply much of the biblical teaching about overcoming our struggles is because we insist on making application in private. That is the equivalent of trying to perform a “Three Stooges” routine with only one actor.
As Paul talks about receiving comfort for life’s struggles, he assumes these struggles would be shared with the church. This is the only way “those who have received comfort” from God could every share that same comfort with someone who is currently struggling.
To this it is often rebutted, “You do not have to be a part of a church (or open with fellow believers) to be a Christian.” I agree. But I would respond, “You also do not have to have a home to be a human, but I have not met many (any) healthy, homeless humans.” Our goal is not mere survival (getting into Heaven), but living the healthy Christian life God designed as a living testimony to God’s wisdom and goodness so that we can offer that hope (comfort) to others.
Application: Do not wait until you are in a crisis to start being uncomfortably honest with fellow Christians about your life. Whatever self-consciousness or pride that keeps you from accessing the comfort and guidance of God’s people is a tool of Satan in your life; a foothold specially designed for your destruction. In order to correctly apply Scripture, you must believe that private, isolated Christian faith is necessarily anemic and contrary to God’s design.
That We May Comfort
(BCH_2Cor_1_handout for Printable PDF Handout)
II Corinthians 1:3-5 implies that Christians should be excellent at giving comfort. We all suffer in a world that is broken. We have a Father who is full of mercy and comfort. We share the comfort we have received. The problem is that in our impatience, insecurity, or idealism Christians are often not skilled at giving comfort.
Consider the following suggestions as ways to increase your ability to share the comfort we receive from God.
- Listen – you are offering comfort not answers. How often does Scripture ask us to pray? God listens to our struggles. If we are offering God’s comfort to one another, then we should be eager to listen. When we listen we do not merely learn what has happened to our friend, but how our friend is making sense of what happened. If we are going to comfort we need to know both facts and interpretation.
- Incarnate – your presence means as much as your words. How many times does God say “I will be with you”? Suffering makes us feel awkward and alone. Having someone near counter these two emotional lies (awkward “your suffering makes you unacceptable”; alone “no one cares”). God put the Truth in flesh, so should we.
- Identify – you are not comparing suffering but relating stories. This is not saying “I know exactly what you feel. I have been there.” It is saying, “I have had my faith shaken by hardship too. Your questions, fears, or anger are rationale. When the time is right we’ll try to figure out if they’re true.”
- Be Moved – you are not their Rock but their friend. A stoic response does not usually comfort. If you can hear someone’s suffering without being moved you either do not get it or have no heart (from their perspective). Jesus allowed Himself to be moved by the pain of those around Him.
- Speak Biblically, Yet Tentatively – you do not “know” God’s working in their small story but only in The Big Story. Be careful how emphatically you declare that you know what God is doing in this situation. Give general truths about suffering at a pace they can be received. It is possible to kill a patient with the right treatment, before he is ready to receive it.
An Honest Example (1:8)
These are surprising words to hear from the apostle Paul, “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.” They are even more surprising when you consider they are in the introduction of a letter where Paul is defending the legitimacy of his teaching and ministry against false teachers who were challenging Paul’s authority.
Paul shows us two important things in this verse. First, a teacher must follow his own instruction. If Paul was going to tell the Corinthians to be open and receive comfort in their affliction (v. 3-5), then he must model the same vulnerability. Second, godly human authority should not hide its own weaknesses. Too often we have applied a leader’s qualification to be “above reproach (II Tim 3:2)” as being “most hidden, secretive, or off limits.” This is another Christian paradox “strong” does not mean “without weakness.”
Reflection: Paul was more concerned with following his teaching about how to deal with life’s struggles than he was with putting up a front that he was perfectly keeping the standard of God that he proclaimed (i.e., “do not be anxious about anything” Phil 4:6). Why do you think Paul was more concerned with modeling God’s methods than in hiding his struggle to live up to God’s standards? How do you think this effected (for better or worse) Paul’s defense of the legitimacy of his ministry (II Cor 10)?
Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago at 12:31 pm. Add a comment
This is one of those discussions that usually goes nowhere. It is a conversation that either gets bogged down in either defensiveness or self-righteousness. I think it is important that we recognize this point before we begin. Otherwise, we will underestimate how difficult it will be to apply this truth when the appropriate time comes.
For an example of this truth in action, consider I Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
When Paul says “every other sin” he is obviously saying there is something distinct about sexual sin. Paul is not saying that sexual sin should get a capital “S” or that it takes two cycles in the cleansing stream of Jesus’ blood.
Paul is saying that if the Corinthians understood the unique nature of sexual sin, they would instinctively run from it like a mouse from a cat.
Now we come back to the question, “Why does this discussion become so contentious?” Because we usually learn (by our error or the words of others) about the distinct dangers of a particular sin when we have committed that sin. Paul is talking to the Corinthians about sexual sin, because that was a major struggle for them.
Now the question turns back to us, “Do we have the humility to hear the distinct dangers of our sin or will we become defensive like those people we have been talking about?”
Every sin has distinct dangers. There no “safe” sins, or even “safer” sins. Let us not debate about which poison would be the best to commit spiritual suicide with. Let us be eager students wanting to have our blinders removed to whatever danger we tend to flirt with.
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago at 12:26 pm. Add a comment
I Would Remind You of the Gospel
(BCH_1Cor_15_handout for Printable PDF Handout)
Paul begins I Corinthians 15 reminding the believers of the Gospel. It has been said, “The entire Christian life is understanding and applying what happened at your conversion.” It is essential for every Christian to remember the Gospel everyday. Our tendency can often be to view the Gospel as “beginner’s Christianity.” I encourage you to reflect on these basic truths of the Gospel in some form each day.
God Cares: At any point when you wonder if life has meaning, God’s love answers, “Yes!” Do you use every good gift in your day as a reminder of God’s involvement and concern? Do you look at people as objects of God’s design and affection? Are your acts of love primarily an attempt to pursue personal happiness or a passionate imitation of God’s character?
We Sinned: Does the Gospel give you the humble courage to acknowledge your sin without defensiveness, shame, or blame-shifting? Do you start each day expecting your biggest challenge will come from within? Do you hate sin or believe it is somehow cute, entertaining, or the “unfortunately off-limits good life”?
Christ Came: Do you think of the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ as you face a given struggle? Do you believe absolutely every thing Christ did was absolutely necessary for you to have victory over any temptation you face? Do you believe Jesus’ life represents what it means to be “truly human” or do you think “I’m just a man”?
Faith is Required: Do you only obey God when you think the results will likely be what you want? Do you dream dreams (about God’s kingdom) that are bigger than your potential? Do you believe that coming to the end of yourself (recognizing your full, constant need for God) is the best thing that can happen every day?
Use these questions as a starting point to introduce the Gospel into the way that you think about daily living and see “your normal” transformed by God’s Gospel.
If Christ Has Not Been Raised (15:17)
How often do you battle a particular sin without ever thinking of the resurrection? I’ll admit it, most of the time. Yet Paul says, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” I’ve also tried to change a light fixture without thinking about the breaker box. That did not work out so well either.
Our only hope against the power of sin in our lives is the resurrection of Christ. We get so caught up in learning “practical steps” that we forget that it was Calvary that gave our dead legs the power to take any steps (practical or not). When we forget this we battle sin as if we must conquer (in our strength) an already defeated enemy. We forget the only admonitions we have against sin and Satan are “Stand firm (Eph 6:13)” and “Flee (II Tim 2:22).”
Application: Memorize I Corinthians 15:17 and repeat it during your moments of temptation. Let the verse remind you of the nature of the moment’s struggle. Christ is raised! Your faith is not futile! You are not still in your sin! Temptation is not a time to “prove” or “earn” something; it is a time to “reveal” and “display” the effectiveness of what Christ has done. Temptation gains its effectiveness by making the moment about you (your desires or your weaknesses). When you make the moment about Christ (standing firm in His truth or fleeing to His presence) temptation is transformed into a moment of worship – you have declared Christ as worth more than anything Satan could offer (pleasure or protection) in that moment.
Victory! (15:57)
How often do you remember that the victory has been won? That is easy to forget in the midst of life’s struggles. Life and history are a battle between two kingdoms: light and darkness, truth and folly, holiness and sin. While it is sometimes hard to see, God has won! It is not merely that God is winning or God will win, but God has won!
Proclaiming the Gospel is simply asking people to admit defeat and join the winning team. Unfortunately, I think we often fail to appreciate the victory, because even as Christians, we are hesitant to admit defeat. The words of Jesus in Luke 9:23-24 still seem a bit extreme to us, “And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’”
Reflection: Do you fail to remember and celebrate the victory of Jesus over sin and death because you have not completely admitted defeat (full reliance upon Jesus) and are still trying to show what you can do? Do you stay in the presence of temptation too long thinking “I can handle it” instead of fleeing? Do you conjure your own “rules” for behavior rather than standing firm in God’s truth? If so, acknowledge defeat in order to embrace Christ’s victory.
Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“
Posted 1 year, 6 months ago at 12:46 pm. Add a comment
Let’s start by acknowledging that this question can be asked in many different contexts and can mean many different things. The focus of this post is to examine the person who asks this question when in a legitimately difficult circumstance that leads them to want to do something they know they should not do. For example:
- A wife with a distant husband who wants a divorce
- A husband with an unresponsive wife who wants to look at pornography
- A teenager with a chaotic home who wants to escape through drugs
- A victim of sexual abuse who wants to cut to escape the pain
- An employee with a harsh boss who wants to fudge a report
These are situations that are “easy” to answer until you are in them. The longer the real suffering continues the more it seems to justify the sinful response. The common cultural refrain is to say, “After all I need affirmation (affection, stability, peace, or fairness).”
We should not assume the refrain is spoken by hard-hearted, backslidden Christian or unregenerate souls masquerading their identity as “Christian.” Often these words are spoken by sincere followers of Christ who are trying to articulate what God’s compassion would look like for their situation.
In light of this, let’s look at I Corinthians 6:12-13
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
Paul starts by saying it is lawful to pursue any legitimate desire/need (affirmation, affection, stability, peace, or fairness from the discussion above). Paul even illustrates his point with the example of an absolute physical need – food. In context, Paul has just discussed overcoming life dominating sexual sin and is about to discuss food in chapter 8.
Paul’s main point is, “I will not be enslaved to anything.” When we want/need something so badly that we are willing to sin to get it we have become a slave. We have surrendered our freedom to choose to the availability of our central want/need.
But that seems so harsh. It appears to be void of compassion. If you read the next several chapters of I Corinthians, you probably would not change your mind. Paul continues to call the Corinthians to resist being enslaved to any want/need. In chapter 10 he labels this slavery as “idolatry.”
When you keep reading you find the compassion starting in chapter 12. Paul begins to point to the Body of Christ, the nature of love among Christians, life in the church, and the impact of the resurrection.
God never meant for us to live as dependant on one or two earthly relationships as we so frequently do. We might ask, “Why has the ‘need’ teaching become so prevalent in our day?” Among many other reasons, we could point to the mobility of our culture, the privatization of our faith, the closedness of our casual relationships, and the centrality of our work environment. With these factors in place, it only makes sense to ask one or two central relationships (spouse, parents, or children) to play the role God intended the entire church to fulfill.
With that said, I think we can reach two conclusions. First, the absence of a need/desire does not give us a license to sin. Second, the presence of suffering should call us closer to God’s people for support during our suffering.
Posted 1 year, 7 months ago at 12:27 pm. Add a comment
But Have Not Love (13:1-3)
Lots of good things can be done without love. Even the things that Paul just referenced as “higher gifts (I Cor 12:31)” can be done without love – teaching, deep spiritual understanding, and sacrificial giving. Again, we are reminded that God is not impressed with mere outward performance. Unfortunately, much to our defensiveness, others can often see through and fail to be satisfied with our just doing/saying the right thing.
Based on Paul’s words, not even the degree or extravagance of our actions can verify that our actions are rooted in love. What more could we do than is listed in verses 1-3? One (not the only) good indicator of love is that it does not need a particular response in order to be satisfied. Love enjoys being a blessing. Appreciation, affection, and recognition are nice, but they are the icing not the cake. It is this lack of “neediness” that allows genuine love to resist the tendency to become codependent. If love “needs” a particular response it will go further than wisdom permits to obtain its desire and then grow resentful or self-abasing.
Reflection: How have you tended to measure or verify genuine love? What criteria would you use? How have you learned to meet your own standard and grown unduly dependant upon others meeting that same standard? How has that distorted view of love caused you to extend beyond the limits of wisdom? When and with whom does your view of love fight against wisdom? Remember, when Jesus came He was full of truth and grace (John 1:14), so whatever tension we experience between love and wisdom reveals an error in our definitions.
Marriage Communication Tool
T
he following communication tool uses I Corinthians 13, a Kleenex box, and a bit of intentionality to create playful and encouraging marital enrichment exercise. BCH_kleenexbox_ABC for the PDF instructions published by the Association of Biblical Counselors (www.christiancounseling.com).
When I Was a Child (13:11)
Paul moves from “love never ends” to a discussion of eternity. This discussion is rooted in humility (we only know in part, prophecy in part, and see in a mirror dimly). One implication we can draw from this is that love knows its limits. As Paul said earlier “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (I Cor 8:1).” When we love well we do not assume we know. We ask questions. Even when we think we know, we assume we only see in a mirror dimly.
Children speak before they think, and usually it’s cute what they think they know. When adults speak before they listen well, it is usually quite hurtful and offensive. We honor one another (a partial synonym for love) by allowing them to put their thoughts into their own words and seeking to understand what they meant by what they said. When we get offended because we assume what we felt when someone spoke is what they meant we are childishly “high jacking” their words.
Application: Understanding is not the same thing as agreeing. When we forget this communication becomes very juvenile. Adults who love one another begin cutting one another off, telling each other what the other person is thinking, and resorting to increasingly immature tactics to get their point across or hurting the other person. When we “put childish things away” and remember that understanding and agreeing are different things, we can listen well. By honoring with our ears first (using our mind to understand and showing a patient body language) we can fairly represent what the other person says. Only when we represent the other person fairly will they believe we are disagreeing with what they actually said (if we still disagree with them). Remember, love is patient and kind… it is not rude… irritable, or resentful.
Praying I Corinthians 13
(BCH_1Cor_13_handout for Printable PDF Handout)
There is great value in praying Scripture. We are more assured that our prayers are in the will of God. We are learning, reinforcing, and applying Scripture as we pray. What follows is a guide to help you pray I Corinthians 13:4-8.
Heavenly Father,
I know that it is not natural for me to love in the way you call me to love. It is only by your grace and strength that I will ever succeed. But I also know that relational joy and peace are only found in emulating You. Show what I need to pray and how I need to grow.
Love is patient [list the things that most naturally annoy you and ask for God to help you see them as He views them] and kind [list your characteristic harsh phrases, repent, and meditate on reasonable loving responses]; love does not envy or boast [list the people you are competing with as you envy and boast, forsake this false standard of worth and righteousness, and ask God for ways to be a blessing instead]; it is not arrogant [remember that anything we boast over is a gift from God that we did not earn and allow your arrogance to become gratitude] or rude [ask God to give you ways to serve those you demeaned by your words and actions, thereby correcting your view of them and yourself]. It does not insist on its own way [list times/things about which you are compulsive or demanding, ask God to show you how they have become your identity or idols, repent, and look for opportunities to lovingly surrender them]; it is not irritable or resentful [ask God to remind you of times when you have confused your preferences with His law, pray for the courage to go back and humbly acknowledge your distortion]; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing [repent for times when you thought sin was cute, funny, or entertaining], but rejoices with the truth [pray God would excite you about His Word, integrity, and faithfulness]. Love bears all things [pray for perseverance in the midst of your current struggles], believes all things [pray for the courage to give the “benefit of the doubt” when it feels risky], hopes all things [pray for steadfastness in those areas or with those people you want to give up on], endures all things [pray for the willingness to continue loving wisely when you cannot change someone]. Love never ends [commit to God to pray through this passage regularly as you seek to love like He loves; thank God that He does perfectly everything you just struggled to pray].
Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“
Posted 1 year, 7 months ago at 12:35 pm. Add a comment
For the Common Good (12:7)
We tend to think of our gifts as our own (to do with as we please, they were given to us after all). Scripture challenges this mindset in two ways. First, we own these gifts in the same way that children “own” the presents they give to their parents. The present was purchased with parents’ money. We have “spiritual” gifts through the indwelling Holy Spirit (I Cor 12:11) by the Father who bought us from slavery to sin by the death/resurrection of His Son (I Cor 6:20). Let us thoroughly enjoy the gifts, but never forget whose they are.
Second, the gifts were given for a reason – to bless the Body of which we are a part. Any other use of the gift is dishonoring of the Giver. The very fact that God gives us gifts to bless others shows God’s heart to free us from our inherent selfishness and self-centeredness (Luke :23-24). If you do not know what your spiritual gifts are, begin by looking at the ministry needs of your local church. If God gifts believers to be a part of the Body and you are not currently using your gifts (because you do not know what they are), you can expect to find a vacancy in your area of gifting.
Reflection: Do we have the “mind of Christ” necessary in order to rightly receive and use the gifts God has given us? Can you relish a gift that was primarily to bring you joy by blessing others? This will be examined further under the heading “All Rejoice Together” below.
Application: Give your kids a gift at Christmas or on a birthday to share with others. This need not be their only gift. For younger kids the gift and recipient should be very concrete (a box of food to deliver to the food bank). For older kids the gift and recipient can be more abstract and require more creative engagement (a gift card to be used to minister to others).
All Suffer/Rejoice Together (12:26)
While this initially may sound like a very “nice” thought, it requires something that can be quite uncomfortable – openness about life’s hopes and challenges. People cannot properly rejoice together unless they know each other’s hopes before they’re realized. People cannot suffer together unless they invite one another into their hardships.
In a physical body this is easier. If my ankle hurts, my whole body knows it. If I am trying to learn to juggle, my whole body is aware of the dream. However, in the spiritual Body of Christ, we can hide if we want to. Many of us want to. Others of us lack enough concern for our fellow believer to even notice what is not being said. Quite a few Bible study groups are so formal that “suffering” or “rejoicing” questions rarely get asked. You can tell this is the case when people apologize for bringing up a more personal request for help or say “I hope this is o-kay” when they share a more personal praise.
Application: Read the blog post “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time”
Reflection: Do you view vulnerability as a “good word”? Consider the following definition of vulnerability. Vulnerability is a willingness to share any part of my life, joys or struggles, when my sharing can glorify God, edify a fellow believer, or serve in the process of evangelizing an unbeliever. How does that definition help you see what “healthy vulnerability” would look like?
Earnestly Desire the Higher Gifts
(BCH_1Cor_12_handout for Printable PDF Handout)
Saying that there are “higher” gifts does not mean that God plays favorites. It does mean the God has a purpose in using people. God’s ultimate purpose is not our joy. God’s goal in gifting individuals is that we would take joy in seeing more people accurately know and enjoy Him. Some gifts or certain usages of a particular gift accomplish this purpose more broadly than others.
Secondly, we can see that we get some voice in our gifts. We are to strongly desire higher gifts. God wants us to have contentment without satisfaction in ministry. Our great goal in life is to influence as many people as possible as deeply as possible for God’s glory.
Consider the following questions as you seek to “earnestly desire the higher gifts.”
- What spiritual gifts do you have?
- Where and how are you using them?
- What priorities do you need to focus on and what sins do you need to avoid in order to be a clean instrument for God?
- Who have you seen use similar gifts effectively? What can you learn from them?
- Where would you see your gift influencing more people if given the opportunity?
- How could you enhance the depth of influence you have where you currently minister?
- How often do you pray for God to fan into flames the gifts God has given you (II Tim 1:6)?
Using your spiritual gifts boils down to having a passion to see God glorified as you influence others to find their joy in God. Live life as a scavenger hunt looking for the opportunities to accomplish this.
Introduction to the “Living Our Faith” series.
TOOL: “Using Prayer Time to Cultivate Ministry”
BLOG POST: “Teachers Equipping Ministers Through Prayer Time“
Posted 1 year, 7 months ago at 12:20 pm. 1 comment
