[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
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"For consider your calling,
brothers, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many
mighty, not many noble. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to
shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the
things which are strong."
First truth:
I am one of them. Some are wise like Paul, Luther, Lloyd Jones, or Albert
Mohler. I am and will not be anywhere close to them. However, this is nothing
bad, nothing lacking, actually, something virtuous in the plan of All-Wise God.
[In short, not a negative point]
Second Truth:
Bible is sufficient to proclaim the power of God to salvation. In fact, it's
foolish to attempt to persuade people to believe the Gospel by means of our
achievements, our knowledge of politics, scientific discovery, or philosophy
โanything other than the foolishness of the Gospel. And yet, how many men want to
talk like intellectuals! And how many want to act like
intellectuals! I, myself, am not blameless.
Third truth:
God has no respect for the wise of this world. Also true, He has no toleration
for the ignorant. Both are called to repent of their sins. Wise or Ignorant,
all humans are sinners, and therefore, I am to call all of them to repent and trust
Jesus Christ. I need not be intimidated by anyone in the service of the Gospel!
And yet, there's nothing to glory
nothing to boast, only to boast in the power of God that a wretch like me is
even called to have fellowship with Him (v9).
๐๐ต๐ธ๐ป๐
๐ซ๐ฎ
๐ฝ๐ธ
๐๐ธ๐ญ
๐ฏ๐ธ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป
๐ช๐ท๐ญ
๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป,
๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐ท!
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"and my word and my preaching
were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and
of power, so that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men, but in the
power of God."
Paul knew the wisdom of men โ
philosophy, mythology, scientific ideas of his times, traditions, history, and
so on. Yet he determined to speak nothing of them. He buffeted himself to avoid
even a single word about them. Because the wisdom of men does not save anyone.
Then, yes, why waste time and energy?
To most people, Paul was boring,
but to the few mature, it's the wisdom of God (v6) And Paul was contented with
this methodology, which was appreciated only by those whom God had elected to
salvation from before the foundation of the world (v7-8)
As a public speaker, I want
everyone to be encouraged, motivated, and happy through my speaking (preaching,
teaching, counselling). However, Paul's way of ministry is a model โ casting
away human wisdom and fully casting upon the Spirit of God.
And even the few, who understand,
see, hear, (and learn to appreciate, and recognize the wisdom of God) is not
because these few are wise or better, but because God has given them (and us)
the mind of Christ to comprehend (v16)
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๐ท๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ญ
๐ฃ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฎ!
๐ ๐ ๐ท๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ญ
๐ฃ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฎ!
๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐
๐ฑ๐ธ๐พ๐ป
๐ ๐ท๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ญ
๐ฃ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฎ.
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v18 "Let no one deceive
himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become
a fool that he may become wise.โ
v21 "So let no one boast in
men. For all things are yours"
We would like to boast of others.
We love to say, "I'm so proud of you!"
We boast in our association with
others. O, I attend such and such university, seminary, church. O, I was
baptized by such and such. O, I met such and such. Hmmm! Not farther from
Corinthians. Some followed Paul; Others, Apollos; still yet others, Peter, etc.
My church may not be as good as
yours. Our pastors and members may not be as great as theirs. We may not be as
rich or as fruitful as them. But our boasting, glory, joy, and satisfaction are
only in Christ.
As a young minister of the Gospel,
a temptation to compare, which either leads to vainglory or self-pity is a
challenge I must avoid consciously!
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"Let a man consider us in this
manner, as ๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ค
of Christ and ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐ค
of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards
that one be found าแดษชแดสาแดส.
But to me it is a very small thing that I may be ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
by you, or by any human court. In fact, I do not even ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
myself."
While many ministers want to be
looked up to as intellectual, sophisticated, and wise, Paul's ambition was to
be seen as a servant of Christ.
But of course, a minister like Paul
is not our plumber, cook, or barber. He is a servant, but a kind of servant who
is also the steward of the mysteries of God. This can also be translated as the
"housemaster"
A housemaster can still be a
servant like Joseph in Potiphar's house. And it is expected of such a person/position
to be faithful. And his faithfulness is examined by his Master. It doesn't
matter what others may say or what he thinks of himself. He lives to please
Christ.
Paul's mood is not sinfully
affected by compliments or criticisms, by guilt or complacency. Because He
doesn't care about compliments or criticism. He has no unrepentant or habitual
sins, but he isn't complacent about it either. He doesn't congratulate himself.
He just cares only about the examination of his Master, for he is just a
servant and just a steward.
Three virtues from these 3 verses I
see:
1. Servant identity
2. Faithfulness
3. Not a man-pleaser.
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"I wrote you in my letter not
to associate with sexually immoral people; I did not at all mean with the
sexually immoral people of this world or with the greedy and swindlers, or with
idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world."
We don't tolerate a sinning church
member. Though we might have to tolerate a sinning neighbor who isn't a
Christian.
We have to confront a Christian
brother who lives in sin, but we might have to restrain ourselves from
confronting non-Christians.
There's a different standard for
church and another standard for the world.
I have no problem with my
non-Christian friends who never know what the Bible says. I have a problem with
my Christian friends who do not know what the Bible says.
Unfortunately, many professing
Christians live exactly like the world, but God will be more tolerable to
non-Christians than the namesake Christians on the day of Judgment!
Pratibha Patil, former president of
India once said to the IITians that it's a crime for them to not be successful.
To whom much is given, much will be required. If we are Christians, we need to
cultivate spiritual disciplines, battle sins, and pursue righteousness. Or how
great our fall will be when one day the storm and rain of life beats us!