Bible Reading Reflection from 2 Corinthians 8-13

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

𝕀𝕀 ℂ𝕆ℝ𝕀ℕ𝕋ℍ𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊 𝟠:𝟛-𝟜

"For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints."

Wow! The generosity of Macedonians!

ü  They were under affliction (v2). Most of us may skip giving or reduce our budget for giving. Macedonians didn't (v3).

ü  They gave beyond their means (v3), which startled even the Apostle Paul (v5).

ü  And they even begged Paul to take it (v4).

Indeed, nobody is too poor to not give. Everybody can afford to be generous, while most of us cannot afford to be luxurious. Generosity is not measured by comparison to others. Paul clearly stated it is when given beyond our means (v3).

Bill Gates pledging to give away 95% of his wealth is great. But he can afford that easily. 5% of what he has can still let him live luxuriously. On the other hand, our 10% giving of our monthly earnings may cost more than 95% of Bill Gates.

However, I think we all (including Bill Gates) should be giving more! That's why Paul was asking for more money from Corinthians at v8.

 

𝕀𝕀 ℂ𝕆ℝ𝕀ℕ𝕋ℍ𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊 𝟡:𝟙𝟝

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

First of all, the indescribable gift is Jesus Christ. "His" is referring to God the Father.

Now,

1. The 𝔾ℝ𝔼𝔸𝕋𝔼𝕊𝕋 𝔾𝕀𝔽𝕋 anyone can give or receive is Jesus Christ.

2. The 𝔾ℝ𝔼𝔸𝕋𝔼𝕊𝕋 𝔾𝕀𝕍𝔼ℝ is God. No one has outgive God.

3. The 𝔾ℝ𝔼𝔸𝕋𝔼𝕊𝕋 𝔾ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕋𝕌𝔻𝔼 is Thankfulness

Indeed, If the Greatest Giver has given us the Greatest Gift, then the Greatest Gratitude must be Thankfulness! [Steve Lawson]

And if God has given Jesus Christ, Corinthians can at least give some money to Paul for the purpose of the mission. And, so do I. For how many missionaries have I given/budgeted money this year? What about last year? Previous years? 🤔

 

𝕀𝕀 ℂ𝕆ℝ𝕀ℕ𝕋ℍ𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊 𝟙𝟘:𝟚

"But I beg that when I am present I need not act so courageously with the confidence that I consider to daringly use against some, who consider us as if we walked according to the flesh. "

Paul was not a common man; he was a highly competent, influential, and popular man.  Paul was not an ordinary Christian; he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Yet, he didn't command the Corinthians here. He didn't command Philemon too. Rather, he begged!

I am a Comman Man, Ordinary Christian (CMOC), and yet I find it difficult to beg fellow Christians to mend their ways. Preachers are double beggars: begging God to grant repentance and begging people to repent! Commanding is easier than begging! To the extent that some people command/order God to bless them also! 😬😂

 

𝕀𝕀 ℂ𝕆ℝ𝕀ℕ𝕋ℍ𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊 𝟙𝟙:𝟚

"For I am 𝕛𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕤 for you with a 𝕘𝕠𝕕𝕝𝕪 𝕛𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕪, for I betrothed you to one husband, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ."

God is a jealous God that He is a consuming fire! Both OT and NT confirm it.

Jesus is a zealous God. He cleansed the temple at least two times, overturning the tables of the money-changers and driving away their animals with whipcord.

Paul is a jealous missionary. And also, Apostle John is a jealous pastor!

Am I a jealous minister of God? Of course, not after people who have name, fame, and wealth, but for the purity of the church. That's important to clarify because there's such thing called sinful jealousy and godly jealousy!

The Bible compares godly jealousy to what a husband has for his wife. However, I grew up seeing couples arguing and even fighting because of jealousy. Well, that's not the kind of jealousy the Bible is talking about. I think that kind of jealousy is actually called ‘suspicion.’ And 1 Cor.13 says that love trusts all things!

And another jealousy between lovers, a boy and a girl, I don't know what's that! Stupidity? Insecurity? Infidelity? Whatever, I think, it's not godly jealousy!

 

𝕀𝕀 ℂ𝕆ℝ𝕀ℕ𝕋ℍ𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊 𝟙𝟚:𝟡

"And He has said to me, "𝕄𝕪 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕦𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕪𝕠𝕦, 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕡𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕣 𝕚𝕤 𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕗𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕨𝕖𝕒𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me."

This is a weighty verse. A weighty truth — "Sufficiency of His Grace!" I do not claim to know better than any Christian who has been walking with God longer than I do. But I have been walking with God earnestly, since 2005 (16 years).

I am surely sure that His Grace is sufficient to birth me into the Kingdom of God. I am surely sure that His Grace is sufficient to endure all things in this world as well!

For 7 years (2012-2019) I always wanted to die young. I wanted to be holy as God wanted me to be: to win every battle against all kinds of sin. Well, such desire, though godly it may be, God never grants such thing on this side of heaven. Rather, He grants the sufficiency of His grace to those who seek Him in their failing, weakness, and sins.

The pride of life, the desires of the eyes, the desires of the body, who has not gone through? Eve and Adam failed terribly on all counts. Jesus wasn't spared by the devil, but He went through triumphantly. No one will live a perfect life here on earth. But His Grace is sufficient in all things.

In the last 2 years, I haven't met many people, as you know lockdown is also in effect, but I think I am one of the most joyous people I know on earth. I wish to live 900 years on earth because I have come to know the sufficiency of His grace, not only to take me to glory but also to endure here on earth.

I just pray that this feeling will also endure till the end!

 

𝕀𝕀 ℂ𝕆ℝ𝕀ℕ𝕋ℍ𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊 𝟙𝟛:𝟚

"I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that if I come again 𝕀 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕖,"

Sin must be confronted. Sin not only infects the one who practices but infects others also. In fact, it develops into multiple variants.

While it may seem unkind, unmerciful to the one who is punished/disciplined, and it may even look over-reaction or heavily paid more than required, however, nobody should underestimate sin. In fact, it was only one act of disobedience that plunged the whole world to damnation. It was just eating one fruit. Any sin is serious enough to get capital punishment.

While the Scriptures commanded us to do everything in love, we must also remember what love should really do! The most loving God is also the harshest God. I will never mind Eve for eating fruit, forget about damning the whole world! I look more loving than God. And there we see the shortcoming of the impulse of our love.