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#Post#: 14--------------------------------------------------
Assignment 1 - Carla B
By: Carlabb Date: February 6, 2019, 8:26 am
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Three main points stand out for me in chapters 6-7 of St. Paul's
letter to the Corinthians. In all three points, St. Paul
introduces two conflicting sides which can be condensed to that
classic Christian ultimatum between being ruled by the world and
being ruled by God. Point 1: Ministry involves tribulation from
the world and triumph from God, and the two must co-exist. St.
Paul talks of need, distress, labour, imprisonment then
patience, love, kindness, knowledge, the word of truth, the
power of God. He talks of being seen as deceivers but being
confident in the truth, of dying but not being killed, having
nothing but possessing everything. These things need each other
to exist. What is the worth of knowledge without need? How can
we be patient if we don't endure labour? What better way to
devalidate lies but with the word of truth? St. Paul says "in
all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God" (6:4)
because the power of God is most needed and most visible amidst
tribulation. Only in being faced with these obstacles do we
learn to rely on God’s power and not our own. Only in facing
accusation, imprisonment and death can we see the Truth, Freedom
and Life only God provides. Embrace the world’s obstacles and
rest on the power of God.
Point 2: You are set apart, so act like it. St. Paul reminds the
Corinthians that, while tribulation and victory co-exist, light
and dark cannot. Through God’s grace you can be sorrowful but
rejoice, you can be persecuted but free, condemned to death but
alive. However you cannot be clean and unclean, you cannot be
good and evil, you cannot follow God and worship idols
(contextually, a specific issue for the Corinthians at the
time). St. Paul calls us to separate ourselves from evil and be
the chosen nation God has appointed us to be. This rang alarm
bells for me at first because how can we be expected to minister
to non-believers and separate ourselves from them? I think the
point here is that, in our ministry, we must remember to
maintain who we are in Christ. We should continue to be the
light on the lampstand (Matt 5:14), a light that consumes
darkness and illuminates the Truth, rather than allow ourselves
to be conformed to the world and its darkness. (Rom 12:12).
Point three: Godly sorrow leads to repentance and reformation,
worldly sorrow leads to death. Godly sorrow is one of conviction
not guilt. It fuels repentance not shame, and leads to assurance
in salvation not hopelessness. This is such a critical message
to keep in mind whenever we are preaching about God. It’s one
that I’m really passionate about because I think we don’t do a
good job at defining this within our own church, let alone to
non-believers! God does not punish, he reforms. God doesn’t want
you to feel guilty, but to feel a conviction to change and turn
to him. Guilt and shame are of the world. They lead to
self-hatred and when we hate ourselves we don’t feel worthy of
God’s salvation. This is not the Christian message! Yes, we
should feel sorry for the wrongs we do but if we are not
confident in our worth in God’s eyes, we will never reform. Like
Adam and Eve, we will hide away from God rather than approach
him for reformation. Conviction is from the Holy Spirit and
tells us “God loves you enough to accept you as you are, but
loves you too much to leave you like that” (Carl Lentz – yes
sorry, not an Orthodox reference, sue me!). St. Paul puts it
beautifully: “For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in
a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing
of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement
desire, what zeal, what vindication!” (Cor 7:11).
These three messages are critical to keep in mind when we are
telling non-believers about Christ. They are fundamental in
defining who the Christian God - a God that takes care of you, a
God that wants you and a God that loves you unconditionally.
They're also important qualities for us to maintain as
evangelists. We need to study them, believe in them and act on
them in order to minister to others.
#Post#: 17--------------------------------------------------
Re: Assignment 1 - Carla B
By: minaminou Date: February 7, 2019, 4:44 am
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Thank you Carla..Beautifully written...you touched on very
important and crucial points indeed.
May God lead our way always and guide us in every step while
doing His work...
Also another part of the conflicting sides that Saint Paul
introduces are these 2 verses:
We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be
blamed. 6:3
For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it
7:8
What do you think he means by these 2? Cuz they look
contradicting in a way!
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