“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation [trial] taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful [He cannot lie], who will not suffer [allow] you to be tempted [tried] above that ye are able; but will with the temptation [trial] also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore [therefore], my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” There is a wealth of encouragement in these few passages that provide tremendous help to servants experiencing weariness of mind, trials that drain one physically and bring one to the very edge of despair. Burned out Christian workers ready to quit in despair desperately need Paul’s message!
Notice that Paul directs the believer to find hope, not in himself, but in the promises of a faithful God. He assures those who suffer that God does not allow a trial without also providing ways of escaping or coping with the trial. Therefore, their expectation and reliance must be on God, and not on anything or anyone else. What Israel loved most was made manifest during those times of trial. Rather than look with confidence for God’s way of escape, or trust God’s wisdom in what He was doing, she complained and demanded. And when she did not get what she wanted when she wanted it, she ultimately quit. As a result, this generation never inherited the land it could have enjoyed.
When difficulties and perplexing situations exhaust our strength and understanding, we are most vulnerable to solving problems by quitting, complaining, finding comfort in indulging our selfish desires or devising solutions that are in violation of God’s instructions. We, as Israel, often fail to overcome temptation in times of trial because we fail to obey God’s Word and keep Him foremost in our love and worship. God wants our love and devotion, not because of the gifts He gives, but because of who He is. Putting anything, including our own desires, before God is idolatry, therefore, Paul correctly identifies this as Israel’s motivating sin and cause of despair. He not only exhorts us to put our trust in the promises and shepherding care of Christ during times of difficulty and hardship, but also warns us to flee idolatry at the same time.
Paul concludes first Corinthians with a mature description and godly perspective of love as God loves us. He urges believers to follow after charity and desire growth in their efforts to love God and love one another. Without the love of Christ, Christian workers will find it impossible to love the unlovable, the immature, the selfish and the sinful. So then we come to a favorite passage of Christian workers that offers comfort to those who labor among such difficult people. “Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (15:58)
The second letter Paul wrote to the Corinthians contains a much different message and addresses a more mature group of Christian workers. Evidently they took Paul’s words to heart and grew tremendously, as evidenced by their obedience and application of Paul’s instruction. Chapter three and four contain more encouragement to those who are serving Christ. Paul mentions the change that has taken place in believer’s hearts and declares the source of all change and all sufficiency to be of God. He says, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (3:18) The very next verse begins Paul’s testimony as to why he does not faint and quit in light of all the difficulty he endures. “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not…” (4:1)
No comments:
Post a Comment