My Glorious Hope

I am wending my way through the gloriously full book of 2 Corinthians and found myself at chapter 4 today. Oh, how I love Bible study! I also love my Amplified Bible because I do not know Greek and Hebrew and it has been such a help in getting the heart of what is said in the Scriptures into my heart. My children joke that I am on intimate terms with it because it speaks the same way as I. Perhaps!

Anyway, chapter 4 starts with "Therefore" so I genuinely spent prayerful reflection on what I'd already read previously, asking the Spirit to help me link it with what was said after the "therefore". (As the well known phrase says, "to find out what it is "there for"!) Paul had been talking about the power of the Holy Spirit, so my conclusion seemed to be able to be paraphrased, "Since God is the power behind everything we do and we are graced to be ministers of the Gospel because of His mercy to our formerly wretched carcasses - we can have great hope and expectation for the future!"

It's a pretty heady mystery to consider the sovereignty of God in conjunction with our part in being saved by faith. I won't even go there for this post because I'm tired and have a headache! Even the renowned Systematic Theologian, Wayne Grudem, concludes that it is 'mystery'. I doubt I could bring any more clarity than him, but it IS a fascinating filter to attach to your Bible reading glasses - you see God's hand and our part pretty consistently intertwined throughout Scripture.

Today's reading got me thinking...Here Paul had just said that God is driving the car, but in verse 2 he specifies ways that he has purposed to be able to commend himself - and thus, the Gospel- to every man's conscience. We have renounced disgraceful ways (secret thoughts, feelings, desires and underhandedness, the methods and arts that men hide through shame); we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly). And so we commend ourselves in the sight and presence of God to every man's conscience. (2 Cor. 4:2 AMP)

These are specific things that Paul and his team did in light of the fact that they were reaching out to ones who had their minds blinded by the god of this world. Seems to me that the Gospel could be breaking through more in this season of history if all of the ministers of the Gospel made some radical commitments like Paul.

I'm never guilty of mincing words - the church looks too much like the world! We have obviously not renounced disgraceful ways! I see Christians reading things, watching things, dressing in things, talking about things that exhibit NO sanctification awareness -or desire- in their lives. Paul says in Romans 1:1 - that he was "set apart" to preach the Gospel. The word holiness is defined as 'set apart'. See the connection? He was set apart to be changed - transfigured by the Word of God into the very image of Christ from one degree of glory to another. (See 2Cor.3:18) I look around and I see a 'tolerant' church, a 'loving' church unwilling to confront sin and call it what it is. Is it loving someone to let them walk complacently in sin? I think not! "Faithful are the wounds of a friend," it says in Proverbs, and I fear we are in superficial relationships as the Body of Christ that cannot be classified as friendships under that criteria. I long for true Christian fellowship.

Then there's the second behavioral aspect to which Paul committed himself and his team: not dealing craftily. Let me just say that I am meeting more and more limping Christians who have been stumbled by the deceit and trickery of pastors who were nothing more than hirelings aspiring to assets in this world, peddling false doctrines and compromise to keep the numbers coming in along with the tithe checks. sigh. Paul also mentions quite a few times that he is preaching "in the presence and sight of God." Oh, that many pastors today had such a fear of the Lord! If they had a revelation of the glorious hope that is the eternal glory - not a passing splendor like that of the dead law - but an eternal glory borne of the living, liberating Gospel of Jesus Christ. That they could all say with Paul, "Since we have such glorious hope (such joyful and confident expectation) we speak very freely and openly and fearlessly." (2 Cor. 3:12 AMP)

The line between ministers and congregations is fading. We are all called to be ministers of the Gospel. We are all called to radical commitments, as was Paul. May God give us a heavenly-mindedness that enables us to walk boldly and courageously into a fruitful tomorrow to the glory of God! All because of Jesus, our shining Glorious Hope.