Skip to main content

Spiritual Renovations



            In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul reminds his readers that this world is our not our home and that our real citizenship is in heaven.  He goes on, then, to outline some of the changes that should be obvious in us because of that truth.
            First he states that “We live by faith, not by sight” (verse 7).  In other words, we believe that there is more going on than what we see or understand.  Without a belief in the supernatural, there is no chance that anything spiritual will grow in us.  This attitude is the basis for, and the launching pad of, everything else.
            Next he says that “Since we know what it is to fear God, we try to persuade men” (verse 11).  If we really believe what we believe, if we think it is truly valuable and necessary, we have to share it with others.  Salvation is not just about me.  Rather, the gospel is about God saving the world.  We must be part of that bigger story.
            He then shares his motivation for all of this when states that “Christ’s love compels us” (verse 14).  We can be motivated by all kind of other things (guilt, duty, obligation, etc.), but love is the only thing that will produce the proper result.  We can serve God out of other motives, but it will not feel the same in the end.
            “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view” (verse 16).  Love, as it always does, made him see people differently.  It is easy to label people when you do not know them.  The challenge is to love people long enough that you start to see them through new and better eyes.
            Lastly, Paul says that we ought to see ourselves differently too: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (verse 20).  Paul understood that he was not here for himself.  He was here to share God’s blessings with others.
            Now, let me be clear that none of these changes in Paul’s thoughts or actions were done to earn anything.  In fact, he ends this whole passage by reminding them that, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (verse 21).  The gift of God’s grace is provided from the start.  The changes that Paul talks about are all in response to what we have already been given in Christ.
            In summary, Paul says that people with a heavenly home live differently here.  They believe, love, give, help, encourage, sacrifice and hope. 
            Who would not want to be part of something like that?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    
Post a Comment
Read more

New Article: A Path Worth Following

  Jehoram was a terrible king.  He reigned in Judah around the year 850 B.C. and he did not care about God or his people.  His first act as king was to assassinate his six brothers so that no one could challenge his authority.  He was brutal and selfish.   Therefore, when the Bible sums up his life, it says, “Jehoram… passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David” (2 Chronicles 21:20).  Did you catch that?  “To no one’s regret!”  What a terrible phrase for your tombstone. On the other hand, consider a lady named Tabitha.  She lived in the city of Joppa in the first century A.D. and we are told, “… she was always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36).  She became sick and died.  This caused the community so much grief that they called Peter, who was in the nearby town of Lydda, to come and help them.  When Peter arrived, a crowd gathered, bringing all the robes and other clothing that ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This.... Which Way Are You Leaning?

   When Ben Patterson agreed to join three friends climbing Mount Lyell, the highest point in Yosemite National Park, he did not realize what he was signing up for.  Early in the day, it became clear that he was completely unprepared for the task.  In an effort to keep up with his more experienced friends, Ben took a shortcut.  It did not occur to him that there might be a reason the others had not selected this route, but he soon found out why.  Ben became stuck on the glacier.  He could not move up, down or sideways and one wrong move would send him sliding down a forty-five-degree slope to the valley floor miles below.   That is when one of his friends came to the rescue. His buddy leaned over the edge and carved some footholds in the ice.  He told Ben to step to the first foothold and immediately swing his other foot to the second, then his buddy would pull him to safety.  Lastly, his friend gave him one more piece of advice....
Post a Comment
Read more