Boasting in the Lord

But let him who boasts boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.  II Corinthians 10: 17 – 18

Have you even been part of a conversation where two people are boasting about their illnesses or ailments or have you listened to people who have had bad experiences in a church? Their difficulties have almost become a badge of honour for them. Too often Christians enjoy boasting of their problems as if it makes them a better Christian.

Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians sounds rather like this as he lists all his difficulties (11: 21 - 28). In fact he was refuting the allegations made against him by some false teachers and self styled apostles who had infiltrated the church. They accused Paul of being weak, self serving, money grasping by pretending to offer his services for free whilst keeping the collection of money for the Jerusalem church to himself and being neither a speaker not a real apostle. Paul spends some time in II Corinthians chapters 10 – 13 on what appears to be a self promotion exercise. However its purpose was not to exalt himself as evidenced by his embarrassment at having to do that (II Corinthians 11: 17 and 23) but to open the eyes of the Corinthian church to the fact that it had been infiltrated by false apostles.

The church was being led astray and Paul with great fatherly concern for them wants to bring them to the truth of Jesus Christ. In order to do this he has to refute the lies and put forward his credentials as a true apostle of the Lord.   However he concludes that despite all the hardships he had gone through for the sake of the Gospel and the wonderful visions of the third heaven, he had been given a thorn in his flesh to keep him ‘weak’ and dependent on God.  Paul boasts of his weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on him (13: 9). When Paul was weak, he was made strong (13:10).

As Christians let us, like Paul, boast not in our difficulties but in the strength of God in the midst of our difficulties. I so admire Christians who despite illness or problems speak only of what God is doing in their lives and of how wonderful a Saviour he is. Illness and difficulties are not a badge of honour – let us instead boast of Jesus Christ, his love, his faithfulness, his goodness, his kindness, his mercy and the strength he gives us in both the good times and the bad.

The power of the cross

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. I Corinthians 1: 18

I am fascinated sometimes by the arguments that take place on Facebook and YouTube between believers and non believers. Unfortunately they too often deteriorate into slanging matches with non believers calling Christians deluded and frustrated Christians, unable to win the argument, resorting to telling people they are sinners going to burn in hell.  

It is essential we debate with non believers on matters of faith but, like Paul, we need the wisdom of God. When I read some wise answers given to sceptical non believers, it gladdens my heart. They may not agree or believe what is written but they cannot refute it.

Paul was writing to the Corinthian church which was in the centre of a society where all sorts of ungodly, worldly and immoral lifestyles were practised. Above all it was in the midst of a culture that loved debating all the latest philosophies and Christianity was grouped in with all the other ideas being debated.

To the Greeks and Romans of Corinth the cross was complete foolishness but that was what Paul preached. They could not believe that someone who claimed to be the Son of God would be crucified like a common criminal.  Paul had tried debating and reasoning with the Greeks in Athens with little success (Acts 17: 16 – 33). He left Athens and went to Corinth and this is what happened:

When I came to you brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I Corinthians 2: 1 – 2.

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom but on God’s power. I Corinthians 2: 4

In a culture that loved to debate man’s wisdom Paul came with the wisdom of the cross and a demonstration of the power of the Kingdom.  Today’s society is in many ways similar to 1^st century Corinthian and Greek culture. It loves secular, humanistic thinking and debating man’s wisdom and the cross appears to be foolishness.  However it is the cross which is the power of salvation and we must speak of it whenever we have opportunity.

We need the wisdom of God in our discussions with unbelievers and we must seek the power of the Kingdom to demonstrate the love of God.  Jesus, Paul and the apostles always sought to heal the sick and the lame, open blind eyes and raise the dead. The world needs the power of God demonstrated in miracles and the wisdom of God proclaiming the power of the cross.