OUCH!!!
Paul jumps right on a very sore spot for me. My flesh is far to alive. How often do I excuse myself and others with the dismissive line, "Hey, we're only human, right?" generally the person on the other end of that line agrees and we both get some comfort in each others weakness. But Paul blasts that right out of the water here. Read verses 1-4again, "And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not merely human?" 1 Cor. 3:1-4 NRSV.
"Are you not merely human?" Paul asks this rhetorical question assuming the answer is "NO, of course I am not merely human...." Oh boy. You see friends, there is a much richer, deeper place of faith we are meant to live in and we rarely ever get even a passing glimpse of it. We are surrounded by flesh and excuse each others sin more or less hoping to receive the same "grace" from the flesh around us. I want a deeper walk, how about you? What is this other than human existence Paul seems to presume?
I'd also like to point out verses 12-15,"Now, if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire." 1 Cor. 3:12-15 NRSV. I wonder how my ministry will stand this final test by fire? Will what you have done be strengthened by the fire like gold and silver or will it be consumed and go away like wood hay and stubble? i have often joked that I don't want my nickname in the Kingdom to be "Smoky", how about you?
Much to think about from the pen of the Apostle in Chains. Lord, please show me a deeper way to live for and with you.
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5 comments:
Recently we went to see Prince Caspian. In one scene Lucy tells Aslan that he seems bigger than the last time she saw him. He responds by telling her that every year she grows he grows. I think that is what Paul is saying. As we grow in Christ the more He grows right before us. I guess the operative word is grow.
Amen Darlynne,
One of the verses I go back to over and over is Phil. 3:16. It says, "Only let us live up to what we have already obtained." Sounds simple enough, but i don't seem to be able to simply do what I know to do. Lord, help me grow up and hold the ground we've taken!
Bill
I was struck by those verse 12-15 too - wondering what would show up of what I've built on the foundation after being tested by fire. Very powerful imagery.
Beth,
It goes to the discussion we had with Bruce Webster about the kingdom of self. I think it is important for us to continue to check our motives and our fruits.
Bill
Oh well, we're only human, right?
Not exactly...hopefully...right?
We have such a great chance to be more than this world, and more than just human, but we rarely take it. We have the power of God within us, and we have been babied as followers from the beginning - given milk instead of solid food. Wouldn't this "belonging" kind of be similar t our "belonging" to a specific church - when we are really only belonging to Christ?
I want the deeper walk, Lord.
We have all been under some fire with our faith, but what abuot the final test? It's something we can never really know all the details about, but we can always work at our faith and move with what the spirit tells us - just as Paul suggests. Let us not be of this world, but of the Christ that has saved us.
Is it "human" to want more? Is that why we're never satisfied? Let us pray and hope that we can be happy with our faith, and keep a solid foundation in what we have.
Lord, help me to be the disciple you want me to be, as we learn from Paul.
Marshall
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