To Be A Christian (2 Corinthians 6)
12:30 PM
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 6
What makes a Christian unique? It’s the source of their hope, conviction, and passion. The Christian life is a life powered by Christ himself. It’s the kind of power that transformed common, ordinary, cowardly disciples into bold, wise, and unwavering champions of the Christian faith. It’s the kind of power that transformed the leaders of the early church into faithful “ servants of God” who endured many challenges.
Christians represent Christ. They want to extend the salvation of Christ to others and have a testimony that will show others the love of Christ. “We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way..( v3-4).
This testimony is not just shown when life is easy and going well. This testimony endures life’s challenges and tests. As Paul declared, the Christian remains faithful “by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;” (v4-5)
There must be something powerful at work for a Christian to endure when life is difficult and when others would likely throw in the towel. God does not leave us unequipped for living the Christian life. He empowers us .... “by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;” (v 6-7).
To the world, the Christian may seem strange and mysterious. But to the Christian, the world does not define his purpose, value, identity or truth.
The world may label us imposters but God calls us genuine sons and daughters of the most High King. The world may treat us as insignificant and as strangers, but God says we are fully known and accepted by Him. The worldly body we inhabit may succumb to death and dying, but God says we shall live eternally. Yes, to the world, we may seem like “losers” but in reality we have all we could ever need. For, strangely, we are “as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” (v 10)
Christians are “ the temple of the living God” (v16). This is what makes the Christian able to live out the Christian life. But, because of that, we must be careful to be a testimony to the world and yet, remain separate from the darkness and evil of the world. It matters what we allow to shape and influence our thoughts and lifestyle choices. Therefore Paul warns “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (v14) We have an important task to attend to, through all of life’s ups and downs. We have a testimony to live. We have a light to shine in the darkness. This is a task we must not take lightly, and it is a task we can only carry out when we are fully devoted to and empowered by Christ.
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