Christopher L. Scott

In order to graduate high school I had to pass what was called an “exit exam.” It was a basic test of math, English, science, and social studies. My entire primary education—kindergarten through twelfth grade—was meant to prepare me to pass this test. And that test was designed in a way that it would be easy to pass for anyone that attended school and done the work.

            The apostle Paul describes a test he hopes the Corinthians would be able to pass when he writes, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5, NASB).[1] Just a reminder about the context of this letter. 2 Corinthians is Paul’s most personal of all thirteen of his letters which we have in our Bible. As Paul has spent twelve chapters getting personal with the Corinthians, now it’s their turn to get personal and evaluate themselves. Notice he uses “yourselves” three times in this one verse.

            One must ask, does this verse describe positional justification (a Christian’s salvation) or practical sanctification (a Christian’s growth)? I believe it is asking for proof of practical sanctification (which therefore proves that positional justification has already occurred). Practical sanctification occurs from the witness of the Holy Spirit in our hearts (Romans 8:9, 16), when we love others (1 John 3:14), practicing righteousness (1 John 2:29; 3:19 or 3:9), and when we are separated from the world (1 John 2:29; 3:9).

            Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to examine themselves to see if Jesus is in them. Thus it causes them to reflect on Christ being in them and working through them in their daily walk with Him. It is a test meant to prove that they have placed their faith in Christ and as a result Christ lives in them.

            Paul’s words here are not intended to cause us to doubt our salvation, but instead to assure us of the faith we have already placed in Him or help us recognize that we have been given the right answers for the test. Our Christian lives should be our “exit exam” and proof that we have passed the test.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Every Christian is in a battle fought with weapons. The apostle Paul writes to the believers in the city of Corinth about that battle and those weapons, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, NASB).[1]

            As Paul writes these words near the end of his letter it’s important to remember the context of what he writes. Earlier in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians he mentions that the Corinthians had been influenced by impressive credentials (1 Corinthians 1:26), that they liked polished speech (1 Corinthians 2:1), and that they were evaluating things according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 10:2). Yet Paul intentionally did not use those items when he wrote to the Corinthians. Paul tosses those methods of persuasion out (Philippians 3:4-8).

            Instead he used the word of God and prayer (Ephesians 6:17-18) and he depended on God for strength (1 Corinthians 2:4-5) because his goal was to make people obedient to Christ and not to Himself (1 Corinthians 2:5).

            Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians remind us that he’s not fighting the outward war like everyone else (v. 3) because the weapons of a Christian are not of the earth (v. 4), instead we fight the war with our thoughts and our minds (v. 5). One way we wage our war with our minds is through the Word of God. “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). We must read it, memorize it, and meditate on it daily.

            A second way we wage war with our minds is through the Holy Spirit’s help. The third member of the Godhead—the Holy Spirit—indwells us and guides us (1 Corinthians 6:19). He gives us the right words to say in difficult circumstances, He cautions us on what not to say, and He brings memories back to our minds when we might need them in the fight that we are engaged in every day (John 16:12-15). As humans we are weak in the flesh, but with the Holy Spirit living inside of us (Ephesians 5:18) we are strong (Galatians 5:22-23).

            A third way we wage war with our minds is through prayer. “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints” (Eph 6:18). We do not just pray in the morning or in the evening before bed, we should engage in prayer throughout the day. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to “pray without ceasing.”  

            Our battle as Christians is a tough one. We might not have the scientific knowledge or ability to argue with philosophy like some people do in our culture, but through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit’s help, and regular prayer, we can battle the flesh with our minds.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Pastor and Bible teacher J. Vernon McGee was preaching in Arkansas when someone from Oklahoma approached him after his sermon. The woman was from Tishomingo, Oklahoma which was the city in which McGee’s father died in an accident at work and was where McGee’s father was buried.

            The woman was about McGee’s age. As she approached him she told him that she and her mother had cooked and delivered meals to his bereaved family in the months following his father’s death. The woman said to McGee, “I never knew that years later I would be listening to you. We gave you physical food, and now you supply spiritual food for us.”[1] That woman’s story is an example of why it is important that we give to others. Paul writes about the importance of us giving to others in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8,

            “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;”[2]

            Here are a few principles Paul describes for us that we should apply to our giving. First, our giving should be generous. Paul says we should sow “abundantly” (v. 6).[3] Our giving should be generous and significant for us. Second, our giving should be intentional. The Greek word for “purposed” (v. 7) has the idea of choosing beforehand or deciding ahead of time. Our giving should be planned ahead of time. Third, our giving should be auspicious. This is something we do in a “cheerful” (v. 7) way. We should consider it a privilege to give to our Lord through the ministry of a local church.

            Giving might not be easy to begin but we should start because Paul tells us God will supply the generous cheerful giver with enough to meet his or her needs and enough to meet the needs of others. Giving can be a tough thing to start, but once we do it in a generous, intentional, and cheerful way, we will find there are benefits to others and eventually to ourselves, just as that woman discovered who had fed J. Vernon McGee years ago.

[1] J. Vernon McGee, 2 Corinthians (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, ), 133.

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[3] The idea of the “tithe” is not mentioned in the New Testament, yet I believe it is a good place to start if you are not sure about how much to give.

Many times I wish I could unsend some of the emails I have composed. I will send something and wish that I had not hit that “send” button. This often leads to sorrow and an apology I make to the person to whom I sent the email. Yet each time it happens, I feel I grow in my discernment about what should or shouldn’t be handled by email, and these sorrowful feelings and apologies happen much less often now than they used to occur years ago.

            The apostle Paul felt the same way with one of the letters he sent to the believers in the city of Corinth. “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10, NASB).[1]

            The specific event that Paul is referring to here is the third letter that he wrote to the believers in the city of Corinth. That third letter was carried by Titus (2 Corinthians 7:8-12)[2] and was direct and severe in its criticism of the Corinthians. In that letter Paul rebuked the Corinthians for tolerating a sinning member in the congregation. After sending it, apparently Paul wished he had not sent it.

            In 2 Corinthians 7:10 Paul tells his readers that the sorrow that the world feels is pointless while the sorrow that Christians feel has a purpose. When Christians make mistakes we have a purpose in our growth which is to become more like Christ each and everyday. “When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4).

            For Christians, the point of our sorrow is growth. Paul had learned how his letter hurt the Corinthians and as a result Paul grew through that experience. “If we want to succeed in life and to learn from our losses, we must be able to face reality and use it to create a foundation for growth”[3] We too, each day, have opportunities to grow in our faith. Sometimes it comes through our mistakes, but those mistakes bring sorrow that makes us grow more like Christ.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Paul wrote four letters to the believers in the city of Corinth. The first letter was lost and we do not have it (see 1 Corinthians 5:9). The second letter is what we often call “1 Corinthians” which Paul wrote from Ephesus (see 1 Corinthians 16:8). The third letter is this “sharp” letter that Paul wrote and which Titus delivered to the believers in Corinth (see 2 Corinthians 7:1-18). The fourth letter is what we often call “2 Corinthians” which Paul wrote seven months after 1 Corinthians.

[3] John C. Maxwell, Sometimes You Win—Sometimes You Learn (New York, NY: Hachette Book Group, 2013), 41.

A popular pastor of a large and growing church in Atlanta, Georgia was approached by a rock concert promoter. The concert promoter had heard the pastor was looking for a new location for his large and growing congregation.

            The concert promoter had an idea he shared with the church pastor: “I’ll build a new concert location and you can build your new church on an adjacent property that I will donate to you. We can share the parking needs that we both have. If you allow our concert attendees to use your parking at nights you can use our concert stadium on Easter Sundays.”

            But the conversation between the Christian pastor and non-Christian concert promoter stopped when someone reminded the pastor of a few brief verses from the apostle Paul that prohibits Christians from partnering in a close way with unbelievers. The apostle Paul writes about this in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18,

“Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty. (NASB)[1]

              Paul makes it clear believers are not supposed to enter into close partnerships with unbelievers. The prohibition is a formal long-term contract based relationship.[2] The phrase “bound together” in verse 14 comes from the word for yoking animals together as they plow a field. Paul is probably drawing on the Old Testament principle of Deuteronomy 22:10, “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.” An oxen and donkey each pull differently which makes plowing in a straight line almost impossible.

            There are three areas that we as Christians should avoid partnering with unbelievers in: ministry, marriage, and business.

            In ministry there is a focus that we need to have about separating from false teachers troubling the church. We as believers should partner with Christian churches that agree with us on the core doctrines of orthodox Christianity.

            In marriage a Christian should not marry a non-Christian. Now, just because you marry a Christian does not guarantee happiness and a trouble free marriage. But if you are a committed Christian and you marry a non-Christian, you are setting yourself up for misery and possibly failure.[3] Love is blinding. Some of us desire to love someone and be loved so much that we can accidently find ourselves dating someone that does not share the same commitment to God that we have. Before we know it we are attending church alone on Sundays, praying by ourselves, and wishing our spouse had the same fervor for God that we have. Sadly I’ve observed too many couples that struggle in marriage because their love of God is not equal. But what does it mean to not be “bound together” with an “unbeliever” (v. 14)? Let me put it this way, if you find the person you are dating is “tolerating your faith” or “supports you and your faith” then you are bound together with a non-Christian. A believer is someone that wants to still attend church on a Sunday when you are sick and unable to attend. A believer is someone that has a Bible and knows how to locate Scripture within it when asked. A believer is someone willing to pray aloud in front of you.

            In business we also need to caution ourselves to not enter into close partnerships with unbelievers. Does this mean we make sure the clerk at Winco is a Christian before we allow him to ring up our groceries? Does this mean we only let the Christian barista prepare our coffee? Does it mean the person preparing our hamburger has to be a devoted believer? Of course not, the partnership Paul restricts is a closely bound long-term mutual relationship that involves a contract. J Vernon McGee says “A child of God and a child of the Devil cannot be yoked together and pull together in their life goals.”[4] If a Christian and an unbeliever partner in business then problems will arise because of the differing values that each person may have.

            Ministry should have two churches each equally devoted to God and obeying His Word. Marriage should include two equally committed Christians. A business venture should include two partners that each share a faith in God. We can be tempted to enter into a ministry partnership, marriage, or business venture, but we need to be committed to following God’s Word even if it costs us dearly. That pastor of that growing church turned down the rock concert promoter’s offer to partner in building a new church and parking lot that they could share. It was hard for him to do that, but he knew he had to as a believer committed to following God’s Scripture. A short time later God provided a new location and new opportunity for him that worked better for his church than the original location the non-Christian concert promoter had suggested.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Charles Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians (Carol Stream, IL: 2017), 383.

[3] Thankfully, I have never been asked to marry a Christian and non-Christian. But if proposed with the scenario I would need to decline the request.

[4] J Vernon McGee, 2 Corinthians (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1991),  83.

In seminary I worked as a caddie at a private golf club which provided lots of time to talk with my coworkers. Time after time they shared stories of disappointment and disgust about church and Christians.

            They talked about TV pastors getting rich from the pennies of poor elderly women. They talked about local pastors that were caught having affairs with women in the church. They talked about so-called internet pastors who fancied themselves as “apologists” that could disprove evolution when the pastor had no training or knowledge of basic science.

            I sometimes wondered if there was any Christian that was serving as a bridge—an ambassador—to draw that person to Christ.

            In the Old Testament the nation of Israel was isolated. They didn’t use ambassadors. Additionally, God had told his people that he wanted them to be separate from the other nations around them. They were supposed to be unique, holy, and not compromised by neighboring nations (Exodus 19:6).

            But that changed in the New Testament. Paul wrote, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20, NASB).[1] Paul says we Christians are supposed to be Christ’s ambassadors. The Greek Word Paul uses here is presbeuo which Paul also uses in Ephesians 6:20, “for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

            The word picture Paul paints in his readers’ minds is someone that represents where he is from (his home country) and where he goes (a foreign country). For us, our citizenship is in heaven, but God has placed us on earth to represent Him. That’s what an ambassador is.   

            I was a Christian attending seminary in order to become a pastor. While working at that golf course I served as Christ’s ambassador. This might have been one of the first times these guys met and interacted with a real Christian.

            As a strong Christian I knew that my “citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20), but my place of employment was a secular job with earthly guys who were living immoral lives. But that’s where ministry happens! The first step of serving as Christ’s ambassador starts with being in a foreign nation..

            This position as ambassadors is a position we hold. God has given us a new heart and regenerated us (Jeremiah 31:31-33), we have been born again (John 3:3-8), and because of that we have been adopted by God (Galatians 3:26-27, 29-4:7). We truly “are” Christ’s ambassadors.

            It’s a place we get to enjoy. We didn’t earn that place and we didn’t deserve it (Romans 3:23; 6:23). Instead, God gave us a gift of salvation through faith (Romans 5:8; 6:23). That faith saves us from death and gives us eternal life (Romans 10:9-10). Because we call on Jesus we will not die, but instead will live with him forever (Romans 10:13).

            If we follow the ambassador metaphor, you could say it is an “office” we are placed in. But what is this “position” or “office” used for?

            It’s not enough to just “be.” Paul wants people to be “for Christ.” This means going places we might not otherwise go. I have a friend that likes to go to bars because he knows he will meet non-Christians that are going through difficult times. (He doesn’t have a beer, but he sits and talks.) I have another friend who prepares his sermons at Panera Bread because he wants to be around real people living real life while he prepares his messages. A senior pastor I used to work for spent as much time as possible at a locally-owned coffee shop because he wanted to connect with the people that lived and work nearby our church.

            To be “for Christ” means we are out in the community representing Him. We are trying our best to get to know others and love them. Why? This love for others is based on our love for God. Because we “love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

            God loved us before we knew Him, followed Him, or loved Him. Likewise, we too must love others even before they know us or love us. That’s how we are “for Christ” showing love to others before they know us or Christ.

            We are His ambassadors representing His love in a foreign nation—the world—to people that don’t know Him.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Mona spent decades as a meth addict. But after having three daughters with three different men and a couple decades of living the drug-addicted life, she decided she was done. She had been to church before as a young woman. She knew about Jesus. But she had never really placed her faith in Him for her salvation nor had she committed herself to follow Him.  

          But something was different. She went to church, got saved, and decided she was done with drugs. For decades drugs had power over her and controlled her, but after committing her life to follow Jesus everything changed. She left the abusive relationship she was in, she no longer craved drugs, and she started taking steps to get a job and be a better mother to her three daughters.

          Mona told her story to whoever she could. She often told people she was amazed that she was able to leave her previous lifestyle and that she thought nothing would ever change. But God did the work. God removed her addiction. God gave her the courage to leave that relationship. And God helped her become a better mom.

          When we hear these stories they are encouraging reminders for us that Jesus makes us new when we place our faith in Him for salvation.

          “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB). The source of the new creation is shared by Paul a couple verses later, “He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB).[1]

          I trust that you have experienced changes when you placed your faith in Christ. Perhaps not as drastically as Mona, but I’m sure there are things that have changed. Maybe it was a struggle with drinking alcohol, the language you use, eating habits, gossip, affinity for gambling, or a weekly glance at pornography. The grace of God makes us into a new creation.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

The apostle Paul describes his ministry in 2 Corinthians 2:14 through 6:10 in a more authentic way than anywhere else. He starts this long section in this way, “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?” (2 Corinthians 2:14–16, NASB).[1]

            There are a couple cultural images that Paul utilizes which are easy for us to miss. First, in verse fourteen when he writes, “God, who leads us in triumph in Christ,” likely is an intentional connection to how a Roman conqueror of their time would lead his captives in triumph around a city that he had recently subjugated.

            When Paul writes this it means that we don’t lead, but instead we follow the lead of Jesus. Christ is our king and the one that leads us into battle. Effective ministry only happens when we are in the wake of Christ who goes ahead of us making a path for us to follow. One commentary I read this week put it like this: “If we were to keep this principle in the center of our focus, we would see fewer names on ministries, projects, buildings, and churches. People would give anonymously, lead from among the ranks, and seek their reward from Christ in the future rather than recognition from Christians in the present”[2]

            The second cultural image is in verses fifteen and sixteen when Paul writes, “we are a fragrance of Christ among . . . saved and . . . perishing.” This is an additional connection to a Roman conqueror of their time. When the Roman conqueror would parade around a city in triumph often there would be a procession that included priests that would carry giant censers of smoking incense. The smell would saturate the air around the celebrators in gladness and the conquered in sadness. When we follow Jesus we should give off an aroma with our words and our works. These things either encourage people to accept our beliefs about God or to reject them. This also means we feature God’s grace for others to enjoy.

            Wherever we go in life it is good to remember that we are following Jesus as we do ministry. And that we have a smell that should saturate the area around us which draws others to follow Jesus with us. That is, the smell of a Christian.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Charles Swindoll, “Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians” (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Publishers, 2017), 316.

Forgiveness is almost a dangerous word to some people. They don’t forgive and they definitely don’t forget. Furthermore, they won’t let us forget either, even if we are not the one that did wrong to them.

            Apparently there was an issue with a man that had caused sorrow to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 2:5). As a result the church in Corinth had punished the man (v. 6), and the apostle Paul tells them that since he had been punished the people now need to forgive the man (v. 7).

            Up until this point Paul has had many interactions with the believers in the city of Corinth. 2 Corinthians was written after Paul had already made two visits to the Corinthians and he had sent them three letters. (We don’t have the first letter referenced in 1 Corinthians 5:9, 1 Corinthians was written from Ephesus as described in 1 Corinthians 16:8, there was a “sharp letter” Paul wrote which was carried by Titus according to 2 Corinthians 7:8-12 that we don’t have, and 2 Corinthians was written seven months after 1 Corinthians.)

            Paul describes the importance of forgiveness writing, “But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:10–11, NASB).[1]

            Forgiveness is important because Paul knows Satan will take our unforgiveness and he will transform it into hate. He takes a small matter and festers it into something worse. Satan will take our unforgiveness and use it as an opportunity to take advantage of us. For Christians the best way to battle Satan is to forgive others.

            In his book, I Am a Church Member, church consultant Thom Rainer writes, “Each local church is made up of imperfect members and imperfect pastors. We will make mistakes. We will all sin. Yes, we are all hypocrites. Church unity is torn apart when members refuse to forgive, when any member is too prideful to grant forgiveness.”[2]

            Forgiveness is difficult, but we need to forgive others that have wronged us. It might mean we talk with a counselor about our issues, work through our issues by journaling about them, joining a support group, or reading a book like Lysa TerKeurst’s book, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful Again (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2020). Forgiveness is hard, but necessary—not just for ourselves—but because of the battle against Satan we fight every day.

             Is there someone we need to forgive? Is there an issue that has been nagging us? Do we find ourselves thinking about that person while are driving our car? When we lay in bed at night do we think about that person? Is there an unresolved topic that comes up in our conversations with others? If so, let’s start taking steps toward forgiveness.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Thom Rainer, I Am a Church Member (Nashville, NT: B&H Publishing, 2013), 28.

“I need to meet with you and the guys from our Bible study today” my friend urgently said on the phone. Tears streamed down his cheeks as my friend told the four of us how he started using cocaine, again. After six months in a rehab facility and more than a year of sobriety after that, he was back on drugs.

            The tears continued to drip as he told us how it all happened. It started with stress as he approached his wedding day. He started drinking alcohol to help him relax. Then a coworker offered him marijuana and he accepted. He progressed to stealing and selling his wife’s beloved family heirlooms in order to get money needed for cocaine highs. Eventually his wife noticed items missing in their house and confronted him.

            All of this was occurring while the four of us met for Bible study each Wednesday. If there was one safe group for him to have shared his struggles, it would have been with us. But he didn’t. He hid his struggles from his family and from the guys he was supposed to share his struggles with when he needed.

            Shame, embarrassment, and guilt were already there. He didn’t need any more of that from us. He knew he messed up. He needed assurance we were there for him and he needed a reminder that we are all fighting our own battles.

            Paul told the believers living in Corinth, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NASB).[1]

            In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul has been talking about the resurrection of believers and our hope for the future. That’s the source of hope for the future and incentive for service in the present. As Paul approaches the end of this glorious chapter on the resurrection he reminds the believers to keep strong in their daily walk with God.

            There will be setbacks in our Christian life. We will have times when we struggle with temptation, say the wrong things at the worst time, and fail to follow through on commitments we make to others. But it’s important not to get bogged down with the struggles, but to strive to live faithfully to God and continue in ministry. We can’t earn God’s gift of salvation. But once we accept that gift we don’t sit on it. We actively serve God in ministry.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

In a recent trip to Barnes and Noble bookstore I was reminded how large the “mystery” section of bookstores normally is. Several bookcases with five shelves per case were packed with eye-catching art and edgy titles designed to elicit wonder and draw me into the content.

            While our culture is intrigued with the “mystery” genre of books, the Bible contains mystery as well. Mystery is defined as “a religious truth that one can know only by revelation and cannot fully understand.”[1]

            Two parts of that definition relate to the passage I’m about to share with you from 1 Corinthians. First, religious truth is only revealed by God. The Bible is God’s inspired Word to us. It reveals God’s character, truth about our world, and principles for Christian living. Second, we cannot fully understand it. There are some parts of Scripture and doctrine that are not as clear as we would hope.

            The apostle Paul describes some of the “mystery” of the end times when describing the rapture and resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52:

            “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed.”[2]

            The mystery that Paul is describing is the resurrection of believers when Jesus Christ returns to the earth. What Paul was telling the believers in Corinth was that when Christ returns all the dead believers will have resurrected bodies.

            But what about the believers alive when Christ returns? Those alive when Christ returns will be transformed and changed. This is called the rapture. Our new body at the resurrection and rapture will be unlike the one we have now. It will be “a Spiritual Body partaking of the nature of God’s own Heavenly Glory.”[3]

            When Christ returns we will be raptured (if still alive) or resurrected (if dead) and taken away to spend eternity with God. We should look forward to the rapture and resurrection with hope and positive anticipation. Our physical pain will go away. Our emotional strain will disappear. And our spiritual sufferings will be gone!

[1] Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Springfield, MA: 2020). 11th edition.

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[3] Henry H. Halley, Halley’s Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1965). 24^th edition, p. 600.

“The buck stops here” is a saying we’ve heard many times. Perhaps most famously from former US President, Harry S. Truman. He regularly said “The Buck Stops Here” in speeches and he even had a sign made and placed it on his desk in the Oval Office.[1] As believers we have a slightly different saying. We could alter it to, “The buck stops with God.” And that’s how Paul saw his ministry and his life.

            Paul wrote in one of his letters to the believers in the city of Corinth, “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God” (2 Corinthians 1:21, NASB, emphasis added).[2] Paul describes God’s direction for his life and how God’s direction was different than his personal desires. Paul is telling us that God was in control of his life. Paul continues that it was God “who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge” (2 Corinthians 1:22, emphasis added). Here the word “seal” indicates ownership, authentication, and security.[3] The word “pledge” is a guarantee of God fulfilling his promises.

            Paul shared similar assurances in his letter to the believers in Ephesus, “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13-14, emphasis added). These types of assurances that God has a hold of us and that His Spirit indwells us should free us up to do ministry in our churches, work hard at our jobs, and love our families well.

            Cooper Kupp is a wide receiver in the National Football League. While performing well individually and reaching the Super Bowl game as a member of the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 he was asked by reporters what kind of pressure he felt to perform in the biggest game of his career. He casually replied, “My motivation coming in every single day is to run the race in such a way as to honor God with the passions and the talents that He’s given me.”[4] Imagine the pressure a young twenty-something year-old feels playing football in front of 60 million people watching. But when you know you are placed where you are by God and for a purpose by God, it removes all the pressure.

            We too can experience that release as well. It’s nice to know the buck stops with God. Why? Because that means it does not stop with us! That’s comforting. And it takes the pressure off of us. While we might experience struggles and difficulties in the place we are in now, the buck stops with God. He’s placed us where He wants us and we are there to give Him glory.

[1] “The Buck Stops Here” Harry Truman, https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/trivia/buck-stops-here-sign. Accessed January 12, 2022.

[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[3] Murray Harris, 2 Corinthians, New International Greek Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2005), 207.

[4] “Rams WR Cooper Kupp finds ultimate purpose in honoring God on journey to Super Bowl” by Joshua Doering. February 9, 2022 at Sports and Spectrum.  https://sportsspectrum.com/sport/football/2022/02/09/cooper-kupp-purpose-honoring-god-super-bowl/. Accessed January 12, 2022.

An 80 year-old man still talks about a miscarriage him and his wife had when they were in their twenties. It was painful and hurtful. It was devastating to them. But to this day, more than 50 years later, he knows that experience has helped him comfort others. In his words, “I would never be able to comfort others experiencing the grief of a miscarriage if I had not myself been through the pain of a miscarriage.” But that man’s sentiment is not new. Paul wrote something similar to the believers living in the city of Corinth.

            “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NASB).[1]

            Let me, if I may, point out a few important things in these two verses. Notice Paul tells us that God comforts us in “all” of our afflictions. Every emotional thought and every painful tear involve God’s comfort. A boyfriend cheating on us, a job taken away from us, a marriage that slips away from us, or time of good health that alludes us. He is with us through each and every painful experience we endure.  

            Let’s also notice that there’s a purpose Paul describes in the comforting that occurs in affliction. Paul writes that God comforts us in our affliction “so that” we may be able to comfort others in their affliction. I know that it might sound cliché that we are in affliction and comforted in that affliction so that we can comfort others. While suffering and difficult experiences cause us severe pain, we must remember that those experiences often serve a purpose later to comfort others.

            Pastor Tony Evans writes about these verses, “If anyone assures you that you can avoid suffering like health problems, mental anguish, relationship difficulties, or financial straits—provided that you have enough faith—they’re not telling you the truth. Paul was a visible and verbal follower of Christ who stood head and shoulders above other Christians in terms of faithfulness. And he suffered greatly—not in spite of his faith but because of his faith in and obedience to Christ. Paul’s suffering and ours is directly related to God’s purpose of using us to minister to others.”[2]

            I know most of us reading these words right now are going through tough times of suffering. But God’s message to us in 1 Corinthians is that He will comfort us at this time during our affliction, and He will give us plenty of opportunities in the future to comfort others as they experience similar afflictions in which we’ve already endured.  

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 1180.

In a recent interview NASCAR driver Jimmy Johnson revealed his “secret sauce” for his racing success. In his career when he won five straight NASCAR championships and later won two more which tied him with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. But Jimmy had a “secret sauce” that him and his crew chief followed that led to their success.

            It was testing. Jimmy and his team would drive to racetracks during the week and test their cars for hours at a time. They’d try different shocks in the car springs, different air pressures in the tires, or adjust the suspension higher or lower. He describes those testing trips to different race tracks as the “secret sauce” that led to his success.

            For believers, we too have a secret sauce. Ours does not deal with practice in race cars. Ours is about love for others. Paul describes that love in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians:

            “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NASB)[1]

            When someone says something mean, we respond in love by being kind (even when we want to say something mean back at them). When someone fails to follow through on a commitment, we respond in love by offering them another chance (even when we want to explain how much the person disappointed us).

            Last week I arrived at a coffee shop in which I had prearranged (and prepaid) for a large batch of coffee to be prepared for me to take to the public school staff next to our church. As I arrived at the coffee shop the coffee was not ready, I waited fifteen minutes for them to gather the coffee, cups, lids, stir sticks, creamer, and sugar together. All that stuff was supposed to happen before I arrived. When the young barista handed me the coffee fifteen minutes later I smiled and handed her a five dollar bill as a personal tip. Love!

            Love is our secret sauce that leads to our success as believers when we interact with the world and our community of believers.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

There are two kinds of people that serve in a church. There is the person that knows what her spiritual gift is and actively uses it. And there is the person that doesn’t know what her spiritual gift is yet still serves in the church.

            How is a spiritual gift different than human ability? Human ability is given from our physical parents while spiritual gifts are given from our spiritual father. Human ability is received at physical birth while spiritual gifts are received at spiritual birth when we become a Christian. Human ability is for the benefit of mankind while spiritual gifts are for the benefit of the church.

            The Bible describes spiritual gifts in four separate passages. Each time the author is hoping to teach his readers what the gifts are and how to employ them.  The apostle Paul writes to the believers in the church at Corinth hoping they’ll become people that know what their spiritual gift is and who actively use it.

            Paul tells the believers in Corinth that spiritual gifts are given so that we can help each other, “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7, NASB) Paul then lists several different gifts: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10). It’s clear that the Spirit gives these different gives to different people, “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:11)

            After these important truths about the gifts of the Spirit, Paul reminds them that the gifts are used in the church in the same way our body uses different body parts. Each body part relies on others and needs each other. He sums up his metaphor about the gifts of the spirit being like body parts saying the goal of the gifts are “that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26)

            Scripture teaches us that spiritual gifts are meant to be used now (Eph 4:12-13). Scripture doesn’t say a believer loses his or her spiritual gift.

            But how do we discover and deploy our spiritual gift? First, read about the gifts described in the Bible (Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; Ephesians 4:7-14; 1 Peter 4:10-11). Second, pray for God to reveal to us which gift He has given to us. Third, say “yes” when our pastor or church leaders ask us to help serve in a church ministry.

            After spending some time in God’s Word, praying to God, and experimenting with different areas of service, I hope we all can be part of the group of people in the church that knows their spiritual gift and actively serves.

In the Left Behind fictional book series there’s a statement that has always stood out to me. Cameron “Buck” Williams is the protagonist throughout the books (played by Kirk Cameron and Nicholas Cage in the films). Among Buck’s travels he meets Ken Ritz, a private pilot that ends up flying Buck in and out of some difficult situations. While Buck is a Christian; Ken Ritz is not.

            But Ken’s commitment to help Buck with his Christian ministry is unwavering. At one point the non-believing pilot Ken tells Buck, “I’ve seen the way you people take care of each other.” Ken had seen how the Christians during the tribulation were desperately working hard to take care of each other and meet needs.

            What a testimony we can have as believers to the non-Christian world when we love and care for each other sacrificially.

            There was in issue in the city of Corinth that required the Christians to sacrifice and accommodate each other. Paul wrote, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1, NASB)[1]

            Just before this Paul describes how there were issues among the Christians regarding eating meat. There was meat that had been sacrificed to idols and served at pagan feasts. There also was meat sacrificed to idols that eventually was brought to the meat market, purchased by individuals, and taken home and served at private dinners.

            What Paul was telling the people here is that they are okay to eat that meat unless they are questioned by people. If  someone was unsure and asked if it should be eaten or not, a Christian was obligated to abstain from eating the meat as a way to accommodate the conscious of his or her fellow believer.

            In other words, Christians restricted their liberty at the request of others. Even if they were hungry!

            As Christians now we show our love for others carefully evaluating our actions and how they might affect others. If a Christian brother is on a diet, we should choose to eat healthy food in front of him. If a Christian sister is trying to manage her money well, we should not invite her out to eat at expensive restaurants with us.

            One of the ways that people can identify us as Christians is how we care for each other and make accommodations for each other.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

“Put it in your pocket and when you feel tempted, touch it and rub it.” That was the common advice our addiction recovery small group leader would give people when he gave out the sobriety tokens.

            Recovery is a life-long battle. And as a pastor I can verify that some folks who get off drugs, stop drinking alcohol, or shed a gambling addiction are never “free” of the temptations of their addictions. Many times I’ve seen folks clean and sober for years, sometimes decades, only to relapse into addiction. Usually it happens, from my observations, when someone is going through an extreme trial in life or that person is placed in an extremely tempting situation. (Sometimes it involves both.)

            But Paul’s words to the Corinthian church gives us hope when we battle temptations. This verse is a tool we can have in our toolbelt. It equips us for the battle against our struggles and trials that appear often in the form of temptations. Paul tells the Corinthians:

            “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB) [1]

            What a great source of hope this verse provides us! God will not let us be challenged beyond what we can handle. He will not let us get in over our head. Charles Ryrie says when this verse describes a “way of escape” it means “power to be able to bear testing” (Ryrie Study Bible, p. 1423).

            How do we do this? It will look different for everyone. We need to have a friend we can rely on that we can call at any time to say, “Hey, I’m struggling right now. Can we talk?” We need a small group that we can send a text message to and ask them to pray. We need a Scripture to memorize that we can quote in our mind when we feel tempted. We need a pastor we know we can call and organize a coffee or lunch with to discuss our struggles.

            While facing temptation will look different for each person, the outcome is always the same when we rely on God. We will be able to endure them! 

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Last year our church had its first ever “Harvest Party” event on October 31. After announcing the event a few times during our church service, a couple people expressed concern that we were doing a church event on October 31^st. They were afraid we were endorsing Halloween and celebrating that holiday.

            I appreciated people sharing their concern with me because it meant I had poorly communicated the purpose of us starting that annual event. As a result I started telling those people and our church that we were doing a Harvest Party on October 31^st as a way to engage our community. It was a way to have families come to our church so we could get to know those living nearby our church. While it often is hard to invite people to attend our church, doing an event on October 31^st where we organize games and giveaway candy to kids was a way to have people come to our church.

            The apostle Paul modeled this “engagement” of the community around him as described in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.” (NASB)[1]

            The apostle Paul traveled more than 3,000 miles by foot and boat to share the gospel with anyone he could get an audience with. He went to Jewish synagogues, he went out to people on the river (Acts 16), and he discussed religion with the philosophers (Acts 17).

            Paul used people’s cultures and backgrounds as an entry point to talk with them about the gospel. He used their history and culture to draw those people into a relationship with God. And that same principle that Paul used for ministry can be used by us today. We can take national holidays or local events and use them as entry points to draw people close to God.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Myself and three other pastors were at an airport leaving a conference. We were going to a restaurant together while waiting for our flights. One guy in our group walked up to me, placed his hand on my shoulder and asked: “Would you mind if I drink a beer at the restaurant while we wait for our flights?”

            That interaction with my pastor friend was a good reminder that our love for others guides our actions in front of them. His love for me guided whether or not he should drink a beer in front of me. (I’m confident that if it would have been an issue for me to watch him drink, he would have decided not to drink a beer.)

            The believers in Corinth faced a similar situation but theirs involved meat, not beer. The Greeks and Romans would burn the less desirable parts of animals as religious sacrifices to their gods, but keep the best parts of the animals and eat those. Often those desirable parts of the animals were sold in the marketplace to normal everyday people like the Christians.

            This caused the Corinthians to have to consider two questions. Was it okay to eat this meat? Was it okay to eat this meat in front of other Christians that believed it was wrong to eat the meat?

            Paul describes the correct action for them to take in 1 Corinthians 8:8-13, “But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble” (NASB).[1]

            Paul tells them to eat what they want, but only eat it if it does not cause harm to others. Their freedom did not supersede their obligation to be considerate of others. If eating this meat in front of others offends them, then they should not eat it.

            And this impacts us today. If someone we know has struggled with drinking alcohol in the past, we should abstain from drinking alcohol in front of them. If our spouse is on a diet to lose weight, we should not eat the fatty foods in front of them. If we know someone is trying to quit smoking, we should not smoke in front of him or her.

            Paul’s message to the Corinthians is the same message to Christians: Our love for others should guide our actions in front of them.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

I used to lose my temper all the time when I was young. I remember throwing my cell phone once and breaking it because it wasn’t working right. I remember two times, I threw golf clubs and broke them. Along with losing my temper I also would lose control of my mouth. It embarrasses me to think of some of the words I would say in the midst of my rage.

            But when I became a Christian at twenty-three, my anger problems dissolved. That change of behavior is what Paul describes to believers in the city of Corinth.

            “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, NASB).[1]

            Paul’s main point here is that faith in God must make the believers in Corinth different than non-believers. The “effeminate” and “homosexuals” were people common among the Romans and Greeks. In fact, fourteen of the first fifteen Roman emperors practiced homosexuality. Paul was making it clear that a Christian should not be confused with such things. Paul essentially tells us today that faith in God leads to a change in lifestyle.

            The change for me occurred with my temper. No longer did I “lose my temper” after becoming a Christian. Instead, I now have control over it. It does not control me. This shows the change that has occurred because of my faith in God.

            Do I still feel anger from time-to-time? Yes, of course. I feel that old temper start to flare up, like a volcano about to erupt, but I control it now. I’m no longer controlled by my anger because I am no longer a slave to my sin nature. “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin” (Romans 6:6, NLT).

            Now I have the Holy Spirit that lives in me and helps me control that sinful anger. As Paul’s words remind us, “You were washed . . . you were sanctified . . . you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11, emphasis mine).

            Through Christ’s death on the Cross, our faith in Him for salvation, and the Holy Spirit that lives in us now, we have been set free from sin’s power and control over our lives.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

I spent the week thinking about how to make the Sunday church service an environment where we could praise God and enjoy fellowship together. This meant recruiting greeters to work outside to welcome people, printing a bulletin for each person to have along with teaching notes for the sermon, ensuring the air conditioning worked well, and having someone clean the church facility before everyone arrived on Sunday. The environment for people to come and worship God was prepared.

            But someone else had been working all week to destroy it. He probably didn’t intend to do this, but he was good at it. And he did it almost every week. Carl would arrive at church, enter the door, and immediately look for me. All week he had been thinking about an issue or problem with the church. When he arrived at church he wanted to talk with me, the associate pastor of our church in California, about what was wrong with our church and what I needed to do to fix it (or what I had already failed to do to fix it).

            A morning intended for praise for our Lord quickly became a morning focused on criticizing the associate pastor. The result was an awkward conflict that was publicly scene often in front of others.

            Carl had a habit—and he was good at it—of destroying the atmosphere of love for one another and praise of God at church. This was one of the scenarios Paul warns the believers about in the city of Corinth: “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, NASB)[1]

            These two verses describe how God’s people and the church are the temple of God. In 1 Corinthians 6:19 Paul describes the individual as being the temple of God, but that is not the intended meaning here in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. This is because “you” in verse 16 is plural in the Greek and the passage starts in verse 10 describing the building of God’s church as a group of people not one person.

            But what does this mean for us? If we find ourselves being that man that causes trouble to God’s church we need to accept that things won’t always be the way they should be. Churches are not perfect even if we try our best to make them that way. This means we need to accept that our churches and the people working in them are flawed.

            If we find ourselves being troubled by someone, let go. Each Sunday we need to “let go.” Don’t fight. Don’t cause a scene. Just be kind and let it go.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Life is messy. And as believers it’s a relief to say those words, and admit that is how the world is. (As a pastor I can admit that church work is messy too!)

            More people would visit our church services on Sundays or try out our Bible studies during the week, if we admitted that life is messy. If they knew that they could come as they are and not have to be perfect, they would more likely visit us. If they knew they didn’t have to present the perfect image or let everyone know they have it all together, then they would be more likely to become part of our faith communities.

            The apostle Paul had arrived in the city of Corinth after a discouraging experience in Athens (Acts 17:15-33). He was also probably anxious about the believers he had just left in the city of Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-14). When he arrived in the city of Corinth he saw sin, wickedness, prostitution, and drunkenness. Paul’s arrival to Corinth only added to his anxiety that started in Athens and Thessalonica.

            Paul wrote about this messy life to the believers in Corinth, “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (NASB)[1]

            In these five verses I believe Paul gives us three principles we can follow that will help people (both inside and outside the church) understand that we don’t have everything figured out.

            First, share our story. Tell others about what we’ve been through; about the good and bad decisions we’ve made, as well as what we have learned through the process.

            Second, know Scripture. Through our story we see how God has worked in our lives and provided for us. Including Scripture shows others how God was working through us and our circumstances.

            Third, let God do His work. There is only so much that we can do and control in our lives. At some point can release control of our circumstances and our desired outcomes. Instead of trying to create what we want, we can let God work in our lives.

            For us to minister to others we don’t need to brag about “how clean our lives have become because of Christ.” We can instead show others how “God still accepts us when we are messed up” because life is messy.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

When I was 15 years-old I tried to spend as much time as possible at the golf course. I played golf with a lot of older men that shared their wisdom with me. I distinctly remember one man telling me to beware of two words: “free” and “guaranteed.” He told me: “Christopher, remember these two things in life: One, nothing in life is free. Two, nothing in life is guaranteed.”

            He continued on and said that when you hear someone say that something is “free” there will always be a price to pay later on. There might be a request for your contact information, time involved in order to get the free thing – or the free thing might only be part of what you want, so you have to pay for the other half.

            He also explained that if something is guaranteed there’s usually a catch. Often a guarantee is only good for a limited time, or you have to have the receipt, or the guarantee could be voided based on specific conditions.

            That advice came to my mind as I read Paul’s introduction to his letter to the believers in the city of Corinth, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:4-9, NASB).[1]

            In Paul’s introduction he starts with his expression of thanks. He gives thanks because God’s gift of salvation had been given to these believers in Corinth. “the grace of God was given to you in Christ” (1 Cor 1:4b). This was a guarantee for them, “our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end” (1 Cor 7:7b-8a). Notice that word “confirm” that Paul uses. It means guarantee. Paul told the Corinthians that they had God’s guarantee that they would be in Christ’s presence at His future return to the earth. The reason for this guarantee is stated in the next verse, “God is faithful” (1 Cor 1:9a).

            That man I was playing golf with gave me good advice. Nothing is free and there are no guarantees. With one exception: when we place our faith in God for salvation it is a free gift offered to us. “The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b). This free gift of eternal life guarantees our place in heaven forever (Romans 8:31-39). We know that God is faithful. His offer of salvation is free and it’s guaranteed.

[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.