2 Corinthians 13
Paul loved the Corinthians, but was
frustrated with them because of the way they had tolerated bad influences and
the immoral behavior they have accepted. Now he drives home the hard truth that
those who continue in sin, brazenly doing as they choose knowing that it is
against God’s will, will be judged and not be spared.
He is dealing with an heresy we call, “cheap
grace.” It works like this: We know our sins are forgiven, but we act like that
salvation has no impact on how we live. We just go through live unchanged pursuing
our own agendas. We do not fully appreciate the power of Jesus’ death.
We have been forgiven because God loved
us so much that He gave Jesus to die for us so sins could be atoned for. Yet we
sin every day and fall short of God’s calling for our lives, stumbling over the
same sins as we did yesterday. How are we to be sure that we are not just taking
God’s grace for granted? Paul’s answer is to examine ourselves. We should
compare ourselves to God’s Word and see where we fall short of His Will. We
even test our motives. Then confess our sins, and turn away from them to live
as redeemed people.
But what if I test myself and find
myself lacking? Then God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power
made perfect in weakness.”
What if I test myself and find myself
fine? Then we hear, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the
truth is not in us.”
We acknowledge the depth of our sin and
the magnitude of our need for God’s forgiveness every day. It brings us to our
knees – in humility and in worship of our savior, for we also remember that God
is the one who will lift up our heads. It’s Jesus’ forgiveness that makes us
worthy, not the things we do. We can rely on Him.
Paul speaks of passing the test. How do
you do that? Is it in all the good things you do in this life? No. It’s
clinging to Jesus, holding on to the cross for dear life. The good works, and
all that will come. He will bring them. Just hold on like your life depends on
Him, because it does. And here’s one more thing to remember. He’s holding on to
you, too.
Lord, keep me in Your grace and help me
always rejoice in it! Amen.
Comments
If you are a Christian and only sin on special occasions will you be exempt from not inheriting the kingdom of God?
Is it Scripturally correct to claim you are not guilty of sin because you only sin on special occasions like birthdays, holidays, and a few randomly selected days?
Can I assert I am not a thief, because I do not steal on a regular bases?
Can men say they are not a drunkards, because they only get drunk on special occasions?
Can men assume they are not fornicators, because they only have sex with people who they are not married to, on rare occasions?
Can men assert that they not homosexuals, because they have sex with the same sex infrequently?
Can men proclaim they are not murderers, because they only murder a few times a year?
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 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, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 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.
The apostle Paul did not say, "Such were some of you, however, now you are special occasion sinners that can continue your sins on a somewhat limited schedule."
YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY CHRISTIAN BLOG. Google search steve finnell a christian view