DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- FORGIVE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVENESS

"For whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices." (II Corinthians 2:10-11)

In response to the admonition of Paul in the first letter regarding the one engaged in immoral conduct, the Church had indeed disciplined the person. In response to the correction, he had apparently repented. And that is the purpose of correction – repentance and restoration.

However, it seems that the fellowship of believers were having a difficult time fulfilling the restoration part. They were not willing to welcome him back into the congregation. So the Apostle now had to deal with this issue. He wrote that the punishment – the disbarment from the fellowship – was sufficient. It was enough, and now that he has repented, they needed to receive him back into the fellowship. They needed to reassure him of their forgiveness and love, and comfort him, lest he should be consumed with too much sorrow. Not receiving him back into fellowship would be an open door for Satan to take advantage and cause even more heartache.

We are not ignorant of Satan's devices. One of the greatest devices he uses to bring disharmony in the Church is unforgiveness. If he can get Believers to carry grudges, he can cause separation and conflict between the Believers and bring distress to Body.

This is an extremely important thing. We are called to forgive one another. Jesus highlighted the need for forgiveness in His Sermon on the Mount. He said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 5:14-15). This is a sobering word and we need to take it seriously.

In another place, the Apostle Paul admonished us to forgive one another just as Christ has forgiven us (Colossians 3:13). Jesus does not carry grudges. When we repent, we are forgiven, and the offense is cast into the sea to be remembered no more. There is no sword hanging over our heads because the sin is cleansed by Christ's own blood, and our fellowship with Him is restored. We are to forgive in the same way.

The Church at Corinth needed to learn this lesson. And, I think, so do we. If God in His love has forgiven the repentant sinner, so should we. The restoration process is not complete until the offender has been welcomed back into fellowship.

May that be our goal.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

"Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God." (II Corinthians 1:3-4)

The tone of this second letter to the church at Corinth is entirely different than the first letter. The first letter was correction and instruction about issues that were in the Church that needed to be fixed. This letter is one of comfort and encouragement. There is very little correction, but there is much edification.

It is is apparent from this letter that the Church at Corinth had accepted his rebukes and had corrected the issues. With all of their problems, they were open to receive instruction from the Apostle. The Apostle indicates several times in this letter that he very much wants to come to them in person to minister to them. But he did not want to come to them with the sorrow or heaviness that he had in the first letter. Now, after hearing reports of their response to his corrections, he was looking forward to comforting and encouraging them in person.

This begs the question: How do I accept rebuke and correction? I'll admit that I don't receive criticism very well. My pride takes over and I think, "Who are you to tell me what to do?" My flesh responds back with anger or at the very least rejection of the criticism. I just don't like reprimands.

God often corrects me through the Word of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, Who convicts of sin (John 15:8). Jesus called Him the Paraclete – One who comes alongside to help us (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7 KJV). In our focus verse, the word translated "comfort" is paraklesis which means exhortation, admonition, comfort and encouragement. He does not just come to beat us down with our failures but to encourage and lift us up. Even when we blow it, God, the Holy Spirit, is there to instruct and comfort us. He is the God of all comfort.

The Church at Corinth was growing in the Christian walk, and were open to the Apostle's instruction. My walk with Jesus would probably be much better if I would listen to advice and constructive criticism. My prayer is that God would help me to grow in this area.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GIVING

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GIVING

"Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also. On the first day of the week, let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come." (I Corinthians 16:1-2)

One final word of instruction for the church at Corinth was regarding the practice of giving.

Paul does not mandate how each individual or family should give, only that it should be in proportion to how God had prospered them. Richer people would give more and less fortunate could give less. It was a personal decision. He was not laying down a law, but giving them guidelines for opportunity to participate in God's work.

In the follow-up letter to the church at Corinth, Paul gives the instruction, "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (II Corinthians 9:7). They were not under compulsion to give, but their offerings should be cheerfully from their hearts.

Paul's instruction was that the collection was to be on the first day of the week. That would be Sunday, the day when the church came together for worship and instruction. They would set aside whatever they purposed in their hearts and then bring it to the assembly.

We follow much the same pattern. We often bring our offerings to church on Sunday to be given to the Lord. We make a point of our gifts being given in secret so that there will be no comparisons between those who give much and those who give little. This practice avoids the temptation to brag about how much we give and also frees the person who is not able to give as much from humiliation. This also follows Jesus' instructions when He said, "When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what our right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly" (Matthew 6:3-4). I think we must remember that we answer to God about how we observe this area of our stewardship.

It is a privilege to be a part of God's work. We miss the joy if we do it for the praise of others or for other motivations. God will reward.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A GLORIOUS FUTURE

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A GLORIOUS FUTURE

"As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly man." (I Corinthians 15:49)

The Apostle Paul was answering the question that some were asking: "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" (vs. 35). By revelation of the Holy Spirit, he gives some illustrations from nature –the seed that was sown in the field, different kinds of bodies for different creatures, and the difference of the celestial bodies of the sun and the moon. That is, they will be different than our human bodies. We are created with natural bodies that reflect the image of Adam. But our resurrected bodies will reflect the image of Jesus.

So what will that body be like? Paul says that our worldly fleshly bodies are subject to corruption; the new body will be incorruptible. Our current bodies are dishonorable – not because God created them that way, but because of sin. Our bodies in this world are weak, but the new bodies will be powerful. We have a natural body, but the resurrected body will be spiritual.

We get a glimpse of the new body in the transformation Jesus had on the Mount of Transfiguration. The record says that "He was transfigured before them" (Matthew 17:2; Mark 9:2). The word "transfigured" is a translation from the Greek is metamorphoo, and it means to change, to transform, to transfigure. It is like the metamorphosis, the change, of a butterfly from a cocoon. The testimony is that in His transfiguration, His face shined like the sun, and His clothes were exceedingly white as the light, brighter than any laundry could get them.

What a glorious future awaits us! God has great things in store for us, including a new body that will never suffer the weakness of sickness and that will never be corrupted and die. We cannot fully grasp what it will be like. As it is written, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him" (I Corinthians 2:9). Now we see through a glass dimly. We only know in part, but then face to face (I Corinthians 13:12). As the Apostle John wrote, "It has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2). I wouldn't miss it for the world! Hallelujah!

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE REALITY OF EASTER

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE EASTER

"Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" (I Corinthians 15:12)

Although the Apostle saved this question among the Believers in Corinth until toward the end of the letter, it is arguably the most important because it concerns the bedrock of the Christian faith – the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

He began this discussion with a clear presentation of the Gospel – that Christ died, was buried, and rose again, and then proved that He was indeed risen from the dead by appearing to over 500 people (vss. 3-6). Without the resurrection of Jesus, Christianity is just another religion on the same level as Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, or any other belief. Christianity stands alone is this regard.

But there were some who were teaching that there is no resurrection from the dead. How they could believe this in light of the evidence is a mystery, as is their motivation for promulgating such a teaching. Perhaps they were influenced by the Jewish sect of the Saducees who did not believe in a future resurrection. They were Sad, you see. But the importance of correcting this teaching is of prime importance because if there is no resurrection, our faith is vain – empty thinking.

The life and teaching of Jesus was not the motivation for His disciples to take the Gospel into the far reaches of the world and sacrifice their lives for that cause. It was the fact that He was risen from the dead. Easter was real.

Even now, 2 millennia latter, the doctrine of the resurrection is just as important as it was then. Our faith in Christ's resurrection is the bedrock upon which the faith and future of Believers is founded. The Bible, including the Old Testament prophets, Jesus, and the Apostles, is clear in its declaration that there will be a future resurrection – both of the just and the unjust (Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Revelation 20:5. 11-14). To reject this teaching of Jesus and of the Apostles is the undermine our faith in Christ and of the Bible in general.

If we only have faith in Christ in this life – that He will make this life better – then we are of all people most to be pitied. To base our lives on Christ's resurrection and our eternal life on a lie would indeed make us deluded people.

But He is risen and alive today, and He has a plan for our future including our eternal life and resurrection. Let no one disabuse us of our faith. As we often say on Easter morning: Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- LOVE - THE GREATEST GIFT

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – LOVE – THE GREATEST GIFT

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, l but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." (I Corinthians 13:1-3)

As we read this letter from Paul to the Church at Corinth, it is evident that love was not a motivation.

What could I add to what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning love? What new insights could I give that would surpass all of the sermons I have heard preached about love? Probably nothing.

But I ask, "Why is it that with all the love songs we sing, there seems to be so little love in this world?" Could it be that we have the wrong definition of love?

It is clear from this chapter that love is more than a feeling. It is doing. It is like faith. Love without works is dead. I can sing love song all day, and declare my love all I want, but until the rubber meets the road and it is translated into action, it is dead.

And even all my actions such as preaching, helping the poor, and even giving my life as a martyr – are worth nothing if I do not love.

The reason is that love is not for my benefit or to make me feel good, or to make me look good. True love is always directed outward to someone else. It is for their benefit.

I admit that I have a long way to go in this love-experience. I can take no pride in the way I love. But hopefully, I am growing in a love that suffers long and is kind, is not rude, is not easily provoked, that bears all things, believes good about everyone, and endures all things. I am not there yet, but hopefully that gift of love that God gives is blossoming into some kind of good fruit. May God help me.

Love, Dad

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- GIFTS

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – GIFTS

"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all be made to drink into one Spirit." (I Corinthians 12:12-13)

The human body is a marvelous creation. It is made up of so many different parts, and yet all of the parts work together when the body is functioning properly. Paul used the human body as an illustration of the Church of Jesus. It is a marvelous organism when it functions as it should.

But there were problems in the church at Corinth. Some people thought that they were more important than others in the Church. Perhaps they were used in supernatural gifts, and thought that that placed them on a higher level than others. Paul made it clear that it was the Holy Spirit that gave various gifts to people as He chose. It was not the righteousness or the ability of the person that produced the gift. It was God the Holy Spirit who initiated the gifts.

This leaves no room for pride that thinks that our gift is better than some-one else's. Paul asked the question back in chapter 4, "Who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (4:7). The fact is that everything is a gift from God. That excludes any boasting on our part.

God is the source of all good things. As it says in vs. 28, God has appointed these in the Church – apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, gifts of healings, helps or service, administrations or leaders and government, and variety to tongues. We do not all have the same gifts but all the gifts are important, and God places them in the Body so that it will function well.

Lest we become prideful of the gifts God has given to us, we need to remember that the body cannot function without the heart, the liver, the kidneys, the lungs, the pituitary glands, and other gross parts. So the mouth cannot be proud just because it speaks beautiful words. It could speak nothing without the less beautiful parts of the body because the body would be dead.

We should "earnestly desire the best gifts" (vs. 31) – but, as we see in Chapter 13, love is the more excellent way.

Love, Dad