GOD'S POWER IS PERFECTED IN OUR WEAKNESS
The apostle Paul views himself as the spiritual father of the Christians in Corinth. He says in 2 Cor. 11:2-3 “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”
As Paul defends his Apostleship, he reminds them of his sufferings. Receiving forty stripes (minus one) five times, beaten with rods three times, stoned, shipwrecked three times, a night and a day in the deep, and many more sufferings.
Paul boasted in his weakness, not in his strength and power. 2 Cor. 11:30 “If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.”
Paul did not list a bunch of accomplishments and achievements to impress people. Even when he tried to boast he could only boast in his weakness.
When Paul was caught up to the third heaven and given revelations he could not speak about, he said he was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment him, to keep him from exalting himself.
When the governor of Damascus wanted to arrest Paul, he was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from the governor’s hands showing God’s sovereign provision. Paul was boasting in something that the false apostles would view as a weakness.
Paul reminds them that Christ was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. 2 Cor. 13:4 “For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.
Paul restates his mission to the Corinthian Christians in 2 Cor. 13:9 “For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete.” The Corinthians show themselves strong when they are obeying Christ and thereby allowing Him to abide in them.
When we fully depend on Christ for strength in spite of weakness and suffering, we open the door to countless blessings and the privilege to let God’s light shine through us.
As Paul defends his Apostleship, he reminds them of his sufferings. Receiving forty stripes (minus one) five times, beaten with rods three times, stoned, shipwrecked three times, a night and a day in the deep, and many more sufferings.
Paul boasted in his weakness, not in his strength and power. 2 Cor. 11:30 “If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.”
Paul did not list a bunch of accomplishments and achievements to impress people. Even when he tried to boast he could only boast in his weakness.
When Paul was caught up to the third heaven and given revelations he could not speak about, he said he was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment him, to keep him from exalting himself.
When the governor of Damascus wanted to arrest Paul, he was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from the governor’s hands showing God’s sovereign provision. Paul was boasting in something that the false apostles would view as a weakness.
Paul reminds them that Christ was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. 2 Cor. 13:4 “For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.
Paul restates his mission to the Corinthian Christians in 2 Cor. 13:9 “For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete.” The Corinthians show themselves strong when they are obeying Christ and thereby allowing Him to abide in them.
When we fully depend on Christ for strength in spite of weakness and suffering, we open the door to countless blessings and the privilege to let God’s light shine through us.
by Rebecca Nicholas, Women's Ministry Team
Posted in Read Through the Bible
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