Daily Liturgy and Scripture

Remember back in chapter 7 when Paul talked about the value of Godly sorrow? He certainly doesn’t let him off the hook for that very thing. Certainly he has had his share, and he has talked a lot about that. Now it gets personal. Paul hasn’t just struggled with circumstantial things, but also with a nagging issue. He wears it almost as a badge of honor, because while God didn’t take it away (whatever it was), God remained close and continued extended grace.

Paul isn’t claiming foolishness because he’s lost his mind, he’s drawing it out to show a contrast with his rivals. It’s foolishness to try and be a “super apostle” because all apostles should point to Christ, not themselves. So Paul launches into his own credentials, holding it up against those who were against him. It’s a goofy comparison, and that’s exactly what he wanted to Corinthians to see.

Clearly Paul has his critics in Corinth, and he's back to defending himself. It must have been a tough line to walk: imitating Christ, trying to take leadership, showing authority, and trying to remain humble. Paul must have had his failures. Still, he remained their pastor, so he couldn't cut them loose. He needed to keep their trust, because the body of Christ must function as one.

Giving is about more than doing what we should, it’s creating bonds between us and those to whom we give. This is a flow that is shown to us by God: we weren’t deserving, but he gave to us. That kind of outward flow is something we should practice because doing so brings us closer to God’ heart.

Being willing to give to others isn’t a condition of our salvation, that is the work of Christ and the gift of God. But giving to others is an indication of where our heart might be. If we hold everything to ourselves, we have missed the opportunities of being connected to our brothers and sisters, meeting their needs, and helping them be whole. We cannot give away all that Christ has given to us, but we certainly ought to be willing to give what we can.

Sorry isn’t something we seek out, it’s not something we would choose to have in our lives. It does still have a purpose. Paul gives it to other believers if it can become a way for them to be restored to God, and that’s a much more important objective than momentary happiness. Of course, we shouldn’t go around breaking people down for our own purposes. We should also have their restoration in mind if we take such a measure.

Paul is exercising his oratory gifts in this passage by listing the hardships of following Christ, and the need to remain faithful through both good and bad. This has followed a passage where he talks about being Christ’s ambassadors, so perhaps he didn’t want to make his listeners think they were getting an easy ride? Whatever the reasons, it is certainly an honor to be Christ’s ambassador, but it isn’t an easy calling. Thank God that we are not alone.

Life in Christ is truly supernatural. Not that we have some sort of super power, but that we are moved by Christ, and that the way he moves us changes our entire view of life. Being the ambassador of Christ is no small task, and it requires transformation. He offers the Sprit for nothing less.

Paul is bringing something very personal into the conversation: the death of Christ, carried around in our bodies. Remember in the last chapter he talked about how the Spirit brings life? This is where it comes into our own personal bubbles. We are co-heirs with Christ, and so we carry Christ’s death, resurrection, and redemption. This is a promise that cannot be taken from us. This is our victory.

Paul has gotten mostly past his unpleasantness, now he brings some of his Jewish scholarship back to the letter. It’s a great contrast: how the glory of Moses (the human symbol of the law) was apt to fade, but not life in the Spirit. It’s the different between Life and death. This must have been especially personal to Paul, since the first part of his life was dedicated to that very law that he now claimed could never bring life. This doesn’t mean we should throw out the Old Testament, but we should see the fulfillment that came through Jesus when we read the whole story.