Holy Spirit

The Light of the Gospel

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1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 ESV

Paul viewed himself as a minister of the new covenant who had been commissioned by Jesus Christ to carry the message of the gospel, the good news that a right standing with God was available through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This new-and-improved message was not based on the old covenant of works or human effort. Men no longer had to vainly attempt to keep the Mosaic Law, trusting that their efforts would somehow measure up to God’s righteous standard and earn them favor in His sight. The author of Hebrews states that the old way has been replaced with a new and better way.

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises. If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. – Hebrews 8:6-7 NLT

Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God. – Hebrews 7:22 NLT

Paul didn’t lose heart when sharing this new and better covenant with the world, because he knew it was effective. It was the key to victory over sin and the means by which men could be made right with God, once and for all. So, in spite of opposition, rejection, persecution, and at times a seeming lack of success, he kept sharing. He felt no need to use deceitful tactics or underhanded means to trick people into believing the gospel. It could stand on its own because it was the truth of God and had proven capable of transforming the lives of countless individuals without Paul having to resort to human wisdom or his own personal powers of persuasion. In his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul reminded them that his initial ministry to them wasn’t based on his rhetorical skills or human intellect.

I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan…Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 2:1, 4-5 NLT

There were likely those who heard the gospel as preached by Paul, Silas, Titus, and others, who remained unchanged. The problem was not with the gospel or the minister’s presentation skills, but with the recipients’ spiritual condition. Their unbelief was not just stubbornness or obstinacy; it was spiritual warfare.

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT

It is important to keep Paul’s use of the word “veiled” linked with his prior use of it in chapter 3. There, he had been talking about the old covenant as revealed under Moses, the covenant of law. And there were still Jews who were trying to gain favor with God through the keeping of the law.

But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. – 2 Corinthians 3:14-15 ESV

When the Jews in Paul’s day read the books of the law, they were blinded by their own belief and expectation that they could somehow be made right with God through law-keeping. So they refused to accept Jesus as the mediator of a new and better covenant. In the case of non-Jews, Paul insists that they were blinded by Satan, the god of this world. He kept them deluded, distracted, and deceived.

Paul insists that their eyes must be opened to the truth in order to receive it. Their spiritual blindness must first be healed so that they can see the glory of God in the face of Christ. Paul knew exactly what he was talking about, because it had happened to him in his own conversion. The book of Luke recounts that fateful day when Paul came face-to-face with the resurrected Christ. As he made his way to Damascus, where he intended to persecute and arrest Christians, Paul (then known as Saul) was suddenly blinded by a light and heard the voice of Jesus Himself.

Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. – Acts 9:8-9 ESV

Jesus commanded Saul to go to the city of Damascus and await further instructions. God then sent a disciple named Ananias to minister to Saul.

So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. – Acts 9:17-19 NLT

Saul had been blinded by the light, but when the Holy Spirit came upon him, his physical sight was immediately restored along with his spiritual sight. He saw, for the first time in his life, the truth of the very gospel he had been trying to destroy. No longer blinded by the enemy, Paul placed his faith in the resurrected Jesus and was converted.

In chapter three of 2 Corinthians, Paul insists that it is the Holy Spirit who removes the veil from the spiritual eyes of the lost so that they might see and reflect the glory of the Lord.

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. – 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NLT

Like the blind man who was healed by Jesus, those who have their spiritual eyes opened by the Spirit of God can see and accept the truth of the gospel, and are able to say, “I was blind, and now I can see!” (John 9:25 NLT). That bright, holy light that blinded Paul on the road to Damascus is the same light of the glory of Christ that shines into the life of every unsaved person, eliminating the darkness of sin and illuminating them with the life-transforming hope of the gospel.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. – 2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT

It is the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit that makes it possible for spiritually dead and sightless individuals to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. He opens their eyes so they can see the truth of the gospel message of hope, healing, and restoration.

Salvation is the work of God performed by the Spirit in the lives of the lost. It is not due to the persuasive power of men like Paul. Only God can restore sight to the blind. Only God can raise the spiritually dead back to life. Only God can remove the veil placed on the minds of unbelievers by Satan, allowing them to see “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV).

Father, more than six decades ago, You graciously opened my eyes and allowed me to see the glory of the gospel. Even as a young child, I was able to grasp its simplicity and accept the free gift of salvation made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Your sinless sin. There was much I did not understand, but my lack of knowledge did not prevent me from saying yes to Your gracious offer salvation through faith alone in Christ alone. It wasn’t the words of men or my own cognitive abilities that save me; it was enlightening power of the Spirit. And I will be forever grateful that You made the gospel accessible to a young boy living in Long Island, New York in 1962. And in all the years that have passed since that fateful day. the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ has continued to illuminate and transform my life in ways I never could have imagined. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

With Eyes Wide Open

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12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 ESV

In verses 7-11, Paul addressed the greater glory of the new covenant, as revealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit and His sanctifying ministry in the lives of believers. Rather than having to live up to a God-ordained code of conduct in our own strength, we have been given a new nature, made possible by the Holy Spirit’s presence within us. In his letter to the Romans, Paul explained just what man’s relationship with the old covenant had become due to the work of the Holy Spirit.

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. – Romans 8:3-4 ESV

And Paul tells the Corinthians, “since we have such a hope, we are very bold” (2 Corinthians 3:12 ESV). Unlike the glory that shone from Moses’ face after having received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai, our glory is internal and eternal. The Holy Spirit is a permanent resident in the life of the believer, and His glory shines through us. The book of Exodus reveals that Moses was unaware that his face exuded the glory of God. He was oblivious to his outward transformation until others pointed it out.

When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the LORD. So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him. – Exodus 34:29-30 ESV

When Moses realized that his radiant face terrified the people, he covered it with a veil. Moses records that “whenever he went into the Tent of Meeting to speak with the Lord, he would remove the veil until he came out again. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the Lord had given him, and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face” (Exodus 34:33-35 NLT).

It seems that Moses initially veiled his face to diminish the people’s fear. But in time, his motive appears to have changed. His continued wearing of the veil went from protection to prevention. He was less worried about their fear than he was about their unfaithfulness. So, he prevented the people from seeing God’s glory because he deemed them unworthy. 

While the Old Testament does not record this fact, Paul states that the day came when the glory on Moses’ face began to fade; yet he continued to wear the veil. This left the people with the impression that nothing had changed. Yet Paul insists, “We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away” (2 Corinthians 3:13 NLT). Paul seems to infer that the glory on Moses’ face was never intended to be permanent. As time passed, the people grew used to their leader’s glowing face. They even noticed that it had begun to fade. 

Their reaction to Moses’ fading countenance reflected their attitude toward the Mosaic Law. In the beginning, they treated it with awe and reverence, but over time their fear subsided, and their commitment to God’s Law waned.

Neither Moses nor Paul explains why the glory faded. Perhaps it reflects Moses’ own doubts about the Law’s efficacy. He was not seeing in the people the kind of life change he expected. Their fear of his glowing face did not translate into obedience to God’s commands. And while Moses continued to meet with Yahweh,  it appears that those encounters had a diminishing impact on Moses. Paul writes that the glory on Moses’ face was “destined to fade away” (2 Corinthians 3:13 NLT). It was never meant to be permanent and, as Paul insists, neither was the law.

The old covenant, like the glow on Moses’ face, was always meant to be temporary. It would not last and would one day be replaced by the new covenant and the permanent, indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.

Just as Moses covered his face with a veil, Paul says the minds of the Israelites were veiled so that their hearts were hardened and they were unable to see the truth. They believed the law was the key to their righteousness, even though they were incapable of obeying it. And it was their stubborn belief that the old covenant (the law) was the God-ordained means of being made right with Him that kept them from accepting Christ when He came. They refused to believe that He was the answer to their sin problem.

But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. – 2 Corinthians 3:14-15 ESV)

Their stubborn adherence to self-righteousness prevents them from accepting the righteousness made possible through the death of Jesus Christ. And yet, Paul repeatedly insists that obedience to the law was never intended as the path to justification before God.

Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law. – Galatians 2:16 NLT

So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” – Galatians 3:11 NLT

So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. – Romans 3:28 NLT

Paul tells the Corinthians, “whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2 Corinthians 3:16 NLT), and it is the Spirit of God that makes this possible. He opens the eyes of the spiritually blind, those with veiled hearts, and allows them to see the life-changing truth of the gospel. As a result, they “can see and reflect the glory of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18a NLT). Like Moses, they can see the glory of God face-to-face and, not only that, they can reflect that glory to all those around them — a glory that will never fade.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have access to God just as Moses did. We can enter into His presence at any time, day or night. Not only that, but He has also placed His presence within us in the form of the Holy Spirit. As a result, we are being transformed by this daily encounter with the divine, from one degree of glory to another, slowly, methodically, and persistently,

God is molding us into the likeness of His Son, and it is all because of His Spirit’s presence within us. There is no longer any law to live up to, but only the Spirit to whom we must submit. In his letter to the believers in Galatia, Paul explained the need for submission to the Spirit’s leading.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. – Galatians 5:16-18 NLT

The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us the capacity to say no to sin and yes to righteousness. He is the glory of God who resides in us and shines through us. He is constantly transforming us, and because He never leaves us, our ongoing transformation is guaranteed to never fade or falter.

Father, thank You for the gift of the Spirit. Without His indwelling presence, I would be just like Moses and the people of Israel, stuck trying to live up to Your holy standards in my own strength and doomed to failure. Rule-keeping is always onerous, but for some reason it feels like the right thing to do. I tend to like a list of do’s and don’t’s to keep because it allows me to keep score on my progress. But Paul makes it clear that I am incapable of living up to Your holy standards on my own. So, You graciously gave me the Holy Spirit as my advocate and helper. My ability to reflect Your glory isn’t up to me; it’s the work of Your Spirit within me. And now that my eyes are unveiled, I can see the law for what it is; a tool that reveals my sinfulness and reminds me of my need for the Spirit’s life-transforming power. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Conduits of God’s Grace

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1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. – 2 Corinthians 3:1-6 ESV

Paul ended the last chapter with the words, “You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us” (2 Corinthians 2:17 NLT).

He can’t help but feel frustrated at having to defend himself and his ministry again. In his first letter to the Corinthians, he found himself dealing with those who questioned his authority and apostleship. But as far as he was concerned, he only answered to God and no one else.

As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. – 1 Corinthians 4:3-4 NLT

Much of what Paul writes in this letter is not new information to the Corinthians; he has said it all before, in writing and in person. He wants them to know that he is not attempting to prove himself to them again. He doesn’t need a letter of recommendation, either from himself or anyone else, to affirm his status as an apostle of Jesus Christ. If they require proof of the effectiveness of his ministry, all they have to do is look at their own lives.

The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you.– 2 Corinthians 3:2-3a NLT

Paul’s ministry was fruitful and had produced results. Lives had been changed. So, there should have been no reason for him to defend himself. The believers in Corinth were his letter of recommendation “written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God…carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3b NLT). There was no greater proof of the validity of Paul’s apostolic ministry than the transformed lives of those who made up the church in Corinth.

When Paul had first arrived in Corinth, he did not impress them with his oratory skills or blow them away with his eloquence and powers of persuasion. In fact, just the opposite was the case.

When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NLT

The establishment of the church in Corinth had been the work of the Holy Spirit, not Paul. He was simply a conduit through whom the Spirit had worked, making him an instrument in God’s hands. Paul could look at the changed lives of the people in Corinth and know with confidence that his work had been effective. He also knew that it had not been because of his own skills or abilities.

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant. – 2 Corinthians 3:5-6a ESV

Any success Paul had enjoyed was the result of God’s power, not his own.

We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. – 2 Corinthians 3:4 NLT

It is important to note that, while Paul viewed himself as a servant of God, he did not believe he was working for God so much as he was being used by God. He truly believed that God was working through him, not that he was helping God out. Sometimes we can easily begin to think that we are doing God a favor by serving Him. We can believe that we are doing all the work, while He sits back, eagerly watching and waiting to see what we will accomplish. But Paul knew that, without God’s power, all his efforts would have been in vain. God is not dependent upon us; it is the other way around. It was Paul who proudly proclaimed, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 ESV). And it was God who said to Paul, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT).

Paul knew that it was the Spirit who gives life, and that only God can make the salvation of men possible. We have a role to play, but we must never forget that our role is that of servants of God. We are tools in His hands, empowered by His Spirit and obligated to do His will, His way. Paul emphasizes his understanding of his God-given role later on in this same letter.

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” –2 Corinthians 5:18-20 NLT

We are conduits of God’s grace. We are PVC pipes carrying the life-giving message of the good news to those who are spiritually thirsty and starving. And we can be confident that God can and will use us as we make ourselves available to Him. Our weakness does not disqualify us; it makes us perfect candidates for God’s service.

God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NLT

So, Paul writes, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31 NLT). God can and will use you. Your value to Him begins with your recognition of your absolute dependence upon Him. Your greatest use by Him starts with your understanding that you are useless without Him. When we understand that God is the power behind our effectiveness, we can become confident conduits of His grace.

Father, thank You for choosing to use me, despite my sometimes over-self-confidence, pride, and arrogance. I am reminded that You don’t use me because You need me. My gifts, talents, and abilities are not assets to You; they are more often liabilities. I am nothing more than a conduit of Your grace and mercy; a means of distributing Your love and communicating Your redemptive message to all those who need to heat it. You chose me, filled me with Your Spirit, gave me access to Your power, and equipped me with a spiritual gift — all so that You might use me to reconcile the lost and build up the body of Christ. But I am more than just a servant to You; I am Your child. You love me and are patiently transforming me into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus Christ. And anything I accomplish in this life that has value or worth is because of You, not me. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Grit and Grip of God’s Grace

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12 For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. 13 For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand— 14 just as you did partially understand us—that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you. – 2 Corinthians 1:12-14 ESV

It will become increasingly evident from the content of this letter that Paul’s ministry was being maligned or at least questioned. His motives were also under the microscope, constantly scrutinized and criticized by those who chose to reject his authority as an apostle. But Paul responds with confidence, claiming that he and his companions “behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity” (2 Corinthians 1:12 ESV). Paul writes with complete confidence, even boasting that his conscience is clear. He knows what he has done and why he has done it. He has no reason to question his motives, because he knows that his actions were the result of God’s grace, not earthly wisdom. Paul had made this claim to the Corinthians in his first letter.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. – 1 Corinthians 15:10 ESV

It was God’s unmerited favor that had produced the transformation in Paul’s life. His words, actions, and even the content of his letters were the by-product of God’s ongoing grace in his life. God was working in him and through him, and he had no reason to take credit for it or apologize because of it. Paul says that his behavior had been marked by simplicity and godly sincerity. The Greek word for simplicity is haplotēs and it refers to “the virtue of one who is free from pretense and hypocrisy” (“G572 – haplotēs – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 18 Sep, 2016. <https://www.blueletterbible.org&gt;). Paul claims that his conduct and speech have been free of hypocrisy or any hint of a hidden agenda. What he has said and done has not been motivated by selfishness or intended for personal gain. After all, as he stated in the opening verses of his letter, his ministry had not made him rich and famous, but resulted in affliction and even the threat of death.

The Greek word translated as “sincerity” is eilikrineia, which means “purity” or “cleanness.” Paul uses this same word again in the next chapter.

For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. – 2 Corinthians 2:17 ESV

Paul’s conscience is clear because he knows his motives are pure. Anything he has accomplished in his life has been the work of the Spirit of God, and that is especially true of his relationship with and ministry to the Corinthians. Even now, as he writes this letter, he reminds them that all of his previous letters “have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can’t understand” (1 Corinthians 1:13 NLT).

It is his sincere desire that they fully comprehend what it is he is trying to say to them and all that he is attempting to teach them. They might not immediately understand, but he longed for the day when it all made sense to them. He wasn’t in it to win friends, but to make a difference in their faith. He wanted to see them experience all that God had in store for them — the full expression of faith in Christ lived out in everyday life. He longed for them to grow in godliness and to put off their old, sinful natures. He wanted to see them grow in their knowledge of God and their dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

One can get a sense of Paul’s heart by reading some of the prayers he prayed for the churches he helped to start. He wrote to the believers in Colossae:

…we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. – Colossians 1:9-11 NLT

He sent a similar message to the Christ-followers in Ephesus.

I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. – Ephesians 1:16-20 NLT

Paul knew that if they listened to what he said and applied it to their lives, there would come a day when they would find reason to boast or glory in all that Paul had taught them, because they would see the fruit of it in their lives. The day to which Paul refers is the return of Christ, when he and all the Corinthians will stand before the Lord. It will be on that occasion that they fully comprehend the simplicity and sincerity of Paul’s methods and message.

For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. – 2 Corinthians 5:10-11 NLT

Paul’s desire for the Corinthians was the same as he had for the believers in Philippi.

…that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. – Philippians 2:15-16 ESV

Paul wanted to be a success, but not so that he could gain recognition or earthly rewards. His motivation wasn’t money or fame, it was the hope of one day standing before the Lord and seeing the fruit of his labors — the countless believers who had held fast to the word of life and remained faithful to the end. Paul’s motives were pure, his heart was sincere, and his actions were the result of God’s grace in his own life. He wanted nothing more than to see the Corinthians grow in their faith and in their knowledge of God. They might not understand it now, but the day was coming when their eyes would be opened and their hearts filled with the joy of God’s grace, mercy, and love.

Father, Paul was anything but a quiter. Despite all the setbacks, suffering, and rejections he faced in his decades-long ministry, he never gave up or threw in the towel. He traveled incessantly, preached relentlessly, and suffered greatly for his efforts. But he wasn’t bitter or resentful. He was grateful for the opportunity to serve You in spreading the good news of Christ to the nations. He was often misunderstood, misrepresented, and maligned for what he wrote and said. His motives were questioned, his integrity was attacked, and he was constantly accused of everything from heresy to sedition. But your grace gave him the strength to carry on the mission free from hypocrisy, hidden agendas, or false pretense. He operated in the power of the Holy Spirit, so his efforts were pure and pleasing in Your eyes. That’s they way I want to live my life, but it can seem so impossible. Yet, by Your grace, all things are possible. Because of Your strength, I can do all things. Never let me lose sight of that reality.   Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Gift of God’s Presence and Power

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20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. – 1 Corinthians 14:20-25 ESV

By elevating the gift of tongues to a primary position, the Corinthians had revealed their spiritual immaturity to Paul. They viewed speaking in tongues as a sign of spirituality and pursued and practiced that gift to the detriment of the body of Christ. So Paul called them out and encouraged them to “grow up” in their thinking. It is one thing to be innocent about evil, but they acted like children when it came to the gifts God had given to the church. They were enamored by the more showy, flamboyant gifts and allowed jealousy, pride, and envy to characterize their use of the gifts, rather than for the mutual edification of one another.

One of the most important distinctions Paul makes about the gift of tongues concerns its purpose. He quotes a passage from Isaiah 28 to show that tongues “are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers” (1 Corinthians 14:22 ESV). The context of the Isaiah passage is that God sent Isaiah to warn the people of Israel of the Assyrian invasion. He had been calling them to repent and return to Him as their God, but they had stubbornly refused the prophet’s messages. Isaiah had been speaking to them in their own language, but they had refused to listen. So Isaiah warns them that God would send the Assyrians and “by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11 ESV). Their unbelief and stubbornness were going to force God to punish them by sending them into captivity, but even then, they would not repent.

Paul is trying to get the Corinthian believers to think logically and maturely about their view of tongues. He even uses a real-life scenario to make his point. “If unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy.” (1 Corinthians 14:23 NLT). In other words, if tongues is the superior gift they seem to think it is and everyone in the church practiced it at the same time, what would unbelievers think when they walked in the door and experienced the chaos and confusion firsthand? They would most likely conclude that these followers of Christ had lost their minds.

Rather than witnessing Christians living and worshiping together in unity, they would walk into a scene of confusion and chaos driven by a spirit of competition. Instead of hearing a clearly articulated and understandable delivery of the gospel message, they would walk away convinced that Christianity was no different than the pagan religions with which they were already familiar. It is important to note that Paul is describing a time of corporate worship, when the body of Christ gathered for worship and mutual edification.

Acts 2 records the scene in which the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, and the disciples received the gift of tongues. After Jesus’ ascension, they returned to Jerusalem and gathered in a room just as Jesus had instructed them.

Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile.  When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying…They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus. – Acts 1:12-13, 14 NLT

Luke records that “120 believers were together in one place” (Acts 1:15 NLT), and that they used this gathering for prayer and mutual encouragement. They had no idea what was going to happen next, but they were faithfully following the Lord’s final words.

“Now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” – Luke 24:49 NLT

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 NLT

As they prayed and waited, the day came when the promise was fulfilled.

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. – Acts 2:1-4 NLT

And Luke goes on to record the purpose behind this one-of-a-kind event.

At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! – Acts 2:5-8 NLT

In this instance, each of the disciples spoke in a different foreign tongue simultaneously. It was a scenario much like the one Paul described in his example. But the reason behind this miraculous event was simple. There were thousands of foreigners who had come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost. Luke provides an incomplete list of their ethnicities.

Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. – Acts 2:9-11 NLT

Attracted to the cacophony of the disciples using their newly acquired, Spirit-empowered language skills, each of these visitors to Jerusalem was shocked to hear the familiar sounds of their own language. And because they could hear the message in their own language, they were able to say, “We all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” (Acts 2:11 NLT). 

The pouring out of the Spirit of God created a unique situation that enabled thousands of people to hear the word about Jesus and prepare them for Peter’s message. And the result of his impromptu, Spirit-filled sermon was that 3,000 people came to faith in Christ.

On that day, the gift of tongues had a distinct, divinely ordained purpose, directed by the Holy Spirit. But this occasion was not intended to be the norm; it was not a prescribed form of worship for the early church. And yet the Corinthians had childishly elevated tongues to a superior position, misunderstanding its purpose and missing the point behind what God was trying to do in their midst.

Ultimately, Paul was interested in heart change. He compares tongues to the gift of prophecy, describing another scenario in which a lost person attends the corporate worship service. This time, rather than confusion and chaos, they hear the truth being proclaimed through the gift of prophecy. And Paul describes the result of this hypothetical scene.

They will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.” – 1 Corinthians 14:24; 25 NLT

When the truth of God is understandable, it results in undeniable heart change. Revelation brings about redemption. Lives are changed when the Word is clearly articulated and understood. For Paul, edification and evangelism were the primary purposes behind the gifts when the church gathered. There was a proper place and time for the gift of tongues, but it had to be Spirit-determined and directed. Choosing to use the gifts because of their apparent spiritual superiority reveals a childish, short-sighted perspective. A more mature outlook views the gifts as given by God and as up to Him to use as He sees fit, with the ultimate purpose of building up the body of Christ.

Father, when we are Spirit directed and empowered, we can accomplish great things. But as soon as we attempt to use the Spirit’s power for our own benefit or to position ourselves as more spiritual than others, we miss the point. You gave these outpourings of the Spirit’s power as gifts to the body of Christ, not individuals. They are all meant to edify others, not to glorify self. When used as You intended, the gifts strengthen the church. But when we attempt to personalize and hijack them for our own benefit, they become divisive and destructive. When we use them for our own glory, we take what is rightfully Yours. Open our eyes to the truth concerning the gifts and help us treat them with reverence and respect. We are simply stewards of the gifts You have given and we want to use them in a way that builds up the body of Christ brings You honor. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Lasting Legacy of Love

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9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:9-13 ESV

We live in an interim stage. The “perfect,” as Paul refers to it, has not yet come. The Greek word he uses is teleios, and it refers to “wanting nothing necessary to completeness.” It can also refer to a  “full-grown, adult, of full age, mature.” He uses the contrast of childhood and adulthood to illustrate the difference between our present circumstances and the eternal state that awaits us.

In our current fallen condition, our understanding is limited; we don’t know everything because of the limitations of our flesh. So God has provided the spiritual gifts to compensate for our lack of knowledge and understanding. The gifts to tongues, knowledge, and prophecy are present-age necessities designed to help man grasp the reality of God’s truth. But the day is coming when they will no longer be necessary.

The apostle John acknowledged that our present understanding is limited, but assured us that our future glorification is guaranteed by the promise of Christ’s returns.

Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. – 1 John 3:2 NLT

Paul explains that the gifts, while given by God, are like childhood qualities that we will one day outgrow. We will give up “childish ways” because we will be fully mature in Christ. In the meantime, we are hampered by a limited, earth-bound, flesh-restricted perspective that prevents us from comprehending the full truth of who God is and what we will one day be. In our current state as humans, we have partial knowledge and suffer from incomplete understanding. So God provided the gifts of the Spirit so that we might discern spiritual reality and edify one another with it.

Jesus promised His disciples the coming of the Holy Spirit and assured them that the Spirit would help them understand “all truth.”

“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’” – John 16:5-7, 13-15 NLT

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes our current condition by likening our earthly bodies to tents. They are like temporary dwellings we are forced to live in, much like the Israelites lived in tents during the 40 years they wandered in the wilderness.

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. –2 Corinthians 5:1-7 NLT

Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that their hope was to be focused on the future, not the present. But in the meantime, they were to live according to faith, hope, and love. Their faith was to be focused on God’s promise of the final fulfillment of their salvation, when they would be glorified and united with Christ in sinless perfection. As they lived in their temporary “earthly tents,” they were to place their hope on that future reality.

The author of Hebrews tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV). We hope in the promise of that which we cannot see, our future glorification. As Paul says, “we live by believing and not by seeing” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT). But our determination to live by faith and hope in that which we cannot see is accompanied by love. In fact, he says that love is superior to either faith or hope. When Christ returns and our glorification takes place, faith and hope will no longer be necessary. The unseen will have become visible. We will see Christ as He is, and we will recognize that we have become like Him.

But in our newly glorified state, we will comprehend the truth that love never ends. We will know and experience the love of God throughout eternity because it is His very nature and essence. We will love and be loved, and exist in a ceaseless environment of perfect love, unhindered by sin and no longer influenced by pride, hatred, selfishness, or greed.

The Corinthians were obsessed with the gifts, but for the wrong reasons. Failing to understand the God-ordained purpose of the gifts, they viewed them as spiritual badges of honor. Rather than using these supernatural manifestations of the Spirit’s power to edify and build one another up, they used them to gain precedence and importance over one another. They failed to recognize their God-given purpose to enlighten and encourage the body of Christ. And the missing ingredient in their misapplication of the gifts was love.

That is why Paul reminds them that love trumps all. It is superior to all the gifts and a non-negotiable requirement in the life of every believer, even now. We don’t have to wait until heaven to experience God’s unwavering and unmerited love. When we utilize the gifts He has given to us, we express His love to one another. We become vessels through which the love of God flows, encouraging one another to stay strong until the end, as we lovingly share and care for one another. Not only were the gifts intended to reveal God’s truth, but they were meant to express His love in tangible and practical ways.

Paul closes out this letter with some powerful words of encouragement that emphasize our need for healthy blend of faith, steadfastness, and love.

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ESV

We live in the now, a time of uncertainty and, at times, pain and difficulty. Our current circumstances require faith, hope, strength, endurance, and patience. But none of these will be effective or beneficial if we fail to love. Love brings heaven to earth by making the future a present reality, the unseen visible, and our hope tangible.

Father, nothing trumps love. All the gifts in the world mean nothing without it. Our good deeds, if done without love, are worthless and of no value to anyone. Our eloquent words, if spoken without love, are nothing but “sound and fury, signifying nothing.” When we love others, we’re expressing Your character and passing on that which is the most impactful power on earth. But there are times when we would rather impress than impart love. There are moments when we would prefer stand in the limeliight and receive recognition, rather than stand in the shadows and love well without reward. Give us an eternal perspective that allows us to see that love is the only thing that will last the test of time. Love is the only currency of heaven that can be spent now and produce a return on investment that will last for eternity. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Unity In Diversity

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12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. – 1 Corinthians 12:12-26 ESV

God’s goal for us is oneness. It was one of the primary requests Jesus prayed to His Father in the garden on the night He was betrayed.

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” – John 17:20-23 ESV

Jesus knew that the unity of His followers would be the greatest expression of the heart transformation that only salvation can produce. It is the Spirit-empowered oneness of believers that proves to the world that Jesus was who He said He was and that He actually accomplished all He claimed He would do.

Paul picked up on the theme of Jesus’ high priestly prayer and echoed those sentiments to the believers in Corinth, whose brand of spirituality was not working. Rather than leading to unity and reflecting the oneness of Christ and the Father, it was producing arrogance, pride, and division within the church. Even their view of the gifts of the Spirit was dividing rather than unifying the body. So Paul gave them a lengthy primer on the spiritual life, with special emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit.

Paul emphasizes that they are all one in Christ, but they are not all the same. Unity does not demand uniformity; instead, it embraces diversity. That is what makes the body of Christ so unique and reflects God’s power. He takes people of all shapes and sizes, colors and creeds, backgrounds and traditions, and molds them into a single entity called the body of Christ, His church. The unifying factor of the church is not our shared ethnicity or ancestry, our common cultural background, or country of birth. It is our mutually shared calling by God and our redemption as a result of faith in the death of His Son. We are one because God has made us so. He has adopted us as His sons and daughters, placed us in His ethnically diverse family, and given us the power of the Holy Spirit so that we might live in love and unity.

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul described Jesus as “the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it” (Colossians 2:19 ESV). It is our common faith in Christ that binds us together, and He does so through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. That is Paul’s point to the believers in Corinth, and to make it clear, he uses the analogy of the human body.

Each of us has just one body, but it is made up of many parts. It consists of muscles, ligaments, organs, and limbs, each assigned a different purpose and designated function. Some parts operate behind the scenes, unseen and unrecognized for their role in the body’s functioning. Others are more prominent and seem to bear greater responsibility for the body’s overall health. We give these “vital” parts the lion’s share of our attention because we can’t imagine life without them. Paul uses the ears, eyes, hands, and feet as an example.

If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? – 1 Corinthians 12:15-17 NLT

It is the diversity and unity of the human body that make it so incredibly amazing. Each part, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, is necessary for the whole body to function properly. In fact, Paul states, “some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary” (1 Corinthians 12:22 NLT).

There is a God-ordained design to the human body that causes it to operate most effectively when it is unified, and each part fulfills its assigned role. The same thing is true of the body of Christ. Paul writes, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27 NLT). That means no one is more important than anyone else and no spiritual gift is more essential than another. The spiritual gift each individual receives is intended to build up the body of Christ, not to stroke the ego and promote an air of self-importance and selfishness.

Paul lists various spiritual gifts, including the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge, faith, healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, the ability to distinguish between spirits, various kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. The list is intended to emphasize the variety of the gifts, not their order of importance. Yet the Corinthians were categorizing the gifts by what they believed to be their importance. They were focusing on which gift appeared to be the most significant and spectacular. But Paul reminded them that it was the Spirit who distributed the gifts, as He saw fit.

The Corinthians needed to spend more time using the gifts they had been given rather than debating over who had the better gift. The goal was unity, but it was their God-ordained uniqueness that made it possible. Each individual’s gift, assigned to them by the Spirit of God, is intended for the mutual edification of the entire church. But in the Corinthian church, the more flamboyant gifts, like healing and tongues, had been deemed more important and therefore more desirable. But one’s giftedness is not to be a badge of honor or a source of pride.

The Holy Spirit does not give out gifts to stroke our ego or prioritize our importance within the church. We have been gifted by God for the good of the body of Christ. The goal behind our calling and giftedness is “harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26 NLT). Individuality and community. Uniqueness and unity. Giftedness and shared good. That is what makes the body of Christ function and proves that our faith is real and our Savior is alive.

Father, unity in diversity is a difficult concept for us to grasp. We tend to prefer homogeneity and uniformity. because there is something strangely comforting about sameness. Yet, at the same time, we all fight the urge to be different, to stand out in the crowd. And we see the spiritual gifts as an opportunity to set ourselves apart. So we place them into categories that differentiate their importance and elevate our own significance. But that was not Your plan. The gifts were given to unify and edify. As the apostle Paul stated, the diversity of the body of Christ was meant to illustrate Your wisdom. “God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ephesians 3:10-11 NLT). The church was intended to be a melting pot of people from every nation, tribe, and tongue, unified by their faith in Christ and equipped with the gifts of the Spirit for their common good and Your glory. Show us how to make that a reality in our individual fellowships and throughout the universal church. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Talk Is Cheap

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14 I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. 18 Some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. 20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. 21 What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness? – 1 Corinthians 4:14-21 ESV

Paul wasn’t out to embarrass or demean the believers in Corinth; he simply wanted to lovingly expose the error of their way. He refers to himself as their “father in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:15b ESV). He calls them “my beloved children” (1 Corinthians 4:14b ESV). His use of this intimate, familial language was designed to remind them that it was he who had originally brought the good news of Jesus Christ to them and presented to them the life-altering message of reconciliation with God made possible through faith in His Son.

As each of them accepted Christ as their Savior, they received not only the forgiveness of their sins but the indwelling presence of God’s Spirit. Their salvation had been the work of God from beginning to end. It was only by His grace that they could claim to be His children, so there was no room for boasting, pride, or arrogance of any kind.

Over time, since accepting Christ, they had been privileged to have “countless guides.” Paul is referring to men like Cephas and Apollos, whom God had used to instruct and guide them in the faith. Paul uses the Greek word, παιδαγωγός (paidagōgos), which refers to a guardian of young children.

“…a tutor i.e. a guardian and guide of boys. Among the Greeks and the Romans the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. The boys were not allowed so much as to step out of the house without them before arriving at the age of manhood.” (“G3807 – paidagōgos – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible).

Paul states that they have μυρίος (myrios) of these “guides,” a Greek word that can be translated as “ten thousand.” His point is that the Corinthians will have no shortage of willing teachers to instruct them in the ways of Christ. But these teachers and tutors were not the same as a father, who holds a special place in the lives of his children. Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand they owed their very existence to him. Like a loving father, he had helped “bring them into the world.” They were his spiritual offspring. But Paul is not bragging; he is simply stating the fact that had he not come to them with the message of the gospel, they would still be in their sins and separated from God. Paul is not asking for special recognition, and he is not expecting them to idolize him. He only wants them to stop their pointless arguing and prideful posturing. There was a spirit of arrogance that had begun to permeate the church in Corinth, and Paul wanted to put a stop to it.

Interestingly enough, Paul presents the Corinthians with a rather prideful-sounding challenge.

I urge you to imitate me. – 1 Corinthians 4:16 NLT.

Why doesn’t Paul invite them to imitate Christ? After all his efforts to minimize the importance of himself, Cephas, and Apollos, why does he suddenly make the focus personal? To answer these questions, one must consider what Paul is asking them to do. His was not a life of ease and comfort. He had a reputation for serving Christ in humility and obedience. He was the consummate servant, sacrificing even his health for the sake of the body of Christ. That is why he could say, “I urge you, then, be imitators of me” (1 Corinthians 4:16 ESV). His earlier words reflect the attitude he is inviting them to model.

When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 2:1-4 NLT

Because of his love for them, Paul longed to see them again. But because he could not be with them, he had sent Timothy to minister to them. 

That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go. – 1 Corinthians 4:17 NLT

Paul wasn’t just interested in promoting the teachings of Christ; he wanted to model them. He desired that his life and conduct would demonstrate what Christ-likeness really looked like. Paul insisted that “the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power” (1 Corinthians 4:20 ESV). Anyone can teach and talk a good game, but if what they teach does not show up in their day-to-day life, their words lack power. The pastor who can craft a good message and wow the audience with his rhetorical skills, but who does not live out the power of the gospel in his life, is all talk, no action.

Later on in this letter, Paul challenges the Corinthians to “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV). Paul was not making this stuff up. He wasn’t encouraging them to ”do as I say,” but to “do what I do” because he was following the example of Christ.

How many of us could issue that same challenge with confidence? Are our lives a reflection of the life of Christ? Are we following His example? Or are we all talk, no action? They say talk is cheap. I can know all that Christ taught, but if I don’t put it into action, it means nothing. Paul was fully confident that his life was worthy of emulation because he modeled his life after Christ. He was not claiming perfection or sinlessness. He was not presenting himself as an icon of virtue or moral excellence. He was a work in progress and was continually being molded into the likeness of Christ.

He told the believers in Philippi, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” (Philippians 3:12 NLT). At one point, Paul told his young protegé Timothy, “This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ — and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16 NLT).

Paul was a living example of God’s patience and mercy. He had not deserved salvation, but God had graciously extended it to him. His life demonstrated the mercy and grace of God, but also the presence of the Holy Spirit as His sanctifying power continued to change his life. Paul was so passionate about this issue that he threatened to show up like a father ready to discipline his wayward children. He loved them too much to watch them live their lives in arrogant pride rather than in humble submission to God’s divine will for them.

The time for talk was over. It was a time for action and for the life-altering power of the Spirit to show up in their daily behavior.

Father, we talk a good game, but so often, our words don’t produce life change. We can quote verses from the Bible and parrot the words of Jesus, but our biblical knowledge doesn’t seem to change our behavior. We pride ourselves in our understanding of the Scriptures but the way we conduct our lives doesn’t always reflect the power of Your Word. You have given us the Spirit to guide, convict, and transform us. He alone can bring the Word to life and use it to transform us from the inside out. There will always be those who are gifted to teach and train us. But if their lives don’t imitate Christ, their words are empty. If their behavior doesn’t demonstrate the life-changing power of the Spirit of God, they are to be avoided at all costs. Give us a desire to follow those whose lives look like Christ. And may we be the kind of teachers who can say, “You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT). Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When We Make Much of Men, We End Up With Less of God

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16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. – 1 Corinthians 3:16-23 ESV

Back in chapter one, verse 8, Paul wrote, “The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing.” Unbelievers cannot understand the wisdom of God revealed in the death of Christ — namely, that one man’s death could provide eternal life for those who place their faith in Him. Now, Paul states that “the wisdom of this world is folly with God” (1 Corinthians 3:19 ESV). Man’s wisdom doesn’t impress God, and it will never make anyone right with God. If anything, the wisdom of man becomes a barrier to accepting the truth of God’s redemptive plan as revealed in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Human wisdom is futile and incapable of remedying the problem of sin and our state of condemnation before a holy and just God. So Paul questions the logic of making much of men. Why would we create false idols out of men and women, worshiping them for the role they played in our salvation, while overlooking the fact that it was God who sent His Son to die? It was He who gave the message of reconciliation to those He called, and who sent His Spirit to open the hearts of those who heard that message. No man has the right to boast about his usefulness to God, and no one should elevate the messenger over the One who sent the message.

Paul’s real concern has to do with division in the body of Christ. He started out his letter with the plea, “I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV). He accused them of quarreling and bickering over which man they followed. 

…each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 1:12 ESV

Their disunity was causing divisiveness. So Paul reminds them that they are the temple of God, not just as individuals, but as the local body of Christ. He is speaking to the church, not individual believers. How do we know this? Because in the Greek language, the personal pronoun “you” is plural, not singular. Peter confirms the idea that the local church is the temple of God, indwelt by the Spirit of God.

…you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. – 1 Peter 2:5 ESV

In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul emphasized the same point.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,  built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. – Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV

As God’s temple, the local church is to be valued and protected. If anyone does anything to harm or destroy the integrity of the body of Christ, they will answer to God. Paul warns them, “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:17 ESV). Disunity destroys and damages from within. However, we have been called by God to love one another, not debate and display contempt for one another. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul reminded them of their oneness in Christ.

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is over all, in all, and living through all. – Ephesians 4:1-6 NLT

When Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His betrayal, He asked the Father, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:21 ESV). He prayed for a spirit of unity and oneness among His followers because it is our unity that displays the reality of the church’s role as God’s temple. God alone can bring together people of every age, from every walk of life, ethnicity, economic strata, and social background, and mold them into one family — all sharing one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.

Paul reminds the believers in Corinth, “So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you—whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23 NLT). Paul, Apollos, and Peter had been given to the church by God. They were to be seen as gifts from God, intended to build up the body of Christ. When Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, he reminded them of the various roles and responsibilities God had assigned to godly leaders who were tasked with ministering to the local church.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. – Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT

God gave these gifted individuals to the church so that it might grow and prosper, “until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13 NLT). Disunity is destructive. Divisiveness is counterproductive. Boasting in men robs God of glory and the body of Christ of its power. Making celebrities out of God’s servants ends up deifying them and diminishing the effectiveness of the local church. The church may grow in numbers, but it will lack the power of God’s Spirit. When we make much of men, we experience less of God.

Father, we tend to view the local church as a convenient option rather than a necessity. We choose a church like we were selecting a country club or a fitness facility. We check out the ammenities, peruse the staff, evaluate the convenience of the location, and then compare it to all the other options available to us. We even consider the personality of the pastor, the style of music, the decor of the worship center, and the demographic of the congregation. But you designed the church to be an organism, not an organization. It is a living, breathing entity made up of all kinds of people from all walks of life. The pastor is to be a messenger of God’s Word, not a celebrity or entertainer. His job is to build up the body of Christ, not to amass a following and a fawning fan base. Would you protect us from the allure of entertainment disguised as worship, the wisdom of man masquerading as the wisdom of God, and personal satisfaction in place of corporate sanctification. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

How Firm a Foundation

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10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. – 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 ESV

For Paul, the issue was first, always, and only Christ. Ever since his personal and life-changing encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, he had made it his life’s mission to carry the message of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone to the world. Here, he refers to Jesus Christ as the foundation, the solid rock on which believers are to build the rest of their lives. It is belief in the gospel message of salvation through Jesus that provides the bedrock upon which a truly worthy life can be built. Paul likely had in mind the parable that Jesus told His disciples.

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” – Matthew 7:24-27 NLT

Our faith in Jesus has a starting and ending point. It begins when we place our faith in Him, but it does not stop there. We are to build our lives with Jesus as the foundation. Paul boldly claimed to have helped lay the proper foundation by preaching Christ and Him crucified. He had given the believers in Corinth the truth regarding salvation through Christ and Him alone, and they had received it. Now it was time for them to do something with their faith; they were to build on it.

Their faith was to produce fruit, tangible, visible, and measurable fruit. Whatever they built on the foundation of their faith would be discernible to all those around them. The value of the construction materials they used would be apparent to all. Speaking metaphorically, Paul says that some would use gold, silver, and precious stones — objects of worth and beauty. But others would choose to use wood, hay, and straw — materials with little value or staying power. The second group illustrates those who cut corners and refuse to invest adequately, either out of laziness or a lack of concern. Their faith means so little to them that they refuse to invest the time and resources it deserves. James describes these two groups well.

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” – James 2:17-18 NLT

Christ crucified is the fundamental basis of our faith, but our actions are to rest on that firm foundation. The actions and attitudes that mark our lives should be built on the reality of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection and be visible to all those around us. James refers to these salvation-based behaviors as “good deeds.” They are meant to impact all those around us. They can be seen and experienced by others. And, one day, they will be judged by God.

Paul reminds us, “each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done” (1 Corinthians 3:13 ESV). In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV). The Greek word Paul uses is βῆμα (bēma). It refers to “the official seat of a judge” (“G968 – bēma – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). The “day” to which Paul refers is that day when all believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ – the Bema Seat. On that day, we will have our work judged. This is a reference to all those things we have done since coming to faith in Christ. This is not a judgment to determine righteousness. We will stand before God fully forgiven and completely righteous because of Christ’s death for us on the cross. But each person’s works will be judged as to their value and worth, and they will “receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” 

What we do with our faith in Christ is essential and has long-term implications. That is why Paul was concerned about the role that teachers played in the spiritual growth of the body of Christ. That is why he warns, “whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful” (1 Corinthians 3:10 NLT). His whole focus in the section of his letter is on the tendency of the Corinthians to put too much stock in their preferred spiritual teacher or mentor. But Paul is trying to get them to realize that good teachers will build on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. When we elevate the role of men in our spiritual growth, we risk constructing a life that looks good but fails to reflect the life-transforming power of the gospel. That is what led Paul to say, “no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11 NLT). Paul boldly declared, “I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it” ( 1 Corinthians 3:10 ESV). But then he warns, Let each one take care how he builds upon it” (1 Corinthians 3:10 ESV). 

That is the whole point of this section. Paul wants his readers to understand that the foundation of their faith is non-negotiable. Christ crucified and resurrected is the key to their salvation, sanctification, and future glorification. And what we or anyone else attempts to build upon our faith in Christ must have lasting value. If we use our faith in Christ to build a life marked by selfishness, greed, materialism, hate, bigotry, pride, and hypocrisy, others will see it, and one day Christ will expose and judge us for it. Those worthless works will be burned up. They will be proven to be of no eternal value because they were done in the flesh, and not in the power of the Spirit of God.

But if we build a life that is marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, others will see it and Christ will one day reward us for it. Those deeds are the fruit of the Spirit. They will last and survive the fire of God’s judgment because, like gold, silver, and precious stones, they are priceless and eternal.

What we build upon our faith in Christ is extremely important and reveals a lot about us. It shows the condition of our hearts and the priorities of our lives. Our salvation provides us with a solid and secure foundation. We have the assurance of our eternal security and no longer have to worry about future condemnation or fear of death. But that should motivate us to live lives that are worthy of our calling. We should desire that our behavior reflects our status as God’s children and the presence of God’s Spirit within us. That is why, in the very next verse, Paul asks, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 NLT).

God has provided the foundation. The Spirit provides the fruit. And all we are required to bring to the equation is our faith. But our faith must become tangible and discernible, testifying to the change that has taken place within us. That is what James meant when he wrote, “faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless” (James 2:17 NLT). Fruitless faith is baseless faith; it is a dead and lifeless faith. But Paul insists that when one has true, saving faith and builds their life upon it, they will end up displaying behavior that stands out and survives the test of God’s judgment.

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?  

Father, You care just as much about our sanctification as You do our salvation. You saved us so that You might transform us into the likeness of Your Son. You redeemed us so that You might continually reform and renew us. It is a process and it takes time. It also requires our participation. We must build on our faith. There is no place for complacency in the life of a believer. You expect ongoing transformation and so should we. But we must be careful how we build on the foundation that Christ provided. What we fill our minds with will have a direct impact on the quality and spirituality of our lives. We can start with a firm foundation of faith, but if we build on it with shoddy materials, we will end up with a “house” of cards that fails to reflect that transformative power of the gospel. Keep us firmly committed to and dependent upon the the reality of Christ crucified for our sins and resurrected for our sanctification. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.