“But I call on God as my soul’s witness, that it was to spare you [pain and discouragement] that I did not come again to Corinth— not that we rule [like dictators] over your faith, but rather we work with you for [the increase of] your joy; for in your faith you stand firm [in your strong conviction that Jesus of Nazareth—the Messiah—is the Son of God, through whom we obtain eternal salvation].” 2 Corinthians 1:23-24 AMP
Paul’s confidence in the Lord – so great and sure that he calls on God as his witness – is rooted in sound doctrine. Sound doctrine is not the enemy of joy, but its true source. A Christian without the true doctrine of Jesus Christ is very much like a man who carries a cup with him every where he goes. An empty cup. To speak of Jesus without knowing the fullness of the doctrine of salvation by faith alone, is to risk at best a life that lacks wisdom and security, and at worst one that’s based on a false gospel.
In this case, though, Paul knows that his conscience is clear because he’s already taken his case in this matter (being accused of lying about coming to Corinth when he changed his mind out of love for them) to the Lord. In this, we have a guide for our entire lives.
The lesson is this:
Men and women of God keep “short accounts” before God by reverent daily prayer and meditative reading of His holy word-law that includes adoration, confession of sin, thanksgiving for all that we have, and petition for those things on our hearts. We see this pattern routinely in the Old Testament. In every challenge set before Moses he would go to the Lord for counsel. And sometimes this would include frank confession of his sorrows and fears. Grumbling and complaining are the opposite of prayer. The habit of letting Scripture read us, deep down and all the way through, is a true shield so that we don’t spend our precious days griping about others and the affairs of the world.
This is the peace that Paul has and how he’s able to say that God is his witness. Listen to a quarrelsome man/woman and you’ll hear a thousand gripes and yet, tellingly, no thanksgiving or faith. You’ll certainly hear no love at all. That barren heart that’s parched by life’s desert winds offers nothing but the scorched sands of bitterness and fault-finding. A man or woman that doesn’t go before the Lord for the forgiveness of their own sin carries with them all that guilt and anger that’s stuffed down, jam-packed, and piled up. Imagine a man who never puts his garbage out on the curb but throws the bags in a garage or closet. Soon the stench will rot him out of the house.
Such is the Christian who doesn’t adore, confess, thank and petition the Lord in prayer. We’re made for fellowship with Him; a refusal to go to Him ends up fracturing us internally. We become emotionally and psychologically damaged in proportion to how long we allow all that garbage in life to pile up rather than “take it out” to the curb of confessional prayer. Confession of personal sin and the seeking of God’s wisdom humbly in His word-law is the state of grace that rescues us from grudges, conflicts, internal terrors and so much fear. Paul remembers who he is in Christ. He remembers he’s saved by grace, not by works and, therefore, that he owes all to the Lord…just like everyone else.
“Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.”
Acts of the Apostles 7:57–60 NLT
“Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen’s death. And on that day a great and relentless persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned greatly over him [expressing a personal sense of loss]. But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.”
Acts 8:1–3 AMP
How we deal with our daily affairs and how we regard others is a direct response to our understanding of our salvation. Legalism, backbiting, grumbling, complaining, antinomianism…all forms of backsliding and sin pour out of the poisoned well not made clean through faith.
Paul knew who he was. He was there when Stephen was stoned to death for Christ. He was there as Stephen cried out, dying, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!”
Who has cried out for you? Who has prayed over you and taught you and showed you the most excellent mercies that are in Jesus Christ? When we know this then we’re free. Free from guilt and shame and hateful bitterness. How can we live with such things when we contemplate daily the fact that we’re saved from wrath in Christ and not because of anything we’ve contributed to God. A simple point, this; but the cornerstone of Godly living and His church.
It can be said of us at times that we have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of the inestimable righteousness of God, we too often rely on our own. This is the death of Christianity. As the pastor and writer, Gabe Fluhrer, said:
“the gospel is, He loves me…therefore, I’ll obey Him; it’s not, He loves me because I obey Him.”
The liberty that’s in Christ Jesus is the logical offspring of this fact. Only Christ is righteous and we are made righteous by faith. Therefore, in this faith we walk (Romans 1:17). He alone is our Savior and His word-law alone is our authority. The “sub-authorities” of family, church, and state have their legitimacy only insofar as they obey Him. If no authority exists over you, then you must be God; if no authority exists over an institution, then that institution must be God. Thus, the liberty of faith is because we know and rest in that great Sabbath which is Jesus Christ. His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Paul, like all true Christian leaders, pastors, elders, deacons, and parents after him, knows this. All authority given by God rebounds to His glory and for faith, not to dominate others.
If we live in faith, obeying His word in the Spirit, we live a life of progressive sanctification and love. We let go of our hurts and learn to pray for those who have wronged us because we have that great treasure of joy within us through Christ. We pray for the lost because we daily meditate upon our own joy of salvation by faith alone! We don’t seek legalism and regulation – that is, power over others. Instead, we live daily by faith…keeping short accounts through thankful prayer, knowing that there’s no condemnation in Christ.
Indeed, we have liberty…from sin and all its horrific consequences.
Guilt. Shame. Anger. Rebelliousness. Bitterness.
Paul was there and we can be too. That path is open to us if only we’ll go and take hold of the great mercies and blessings that are prayer and reverent reading of His holy and life-giving word-law. Are you broken? Have you been slandered and have others lied about you? Has this stolen your peace? The answer is only in prayer and reading the Scriptures that, in truth, read you. The Enemy would love to keep you from them. He wants you to keep repeating in your mind all the hurts…but Christ will bring you to Himself, wash you clean, and make a new man/woman out of you today.
Free. Free at last.
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