Wednesday, May 6, 2009

"What is at Stake?"

2 Corinthians 3:2, “Ye are our Epistles, written in our Hearts, known and read of all men.”


The Apostle Paul, writing these words to a very fleshly group of Christians, emphasizes the importance of purity and faithfulness to God. Paul considered their lives as very important and what was at stake was how others perceived them. I have had the misfortune for, supposing, people of God to tell me, “I don’t care what people think of me, I only answer to God”; (I usually hear that from very fleshly people). Although it is true that we answer only to God and that public opinion or political correctness should not keep us from doing right, the fact remains, according to our text, we most certainly are responsible to others to live our lives pure and faithful to God, no matter what.

From the text, there are two things at stake that I want to bring out just briefly. First, the text, “…. Ye are OUR epistles, written in OUR hearts….” The pronoun “our” refers to more than one person, by the plural form of the pronoun; but it also refers to Paul, the founding Pastor. Are you a burden or are you a helper to your Pastors. When your Pastors think of you, do they think of you with great joy or do you bring them grief because you have let the Devil get the victory in your life? Paul, no doubt, thought on these believers with great grief because they had allowed Satan to get the victory. And, although, your life may not seem as sinful as Corinth, any victory given to Satan will cause any caring Pastor grief.

Then the text, “….known and read of all men.” The second important area that is a stake is what your life does to the lives of your friends, co-workers, children, etc. The fact is that you are an epistle; the question is what kind. What do they read in you? Do they read an epistle of faithfulness and godliness or do they read an epistle of ground and victories given to Satan?

You must remember that your life is a direct reflection on the Lord Jesus Christ in the eyes of other people; your friends, your co-workers and your children. What is your epistle?

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