In our Bible study held on Sunday mornings at 11(hint, hint) we are studying 2 Corinthians, labeled as such but many scholars believe that this letter was Paul’s third letter to that church. In reading 1 Corinthians it doesn’t take long to see that that church had problems ranging from possible incest to inappropriate worship expressions and debates about what to eat or not to eat with regards to meat sacrificed to idols. There were also disputes about when and how to worship. We can and have benefited from Paul’s answers to their questions and his wise solutions to their problems.
2 Corinthians moves beyond those issues and calls the church in Corinth to a deeper, more mature understanding of the essentials of our faith. Last Sunday we had a deep,
provocative discussion of these basic essentials. This forum doesn’t allow for deep
scriptural teaching but it does give me space to introduce some ideas that we can talk
about with each other and build each other up in our conversation. Learning and change happens around the table.
Most of Paul’s letters to churches deal with similar issues. His earliest letter was to Galatia and the following letters either added to his teaching or explained his theology from different perspectives. So here goes... Paul taught that behavior doesn’t get you into heaven. We are saved by grace, not of works, so we can’t boast. He teaches that we in the natural sense are not inclined to a relationship with God and so God gracefully sends His Spirit, the Holy Spirit to woo us to Himself. When He gets our attention and we say “Yes” the Spirit shows us our need for a relationship with God, convicts us of sin in our lives, shows us Truth, comforts and counsels us and dwells within us, a deposit guaranteeing our eternal relationship with God. We know that the Gospels affirm these things and that the Acts of the Apostles demonstrate the work of the Spirit in the early Church. As the former verse says He saved them from distress and brought them out of darkness breaking away their chains. Paul’s teaching affirms this Old Testament truth. We don’t do this ourselves, God does it well, perfectly. In this series, over the next few months we will discuss how HE does it all, FOR US.
Pastor B
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