LIVING BY FAITH

“So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5: 6 – 10).

In this passage, Paul gives reason for his bewildering boldness and immovable steadfastness, through much labours, sufferings and danger to his life in the service of the Lord; for which his enemies, the false teachers among the Corinthians, sometimes reproached him as being beside himself and driven by a kind of madness.

The apostle here affirms to the Corinthian Christians that the reason he is so bold in the face of persecution and apparent danger to his life was that he firmly believed the promises Christ made to His faithful servants, of a glorious future and eternal reward. He knew that this present day afflictions were light and would last for a moment, in comparison with that, more exceeding and eternal weight of glory promised (2 Corinthian 4: 17). The same discourse is continued in 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 in which the apostle further insists on the reason he had given in his constancy in suffering and exposing himself to death in the work of ministry and even more happy state he expected after death. This is the great future privilege, which the apostle hoped for, that of being present with Christ.

 

He futher explains the reason for the fortitude and immoveable stability of mind, with which he went through those extreme hardship, labours and dangers, in the midst of all, he did not faint and was not discouraged, but had constant light and inward support, strength and comfort. “For which cause we faint not; though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4: 16).

The same is expressed powerfully in 2 Cor. 4: 8 & 9 “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed, we are perplexed but not in despair. Persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed”

As he endured hardship and surrendered himself to the possibility of death, he was following the pattern of Jesus (See 1 Cor. 15: 31; Gal. 6: 17). However in the midst of his peril, he could experience Jesus strengthening and sustaining him in his present weakness and assuring him of future resurrection. Paul was willing to suffer hardship or martyrdom so that the Corinthians could know the power of God.

Christians must exercise the same faith as Paul, knowing that the one who promised “… I am with you always, even to the end of age” is faithful (Matt. 28: 20).   He will always be with us in adversity and prosperity. We must be firm and defend our faith believing that even if we perish in the course of doing that, our hope is beyond this life. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable” (1 Cor. 15: 19).   It is said that anyone who is not willing to die for what he believes in is  not a believer.

We are in a perverse generation. We struggle daily against wicked forces of this world. We struggle to make ends meet.  Today, we are focussing  on an ailment that has so far defiled a solution –  Cancer.  This moster has cut down many bubbling lives in their middle ages.  Amongst the suffering or the dead from this ailment are very precious workers in God’s Vineyard.  All these struggles, forces and frustrations are capable of shaking our faith and to reduce the temptations in the face of these shocks, to look for ways other than the pattern set for us by our Lord,we have asked of a specilist to enlighten us today on this subject.  Let us look beyond what we are passing through now and put our trust in God for He has promised “Be strong and of good courage do not fear nor be afraid for the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31: 6).

Paul talks about going through hard times and how important it is to keep our eyes on what is really important. All that we can see with the physical eyes will pass away, only the things we cannot see will endure forever. Temporal things will pass away, eternal things will last, that is why we walk by faith not by sight. Whatever we experience in this body presently is nothing to be compared with the glory that will be revealed (Romans 8: 18).

We will one day be with Jesus, we will one day be judged by Jesus, and we need to be ready and not allow distractions of the present time deny us of the glory that is reserved for the faithful.

Have a week of settled mind knowing that it is better and wiser to go to heaven early than to stay longer on earth and end up in hell.

Your brother, Vicar & Archdeacon

S.Igein Isemede

 

“So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Corinthians 5: 6 – 10).

 

In this passage, Paul gives reason for his bewildering boldness and immovable steadfastness, through much labours, sufferings and danger to his life in the service of the Lord; for which his enemies, the false teachers among the Corinthians, sometimes reproached him as being beside himself and driven by a kind of madness.

 

The apostle here affirms to the Corinthian Christians that the reason he is so bold in the face of persecution and apparent danger to his life was that he firmly believed the promises Christ made to His faithful servants, of a glorious future and eternal reward. He knew that this present day afflictions were light and would last for a moment, in comparison with that, more exceeding and eternal weight of glory promised (2 Corinthian 4: 17). The same discourse is continued in 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 in which the apostle further insists on the reason he had given in his constancy in suffering and exposing himself to death in the work of ministry and even more happy state he expected after death. This is the great future privilege, which the apostle hoped for, that of being present with Christ.

 

He futher explains the reason for the fortitude and immoveable stability of mind, with which he went through those extreme hardship, labours and dangers, in the midst of all, he did not faint and was not discouraged, but had constant light and inward support, strength and comfort. “For which cause we faint not; though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4: 16).

 

The same is expressed powerfully in 2 Cor. 4: 8 & 9 “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed, we are perplexed but not in despair. Persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed”

 

As he endured hardship and surrendered himself to the possibility of death, he was following the pattern of Jesus (See 1 Cor. 15: 31; Gal. 6: 17). However in the midst of his peril, he could experience Jesus strengthening and sustaining him in his present weakness and assuring him of future resurrection. Paul was willing to suffer hardship or martyrdom so that the Corinthians could know the power of God.

 

Christians must exercise the same faith as Paul, knowing that the one who promised “… I am with you always, even to the end of age” is faithful (Matt. 28: 20).   He will always be with us in adversity and prosperity. We must be firm and defend our faith believing that even if we perish in the course of doing that, our hope is beyond this life. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable” (1 Cor. 15: 19).   It is said that anyone who is not willing to die for what he believes in is  not a believer.

 

We are in a perverse generation. We struggle daily against wicked forces of this world. We struggle to make ends meet.  Today, we are focussing  on an ailment that has so far defiled a solution –  Cancer.  This moster has cut down many bubbling lives in their middle ages.  Amongst the suffering or the dead from this ailment are very precious workers in God’s Vineyard.  All these struggles, forces and frustrations are capable of shaking our faith and to reduce the temptations in the face of these shocks, to look for ways other than the pattern set for us by our Lord,we have asked of a specilist to enlighten us today on this subject.  Let us look beyond what we are passing through now and put our trust in God for He has promised “Be strong and of good courage do not fear nor be afraid for the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deut. 31: 6).

 

Paul talks about going through hard times and how important it is to keep our eyes on what is really important. All that we can see with the physical eyes will pass away, only the things we cannot see will endure forever. Temporal things will pass away, eternal things will last, that is why we walk by faith not by sight. Whatever we experience in this body presently is nothing to be compared with the glory that will be revealed (Romans 8: 18).

 

We will one day be with Jesus, we will one day be judged by Jesus, and we need to be ready and not allow distractions of the present time deny us of the glory that is reserved for the faithful.

 

Have a week of settled mind knowing that it is better and wiser to go to heaven early than to stay longer on earth and end up in hell.

                                            Your brother, Vicar & Archdeacon

 

 

S.Igein Isemede