The Devotional – 1090 – Foot Steps in Second Corinthians, On Going

The Devotional – 1090 – Foot Steps in Second Corinthians, On Going

Everyone who joins the military is regarded as a military person, from the individual who is a recruit to the individual who is nearing retirement all are considered military personnel. These folks are not members of an organization and they are not civilians. Everything about a person in uniform speaks loudly of their (should be) commitment to their country, they are set apart for the defense of their country. Yet, not all of those in the military are functional military personnel. They are in name and attire, but they have no heart for what is required of them. Many of these fall into trouble and are disciplined, incarcerated or discharged simply because they refuse to conform to the Military Code of Conduct.

CHALLENGES & COMMENTS – 2 Corinthians 5:12-18

As we begin – verse 12 speaks clearly that men and women like to boast, but that most boasting is mainly for all the wrong reason. The apostle speaks clearly about boasting with these words “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith (Rom 3:27). Here in our passage this morning the apostle is saying the same thing, he is simply approaching faith and boasting from the standpoint of “outward appearance and the inward heart”.

Proverbs 27:19 – reveals to the reader that if you desire to know what is going on in a person’s life you will find out nothing by looking at his or her outward appearance. Look into his or her heart and you will see the real deal. For the believing person who believes in Jesus Christ according to scripture; this heart is flooded with the “grace” of God and they are by definition “citizens” of the kingdom of God (Heb 11:13-16).

The section of scripture we are looking at this morning is another one of those difficult passages. While the apostle is speaking to believers, there seems to be something else on his mind which is going to surface and take over his thoughts. I believe he reveals this transitional process with verse 13. As God reveals His written word (the scripture) men and women become believers. Until that point we are considered fools for Christ sake, but when one believes, they believe with “soundness of mind” and foolishness no longer exists.

For example: how would you think, if I said: “I feel constrained to go further with this because I feel as though I am walking on thin ice and yet I know that I am not! The apostle Paul has already said this, so I am simply walking my thoughts through the footsteps of his mind”. Therefore I am on solid ground. He says “for the love of God constrains us (confines us to this thought, it is at the moment overpowering and all that can be thought about). This thought is thus: “IF ONE DIED FOR ALL, THE ALL DIED” Wow! Immediately my thoughts were driven to John 1:29.

So while the apostle began writing about the viewable condition of the saints heart before God, God begins to move the thoughts of the apostle to all the peoples of the world in that the LAMB, the LORD Jesus willingly sacrificed His life for ALL people by being their SIN bearer. Verse 15 says the He (Jesus) died for all (sin; even while it is active in all individuals is powerless against them) if they would only BELIEVE (John 11:23-26).

Can we then not see our neighbor, friend, family or co-worker through the love of God – “For God so loved the world” and should we not be about demonstrating this love to our unbelieving acquaintances? Even the double-minded believer knows the answer to this question, so the apostle Paul ties the wonderful thought that we are no longer to live as unto ourselves, but to live for HIM who died for THEM and ROSE again for all of us.

As we conclude for this morning I am reminded of the opening paragraph. Many of us have waxed cold of our calling in Christ. We look, act and play the part of Christendom, our outward appearance looks good to the unbelieving because it is as phony as they are real. The effects of secular humanism, or even Islam on our American way of life is the work of Satan who is diligent, while the work of “believers” in the death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus is slack. Thus we are being disciplined by God for our works that lack the faith to prove it. Remember God’s Operational Code of Conduct is FAITH.