1 Corinthians 1:26-31
“What were you when God called you?” Paul asked the Corinthian believers. He urged them, to take heed, see, regard what they were before the Lord, the God of the heavens and the earth. Paul asked them to recall in their minds who they were first in the sight of man, but most especially in the sight of God.
Before men, they were unwise, uninfluential, ignoble. They were not like the sophists, not powerful, not mighty; they are weak; they were poor and lowly. Yet all these are eclipsed when God’s perspective is consulted. They were nothing before God. They were sinners condemned to hell. They are utterly depraved.
But in the grace, the mercy and the love of God, these people, who in all ways are unlovable, were given the gift of eternal life. They are foolish things of the world. They are nothing in this world. Yet, God, in His infinite wisdom and His sovereignty chose them to shame, to disgrace, to dishonor the pride of this world.
The weak shamed the strong, the despised things, ignoble things, ordinary things shamed the things that are.
The Lord did all these so that the world may know that He is God. So that before Him, no wise, no noblemen, no rich, nor strong, nor powerful may boast and say “I am greater than God.” The Lord did these to show to the world what it is before Him—creation, naught, dust. The Lord did this to ascribe all glory to Himself.
Yet the rebellion of the world continues. The world remains under sin and death. Despite the revelations of the Living God, the lies of the devil consume the very hearts of men and women.
Blessed are we, Christians, for Jesus Christ, became for us the ultimate sacrifice. His nail-pierced hands, His torn side, His wounded head, these gave us our righteousness, holiness and redemption. It is God Himself who became humble. God Himself sought us. But pride blinds the heart. Pride corrupts the soul.
Christians are now put right before God, we are saved from death. And we can boast only in Him. We can say that we are saved, proclaim that we are free because of Him. Yet when we do, let us remember why we boast. To show to the world that God is ever living, He is ever present. We boast to tell the world that He has judgment on us all and only in Jesus can we find salvation.
May we be on fire for Him. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Popular Posts
-
Roughly 90 million Filipinos claim to follow Jesus. Whether their profession of faith is true or not is beyond my power to determine. Howeve...
-
Ano nga ba ang Pasko? Bakit natin ito ipinagdiriwang? Napanood ko sa isang balita na ang diwa raw ng Pasko ay ang pagbibigayan ng regalo....
-
Photo from Rappler.com The legend of the Sarimanok lives on among the Muslim inhabitants of Mindanao in Southern Philippines. To th...
-
UPDATED: July 12, 2014 For those looking for boarding houses in the UP Diliman Area, please click one of the links below. Just wait fo...
-
Sa mensaheng ito ay ating makikita ang katotohanan tungkol sa pagsunod o pagiging disipulo ni Hesus. Mainam na balikan ang mga katot...
-
There are many stories of men and women who came to know Christ in their darkest and most desperate moments. Some were struggling wi...
-
Borrowed from the University Student Council, UP Diliman What exactly does the Bible teach about homosexuality? I figured out these ...
-
My friends know that I am a disaster when it comes to commuting. I'm entirely dependent on other people whenever I need to go to a n...
-
Kakashi with his signature Lightning Cutter Image from http://bs1.imghost.nu/images/1/103343.jpg For Naruto Shippuden fans, there is o...
-
He never looked anyone in the eye unless he was compelled to-- a fearful and lonely child trapped in an overgrown teenage body. He never sta...
0 comments:
Post a Comment