In this passage, the crowd called Paul "not fit to live." According to law, we've all sinned and offended God, so we're supposed to perish; however, because of salvation of Christ, who died for us on the cross and pardoned all our sins, we can come before God fearlessly and are able to stay alive. This is a simple yet the most important truth. Christians may only be filled a sense of mission on earth if we truly understand this truth. In fact, it's only possible for us to truly understand how to face our own life when we understand how to face death.
In Corinthians 4:11-13, Paul said that "To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world." This is how Paul described his circumstance; he was indeed not fit to live, but he was only living for the Lord.
One only knows how to live his daily life when he knows how to face death. If we understand that we are still alive only because of God's mercy, we will not be bothered by all the pressure around us. If we understand that we don't deserve what we have, we will not be so defensive, but rather we'll happily accept our punishment. If we know that Christ has taken over our worries and carried our pain, we will be able to live for Him amidst any suffering. May God give us the same attitude and strength!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.