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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
December 29
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Today's Pathway:
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Yesterday we saw Paul challenging the Corinthians to examine themselves as to whether or not they were "in the faith". While the expression "in the faith" can refer to being saved (Romans 4:16), it can also refer to the entire body of Biblical teaching (Acts 14:22; Jude 1:3), and that is what I believe Paul is speaking of here. Paul has written this epistle to believers, so it is unlikely that he is coming to the end of the book and now asking them to figure out if they are saved. However, after all the errors that he has pointed out to them over both of his epistles, it does seem reasonable that he would be asking them to examine themselves to see if they were walking in the way that God would want them to walk. Remember that he had told them to examine themselves at the Lord's Table because many were participating in that ordinance in an unworthy fashion (I Corinthians 11:27-28). He is doing the same thing here, but he is doing it in the context of the fact that he is coming to Corinth and will discipline those who are not walking properly (II Corinthians 13:1-2).
Every believer ought to be looking at his own life and testing it to see if it measures up to the standard of the Word of God. Ephesians 5:10 tells us that we need to be,
"Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord."
If someone were to ask you, "Are you living like a Christian?", could you prove that you are? Could you give evidence that shows without a doubt that, while you are not perfect, the thoughts, words, and deeds of your life are in line with Biblical principles? If not, then repentance is necessary; not for salvation, but so that you can restore the relationship with the Lord that He desires for you to have with Him. Paul had been called upon to give evidence of his apostolic authority, and he has done so throughout this epistle. Could you and I do the same concerning our faithfulness to God's Word?
Paul goes on in verse 5 to say that the believers should know that Christ dwells within them. There is an untranslated Greek particle in the Textus Receptus which introduces this clause and can be translated "or". He seems to be asking the Corinthians believers if they don't realize that Jesus Christ Himself indwells them. Again, this could be interpreted as calling on the church members to figure out if they have Christ indwelling them at all, which would be the same as asking them to determine if they are saved. However, I think in the context he is challenging them that they should realize that Christ does indwell them, and thus they should live a life that pleases Him. Paul asked in I Corinthians 6:19-20,
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
Here he is asking, "Don't you know that Christ lives in you? How can you continue to sin against Him?". He concludes the verse by writing, "except ye be reprobates". A reprobate is someone who fails the test. He is "unapproved" or "rejected". While this normally applies to those who are unsaved, Paul does use it in I Corinthians 9:27 in a different way,
"But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (reprobate)."
So Paul could be saying that the Corinthians have Christ indwelling them unless they are unsaved, or he could be saying that Christ does indwell them, but they are living unapproved lives. It is true that the Lord does not indwell unbelievers. It is also clear that the Corinthians are failing the test of living a Christian life, or else Paul would not be dealing with them as he is. Either way, there is a serious spiritual problem.
Does Jesus Christ live in you? If He does, is your lifestyle failing to meet up to His standards?
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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