Till We Are Home

I often wonder (even wrote a similar blog here), what would our lives look like if we really walked out the commands and exhortations found in the Bible? Especially in regard to our life in the church, what would it look like for the members of a body of believers to walk out their faith together, for the glory of God, according to His Word? If we took God’s Word for the authority that it is, I think we would see radical changes in our own life and in the lives of our churches.

The other day, while reading in 2 Corinthians, a simple statement at the end of chapter one gave me pause. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:24, “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.”

Did something catch your attention and make you pause? 

Paul says that they worked with the Corinthians for their joy and so they would stand firm in their faith. Paul, Apollos, and the other ministers of God’s Word desired to help those in the church to gain greater joy and greater fidelity to Christ. 

Now, of course, I think we assume pastors should just do this. And, obviously, they should. 

What about, though, the rest of the church? Should the regular members of the church follow the same? Yes. Paul told the Corinthian church in his first letter, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor 11:1) Paul fully intends that the believers in Corinth should follow him, even by working for the joy and increase in faith for their brother or sister in Christ.

Today, we live in an individualistic culture. As such, how often do we look around at others in the pews and wonder how can we do something to increase that person’s joy or serve their walk with Christ? My guess is we probably do not think this too often. Instead, we likely give into the temptation to wonder who will help me or make me feel better today. 

Maybe not. Maybe instead most within the church easily think like Paul.

However, I doubt it. 

Sorry, I’m not trying to be pessimistic, but the problem we run into is our sin. Our sinful self desires its own glory. We crave our name to be heralded. In our sin, we focus completely inward and desire that others, their actions, and their time serve us. 

Looking to the good of others, for the increase of their joy and faith is antithetical to our sinful self. It’s not natural. And, so, we find it easier to think about our own self and the increase of our own joy and faith. It’s only by changed hearts that we could possibly look at our neighbor and work for their joy.

Yet, Paul explicitly points this out at the end of chapter one. He works with the church for their joy, for them to stand firm in their faith. And, so should we. We should find church not to be a gathering of buddies on Sunday mornings and sometimes during the middle of the week as if it were a social event or as something to check off our list.

Instead, we should see the church as a gathering of redeemed sinners come to worship our God. A people who do not belong to this world any longer, but strangers and aliens who only have one another while we walk this earth. A bride waiting for her bridegroom to come back. A family of adopted brothers and sisters who want to revel in their Savior together.

As such, we then turn from (repent of) our selfish desires and work alongside our fellow believer that they may love the Lord more. We remove logs, to help with specks. We count others more significant than ourselves, looking to their own interests. We bear burdens. We one another, together. 

To the glory of God and the good of His people. 

I want to love like this, to repent of my selfish desires and ask for the Lord’s help to be obedient to His Word. I want to work for the joy of my brother. I want to work that they may know Christ more. Do you?

Turn from the temptation and the culture’s gospel of self-importance. Work for the joy of those in your church that they may know and love the Lord more. Let’s do this today,…

Till we are home…