2 Corinthians 13:1 This will be the third time that I have come to visit you. Any charge must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.[2 Corinthians 13:1 Deuteronomy 19:15] 2 To those who sinned in the past and to the rest I say beforehand while absent the same thing I said when I was with you the second time: if I come again I will not spare you — 3 since you are looking for proof of the Messiah speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but he is powerful among you. 4 For although he was executed on a stake in weakness, now he lives by God’s power. And we too are weak in union with him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by God’s power.
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living the life of trust. Test yourselves. Don’t you realize that Yeshua the Messiah is in you? — unless you fail to pass the test. 6 But I hope you will realize that we are not failures. 7 And we pray to God that you will do nothing wrong. We are not concerned with our appearing successful, but with your doing what is right, even if we appear to be failures. 8 For we cannot act against the truth, only for it. 9 So we rejoice whenever we are weak and you are strong; indeed, what we pray for is that you become perfect. 10 I write these things while away from you, so that when I am with you I will not have to use my authority to deal sharply with you, for the Lord gave it to me for building up and not for tearing down.
11 And now, brothers, shalom! Put yourselves in order, pay attention to my advice, be of one mind, live in shalom — and the God of love and shalom will be with you.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All God’s people send greetings to you.
14 The grace of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah,
the love of God
and the fellowship of the Ruach HaKodesh
be with you all. (Complete Jewish Bible)
Differences are a part of life. Without differences we would all be the same: conformed to one single standard of what God’s creation looks like and acts like. In our fallen world, these differences often erupt into conflict on some scale: at home, in a local community, on a battlefield.
The Church, unfortunately, is not without these conflicts. Paul’s letters to the church in Corinth highlight this. In his second letter, he closes with stern correction and loving guidance. You can hear the frustration and love in his words: he points to the areas that need Christ’s transformation and encourages the trust they have placed already in Christ.
In conflict we often look to the other person and focus on what is wrong with the other. Paul, however, admonitions the congregation to "examine Yourselves" (verse 5). Take stock of your faith and realize Christ is in you. With Christ in you, do no wrong—live at peace with one another and in the community.
How is this possible? Through the work of the triune God. Paul reminds the Corinthians that it is grace of Christ, love of God and fellowship of the Holy Spirit which makes living in unity possible.
Hymn for Today: "Blest Be the Tie That Binds" by John Fawcett.
1. Blest be the tie that binds
our hearts in Christian love;
the fellowship of kindred minds
is like to that above.
2. Before our Father's throne
we pour our ardent prayers;
our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
our comforts and our cares.
3. We share our mutual woes,
our mutual burdens bear,
and often for each other flows
the sympathizing tear.
4. When we are called to part,
it gives us inward pain;
but we shall still be joined in heart,
and hope to meet again.
5. This glorious hope revives
our courage by the way;
while each in expectation lives
and waits to see the day.
6. From sorrow, toil, and pain,
and sin, we shall be free;
and perfect love and friendship reign
through all eternity.
Thought for Today: “Rabbi, which of the mitzvot in the Torah is the most important?” (Matthew 22:36).
Please pray: That many people in Paraguay will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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