The Exchanged Life

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:                                                                                                                      II Corinthians 10:3

It is quite easy to think after salvation that only our enemy has changed, not our methods of battle. In the same way that we lived for Satan, we now fight against him and against the world, our flesh, and the flesh of others. The Holy Spirit in these inspired words is clearly teaching us otherwise though, and we would be wise to consider what He is saying.

In the larger context, Paul is defending his authority and making sure that the Corinthians understand that his words of condemnation are more than just the rantings of an over-sensitive apostle. To help make his point, he uses two different connotations of the word flesh in verse three, first referring to the physical body, and then referring to the old nature of man and the resulting ways of the world. In a sense he is saying “sure I walk around in a weak, physical body, but my body is not my strength. My weapons are spiritual weapons, mighty through God.”

As Christians and spiritual leaders, we have to understand that God has a new set of weapons, or I could use the word methods, for us to use. We don’t take the world’s ideas and adapt them to Christianity, we take the Bible and use its methods, realizing by faith that God can work in ways that do not make sense to us. Why does servant leadership work? It doesn’t on Wall Street or Main Street, but God takes our obedience and does a miracle in our followers. There is no natural reason for it to work because natural refers to our old nature, not our new one, but yet it works in the church. Or take giving, where we have more by giving more away. The method is illogical, but to God it makes perfect sense. And may I also mention influence? The world has its way of influencing people and making friends, but God’s ways are totally different.

The point is this – don’t follow the world just to get a result that you want, follow Christ to get the result that He wants. There is amazing power in God’s methods of battle.

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.          II Corinthians 4:5

When you preach, be sure that people remember Christ. The illustrations have no value, except they promote the light of Christ. A dynamic style is meaningless unless it conveys the truth of Jesus Christ. True, some audiences will be contented with a sermoner who simply holds their attention or delights their senses, but don’t be content yourself until you have given them Jesus and presented Him to be glorified and worshiped. He is your purpose.

Our preaching style should serve only to magnify Christ. We use style far to often to judge the preacher, and as preachers feel evaluated based on our style. The emotion, the dynamics, the movements of preaching – these are all secondary to the purpose of making every facet of Christ known. The most engaging speakers, without Christ as their message, fail as preachers. The preaching is not about style, it’s about Christ.

Our illustrations are also secondary to Christ. It is not a good thing when people remember your illustration but forget your message. The illustrations are useful only to support the message, not to be the high points for which the message fills in the necessary theological foundation. Does this mean that you make your illustrations less grand? Perhaps. It would definitely rule out the multitude of illustrations used merely to endear the heart of the people to the preacher, often with little effect in advancing the message. If the illustration does not in some way advance Christ, then cut it. The world doesn’t have time for your self-engrossed babbling.

Lastly, we do not preach ourselves. Preaching can be a dangerous thing, for men tend to give more attention to the preacher than he ought to have. I believe that preachers have an important and holy ministry, but they must work continuously to ensure that people do not follow them in place of God. Sure they are an example, and they ought to be, but always an example that is pointing to Christ. No preacher deserves glory. There is a limited amount of respect for the office that is right and proper, but it should be insignificant compared to the absolute loyalty that He engenders to Christ.

Preach Christ. You aren’t worthy of self-exaltation, but you know a God who is. Don’t cheapen your message by putting yourself into it.

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.          I Corinthians 15:26

Death is always a point of separation, often permanent separation. There is at some point in my future a physical death (unless the Lord returns soon) which will be the permanent separation of my soul and spirit from my body and this earth. For the unsaved, there is coming an eternal death, which will be the permanent separation of their unredeemed souls from their only hope of salvation, Jesus Christ. And each of us was born dead in our sins, as counterintuitive as that may sound, without any strength in ourselves to say “no” to sin.

We still face one type of death or another somewhere in our future, though for the saved, it is a simple physical death that is a part of our passage from earth to heaven. Death is a symbol of all that comes between us and God. It signifies our sin, our unimputed unrighteousness, the darkened glass of our own humanity that even after salvation keep us from seeing the Savior in all His beauty and perfection. But after death is destroyed, the separation is gone! No longer do I have to ponder what my Savior is like, I can look into His very face. There will be no question about his requests or commands, no doubt as to His sustaining power, no forgetfulness of His wondrous presence, because He is visibly present, powerful, and loving.

This thought reminds me of the song “Nothing Between My Soul and My Savior.” O to have unhindered access to Him, to literally be in His presence, rejoicing in the glory of Who He is!

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.           I Corinthians 4:3-4

We live in a culture of tolerance where judging other people seems proud, spiteful, and biased. Who are we to say that we know better than others, or that our actions are superior to theirs? Many would say that we live in an enlightened age where men should know their limitations, including the fact that they are not all wise. I welcome the humility that this position brings, but I must also remind you that we serve a God who is all-knowing. Though we still have our sinful natures and issues with self-centered interpretation of His words, there is unbiased, absolute truth available to those that seek it.

Which leads us to this: we can set aside to some degree the judgments of man, but only because we are coming under the judgment of an absolute God. Discrediting man’s judgment does little for those who want to live without outside rules, it simply means that they will be judged by someone Who knows everything, including their motives, Who sees everything, even the things that are hidden from all of humanity, and Who is holy and absolutely righteous. He is also love personified, and willingly forgives those who come repentantly to Him.

Paul did consider other’s judgments of his choices and so should we, though their judgement is a little thing in comparison to the judgment of God. Other men often see through our illogical reasoning, flat façades, and self-centered ideas. Sin blinds us in our own desires, and a Christian brother is often the light God uses to show us where we err.

Far greater is the judgment of God. He is inescapable, never mocked, and impossible to hide from in person or actions. He compares every action, thought, motive, desire, word, and purpose against His blazing holiness, and is more than capable of punishing any shortcoming. Where it not for Christ, this would mean certain death in the eternal sense, a separation from God forever as we paid for our sins.

There is no hope for justification in avoiding the judgment of man. Our only option for salvation is Jesus Christ, Who paid the penalty of justice and took the wrath of God for us. In him, the judgment of God brings a healthy respect, not hopelessness and fear.