Tuesday, August 11, 2020

 1 Corinthians 4:11-13

1 Corinthians 4:11- 13 ESV


When reviled,

we   bless;

when persecuted,           we            endure;

 

 


1 Corinthians 4:13 ESV

when slandered,             we            entreat.

We have become,

and                                                                             are still,

like the scum of the world,

the refuse of all things.

How much are you willing to endure for the sake of the gospel?  Most people are not called to be evangelists, traveling about sharing the gospel, so we tend to ignore these passages.  We mistakenly believe they do not apply to us. We believe they describe conditions that impacted Paul the apostle and by extension anyone who is given the “gift” of evangelist.  

Evangelists, we believe, are the ones for which these verses have meaning.  We believe it is not incumbent upon us to share the gospel if we do not have the gift of evangelist.  However, nothing could be further from the truth. 

Part and parcel with the gift of salvation comes the need to share that salvation  with others.

 Romans 10:9-10 ESV 

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 

Silence, in the case of the gospel, is not golden.  We are to witness to Jesus as Lord both in our actions and in our words.  According to the Apostle Paul it is part and parcel of our faith experience.  Further, we are told:

1 Peter 3:15 ESV 

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

It is the responsibility of every true believer to share the truth with those around us and to give reason to others as to why they should place their faith in Jesus.

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