The apostle Paul had been told there was favouritism in the church at Corinth. Not that the leaders had favourites, but the congregation was championing personal partialities among visiting preachers. “I’m for Paul,” declared one. “Nah, I prefer Peter,” said another. “There’s no-one like Apollos,” cried a third. And so it went on. Paul was not amused! In fact, he spent three chapters of his letter letting them know how upset he was [I Corinthians 1-3]! Recently, as I read these chapters, I was arrested by this: “For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not worldly and behaving like mere humans? For whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not acting like mere humans [3:3-4]? The repeat of ‘mere humans’ creates quite a scathing comment. Why so strong?
The contention at Corinth was causing envy and strife among the people, and Paul saw that as worldliness, or carnality. This is a lesson to make us pause and challenge us to search our hearts. Favouritism, envy, strife and internal conflicts in the church are serious, labelling us ‘mere’ humans. Soberingly, the adjective ‘mere’ is used “to emphasise how small or insignificant someone or something is" [Oxford Dictionary].
Paul’s disdainful comment challenged me to consider if believers could attain to being more than ‘mere humans’. We’re redeemed by the blood of Yahshua, given the gift of eternal life and translated into the kingdom of light, so my heart responds, ‘Yes, we can be more than…’! Salvation is a great and glorious free gift, paid for by our King, but then responsibility for the gift devolves onto each individual.
Paul was passionate about this responsibility: “…work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” he charged the Philippians [2:12]. He encouraged the Colossians to do this by ‘putting on’ the new self which is like Yahshua [3:10], and urging them to clothe the new person with the beautiful characteristics which are found in our Saviour’s nature [3:10-14]. Oh, yes, there’s definitely more entailed in the life of a believer than being a ‘mere human’.
Every day let’s aim to be a little bit ‘more than’!
Photo by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash
https://unsplash.com/photos/silhouette-of-man-standing-on-high-ground-under-red-and-blue-skies-FiZTaNTj2Ak
The Test Of LoveWe look at our lives through a spiritual lens now, as we see how our actions as husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, friends and coaches, workers and employers relate to [Yahweh's] will.
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