1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
1:4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of
God that has been given you in Christ Jesus,
1:5 for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and
knowledge of every kind--
1:6 just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among
you--
1:7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait
for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:8 He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be
blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:9 God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of
his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
There are times when we must step out in faith and act, take the
bull by the horns, play the trump card, go for all the marbles.
These can be acts of faith, trusting in Christ as the foundation and
steadfast support.
There are other times when the act of faith is to wait. The risen
Christ instructed the disciples to go into the city and wait till
they have received power from on high.
Paul tells the church at Corinth that they already have the gifts
(might be a little sarcasm here). All they need now is the revealing
of how those gifts are to be used. They are to wait for revelation.
Dont get ahead, as so-called "spiritual persons" are inclined to do.
Waiting on revelation is not some passive inactivity, a hiding of
our talents, or refusal to step out. It is a holy wisdom, and active
waiting and anticipating the instructions on how to best use the
gifts.
So, how do we live while we are waiting the return of Christ?
Growing in grace, honing the gifts we have been given, living in
fellowship with others who are waiting.... Somehow one finds oneself
looking back at Matthew 25 and the readings there- - waiting
bridesmaids, waiting stewards... people who either live to help
others or not... Paul and the Corinthians waiting for that delayed
return which Jesus talks about. Advent 1 seems to build on the
readings before- now, how do WE build on this foundation? GFinSC
I am reminded of a scripture, which talks about calling things as if
they are. Perhaps this is what Paul is trying to explain. Maybe we
are given spiritual gifts even though they are not presently
visible. Just maybe, Christ sees beyond reality into spirituality.
Maybe we just need the faith to believe that God has done through
Christ that which needed to be done in us. Maybe we need to
appropriate that which is in our spiritual bank account. Maybe we
are like a racecar full of racing fuel but with the motor not
running, or running at an idle, or running only half-throttle.
Perhaps we need to begin to see the completed work of the Christ in
ourselves and others - even though it is obvious to everyone that we
have not yet been perfected. I'm think of a new book title, The
Little Christian That Could. You know, with the line repeated over
and over, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." "I can do
all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me." I am going to
continue a ways in the text and tie in spiritual gifts with living
in unity and harmony for the work of the church. However, my main
thrust will be using verse eighteen and nineteen, "
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For
it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the
discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” I believe this ties
directly to verse 5, " for in every way you have been enriched in
him, in speech and knowledge of every kind ." Because in the worlds
terms, in intellectual terms, in the wisdom of the wise, we
Christians are losers. Just look at the recent stir that the Kansas'
State School Board has made by allowing school districts to decide
for themselves what will be presented to the students as to the
scientific teaching about the origin of man and the universe. I am
well aware of what God says in the Bible and what the "wisdom of the
wise" postulates as truth. But by faith with which we have been
"enriched in him," we can find the truth in Christ Jesus and in His
word, the Bible. Dale in Ks
