Far too many believers want to claim special wisdom, special power, and special authority once they come in to Christ. Too many teachers preach exclusively about the blessings of God, and give a self-centered, self-congratulatory message from the pulpit. And Why? Because, far too often, it’s what fills a congregation. The truth is that the Cross, the Tomb or the Power of the Holy Spirit has little to nothing to do with me. If the Lord tarries, people will not be speaking my name centuries from now. But they will be speaking of Jesus, either in love or contempt.
The Cross and Empty Tomb and gifts of the Holy Spirit are all because of Jesus, and as such, they only bring Him glory. False teachers, and immature believers will attempt to make the faith all about them, their needs, and what they desire, but a faith that is maturing understands that Christ is at the center of it all. He gets the glory, even in the midst of my suffering and abuse, and when people are saved, it’s because of Him and in to Him. He calls us from death to Life, He sends the Holy Spirit to live with us, and He is glorified in the Church when she is behaving as she ought. So let us not seek our own benefit and glory, but seek to please Christ, and watch how the joy and peace beyond understanding will guard our hearts, even in the most dire of circumstances.
2 Timothy 3
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
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