Paul
the apostle told the Corinthian church members that he and his
companions “labor, working with”
their “own hands”,
and when they were “reviled”
they “blessed”
and when they were “persecuted”,
they
“suffered it”.
In chapter four and verse thirteen of
First Corinthians, Paul told the church members in Corinth that he
and his companions “are made as the filth of
the world”
where we read:
Being
defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world,
and are
the offscouring of all things unto this day.
The
verse begins, “Being
defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, ...”
Paul began
with the word, “Being defamed”
which means
“when Paul and his companions were spoken to reproachfully, railed
at, reviled, calumniated and blasphemed”, “we
entreat”
or “call to one's side, summon, admonish and exhort”: “we
are made”
which means “come into existence, come to pass and happen” “as
the filth”
or “as the souring, refuse, most abject and despicable” “of
the world”
which refers to “the circle of the earth and the aggregate of
things earthly such as endowments, riches, advantages and pleasures”.
Even though Paul and his companions were “spoken to reproachfully”
and considered “refuse and despicable” in the world, they
continued “summoning, admonishing and exhorting” people with the
“gospel”.
The
verse continues, “... and
are the offscouring of all things
unto this day.”. Paul
added the word, “and are the
offscouring” which
means “what is wiped off, rubbed off and scraped” “of
all things” or
“each, every, any, all, the whole and everyone” “unto
this day”
or “until just now, at this very time and moment”. Paul and the
people with him were also “wiped and scraped off” from
“everything” even until the current moment and time.
When
we think through these words from Paul, we see how he and his
entourage responded to being treated in a challenging way. They were
“reproached” and “made” “despicable”, and yet,
they continued to share the “gospel of Jesus Christ”.
People treated them as “scraped off” from everything available to
them, and they continued to share. Jesus Christ desires for his “good
news” of salvation to be shared with everyone, and regardless of
whether “persecution” and “opposition” comes, the “gospel”
must be “entreated”. Praise the Lord for the example shown in
Paul and his companions. May we follow their example no matter what
comes against us in opposition.
Next
time Paul shares how he did not “write...these
things to shame” them,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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