Today's Scripture
1 Corinthians 1:17-25; 2:1-5; John 12:27-33
“Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 1:17
Paul states here that the call of God is to preach the gospel. However, Paul’s definition of “the gospel” is that Jesus Christ saves us from sin and restores our identity as children of God. We are inclined to make sanctification or being holy the goal of our preaching. Paul refers to personal experiences only as illustrations, never as the final word. We are not commissioned to preach salvation or sanctification; we are commissioned to lift Jesus Christ (see John 12:32), to preach Jesus Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). It is incorrect to say that Jesus Christ labored to save us so that we could be saints. Jesus Christ endured the Cross to save the whole world and to place it perfectly whole and restored before His throne. The fact that we can experience His redeeming power illustrates its reality, but that experience is a by-product and not the goal of redemption. If God were human, how exhausted He would be from the constant requests we make for our salvation and for our sanctification. We burden His energies from morning until night, asking for things for ourselves or for something from which we want to be delivered! When we finally allow His voice to touch our hearts, the reality of the gospel of God ignites faith, and we will no longer bother Him with petty personal complaints.
The one passion of Paul’s life was to proclaim the gospel of God. He welcomed heartbreak, disillusionment, and religious tribulation for one reason alone: these things kept him unmovable in his devotion to the gospel of God.
Today's Prayer
Lord, thank you for empowering us to resist the temptation to doubt Your saving grace and redeeming power. Enlighten us with Your heartbeat for others and show us how dark it is to pursue our own personal gratification. Help us to follow Your passion for proclaiming Your Good News, regardless of the heartbreak, disillusionment, and religious tribulation that continually attempt to hinder our zeal.