II Corinthians 5:11-7:1
It is
because we know this solemn fear of the Lord that we work so hard to persuade
others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we trying
to pat ourselves on the back again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud
of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry
rather than having a sincere heart before God. If it seems that we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our
right minds, it is for your benefit. Whatever we do, it is because Christ's
love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for everyone, we also
believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. He died for
everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live to please
themselves. Instead, they will live to please Christ, who died and was raised
for them.
So we have
stopped evaluating others by what the world thinks about them. Once I
mistakenly thought of Christ that way, as though he were merely a human being.
How differently I think about him now! What this means is that those who become
Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
All this
newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ
did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in
Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins
against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. We
are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you,
"Be reconciled to God!"
For God
made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could
be made right with God through Christ.
As God's
partners, we beg you not to reject this marvelous message of God's great
kindness. For God says,
"At just the right time, I heard you.
On the day of salvation, I helped you."
Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day
of salvation.
We try to
live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding the Lord by the
way we act, and so no one can find fault with our ministry. In everything we do
we try to show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles
and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in
jail, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and
gone without food. We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding,
our patience, our kindness, our sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
We have faithfully preached the truth. God's power has been working in us. We
have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. We
serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or
praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are well known, but we
are treated as unknown. We live close to death, but here we are, still alive.
We have been beaten within an inch of our lives. Our hearts ache, but we always
have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.
Oh, dear
Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you. Our hearts are open to
you. If there is a problem between us, it is not because of a lack of love on
our part, but because you have withheld your love from us. I am talking now as
I would to my own children. Open your hearts to us!
Don't team
up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness?
How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and
the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union
can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the
living God. As God said:
"I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
Therefore, come out from them
and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don't touch their filthy things,
and I will welcome you.
And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty."
Because we
have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything
that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete purity
because we fear God. (NLT)
This reading is taken from 30 Scripture Readings on Character
& Integrity. The complete book
can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005KYN53A
HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION copyright © 1996. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All
rights reserved.
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