Saturday, August 12, 2017

Use spiritual authority to build up the church

2 Corinthians 10:1-11
Paul are “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away!
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
We take captive every thought to make it obedient to ChristAnd we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
You are judging by appearances.
We are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
Paul now turns his attention to the hostile(敵對) minority(少數) at Corinth who have challenged his authority and criticized his behavior. This sounds very like a continuation of the old rival cliques(拉幫結派) of 1 Corinthians 1-4.
They show the same conceit(自負), the same old mistaken standards of judgments. They have attacked Paul on a number of count:
1)He may be a brave letter-writer, but meet him face to face and he's a coward.
2)He is no speaker.
Paul answers every charge, showing the hollowness(空虛) of their standards of judgment: When he comes, they will discover he is as ready to act as he is to write: but he would much rather use his authority to build up the church.
Why?
Don't use the standard of the world to face the church and Christ, his servant Paul.
Paul's humble became coward to some people in Corinth. Same as now in churches.
Divine power to demolish strongholds: Which is come from the Lord and Holy Spirit.
Apostle be charged by church should explain it clearly, for they have the authority from God.
The authority is used to build the church.
Church is not a company, but crowd who have same vision and received salvation from the Jesus Christ!
We do not wage war as the world does; but with the Holy Spirit.
Weapon may take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. This is a war of spirit.
If they are not complete obedience, further teaching or judging are meaningless. 
How?
Be confidence that we have the weapon of Holy Spirit to war against the world. 







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