Don’t Judge By the Outward Appearance

Do you look on things after the outward appearance?  If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s even so are we Christ’s.  For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord has given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.  For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

(2 Corinthians 10:7-10)

When we live in the flesh, we tend to look at others and judge them based on a worldview.  We generally will lump people into one group or another based on what we think we may know about them, and most times we generally don’t know that much, if anything.  You see its human nature, not that it’s right, to judge others by their outward appearance.  As we continue through the remainder of our focus chapter, Paul addresses this issue as he diagnoses the problem with the Corinthian troublemakers.  He points out that they were only looking at outward appearances, and according to what they saw, they felt Paul was weak and unimpressive.

Apparently there was a description of Paul from an earlier Christian writing sometime around the year 200: “Paul was a man small of stature, with a bald head and crooked legs, in a good state of body, with eyebrows meeting and a nose somewhat crooked.” (Cited in Kruse) So, based on this description of Paul, one could say that he would not win any modeling contracts.  This is what Calvin said of Paul, “Since Paul excelled in none of those endowments which ordinarily win praise or reputation among the children of this world, he was despised as one of the common herd.”

The Corinthians that judged Paul’s appearance really only knew him on an outward, surface level, they did not know his heart.  This is the same problem that we face today; we instantly judge others from what we see on the surface not knowing anything about their inner heart condition.  If we choose to only look at people from that one-sided slanted view point we box ourselves in and miss out on really getting to know who a person really is.  Consider what Paul says, “Just as he is Christ’s, so we are Christ’s”; if we claim to be Christ’s we need to look at ourselves.  You may not be mighty or beautiful on the outside, yet you belong to Him.  This is how we are to be looking at others, especially those in the body of Christ, just how we would want them to look at us.  The Corinthians used the wrong litmus test to judge Paul; they only looked at his outward appearance and not his heart. Please do not make the same mistake as them.  Ask for the eyes of Jesus when looking at others.  He sees the heart and He will help us see in the same manner if only we ask Him.

                        Dale LaFrance   (please look up Matthew 7:2)

Fleshly Warfare Verses Spiritual Warfare

Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ-who in presence am lowly among you, but being bold toward you.  But I beg you that when I am present I may be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:1-6)

Paul indeed was a shining example of how we as followers should walk according to the words of Christ our Savior.  Bearing that in mind, he was a man, flesh and blood, just as we are, and he struggled with exactly the same things we and the Corinthian Christians struggled with.  However, he wanted to make it very clear that he did not war according to the flesh.  Paul fought using spiritual weapons such as prayer, fasting, and the Word of God. 

We need to learn from Paul here on how he used the spiritual weapons that are available to all believers to fight and defend against the attacks of those living in the world.  We need to fight back the first instinct of protecting ourselves with worldly, carnal weapons.  The moment we choose to use carnal weapons we go into battle unprotected by the Lord, and instead we are fighting in the flesh, which is to the advantage of the Lie Whisperer.  However, if we follow Paul’s example and trust in the Lord, we have the full protection that the Lord affords us via His suit of armor that is describe in Ephesians 6. 

What Paul was dealing with in Corinth still goes on today; so, we can apply the very same things that he did to fight against the attacks he faced.  Interestingly, he was fighting against the Corinthian Christians; they were using carnal weapons that they chose to rely on and admire. They fought with manipulation, instead of the belt of truth.  Instead of the breastplate of righteousness, they fought with the image of success. They fought using smooth words instead of the shoes of the gospel.  Instead of using the shield of faith, they chose to fight with the perception of power.  They loved to fight by lording over authority instead of relying on the helmet of salvation.  And instead of trusting in the sword of the Spirit, they fought with human schemes and programs.

Brothers and sisters we are privileged to be living in these times as followers of Christ.  We have the greatest weapon at hand to stand and fight for the Lord, and that weapon comes through the person of the Holy Spirit.  Remember the battle is not ours; it’s the Lord’s, and He will be victorious!

                        Dale LaFrance   (please look up 1 Samuel 17:47)

Are You Sowing Sparingly or Bountifully

But this I say: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.  As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”

(2 Corinthians 9:6-9)

The analogy is very apparent here as Paul describes a farmer sowing his seed.  The one who sows very little seed because he wants to hold on to his seed with the expectation of having more seed to sow in case his crops fail, will reap very little compared to the one who sows bountifully.

When we as followers of Christ really come to terms with what we have in Him, we can live in the freedom of the knowledge that we have is really His. Because of that, it makes it very easy to give things away knowing that they really aren’t mine in the first place; they are His.  For some strange reason, I have always found it easier to give something or loan something that wasn’t mine.  As I have matured in Christ I have learned that our Heavenly Father has never failed on His promise to supply my needs and that I cannot certainly out give Him, Philippians 4:19.  But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 

Our Father will bestow material and spiritual blessing upon us as we obey His command to give our tithes and offerings unto Him.  I feel the need to caution you though.  Before you begin giving those tithes and offerings, you first must check your motives for doing so.  Are you giving just to receive because He said He would bless you with abundance? Or are you truly giving because you love Him and want to please Him?  You see, you can give with the wrong motivation and still not please God; because He alone knows the heart of man.  In the book of Genesis, Cain brought an offering to the Lord and received a rebuke from Him, not because of the offering he brought but with how it was given because of the condition of his sinful heart.  It is important that when we bring our tithes, gifts, and offerings to the Lord that our hearts are in the right place.  Our focus passage says we are not to give “grudgingly or out of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”   We should be cheerful givers because of what Jesus gave for us; He gave us His all!  So take the seed that you have been given by the Lord and sow abundantly with a cheerful heart, knowing that He will provide more for you to sow, and sow, and sow!

                        Dale LaFrance   (please look up Luke 6:38)

Made Rich in Christ

So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well.  But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also.  I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others.  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

(2 Corinthians 8:6-9)

The Apostle Paul refers to the deity of Christ in the final verse of our focus passage as he reminds us of who He was prior to walking the earth in human form.  If Jesus existence began in Mary’s womb, then there is no way that he could refer to Him as being rich.

Before He came here to earth, He sat at the right hand of the Father as the second member of the Trinity, as the Son of God, sharing all the glorious riches and splendor that is in the Father’s kingdom.  All the wealth that Jesus enjoyed with the Father was left as He took the form of man to walk the earth; even though He was poor here on earth He was still rich because of what He had in heaven and would soon return to.  Jesus was not a destitute beggar, yet, by the standards of this world He was poor, Matthew 8:20.  “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

So why did Jesus become poor?  He did it for us.  He had all power to walk as the wealthiest man in the history of the world; instead He choose to walk humbly in poverty.  In doing this He revealed how His poverty would benefit each one of us if we so choose to accept His offer of salvation.  Through Christ’s poverty we see the giving heart of our Father.  Jesus revealed to us the relative importance of material things and how we should never let them own us and to be ready to give them away in a moment’s notice.  Jesus’ life in poverty here on earth revealed how He is open and accessible to all, because it stands against the pride that might keep some away from a poor Savior.  Jesus coming in poverty also gave others the privilege of giving to Him witnessed at His birth and throughout His life.  And finally, this fulfilled the Father’s desire and His sovereign will to bring salvation to all mankind.

All those who receive the Father’s gift of salvation through His Son will become joint heirs with Him.  Therefore, we will be rich in Christ.  Because of that, we must be just as giving as He was and is, remembering that all we have is really His.

                        Dale LaFrance   (please look up Philippians 4:19)