This is my Story: Christ's Redemption and my joy

Laboring in God’s Grace

One of the archetypal passages that depicts the ministry of St. Paul is in 2Cor. 6. Truly, the whole of this letter captures the gravity of the life and death of Christ embodied in the life (and eventual death) of Paul as he views he and his other co-laborer’s ministries as embodiments of the life of Christ. As he writes to the Colossians, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known.”

Now to the present letter, it was probably written as a 3rd letter (based on an inference from earlier in this letter). Paul is yet again addressing the very real threat of false gospels and ill-formed doctrine producing ill-formed living is going to bankrupt these believers and leave them worse off than having ever received the gospel of Grace to begin with.

If there is any comfort or consolation for them, it is surely not in the idea they are highly gifted in their charismata, that they have the greatest of teachers (true rhetoricians) who they had gathered unto themselves (with letters of recommendation), nor that they are Paul’s great financiers who are participating in the Gospel work among the saints in Jerusalem. No, the only hope they have is that they, who received a particular message, in the weakness of Paul’s stature and delivery, would hold fast to this message and thus secure its outcome: the salvation of their souls. Ch. 13 establishes the point of Paul’s intention in this letter and prospective visitation when he writes: “Your restoration is what we pray for. For this reason, I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come, I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.” (13:9b-10)

The aim is clear, that they may be built up and advance in Christ. The background is equally telling, for in v.2 of our present passage we read a citation from Is. 49. Now what is the significance of this? At minimum, Paul is identifying a pattern and appropriating it for the purposes of persuading his audience toward greater faithfulness. Even greater, he is very likely locating his ministry in that of Isaiah’s who is describing that of Yahweh’s Messiah, which makes the Corinthians the nation of Israel in that template, as Paul is representative of the servant. This is imperative to get if we are to appreciate the picture of our redemption in the flow of the Bible’s metanarrative or big story plot of God reconciling the world to himself.

English Standard Version Chapter 49

Listen to me, O coastlands,

and give attention, you peoples from afar.

The LORD called me from the womb,

from the body of my mother he named my name.

2  He made my mouth like a sharp sword;

in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me a polished arrow;

in his quiver he hid me away.

3  And he said to me, “You are my servant,

Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”

4  But I said, “I have labored in vain;

I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;

yet surely my right is with the LORD,

and my recompense with my God.”

5  And now the LORD says,

he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,

to bring Jacob back to him;

and that Israel might be gathered to him—

for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD,

and my God has become my strength—

6  he says:

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

to raise up the tribes of Jacob

and to bring back the preserved of Israel;

I will make you as a light for the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

7  Thus says the LORD,

the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,

to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,

the servant of rulers:

“Kings shall see and arise;

princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;

because of the LORD, who is faithful,

the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

The Restoration of Israel

8  Thus says the LORD:

“In a time of favor I have answered you;

in a day of salvation I have helped you;

I will keep you and give you

as a covenant to the people,

to establish the land,

to apportion the desolate heritages,

9  saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’

to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’

They shall feed along the ways;

on all bare heights shall be their pasture;

10  they shall not hunger or thirst,

neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,

for he who has pity on them will lead them,

and by springs of water will guide them.

11  And I will make all my mountains a road,

and my highways shall be raised up.

12  Behold, these shall come from afar,

and behold, these from the north and from the west,

and these from the land of Syene.”

13  Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;

break forth, O mountains, into singing!

For the LORD has comforted his people

and will have compassion on his afflicted.

14  But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;

my Lord has forgotten me.”

15  “Can a woman forget her nursing child,

that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget,

yet I will not forget you.

16  Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

your walls are continually before me.

17  Your builders make haste;

your destroyers and those who laid you waste go out from you.

18  Lift up your eyes around and see;

they all gather, they come to you.

As I live, declares the LORD,

you shall put them all on as an ornament;

you shall bind them on as a bride does.

English Standard Version Chapter 49

Then all flesh shall know

that I am the LORD your Savior,

and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”

Life B.C.

Now, if to zoom in and focus a bit on a young man who locates himself in this broader story of redemption. There is a story to tell of how God called a lost soul in the favorable time of God’s redemption and fulfilled a great and mighty plan of his work to communicate the Gospel to the nations. This is not just his story, but it is our story and is one that only continues—never ending—and is only Good News if it is not received in vain which can be demonstrated by both how it was received and by how it is carried to the end.

Background in BFC

Moving to muddy pastures

Identity Crisis

Preparation for salvation

Being the aroma of Christ to others

This letter is very impressive in that it house a collection of sayings that are oft repeated:

English Standard Version Chapter 3

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another

English Standard Version Chapter 4

But we have this treasure in jars of clay

English Standard Version Chapter 5

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

English Standard Version Chapter 9

for God loves a cheerful giver.

English Standard Version Chapter 12

a thorn was given me in the flesh

English Standard Version Chapter 12

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Now how do we make sense of the following passage, known to many, but often a riddle and unclear:

English Standard Version Chapter 2

14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

We are to those we are called to minister to: the aroma of Christ. We can picture a Roman military procession in which the incense is burned and the smell of victory is in the midst of those Roman citizens who line the streets. Yet, for the bounty of captives or those enslaved in the households, this is an aroma of death of defeat, and of ultimate hopelessness. In our own experiences and perhaps that of some you may know. Our very presence in their lives is that of an enemy invader or someone who—under demonic influence and principalities of darkness—is not a welcome presence. Yet, for others, we are a sweet aroma. That of one welcome and though maybe not yet clear, are nevertheless an encouragement. This is the one who receives our appeal to be reconciled to God through his Christ. The one who accepts the plundering of their goods for the greater riches of heavenly wealth. The one willing to receive the ignominy for the greater honor of being acknowledged by God. This is the one who though seeing the weakness and folly of the cross of the Lord Jesus, says, “yet to me, it is the power and wisdom of God unto salvation.”

Commentaries on Romans and 1-2 Corinthians (2 Corinthians 2) - Ambrosiaster

The aroma of the knowledge of God is in Christ and through Christ. The reason why Paul said aroma was because, just as some things are recognized by their smell even though they are invisible, God also, who is invisible, wished to be understood through Christ, so that the preaching of Christ, which reaches our ears just as an aroma reaches our nostrils, might bring God and his only-begotten Son into the midst of his creation. Thus, in accordance with what the Lord said to God, the Son to the Father: Just as you have sent me into this world, so I send them into this world, the apostles, who were engaged on a mission for this cause, would manifest the aroma of Christ and God through their signs and wonders. Their preaching about God and Christ is proved to be true by the evidence of its power. This is implied in the word aroma, because although God is not seen, he is understood by the works which he carries out invisibly through the agency of the apostles, with the intention that the truth of their teaching may be made clear.

Furthermore a person who speaks the truth about Christ is a good aroma from God, worthy of praise from the one who believes, and not to be maligned by unbelievers. But a person who makes wrong assertions about Christ is a bad smell to believers and unbelievers alike, as far as God is concerned, and guilty in the eyes of both. For the unbeliever does not believe because what he hears is perverse, and the believer believes in a way which is not correct.

Thus the apostle spoke in line with the law. Just as in the law, someone who offered sacrifice with a good prayer was a good aroma to the Lord and acceptable to him, so too the power of preaching gives off a fragrance of teaching which smells acceptable to God. For this reason, God assured by his interventions on their behalf that his apostles were protected and enabled to pour words of knowledge into open ears, both of Jews and of Gentiles. In addition to these there was also the sacramental fact of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus, which happened in accordance with the will of his God and Father, in the unity of a saving faith, for the salvation of believers and the destruction of unbelievers.

2. What being controlled by the love of Christ looks like:

What then does this messenger look like? Who will go into the world to live this way? Is it a street evangelist, a shabby clothed servant in the streets, one who lives in complete poverty at their own expense? Maybe, Paul describes his ministry (and co-laborers) as follows:

English Standard Version Chapter 6

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed;

They had urgency: today is the day.

They removed all unnecessary hindrances.

They could commend themselves in every way:

physical suffering

godly/virtuous lives

faithful speech (no peddling)

through spiritual warfare

personal attacks

3. They’re joy and riches were in their lives being poured out for another:

English Standard Version Chapter 6

10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

Life A.D.

The day of the Lord’s favor

The servants of the Lord

The labors of my ministry

A plan to finish well

Finishing Well: Our joy in the midst of suffering

Amidst everything we’ve considered together, from my life and that of Paul’s ministry, what is our aim?

English Standard Version (Chapter 3)

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

2. If we can normalize suffering as part of the birth pains of this present life, then we can prepare ourselves best for the future glory that awaits us.

Getting older

Growing limited in our influence

Diminishing wealth

Loss of our faculties

3. We can imagine any number of things going wrong in our lives and become fearful by these prospects. We can grow either increasingly convinced of the sufficiency of Christ or we can grow increasingly convinced of the cares and problems of this world. The effect of the former is that the cares of this world will grow strangely dim in the face of Christ’s countenance. The effect of the latter is that Christ becomes increasingly insufficient and the cares of this world will begin to paralyze us and cause us to be ineffective in our usefulness to God.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

English Standard Version Chapter 4

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

4. What is Paul’s purpose in writing such a hard letter? What are his assumptions about these clearly struggling believers? What are potentially his words to some of us today? What is God’s living and active word to you?

English Standard Version (Chapter 1)

12 For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. 13 For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand— 14 just as you did partially understand us—that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you.

15 Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. 17 Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? 18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

23 But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

English Standard Version Chapter 13

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.