Earlier on
this year I went to a wedding at a registry office. I knew the bride and
groom and one or two of their family and friends. The timings were tight
in the registry office, so the wedding guests were being ushered in and out
fairly quickly. What I didn’t realise was that there were two weddings
going on at the same time. I was ushered into a room, and I started taking
photos of the room and the quirky features, and I took a few casual shots of
the guests. After a few minutes I realised that I didn’t recognise anyone
at all and that I was at the wrong wedding! Thankfully I managed to
quickly get to the right wedding!
Paul at the start of this chapter, is talking about a scenario far worse! Imagine marrying the wrong person! This actually happened in Genesis 29. Jacob made his vows to his veiled bride, and drank heartily at the wedding reception. He carried his still veiled wife onto the wedding bed. The following morning, he woke up with more than a hangover! Paul in this chapter, warns the Corinthians, and in fact us, that this could be the story of our lives. Paul longs for the Corinthians to be fully devoted to Christ. The bride of Christ, the church, fully devoted to their husband, Christ! Imagine what a life fully devoted to Christ looks like? What were the dangers that threatened to distract or undermine the Corinthians from their devotion to Christ? The dangers were the super-apostles and false teachers who came with a different Jesus, or a different spirit or a different gospel. And these dangers are still rife today. We need to keep our eyes fixed on Christ – the Christ of the Bible. Remain devoted to him and be concerned about others remaining devoted to him too (just like Paul was concerned). The Christ of the Bible is the only Christ that can save us and others. He is the hope for all nations!
Paul at the start of this chapter, is talking about a scenario far worse! Imagine marrying the wrong person! This actually happened in Genesis 29. Jacob made his vows to his veiled bride, and drank heartily at the wedding reception. He carried his still veiled wife onto the wedding bed. The following morning, he woke up with more than a hangover! Paul in this chapter, warns the Corinthians, and in fact us, that this could be the story of our lives. Paul longs for the Corinthians to be fully devoted to Christ. The bride of Christ, the church, fully devoted to their husband, Christ! Imagine what a life fully devoted to Christ looks like? What were the dangers that threatened to distract or undermine the Corinthians from their devotion to Christ? The dangers were the super-apostles and false teachers who came with a different Jesus, or a different spirit or a different gospel. And these dangers are still rife today. We need to keep our eyes fixed on Christ – the Christ of the Bible. Remain devoted to him and be concerned about others remaining devoted to him too (just like Paul was concerned). The Christ of the Bible is the only Christ that can save us and others. He is the hope for all nations!
(lay member of staff)