Seeking a Blessing? Christ is the Blessing!
8/30 Reading Portions: 1 Samuel 23; 1 Corinthians 4; Ezekiel 2; Psalm 38
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8/30 Reading Portions: 1 Samuel 23; 1 Corinthians 4; Ezekiel 2; Psalm 38
1 Corinthians 4:8
Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!
RICH
As I’ve mentioned, for years in these devotionals, and from time to time in the pulpit, while Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was filled with a bevy of excellent doctrine, it was primarily a letter of correction. With exceptions to be sure, the members of the Corinthians’ church were divisive, cliquish, selfish at the Lord’s Table, liberal concerning sinful practice, and arrogant as if they did no wrong. Since Corinth was an affluent, commercial city, many in the congregation were wealthy, and acted like royalty, apart from the gospel. Ironically, if we have been saved by God’s grace in Christ, we have Christ Jesus, and He should be our heart’s desire and everything we want (Psa 73:25-26). The Lord Jesus Christ is the Treasure of heaven; His person and work are priceless and of infinite value, and thus, we are truly rich if we have Him—
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you by His poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
And by our salvation, Jesus has made us both kings and priests in His kingdom (1 Pet 2:9; Rev 5:10). Many of us will experience these two issues in our lives: (1) either we’ll think we’re rich apart from Christ and His gospel; and/or (2) we’ll forget we are rich because of Christ and His gospel. The reason for these two unfortunate experiences is because the person of Christ Jesus and the work of Christ upon the cross are not lovely to our hearts, precious to our souls, and exalted in our minds. When we see Christ’s cross through the eyes of faith, submissive to all its glories, we are overwhelmingly awakened to our great, eternal riches— that just to know Jesus Messiah and the excellence of His atoning sacrifice is wealth that exceeds all the combined value of all the universe for all time. Hallelujah! What a priceless, unmatched Savior!
Christ Jesus, eternal Treasure,
Of value beyond price;
I’m rich in Christ, and that’s for sure,
For Christ is very Life.