1st Week January 2012 Adult Sunday School Lesson

2^nd Corinthians Chapter 10 verses 7 -18

We know that the world pleasures and reveres the outward appearance. If you look at any of the now thousands of sites that follow celebrities around and take their pictures, they praise the perfect outfit or the fit body and ridicule some unfortunate actress that might step out in front of a camera without make up. The outward man will fade away; it is the inward man that lives for eternity. The soul will live in eternity in Heaven or Hell, but in everlasting never the less.

Paul could boast many things with God given authority, he chose instead to lift up. He understood that his letters were bold to their repentance, but he was meek in person. That was by Paul’s intention.

Paul gives the warning that when we are to compare ourselves; we are to use God’s word and the Holy Spirit for the standard. To use our own standard to measure ourselves by would be pointless and hypocritical.

God gives us a job, and gives us a field of influence. To work a Christian life in that field of influence is not boasting but doing as God intended. See Matthew 25:15-28 about the talents and the servants.

Paul repeats something that he said in the other letter he wrote to the Corinthians in the first chapter. That if a person is to glory, let them glory in the Lord.

Jeremiah 9:23, 24

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

We can speak well of ourselves or even each other all day long, but it is God who has the final say and judgment.