Verbal integrity...
"Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present." -2 Corinthians 10:11
In the Roman world, much like in our culture today, if you were a gifted, eloquent speaker, you were placed on a pedestal. More times than not, if you could speak well, you could win over any crowd (we see this a lot today in the media, political events, etc.). Facts don't necessarily even need to be present as long as the speaker is compelling enough to turn the crowd, sway their thinking, and win them over.
False apostles were infiltrating the early church and they were doing so in different ways. The situation Paul was addressing here in 2 Corinthians was one where his own integrity and ability to lead was being attacked. The false apostles, referring to themselves even as "super-apostles," were setting themselves up as the true leaders of the church, preaching false doctrines and attempting to tear down the true apostles' teaching, namely that of Paul. Paul defended himself to the Corinthians by denying the charges that he was weak, saw himself as a failure, and was living a hypocritical lifestyle (2 Cor. 10:11 - above).
This situation got me thinking, how is my verbal integrity? How is yours?
When we say something, do we do it? When we claim to live by a Christian standard (verbal), do we follow through in deed (action)? One of the greatest and most common charges our culture has against our churches is hypocrisy - 'The church is full of hypocrites. Bob goes to church but lives just like the rest of us during the week", etc.
Believers, can it be said of each one of us, with regularity, "that what we are in word...when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present" ?
In the Roman world, much like in our culture today, if you were a gifted, eloquent speaker, you were placed on a pedestal. More times than not, if you could speak well, you could win over any crowd (we see this a lot today in the media, political events, etc.). Facts don't necessarily even need to be present as long as the speaker is compelling enough to turn the crowd, sway their thinking, and win them over.
False apostles were infiltrating the early church and they were doing so in different ways. The situation Paul was addressing here in 2 Corinthians was one where his own integrity and ability to lead was being attacked. The false apostles, referring to themselves even as "super-apostles," were setting themselves up as the true leaders of the church, preaching false doctrines and attempting to tear down the true apostles' teaching, namely that of Paul. Paul defended himself to the Corinthians by denying the charges that he was weak, saw himself as a failure, and was living a hypocritical lifestyle (2 Cor. 10:11 - above).
This situation got me thinking, how is my verbal integrity? How is yours?
When we say something, do we do it? When we claim to live by a Christian standard (verbal), do we follow through in deed (action)? One of the greatest and most common charges our culture has against our churches is hypocrisy - 'The church is full of hypocrites. Bob goes to church but lives just like the rest of us during the week", etc.
Believers, can it be said of each one of us, with regularity, "that what we are in word...when we are absent, such we will also be in deed when we are present" ?
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