A Tour of Corinth

1. I am a 'saint' not just anybody
Before I start the tour of Corinth, I need to know who am I. To enter the Corinth, I needed my passport, and I needed to put in there: "Who am I?" So who am I?

And I found the answer in the words of the Apostle Paul. 1 Cor. 1:2, Paul said that I am called by God to be SAINT. Who am I? I am a saint. I don't need to wait until I die and my 'friends' seek the grace of the Pope to be crown; "SAINT".

But now being a saint has its responsibility, I have to reflect the holiness of God, because I  am a saint. Being called by God is not without its price. God paid the price with His Son, to purchase another son, me. And not just purchasing me, but He also called me His saint. With this title 'saint' comes also a load of responsibility. I need to be watchful of my behavior, my conduct to reflect the holiness of the one who called me.

2. To know is not to know
Adam and Eve seek after knowledge and ended up choosing the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. The world system says, "information is power, the more you know the more power you have."

Yet when we look at the Corinthian church, they seem to know many things, spiritual and otherwise, yet at the end, it also appeared that they do not know what they know.

Since traveling here in Corinth, I get to hear a few of the Mediterranean proverbs. There is one particular one I like that sounded like a tongue twister:
- He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool; SHUN HIM.
- He who knows not, and knows that he knows not, is a child; TEACH HIM.
- He who knows, and knows not he knows, is asleep; WAKE HIM.
- He who knows, and knows he knows, is wise; FOLLOW HIM.

 

Even as Jesus said in John 8:32; "...you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free..." goes to show the importance of knowing, and knowing the truth.

 

Yet Paul says in 1 Cor. 8:1 kind of shock me; he said; "...knowledge puffs up..." Wow, this gives me a mental shock. What am I doing in Corinth, but to seek knowledge. And now I am puffed up and who knows when it may explode? Paul goes on the say, "...but love builds up..." Thus it is not knowledge that we seek, it is love that we give. We need to exercise our knowledge with love, so that as knowledge puffs up, love builds up the person to contain the knowledge.

 

The more you know, the more you need to show love.

3. Gift for me is meant for others
While visiting the shops in Corinth, I caught my eye on some strange porcelain that I thought I could take as a gift for someone back in SG. Gift is not meant for me.

Many times we always debate over the Fruit of the Spirit vs the Gifts of the Spirit.

In fact, the apostle Paul was the same person who speak of both Fruit and Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Yet in 1 Cor. 12 - 14, we saw that Paul was telling the Corinthians, that the gifts God gave them that they boast about, are not for them to boast and keep. To Paul, God's gift to the individual is meant for the community. It is not for the individual. Then else where is the other letter to the other churches, Paul told them about the Fruit of the Spirit.

1 Cor. 12 and 14 talks about gift, yet in between gifts in1 Cor. 13, Paul shared about love. A virtue of the Fruit of the Spirit. Paul says, gift is meant for others with love. It is with love that you share God's gift to you with others.

Sometimes, we think gift as just supernatural gifts, but can we also includes God's material gifts to the individual? Even special talent or skill set. Can they be shared with love within the community?

Thus, I have to be mindful:
- Displaying my gifts without love equates to boasting.
- Keeping my gifts to myself, equates to selfishness.

So the more we have means the we have to share, with love.


4. World in the Church or the Church in the World
Now having travel Corinth, one thing that sticks out clearly is the fact that the world is now in the church. Just like the church in Corinth, pagan worship practice has somehow make their way into the church, and you know what, the Corinthian Church had accepted such practices.

In our modern times, we are also witnessing such a migration. The world has now found its way into the church. THE WORLD IN THE CHURCH. The practices of the world are openly adopted by the church (KPI, the Bottom-line, etc.), the social norms (LGBT, lottery or buying of a 'hope', etc.) of the world are accepted openly in the church.

How did the world get into the church?
- Because it is sociable.
- Because it is logical.
- Because it is practical.
- Because it is acceptable.
- Because it is comfortable.

Jesus says, "I send you out as sheep among the wolves." Basically, Jesus is saying His church should be in the world. Jesus' command is for the disciples to go out into the world to witness for Him. THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD. The church needs to be in the world to show God's grace. This wounded world needs God's healing grace. If the church is not in the world, who will show God's grace to the world.

Jesus send us out to be sheep among wolves. This command has never changed. Jesus did not say to the disciples, invite the world into your church and then saved them. Jesus said, go into the world to proclaim the kingdom of heaven and get the world saved.

CHURCH IN THE WORLD; NOT WORLD IN THE CHURCH.

So we have now arrive at Athens and it is time to take our flight back to SG.

Hope you have enjoy this journey, I HAVE.

Blessings
Francis