I continue to read through the Bible, a little bit of Old Testament and then some New Testament. In the New Testament there are two letters from Paul, the early church leader, to the church at Corinth. We have no idea how large the congregation was there. They did not have a building, but were in conversation with the local synagogue ( Jewish place of worship). The two letters are love letters by Paul to the community.
Paul was the church planter. He started the church. He left to start more churches, and then returned. His authority was, I think, always under suspicion because he had killed some Jesus followers earlier in his life. So, when he came to other followers of Jesus, he always had to prove himself. How could you trust a person who was a murderer ?
So, the two letters to the church at Corinth are personal. They are about real issues that the Corinthians were having to deal with every day. Paul begins both of them on a positive note. Then, he does get down to the real issues that have divided the community. In the second letter he is really angry with the community. They have challenged his leadership, and they have written ( a letter we do not have ) that there are super apostles better than Paul. In the second letter tries to inspire the church/community into giving money to the poor in Jerusalem. He tells them that other churches have given out of their poverty, and the Corinthians can do better. Ouch !
But he does love them. He prays for them. He wants them to live in peace with each other. In the first letter, chapter 13 is the most well known. It is known as the love chapter. ” Love is patient … love is kind… it keeps no record of wrongs … and now these three remain faith , hope and love, but the greatest of these is love. ”
Paul’s love letters are not mushy and romantic, and full of words that are meaningless. They are practical, dedicated, demanding, and wanting the best for everyone in the community. He is mad at them, He is stern with them, and he is also humble with them. We writes to them that he cannot wait to be with them. They are committed to one another,
He wants to remind them that they are in this journey with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit together. We are committed to the relationship with God and each other. Paul’s final words that we have in the Bible are the following:
“Finally brothers and sisters, Rejoice. Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you… May the love of Jesus Christ, the love of God and fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. ” 2 Corinthians 13:11-14
Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.
Fred Redekop
Ponder Anew 