When Paul tells Christians to live a “quiet life” (1 Thessalonians 4) and to “be at peace with all” (Romans 12), many people take this to mean we keep our eyes down and our mouths shut, if we’re believers. The misunderstanding of these verses has led to cowardice among believers, and John states in the Revelation “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8). Paul is not calling for weak-hearted and weak-minded believers, nor is he encouraging cowardice: he’s saying don’t be contentious and cause problems. Paul was outspoken, even opposing Peter “to his face” when he was mistreating the gentile believers by refusing to fellowship with them (Galatians 2:11).
Loved ones, we’re not to be divisive, rebellious and strive against people, but we are to boldly walk in Christ. Paul tells Timothy that we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, and love and self- control (2 Timothy 1:7). Our enemies are not flesh and blood. That is the point. We stand in the gap, boldly proclaiming and confessing our faith in Christ Jesus, telling all of the Gospel. The loud voice in heaven in Revelation cries out that we will overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony! (Revelation 12:11) Loved ones, you were not called to build a life for yourself, to dig trenches and barricades, and settle in until Christ calls you home. You were called to be a vessel of the Spirit of God, the Temple of the Holy Spirit. And if that same power that caused Jesus to rise from the grave lives in you (Romans 8:11), what are you waiting for? Do not back down, defend the faith, and give everyone you can the reason for the hope you have in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3
Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
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