As we look at the book of Corinthians, we see the very heart and soul of Paul. He dearly loved the Corinthian Church where he had spent 18 months teaching them. He also worked as a tent maker staying with Aquila and Priscilla. His first trip to Corinth was at the end of his second missionary journey right after having presented the Gospel boldly to little avail in Athens. His journey had been met with many trials along the way with great dissidence in each city forcing his departure. Remember even in the first journey, near Lystra, he was stoned and left for dead. Weary and perhaps disheartened, he arrived in Corinth. Yet, he would teach them of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit from Glory to Glory.
His heart was on display. He clearly spoke of his own frailty and inability to do God’s work apart from the power of the Holy Spirit transforming him and all who would believe. Corinth was known as a port city thriving with immorality. Yet, Paul had a very special love for Corinth. He saw them as his children in Christ.
I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore, I urge you, be imitators of me. For this reason, I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 1 Corinthians 4:14-17 NASB
Transforming Work of the Holy Spirit
Paul wrote them concerned for their divisions and strife initially. But also their liberality. The people were more concerned about which “sect” they were of than the truth of the gospel message. Some proclaimed themselves followers of Apollo, others Peter, some Paul and others proclaimed they follow only Christ. Yet even those did so with an air of arrogance and not one of true humility serving Christ.
when I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come as someone superior in speaking ability or wisdom, as I proclaimed to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I also was with you in weakness and fear, and in great trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of mankind, but on the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5 NASB
Nothing but the Work of the Holy Spirit
He continually pointed them back to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can transform a heart from glory to glory that we might understand the truth of the gospel. The Holy Spirit instills a love and devotion within our heart to know and follow Jesus Christ.
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written:
“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the human heart,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” I Corinthians 2:6-9 NASB
Only through the Transformation of the Holy Spirit is True Wisdom
Only through the transformation of the Holy Spirit from Glory to Glory has Paul or Apollos or Peter been able to teach them anything of the gospel of Christ. It is the wisdom of God, not man that is necessary to grow. Christ is the wisdom of God made manifest.
For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him? So also the thoughts of God no one knows, except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 1 Corinthians 2:10-13 NASB
Beware of false teachers, for they do not know God. But we (all who know Jesus as Savior have the Holy Spirit within us. Therefore, we may come to have the mind of Christ for Christ is the wisdom of God.
But a natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. But the one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is discerned by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. I Corinthians 2: 14-16 (NASB)
Yet the transforming work of the Holy Spirit requires growth
That growth may be very gradual, still it will come. How do you know if you are growing?
And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people? I Corinthians 3:1-3 (NASB)
Actions Showing the Lack of Maturity
Jealousy, envy, and anger are signs we need a little more work in that field. The Holy Spirit will transform us, sometimes despite us kicking and screaming all the way, like an unruly child. But He will transform all who belong to Christ. Of that I am certain. Therefore, it is wiser to study the word, spend time in prior, and be willing to be molded.
According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each person must be careful how he builds on it. For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet only so as through fire. I Corinthians 3:10-15 (NASB)
Over the years, God has sent different teachers and different circumstances to help me to grow each step of the way. For every stage of life.
There were pastors sent for specific times and circumstances.
The Holy Spirit Indwells You; therefore you are a Temple
Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. I Corinthians 3: 16-17 NASB
As a temple you are being transformed by the Holy Spirit into a vessel of honor.
Take care that no one deceives himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. For it is written: “He is the one who catches the wise by their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are useless.” So then, no one is to be boasting in people. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. I Corinthians 3:18-23 NASB
No teacher is higher or to be esteemed. They are the servants of God. Yet, we see in Corinthians Paul’s heart and his brokenness over the struggles. He so wished their maturity; yet understood it was not his work. The transforming work of the Holy Spirit from glory to glory would complete the work in them. All he could really do was nurture them, guide them and even that was the Holy Spirit working through him. Yet, it is easy to note in these two letters a sadness of tone. A sorrow and perhaps fatigue. I find that comforting that even Paul at times felt himself so inadequate.
Many things to address
In addition to the problem of divisions, there was a problem of sin tolerance. A parishioner was sleeping with his father’s wife and they said nothing to him. Much like some of the churches today. In the name of tolerance and love, never speak out against sin. Yet, once they did address it, there was another case by II Corinthians when they became so intolerant, the refused to accept in someone after they repented. Furthermore, they then were becoming ritualistic. From one extreme to the other.
Yet the truth was that the transforming work of the Holy Spirit shone brightly as to the truth of the gospel. It was not the work of Paul that needed glorification, yet the labor had not been in vain. The change in their lives commended the fact he brought them the true gospel
You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people, revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of 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. II Corinthians 3:2-3 NASB
The Power is of Christ, not the teacher.
Such is the confidence we have toward God through Christ. Not that we are adequate in ourselves so as to consider anything as having come from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. II Corinthians 3: 4-6
Faith not Works
But if the ministry of death, engraved in letters on stones, came with glory so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? II Corinthians 3: 7-8 NASB
When Moses went up on the mountain to receive the stones and came back down his face shown with such glory that he had to wear a veil. In the temple there was a veil so that the “glory of God” did not shine so bright as to kill all those there. Only the high priest could go behind the veil. That veil was torn in two when Christ completed the work of redemption on the cross.
But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts; but whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. II Corinthians 3:15-16 NASB
The Law Cannot Transform a Heart
The law cannot transform a heart. The veil remains over the heart and eyes unless they turn to the Lord. For all who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior the veil is removed and we can see His glory. Albeit, through a glass dimly; but it is that glimpse of His glory that transforms us to look more like Him.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. II Corinthians 3:17-18 NASB
WHISPERS OF LOVE
Whispers of Love flowing all through my life
Even in moments of sorrow or strife
Whispers that came in the dark of the night
Promising Joy with the new morning light
Whispers of hope for the bleakest of day
“Love will find strength and will find its way”
Into your heart and grow from within
Until it flows forth rejoicing and then
Suddenly out of those long and sad years
Love does spring forth out of fountains of tears
Into rivers of joy bursting forth then to see
That love had been there abiding in me
Oh, thank you dear Lord for teaching me love
As Your spirit descends with the wings of a dove
And gathered the pieces of this shattered heart
To weave it with steel, Your glory impart
A Picture so rare, its beauty unmasked
A portrait of you made in brilliant stained glass
Your love had been there inside of me
Even when I had been too blind to see
Whispers of love, it was You all along
Holding me close, I am your love song!
Effie Darlene Barba
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
For Prayer or Comments
If you have a prayer request feel free to email me by clicking here
Furthermore, if you would like to share your story or thoughts, you can comment here
Previous
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
BSB (BEREAN STUDY BIBLE)
The Berean Bible and Majority Bible texts are officially dedicated to the public domain as of April 30, 2023.
New King James Version (NKJV)Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible (NASB)New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
Amplified Bible (AMP)Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.