The Second Sunday in Lent - Reflections on the Letters of Lent
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire. Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future-- all belong to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" I wonder what kind of world this would be if everyone thought that, or even behaved like that. If we truly treated our neighbor and ourselves with the love and respect due to God (or at least tried to), then the world would be a better place, wouldn't it?
Paul is teaching the church in Corinth about building faith on the good foundation, Jesus Christ. A foundation that will survive. A foundation rooted in faith and trust that if anything happens, the foundation is still solid, ready for the rebuild. Paul reminds the Corinthians that the true temple is you and that God's Spirit dwells in you.
Corinth is a transient trade port city with many people from different areas of the Mediterranian engaging in commerce. The people would be exposed to many different religious influences and many different philosophies. All the riff-raff of the Mediterranian world came through Corinth at one time or another. Paul knew the audience he was writing to and he addresses those who think they are wise and those who follow human leaders that are not of Christ.
I think today's call comes from within the reading when Paul says, "do not deceive yourselves." How often do we think that we are better than someone else? Do they not carry the spirit of God? How often have we been deceived by false teachings that cause fear and division? Do we not know that we are God's temple? A place of sacrifice and thanksgiving, a place of connection and forgiveness? We wander around thinking that we are something other than that which belongs to God... than that which contains God...
No comments:
Post a Comment