If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, just as he is Christ’s, so also are we

 Good morning. You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If anyone is confident in himself that he is Christ’s (remember at the beginning of first Corinthians, people were saying “I am of Paul”, “I am of Apollos”, “I am of Christ”), let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. For even if I did boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying (same root word as in “destroying fortresses“) you, I will not be put to shame, for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters. For they say, “his letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive (I guess he didn’t wear Armani and he didn’t strut around like somebody important) and his speech contemptible (he didn’t have a polished speech; he simply spoke by the Spirit from his heart).“ What we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present. He “put his money where his mouth was“. They had “proper” words but no actions confirming their words. Father help us to have actions according to Your words, not ours.

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