Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

April 10
Wednesday


KEEP IT SIMPLE

READ:
2 Corinthians 1:12-14
_________________________________________________________

We are not writing any
other things to you
than what you [can]
read or understand.
__2 Corinthians 1:13
_________________________________________________________

James Madison, fourth president of the United States, was instrumental in the drafting of the US constitution. He warned against creating laws "so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they can not be understood." Based on some of the complicated government forms I've read, that's advice that still needs to be heeded a little more often!

Sometimes when sharing the gospel, we make it more complicated than it needs to be. We can be glad that the Bible presents the good news of salvation in clear, easily understood language. Jesus said to Nicodemus, an educated Pharisee, that "God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). He later said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (14:6). The apostle Paul said it in straightforward language to the jailor in Philippi who asked how to be saved: (Acts 16:31).

God's precious love story is simple. He sent His Son to rescue us from sin and death. Wonderful news that even children can understand. __Dave Egner

``````````````````````Tell me the story of Jesus,```````````````
````````````````````Write on my heart every word;`````````````
```````````````````Tell me the story most precious,`````````````
````````````````Sweetest that ever was heard. __Crosby`````````
_____________________________________________________________

Through faith in Christ, we receive God's pardon
and escape sin's penalty.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Corinthians 1:12-14*************

12 for our boasting is this:
the testimony of our
conscience that we
conducted ourselves in the
world in simplicity and
godly sincerity, not with
fleshly wisdom but by the
grace of God, and more
abundantly toward you.

13 For we are not writing
any other things to you than
what you read or
understand. Now I trust you
will understand, even to the
end 14 (as also you have
understood us in part), that
we are your boast as you
also are ours, in the day of
the Lord Jesus.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Second Corinthians 1:12-14 contains what is known as an
inclusio__a section of Scripture bracketed by similar beginning and
ending elements. Here it is a reference to boasting. In the church
at Corinth, there were some dissenters who made claims about
Paul's motivation and conduct. Paul responds in these verses by
saying that his only boast was that he always acted properly and
appropriately toward the believers in Corinth and has said nothing
to them that they could not understand. This passage paves the way
for a longer defense of his character found in 1:15-2;4. Contrary to
the accusations, Paul insisted that his actions were motivated by the
abundant love he had for them (2 Cor. 2:4).