Christian Living
Revelation precedes example
“I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you … ” [1 Cor. 11.23 NASB]
Paul was a good example to the people of God, no matter their spiritual condition or wherever they were found. Whether he had founded the churches or had only heard reports of them, he was able to exercise his apostolic authority and say, with genuine humility, something like, “Do, as you have seen me do” or “In this situation, I suggest”.
Now, Paul was not arrogant or conceited. He could make these and similar statements, for he was living and walking, day-by-day, in the revelation and instruction of the Lord.
The early church was, at that time, in a formative state and every day the various churches were encountering unforeseen problems and major moral and theological decisions had to be made and made quickly, this was why they needed the covering and the wisdom of someone like Paul.
What I really like about God is that He is never taken by surprise. He knows what is going to happen and He has, for His people, the solution to their predicament or the way of escape already prepared.
Just when the enemy thinks, as Pharaoh foolishly thought, that he has encased and trapped God’s people, He made a way out where the enemy was sure that this was not possible and then the way that the enemy followed, led to his death.
A similar thing happened after the Lord Jesus had gone to the realm of the damned. For a very long time, His enemies had been waiting, agonisingly waiting for this very moment. They had been constantly assured by the manufacturer of lies that this was their time and from this moment on, the intolerable situation, which they had been experiencing, would be eternally altered.
However, they were unable to take into account the wisdom and the foreknowledge of God. He set Him free from the vice-like grip of the powers of darkness and safely placed Him, at His right hand, on His throne, where everything is now under His feet.
One fact, among many, that never fails to bring hope to me, when I feel down, is the truth that God always knows what to do for the best.
For example, the church at Corinth was not always of the same mind. However, God had a good plan for them.
The Spirit of the Lord is continually looking for different ways to exalt the Lord Jesus and when He revealed the Lord’s Supper to Paul, at that time, it was a masterstroke.
By one act, the will and the mind of the people would be singly focused upon the death, resurrection, ascension and coming again of the Lord Jesus.
In our current situation, being Christ-centred is a good cure for any form of discord, the dreadful effects of division, disharmony between the brethren and consequently, depression.
How can we move from any one of the above to the place of revelation? The solution may be found in [1 Cor. 11.3].
God is the origin of all things, the Son submits to the Father and the Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son. The Son, and He alone, makes the Father known and the Spirit reveals the Son, who, in turn, reveals the Father.
The blueprint of the Lord’s life was revelation from God followed by Jesus’ obedience, which was based on the revelation and because He obeyed, He was automatically under divine protection and because He was divinely protected, He was delivered and after the deliverance had come, there was the revelation of the next task.
If we want to, and who doesn’t, move into this continual sphere of revelation and obedience, we need to be properly connected to the rest of the body. Then, revelation will come as sure as morning follows evening. [David McArdle]
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