There is a post coming about hubris, and linking to Free Northerner on authority. In this passage we can see what the cost of spiritual leadership is. Another passage today talks about Christ saying if we are not prepared to hate our mother and brothers and sisters and even our life for the gospel’s sake we are not fit to be Christ’s followers.
For our family may not be prepared to pay the cost.
Paul was. He considered his life disposable. He was glad if he was placed in chains — for it sheltered the early church, and glad when the church gave him comfort. For he had been in a hard school, and relied of Christ. Together with prayer.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
What power we have in Christ. The pagans can think they destroy and kill and silence, but we can pray. And those prayers can lead to others yet to come thinking about the circumstances we find ourselves in a praising God for their redemption, even though we may have suffered greatly through that period.
The elite can try to shut us down: but they have not as yet. And they cannot stop our prayers. When we have nothing to give and no energy and are physically broken, prayer still remains.
At this time I pray particularly for our leaders. That they may have discernment: the church is seen as irrelevant, without authority, and accused of the blackest abuse. There have been false leaders who have assuaged their lusts on the bodies of those who should be under their care: Christ was pretty scathing about such, saying something about millstones and seas. Now we have some who say that the voice of the people is the voice of God, and we need to roll over and be good little pagans, losing whatever power we have.
“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
(Luke 14:34-35 ESV)
We are not supposed to be the religious arm of our society. Our church is not a national church, nor a church for the people. It belongs to Christ. If the people walk away, via referenda, or are led away by the evil desires of the elite, we need to remain. The way of Christ is hard. We need to obey Christ. We need to keep our vows, and choose to live, regardless of our status, for the glory of God, doing what is needful this day for him.
And let not this world interfere with our prayers or regulate our righteousness. This period in society will end, and sooner than many think. But the church is of Christ. and the gates of Hell cannot prevail against it.