Themes By Chapter
Book Summary
The book opens with comfort and ends in comfort, in-between we have much of Paul’s testimony, how he was battered , shipwrecked, persecuted and stripped. Paul tells us of his sufferings, oppressions and his thorn in the flesh. However the punch of the book is comfort and that in all tribulations we have consolations in Christ. In fact through sufferings our hearts draw closer to God as He is able to comfort us, for all suffering in this life is working in us for our good, molding us into His image. Paul puts it this way – “that your light affliction is working for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”Paul describes the true Christians at Corinth as “living epistles.” For some people the only bible that they will read is ourselves. The words of the bible are spirit and life, that is they work in us and become our life, the words of the bible are living and powerful, God will use His word to form Christ in us – for the word to become flesh in our lives.
“thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” When we understand how much God has given us on the cross it becomes our reasonable service to give all of ourselves as living sacrifices. We can’t out give God for He already has out given everyone with His gift to all who come to Him. This realization should make me want to give. In fact giving becomes better than receiving because when you give it allows God to work in you. When you give there is room for God to move, to work in and to change. Giving is better than receiving because giving works for our benefit, it changes our hearts, it helps with our selfishness, it makes us become more like God. This is because God is a giver, He has given us His indescribable gift so by giving we are showing God, we are reflecting Him, reflecting the most glorious thing in the universe.