Belligerence
| It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (2Corinthians4:13-15) |
Paul is quoting from Ps.116 (see below) which is a song of thanksgiving for God's deliverance from trouble and persecution. What is interesting is that Paul changes the wording slightly....
The Psalm says "I believed, therefore I said 'I am greatly afflicted'" whereas Paul says "I believed; therefore I have spoken." The Psalmist would seem to indicate that, in the midst of his trouble, his faith in God led him to bring his complaint to God who then delivered him - Paul states it more positively: We, in the midst of our trouble, believe, and we speak of the One who raised Jesus from the dead.
Could there be more trouble than death on the cross?? The cross was a death that was not only physical, but was considered cursed by God - a death that Jesus died as one who was completely innocent and yet carried the weight of our sin. Could there be any predicament greater than His?
BUT God raised Him from the dead!
So is there anything impossible for Him?
The Psalmist's faith allowed him to bring his complaint to God.
Paul's faith, because of the resurrection, allows him to HOPE.
And this hope pushed Paul to proclaim the Gospel to the Corinthians and to the world. It meant that Grace could reach more and more people and cause thanksgiving to overflow.
This is the curious thing about the gospel. The more you persecute Christianity, the more it flourishes. Why is this? Because hope is fuelled by the powerful truth of Jesus' resurrection and the fire of faith becomes unquenchable.
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PS 116:1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice;
he heard my cry for mercy.
2 Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came upon me;
I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the LORD:
"O LORD, save me!"
5 The LORD is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The LORD protects the simplehearted;
when I was in great need, he saved me.
7 Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.
8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.
10 I believed; therefore I said,
"I am greatly afflicted."
11 And in my dismay I said,
"All men are liars."
12 How can I repay the LORD
for all his goodness to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his saints.
16 O LORD, truly I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant;
you have freed me from my chains.
17 I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
and call on the name of the LORD.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the LORD--
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD.
