Voices Of The Dead

 

And He has protested to me, "Sufficient for you is My grace, for My power in infirmity is being perfected."  With the greatest relish, then, will I rather be glorifying in my infirmities, that the power of Christ should be tabernacling over me. 

Paul to the Corinthians (2) 12: 9, Concordant New Testament 

I have a friend who adheres to the Eastern Orthodox faith who continues to struggle with his own sin daily.  By his own admission, he will be in prayer several times each day seeking Gods forgiveness for those things he feels he's done.  I also recall the apostle Paul struggling with his own "Splinter in the flesh" {Paul to the Corinthians 12:7-9}.  For the longest time, I saw these words of Paul literally, as if he was indeed struggling with a thorn of some sorts.  Yet what if there is something different here?  What if the apostle was in a struggle with...sin?  Scripture tells us that Paul indeed struggled with thoughts of sin in his life {Paul to the Romans 7:18}.  indeed, the same man who proclaimed that we should consider ourselves dead to sin, himself struggled with sin {Paul to the Romans 6:11}.  So, the question is, what are we to consider that which we feel is sin if we are indeed dead to sin?  Those moments of bad behavior which we are all akin to.  A good friend has written that we often resort to the spiritual "Bar of soap" in order to keep ourselves clean {Knowing Jesus~ Discovering how Jesus lives in me by Dennis Deardorf}.  This cleansing involves the confession of our sins unto the Lord, Who is faithful and righteous to forgive our trespasses {First Epistle of John 1:9}.  The only issue with this is, what sin are we seeking the Lords forgiveness for?  Which sins did Jesus miss while hanging on that cross?  When Christ declared "It is accomplished," He declared that He had dealt with sin once and for all.  Not only our sins of the past, but of the present and future as well.  Indeed, Jesus has given Himself "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  In Gods eyes, we have no sin to deal with.  We're the only ones who continue to struggle with it.  So, do we truly understand that sin no longer rules our life?  If so, what is it that we continue to refer to as sin?  

Now we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the transcendence of power may be of God and not of us.  In everything, being afflicted, but not distressed; perplexed; but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not perishing - always carrying about in the body the deadening of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body. 

Paul to the Corinthians (2) 4: 7-10, Concordant New Testament 

Remember Paul's struggle with the thorn in his flesh?  How he pleaded with the Lord that it would be removed from him?  What was the Lords response to Paul?  "Sufficient for you is My grace, My power in infirmity is being perfected" {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 12:9}.  Gods power in our own infirmities is being perfected.  When we are weak, when we are imperfect, then He is strong!  When we are weak and we struggle with what we perceive to be sin in our lives, God is strong!  God deals with the imperfections in our lives by expressing Himself in and through us.  "So, what we call imperfections, God calls expressions of His grace" {Knowing Jesus - Discovering how Jesus lives in me by Dennis Deardorf}.  All too often we perceive our potential sin as our not being good enough for Jesus to be in our lives.  My friend offers prayers many times each day that he would feel "Worthy" of the saving grace of the Lord.  The spiritual cleansing we go through only lasts for a short time.  Eventually, we will once again feel the need to be "clean enough" for Jesus.  Not only was Paul clean enough for Christ to manifest Himself through him, but we are as well.  Our weaknesses are an opportunity for Jesus to reveal Himself through our imperfect flesh vessel {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 4: 7-10}.  When we are weak, He is strong!  

~Scott~