2 Corinthians 10:7
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
The church in Corinth had received Paul’s corrections and had, for the most part, repented. There is especially in some segments of this letter a sense of relief and rejoicing. Apostle Paul had been so concerned that his ministry there had been finally rejected. It was not. Praise the Lord!
But there was an element in the church, whether they had come in later or had always been there and had become more apparent now that the bulk of the church had repented, who were doubtful of Paul, boastful of self, and bold in their accusations in the church. They unwisely set themselves up as the men of God, comparing themselves by their gifts and abilities and casting aspersions upon Paul for his lack of the same. I think a fair comparison in our time would be those churches who build lavish buildings and set themselves up as something better than the churches that meet in humble settings.
Here’s the lesson, according to John Gill, “[observe] the great modesty of the apostle, who does not go about to disprove others being Christ's, who so confidently boasted of it; nor bid them look to it to see if they were or not, since all that say so are not; only as if granting that they were, he would have them look upon him, and his fellow apostles as such also, who had at least equal pretensions to this character.”
This is yet another example of the biblical doctrine, practiced only by Baptists, and especially despised by Catholics, of individual soul liberty. He does not attack their place as Christian ministers (though I am sure he could); he simply claims to have as much evidence of being a man of faith as they.
There is doctrine that is wrong - dangerously so. But those who hold those doctrines have every bit as much right to them as we do of ours.[1]
We must pray for them.
We may preach sound doctrine that opposes theirs.
But we must not challenge their right to exist or to express their faith.
#SoulLiberty #SoundDoctrine #BiblicalTruth #FaithAndHumility #GospelMinistry
True Christian Modesty: Defending Faith Without Condemnation
[1] I would, however, suggest that people of sound faith come out from among them and be a separate body of practicing believers, the only thing the Baptists of the dark ages really wished to do.
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