Jeremiah Kaaya Pastor at Springs of Power Church, Teacher by professional

Paul wrote this in the second letter to the Corinthians (2Cor 1:24). You can even realize that when he said this, he had already written so much to the Corinthians in the first letter seeking to guide them in the way of Christ. But you also note that even in the first letter, he had tried to desist from presenting himself as the infallible. When he advised by himself, he would state it clearly so he could avoid misdirecting the true gospel of Jesus Christ (1Cor 7:12). He stressed it that he never loved it that their faith rests on the wisdom of men and on the excellence of speech, but on the power of God (1Cor 2:1-5).

On this then, Paul was reassuring the Corinthians that there had been no such attempt and intent as to seem to dominate anyone's faith, but to help them come to the fullness of the knowledge of God. So, the Corinthians were not to perceive Paul's guidance as seeking to have dominion over their faith. Yet he was not only to say, but to be practical as not to seem to have such intent. 

Jesus is the Mediator between men and God (1Tim 2:5). Meaning Jesus is the only way to be saved and without whom there is no any other form of spiritual salvation (John 14:6). Jesus is the light of the world (John 12:46), (John 8:12). Yet when He taught, He left His listeners freedom and space to think and choose for themselves (Mark 4:9), (Matt 13:9). For He had guided them and it was up to one to choose what would be befitting to them. Equally so, as a minister, take it that you can only guide, but you can't dictate anything thereof. For it is by faith in Christ that whoever is Born Again is. Let everyone bear the brunt of their decision making, more so if they have been guided the right way to go (John 3:19). But play one into something is wrong. So as a minister, desist from seeking to personally influence one's decision making and don't spy on their freedom (Gal 2:4).

Why did Jesus come?
Jesus came to set us free (John 8:36). Free from what? To set us free from the dictates of the law. For the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus (John 1:17). By whom your faith is, so are you answerable to. Those who adhere to the law of Moses so are they answerable to Moses. That the law of Moses is the lead reference. And so it is that the Pentateuch is by Moses. Yet one who chooses to go for grace and truth is answerable to the one by whom they came and that is Jesus Christ. As that, grace is not by the law and it is not in it that the truth is.

In this, that the law came by Moses, so it is that he dominates the faith of whoever believes in the law. Thus the Jews always referred Jesus to the law of Moses whenever He taught what seemed to be contrary to the dictates of the law of Moses (John 8:5), (Matt 19:7), (Matt 22:23-24). But because the truth came by Jesus, He always taught them it was not about the law of Moses but the truth which He was teaching them. It is on this fact that Jesus taught that you can't patch an old cloth with a new one, nor can you put new wine in old skins because they are totally incompatible (Mark 2:21-22), (Matt 9:16-17).

So then, by seeking to dominate people's faith, it is as if we want to bring back the era and order of the law but in camouflage. For if the law of Moses was used in reference to Moses, so it is that you seek to present yourself as a reference rather than Christ. That what you haven't said is not and should not be! If Christ came to deal with this situation, is it you who wants to condition people's faith to yourself? That if you are not, so one's faith is not? We are only by faith in Christ the Savior Heb 10:38), (Habakkuk 2:4), (Gal 3:11), (Rom 1:17). Recall that when Jesus gave up the ghost, the separating veil in the temple was torn in between from top to bottom (Matt 27:51). Jesus grants us spiritual freedom. We are because of Jesus (Matt 1:21), (Col 1:13, 2:6-15), (1Thessalonians 1:10), (Heb 12:2). For Jesus is the cornerstone (Matt 21:42).

May 15 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report