CHRIST’S SUFFICIENT -♦
O ne of the key passages in the New Testament on how to live the victorious life is in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. This reads as follows: “ And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelation, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” There are three outstanding things in this passage. I. The Messenger o f Satan Here we see again, as in many other places in the Bible, the working together of what appears to be entirely evil and the purposes of God. Paul had a thorn in the flesh— some physical ailment—which was at the same time a messenger of Satan and yet permitted by God. Twice in the same verse the reason for it is given: “ Lest I should be exalted above measure.” We note at once two things here which may give us some comfort: (1) Perhaps Paul’s physical ailment was not specifically described in order that all suffering believers, whatever their ailments, may find consolation in this passage; (2) Even the great Apostle Paul could be tempted to pride. Another point at which we see the working of evil and the purpose of God together is in the Apostle Peter’s address on the Day of Pentecost, when he said concerning Christ, “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:23). One of my Bible teachers years ago used to say that here we see the upper and nether millstones grinding out the fine wheat. Paul also reminds us of the need of suffering for Christ: “ For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Phil. 1:29). So Paul’s thorn somehow came from Satan, but was permitted by God and used in the training of Paul. Paul did the right thing about this thorn; He took it to the Lord, praying about it three times (v. 8). God did not see fit to remove it, but gave him rather a wonderful word of encouragement. Paul’s thorn was something like the ballast in a sailing yacht, which keeps the boat from capsizing and makes it possible to steer it. If a novice lifted up the floor boards of a yacht and saw cinder blocks or pieces of iron down along the keel, he might think it would be a good thing to throw them overboard. But if he did he would soon find that when he hoisted the sail he couldn’t manage the boat. And when a professional diver goes down under water (in an old-style suit) it is very important for him to have heavy weights on his feet so that he can stand upright. In a poem entitled “Welcome Cross” William Cowper wrote:
“ Trials make the promise sweet, Trials give nevir life to prayer; Trials bring me to his feet, Lay me low, and keep me there. Did I meet no trials here, No chastisement by the way: Might I not, with reason, fear I should prove a cast-away? Bastards may escape the rod, Sunk in earthly vain delight; But the true-born child of God Must not, would not, if he might.”
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John Bunyan never could have written such great works as “ Pilgrim’s Progress,” “ Grace Abounding,” and “ The Holy War” unless he had gone through many trials. At one time some of his friends wanted to have him ordained, but others opposed it. Then his friend John Burton spoke in his favor and said: “ This man hath been chosen not out of an earthly but out of an heavenly university, where he hath by grace taken these three degrees, to wit, union with Christ, the anointing of the Spirit, and experience of the temptations of Satan.” II. The Message From God When Paul prayed about his thorn in the flesh, God said to him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Notice that the pronoun “My” is used twice here, emphasizing the fact that the grace and strength were not Paul’s but God’s. This recalls His word to Isaiah: “ I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8). One of the best New Testament pictures of grace is this: “ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteous, and godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14). Here we see God’s grace initiating salvation, enabling us to live a holy life and look forward to the Second Coming, and leading the Lord Jesus Christ to give Himself for us, “ that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Note also that the important little word “ is” is used twice in God’s message to Paul. That is, His grace is suffi cient for us at any and every moment. It is like the path of light that streams from the moon across the water to a ship at sea. As we steam along in the ship, the moonlight seems always to be in the same place. Or it is like the air that we breathe— there is always enough for all of us and we take it in approximately 18 times a minute without even thinking about it. Some years ago someone wrote these lines: Next, we may note:
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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