2 Corinthians 4:13-15 – I Believe. I Speak.
Paul quotes from Psalm 116 here. He has that same spirit of faith that David had. David let his heart cry out to God. He believed that the Lord was the one who delivered him. He glimpsed the Messiah that was promised, and his hope was resting in that Messiah to come. And out of his faith, David says, ‘I believed, therefore I spoke’. What was it he spoke? He spoke that he was afflicted, that his soul was going down to the grave itself, that out of his faith he prayed that God would deliver him. And Paul takes up that similar prayer in his own life. Paul wants the Corinthian church to understand their union with Christ, and how that union with Christ leads them to speak of their Redeemer. Union with Christ also means that believers are united with each other. David and Paul and the Corinthian church and you and I are united with our Redeemer and united with each other. We share the same Lord, the same faith, the same baptism, the same hope. It’s the same Spirit that moved David to speak and to believe. It also motivated Paul to preach the Gospel. And it’s that same Spirit that the Corinthian church was given so that they would trust in Christ and not be led astray. And it’s that same Spirit that has opened your eyes to your need of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. And it’s the same Spirit that stirs us up to speak of the redemption that we’ve received through Christ.
Paul speaks about the resurrection as the hope that we share. As we belong to Jesus, we participate not only in His death, but His life. The battle has been won by Jesus Christ. He has defeated that great enemy, death and Satan. That means that no matter what anyone can do to us in this life, we will not be destroyed because there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Paul brings this up not just to give us courage to die for Christ, but courage to live for Him. “I believe, therefore I speak.” So the gospel of Jesus might be an offense. It might bring perplexing situations with co-workers, It might bring persecution in this world, and it might even bring death itself. What is it that the enemy can do? In the end, he can do nothing, because Christ is my Redeemer, and my union with Him gives me the same hope as those heroes of the faith that believed and spoke. And when the gospel goes out, grace abounds, and praise and thanksgiving increases to God’s glory.
Question
- Why should our faith prompt us to speak?
Prayer Points
- Pray that we would speak of Christ more.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.