Friday, August 19, 2005

The filth of the world

Lest one think when those of the world (and even fellow Christians) look at the Church they will see perfection, I offer the following:

The apostle Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians, when referring to himself and his fellow apostles states:

For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now. - 1 Cor. 4:9-13

The apostles were beaten, stoned and delivered to the whips. Their bodies scarred, bruised and broken. Imagine a person you've seen where you had to advert your gaze, the revulsion almost uncontrollable. That image was the apostles. However, that is how it was supposed to be. Christ himself had no "comeliness". He Himself suffered the beating and ripping of flesh, so much so that he was a spectacle to men and demons. The apostles shared in his "passion". Again the apostle Paul to the Colossians:

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.

As an aside, what of the devil, what is his form, again the apostle Paul:

For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Those who followed Paul and hounded him with false teaching weren't beaten and broken. Their smooth features went along with their smooth words, how could they possibly be wrong? "Look at Paul", they say, "his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible." Little did they realize, little do we realize that is the lot of Christ. "If they hated the master, how much more his servants."

But, we will say, that is the lot of Christ and his apostles, not us. Listen again to what the apostle says, "I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you." Little did these Corinthians know that among themselves were future generations of martyrs, even their own children.

However, these stripes aren't just physical, hear the apostle Peter:

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. - 1 Peter 2:11-12

Just as Christ was accused of evil, so shall we, His Church, be accused of evil. Christ has made us "reconciled in the body of His flesh" to suffer His sufferings. However, whereas Christ was sinless, we have sinned. Do we expect the world to forget our sins? May God have mercy on our souls for the reproaches we bring to His Body. Bring them we must, for "God has called sinners".

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