Fri 2020.07.17
Reading from 1 Corinthians Chapter 4 KJV
Reviled, persecuted, defamed: Living as fools, for the sake of the Anointed One.
The Apostle tells the Corinthian brethren that he and his co-workers live like fools for the sake of the Lord, the Anointed One. Besides having to endure hunger, thirst and beaten, and having no place to stay in, they were also being reviled, persecuted and defamed by others without fighting back.
What did they do instead?
They blessed those who reviled them, tolerated those who persecuted them and entreated those who defamed them. The Bible in Basic English renders verses 12 and 13 in this way, "when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly; When evil things are said about us we give gentle answers . . ."
Such is the reality of living as fools for the sake of our Lord in this world.
1 Corinthians 4:10 - 13 KJV
10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.
11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;
12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.
Compare this passage with the words of our Lord the Anointed One in His Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:11 - 12 ASV
11 Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you.
Matthew 5:38 - 41 ASV
38 Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 but I say unto you, resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go one mile, go with him two.
