{"id":1930,"date":"2022-07-31T13:09:15","date_gmt":"2022-07-31T18:09:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/?p=1930"},"modified":"2022-07-31T13:09:15","modified_gmt":"2022-07-31T18:09:15","slug":"the-excellency-of-the-power-of-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/2022\/07\/31\/the-excellency-of-the-power-of-god\/","title":{"rendered":"The Excellency of the Power of God"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"983\" height=\"737\" src=\"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Web-Verse-153-2-Corinthians-4-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1931\" srcset=\"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Web-Verse-153-2-Corinthians-4-7.jpg 983w, http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Web-Verse-153-2-Corinthians-4-7-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Web-Verse-153-2-Corinthians-4-7-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 983px) 100vw, 983px\" \/><figcaption> \u201c<strong>But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.<\/strong>\u201d <br> 2 Corinthians 4:7 <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul had been called to be a light to the Gentile people, telling them of\nthe Gospel message of Jesus. He wanted all to understand each person is a\nsinner (see Romans 3:23), and that\nall would die an eternal death unless they trusted in Jesus (see Romans 6:23). Paul understood the importance of\nteaching the truths of the Gospel message. \u201c<strong>1. Therefore seeing we have this\nministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2. But have renounced the\nhidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word\nof God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to\nevery man&#8217;s conscience in the sight of God<\/strong>\u201d (2 Corinthians 4:1-2). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Dishonesty<\/strong> means \u201c<em>shameful actions; disgraceful conduct; hidden things of shame; clandestine conduct of which disciples of Christ should be ashamed<\/em>.\u201d <\/li><li><strong>Craftiness<\/strong> means \u201c<em>shrewd; unscrupulous; the employment of any or all means necessary to apprehend an end<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 <\/li><li><strong>Handling the word of God deceitfully<\/strong> means \u201c<em>adulterating the word of the gospel (and its instructions of men in religion) with the notion of unjust lucre, gain or profit<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 <\/li><li><strong>Manifestation<\/strong> means \u201c<em>to make visible or observable<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul was not dishonest, crafty, or deceitful\nin the way he taught the Gospel or doctrines of Jesus. Instead, he made it not\nonly visible in his life but also observable in his lifestyle. That is to be\nthe conscience effort of each Christian \u2013 to tell others simply and honestly,\nwithout any trickery, about Jesus. However, more than that, we are to \u201cflesh\u201d\nit out \u2013 live it daily. So that all can see what God can, and will do, through\nChristian\u2019s lives. Remember Jesus\u2019 final instructions before he ascended into\nheaven: to be witnesses to the uttermost part of the earth (see Acts 1:8). Each\nChristian is responsible to share the Gospel message of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul continued. \u201c<strong>3. But if our gospel be\nhid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4. In whom the god of this world hath\nblinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious\ngospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them<\/strong>\u201d (2\nCorinthians 4:3-4). Paul had not failed to tell others consistently about\nJesus, so if they did not receive or understand the Gospel message it was\nbecause \u201cthe god of this world\u201d (which is Satan) hid it from them. Remember how\nmany had rejected Jesus \u2013 who declared to all, that He <strong><em>is<\/em><\/strong> the\nLight of the World. \u201c<strong>19. And this is the\ncondemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather\nthan light, because their deeds were evil. 20.\nFor every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light,\nlest his deeds should be reproved<\/strong>\u201d (John 3:19-20). Most people find it easier to believe a lie\n(remember Satan is the father of lies, see John 8:44),\ninstead of the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul understood the heart of the message. \u201c<strong>5.\nFor we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your\nservants for Jesus&#8217; sake. 6. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of\ndarkness, hath shined in our hearts, to <em>give<\/em> the light of the knowledge\nof the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ<\/strong>\u201d (2 Corinthians 4:5-6).\nOnly God can convict the heart of sin. Only Jesus can save. \u201c<strong>But we have\nthis treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of\nGod, and not of us<\/strong>\u201d (2 Corinthians 4:7). <strong>Earthen vessels<\/strong> means \u201c<em>the\nhuman body as formed of clay and this feeble and frail<\/em>.\u201d Paul understood\nthat it was not in his frail, human, body that the ability to save was given,\nbut it is in the power of God alone. Yet God <strong><em>used<\/em><\/strong> Paul in his frailty\nto accomplish God\u2019s plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is it difficult to allow God to use one to\naccomplish His plan? Paul declared that with every part of his being, he lived\na life that revealed Jesus to any who saw him (see 2 Corinthians 4:8-11). But\nwith that came much persecution and troubles on every side. Nevertheless, Paul\nunderstood the importance of putting his own flesh to death and living in the\nSpirit. \u201c<strong>So then death worketh in us, but life in you<\/strong>\u201d (2 Corinthians 4:12). Because Paul followed God\u2019s will, not\nliving for himself, others could see Jesus, which allowed them the opportunity to\nchoose life eternal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jesus is always the best example to follow. \u201c<strong>Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work<\/strong>\u201d (John 4:34). <strong>Meat<\/strong> means \u201c<em>denotes sustenance; nourishment<\/em>.\u201d Jesus understood that pleasing God, doing the work He has for one, is very important \u2013 even life sustaining. We are to follow Jesus\u2019 example. Christians are not to do what we want, but what God wants us to do. Jesus completed everything God wanted Him to do (see John 19:30).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:center\"><em><strong>Have you allowed God to use you, in your frailty, to accomplish His plan for you as you share the Gospel message?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-wordpress wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-the-biblical-path-of-life\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"igio9DC8a4\"><a href=\"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/how-to-be-saved\/\">How to be Saved<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;How to be Saved&#8221; &#8212; The Biblical Path of Life\" src=\"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/how-to-be-saved\/embed\/#?secret=g0OEw835L9#?secret=igio9DC8a4\" data-secret=\"igio9DC8a4\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paul had been called to be a light to the Gentile people, telling them of the Gospel message of Jesus. He wanted all to understand each person is a sinner (see Romans 3:23), and that all would die an eternal death unless they trusted in Jesus (see Romans 6:23). Paul understood the importance of teaching [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[318],"tags":[963,525,964,965,961,186,622,80,492,503,966,962,277,324],"class_list":["post-1930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-picture-with-verse-and-blog","tag-craftiness","tag-darkness","tag-dishonesty","tag-flesh","tag-frailty","tag-god","tag-gospel-message","tag-jesus","tag-light","tag-live","tag-lost","tag-ministry","tag-paul","tag-plan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1930"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1930\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1933,"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1930\/revisions\/1933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}