Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hey there, nice people.

It’s getting ready to be the hottest day of the year in our area…close to 100. I became so spaced out with other things yesterday that I never did crank up my sawmill. So after sending this, I plan to do that.

Becki is off and running to a BIAOR (Brain Injury Association of Oregon) event in Salem. Thano will begin his shift at Safeway soon. Lots on my list. When the sun ducks behind the hill to the west toward evening, I hope I can get out there and attack some of our jungle of weeds that have grown up all over the place…growing like weeds.

Blessings on your plans and your execution of those plans.

Love, Dad/Ray.

As we read through this section and feel Paul’s heart, it’s pretty clear that he has been hurt by the very ones he loves so dearly and desires so desperately to help. Some of the Corinthian believers were apparently misrepresenting Paul and rejecting his ministry in favor of some other more sensational pseudo-apostles who were bending the gospel message to suit themselves. So he takes some time here to defend himself and presents quite a sensational list of credentials of his own (vv. 22-29). In view of the possibility that there would be some who may not believe his record, he adds one final comment for emphasis, saying, “The GOD and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, KNOWS THAT I AM NOT LYING.”

Ordinarily, I am not very impressed when people use such statements. I’ve been exposed to a good deal of the natural dirty contents of human hearts. I’ve witnessed too many occasions where people make such a comment as this, not to defend their innocence, but as a deceitful smoke screen tactic to defend and cover up their guilt. They will say, “GOD KNOWS THAT I AM NOT LYING” with a straight face that is already accustomed to lying. Or, “God is my judge.” Or, “May God strike me dead if I am not telling the truth.”

Do you know what it’s like to be misunderstood, misrepresented, and rejected by those whom you love? I do. I confess that I carry some scars of this nature to this day. In some of these cases there seems to be absolutely nothing more that I can do or say to repair the relationship and change people’s views and attitudes. I believe that whether or not I ever use such a statement as Paul uses here to defend myself before people is not nearly as important as that I be able to confidently use it in the inner chamber of my own private mind. GOD KNOWS THAT I AM NOT LYING. Sometimes the whole matter needs to rest right there. It becomes the declaration and foundation of a clear conscience before God. I wouldn’t want to trade that for anything—ANYTHING!

(Read again Proverbs 1-4. It underscores that personal heart-level integrity is wisdom.)