Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Hello, dear people.

Thano’s two little boys were delivered here this morning at 6:30am. Normally it’s Tuesday. We get them an extra day this week. Thankfully, Thano doesn’t work during the three days of their stay.

I’ll try to knock out a jog after sending this…then get busy with juggling the combo of making signs and making sawdust (running the sawmill). It’s going to be another hot one.

Blessings on your day.

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 so much 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—NOT ANYTHING!

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