Strength In Weakness

MANAGING SEVERE INFIRMITIES

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Whatever this thing was in the Apostle Paul, he calls it an infirmity. The word is typically used to refer to a physical sickness, or some form of weakness in the physical frame. This seems to be the way Paul intends it in this context. The word is translated weakness in verse 9.

It is certainly proper to pray fervently for the removal of one’s infirmity. This requires identifying and naming it. It is not out of order to investigate one’s infirmity as one seeks to determine the cause, and perhaps a solution from the Lord. If the Lord grants healing, those who know about His intervention will join together in giving Him praise.

But, God may have other plans for us in regard to infirmities. They certainly affect us. We are weakened by them. We are challenged physically, emotionally and mentally. We need help! 

God gave Paul as an example to us that we might know how to best respond to continuing and severe infirmities. If through prayer God is not pleased to bless means or directly intervene to grant us healing, we must assume that He will grant us grace. This includes a special measure of the power of Christ resting upon us. 

It seems that this special grace comes when one resigns to glory in the infirmities as that which God has ordained. To glory, in this case, is not incessantly focusing upon it and talking about it. This glorying is to recognize the infirmities to be from our Father’s hand so that in the context of our recognized weakness we might be instruments that manifest the power of Christ. 

This is really an amazing response to infirmities that only makes sense to one who is a recipient of the grace of God. It is a response of self-denial. It is an attitude of repose, deflecting attention from one’s infirmities to the sustaining grace of God which overshadows with the power of Christ, which reaches into dimensions of life unknown in times of strength.

While we should be concerned for and care about the infirmities of others, sometimes our God chooses to manifest Himself most in the midst of infirmities. So, while it is right to seek to be delivered from infirmities, it is better to know the power of Christ in the midst of them. He is glorified as we reflect His strength in our weakness.

CAN MODESTY BE DEFINED?

Some thoughts were provoked in me after recently witnessing a visitor turned away from a prison visit because she was wearing a sleeveless top. By the way, sleeveless tops are not the only forbidden clothing at the prison. The rules also forbid: “revealing shorts, halter tops, see-through garments of any type, low-cut blouses or dresses, spandex or tight-fitting pants or blouses, miniskirts, backless tops, skirts cannot be more than 2 inches above the knee…” Church folk see a list like that and cry: legalism! Or, when someone speaks out in some particular way to encourage modesty of dress, an endless debate ensues about what is too tight, too short, too low, etc.. Interestingly, those in charge of enforcing the rules for prison visitation don’t seem confused at all about such matters.

Why such rules for dress at a prison? It seems the answer is obvious. But, here again, debates ensue over the merit of such rules. Why should women be controlled because men can’t seem to control themselves? Why should women be restricted for the sake of men who are stimulated in some fleshly way by revealing, form-fitting or suggestive clothing? Shouldn’t men bear some responsibility? Should men be absolved from their responsibility to control their eyes and their minds? And so the debate goes on while the heart of the matter is completely lost.

Laws or rules are made because the hearts (the inward desires and motivations) of men and women are naturally corrupt. But when the Spirit of Christ is controlling the heart, rules that originate from the mind of Christ are not burdensome. The heart of a Spirit-filled child of God is ever seeking to conform to the desire of God, not the standards of the world.

The world must police its own, and therefore specific rules are put in place and enforced—no questions asked. The officer who turned the lady away from a prison visit because she had improper attire did not reason with her or ask her if she would conform. He simply turned her away. That’s the law. She was not happy-at all (her verbal and body language said it all)! But, she left to buy a shirt that covered her. She no doubt returned, dressed according to the law, but still with a spirit of immodesty. Her heart was not changed.

Grace changes everything. No, grace does not open the door for us to dress according to whatever standard we please. Grace does not cause us to ignore indecency and shrink from confronting brothers and sisters who may not be sensitive to what their manner of dress is provoking in others, or saying about themselves. Grace teaches us to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world (Titus 2:12). Grace teaches us to love one another, helping one another to see more clearly. Grace changes us from the inside, leading us to be submissive followers of Christ in every area of our lives, including our appearance.  Our spirit and body have been purchased by the high price of Christ’s own blood (1 Cor. 6:19,20). How can we then live and dress in any way except what pleases Him?

I exhort you, in love, be concerned about dressing modestly in a very immodest world. Dress to cover up; not reveal or accentuate. Let your dress say something about who you are, and whose you are—not your own, bought with a price! 

(For a helpful study of this issue I recommend Jeff Pollards booklet: Christian Modesty: The Public Undressing of America, available at chapellibrary.org/files/4313/7643/2903/cmod.pdf.)

SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING A PHARISEE?

By Pharisee I am not referring so much to that society of Jewish men who made up part of the leadership in Israel in Paul’s day. He called himself a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee even after his conversion (Acts 23:6). I am speaking of the attitude that was so apparent in the Pharisees. 

Prior to his conversion Paul highly regarded the letter of the law and sought to honor God by his own intense efforts. He was very confident in his own fleshly efforts to attain sufficient righteousness to find acceptance with God. Self-confidence and self-justification were attitudes that he surrendered when he came to recognize himself as condemned under the judgment of the holy law of God. He said in Philippians 3:7, But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Paul characterized all his former religious and moral efforts as confidence in the flesh (vs. 3). When he was born of the Spirit of Christ that confidence vanished and he gave up all trust in himself to gain favor with God. Jesus Christ became the ONLY confidence of his soul before a holy God. Without the righteousness of God through the faith of Christ, no sinner has the righteousness needed to reach heaven.

Confidence in the flesh is something that every true believer is concerned to avoid. Pharisaical tendencies are part of the flesh. This is why Paul warns true believers against those who glory in the flesh (Philippians 3:2; Galatians 6:11-14). The born again one knows there is nothing in himself about which to glory.

Concern about flesh includes more than moral impurity. The Pharisee is more likely to have moral confidence and an arrogant spirit of superiority. He will likely establish lists of “sins” that he feels confident he can avoid, activities he does religiously, and relationships with others based upon their faithfulness to his standard. His attitude and interaction varies depending upon how the behavior of his “brother” or “sister” measures up. 

This confidence in the flesh affects his attitude and relationship to God. Living with the sense that God accepts him based upon his own performance, his peace and joy is linked almost entirely to his fleshly achievements. This no doubt has great bearing upon his expectations of others, triggering those fluctuating attitudes and actions toward them. (Note: there is, of course, biblical warrant and direction for warning, rebuking, and discipline within the church.)

The pressing point found within the Philippian letter is that all our confidence before God must be in and because of Jesus Christ. If we ever attain the blessing of the resurrection of the dead, it will have nothing to do with our fleshly efforts. The prize unto which we are pressing as Christians is obtained only in Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:14). 

A Pharisee is focused on the flesh. The Spirit brings our focus upon Christ. In all my efforts to be right and do right, I don’t want to miss Him. To miss Him is to miss the glory of God and heaven. 

Yes, I should be concerned about being a Pharisee. May the Spirit of Christ bring light to bear upon this matter in each of our lives lest we be guilty of confidence in the flesh.