WYSIWYG....What you see is what you get. The word sincere here means without wax. Wax? Wax was used to hide defects in pottery or statues. When the heat of the sun hit, it became evident because the wax would melt. Paul tells the Corinthians that he has lived a life of godly sincerity before them. A life with no wax. He did not try to deceive them or hide anything from them...he was open and transparent. Ah...to live a life by the grace of God...the unmerited favor and merciful kindness that our God uses to gently exert His holy influence on our souls and turn us to Him. My God strengthens me with the things of eternity...the things that last...the truth. He is without wax. He strengthens me by the work of His grace and merciful loving kindness to stay the course and endure to the end. All glory to Him only...forever and ever!
Continuing on to verse 14 Paul tells the Corinthians that he knows they recognize and understand if only partially that they are each other's boasting. The more they read, heard and understood Paul's instructions to them, the greater their understanding would be that they would be each other's "treasures" in the day of Christ. They would be each other's reason to be proud. Paul longed for the day when they would rejoice over each other in glory. One commentator used 2nd Corinthians 5:16-17 to illuminate what Paul is trying to say. Truly it blessed my heart and and I will end with it.
Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Paul did not regard fellow believers according to the flesh. He saw them not with all their bangs, dents and scrapes but he attempted to see them with the eyes of God who sees us not as we are now but in our glorified state! How wonderful if my own eyes worked this way!
Lord, let me see the work of your Spirit in the lives of those believers you have so graciously placed in my life. Let me see them with your eyes...how they will look when they stand before you in glory. Let me see beyond the eyes of sight that focus and zero in on sin and imperfection and see with the eyes of faith. Let me see them as Paul saw the Corinthians...in the light of your glory and grace.
Love
Mom who sees each of you with the eyes of faith.
being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun ea good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.--Philippians 1:6-8
For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.--2nd Timothy 1:12
Finally, there is laid up for me othe crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous pJudge, will give to me qon that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.--2nd Timothy 4:8
For kwhat is our hope, or joy, or lcrown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the mpresence of our Lord Jesus Christ nat His coming? For you are our glory and joy.--1Thessalonians 2:19-20
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