From Jim McGuiggan... Enriched in Jesus Christ (3)

Enriched 

in Jesus Christ (3)

“For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speech and in all your knowledge—because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.” 1 Corinthians 1:5-6

Paul claimed that being in Jesus Christ enriches our speech. This is true because of what Jesus has given us to say. The content and substance of our speech is the gospel about Jesus himself and a Story can’t get any richer than that. But it isn’t just the substance and content that makes the difference—though that is the heart of the difference. While it’s true that the gospel can be resisted it’s nevertheless true that the gospel of Jesus and the Jesus of the gospel give us the motivation to tell the Story. The gospel has power to shape and save us (see Acts 20:32) and by its very nature it leads us to speak about him rather than about ourselves.

If our speech is in keeping with our being “in Jesus Christ” then we don’t peddle the word of the Lord but speak as sincere men and women in the sight of God and “in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:17). Simple observation seems to confirm the old saying that some live to proclaim Jesus Christ and some make a living out of proclaiming Jesus Christ.

But it’s wrong to take the worst of us and call that “normal”. Those whose “way” shows that they are people of integrity have been enriched in Jesus Christ to speak truth and to speak it from the right heart and with the right motive. “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake,” is how Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 4:5. That verse is the follow up of the truth in 2:17. “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.”

He makes no bones about it—he is a speaker! But he doesn’t speak “for profit” whether that profit is applause, approval, acclaim or the success of some personal or community agenda. If he did that he would be a cheap huckster! In truth he had been enriched in speech in Jesus Christ.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.