2 Corinthians 11:23-24; Five Times
2 Corinthians 11:23-24 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
For the Apostle Paul, Jesus could have consumed him on that road to Damascus. He was blinded. He could have remained blind. He is the pot in the hands of the potter. He knew the heart of God is of love, it cannot do him bad but will only do him good if he will only continue to trust and continue to follow Jesus in obedience. The evangelist DL Moody realized this truth when he gave his life to Christ full time, “it is not what Moody can do for Christ but what Christ can do to make a more sanctified Moody.” As the Apostle Paul goes through all these afflictions for the sake of the gospel, Jesus was purifying and moulding him to be conformed to His image. And this is the sole purpose of man’s existence. We are made in the image of God to reflect Him.
This is the Apostle Paul’s testimony nearing the end of his life. 1 Timothy 1:12-16 “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”
We are to follow after the Apostle Paul as did Timothy. It was by the sheer mercy of God that he can serve the living and true God. He called himself a chief of sinners. If one is a chief sinner then he is most unworthy. Yet God pardoned such a one and died for such a one to save and entrust him with His Word. It was out of a heart of gratitude that the Apostle Paul served. And he said that God’s grace was exceeding abundant with faith (in trusting God whatever the external circumstance may be) and love (the power that drives his sacrifice).