There's something profoundly counterintuitive about the Christian faith. While the world values strength, polish, and impressive credentials, God operates according to an entirely different economy. He chooses to pour infinite power into the most unlikely vessels—ordinary, flawed, weak human beings. This divine paradox challenges everything we think we know about power, influence, and spiritual authenticity.
The Hidden Power of Apparent Weakness
Consider the central mystery of Christianity: the cross. To the watching world, Jesus' crucifixion appeared to be the ultimate defeat—a man abandoned, mocked, and executed in the most shameful manner imaginable. Yet this moment of apparent weakness concealed the greatest display of power in human history. Though Christ was "crucified in weakness," He lives "by the power of God" (2 Corinthians 13:4).
This wasn't powerlessness masquerading as strength; it was omnipotence choosing humility for our sake. Jesus could have summoned twelve legions of angels. He could have stepped down from the cross at any moment. Instead, He endured because love compelled Him. Three days later, He rose from the dead, destroying death's power forever and ascending to His throne in glory.
The resurrection reveals a fundamental truth: God's power is never diminished by humble packaging. What looks weak to human eyes may be carrying the full weight of heaven's authority.
The Treasure in Earthen Vessels
This same principle applies to every believer. Scripture describes Christians as "earthen vessels"—simple clay pots containing an extraordinary treasure. We're not Ming vases, carefully crafted and displayed in museums. We're common pottery, fragile and unimpressive. Yet within these ordinary containers dwells the very presence of God.
Why does God work this way? "That the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). When transformation happens in weak, ordinary people, everyone can see that only God could have accomplished it. He refuses to share His glory, so He deliberately chooses the foolish, the weak, the despised—"the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are" (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).
This is what separates Christianity from every other religion. As one writer observed, Christianity is the only faith where God comes to live inside His followers. It's not about external behavior modification or whitewashing tombs. It's about regeneration—being born again from the inside out.
Testing Our Faith
But this raises an urgent question: How do we know Christ truly dwells within us? The Bible calls us to "examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). This isn't meant to create paralyzing doubt but to provide assurance through honest self-examination.
The Assurance Test: Do you have an inner witness that you belong to God? The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. There's a peace, a knowing in your knower, that causes you to instinctively cry out "Father" in prayer. This isn't presumption—it's the Spirit's testimony within every true believer.
The Fruit Test: How has your life changed since Christ came in? You're not perfect, but are you in the fight against sin? Are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control growing in your life? Jesus said we would know a tree by its fruit. Good trees produce good fruit; they can't help it. If Christ lives in you, His life will gradually transform yours.
The Truth Test: Do you have a hunger for God's Word? Genuine believers crave truth like a baby craves milk. In a world constantly asking "What is truth?" Christians have found the answer: God's Word is truth. This creates an appetite that can't be satisfied with spiritual junk food. You want the pure, unadulterated Word of God, even when it hurts, because you know it sets you free.
The Love Test: Do you genuinely love other believers? Jesus said the world would know His disciples by their love for one another—not by theological degrees, denominational affiliations, or religious symbols. The difference between heaven and hell ultimately comes down to the difference between selfishness and love. True Christians, empowered by God's Spirit, learn to use their forks to feed others rather than fighting to feed only themselves.
The Journey Toward Completeness
If these tests reveal areas of weakness or inconsistency, don't despair. Sanctification is a process, not an event. The call is to "become complete"—notice the verb. It's present, active, ongoing. You're not expected to arrive at perfection today. You're called to take the next step.
Here's the roadmap for spiritual growth:
Become complete: Commit to daily progress. Today, Jesus wants to take you further. Step into that. Tomorrow, He'll have more for you.
Receive God's comfort: Don't become morosely introspective. Yes, examine yourself, but then look away from yourself to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. You're not what you want to be yet, but thank God you're not what you once were.
Be united: Division is deadly on the spiritual battlefield. You won't agree on every minor point, but you can be of one mind—following Jesus together, staying with God's Word together, reaching out for Him together.
Live in peace: Come to that place of maturity where you live in harmony with God's purposes, His ways, and with other believers. Shalom—completeness, wholeness, peace.
The Trinitarian Blessing
Every day we need the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ—that's what strengthens and empowers us. Every day we need to know God still loves us, surrounding us with His goodness and leading us home. And every day we can fellowship with the Holy Spirit, our Counselor and Comforter, who helps us along the way.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—the Triune God goes with us. Though we stumble forward, though we're weak and flawed, though we come in plain packaging, we carry lightning in our clay pots. And that changes everything.
The Hidden Power of Apparent Weakness
Consider the central mystery of Christianity: the cross. To the watching world, Jesus' crucifixion appeared to be the ultimate defeat—a man abandoned, mocked, and executed in the most shameful manner imaginable. Yet this moment of apparent weakness concealed the greatest display of power in human history. Though Christ was "crucified in weakness," He lives "by the power of God" (2 Corinthians 13:4).
This wasn't powerlessness masquerading as strength; it was omnipotence choosing humility for our sake. Jesus could have summoned twelve legions of angels. He could have stepped down from the cross at any moment. Instead, He endured because love compelled Him. Three days later, He rose from the dead, destroying death's power forever and ascending to His throne in glory.
The resurrection reveals a fundamental truth: God's power is never diminished by humble packaging. What looks weak to human eyes may be carrying the full weight of heaven's authority.
The Treasure in Earthen Vessels
This same principle applies to every believer. Scripture describes Christians as "earthen vessels"—simple clay pots containing an extraordinary treasure. We're not Ming vases, carefully crafted and displayed in museums. We're common pottery, fragile and unimpressive. Yet within these ordinary containers dwells the very presence of God.
Why does God work this way? "That the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). When transformation happens in weak, ordinary people, everyone can see that only God could have accomplished it. He refuses to share His glory, so He deliberately chooses the foolish, the weak, the despised—"the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are" (1 Corinthians 1:27-28).
This is what separates Christianity from every other religion. As one writer observed, Christianity is the only faith where God comes to live inside His followers. It's not about external behavior modification or whitewashing tombs. It's about regeneration—being born again from the inside out.
Testing Our Faith
But this raises an urgent question: How do we know Christ truly dwells within us? The Bible calls us to "examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). This isn't meant to create paralyzing doubt but to provide assurance through honest self-examination.
The Assurance Test: Do you have an inner witness that you belong to God? The Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. There's a peace, a knowing in your knower, that causes you to instinctively cry out "Father" in prayer. This isn't presumption—it's the Spirit's testimony within every true believer.
The Fruit Test: How has your life changed since Christ came in? You're not perfect, but are you in the fight against sin? Are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control growing in your life? Jesus said we would know a tree by its fruit. Good trees produce good fruit; they can't help it. If Christ lives in you, His life will gradually transform yours.
The Truth Test: Do you have a hunger for God's Word? Genuine believers crave truth like a baby craves milk. In a world constantly asking "What is truth?" Christians have found the answer: God's Word is truth. This creates an appetite that can't be satisfied with spiritual junk food. You want the pure, unadulterated Word of God, even when it hurts, because you know it sets you free.
The Love Test: Do you genuinely love other believers? Jesus said the world would know His disciples by their love for one another—not by theological degrees, denominational affiliations, or religious symbols. The difference between heaven and hell ultimately comes down to the difference between selfishness and love. True Christians, empowered by God's Spirit, learn to use their forks to feed others rather than fighting to feed only themselves.
The Journey Toward Completeness
If these tests reveal areas of weakness or inconsistency, don't despair. Sanctification is a process, not an event. The call is to "become complete"—notice the verb. It's present, active, ongoing. You're not expected to arrive at perfection today. You're called to take the next step.
Here's the roadmap for spiritual growth:
Become complete: Commit to daily progress. Today, Jesus wants to take you further. Step into that. Tomorrow, He'll have more for you.
Receive God's comfort: Don't become morosely introspective. Yes, examine yourself, but then look away from yourself to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. You're not what you want to be yet, but thank God you're not what you once were.
Be united: Division is deadly on the spiritual battlefield. You won't agree on every minor point, but you can be of one mind—following Jesus together, staying with God's Word together, reaching out for Him together.
Live in peace: Come to that place of maturity where you live in harmony with God's purposes, His ways, and with other believers. Shalom—completeness, wholeness, peace.
The Trinitarian Blessing
Every day we need the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ—that's what strengthens and empowers us. Every day we need to know God still loves us, surrounding us with His goodness and leading us home. And every day we can fellowship with the Holy Spirit, our Counselor and Comforter, who helps us along the way.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—the Triune God goes with us. Though we stumble forward, though we're weak and flawed, though we come in plain packaging, we carry lightning in our clay pots. And that changes everything.
Pastor Phil Morgan
Posted in 2 Corinthians: Onward We Stumble
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