Something you can't forget about
10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It appears …
There are several tenets of Christian philosophy at work here, but I believe that even the most difficult questions should be answered with simplicity or the answer simply brings confusion. Going with that theme, some will find this answer woefully wanting, and I apologize if that is the case. However, we can discuss it in more depth through the comments if you like.
The answer to this question is more …
8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
Lord, I do feel pressedand perplexed right now, and all of my own doing. I know I could be crushed into despair if it were not for You. I keep making choices that are not Yours, and You keep rescuing me. I feel like …
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
I am barely a clay jar! I am so week and faithless, and yet You are in me. Sometimes I don’t think I see a lot of Your power in my life, and yet I am here with You though many trials have tried to tear us …
No one can properly consider the validity of Christianity or God unless they try to understand the purpose and motivation of God. I cannot even pretend to know all about His goal for humanity. But I will present some of what we know from the Bible and some of the ramifications of those goals and motivations. Now you may reject the Bible as the Word of God, but if we …
I think this must be the start of this discussion. It would be impossible to intelligently discuss God without a firm idea of who he is. I also think most of the problems we have with understanding Christianity come from our inability to see things from God’s point of view.
I am not a philosophy or church authority and have had no formal training in this area. I am just a thinking person who wants to explore the logic and philosophy behind what I have chosen to believe. I do not believe that I can use …
6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”a made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Jesus, I want so bad for some people who are close to me to know and love You. I want to convince them with logical arguments and discussions. I am so frustrated that …
5For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
Jesus, clearly if Paul can be a servant to those he is hoping will come to You, I should be a servant also. I have people very close to me who do not want to acknowledge that they know You. In the world’s eyes, I rank ahead of them, but …