On top
of all of this, you all were prime examples of humility being not at all arrogant.
None of you had to have it your own way - you were all givers instead of takers.
What God had given you was enough since your meditation and practice of his way
- especially of how he had suffered for you - filled you from the inside out.
Because of this, you all received an obvious and plentiful peace. You all
constantly wanted to do more good and the Holy Spirit empowered everyone of you
to do so. All of your minds were so focused on God's greater plans that, if
anyone did make a mistake and acted wrongly, then that one would turn to our
powerful God with honest remorse and confidently seek his mercy to right the
situation. With every waking hour, you all sincerely desired that everyone who
would be a part of God's community would be freed from brokenness and set right
by his mercy. You all were genuine without faking it in any way - forgiving
each other in every situation. Arguments causing divisions and the forming of
cliques were not acceptable to any of you. When anyone's neighbor acted
wrongly, you all felt the pain of it as if their weaknesses were your own. Each
of you was constantly at the ready to go and do something good without
complaining about being called to performing any act of kindness. Every one of
you sported a good character and devoted life, being consistently mindful of
God's will in everything any of you did. Each of you demonstrated that the
words of our Lord had impacted you deeply and were a part of your very being.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Clement's First Letter to God's Community at Corinth - Section 1
Explanatory note: I was finally able to pick up the 38 volume Early Church Fathers series (a rearrangement of the Edinburgh collection of translations) for personal study/devotional time. Tonight I felt like doing a paraphrase of the first "chapter" of the "first" epistle of Clement to the Corinthians and I feel like posting it here. I'd like to do this again, so I probably will. It helps me to meditate on the content if I paraphrase as I go. Also, even though I'm busy with work, I miss blogging.
A recent series of unfortunate events has delayed us in addressing your questions. We specifically regret the delay in our responses concerning the embarrassingly disgusting (especially to those whom God has set apart) mutiny begun by those who have gotten cocky and rushed blindly into starting up a big fuss that has greatly damaged your good reputation - a reputation which ought to have been admired by everyone. Seriously, hadn't everyone - even those who had barely met you all - seen how real your faith was and how productive it had been in making you all grow strong in character? Who didn't admire the clear and sensible thinking that came with your being made more like the One who has always been set apart? Who didn't brag on you all about what great hosts you consistently were? Who didn't get excited about the perfect and well-founded knowledge you all have? You all did everything without worrying about anyone's "status." Together, you followed God's directions all the way, even when that meant obeying authorities with whom you may not have readily agreed, and you all showed proper respect to the leaders God had placed in your lives to help you learn more about and follow him. You all encouraged clear, rational thinking in your young men. You all taught every married woman among you to do everything justly - keeping a clean conscience in mind - and to respect her marriage by loving her husband and by making thoughtful, appropriate decisions for the household.
Those of God's community who are, for but a brief time, in
Rome, to those of God's community who are, for but a brief time, in Corinth - all
of you who are right now being set apart for the special service to which each
of you is called by God's will, which can operate in all of us through our
Lord, Jesus, the One who has always been set apart:
May God
look upon all of you favorably and, from his unending power, cause peace to
grow in you all through Jesus, the One set apart.
A recent series of unfortunate events has delayed us in addressing your questions. We specifically regret the delay in our responses concerning the embarrassingly disgusting (especially to those whom God has set apart) mutiny begun by those who have gotten cocky and rushed blindly into starting up a big fuss that has greatly damaged your good reputation - a reputation which ought to have been admired by everyone. Seriously, hadn't everyone - even those who had barely met you all - seen how real your faith was and how productive it had been in making you all grow strong in character? Who didn't admire the clear and sensible thinking that came with your being made more like the One who has always been set apart? Who didn't brag on you all about what great hosts you consistently were? Who didn't get excited about the perfect and well-founded knowledge you all have? You all did everything without worrying about anyone's "status." Together, you followed God's directions all the way, even when that meant obeying authorities with whom you may not have readily agreed, and you all showed proper respect to the leaders God had placed in your lives to help you learn more about and follow him. You all encouraged clear, rational thinking in your young men. You all taught every married woman among you to do everything justly - keeping a clean conscience in mind - and to respect her marriage by loving her husband and by making thoughtful, appropriate decisions for the household.
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