LORD’S DAY, NOVEMBER 25
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
2 Corinthians 11:2

“… I am jealous over you…”

GODLY JEALOUSY (II)

Not only are we to be jealous over the Lord’s honour, the love of Christ also demands that we be jealous over His people. Paul was an example of such jealousy. “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor 11:2).

In this verse, Paul adopted a striking imagery where he was pictured as the father of a bride who was betrothed to a groom. In those days, there was usually a time interval between the betrothal and the consummation of the marriage. Moreover, both parties were expected to honour the betrothal until the time of the wedding feast. (This is unlike modern engagements where the agreement can be broken anytime.) The father was expected to do his part to keep his daughter pure until she was presented as a chaste virgin to the groom.

As the church of God (1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor 1:1), the Corinthian church was the bride of Christ. Paul being the founding pastor was like the adopted father. His duty was to ensure that the church was pure until the return of Christ when He would take up His bride.

This responsibility meant that Paul had every right to be jealous over the Corinthian Christians. This jealousy was not due to a fear that others would snatch his followers from him. Rather, that the Corinthian Christians belonged to Christ. Christ had purchased them with His precious blood and redeemed them to be His bride. The bride was entrusted to the care of Paul. Therefore, Paul must strive to present the Corinthian church as a chaste virgin to Christ.

The heart of the Apostle Paul must also be the heart of any who is called to be a leader in the church today. If he loves God’s people, he must be jealous over them with a godly jealousy.

THOUGHT: How is godly jealousy to be applied in the family?
PRAYER: Father, teach me to be jealous over Thy people.