The outward appearance

Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ's, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ's, even so we are Christ's. – 2 Corinthians 10v7

There are not a lot of times where you sense Paul’s anger. Here is one of them. His critics at Corinth could not be critical of the work God was doing, that was obvious to all. Instead, they were critical of the way things “looked” and the fact that Paul did not do things the exact way that they would. Paul saw this as an attack not only on him, but on God’s work. All they looked at was the outward appearance. In the context we learn that Paul is going to deal with them personally, and with the same boldness he uses in his letters.

I have a very good friend who is a pastor in Poland. He pastors and runs kid’s clubs, He reaches drug dealers and alcoholics. He has seen people saved out of unbelievable situations. Some of the results of ministry have been in our church. There is no doubt that God is working through this young man. Now, there are many who would meet him and immediately think that his work cannot be of God. He wears long dreadlocks, his music choice and worship style would not be accepted by many. I know that many would say that his ministry only succeeds because it is “fleshly.”

Paul makes a point here – “You guys say that you are Christians. Fine. But know this, just as you are of Christ, so are we.”

Where has the focus on the outward appearance some from? I am not sure – but I do know it is nothing new. We are dealing with the same problems that he did. And they are no more right today then they were then.