Daily Bread - 2 Corinthians 5:14-17

We know that Scripture nourishes human understanding. The Holy Bible uses an organic metaphor to describe God’s intention. It likens God’s Word to water that nourishes a seed enabling it to sprout and grow. This is a “living metaphor.” It compares the process of growth in nature with the process of growing in faith and understanding. It shows us that a mature faith is not static. It grows!

2 Timothy 3:16 - - "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:"

Faith begins with simple childlike trust and acceptance. The “good news” is like a seed planted in our hearts. God’s Word is like rain that waters the seed. In the world of nature, rain and sunlight work together to empower seeds to spread roots below the surface and branches above the ground. In the realm of the Spirit, the Scriptures and God’s spirit work together to empower faith and understanding to take firm root in our hearts, and branch out into every area of our lives.


Today's Daily Bread is 2 Corinthians 5:14-17.

2 Corinthians 5:14-17 - - "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

Paul describes what happened to Abraham at his calling and must happen to us. Abraham's mind - - and therefore his life - - was so arrested and redirected by God's revelation of Himself that he responded dramatically, despite the realization that he could no longer live as he had for 70 years. He had to make changes, and some of them would be considerable and costly.

He could no longer live completely for himself. He no longer perceived people as he had all his life. He especially could no longer perceive his new God and Savior as he formerly had. A new man was being created from within, so he had to make a clean and permanent break from his old life. His life now had a new Object toward which he must walk. His life had a new direction, a new relationship, new desires, and new requirements to fulfill.

We must never forget that Abraham was a special case; he is the prototype who set a vivid, overall example for all his spiritual children to follow to some degree. There were bumps along the way; at times, he fell short of the ideal. Yet, on the whole, he did nothing less than set a superb example for all of us.