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Exploring I Corinthians 2 Part 1

1Co 2:1-2  And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  (2)  For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

It’s a bit ironic here how Paul says he did not come with excellency of speech. Judging from his letters, he is an eloquent speaker. He has an excellent way with words. And we can expect that because he is a learned man.

What Paul is saying here is that, he did not deliver the testimony of God with flowery, convincing words. He spoke the message as a faithful messenger of the Gospel, adding nothing, excluding nothing. And he delivered it as simple as Jesus Christ crucified.

And if there was any convincing required of the listeners, it was done not with words but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power.  

1Co 2:3-4  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.  (4)  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

It just hit me when during a sermon, Pastor Dilkumar said in passing: "No miracle, no ministry." It has become my personal motto.

When I was yet Catholic, this was a major question to me: Where has the power gone? I now realize that that power was always there. I just didn’t know about it because nobody told me. Other people are making good use of it. Why won’t the rest of the Christians?

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