Become Complete: 2 Corinthians 13

 

2 Corinthians 13

Paul’s final letter to the Corinthians sounds to me like a frustrated coach whose players are giving half measures. There was a football player here a few years ago that died early. I can’t remember the details of his tragic death but I’m sure drugs were involved. He was typical of kids his age who’ve shown talent at an early age. Most people who knew his name, I’ll call him Tim, expected great things. His size and speed were light years ahead of others around him. Everyone knew he’d play Division I football and maybe even get to the NFL. He died his senior year of college just as his team was set to dominate the conference.

 I work with a lot of current and former coaches. One of them had Tim in a summer skills camp. This coach saw what Tim could do on the field before he was even in high school.  When asked how to describe him, the coach had the usual talent laden descriptors but added, “kinda thick”. He didn't mean heavy either. 

 I took it to mean he didn’t value his gifts. It’s easy to dismiss this as a high school kid just being a kid. Who isn’t a little slow to understand that life is precious and talent should be nurtured? Most of us never had a lot of talent so the question is moot. In chapter 13 Paul emphasizes the ‘talent’ at the heart of their salvation in Christ. “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.” (verse 5-6)

He is careful to point out that the latent might and power are found in Christ. How much more can they be found in them, the Corinthians? It helps to remember that the Corinthians were sceptics and many didn’t like Paul. His letter addresses weakness as strength because it forces us to rely on our Creator Who makes us strong. The subtest of the whole chapter seems to be “You are so much greater through Christ than you realize”.

Paul encourages a kind of new commitment in the faith. Like a star athlete needing a new purpose, Paul suggests improvement toward living in peace and dedicating even more to the gospel. “And this we also pray, that you may be made complete.” (verse 9) As Christians we should always perfect and increase, the purpose of which is to be like Christ and attract those outside the faith. But also because a Christian isn’t complete without the understanding that their efforts are rooted in victory. Our completeness is already assured if we walk it out.

Again he repeats in verse 11 “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete.” It’s like he isn’t going to let that thing go. Every coach has a thing don’t they? A specific bugaboo that irritates them more than anything else; it’s easily recognizable to the athletes under their authority as THE ISSUE to watch out for. For some it’s effort. Many players have felt the sting of a good ass chewing if they weren’t giving 100%. I think for Paul it’s this idea of completeness. It’s not really a striving though the way it is for players on a team. It’s not a gut check, or a heart issue. It’s a recognition that our completeness is found in Christ only. It’s the understanding of this principle he wants to get across. Understand Him and be complete. Our weakness is His strength.

The comparison to sports isn’t a perfect one, but anyone who has improved over a season knows the power of a new mindset. Athletes understand that hard work and mental toughness determine success at every level. Christians need to understand that to grow we need to surrender and let the Spirit make us complete. In the end it doesn’t look much like physical or mental toughness because our strength is in Christ.

As someone whose been a follower of Jesus for almost 40 years I’ll admit, understanding this principle is a difficult thing. I’m wired for tasks and routine exercises that build on past performance. I’m a steady workhorse in the gym. I learn everything from habitual study and habitual technique. Surrender sometimes feels like failure. But Paul has a ready answer to this as well “For though He [Jesus] was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God.” (verse 4)

If Jesus, the perfect man, surrendered to His Father’s will how much more can we?