essay
ALL ARE YOURS
- ALL ARE YOURS “All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future-- all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” (1 Cor 3:21-23 NIV) The is no lack of spiritual resource for the believer. All are yours! This includes the ministry of men and angels. It encompasses things both present and future. He who has begun a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. The power behind you is always greater than the task before you. Let us consider the example of Paul himself. It was he who wrote these inspired words to the Corinthians and he had discovered by experience the faithfulness of God. Please consider:
- Paul was set apart from birth to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Gal. 1:15, 16).
- He obviously had parents who encouraged and helped him to follow God.
- The famous teacher Gamaliel taught him the Law of God (Acts 22:3).
- Paul was such a great sinner that he became an example of God’s unlimited patience (1 Tim. 1:15, 16).
- Andronicus and Junias were his relatives who came to Christ before he did (Rom. 16:7).
- Jesus appeared to him on the Damascus Road (Acts 9, 22, 26).
- Jesus personally revealed to him the Gospel (Gal. 1:12).
- When the Jews in Damascus conspired to kill him some of his followers lowered him over the wall in a basket that he might escape (Acts 9:25).
- When Paul needed a friend in Jerusalem God sent Barnabas to help (Acts 9:27).
- When the Jews in Jerusalem tried to kill him, two things happened that spared his life. First God gave him a vision warning him to get out of town (Acts 22:18). Second, that vision was also confirmed by his brethren in Christ (Acts 9:30).
- Phoebe was a great help to Paul (Rom. 16:1).
- Priscilla and Aquila had risked their lives for him (Rom. 16:3).
- His relative Herodion was at Rome ready to help (Rom. 16:11).
- The mother of Rufus had also been a mother to Paul (Rom. 16:13).
- Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater were also his relatives and fellow workers (Rom. 16:21).
- When Paul needed help the Holy Spirit pointed out Timothy (1 Tim. 1:18).
- When Paul was discouraged God sent Titus to comfort him (2 Cor. 7:6).
- On various occasions God gave Paul visions to give him guidance and help (Acts 9:12;16:10; 18:9 - 11; 23:11; 2 Cor. 12:1-6; etc.)
- Angels also ministered to Paul (Acts 27:23, 24).
- God sent an earthquake to help Paul convert the Philippian jailer (Acts 16) These Scriptures could easily be multiplied, but I think you get the point. Jesus will never abandon us and leave us like orphans. He is the Sovereign of the universe who can send ravens to bring us food (1 Ki. 17:4), stop the sun in the skies to give us victory (Josh. 10:13), or dispatch angels to help us in any time of need. (Heb. 1:14). There is, therefore, no need to be discouraged. For in “all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:37-39) We are “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:6) So you see it is literally true: “All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future-- all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” (1 Cor 3:21-23)