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•19你们一直认为我们是在你们面前为自己辩护吗？其实，我们本是在基督里当着 神面前说话。亲爱的，一切的事都是为了造就你们。20我怕我再来的时候，见你们不合我所期望的，而你们见我也不合你们所期望的。我怕有纷争、嫉妒、愤怒、自私、毁谤、谗言、狂傲、动乱的事。21我怕我再来的时候，我的 神使我在你们面前蒙羞，并且又因许多人从前犯罪，行污秽、淫乱、放荡的事，不肯悔改而悲伤。
这个世界上的教会仍然是一个凌乱不洁的地方。之所以凌乱、不洁，是因为撒旦在信徒当中撒下了假冒为善的人。关于这一点，耶稣讲过一个比喻，麦子和稗子的比喻。由于魔鬼撒下稗子，麦子和稗子一同生长在地里。仆人问是否该将稗子薅出来，主人却说不想在薅稗子的时候连同麦子也拔出来。到末日审判的时候，天使会将稗子清理出来。
这个世界上的教会之所以凌乱不洁，还有另外一个原因。每个信徒依然有罪性。你，我，每一个基督徒都有。由于这种罪恶的本性，有时我们对邻舍没有爱心。保罗担心当他再次来到哥林多教会，他会发现纷争、嫉妒、恼怒、自私自利、毁谤、谗言、狂傲和混乱的事。而且有些人继续行污秽、淫乱和放荡的事却不悔改。从律法的角度来看，上帝在地上的教会是一个凌乱不洁的地方。我们每个人身上都有足够多混乱不洁的地方，就不要去论断别人了。
我迫切期待这天堂的到来，因为在那一天面，耶稣会把我们变成他的样子。我迫切期待着在那一天成为圣洁的模样，就如同我因信耶稣而成为圣洁一样。我迫切的期待看到每个生命中的每一个冲突得到解决。我迫切期待着我能完全饶恕别人，就像耶稣饶恕我一样。但在那一天到来之前，我祷告求耶稣用他的圣灵浇灌他的教会，带领我们在信仰上合一，这样我们才能以同样的心智荣耀我们的救主。
祷告：主耶稣，请用你的圣灵浇灌你的教会。让我们在福音中联合起来。对于我们每一个不和谐的行为，被罪玷污的行为，请带领我们悔改。愿你再来复兴万物的那一天速速到来。阿们。
2 Corinthians 12: 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. (NIV)
The church in this world is still a messy place. It’s a messy place because Satan sows hypocrites among the believers. Jesus told a parable about that, the parable of the weeds among the wheat. The servants asked if they should be weeded out, but the master didn’t want to tear up the wheat along with the weeds. The angels would sort that out on the last day.
There is another reason that the church in this world is a messy place. Every believer also has a sinful nature. You do. I do. Every Christian does. And because of that sinful nature, sometimes we don’t act in love to our neighbor. Paul feared that when he came to Corinth he would find discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. And some will still not have repented of impurity, sexual sin and debauchery. God’s church on earth is a messy place. And each one of us has enough mess on our own plate not to judge one another.
I can’t wait for heaven to come, for Jesus to transform us into his likeness. I can’t wait to feel as holy as I am by faith in Jesus. I can’t wait for every conflict in every life to be resolved. I can’t wait to be as fully forgiving as I am fully forgiven. But until that day comes, I pray that Jesus will pour out his Spirit on his Church, to bring us into unity of faith so that we can with one mind and voice glorify our Savior.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, pour out your Holy Spirit on your Church. Unite us behind the gospel. Bring us to repentance for every act of discord, every unking act. And hasten that day when you will come and restore all things. Amen.