My God and My Country

The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Church at Corinth

Chapter 4:9-13

9 For I think that God hath set forth us the last Apostles, as men appointed to death, for we are made a gassing stock unto the world, and to the Angels, and to men.

10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, and ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, and ye are strong: ye are honorable, and we are despised.

11 Unto this hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place,

12 And labor, working with our own hands: we are reviled, and yet we bless: we are persecuted, and suffer it.

13 We are evil spoken of, and we pray: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, unto this time.

Related Scripture

Acts 20:34; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8 Matt. 5:44; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60: Lamentations 3:45

Brethren:

How often do we find ourselves being criticized, and made the butt of all jokes for our beliefs? Indeed in this world, there are those that do persecute Christians. Yet herein above we find the Apostle continuing forward in the preaching of the Gospel, no matter what his state or condition, for that is what he had been commissioned to do by our Lord Christ Jesus. As was written elsewhere, he found joy in any state that he was in at any point in time. (See Philippians 4:11-13; James 1:2-4) As such, let us strive to do our utmost best in emulating those that have tread the path before us.