ALWAYS TRIUMPHANT IN CHRIST
2 Cor. 2:14
Morning Meditation 5/25/16
“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”
The motivation for this statement is probably threefold. First, he was motivated by his joy over the repentant brother (vs 6-7), second, he was motivated by the general reception of the gospel, and third, he was motivated by the encouraging message from Titus that he mentions in chapter 7:5-6.
The words “Now thanks be unto God” identifies the direction of his praise. The word “thanks” (charis) comes from a root word (chairo) that means “to rejoice, be glad, to rejoice exceedingly.” Out of the 156 times this word is translated, it is translated “grace” 136 times. It is the word that is translated grace in Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are ye saved . . .” Grace is always in the mind of Paul. His rejoicing and thanksgiving is in the grace of God which was the ground of his salvation and the cause of his blessing. Paul never felt he deserved God’s blessing and when he expresses thanksgiving he uses a word that honors God completely. He sees the grace of God at work in every blessing. We as Christians need to continually see the grace of God at work in every blessing that we experience. Paul gives thanks to God with his inspired pin and lets us witness this as we read his words. This is like the singer who sings unto the Lord in an assembly, and those of us present are able to enter in to the joy of his/her praise.
Lets look at the words “which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” The word “always” (pantote) means “at all times, always, ever.” John Gill says about “always,” “wherever the ministers of Christ are called to labour, and wherever the Gospel is purely and powerfully preached by them, some good is done.”
The words “causeth us to triumph” (thriambeuo) translate one word that means “to triumph, to celebrate a triumph.” It is “from the root word meaning “a hymn sung in festal processions in honour of the god Bacchus.” Jamison, Fausset and Brown comment: The image is from the triumphal procession of a victorious general. The additional idea is included, which distinguishes God’s triumph from that of human generals, that the captive is brought into willing obedience (ch 10:5) to Christ, and so joins in the triumph.”
The triumphs of these successful generals were celebrated by a parade wherein the general and his officers enter the Capitol city with the leaders of the opposing army chained to their chariots. Get the picture: as the celebration took place and the procession proceeded, the conquered enemy was drawn in the trail of the triumphal entry of the conquering general chained to his chariot.
Jamison, Fausset and Brown quote Trench: “St. Paul regarded himself as a trophy of God’s victorious power in Christ. His Almighty conqueror was leading him about, through all the world, a sample of His triumphant power at once to subdue and to save. The foe of Christ was now the servant of Christ. As to be led in triumph by man is the most miserable, so to be led in triumph by God is the most glorious lot.” Alford says, “Our only true triumphs are God’s triumphs over us. His defeats of us are our only true victories.”
Are we chained to his chariot? I believe this is the picture that Paul is painting for us here. Paul calls himself a slave of Jesus Christ. He pictures himself as one conquered. Paul is following in the triumph of Christ. Christ’s triumph is Paul’s.
The words “in Christ” identify the sphere of triumph. Christ is the Victor. We follow in the train of his victory. The Pulpit Commentary says of Paul, “He rejoiced to be exhibited by God as a trophy in the triumphal procession of Christ.”
A good commentary on this is Philippians 3:4-10: “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Paul describes his loss and now counts it a gain.
There are two things about being chained to his chariot. First, our new man in Christ is chained with chains of love. We do not see our capture as a personal defeat but a personal gain. We are so happy that Christ has won the victory over us. His victory has become ours. We are going along in his triumphal procession singing and shouting. That is truly a strange sight to the world that watches this procession. They think we are crazy to give up our freedom to join them in their worldly practices. They will even try to get us to somehow break away from the chains that have us fastened to his chariot. They say “come away with us. We will show you what real fun is.” But we must say, “there is no way. I am rejoicing that I have been conquered. My General is the greatest of all and he has set me free from what you call fun and the destiny to which your fun will take you.”
Second, our old nature does not like the chains. It resists being conquered and complains about the chains. It follows along in the triumph of General Jesus reluctantly. Have you found that there is a part of you that serves Christ reluctantly? And there are times that you feel like giving up and going back to the old way of life? Thank God we are chained to his chariot. We cannot go back. Our old sin nature may not like it, but he has so conquered us that there is no turning back. Our old sin nature will complain, “Well, I can’t do this and I can’t do that. Good night! what can a Christian do?” Then when you think those thoughts, you feel guilty. It is not the flesh feeling guilty, it is the new you. Paul said, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Rom. 7:24-25).
