THE COURKGE OF FACING TRUTH
/ Cor
It was THE YEAR 50 4.0.f Pav HAD COME TO C@RINTH FR{
LONG S2ORX STAY OF 18 MONTHS HE LEFT AGAIN FOR EPHESUS: |
WROTE THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS.
CORINTH WAS A VERY BUSY SSA PORT, THE STOPPING OFF |

TRADB ROUTES. IT WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN SEA PORTS HAVE BI

FROM MANY DIFFERENT LANDS MADE UP ITS POPULATION —TRANSI

Sf2ift/
3./5°23

DM ATHENS, AFTER A RELATIVELY

KND IT WAS FROM EPHESUS THAT HE

PLACE FOR MANY OF THE MAJOR

kiN THROUGHOUT HISTORY. MEN

+
ENTS, SAILORS~ACCOMPANTIED

BY ALL THE POPULAR MEANS OF ENTERTAINMENT GEARED TO SUCH

BROTHELS AND FAMOUS TEMPLE OF APHRODITE ,THE GODDESS OF Lf

/

A CONSTITURNCY. IT'S

VE, EARNED CORINTH TH NAME

vA *
THE FLESH POT OF THE MEDITERRANEAN ior IN THIS ENVIRONMENT PAUL HAD ESTABLISHED A

CHURCH,-A CHURCH THAT,- WE SEZ FROM HIS LETTERS, WAS ONE QF HIS MOST BELOVED.

NO SOONER HAD Hi LEFT CORINTH, HOWEVER, THAN HE HARD RiPpOUTS THAT FROUBLE WAS

BREWING. THE GROUP OF CHRISTIANS HAD BROKEN UP INTO ARGYING FACTIONS.

SOME SAID

THEY BELONGED TO PAUL, OTHERS SAID PETER WAS THEIR LEADER AND STILL OTHERS PREFERRED.

BUT UNUERNEATH THIS PETTY STRIFE WAS A DESPER

APOLLOS.

OBLEM, A PROBLEM THAT PAUL

SAW AS EXER ENDANGERING THE VERY SPIRIT OF THE coor

THE POINT, THEY HAD PECOME THE WICTIMS OF SELF DECEPTION

HAD ARISEN A GROUP THAT CALLED THEMSELVES "SPIRLTUALS."

i CORINTHIANS HAD MiSSED
MIDST THESE ARGUING FACTLONS

THEY SPOKE IN TONGUES, THEY

a
FELT THEMSELVES TO BE JUST A LITTLE SUPERIOR TO THE AVERA

THEY HAD DECEIVED THEMSELVES INTO THINKING THEIR wis

AND SPIRITUAL SENSITIVITY WOULD WIN THEM FAVOR IN THE BY

THEMSELVES ~THINKING THE PROUD VENERR OF SUPERIORITY THEY

SUITAELE.

SO PAUL IS WIRTING TO THEM AND THEIR PROBLEM. HIS L

GE CHURCH MAN.
DOM, THEIR GIFTS OF INTELLIGENCE
5b OF GOD.

THEY REFUSED TO BE
Sy

HAD CONSTRUCTED WAS MORE

ETTAR IS NOT DOCTRINAL, OR

TLON." INVOLVING MREXX MEN,

THD LOGICAL AS IS ROMANS: IT IS PAUL IN A "REAL LIFW SITU
THEIR FEELINGS, THEIR PRIDE AND THEIR SIN.
(v0 MEN ARE MeN, AND PRIDE IS PRIDE AND SURE ENOUGH

WE DO WELL TO OBSERVE HOW PAUL ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE. HB J

PROELEMS ARE PROBLEMS, SO

IS KIND AND GENTLE, BUT

FIRM IN HIS ADVICE AND ADMONITION AND HIS WORDS APPLY AS MUCH TO US AS THEY DID TO THE

CHRISTIANS IN CORINTH.

"DON'T BID YOURSELVES" HE TELLS THE OFFENDERS, "LET WO MAN BE DECEIVED, ion

YOUR SELVES-HAVE THE COURAGS TO LOOK AT THE rum) PAUL PQINTS HLS READERS TO RiALITY ™

HE DOU

S_NOT SCORN THEIR wISVOM

ONLY ASKING THAT THEY PE TRUTHFUL WITH THEMSELVES.

.

AND THEIR ABILITI“#S: IF THEY CARE TO BOAST ABOUT SPEAKING

THAT HE CAN DO IT BETTER THAN ANYONE OF THEM. BUT THESE J

IN MNGUES H& REMINDS THEM

[RE NOT REALLY THE THINGS

3.

THAT COUNT THE MOST, WHAT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IS THAT THEY BE TRUTHFUL TO

mss, ALL THINGS WILL BE vars. /

DECEPTION IS BAD BUT NOTHING IS WORSE THAN SELF DECHPTION. ARITSST\XRETS ARTIBSTS,

POETS, NOVELISTS AND PHILOSOPHERS HAVE TOLD US THAT MODEH

IS THAT HE LIVES IN A WORLD OF SELF DECEPTION. THIS HAS

IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR A MAN TO BE HONEST EVEN IF

——

HE WANTS TO BE.

IN MAN'S BIGGEST PROBLEM

BECOME SO PREVELANT THAT

MANKIND 'S

ILLNESS IS THAT WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF MAKE BELIEVES FROM WHICH WE CANNOT ESCAPE. IT

IS A PLEASANT WORLD WE HAVE CREATED, S VERYTHING IS ROSEY

AND nc BUT / EVERY NOwW AND

THEN A CULTURAL REBEL STANDS UP AND SAYS THAT HB FINDS LIFE SICKENING, THAT HE CANNOT

STAND THE CONSTANT FALSITY OF DAY TO DAY LIFE,

meant

SUCH A PERSON

cau. Frat } THE NOVEL WAS A HIGHLY CONTROVERSIAL ONE, BAN
AND REQUIRED RADING AT MANY OTHERS.

HOLUEN CAULFIELD IS

PREP SCHOOL JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS BECAUSE HB IS FED UP WI

)

HE KNOWS WHEN PEOPLE SAY\"HOW ARE YOU HOLDEN?" THEY AREN|

HIS WELFARE: He ‘KNOWS THAT WHEN HIS TEACHERS WISH Hip Goo

IS THE HERO OF J.D. SALINGER'S NOVEL "CATCHER IN THE nv, (HOLDEN

NED BY MANY HIGH SCHOOLS

A BOY WHO WALKS OUT OF HIS
TH TH’ FALSITY OF THE PLACE.

'T REALLY CONCERNED WITH

D) LUCK THEY DON'T REALLY

MEAN 0: [ug SEES BLARING LIS IN ALL OF LIFE AND THE WHOL

ONLY PERSON HE KNOWS WHO IS GENUINE AND SINCERE IS HIS LI
—— — ——__—

i} THING MAKES HIM sot

TLE SISTER PHOREE*-AND THAT

he
IT IS TO HER H# GOSS, JUST TO sank. / wane A TEACHER, PHI

HAS FOUND THE BOOK TO

IT EXPOSES THE SELF DECEPTION THAT IS SO GR&AT A PART OF

PSRHAPS THE MOST GLARING SXAMPLE OF DECEPTION IN OUR

OF ADVERTISING.

WH R&ALLY DON'T TAC THE ADS VERY S RIOUSLY= BUT HERE IS

THAT WE ENCOUNTER EVERY MINUTE OF SViRY one fos IS A WRU
BEING A PART.

DOES ONE ACTUALLY FLOAT AWAY IN A CLOUD OF SPRING TL

OSOPHER AND THEOLOGIAN

DE A BITING AND THOUGHT PROVOKING ANALYSTS OF THE WAY WE LIVE.

US ALL.

COM:ON LIFE IS THE WORLD

WE DON'T THINK ABJLUTIT &VERY MUCH AND WE ARE R&ADY TO STATE THAT

WHOLESALE DECEPTION

) OF WHICH we CANNOT AVOID

ii FRESHNESS WITH ONE PUFF

5

OF A SALEMG? | DO ANY NEW AUT MOBILES, NO MATTER HOW GO,

ABOUT THIM? DOSS THIS HAIR RINSE REALLY?) AKE YOU DEVASTA

«;

ATTRACT THE ATTENTION IT swan don IT'S ALL AMUSING AN

REALLY TAKE IT SEALOUSLY. THE POINT IS , DAY AFTER DAY,

LIVE UP TO THE CLAIMS MADE
eT

TING OR THIS HAIR TONIC

) FUN WE SAY, WE DON'T

a NUTES AFTER MINUTE We ARE

ft
n
THE VICTIMS OF A BARRAGE OF EXAGGERATIONS AND LIS. LET ND MAN DECEIVE HIMSELF, 344 févl

ON A LITTLE DEZPER LEVEL WE CAN SES THS PROBLEM OF S

ELF DECEPTION IN OUR FUNERAL

PRACTICES. GQING BACK TO OUR DISCUSSION OF GRIEF TWO wEw

PERSON IS FORCED, AND FORCES HIMSELF, INTO AVOIDING GRIEF

= DO ANYTHINGBUT DON'T SHOW HOW YOU FEEL / OUR TSRMINOLOGY

S AGO WE SAW HOW THE BEREAVED
ais IT BACK “STAY INSIDE “~

[IN A DEATH SITUATION,
—

5.

u
IS WELL MEANT, BUT CLSAR.Y REFLECTS THE DEPTH OF OUR DECKPTION./ SO AND SO HAS PASSED

ry
ON OR PASSED AWAY, /WE TSLi, OURSELVES AND THE BEREAVED THAT THEIR LOVED ONE IS JUST

suserans fon HE HAS CROSSED OVER TO THE OTHER sions | RAHE IT IS THAT WE HEAR THE

% ”

v
WORD DEAD: SO AND SO DI wo! frs TAKS COURAGE TO BM HONS] AND IN THE DEATH SITUATION

Wi DO ALL IN UR POWER TO AVOLD THE HARSH AND BLUNT TRUTH.

——___

AS A NATION AMERICANS ARH NOTORIOUS FOR THEIR REFUSAL TO ACCEPT ANYTHING

NEGATIVE; /WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE ROSY SIDE, See COMPLIMLY IGNORING A TRUTH THAT

IS STARING US IN THE FACE.
IN OUR DEALINGS WITH PIDEL CASTRO'S CUBA, OUR NATION HAS BEMN IZNDERSD BY THE

NAIVE NOTION THAT PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD ADMIRE AND RMSPECT AMERICA: THAT PEUPLE

ENSLAVED BY A TYRANT WILL WELCOME DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM: / THAT A WHOLS NATION WILL TURN
—_—_—_—_—_——— eee

ON ITS L2ADER. A S SOON AS OUTSIDE FORCE IS APPLIED y WH WJUST CAN'T FACH TH! TRUTH

THAT “MILLIONS OF PEOPL“A ARS UNITED IN THEIR HATRED OF THOISE THINGS WE HOLD ining THIS

cel

IS TRULY SELF DECEPTION. /

OUR GOVERNMENTS AND WE AS A PHZOPLS, HAVE ALWAYS FAIUED TO CORRECTLY EVAUUATE RUSSIAN

COMMUNISM. DURING W.w. II AND IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS OUR) DIPLOMATS AND EVEN PRESIDENTS

CAME BACK FROM THE CONFERENCES TABLE WITH GLOWING REPORTS OF A NEW CHANGE IN COMMUNISM.
es

A\

6.

al
THINGS WOULD Bi DIFFERENT NOW.

HARRY TRUMAN SAID STALIN |
UNDERSTOOD EACH OTHER. / FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT CAME Ld

PEACE, FRIENDSHIP AND GOOD WILL BETWEEN THE TWO GREAT POW

HAD A COMMON DESTINY, NOTHING

BECAUSE WE WERE WILLING TO DECELVE OURSELVES RATHER THAN

WAS A MAN OF HIS WORD, THEY

FTY STATEMENTS OF ETERNAL

WiS.™ RUSSIA AND AMERICA

1G WOULD EVER CAUSH THETR FREDNDSHIP TO custo /n THIS

FACE THE UGLY TRUTH.

TODAY OUR DIPLOMATS SIT AT THE TABLE WITH THE RUSSIANS AND CHINESE TO TALK

PEACEFUL COBXISTINCH, OUR PRESIDENT PLANS TO TALK WITH KRUSHEV im ALL THE WHILE THE

COMMUNISTS PLUCK AWAY IN S. E. ASIA, KILLING, PLUNOERING,

3,000 GOV. OFFICIALS IN VIET NAM ALONE.

{ POINT THESE THIGS OUT NOT T LECTURZ ON HISTORY d

HOW DEEPLY WE ARE INFECTED WITH SELF secaer / HOW UNRAI

WE PUSH OUR THOUGHTS JUST A LITTLE FURTHER IT IS CLEAR TH

IS A RELIGIOUS PROBLEM OF THE SAME NATURE AS THAT WHICH Dj

PAUL CALLS US TO FACE THE TRUTH, TO EE OURSELVES AND

BE REALISTS, TO SES THINGS/ ESPECIALLY ounssvas) AS THEY

SPECTACLES
TINTED RSkoPohS,

IT TAKES COURAGE, THIS THING WE ARE TO DO.- TRUTH IS
————

UNC OMPROMING AND BLUNT, AND ABOVE AIL ELSE IT IS HUMBLING

“Jn the past year
¥
AS SASINATING/ KILLING

R PLITICS BUT TO DEMONS TRATE
LISTIC WE ACTUALLY ARE. WHEN

.T THY SELF DECEPTION

LSRUPTEB THE COMMUNITY AT CORINTH.

—

NOTHING ELSE. HE TELLS US TO

ARE AND NOT THROUGH ROSE
nn, ——

NOT ALWAYS PLSASANT, ITIS

» IT MEANS DISCARDING ALL
a

7.

CRUTCHES, OUR WEALTH, OUR WISDOM AND KNO uses, ABILITIES THAT MAKE US SOMETHING
——_—_—

SPECIAL, [x M TANS TEM POR ARII a ot AW JEM c AG ONE Vy TH UT EF ANTLY AND PRIE} Ladd BUDD, vu /LTHOUT

AUTOMOFr TL Ail) BOOKS , WITHOUT FOCATIC IN AN 2 pasrananois [Ae Wy DO THT Lo PE 4 ii CAN

SEE THS PERSON THAT IS RALLY usfanp THES 13 THE ACT oF dour. Gif Wi AR! SO ACCUSTOAARD

TO OURSTLVES AS WE HAVE FASHIONED OURSELVES, wItH Tag? STUS |AND HABITS, OMS AND JOB, THAT
Art ee —

IT 1S SATREMELY DIFFICULT TO cuT NERYTHING AWAY AND TO SEE THE CoRR UNDERNEATH.
neat nian,

A MAN ‘HAT HAS DONE THIS FINDS HINS&LF TERRIBLY ALONE, NAKED AND FRIGHTENED BEFORE

i “
A MSANINGLSSS VOID.= Take ALL TIIS AWAY AND THER? IS NOTHING LEFT. THIS IS THE MOMENT

OF ROCK BOTTOM TRUTH THAT PAUL Was PLA JING F ory
ee a

THEN IT IS WHEN WE SEE HOW UTTERLY DEPENDANT we ARS. | THEN I? BECOMES CLEAR

THAT THE "GOD THAT We WOULD We CANNOT" ,~ WITHOUT OUR SELE*MADE CRUTCHSS WE ARE A
—

ten

SORRY SIGHT INDERD, A PSRSOM wo HAS HAD THE COURAGE TO e ¢ THIS FAR HAS FULFILLED THE

APOSTLE'S ADSONITI on it NO MAN DECEEVE HIMS aur.)

|
AT THE CRINK OF BLACKNESS, WITH NOTHING Lorr IXCHPT OUR OWN SELVES WE ARE READY TO
a pi en ae te

LISTSN TO TH GOD WHO WAS IN CHRIST. IT IS THEN THAT THE THOUGHT OF A GOD WHO HAS

mens

CREATED US AND SUSTAINSD US ALSO LOVES AND CARES FOR US HITS US LIKE A LIGHTENING BOLT,
aac aang —— ——.

IT IS THEN THT OUR EYSS ARZ OPENED AND OUR MINDS CLEARED AND We COMPREHEND THAT LOVE
ee

8.

AS WE ARS,) DECEIVING OURSELVES WITH wl sD0m STATUS,

SELF SUFFICIENT. WE DON'T NEED THAT GOD OR HIg

ARE QULTE

OURSSLVES. ~THIS IS THE EPITOME OF DECEIT AND THIS IS oul

(ING TRUTHFUL, IS THE ONLY WAY TO THE GOSPEL OF Jeg

GOSPEL TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE COURAGE 10 FACE THE TRUTH AH

ALL THINGS CAN

~~

ib

HIS GIFT OF LIFE**HAPPINESS.AND SORROWS

JANEW, GOD'S LovZ,

THOSE THINGS THAT WERS OUR CRUTCHES BESORE. OUR WSALTH Al

SSESSIONS, OUR LOYES

—

PO. 3 AND PA}

fal
J wo

WEALTH OR WHAT HAVE wu

, LOVE,

US OHRIST.

“iN A Nv
ND

i
¥)

y 7

WE

WE CAN MAKE IT ALRIGHT
oar celiac ir

} ULTIMATE SIN,

IT IS ONLY A

iF
A.

TEP Jao we RECEIVE,
———

¥ P&RSPECTIVE

wl L_ VOM, OUR MATE hand AL

AGAIN BY THA GRACE OF GODE—

NO LONG a

SR GRUTCHES BUT GIFTS OF LOVE.

ANS JDO

THIS WAS PAUL'S PL2A TO THE CORINTH XW) NOTDEP AN J

ON YOUR wiSbDOM AS A CRUTCH,

ime

AST IT ASEDE AND STAND ALON FOR A WHILE. THEN vole

aol ¢

LE

PROPER PERSPECTIVE. THEN YOUR wit SDOM

TO PACH Tis TRUTH TAKES COURAGE, A LOT OF COURAGES B

EECOMES A GIFT TO By

i,

ot

OD, LIFE AND

YOURSELF IN THRE

USED AND ENJOYED.

7

pe

ne

Let no Wan be Decevea
FOR Ait THINGS ARS YOURS, WHETHER
LIFE OF DEATH,

CHRIST IS Gopts,

PAUL OR APOLLOS, OH

OR THd PRESENT OR THE FUTUR, ALL ARE YOURS

2

—__

IF YOU ARH CHRIST'S BECAUSE #
—e.. ——