Paul may be referring to an issue that humbles his spiritual pride that might surface because of his elevated status in the church. Whatever that thorn is, it affected his ministry, and from his statement, one must assume that that affect is allowed or is intended by God.
Today's Comments: I wonder if too much theology might be the thorn in our side. Last night, in an email to a friend from church, I send my comments about denominationalism:
What we really have in common is the Bible. I think that we spend too much time on theology and not enough time on bibliology. We quibble about little things and forget about the big things that we have in common. If we were living in a country like China or North Korea, which represses religion, we would not be having these arguments. Instead, we would be meeting in each other’s homes in total secrecy just so that we could worship, whether we were theologically Roman Catholics, evangelicals, or whatever. Such repression brings us together, not on a denominational basis, but as Christians who together desire to worship the one true God.
It is for this reason that I can, for example, feel comfortable requesting Roman Catholic lay Eucharistic training so that one day I might be able to bring the Sacrament to our Roman Catholics [who are currently attending our services] and at the same time apply for a military missionary ministry position with Campus Crusade for Christ, so that I can reach soldiers, sailors, and airmen, as well as the families of those who are deployed. It enables me to reach those who will benefit from my ministry. People don’t need theology. They need the love and care that Jesus commanded us to give to our neighbor. It is through love that we come to Christ, not theology.
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