1 Corinthians 1:30-31 - whats a rudis?

 

1 Corinthians 1:30-31

 

NKJV

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

 

NLT

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.  Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.”

 

When I first read this verse, what immediately popped into my mind was the rudis.  In Roman times a gladiator earned his freedom when the manager of the games gave him what is called a rudis.  This was a short wooden sword that they were to always carry on themselves, to prove their freedom if questioned.  You may be questioning what this has to do with today’s verse…that’d be a good question. 

 

When we united with Christ, He made us right; pure and holy.  We were freed from sin at that point.  We are no longer slaves to our sin and should always carry our “rudis” with us to remind ourselves and others that we glory in the Lord.  So what is our rudis?  I think our rudis is our relationship, both internal and external, with God.  Internal, meaning what we believe about ourselves in Christ.  I make a point to verbally submit myself to God every morning.  I try to spend as much time as I can in the word (not enough at times),to grow and get revelation from God.  This leads to what I show externally.  My rudis shows up in how I treat others.    Am I quick to jump on somebody’s error, or am I quick to offer grace?  Whose gospel am I preaching?  We’ve all heard the saying “preach the gospel of Christ, if necessary use words”.  Does the world know you by the rudis you carry?

 

Carrying my rudis,

cej