The Doctor Is In

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight XI

"For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have" (2 Corinthians 8:12 NIV).

While any discussion on the subject of financial giving is likely to generate a difference of opinion, the following commentators offer several Biblical insights that should guide our decision-making process in this area...

"How do you decide how much to give? What about differences in the financial resources Christians have? Paul gives the Corinthian church several principles to follow:

(1) Each person should follow through on previous promises (2Co_8:10-11; 2Co_9:3);
(2) each person should give as much as he or she is able (2Co_8:12; 2Co_9:6);
(3) each person must make up his or her own mind how much to give (2Co_9:7)and,
(4) each person should give in proportion to what God has given him or her (2Co_9:10).

God gives to us so that we can give to others. Paul says that we should give of what we have, not what we don't have. Sacrificial giving must be responsible. Paul wants believers to give generously, but not to the extent that those who depend on the givers (their families, for example) must go without having their basic needs met."₍₁₎

"There are principles in the N.T. which should offer guidelines for Christian giving. Christians are not to be covetous. They are not to be greedy. They are not to be anxious (double-minded) worrying over food, clothing and shelter (Matt. 6:25-34). They are to remember they brought nothing into the world neither can they carry anything out and so be content with food and clothing (I Tim. 6:6-10).

They are not to set their hopes on uncertain riches, but to do good, be rich in good deeds, liberal and generous (I Tim. 6:17-18). Christians are to provide necessities for their own families (I Tim. 5:8). The Lord expects Christians to maintain their personal lives financially and materially in such sufficiency as permits them to minister to Christ’s kingdom and the needy to the best of their capabilities (I1 Cor. 9: 8-1 3)."₍₂₎

"(2 Corinthians 8:12) is a warning against giving or promising to give an amount that you really do not have, hoping that God will repay it. Doing this forces a test on God (Luke 4:12). People should give as God causes them to prosper (1 Cor. 16:2). Even so, the more common offense is failing to give immediately and generously when God provides us with the resources to do so."₍₃₎

(2) Paul T. Butler. The Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians (College Press) [p. 285] Copyright ® 1988 College Press Publishing Company https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

(3) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2061). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight X

"For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have" (2 Corinthians 8:12).

It is hurtful and disappointing to hear the periodic reports of those who have been caught in an attempt to manipulate, exploit, or take advantage of others under the guise of religion. Such reports often involve the questionable fundraising tactics that are sometimes employed by media ministries and other types of religious organizations in soliciting financial support.

Just as Paul the Apostle mentioned earlier in this letter to the Corinthian church, there is no shortage of those who seek to "...market God’s message for profit" (2 Corinthians 2:17 HCSB), even today. With these things in mind, how can we recognize and protect against such excesses? Well, the single most effective way to identify and guard against these and other types of spiritual improprieties involves two commitments:

A prayerful commitment to read the Scriptures on a daily basis. ₍₁₎
A prayerful commitment to put its teachings into practice in the circumstances we encounter.

For instance, let's consider the example of a person who is acquainted with 2 Corinthians chapter eight and the example of the Macedonian Christians who first "...gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God" (2 Corinthians 8:5). Ideally, that person would follow the same good example in considering whether to support (or decline to support) a particular ministry.

Furthermore, he or she would also be familiar with the teaching found in the passage quoted above: "God will accept your gift on the basis of what you have to give, not on what you don't have" (GNB). Therefore, anyone who might be encouraged to "step out in faith" with a sacrificial financial offering on the spur of the moment would know to step back first in order to prayerfully seek God's direction before committing to a hasty (and potentially unwise) financial gift.

Of course, those who first give themselves to the Lord in this manner might be motivated to give "beyond their ability" just as the Christians in Macedonia did (2 Corinthians 8:3). However, that kind of decision should not be made without prayerful forethought. In the absence of such motivation, the counsel found in 2 Corinthians 8:12 should apply: "If you are really eager to give, then it isn't important how much you have to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you haven't" (TLB).

(1) This means prayerfully reading a portion of the Bible every day without the use of interpretative aids. While commentaries (including this one), devotionals, and study aids have their place, there is no substitute for getting into God's Word on a daily basis and prayerfully reading it for yourself. In the words of one Biblical scholar, "...you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator." (Dr. Bob Utley, Free Bible Commentary, Matthew 1 Copyright ©2016 Bible Lessons International http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL01/VOL01_01.html)

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight IX

"And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have" (2 Corinthians 8:10-11).

"When the Lord gets ready, you got to move." ₍₁₎

Tucked away within the pages of the Old Testament is an obscure little book known as Ecclesiastes. In chapter seven of that book we can find a brief observation that relates to the passage quoted above: "Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride" (Ecclesiastes 7:8).

You see, the ability to finish a task often depends on number of important attributes. Included among those qualities are things like perseverance, dedication, hard work, discipline, and the ability to plan ahead. Of course, the ability to successfully complete any undertaking may also depend upon another important quality: patience, or the capacity to endure through a difficult situation.

These were some of the qualities that may have been lacking in the Corinthian's efforts to help those who needed assistance. While the members of the church may have started that effort with the best of intentions, it seems that other priorities intervened to the point where an entire year had passed with no apparent timetable for completion. So much like those who plan to finish a long postponed project "someday," Paul the Apostle was apparently concerned that "someday" might never arrive in regard to this important task.

Thus, this portion of Scripture offers some practical insight for those (like the members of the Corinthian church) who are putting off something that ought to be done. While there may be good and legitimate reasons for failing to follow through on a commitment, it might be beneficial to prayerfully self-examine those commitments to determine if we are falling short in the areas of dedication, planning, discipline, responsibility, patience, or other such qualities.

Finally, one commentator leaves us with a challenging observation in this regard...

"It is a serious reflection on the integrity and stability of Christ and Christianity for congregations to be 'alive' with grandiose projects and plans, but 'dead' to the completion or fulfillment of their promises. Thus Paul urges them to 'match' their passionate willingness and their beginning actions with a completion of the project." ₍₂₎

(1) You Got To Move (unknown) from the album Trimmed And Burnin' Glenn Kaiser, Darrell Mansfield

(2) Paul T. Butler, The Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians (College Press) [p. 284] Copyright © 1985 College Press Publishing Company https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight VIII

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9 NET).

2 Corinthians 8:9 makes reference to the riches Jesus possessed. Yet it also appears that Jesus held few material or financial assets during His life. So in what sense can we say He was rich? Well, a look at Jesus' pre-incarnate existence (or His existence prior to His human birth) can help reveal many of the answers to that question.

We can begin by considering Jesus' deity, or His divine nature. You see, the Scriptures tell us that there is One God (Deuteronomy 6:4). The Bible further identifies this one God as a unity subsisting in three Persons- the Father (Ephesians 5:20 and Jude 1:1), the Son (Hebrews 1:8 and Titus 2:13), and the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4 and 2 Corinthians 3:17). As mentioned earlier, we commonly use the word "Trinity" to describe this concept in regard to the nature of God.

As the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus is omnipotent (or all-powerful), omnisciencent (or all-knowing), and omnipresent (a word that defines the ability to be in all places at once). He also possesses all the glory, honor, and majesty that belongs to God. Therefore in the words of one commentator, "The riches of Christ are those riches which pertained to his status with God and equality to God before the world was (John 17:5), the riches of His eternal power and Godhead, the riches of His everlasting divinity and glory." ₍₁₎

Yet Jesus humbled Himself by laying aside these riches to become our atoning substitute. Jesus did not cease to be God at any time in accepting the limitations of humanity but as the New Testament book of Hebrews tells us, "...(Jesus) had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people" (Hebrews 2:17 CSB).

Finally, one source offers another important insight regarding this passage by observing, "...(That you) might become rich refers to the spiritual riches that Jesus gives to all who place their trust in Him: He offers forgiveness, justification, regeneration, eternal life, and glorification. Jesus purchases us from slavery to sin and makes us children of God. He gives us the right and privilege to approach God with requests and praise." ₍₂₎

(1) James Burton Coffman, Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible, 2 Corinthians 8 [Verse 9] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/2-corinthians-8.html

(2) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1505). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight VII

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9).

To encourage the members of the Corinthian church to give generously to those in need, Paul the Apostle turned to the supreme example of generosity in 2 Corinthians 8:9: "You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich" (NLT).

From a post-resurrection perspective, it may be difficult to view Jesus as someone who became poor for our sakes. Yet consider the depths of poverty that Jesus experienced during His earthly life...

He was born in a shelter for animals, a place that lacked even the most basic accommodations for a newborn infant (Luke 2:4-7).
He had no place of permanent residence, having said on one occasion, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head" (Matthew 8:20).
Others helped support Him from their personal resources (Luke 8:1-3).
Jesus apparently held no personal assets other than His clothing at the time of His death (John 19:23-24).

So how did a Man who seemed to have so little make so many rich? Well, we can turn to Paul's Biblical letter to the Philippian church for the answer...

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:5-11).

It is humbling to consider how Jesus chose to lower Himself to the level of human existence in this manner. Yet as we're told in the passage quoted above, "...for your sakes he impoverished himself, even though he was rich, so that he might make you rich by means of his poverty" (CJB).

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight VI

"So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others" (2 Corinthians 8:6-8).

It appears that the members of the Corinthian fellowship had put aside their initial collection activities for the churches in Judea in order to address other concerns that seemed more pressing. But as Paul the Apostle subtly reminded them, it was important for the Corinthians to move forward and share their financial blessings in addition to the other gifts they possessed.

You see, Paul was well aware of the fact that the members of the Corinthian church were endowed with a number of spiritual gifts. For example, the Corinthians possessed the gift of faith and a number of other spiritual gifts as well (see 1 Corinthians 1:4-8 and 12:4-11). Yet many of those gifts represented intangible graces that primarily served to benefit the members of their local congregation.

In light of this, Paul encouraged the Corinthians to match their abundant spiritual gifts with corresponding financial gifts that would help and bless others. One commentator offers some additional insight on this passage...

"The Corinthians were strong in activities that are local to and centered upon them (miracle-working faith, charismatic speech, and theological understanding), but weak on those that are for the benefit of those outside, in this case the 'saints of Jerusalem.' (In the words of one commentator,) 'Paul now called on them to remember the vastness of their spiritual resources, and to make sure liberality (generosity; 'see that you abound in this gracious work') marked them as a congregation, as did so many other gifts of God's Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 1:5, 7; 12:31; 14:37).'" ₍₁₎

Nevertheless, Paul was reluctant to issue a directive to the church in regard to this financial offering. While we might have expected Paul to use his apostolic authority to compel the Corinthians to act, he was very clear in this regard: "I am not saying this as a command..." (HCSB). Instead, Paul wanted the Corinthians to do the right thing for the right reason- and his refusal to command the Corinthians to respond in this area was part of a larger strategy: "I am simply testing how real your love is by comparing it with the concern that others have shown" (CEV).

(1) Paul Barnett, The Second Epistle to the Corinthians, pp. 403-4, quoted in Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on 2 Corinthians 2017 Edition [8:7] Copyright © 2017 Thomas L. Constable. All Rights Reserved. http://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/2corinthians/2corinthians.htm

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight V

"For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us" (2 Corinthians 8:3-5 NIV).

This passage provides us with another important principle in regard to financial giving: "...they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will" (NIV). The example of the Macedonian Christians in this area should prompt us to ask if we are similarly seeking God's direction regarding those we support and how we should give.

You see, the right attitude towards giving should naturally follow the act of giving oneself to the Lord. In the words of one commentator, the Macedonian churches were moved by the will of God who made them willing. ₍₁₎ With is in mind, consider example of the Macedonians in 2 Corinthians chapter eight and how they gave…

They accepted responsibility to assist those who were in need and viewed that responsibility as a privilege (verses three and four).
They committed themselves to the Lord first and then to the Apostle Paul by the will of God (verse five).
They gave joyfully (verse two).
They gave generously (verse two).
They gave sacrificially (verse two).

So their internal decision to seek the Lord for His direction led to a series of God-honoring external responses. This concept is also reflected in New Testament book of James....

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith; I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do" (James 2:14-18 NIV).

To paraphrase the idea behind these passages, "…it isn't enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn't show itself by good works is no faith at all-- it is dead and useless" (TLB).

(1) Jamieson, Robert, D.D. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 8". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible". [v. 8] <http://classic.studylight.org/com/jfb/view.cgi?book=2co&chapter=008>. 1871.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight IV

"For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God" (2 Corinthians 8:3-5).

In light of their financial constraints, the offering taken up by the Christian community in Macedonia may not have amounted to much. But in proportion to their resources, they gave beyond any reasonable expectation. In fact, one Biblical paraphrase highlights the willing enthusiasm of these Macedonian Christians by saying, "They begged us to take the money so they could share in the joy of helping the Christians in Jerusalem" (TLB).

So the Macedonian Christians sought to help those in Jerusalem and Judea who were less well off. This represents the first of two important principles in regard to financial giving within these verses. It involves recognizing and responding to the needs of those who fall into difficult circumstances. This principle is reflected within the pages of the Old Testament as well...

"If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: 'The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,' ₍₁₎so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.

Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land" (Deuteronomy 15:7-11 NIV).

The churches of Macedonia set the right example by putting this concept in order to work to assist those who were less fortunate. But in a world where the needs are seemingly endless, how can we make the best decisions in regard to our limited resources? Well, the example of the Macedonian Christians offers another important principal that addresses this question and we'll consider that principle next.

(1) An Old Testament-era Israelite could sell himself as a slave to pay a debt. However, that length of service was limited to a maximum of six years, a cycle that was renewed every seventh year. See Exodus 21:2

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight III

"For I testify, they gave according to their means and beyond their means. They did so voluntarily, begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints. And they did this not just as we had hoped, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us by the will of God" (2 Corinthians 8:3-5 NET).

In Mark 14:12-15, Jesus sent two of His disciples on a mission with the following instructions: "Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, 'Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples'?'‘ Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us."

The owner of that upper room where Jesus ate His final meal is not identified within the pages of the Scriptures. Yet he faithfully made use of his resources in preparing the place where Jesus would later take some of the most decisive actions of His ministry and share some of His most important teachings. While his example may be easy to overlook in light of the momentous events that followed the Last Supper, its important to note that this man served as a steward of the home he possessed.

Despite his anonymity, he was ready and prepared to turn his God-given assets over to Jesus for His use. Thus, Jesus' anonymous host serves as a silent witness to the importance of faithfully using the resources we possess in His service. In a similar manner, the anonymous Christians referenced in 2 Corinthians 8:3-5 also provide us with a good example as they voluntarily sought to make use of their resources (however limited) in order to help others.

We can follow these good examples today whenever we recognize and accept a similar kind of stewardship responsibility. The idea is that every Christian is responsible to prayerfully manage his or her God-given assets in a manner that honors Him. In the case of the Macedonian Christians, their support went beyond what their financial condition suggested they could afford. In the paraphrased words of Paul the Apostle, "I can guarantee that they were willing to give to the limit of their means, yes and beyond their means, without the slightest urging from me or anyone else" (Phillips).

We'll examine the first of two important guidelines for good financial giving contained within these verses next.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight II

"Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality" (2 Corinthians 8:1-2).

The famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes once solved a murder case by noting a curious incident- a guard dog on duty at the time of the murder did not bark at the presence of the murderer. From this, Holmes deduced that the assailant was known to the dog, thus narrowing his list of suspects and eventually leading him to identify the guilty party. ₍₁₎

What does this have to do with our look at this portion of Scripture? Well, 2 Corinthians chapter eight opens a discussion on the subject of financial giving by referring to the example of the regional churches of Macedonia. Macedonia was located in the northern portion of Greece while Corinth was located to the south in an area known as Achaia. Those who are familiar with the New Testament Scriptures will recognize the names of several congregations that met in the cities of Macedonia, a list that included the churches of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

Yet much like the dog that didn't bark in Sherlock Holmes' murder mystery, the fact that Paul the Apostle never discussed financial issues in his Biblical letters to the churches at Philippi or Thessalonica suggests the churches of that area had not been exposed to the dangers associated with the love of money. In fact, many commentators note that those who lived in the Macedonian region were impoverished by war and first-century Roman economic policies.

Nevertheless, Paul referred to their example in encouraging the Corinthian church to support the members of the Christian community in Judea, an area that had been affected by a severe famine. Yet despite the fact that the churches of Macedonia were experiencing extreme poverty (CEB) and a severe test of affliction (ESV), they were still extremely generous in their giving (GNT).

The motivating factor behind their response can be explained by Paul's reference to God's grace. a word that continually reappears throughout 2 Corinthians chapters eight and nine. Earlier we defined the word grace as "God's unmerited favor" and much like an image that is reflected in a mirror, God's gracious favor towards the Christian community in Macedonia was reflected in their generous support of those who were in need. Thus, their response served as an example to the Corinthian Christians (and us) regarding this important virtue.

(1) The Adventure of Silver Blaze https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Blaze

the book of 2 corinthians chapter eight I

One of the more difficult subjects for a Biblical teacher involves financial giving, a theme that serves as the focus of attention in 2 Corinthians chapters eight and nine. One commentator remarks on the challenges associated with this subject for teachers and students of God's Word...

"I love teaching through the Bible because it forces me to deal with issues I might otherwise conveniently choose to avoid. Chapters 8 and 9 of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians are one such example, for they deal exclusively with the subject of giving. I’m not alone in my tendency to cringe when the subject of giving comes up, for evidently the Corinthian congregation felt the same way. And Paul knew that, although they were excited about spiritual gifts, they needed to be exhorted about the spirit of giving.

You see, on his third missionary journey, as Paul traveled between the churches of Macedonia and Achaia, he took an offering—not for himself, but for the church at Jerusalem, which was going through hard times financially due to a severe famine in the region. Seeing this as an opportunity for a bonding between the Gentile Christians in Greece and the Jewish believers in Jerusalem, Paul was eager to complete the gift.

Yet, although the Corinthian congregation had initially welcomed the opportunity to help their brothers in Jerusalem, after a year had passed, they hadn’t raised any money in the endeavor. So it is this issue Paul addresses in chapters 8 and 9." ₍₁₎

2 Corinthians chapter eight offers several important insights that should guide our approach in this area. These include...

The voluntary and sacrificial nature of financial giving (verse three).
The importance of seeking God's direction in this area (verse five).
Applying Jesus' example in the area of financial support (verse nine).
The need to follow through on our financial commitments (verses ten to eleven).
The importance of prayerful discretion in the area of financial giving (verses twelve to thirteen).
The relationship between those who give and those who receive (verses thirteen to fifteen).
The need for integrity in administering financial gifts (verses sixteen to twenty-three).
The importance of leading by example in the area of financial support (verse twenty-four).

Finally, one source makes an insightful comment on this portion of Scripture: "The spiritual nature of this offering is evident in the terms Paul uses. He never calls it 'money' because he never seems to think of it as such. Instead, he calls it 'grace' or 'generosity' or 'blessing' or 'partnership.' Thus, Paul speaks of the 'grace of giving' as one of the highest Christian virtues." ₍₂₎

(1) Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p. 1130). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

(2) Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2354). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven XII

"For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything" (2 Corinthians 7:14-16).

One of Jesus' most challenging parables has come to be known as "The Parable Of The Vineyard Owner." That parable involved a group of tenant farmers who leased a vineyard from it's owner in return for a portion of the crop. The tenant farmers then went on to treat a succession of representatives from the vineyard's owner with increasing contempt until they finally murdered the owner's son in an attempt to secure the vineyard for themselves.

While there are a number of important insights contained within that parable, one underlying message is obvious: the way we treat someone's representative serves to indicate the amount of respect we hold for the one who sent him or her. We can apply this idea to the closing verses of 2 Corinthians chapter seven by considering the manner in which the Corinthian congregation received Titus, the Apostle Paul's emissary.

In a sense, Titus was an extension of Paul himself and the fact that the Corinthians welcomed Titus "...with reverence and respect" (CJB) signaled an important shift in their attitude towards Paul. Since it is difficult to lead, communicate, and interact with those who hold an attitude of disrespect, their response told Paul that the members of the Corinthian congregation were open to receiving his counsel.

Unfortunately, we'll later find that this was not necessarily true of everyone who attended the church at Corinth. As one commentary on this passage observes, "...like a good pastor (Paul) commended the Corinthians and expressed his confidence (2Co_5:6, 2Co_5:8) in them after their positive response. He could only hope that the subjects he was about to discuss (in chaps. 8-9 and 10-13) would meet with the same spirit." ₍₁₎

2 Corinthians chapter eight will next go on to open a two chapter section on the subject of charitable giving. In the following chapter, Paul will use the example of some other first-century churches to encourage the members of the Corinthian church to be generous in their support of those who were in need. Finally, 2 Corinthians chapter nine will discuss the right perspective in regard to financial giving and detail God's response to those who give with an attitude that honors Him.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven XI

"Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you. Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all" (2 Corinthians 7:13).

In his earlier correspondence with the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul addressed a report of some highly inappropriate activity among certain members of the congregation: "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father's wife!" (1 Corinthians 5:1).

Some commentators believe the reference to "...him who had done the wrong" here in 2 Corinthians 7:13 is related to the person who was involved in this incestuous affair. However, it seems more likely that Paul was referring to someone who had been leading the opposition to him in Corinth or another person who tried to counteract his leadership in some manner.

We may have seen a hint of this problem earlier in 2 Corinthians when Paul wrote, "I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me" (2 Corinthians 2:5 NLT). One commentator provides us with some additional insight into this passage...

"Many opinions have been expressed as to the identity of the wrongdoer and the nature of his act of injustice toward Paul. Most likely, in our view, is the suggestion that this event should be linked with a public disturbance during the second visit (12:20) when Paul confronted those who had not relinquished their former sexual practices (12:21—13:2), connected as these probably were with ongoing temple attendance (6:14—7:1).

The most consistent reconstruction of Paul's scattered remarks on the subject throughout 2 Corinthians is that this man publicly opposed, and to some degree thwarted, Paul's attempt at discipline during that fateful visit." ₍₁₎

Finally, we should note that Paul used a term that he has already used twice in this letter to the Corinthian church: "in the sight of God." This reminds us that our daily choices and decisions are made under the watchful eye of a righteous Creator to whom we will give an account, thus providing an additional incentive to conduct ourselves in a God-honoring manner.

(1) Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on 2 Corinthians 2017 Edition [7:12-13a] Copyright © 2017 Thomas L. Constable. All Rights Reserved. http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/2%20Corinthians/2Corinthians.htm

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven X

"Look at what this very experience of godly sadness has produced in you: such enthusiasm, what a desire to clear yourselves of blame, such indignation, what fear, what purpose, such concern, what justice! In everything you have shown yourselves to be innocent in the matter" (2 Corinthians 7:11 CEB).

Another quality that serves to identify genuine repentance is longing (NIV) or vehement desire (NKJV). We can associate this idea with the motivation to correct a wrong that has occurred. This conveys more than just an emotional response; it identifies a deep internal desire to do what is right.

This is closely associated with the next quality found in 2 Corinthians 7:11: zeal (HCSB), enthusiasm (ISV), or deep concern (NET). These words communicate an intensity of spirit or a fervent desire to act. We can illustrate this concept by looking at an event from Jesus' life...

"The Jewish Passover was near, and so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and he also found the money changers sitting there. After making a whip out of cords, he drove everyone out of the temple with their sheep and oxen.

He also poured out the money changers’ coins and overturned the tables. He told those who were selling doves, 'Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!' And his disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume me" (John 2:13-17 CSB).

The final quality is justice or a readiness to punish wrong (NLT). In certain contexts, this word can be translated "vengeance." For many, this word is associated with someone who takes the law into his or her own hands to right an alleged wrong. However, this passage expresses the idea of meting out justice in a lawful manner for a wrong that has taken place. In the words of one commentator, "There is a hint in this that the Corinthians had turned upon their false teachers with the full anger and determination of men aroused to do God's will and to remove the influence of all persons standing in the way of it." ₍₁₎

These qualities lead to concluding thought of this passage: "You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right" (NLT). Not only had the Corinthians expressed their sorrow over what had gone wrong, they took positive steps to correct those issues. So even though the church at Corinth had many problems, this was an area where they were worthy of commendation. Because of this, they offer a good illustration of genuine repentance for every generation.

(1) Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 7". "Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament". <http://classic.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=2co&chapter=007>. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven IX

"For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter" (2 Corinthians 7:11).

If we look beneath the accolades given to the members of the Corinthian church in the passage quoted above, we can uncover several qualities that will help identify a genuine attitude of repentance in ourselves and others.

The first quality we should look for is diligence. This word carries the idea of haste and earnestness in dealing with those areas where we may be falling short. With this in mind, we can say that an identifying mark of genuine repentance is reflected in a desire to address such areas without delay. In other words, true repentance doesn't put off dealing with sinful behavior; instead, it addresses it in a forthright manner.

The next item is this: what clearing of yourselves. The word translated "clearing" in this verse is apologia or "defense." Just as the word "apologist" is associated with someone who defends the Word of God, real repentance seeks to identify and deal with the issues that lead to sinful behavior in a reasoned, straightforward manner. It seeks to clear up an inappropriate action by way of an honest explanation.

Following this comes indignation. A modern-day definition of this word serves to fit the context of this passage well: "strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base; righteous anger." ₍₁₎ A person who is truly repentant will feel a sense of irritation, indignance, and/or vexation over his or her propensity to sin, especially in those areas where he or she should know better. If those qualities are lacking, then something is probably wrong.

The next quality is fear. This response may take a number of forms. It should first involve a fear of displeasing God. It should also involve a fear of letting others down or setting a poor example for others to follow. It might also involve a fear of no longer being used by God as a result of a sinful attitude or action. A person who is truly repentant is someone who possesses a healthy fear of these potential consequences.

These qualities help to identify a person who possesses a genuine attitude of repentance. We'll consider some additional qualities associated with true repentance next.

(1) "indignation". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 21 May. 2018. <Dictionary.com http://www.dictionary.com/browse/indignation>.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven VIII

"For the grief according to God works repentance to salvation, not to be regretted, but the grief of the world works out death" (2 Corinthians 7:10 MKJV).

As mentioned earlier, the concept of "repentance" refers to a change of mind that leads to a change in behavior. It involves more than just a feeling of remorse, regret, or sorrow, although it may certainly incorporate those responses. Genuine repentance involves the determination to prayerfully stop a sinful behavior and make appropriate choices that are good and acceptable to God.

Many commentators have compared the idea of repentance to a vehicle that is traveling down the wrong road. Once the driver has determined that he or she is moving in the wrong direction, the right response is to stop, turn around, and proceed in the right direction. In a similar manner, the godly sorrow identified here in 2 Corinthians 7:10 should serve as a catalyst that leads us to "turn around" and head towards genuine repentance.

One source clarifies the use of the words repentance and salvation in this verse by saying...

"(Repentance involves) (t)urning from sin, a sincere decision to forsake a specific sin (or sins) and to begin to obey God. Here, the term does not specifically refer to the initial repentance that always accompanies true saving faith (Mark 1:15; Acts 3:19; 17:30; 26:20) but to an ongoing turning from sin in the life of a Christian... 'Salvation' here means not initial conversion, but growth and progress in the Christian life. Ordinary Christian growth will include times of profound sorrow for remaining sin."₍₁₎

Nevertheless, we may have to admit that there are times when we may not wish to repent from an inappropriate attitude or behavior. If we were to be completely honest, we might have to agree that there are times when we want what we want more than we want what God wants for us.

In such instances, it's important to remember the message of Philippians 2:13: "...it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." Therefore, we should be honest and upfront with God in acknowledging such areas and prayerfully ask for His help in making the kind of choices that honor Him.

As we're told in 1 Corinthians 10:13: "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (NIV).

(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2060). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven VII

"For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death" (2 Corinthians 7:10).

While its not unusual to hear someone express their sorrow over an inappropriate action or behavior, it may sometimes be helpful to ask what that person is sorry for. For instance, consider the difference in the following statements:

"I'm sorry I did something wrong."

"I'm sorry I was caught doing something wrong."

You see, a person who expresses his or her sorrow regarding an inappropriate behavior might not be sorry about the behavior itself. Instead, he or she might be sorry about the consequences that will come as a result of being apprehended. We can associate this kind of response with "the sorrow of the world" referenced here in 2 Corinthians 7:10. It refers to a type of sorrow that carries little internal significance or a perfunctory expression of sorrow that results from the negative consequences of an action rather than the morality of a behavior.

On the other hand, "godly sorrow" is something that produces a God-honoring internal response. We can illustrate this concept from an event in the life of Israel's king David. Following his sexual indiscretion with a woman named Bathsheba and his murderous attempt to conceal it, David wrote the following…

"When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, 'I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.' And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment" (Psalm 32:3-6 NLT).

Consider also the words of Proverbs 28:13-14: "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble" (NIV).

While an expression of sorrow might hide an attitude of indifference, godly sorrow should prompt us to respond in a manner that acknowledges our guilt when we've done something wrong. If we choose to deal with such things by running away from God, trying to convince ourselves that nothing is wrong, or being dishonest about our actions, we are sure to experience the same kind of unhealthy consequences that David recorded in the passage quoted above.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven VI

"Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-- yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us" (2 Corinthians 7:8-9 NIV).

Paul the Apostle took no pleasure from the thought of inflicting sorrow upon the members of the Corinthian church. But the prospect of hurting the Corinthian Christians was surely tempered by the knowledge that the church was headed for greater trouble if he failed to correct the issues that existed there. One commentator makes an important observation that warrants a lengthy excerpt in this regard...

"We do not show love to someone by withholding the truth. Paul said to the Galatians, 'Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?' (Gal. 4:16). We often let people go on and on in sin, saying we love them too much to hurt them, but nothing is more self-deceptive. What we usually mean by such a statement is that we do not want to hurt ourselves!

When a sinner is told the truth about his sins, he gets angry with the one who told him - no matter how sincere and loving the attempt to produce repentance. That hurts! No one likes rejection! Paul did not like it! But he was willing to endure it for the sake of the Corinthians. When we say, 'Well, I just love him too much to hurt him,' we are really kidding ourselves and saying we do not want to hurt ourselves." ₍₁₎

Nevertheless, it is seldom easy to engage in loving confrontation with others. Paul acknowledged that reality by saying, "I knew you would be upset with my last letter, but I do not regret sending it. If there were times I did have second thoughts, it was because I could see that the letter did hurt you, even if only for a while. Now I am glad—not because it caused you grief but because you were moved to make a permanent change..." (Voice).

The permanent change referenced above encompasses the Biblical idea of "repentance." It refers to a change of mind that results in a change of behavior. In this instance, their attitude of repentance was generated by what Paul will refer to as "godly sorrow" in the following verse. We'll explore that concept in greater detail next.

(1) Paul T. Butler. The Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians (College Press) [p. 258] Copyright © 1988 College Press Publishing Company https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven V

"For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing" (2 Corinthians 7:8-9).

One talent that many of us seem to possess involves the ability to second guess our choices and decisions. This refers to the act of revisiting a decision after it has been made by asking, "Did I really make the right choice in that situation?"

While it is often helpful to review the factors that led to a particular decision, it seems much more common for people to second guess themselves in a negative sense. As we'll discuss later in this chapter, this may or may not be a good thing for the answer often depends on the actions we take as a result.

This idea may also encompass the feeling of regret we sometimes experience whenever we are required to take an appropriate, but undesired course of action. Anyone who has ever experienced this kind of regret can take comfort in the fact that Paul the Apostle found himself in this very situation regarding the members of the Corinthian church.

For instance, consider the passage quoted above; notice how Paul's emotional state swung like a pendulum in regard to his previous correspondence with the church: "I made you sorry... I do not regret it… I did regret it… Now I rejoice..." It seems that Paul experienced an initial sense of sorrow or regret regarding his earlier letter, perhaps fearing that he might have been too harsh in his approach. However, he was greatly relieved to find that the Corinthians accepted his message with the right attitude and responded accordingly.

One commentary summarizes this idea in the following manner...

...The whole process which the apostle is describing here may be likened to the work of a surgeon. In order for him to remove a dangerously infected part from the human body, it is necessary for him to cut deep into the flesh.

He does not rejoice in thus causing pain to the patient, though he knows it must be done if the patient is to regain his health. Especially if the patient is a close friend, the surgeon is keenly aware of the suffering that will be necessary. But he realizes that this suffering is only temporary, and he is willing that it should be so in order that the final outcome might be favorable." ₍₁₎

(1) William Macdonald, Believer's Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers (2 Corinthians 7:8)

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven IV

"Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more" (2 Corinthians 7:6-7).

To borrow a phrase used earlier by the Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 7:6 refers to a New Testament personality who is both well-known and unknown. That person is Titus. While Titus is mentioned over a dozen times within the pages of the New Testament Scriptures, very little is actually known about him. This becomes even more surprising when we consider that the seventeenth book of the New Testament is comprised of a letter that was addressed to him.

Here's some of what we do know: Paul's Biblical letter to Titus tells us that he had been assigned to oversee the individual churches on the island of Crete at one point in his ministry. Unfortunately, the citizens of Crete had a poor reputation in the ancient world and its possible that some negative qualities had started to emerge within the early church there.

It seems likely that Titus was given the responsibility of overseeing the church in Crete because he possessed the God-given leadership skills that would best serve the needs of the church in that area. This may also explain why Paul asked Titus to visit the Christian community at Corinth.

Although Paul sincerely loved the members of the Corinthian church, the latter portions of this letter will show that he was realistic about the challenges that existed within the church there. Much like the congregations on the island of Crete, Paul may have seen Titus as someone who was best equipped to work with the members of the Corinthian fellowship and help them on to a more God-honoring path.

The passage quoted above tells us that God ultimately blessed that decision and as one commentator notes...

"Paul was encouraged by the manner in which the Corinthians comforted Titus, since he brought them such a confrontational letter . Paul was also encouraged by their response to himself, which was manifested in 3 ways: 1) 'longing'—they were eager to see Paul again and resume their relationship with him; 2) 'mourning'—they were sorrowful over their sin and the breach it created between themselves and Paul; and 3) 'zeal'—they loved Paul to such a degree that they were willing to defend him against those who sought to harm him, specifically the false teachers." ₍₁₎

(1) MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Co 7:7). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven III

"For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears" (2 Corinthians 7:5).

"I have had a great deal of trouble in my life, but most of it never happened." ₍₁₎

In an earlier portion of his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul the Apostle wrote,"When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, the Lord opened a door for me. I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find my brother Titus, but I said good-bye to them and left for Macedonia" (2 Corinthians 2:12-13 HCSB).

Although it has taken five intervening chapters and eighty-three verses to reach this point, Paul will now return to conclude the account he began earlier in 2 Corinthians chapter two. As we continue with the resumption of that account, the remainder of this chapter will provide us with a glimpse into the humanity of this great apostle.

As mentioned earlier, its appears that Titus may have been responsible for delivering one of Paul's previous messages to the church at Corinth. It also seems likely that Paul and Titus arranged for a follow-up meeting at Troas, a Mediterranean coastal city near the Aegean sea. Unfortunately, Titus never made it to Troas and a look at the way Paul responded to his absence provides us with some insight into his mindset during that time.

Notice the emotionally charged language Paul used to describe his feelings: "I had no rest in my spirit...", "...we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears." A multitude of potential scenarios may have run through Paul's mind during that time, including many that didn't end well for Titus or the members of the Corinthian church.

This provides us with an opportunity to consider a phrase that represents one of the most helpful or destructive questions one can ask: "What if?" On one hand, this question can lead us to develop creative solutions to complex problems. On the other hand, "what if" questions may lead us to dwell upon every negative scenario that might potentially occur, thus causing undue stress, apprehension, and/or worry- things that God would have us avoid.

Nevertheless, these fears, conflicts, and troubles did not lead Paul into a state of anxiety, for as he said to the Philippian church...

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

(1) Variously attributed, most notably to Mark Twain

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven II

"Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation" (2 Corinthians 7:2-4).

After summarizing some final thoughts from the end of the previous chapter, Paul the Apostle returned to complete a similar task in regard to another idea from 2 Corinthians chapter six: "O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open... Open your hearts to us" (2 Corinthians 6:11, 7:1). He then went on to defend this heartfelt appeal with three specific affirmations.

He began by saying, "We have wronged no one..." Despite any claims to the contrary, Paul had not acted unjustly towards those within the Corinthian fellowship. While some members of their congregation might have been offended by his direct approach, Paul had inflicted no damage or harm upon anyone within the church. And for those who may have been hurt by the content of his letters, Paul will direct their attention to the good things that emerged from his correspondence a little later in this chapter.

He then continued by saying, " we have corrupted no one..." In other words, Paul led no one astray nor did he attempt to manipulate or influence anyone within the congregation to act in an inappropriate manner. Instead, Paul consistently encouraged the Corinthians to adopt God-honoring standards in their financial arrangements, moral choices, social interactions, marital relationships, and personal conduct.

Finally, Paul maintained that "we have cheated no one..." The word "cheated" expresses the idea of an individual seeks to overreach his or her authority and gain an advantage over others. ₍₁₎ While Paul did not hesitate to exercise his authority as an Apostle in his letters, he did not use that authority (or his position as the founder of the church at Corinth) for his own personal gain.

This ethical quality will become important later in this epistle as Paul will address a monetary collection for the Christians in Jerusalem was well as the proper attitude towards financial giving. So in each of these areas, Paul provides us with a good example to follow as we execute the responsibilities of daily life.

(1) G4122 pleonekteo https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g4122

the book of 2 corinthians chapter seven I

"Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).

As we begin our look at 2 Corinthians chapter seven, we can begin by considering the relationship between the opening verse of this chapter and the verse that immediately precedes it.

First, it helps to remember that the Biblical chapter and verse divisions we see today were not included among the original Biblical texts. These reference aids were added later to help identify each individual portion of Scripture. While these divisions provide us with a quick and accurate method of quoting Scripture, they may sometimes interrupt the flow of a Biblical author's thought. Such is the case here in 2 Corinthians 7:1.

You see, the opening verse of this chapter serves to summarize and close the thought that Paul the Apostle began near the end of the previous chapter. If we were to examine this verse in context along with the closing verses of 2 Corinthians chapter six, the entire concept would look like this...

"Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch any unclean thing, and I will welcome you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty. Therefore, dear friends, since we have such promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, completing our sanctification in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1 HCSB).

One commentator then goes on to alert us to the importance of the words "flesh" and "spirit" as contained within this verse...

"We are to cleanse ourselves not only from the filthiness of the flesh, but also of the spirit. As believers, we are very cognizant of the sins of the flesh—those sins that are done outwardly and that seem to permeate our culture increasingly. Yet how often we fail to even notice the much more dangerous sins of the spirit—like gossiping, fault-finding, laziness, cynicism.

Jesus indicted the Pharisees for being more concerned about their rituals and ceremonial cleansing than about the big issues of justice and mercy (Matthew 23:23). That is why it is imperative that we take to heart what Paul is saying. Our flesh might appear quite presentable, but what about the grudges we keep, the anger that wells up within, the lustful thoughts, and the wrong perspectives we know need to be corrected? Paul says, 'Cleanse yourselves from filthiness of both the flesh and the spirit. Deal with it all.'" ₍₁₎

(1) Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (pp. 1124–1125). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six XVI

"Therefore 'Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty'" (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).

Many public restrooms in the United States feature signs that encourage users to wash their hands before leaving the facility. These signs serve to remind us that the simple step of hand washing can help reduce the risks associated with anything that might be unclean. In a similar manner, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 serves to encourage God's people to take the appropriate steps to avoid anything that might be spiritually unclean or impure.

One commentator provides us with a helpful clarification regarding these verses: "This passage is not teaching that God will be a Father and an individual will be His child if that person withdraws from unbelievers. It is saying that since you are a believer and therefore God dwells in you, act like His child and you will enter fully into the experience of God being your Father. He will take care of you." ₍₁₎

Before we close our look at this chapter, we should also pause to address a question that sometimes arises in regard to this passage. You see, these verses feature several allusions to the writings of such prominent Old Testament authors as Moses (Leviticus 26:11-12), Isaiah (Isaiah 52:11) Jeremiah (Jeremiah 24:7) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:26-27). However, none of those passages contain the exact quote that Paul the Apostle references within this portion of Scripture.

So what are we to make of a "quote" that comes from a passage that doesn't exist? Well, here's how one source addresses that concern...

"Many have spoken of the fact that Paul here combined the thought of several Old Testament passages, even adding some words of his own (i.e. daughters); but it seems best to view this passage not as a blundering effort of the apostle to quote the Old Testament, but as his own inspired words, which quite naturally, of course, used some of the terminology of previous holy writings...

... Paul was not 'quoting scripture' here; he was WRITING SCRIPTURE. The difference is apparent in the formula by which he introduced this paragraph. He did not say, 'Thus it is written,' but 'Thus saith the Lord' the magnificent formula used a thousand times by the holy prophets of the Old Testament, and here used by the blessed Paul, and for exactly the same purpose!" ₍₂₎

(1) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1503). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

(2) Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on 1 Corinthians 2". "Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament". <http://classic.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=2co&chapter=006>. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six XV

"What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, 'I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people'" (2 Corinthians 6:14-15 ESV).

Satan, Lucifer, and Beelzebub are all names that are associated with the devil in the pages of the Scriptures- and this passage presents us with another designation for this malevolent spiritual entity. That name is Belial, a word that is identified with a wicked individual or someone who is worthless. Since the devil typifies those regrettable qualities, its easy to see how he acquired such a name.

Now before we continue, we should keep in mind that the context of this passage involves the propriety of a voluntary business or personal relationship between someone who is a Christian and someone who is not. So why would any member of God's family seek to exclude an otherwise hardworking, honest, and respectable person from a dating or business relationship simply because he or she doesn't share the same spiritual beliefs? Well, the answer is that the individuals in those relationships are traveling down very different life paths.

While there may be many people who exhibit the positive characteristics that one might look for in a potential marriage or business partner, its important to remember that a Christian's first responsibility involves following Christ. A partner who rejects, ignores, or is apathetic towards Jesus is someone who is following the enemy along a different road that ultimately leads to destruction, even if he or she is unwilling to accept it. This serves to explain the Apostle Paul's question: "How can there be any unity between Christ and the devil? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" (ERV).

Paul reinforced this idea by turning to an analogy he used in his earlier message to the Corinthians- the concept of God's people as His temple or dwelling place...

"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19).

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six XIV

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?" (2 Corinthians 6:14-15 ESV).

To effectively communicate the idea of being "unequally yoked" to contemporary audiences, modern Biblical translations have sought to express this concept in a variety of ways...

"Do not keep company with those who have not faith..." (BBE).

"Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers..." (GW).

"Do not become partners with those who do not believe..." (NET).

"Don't team up with those who are unbelievers..." (NLT).

"Do not be mismatched with unbelievers..." (HCSB).

This portion of Scripture has served as a definitive guide for dating and marriage relationships for untold numbers of God's people- and those who disregard this prohibition do so at great risk.

You see, a Christian who is "yoked" together with an unbeliever cannot expect to receive much (if any) spiritual support from his or her spouse. At best, their relationship will never reach its full potential. At worst, the two partners may find themselves pulling in different directions in regard to the choices, decisions, and activities of daily life. As many will attest, two people who are yoked together in such a marriage may find that relationship to be unsustainable.

However, two sources expand this idea beyond its traditional application to marriage...

"Paul urges believers to not 'team up,' that is, form partnerships with unbelievers because this might weaken their Christian commitment, integrity, or standards. It would be a mismatch. Earlier, Paul had explained that this did not mean isolating oneself from unbelievers (see 1Co_5:9-10). Paul even urges Christians to stay with their unbelieving spouses (1Co_7:12-13). He wanted believers to be active in their witness for Christ to unbelievers but not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise their faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties." ₍₁₎

"The prohibition against being yoked together with unbelievers must be considered in situations where significant control over one’s actions would be willingly yielded to an unbeliever through a voluntary partnership or association. Neither Paul nor the rest of the NT tells us to have no association at all with unbelievers (Mark 2:15–17; 1 Cor. 5:9, 10; 7:12–16; 1 Pet. 3:1–6). But we are told not to be “yoked together” with them in such a way that they significantly influence the direction and outcome of our moral decisions and spiritual activities." ₍₂₎

(1) Life Application Study Bible, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved. Life Application® is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

(2) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2059). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six XIII

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? (2 Corinthians 6:14-15).

In addition to the possibilities we've already considered, Paul the Apostle may have suspected that the members of the Corinthian church were not more open and loving with him for another reason: they knew Paul would not approve of the relationships they had been forming with others. To address that issue, Paul will go on to illustrate the impropriety of certain relationships over the final verses of this chapter with five contrasting elements.

He began by using an illustration that would have been familiar to the first-century inhabitants of Corinth but might not be so easily understood by the modern-day residents of a non-farm economy: "Do not yoke yourselves together in a team with unbelievers" (CJB). For those who are unacquainted with the idea behind this illustration, a "yoke" describes a type of harness that is placed between two animals to unite them together in order to pull a wagon or a plow.

It was in the farmer's best interest to place two or more of the same animals together to obtain the best result from this working arrangement. Doing so would help ensure that each animal shared the same physical ability and increased the likelihood that they would get along together. This not only made good sense but also formed the basis of a directive from the Old Testament Scriptures as well (see Deuteronomy 22:10).

One source expands on this illustration in regard to the members of the church at Corinth...

"As this relates to Corinth, history reveals that the Corinthians were notorious for their associationalism. They had guilds, societies, or associations for practically everything. Every society had its own idol or protective deity. To fail to do obeisance to this idol would be to anger the god and bring its wrath down on the guild. Thus, the Corinthians tried to go along with this idol even though they did not believe in it." ₍₁₎

Much like the difficulties that were certain to arise from an attempt to use two mismatched animals to pull a wagon, Paul saw a similar issue arising from a Christian who was "harnessed" together with someone whose first priority was something other than Christ. We'll look at the potential issues that might arise from such a relationship next.

(1) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1503). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six XII

"You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections" (2 Corinthians 6:12).

Paul the Apostle used an unusual turn of phrase in the passage quoted above: "...you are restricted by your own affections." This raises an interesting question: how did the Corinthians' affections limit the relationship they enjoyed with Paul? Well, one answer to that question might involve the objects of their affections.

For instance, the members of the Corinthian church may have loved the society and culture of first-century Corinth to an unhealthy extent. Given the idolatrous nature of Corinthian society in the New Testament era, a person who was immersed in the pagan culture of the city would naturally tend to alienate anyone (like Paul, for instance) who sought to live a God-honoring life.

We can apply this idea in a modern-day sense as well. For example, a look at our financial expenditures, leisure activities, or social media posts will all help to gauge our internal affections- and what's inside will eventually find its way outside in any number of ways.

We should also remember that people demonstrate their depth of love and affection for Christ by their choices. Jesus discussed this reality in the New Testament gospel of John…

"'Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.' Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, 'Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?'

Jesus replied, 'All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me'" (John 14:21-24 NLT).

Finally, one commentator addresses this idea in terms of relationships: "Some of the Corinthians were not openhearted toward Paul, because they were doing things they knew he disapproved of. This evidently included maintaining inappropriate relationships with unbelievers." ₍₁₎ This will lead into a subject that Paul will go on to discuss over the final verses of this chapter and serve as the focus of our next few studies.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six XI

"We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts also" (2 Corinthians 6:11-13).

In a well-known passage from 1 Corinthians 13:7, Paul the Apostle identified an important characteristic of love: "(Love) always trusts" (NIV). This particular aspect of love is important for trust is something that largely determines the depth and quality of our relationships with others.

You see, 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 tells us that there were some within the Corinthian church who were reluctant to emotionally invest in Paul. One potential explanation for this reluctance involved the amount of trust they held in him. For example, most people are unwilling to invest in someone they do not trust, for trust places one in a position of vulnerability. Since an untrustworthy individual is likely to hurt a vulnerable person, he or she may be reluctant to open his or her heart in such a manner.

The well-known author C. S. Lewis once expressed this idea in his book The Four Loves...

"There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal." ₍₁₎

Nevertheless, Paul was willing to work to establish a greater degree of trust and build a more loving relationship with the Corinthian Christians. As we'll see in the following chapter, he was also ready to clear up any misunderstandings with the members of the Corinthian church by saying, "Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one" (2 Corinthians 8:2). That provided an open invitation for anyone who felt differently to engage with Paul and work out any disagreements.

The problem with implementing this approach is that it may involve the uncomfortable work of addressing the issues that limit our ability to establish a more loving relationship with others. Such efforts may be painful and carry the potential to learn difficult truths about ourselves that we might prefer to leave uncovered. Yet Paul was willing to open his heart to the Corinthians to establish a deeper, more loving relationship with them and in doing so, he provides us with a good example to follow.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six X

"by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things" (2 Corinthians 6:8-10).

Paul the Apostle continued with an assessment of his life and ministry 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 with the following self-description: as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. Although the ancient city of Corinth was known for its leadership position in the areas of culture, athletics, commerce, and education, it was also noted for its idolatry, immorality, and pagan spirituality as well. These kinds of societal and cultural elements distressed Paul, just as similar elements within 21st century society often distress God's people today.

Yet despite these things, Paul could rejoice over what God had accomplished through the message of the gospel. For instance, lives that were once marked by a sense of futility and insignificance were given new meaning and purpose in Christ. The immoral, unethical, and abusive were empowered to change and lead God-honoring lives. The murderous, hateful, and greedy received the ability to start anew through the power of the Holy Spirit. That was cause for rejoicing, just as is true today.

The next two components are poor, yet making many rich. This built upon a foundation that Paul established in his earlier letter to the Corinthians: "Through Christ Jesus you have become rich in every way—in speech and knowledge of every kind" (1 Corinthians 1:5 GW). It will also reinforce something Paul will say later regarding Jesus: "...although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9 NET).

Finally, Paul made reference to having nothing, and yet possessing all things. In a sense, this was reflective of Jesus' life in certain respects. For instance, Jesus' birth took place in a rented manger. He later made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on an animal that was borrowed for that purpose. Following His death, He was laid to rest in another man's burial chamber. In fact, Jesus once offered the following commentary on His life: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head" (Matthew 8:19-20).

Nevertheless as Paul earlier reminded the Corinthians, "all things are yours... the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's" (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six IX

Like any good communicator, Paul the Apostle did not present his message to Corinthian church in a cumbersome and inaccessible manner. Instead, Paul varied his stylistic approach to help maintain his audience's interest and allow them to grasp the information he sought to provide. We can find an example of that God-inspired communication strategy here in 2 Corinthians chapter six.

Remember that Paul had earlier listed a number of challenges he encountered as he sought to pursue God's course for his life. He then followed with a summary of positive attributes in verses six to seven. Here now in verses eight to ten, Paul will contrast those opposing elements with a varying a list of positive and negative qualities arranged in pairs.

The first among these couplets are honor and dishonor along with evil report and good report. Much like the Apostle Paul, every Christian is likely to encounter those who respect a sincere commitment to honor God and many who do not. Next comes deceivers, and yet true. This description should not come as a surprise to any follower of Christ since Jesus was identified as a deceiver by those who opposed Him.

This is followed by unknown, and yet well known. Although Paul was a prominent member of the first-century church, he was certainly not recognized for his self-promotional efforts. In fact, Paul may have had greater name recognition among the members of the spiritual realm than he did outside the Christian community (compare Acts 19:13-15 with Acts 28:17-22). If Paul had been a member of today's social media community, his number of friends or followers would pale in comparison to others within the political, news, and/or entertainment world.

The next pair of negative and positive elements are dying, and behold we live. This brings to mind something Paul said in the New Testament book of Galatians: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

Paul then continued with this statement: as chastened, and yet not killed. As we'll see when we reach 2 Corinthians chapter eleven, Paul will go on to substantiate that claim in considerable detail.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six VIII

"by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left" (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).

After compiling a list of ministerial challenges, the Apostle Paul followed with several positive characteristics that flowed as a result of God's work in his life in 2 Corinthians 6:6-7. But unlike the list of external difficulties that Paul mentioned earlier, these positive internal qualities should serve as a source of encouragement for those who take the time to examine them.

First among these qualities is purity, a word that characterizes a person of moral excellence. This is followed by knowledge, an idea that is associated with a good understanding of the Christian faith, insight, and sensitivity to God's will. ₍₁₎ Longsuffering or patience (HCSB) is next, a word that describes the qualities of endurance, constancy, perseverance, and slowness in seeking to avenge a wrong. ₍₂₎

Kindness is generally associated with the idea of compassion, benevolence, and good will. Paul then continued with a reference to the Holy Spirit. This prompted one commentator to remark, "Perhaps Paul used 'the Holy Spirit' here in the same sense that he did in Galatians 5:16. We should walk 'in the Spirit,' just as we walk in purity, knowledge, etc. The Spirit as a gift, rather than as a person, may be in view." ₍₃₎

In the original language, the concept of sincere love finds its origin in the word agape', a word that is associated with a commitment to love someone even if that love is not reciprocated. Here, "love" is coupled with the idea of sincerity. This brings to mind the message of Romans 10:9: "Let love be without hypocrisy..."

Next we have a reference to the word of truth. This phrase would be characteristic of someone who possesses a good working knowledge of the Scriptures (see 2 Timothy 2:15).

Paul's catalog of virtues also includes the power of God. We can associate Paul's use of this term with God's demonstrated ability to change the lives of those who turn to Him in Christ. Finally, one source offers the following observation regarding the armor of righteousness: "The phrase 'for the right hand and for the left' possibly refers to a combination of an offensive weapon (a sword for the right hand) and a defensive weapon (a shield for the left)." ₍₄₎

(2) G3115 makrothumia https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g3115

(4) NET Bible Notes. Scripture and/or notes quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved. http://classic.net.bible.org/verse.php?book=2Co&chapter=6&verse=7&tab=commentaries

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six VII

"We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings" (2 Corinthians 6:3-5).

A number of spiritual benefits are hidden away in 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 for those who are willing to uncover them. Within this portion of Scripture, Paul the Apostle will first list some of the challenges he encountered in ministry and then go on to detail several positive virtues that resulted from the act of following God's agenda for his life. Reading through these life experiences can help prepare us for whatever we may encounter in our own spiritual walk.

The first item on this list is patience, a word that expresses the qualities of steadfastness, constancy, and endurance. ₍₁₎ Next is tribulation. Today, we might use the "pressure" to communicate the idea behind this word. Alternative definitions of "tribulation" would include words like oppression, affliction, and/or distress. ₍₂₎ Paul next referred to various "needs." This word is translated as hardships (AMP), emergencies (MKJV), and difficulties (NET) in other versions of this passage.

The next item is distresses. One commentator defines this word as the "...calamitous situations from which one cannot escape. The Greek word pictures a person trapped in a confining place." ₍₃₎ Another source notes the extent of the distresses Paul endured by observing, "These were of every kind: (1) personal rejection by former friends; (2) disease; (3) shipwrecks; (4) plots to murder him; (5) charges laid against him before governors; (6) anxieties for the churches; (7) travel delays, etc., etc." ₍₄₎

Stripes refers to a physical lashing with a whip, a punishment that Paul endured more than once. Imprisonments requires no definition but does serve to remind us that Paul was incarcerated on a number of occasions. A tumult carries the idea of a rioting mob, something that Paul once experienced in the town of Ephesus. Labors brings to mind the physical effort that Paul invested in his work. Finally, sleeplessness and fastings (or hunger [NIV]) are experiences that are familiar to many.

While we may not be called to endure this particular set of challenges, these examples can help prepare us to overcome the difficulties we often encounter in life. As one source candidly observes, "...in these three categories, tough circumstances, tough opposition, and tough commitments, (Paul) faced continual conditions of pressure. Yet he never quit." ₍₅₎

(1) G5281 hupomone https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g5281

(2) G2347 thlipsis https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g2347

(4) James Burton Coffman, Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible, 2 Corinthians 6 [Verse 4] https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/2-corinthians-6.html10

(5) Excerpted with permission from Sensible Fanaticism, © 1979, 1995 by Ray Stedman Ministries. All rights reserved. Visit www.RayStedman.org for the complete library of Ray Stedman material. Please direct any questions to webmaster@RayStedman.org.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six VI

"We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed" (2 Corinthians 6:3).

An acquaintance of the late actor and comedian W. C. Fields once noticed a large Bible on a shelf in his extensive home library. Fields (who was an atheist and a person who regarded all religions with the suspicion of a seasoned con man), was asked to explain why he possessed a copy of the Scriptures. In his characteristic deadpan manner, Fields replied, "Looking for loopholes." ₍₁₎

Much like W. C. Fields, there is no shortage of those who are seeking to uncover a loophole or two in the message of the gospel. Perhaps the most common means of avoiding that subject involves the moral failings of some who claim to represent Christ. That objection will be the subject of our look at this portion of Scripture.

Here in 2 Corinthians 6:3, Paul the Apostle will transition from a discussion of God's grace and the need for salvation to some of the challenges he faced in ministry. In doing so, this passage will draw our attention to a sobering reality: for better or worse, people often judge Christ and the God of the Scriptures by those who claim to represent Him.

Paul understood this reality and addressed it by saying, "We try to live in such a way that no one will ever be offended or kept back from finding the Lord by the way we act, so that no one can find fault with us and blame it on the Lord" (TLB). In a similar manner, we should also seek to live the kind of life that does not provide the basis for a legitimate accusation or justifiable criticism against Jesus.

Of course, there will always be some who will seize upon an offense (real or imagined) in attempting to discredit the gospel or justify their personal inconsistencies. However, the mistakes, moral deficiencies, or hypocritical actions of others should not prevent us from prayerfully seeking God's help in living the kind of life that honors Him. As Paul said in an earlier message to the Corinthians, "...if you eat or drink, or if you do anything, do it all for the glory of God. Never do anything that might hurt others—Jews, Greeks, or God’s church" (1 Corinthians 10:31-32 NCV).

Finally, we should remember that the conduct of others does not relieve us of our accountability before God for, "All of us must appear in front of Christ's judgment seat. Then all people will receive what they deserve for the good or evil they have done while living in their bodies" (1 Corinthians 5:10 GNB).

(1) Stephen C. Jordan, Hollywood's Original Rat Pack: The Bards of Bundy Drive [pp. 151-152]

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six V

"Hear what God says: 'When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you.' Listen! This is the hour to receive God's favor; today is the day to be saved!" (2 Corinthians 6:2 GNB).

When used in a spiritual sense, the word "salvation" means "deliverance." It involves God's liberation of human beings from their state of separation from Him. One key to understanding the need for salvation involves an examination of God's righteous character.

You see, "righteousness" is a basic attribute of God. In other words, God always does what is true, honest, good, and right. For instance, God does not maintain a double standard or bend the rules to favor one person at the expense of another. Instead, He always does what is just (Psalm 11:7). Because of this, God cannot simply dismiss human wrongdoing. This means that anyone who fails to act in accordance with His righteousness (even in the smallest matter) is someone who has violated a basic tenet of God's character.

Now it's probably fair to say that most human beings prefer to think of themselves as "good people" who have done nothing wrong or offensive with respect to their Creator. The problem is that the Scriptures tell us, "...all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard" (Romans 3:23 NLT). This means that it's not enough to be a good person; the standard is complete, 100% righteousness at all times.

Unfortunately, the truth is that everyone has fallen short of what they could and should be in this regard- and all have failed to live up to this righteous standard of perfection. But the reality is far more alarming for the New Testament book of James tells us, "...the person who keeps every law of God but makes one little slip is just as guilty as the person who has broken every law there is" (James 2:10 TLB).

This is why Jesus Christ -who was perfect- satisfied God's righteous requirement for humanity through His atoning, sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus' sacrifice means salvation (or deliverance) from an eternity of separation and punishment from the Creator for those who accept it. One paraphrase of John 3:17-18 summarizes this idea in the following manner...

"God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. There is no eternal doom awaiting those who trust him to save them. But those who don't trust him have already been tried and condemned for not believing in the only Son of God" (TLB).

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six IV

"For He says: 'In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).

"There is only one word on God’s clock: is is now. The devil’s time is always 'tomorrow.' God’s time is always 'today,' “NOW”! Now is the day to quit looking at things like the heathen. Now is the day to start seeing everything through the revealed word of God, from the divine perspective." ₍₁₎

A Christian was once engaged in a conversation with another person on the subject of Christianity. In the course of that conversation, the second person dismissed the importance of making a decision for Christ by saying, "I don't want to rush things. I have the rest of my life to decide, right?"

Unfortunately, that response underscored a dangerous misconception: while we may have the expectation of a long life ahead, there are no guarantees. Jesus once illustrated this stark reality by way of a parable...

"...The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' Then he said, 'This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, ''You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'

But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:16-21 NIV).

The man in this parable operated under the unfounded assumption that he had many years of leisure and prosperity ahead. Because of this, he was ill-prepared when his life ended unexpectedly. Unfortunately, this example is reminiscent of those who acknowledge their need to get right with God but do not feel compelled to act upon it. To such people, 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, "I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."

For those who act upon their need for salvation by accepting Jesus' sacrifice on their behalf, Christ makes this promise: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life" (John 5:24).

(1) Paul T. Butler, The Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians (College Press) [p. 217] Copyright © 1985 College Press Publishing Company https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six III

"As God's fellow-workers we also urge you not to receive his grace and then do nothing with it" (2 Corinthians 6:1 CJB).

The New Testament book of Acts records a meeting that took place among the first-century elders and Apostles in Jerusalem. During that conference, the Apostle Peter made the following statement: "...We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved..." (Acts 15:11). So what is "grace" and why is it important?

Well, grace can be defined rather easily in three words: "God's unmerited favor." The New Dictionary of Theology expands on this definition by telling us that the Hebrew and Greek words for grace "...indicate...an objective relation of undeserved favor by a superior to an inferior..." in the original languages of the Old and New Testaments.

The word "grace" appears 119 times in the New Testament ₍₁₎ and is often associated with God's mercy, love, and compassion. Since grace involves God's unmerited favor, we cannot earn it. In fact, there is nothing we can do to procure God's grace because it is undeserved. In other words, grace represents God's favor towards us without regard to our talents, capabilities, possessions, and/or social standing. If we were worthy to receive God's favor, we wouldn't need grace- and it is freely available to those who approach God through Christ.

Grace also represents one of the basic attributes of God's character. For instance, Exodus 34:6 identifies God in the following manner: "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness..." We also see Jesus as the embodiment of grace in the New Testament Gospel of John: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

A few verses later, John 1:17 continues by saying, "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." So even though the Old Testament law revealed God's grace, it was (and is) largely associated with the establishment of God's righteous standards. However, Jesus' atoning sacrifice not only reveals the depths of God's grace but also provides access to it.

As the Apostle Paul will go on to say in a well-known portion of another Biblical epistle, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

(1) New King James version

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six II

"We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain" (2 Corinthians 6:1).

In an earlier letter to the church at Corinth, Paul the Apostle offered the following illustration: "...we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building" (1 Corinthians 3:9). Here now in 2 Corinthians chapter six, Paul will build upon that concept with a similar labor analogy: "We are workers together with God..." (ERV).

Paul was a fellow worker with God in the sense that he worked in cooperation with God to fulfill His agenda. This does not mean that God needed Paul to accomplish His purposes; instead, God was pleased to employ Paul as "...the agent I have chosen to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites" (Acts 9:15 CEV).

In a similar manner, we are also "...workers together with Him..." in the sense that God has graciously allowed us to partner with Him in the work He seeks to do. One source makes a connection between the role of God's people as co-laborers with Him and our responsibility to serve as ambassadors for Christ...

"The picture of ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) is especially helpful in understanding the nature of being workers together with Him. An ambassador can rightly be described as working together with his king. Yet, the ambassador himself has no power or authority or agenda on his own – it is all bound up in his king. The king delegates power and authority to the ambassador and reveals his agenda to the ambassador, and then the king expects the ambassador to fulfill that agenda." ₍₁₎

However, it is possible to squander the resources that God has made available to us in fulfilling this responsibility to serve as ambassadors and fellow workers together with Him. Thus, Paul encouraged the Corinthian Christians "...not to receive the grace of God in vain." You see, there is a sense in which God's grace towards us may become ineffectual to some extent if we fail to utilize the talents, skills, abilities, and opportunities He has given us in His service.

2 Corinthians 6:1 utilizes the word "vain" to express this idea. When used in this context, the word "vain" corresponds to something that is destitute of spiritual wealth or to those labors, endeavors, or actions that result in nothing of real value. ₍₂₎ We'll talk more about the grace of God in order to illustrate the importance of acting upon it next.

(1) David Guzik 2 Corinthians 6 – Paul’s Resume’ © Copyright - Enduring Word https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-corinthians-6/

(2) G2756 kenos https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g2756

the book of 2 corinthians chapter six I

"We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God..." (2 Corinthians 6:3-4).

The sixth chapter of the book of 2 Corinthians only consists of eighteen verses- but those few verses can be separated into four easily definable portions.

Verses one and two open by encouraging us to receive the grace that God has given us in Christ. This brief portion of Scripture also implies that it is possible to waste the unmerited favor that God extends to us if we fail to act upon it. The next section begins in verse three and continues through verse ten. There, Paul the Apostle will talk about the challenges associated with his ministry and lay the groundwork for some of the difficult and confrontational truths he will share with the Corinthians near the end of this letter.

Paul will then go on to express the depth of his emotional investment in the Corinthians in verses ten to thirteen. As we've seen in other portions of 2 Corinthians, this passage will serve to highlight the extent of Paul's emotional vulnerability towards the members of the Corinthian church. Finally, verses fourteen to eighteen will close this section of Paul's letter with an examination of how our relationship with Christ should direct and influence our relationships with those who do not follow Him.

Its interesting to note that the core of this chapter involves Paul's commentary on his life as he sought to fulfill God's calling. Of course, this is not the first time Paul felt compelled to act as an advocate with regard to his ministry. In fact, it seems that Paul spent a considerable amount of time defending himself in his Biblical letters to the Corinthian church.

For example, Paul defended his clear conscience before the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4. Later in that chapter, Paul felt the need to issue a warning to those who thought he was all talk and no action (1 Corinthians 4:14-21). He then went on to contend for his rights as an apostle in 1 Corinthians chapter nine. Finally, Paul had to defend his decision to change his plans and forego a scheduled visit to Corinth in 2 Corinthians 1:13-24.

One commentator touches upon this unfortunate reality by observing...

"The disaffection in the Corinthian church against (Paul) must have been considerable (or) else he surely would not have devoted so much of this epistle to a defense of himself. In 14-18 he seems to blame the trouble, partly at least, on the heathen atmosphere in which they lived. Corinthians were very lax in morals." ₍₁₎

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XXII

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

There are several potential theological pitfalls to avoid if we wish to continue on a sound Biblical course through the final verse of this chapter. We can begin with one theologian's overall assessment of this passage...

"(This) verse explains how God imputed our sin to Christ. God as judge assigned the responsibility of our sin to Christ, making it possible for Him to justly receive the punishment that we deserve for that sin (Is. 53:6; 1 Pet. 2:24). The verse shows that Christ was our substitute, accepting the penalty of sin in our place...

Not only did God impute our sin to Christ, He also imputed Christ’s perfect righteousness to us (that is, He counted it as belonging to us; Phil. 3:9)... Every Christian possesses, legally, the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed by God, and received through faith alone." ₍₁₎

While Jesus became sin for us, this does not mean that Jesus became a sinful person while on the cross. Another source tells us...

"Paul probably intended that we understand what he wrote about Jesus Christ becoming sin in three ways: First, God treated Jesus as if He were a sinner, when He poured out His wrath on Him, and He bore the guilt and penalty for all people's sins. Jesus' sinlessness is a clear revelation of Scripture (Isa. 53:9; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 1 Pet. 2:22; 1 John 3:5). Second, Jesus Christ became a sin-offering (Lev. 4:24; 5:12), the perfect and final one.... Third, Christ became the locus (central location; focus) of sin under the judgment of God, the place in time and space where God judged sin." ₍₂₎

Finally, one Biblical scholar provides us with an important clarification...

"Paul asserts here that Jesus was 'made to be sin.' However, many other Scriptures insist that Jesus was 'without sin' (Heb. 4:15; cf. 1 Peter 3:18). But how could Jesus be without sin if He was made sin for us?

Solution: Jesus was always without sin actually, but He was made to be sin for us judicially. That is, by His death on the Cross, He paid the penalty for our sins and thereby cancelled the debt of sin against us. So, while Jesus never committed a sin personally, He was made to be sin for us substitutionally. The issue can be summarized as follows:

CHRIST WAS NOT	CHRIST WAS MADE
SINFUL	TO BE SIN
In Himself	For us
Personally	Substitutionally
Actually	Judicially ₍₃₎

(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2057). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

(3) Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties (pp. 470–472). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XXI

"Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:20).

In keeping with the ministry of reconciliation mentioned in verse nineteen, Paul the Apostle introduced a related concept here in 2 Corinthians 5:20: the idea of God's people as ambassadors for Christ.

An ambassador is someone who represents another person or nation, or someone who communicates a message on behalf of someone else. While most people are probably familiar with the idea of someone who serves as an international ambassador, the reality is that everyone functions in the role of an ambassador within his or her sphere of influence. In other words, our beliefs and actions serve to represent something to those with whom we interact.

For instance, our circle of influence might include friends, co-workers, family members, business associates, online acquaintances, or others with whom we come into contact. That influence -however small- can influence and impact others in whatever way we choose. The question is, who (or what) do we represent to others?

Those who seek to act as ambassadors for Christ can find their commission within the following paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 5:18-21...

"All these new things are from God who brought us back to himself through what Christ Jesus did. God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into his favor and be reconciled to him. For God was in Christ, restoring the world to himself, no longer counting men’s sins against them but blotting them out. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. We are Christ’s ambassadors…" (TLB).

Contrary to those who view God as a cosmic dictator, the Scriptures tell us that God desires peace and reconciliation between Himself and humanity. In fact, God demonstrated the extent of His desire to establish a relationship of harmony and unity with His creation through Jesus' death on the cross. The New Testament book of Romans lends further support to this idea when it says, "...since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1 NIV).

A person who fulfills the role of an ambassador for Christ and carries the message of peace with God through Jesus' sacrificial death not only enjoys the privilege of representing Him but also receives the following assurance from Christ Himself: "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:6 ASV).

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XX

"Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

For some, the idea of "ministry" is something that takes place at a weekly church service, If any sort of ministry does take place outside the walls of a church building, it usually involves a spiritual leader who engages with others at a hospital, funeral service, or other such venue.

Nevertheless, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 encourages us to expand our thinking beyond the nominal use of the word "ministry." You see, a minister is not just someone who stands behind a pulpit on Sunday morning, for every Christian serves as a minister of reconciliation.

This "ministry of reconciliation" is associated with the restoration of two parties who had previously been at odds. When it comes to the relationship between God (party number one) and humanity (party number two), the need for reconciliation extends back to the very first members of the human race.

When the first human couple made a conscious decision to disobey God, they severed the relationship they had previously enjoyed with Him. Things were no longer very good between the Creator and His creation and the effect of that decision has impacted every member of the human family since that time.

However, Jesus' sacrificial work effectively reverses the consequences that were brought about by that act of disobedience. Paul the Apostle summarized this idea in the New Testament book of Romans when he wrote...

"...Adam's sin brought punishment to all, but Christ's righteousness makes men right with God, so that they can live. Adam caused many to be sinners because he disobeyed God, and Christ caused many to be made acceptable to God because he obeyed" (Romans 5:18-19 TLB).

This is the message of reconciliation that God's people are privileged to minister to others. One commentator sums up the message behind these verses in the following manner..

"God accomplished three things: (1) he provided the means by which all people might be reconciled to himself; (2) he demonstrated his decision not to hold the sins of humanity against them; and (3) he entrusted to reconciled people the task of sharing this reconciling message. As an ambassador on behalf of Christ, Paul represents God's interests, appealing for peace on his behalf (5:20)." ₍₁₎

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XIX

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

A person who is a new creation in Christ but struggles with the memories of past transgressions can find help in looking at the example of the person who authored the God-inspired passage quoted above- Paul the Apostle. Paul was someone who refused to allow the mistakes he made before he became a Christian to derail God's plan for his life.

The subject of Paul's pre-conversion lifestyle was probably not something that he enjoyed talking about. However, Paul opened up about that period of his life in a letter to a young pastor named Timothy...

"Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 1:13-14 NIV).

The New Testament book of Acts provides us with a brief account of Paul's early life and tells us how he "...tried to destroy the church; going from house to house, he dragged out the believers, both men and women, and threw them into jail" (Acts 8:3 GNB). Following his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road and his subsequent conversion to Christianity, Paul could have allowed the guilt of those past experiences to prevent him from fulfilling the important work that God had given him to do.

However, God also inspired Paul to record an important spiritual truth in his earlier letter to the Corinthian church when he said "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain..." (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).

Like Paul, God's grace towards us is not in vain because any shameful deed we may have committed prior to our conversion has been put to death with Christ.

Paul's example shows us that we do not have to allow something from our past to prevent us from enjoying God's best in the present- and 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us that we do not have to allow the mistakes, poor decisions, or shameful things from earlier in life to undermine God's best for our future.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XVIII

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

An important Biblical principle regarding the sins of the past and our new relationship with God in Christ is found here in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "...anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (NLT). So what are some of those attitudes, behaviors, and characteristics of the "old life" that have passed away? Well, the following list from Galatians 5:19-21 offers some examples...

sexual immorality (AMP)
moral impurity (CSB)
promiscuity (GW)
worshiping false gods (NLV)
drug use (CSB)
involvement with the occult (CJB)
hating people (ERV)
arguing (Voice)
jealousy (RSV)

outbursts of anger (NLT)
selfishness (CEB)
conflicts (ISV)
divisions (ESV)
envy (NIV)
murder (TLB)
drunkenness (NET)
wild partying, and similar things (NTE)

These examples represent a few of the things that are crucified to death with Christ whenever someone accepts Jesus' substitionary death as payment for his or her sins. Nevertheless, we should recognize that the process of overcoming such behaviors may be progressive in nature.

We use the word "sanctification" to describe that process, a term that refers to "the act or process by which people or things are cleansed and dedicated to God..." ₍₁₎ As we prayerfully seek God's help in overcoming inappropriate behaviors and thought patterns, we subsequently grow in holiness, or God-like character.

Of course, it may be easy to become frustrated or depressed during this spiritual growth process, especially during those periods where it doesn't seem as if we are making much progress. If we should ever slip back into those old behavioral patterns that characterized our lives before we met Jesus, the New Testament book of 1 John tells us how we should respond: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9 NIV).

Philippians 3:13-14 also provides us with some excellent counsel in this regard: "...I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us" (NLT). This does not mean that we should deny, excuse, or ignore the mistakes of the past but it does mean that God has provided a way to permanently eradicate such things through Jesus' sacrificial death. As we're told in the Biblical book of Romans...

"We know that the person we used to be was crucified with him to put an end to sin in our bodies. Because of this we are no longer slaves to sin. The person who has died has been freed from sin" (Romans 6:6-7 GW).

(1) New Dictionary of Theology, (Leicester/ Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1988) pg. 613

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XVII

"Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer" (2 Corinthians 5:16).

Prior to his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, it appears that Paul the Apostle regarded Jesus as just another human being- a deceptive human being who spread dangerous ideas to be sure, but certainly nothing more. However, that changed when Paul met the risen Lord. That ultimately led to an important shift in his perspective: "We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way" (CEV).

Like many today, it seems that Paul once evaluated others (including Jesus) on the basis of external standards like status, background, lineage, and/or appearance. But following his conversion, Paul adopted a mindset that was far more aligned with both the Old and New Testament teachings on this subject...

"Always judge your neighbors fairly, neither favoring the poor nor showing deference to the rich" (Leviticus 19:15 NLT).

"Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24 NKJV).

So even though Paul once made use of these external standards to inform his judgments and opinions of others, his relationship with Christ brought him to the realization that human value is not exclusively limited to those external qualities that others feel are good or desirable. Instead, the concept of human value is (or should be) based upon the idea of inherent human worth.

Unlike the kind of standard that assigns value to others based on who they are or what they can do, the concept of inherent human worth is derived from an important Biblical principle: "(Jesus) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2 NIV). In other words, human value is inherited from the God who considered every human in the world to be important enough to sacrifice the life of His Son.

Any failure to recognize this concept of God-given inherent human worth is sure to lead to a number of serious ramifications...

"There are essentially only two viewpoints for man - human or divine. Man either sees everything from the limited, fallible, perspective of human wisdom, or from the infallible, revealed perspective of God in the Bible. The perspective of the unbeliever is limited to this world, by the limitations of this existence. He sees nothing beyond this existence. Everything is relative to this earthly experience. That is why human perspective alone leads to degradation, depravity and despair." ₍₁₎

(1) The Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians (College Press) Paul T. Butler. [p. 164] Copyright © 1985 College Press Publishing Company https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XVI

"For Christ's love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised" (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 HCSB).

While "...the love of Christ compels us..." seems to be a relatively straightforward idea, it may be more difficult to grasp what follows: "If One died for all, then all died."

First, we can say the "One" who "died for all" in this passage is an obvious reference to Jesus and His sacrificial death. But what are we to make of the subsequent conclusion: "If One died for all, then all died"? Well, its often been said that Scripture is the best commentary on itself. In light of this, we can turn to another of Paul the Apostle's Biblical letters to gain insight on this question...

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

These passages tell us that those who receive Christ essentially "die" with Him. In this sense, those who accept Jesus' atoning, substitionary death consent to the end of a self-interested life in exchange for a Christ-oriented life. As Paul will later go on to say within this chapter, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come" (2 Corinthians 5:17 HCSB).

One commentator offers a further observation on this passage...

"How did Jesus die for all? In the sense that His death is able to save all who will come to Him and is a demonstration of God’s love to all; but not in the sense that all are saved because Jesus died (which is the false doctrine of universalism). However, it is probable that in this context Paul means 'all the saved' when he says all.

There is no doubt that there is a sense in which Jesus died for the whole world: And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2). But the all Paul mentions here is probably 'all the saved,' because he also writes then all died. It can only be said that those who join themselves to Jesus by faith have spiritually died and risen again with Him (Romans 6:1-6)." ₍₁₎

(1) Guzik, Dave 2 Corinthians 5 – Ambassadors for Christ https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-corinthians-5/

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XV

"For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again" (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Its interesting to consider the motivational forces that drive others. For instance, some are compelled by anger or a quest for vindication. Others are motivated by a desire for recognition, validation, or popularity. Then there are those who are driven by the pursuit of financial wealth. But here in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, Paul the Apostle identifies the greatest motivational cause for action: "Christ's love compels us" (HCSB),

This tells us that the defining qualities of Christ's self-sacrificial love should govern the choices and decisions we make. Some of those qualities are expressed by the definition of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7...

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (NLT).

Nevertheless, a closer inspection of Jesus' life and ministry reveals several instances where He engaged in responses, characterizations, and behaviors that others may have perceived to be unloving. Perhaps the most famous example is found in John 2:13-17...

"When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.

So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, 'Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father's house into a market!' His disciples remembered that it is written: 'Zeal for your house will consume me'" (NIV).

With these things in mind, we can say that "Christ's love" is not simply limited to an emotional sentiment or the outward display of affection. Instead, it can be characterized by a mindset that seeks what is best from a Biblical perspective. If we are truly motivated by the kind of love that Jesus demonstrates for us, ₍₁₎ then our actions should follow accordingly.

(1) See Hebrews 10:5-10, John 6:38-40, and Philippians 2:5-8

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XIV

"For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you" (2 Corinthians 5:13).

The expression "beside ourselves" is a phrase that literally means "out of one’s mind" or "insane." ₍₁₎ Paul the Apostle was quite familiar with this allegation for this was a charge that was once leveled against him. That account is recorded in the New Testament book of Acts and involves Paul's courtroom appearance before a Roman procurator named Porcius Festus and another ruler named Herod Agrippa II...

"Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, 'Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!' But he said, 'I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.'

Then Agrippa said to Paul, 'You almost persuade me to become a Christian.' And Paul said, 'I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains'" (Acts 26:24-29).

Of course, Paul was not the only Christian to stand accused of insanity for even Jesus withstood a similar charge (see Mark 3:21). On the other hand, Paul's commitment to minister to a group of people who often seemed to have little appreciation for him (like the Corinthians) may have led a casual observer to conclude that he was crazy. The problem was that a person who held that opinion was someone who didn't have all the facts.

You see, Paul's commitment to ministry had its origin in God's calling on his life. In a similar manner, others may question the wisdom of investing in a ministry that no seemingly right-minded person would ever undertake as we seek to fulfill God's calling. However, a commitment to follow God's clear direction is always the right choice no matter how foolish it may appear to others.

As one commentary explains...

"Would a sane person willingly face a riotous mob intent on destroying him? (Act_19:30; Act_21:35-40) Who would be crazy enough to walk back into a city in which he had just been stoned and dragged out? (Act_14:19-20) Only a person who was utterly devoted to God would show so little regard for himself. Such a man was Paul" ₍₂₎

(1) G1839 existemi https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g1839

(2) John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck Bible Knowledge Commentary [p.567]

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XIII

"Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart" (2 Corinthians 5:11-12).

Paul the Apostle had no desire to gloat over his ministerial accomplishments. However, he did have a strong interest in providing the Corinthians with the means to properly evaluate his ministry and respond to those who assessed him on the basis of style rather than substance. ₍₁₎ To accomplish this, Paul returned to a recurring theme within this chapter: "What we are is plain to God..." (NIV). We can illustrate this idea by turning to a seemingly unconventional source: the Biblical book of Revelation.

The book of Revelation is famous for its description of the final triumph of good over evil. But what may be less well-known are the seven messages from Jesus to various first century churches that appear in Revelation chapters two and three. While each of those messages are different, there is one phrase that is common among them: "I know your works" or "I know everything you have done" (CEV) (Revelation 2:2, 2:9, 2:13, 2:19, 3:1, 3:8, 3:15).

There is an important connection between these apparently unrelated portions of Scripture. You see, its impossible to keep a secret from Someone who knows all things -and the realization that Jesus knows every private thought, every hidden motive, and everything we've ever done may be quite alarming. This can be especially true of those who have yet to have their sins forgiven by Him.

On the other hand, let's consider a scenario where someone made a God-honoring decision but failed to receive credit for it. Perhaps there was a time when no one seemed to care about the fact that he or she acted in a just and righteous manner. Or maybe there was a situation where he or she might have retaliated against another person but avoided doing so in recognition of Jesus' teaching on that subject (see Luke 6:31-36).

It may be easy to assume that no one is watching when we choose to do the right thing. It doesn't take much effort to fall into the mistaken belief that no one really cares if we seek to follow a God-honoring course of action. But Someone is watching and Someone does care. No matter what the situation, Jesus knows everything we have done- and what we are is plain to God.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XII

"Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance rather than in the heart" (2 Corinthians 5:11-12 HCSB).

There is a seemingly inconsequential word within this passage that is more important than it may appear. That word is "therefore."

You see, this transitional word alerts us to the fact that the author is about to summarize and apply the concepts he established within the preceding verses. In this instance, the knowledge that he would be held to account for his choices and decisions prompted the following response from Paul the Apostle: "We know what it means to fear the Lord, and so we try to persuade others" (GNB).

Today, the word "fear" is often associated with a feeling of apprehension or the state of being afraid. But lets consider Jesus' use of this word within the New Testament Scriptures and see how it might influence our thinking regarding this verse...

"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4-5).

We should note how Jesus separated the words "afraid" and "fear" within these verses: "...do not be afraid of those who kill the body..." but "...Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell..." This tells us that the word "fear" should be understood to refer to an attitude of reverence, honor, and respect when used in this context.

In light of this, we can say that "the fear of the Lord" signifies our responsibility to revere and honor God above all else. One source ties these two concepts together in the following manner...

"Therefore indicates that this verse is a conclusion drawn from the previous one. The terror of the Lord is the fear of standing before the Lord and having one’s life exposed and evaluated. The reality of giving an account to the Lord motivated Paul to persuade people, in this context meaning to convince the Corinthians of his sincerity and integrity." ₍₁₎

(1) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1500). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five XI

"For all of us must appear before Christ, to be judged by him. We will each receive what we deserve, according to everything we have done, good or bad, in our bodily life" (2 Corinthians 5:10 GNB).

Knowing that God considers our thoughts and motivations to be important, it may be helpful to take an inventory of the things that initiate us to act. For example...

Do we seek to honor ourselves or do we seek to honor God in the things we say and do? As we're told in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, "...We didn't speak to please people, but to please God who knows our motives" (CEV).
Are there questionable motives hiding behind a veneer of spirituality?
Do we seek to do the right thing in a given situation or do we generally seek to do the easy thing?
Are we acting selfishly or unselfishly?
Do we consider the needs of others or do we routinely prioritize our own needs?
Are we doing good things as an outgrowth of our relationship with God or are we doing those things so others will see them and praise us for them?

As we close our look at this portion 2 Corinthians chapter five, one commentator leaves us with the following observation...

"There is a verse in Hebrews that tells us that, 'without faith it is impossible to please God' (Heb_11:6). Faith must be present in what we do, or whatever we do is not pleasing to him. Paul understands this, therefore he wants that moment before the judgment seat of Christ to be a moment of disclosure that will not be of shame to him, of facing things that he refused to face in life, but a moment of joy. The Lord will have the joy of showing him many things that he thought were failures that were really successes, and things that he did that no one heard anything about will be brought to light and vividly displayed before others.

...So it is a time of disclosure, but it is also a time of evaluation when we learn for the first time who was right and what attitudes we should have had or should not have had. It is a helpful time of seeing the truth about ourselves. If that frightens you, I want to tell you this: There is something you can do about it. It is found in First Corinthians 11 where Paul says, 'If we judged ourselves truly, we should not be judged'" (1Co_11:31 RSV).₍₁₎

(1) Excerpted with permission from What's There to Live For?, © 1979, 1995 by Ray Stedman Ministries. All rights reserved. Visit www.RayStedman.org for the complete library of Ray Stedman material. Please direct any questions to webmaster@RayStedman.org.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five X

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV).

Paul the Apostle's letter to the Philippian church provides us with an example of the kind of hidden motives that the judgment seat of Christ will surely reveal...

"It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice (Philippians 1:15-18 NIV).

So it seems that Paul knew of some within the first-century church who were doing a good work with the wrong motive. From all outward appearances, these individuals seemed to be engaged in a God-honoring effort but their internal motivations were far less so.

In this respect, their example recalls Jesus' message to a another group of others who possessed internal motives that failed to match their external actions: "...Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites in Scripture: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me'" (Mark 7:6 GW).

A similar admonition is contained within Jesus' Sermon On The Mount...

"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward...

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward" (Matthew 6:1-2, 5).

Of course, the knowledge that God will judge these internal motives may be unsettling but we'll look at some ways to effectively prepare for this future evaluation next.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five IX

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil" (2 Corinthians 5:10 NET).

2 Corinthians 5:10 reminds us that God's people will eventually be called to account for the lives they have built upon the foundation of Christ. But as difficult as it may be to consider, this passage tells us that the elements used to build upon that foundation may ultimately prove to be worthless (HCSB), bad (NASB), or evil (CSB).

So how can we explain this poor choice of building materials? Well, the answer may involve a question of value.

You see, our world generally assigns the greatest value to the things we possess or accumulate in life. This may include tangible assets like financial wealth, physical attractiveness, or athletic ability, or intangible qualities like social acceptance, peer recognition, or personal prestige. But 2 Corinthians 5:10 suggests that one potentially overlooked measure of value involves the motives that exist behind the things we say and do.

In large part, people are motivated by what they value most. A person who values God's will above all else will likely be motivated to make choices that align with His character and standards. Those who hold other priorities will probably make different choices. A person who seeks to combine the two may pursue a compromise agenda that is undetectable to others but easily discerned by God. Unfortunately, these latter two value judgments may ultimately to lead to choices that are empty and meanigless in God's sight.

One effective means of exposing our true motives (for better or worse) involves a commitment to reading God's Word on a daily basis. As we're told in the New Testament book of Hebrews, "...the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

As we're also reminded in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15...

"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five VIII

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10 HCSB).

Unlike an attorney who seeks to argue the facts of a case before a human court, there will be no need for such deliberations before the judgment seat of Christ. At that time, it will not be necessary to establish motives, reconstruct events, or work to create a sense of reasonable doubt regarding the circumstances and events of our lives. All such things are already known to an all-knowing God, and this judgment will reflect an accurate appraisal of our motives and actions.

In addition to this cautionary message from 2 Corinthians 5:10, consider the following portions of Scripture...

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13 NIV).
"For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:14 NIV).
"You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat" (Romans 14:10 NIV).
"For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops" (Luke 12:2-3).
"For God is closely watching you, and he weighs carefully everything you do" (Proverbs 5:21 TLB).

In the words of one theologian, "The immediate context is written to believers; even believers will stand before God (cf. Rom_14:10; 1Co_3:10-17). Apparently, we will be judged/rewarded for our motives, availability, and use of spiritual gifts. Sin and sins have been completely dealt with in Christ's substitutionary death, but discipleship is an issue."₍₁₎

Of course, its easy to understand why some may be reluctant to examine their motives in advance of this judgment. Since our true intentions are often difficult to discern, it may take a great deal of effort to uncover the reasons behind our actions. There is also the possibility of discovering that our motives might be less noble and virtuous than we thought if we stopped to evaluate them.

Nevertheless, the knowledge that God will judge such things should prompt us to prayerfully examine our motives now to avoid the potential for unpleasant surprises later.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five VII

"For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless" (2 Corinthians 5:10 HCSB).

Unlike the "Great White Throne Judgment" of the unrighteous dead (as detailed in Revelation 20:11-15), the future judgment of God's people will follow a very different protocol. Consider Jesus' quote from Revelation 3:5: "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels" (see also John 6:37-39, John 10:27-28, Romans 8:33-39).

Because of this we can say with certainty that the future judgment of God's people will not involve the question of salvation, for Jesus addressed the sentence against humanity through His sacrificial death. Those who accept Jesus' substitutionary atonement by faith are not only freed from sin's death penalty but are restored to a right relationship with God through His sacrifice.

However, 2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us that God's people will be called to account for how they made use of the skills, talents, abilities, gifts, and opportunities He provided in this life. That assessment will take place before the "bema" (or judgment) seat of Christ, a phrase that was sure to evoke a familiar image in the minds of first-century readers.

You see, the bema seat was an elevated platform where Roman authorities gathered to render judicial decisions and issue various proclamations. A legal representative of Rome would often ascend the steps to this platform to address an assembly, administer justice, or honor those who excelled in athletic competition. Paul the Apostle was familiar with this place of judgment for we are told in Acts 18:12."...when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat" (KJV).

2 Corinthians 5:10 indicates that every man or woman of God will undergo this evaluation process for we're told, "...Christ will judge each of us for the good or the bad that we do while living in these bodies" (CEV). As one source observes, "The judgment seat of Christ will reveal our lives of service for Christ exactly as they have been. Not only the amount of our service, but also its quality, and even the very motives that prompted it will be brought into review." ₍₁₎

Several Biblical passages serve to illustrate the exhaustive nature of this judicial review and we'll consider a few of them next.

(1) William Macdonald, Believer's Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers (2 Corinthians 5:10) p.1839

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five VI

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil" (2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV).

The Scriptures identify two different types of judgments that will take place in the future of every human being. One has come to be known as the "Great White Throne Judgment" of the unrighteous dead as described for us in Revelation 20:11-15...

"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."

Its important to note that "...the dead, both small and great" will be assessed in this judicial process. This tells us that social prominence, world recognition, power, wealth, or status will have no influence upon this call to judgment. Conversely, the lack of such things will be irrelevant as well. You see, it will not matter who you were in this eternal court - its what you were that will be important then.

One commentator makes a disconcerting observation in this regard...

"It is sobering to realize that Scripture represents the state of unbelievers after death as a fixed state. There is no second chance (Ecclesiastes 11:3; Luke 16:19-31; John 8:21,24; 2 Peter 2:4,9; Jude 7,13). The Scriptures also reveal that the condemnation of unbelievers is determined by actions done during mortal life (especially the action of rejecting Christ), and that no good deed(s) done during the intermediate state can alter or soften this condemnation in any way.

Once a person has passed through the doorway of death, there are no further opportunities to repent and turn to Christ for salvation (Matthew 7:22-23; 10:32-33; 25:34-46). Woe unto those who reject Christ in this life." ₍₁₎

(1) Ron Rhodes, Heaven: The Undiscovered Country: Exploring the Wonder of the Afterlife pg.47

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five V

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Its difficult to understand why others sometimes act in a destructive manner. Its hard to grasp why some choose to lie, cheat, or steal, even when there seems to be no compelling reason to do so. Its discomfiting to think there are many who feel free to act unethically, abuse their authority, or conduct themselves in a manner that seems designed to hurt others.

While there might be any number of reasons to explain these behaviors, there is one overriding answer that can account for each of these choices: such people really don't believe they will eventually have to stand before God to give an account for the choices and decisions they make now.

For example, would it be reasonable to assume that those who engage in such behaviors would choose differently if they really believed that everyone will have to stand before a just and perfect Creator to account for their actions? In most instances, the answer to that question would probably be yes.

You see, our view of the eternal influences the direction of our lives now. For instance, God-honoring man or woman possesses two important incentives that govern his or her choices. The first incentive finds its origin in a love for God and a sincere desire to honor Him- or as 2 Corinthians 5:14 will later tell us, "...the love of Christ compels us." The second incentive is rooted in the knowledge that we will eventually have to stand before God to give an account for our lives.

On the other hand, a person who does not anticipate eternal life holds a viewpoint that shapes and influences the direction of his or her life as well. While many seem to possess a vague idea concerning the existence of a "higher intelligence" or supernatural being, those beliefs often have little real influence on their day-to-day choices and decisions. So while many accept the existence of "God," the unfortunate truth is that many also choose to live as if He didn't exist and conduct themselves accordingly.

Nevertheless, the Scriptures tell us that everyone will eventually have to give an account to a Creator who sees not only sees our choices but the motivation behind them as well. We'll consider the two different forms of that judgment over the next few studies.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five IV

"Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him" (2 Corinthians 5:5-9).

Paul the Apostle has already taken the time to discuss the resurrection body at length in his letters to the Corinthian church. The passage quoted above now provides us with an opportunity to explore the question of when we might acquire these glorified bodies.

The traditional answer to this question involves a doctrine known as the intermediate state. This belief teaches that the soul (the "you" inside your body) and/or spirit (the eternal part of every human being) goes immediately into God's presence when a Christian passes from this physical life. While there, he or she lives in perfect holiness and fellowship with Christ while awaiting the final resurrection of the body.

Once this glorified physical body has been resurrected, he or she will then be united with it forever. Passages such as Luke 23:42-43, Ecclesiastes 12:7-8, Philippians 1:23, 1 Corinthians 15:22-23, and 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16 are often cited to support this idea.

Others see the idea of a temporarily disembodied state as something that is difficult to reconcile with Paul's earlier message from 2 Corinthians 5:4: "These earthly bodies make us groan and sigh, but we wouldn’t like to think of dying and having no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will, as it were, be swallowed up by everlasting life" (TLB).

One way to address this concern is to remember that time is irrelevant in regard to the afterlife. Thus, God's people will not need to wait for their resurrection bodies once they have entered the timeless "now" of eternity.

Regardless of which view one holds regarding this question, its important to note that the focus of this passage is upon Jesus and our relationship with Him. There is no doubt that we will be ushered into the immediate presence of the Lord in some respect when we pass from this life. Therefore, we should be able to say along with Paul the Apostle, "...our aim is to please him always in everything we do, whether we are here in this body or away from this body and with him in heaven" (TLB).

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five III

"For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life" (2 Corinthians 5:2-4).

Like any good communicator, Paul the Apostle sought to establish many different entry points into the collective understanding of his audience. To facilitate this, Paul made certain to vary the illustrations he used in order to communicate key spiritual truths.

Having already made use of earthenware vessels (2 Corinthians 4:7) and tents (2 Corinthians 5:1) to illustrate the temporary nature of our physical lives, Paul next turned to clothing to express the future realities of eternal life with God.

This use of clothing as a means of illustration was a tool that Paul employed often in his Biblical wrtitings. For instance, consider the following paraphrase of Ephesians 4:19-24...

"This is my instruction, then, which I give you from God. Do not live any longer as the Gentiles live. For they live blindfold in a world of illusion, and cut off from the life of God through ignorance and insensitiveness. They have stifled their consciences and then surrendered themselves to sensuality, practising any form of impurity which lust can suggest.

But you have learned nothing like that from Christ, if you have really heard his voice and understood the truth that he has taught you. No, what you learned was to fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living, which were rotted through and through with lust’s illusions, and, with yourselves mentally and spiritually re-made, to put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life which was made by God’s design for righteousness and the holiness which is no illusion" (Phillips).

Similar references to "putting on" various aspects of a God-honoring life can also be found in Romans 13:14, 1 Corinthians 15:53-54, and Galatians 3:27 while the idea of "putting off" inappropriate and ungodly conduct is referenced in Colossians 3:8-9.

So just as we put on clothing that will be appropriate for the events of the day, so also will we discard our mortal clothing when we pass from this life and put on a glorified body that will be appropriate for eternal life with God.

The Cross IV

"And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.' And having said this, He breathed his last" (Luke 23:46 RSV).

So why would Jesus permit Himself to be executed in such a horrifying manner? Well, the answer is that Jesus sacrificed himself to provide for our atonement. "Atonement" is the term that's used to describe the act by which God restores a relationship of unity between Himself and human beings.

In the Old Testament, this restorative act was accomplished through a system of animal sacrifice. In this system, the sacrifice of an animal was accepted by God in place of the person who brought it. While this allowed people to get right with God, it only worked temporarily. Since people consistently sin (sometimes even when they don't realize it), there was a need for continual sacrifice resulting in an ongoing cycle of sin/sacrifice. Another problem could be found in the fact that this type of sacrifice could not actually take away sins- it could only cover them up for as we're told in Hebrews 10:4, "it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (NIV).

This is why Jesus bore the penalty that we deserved for falling short of everything God created us to be. Just as it was in the days of the Old Testament, there is no one among us who hasn't made a mistake, knowingly done something wrong, or said something in error at some point in life. Everyone, everywhere has fallen short of what they could and should be and we all have failed to live up to God's standard of perfection.

The truth is that everyone has sinned- sometimes without knowing it and sometimes purposefully. This is why everyone faces the death penalty for as James 2:10 tells us, "...the person who keeps every law of God but makes one little slip is just as guilty as the person who has broken every law there is" (TLB).

Remember that God has seen every secret thought, every hidden motive and every shameful thing that we've ever done and "...God will judge us for everything we do, including every hidden thing, good or bad" (Ecclesiastes 12:14 TLB). This is why Jesus Christ -who was perfect- took the death penalty that we deserved. Jesus' sacrifice on the cross "paid the penalty" and satisfied God's righteous requirements for us.

Jesus' death means salvation (or deliverance) from an eternity of separation from the Creator for anyone who accepts it. This is the true meaning of the cross.

Preceding and subsequent posts in this series can be found by clicking on the blog link above or the books link to your left

The Cross III

"There they crucified Him and two others with Him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign over Him reading, 'Jesus of Narazereth, The King of the Jews.' The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and the signboard was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so many people read it" (John 19:18-20 TLB).

Crucifixion was designed to produce a slow death with a maximum pain and suffering. It was one of the most disgraceful and cruel methods of execution and was usually reserved only for revolutionaries and extreme criminals.

Upon arriving at the site of crucifixion, the prisoner would be stripped of his clothes and bound with ropes or nailed to the crossbar that he had carried. Those who were nailed to their crosses, as Jesus was, were secured with large spikes -7 inches (18 cm) long, and 1/3 inch (.75 cm) wide at the head- driven into the upper wrist area at the base of the hand.

Following this, the patibulum was fastened onto a vertical pole into which the victim's feet were nailed. A statement of the charges against the person who was being crucified was usually nailed to the pole above the victim's head. In Jesus' case, it read: "The King of the Jews," the description of His alleged crime.

"And the people passing by hurled abuse, shaking their heads at Him and saying, 'So! You can destroy the Temple and build it again in three days, can you? Well then, come down from that cross if you are the Son of God!' And the chief priest and Jewish leaders also mocked him. 'He saved others,' they scoffed, but He can't save Himself!

So, you are the King of Israel, are you? Come down from the cross and we'll believe you! He trusted God- let God show His approval by delivering Him! Didn't He say, 'I am God's Son?'" (Matthew 27:39-43 TLB).

As the prisoner hung on his cross, his respiratory muscles would slowly lose their ability to function. While air could be drawn into the lungs, it could not be exhaled properly. To breathe, the victim would have to push himself up against the nail that held his feet; failure to do so would result in suffocation.

Thirst and muscular cramping were intense. Insects could gather around the victim, especially if he had been hanging for an extended period. Birds of prey could easily swoop down and peck at the wounds of the defenseless victims. This is how the crucified would spend their final hours.

The Cross - Part II

"Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head.

They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. (Matthew 27:27-30 NIV).

The Praetorium was the place where the Roman troops were housed. It was here that the soldiers in charge of Jesus began to make fun of Him and His claim to be a king. They went to great lengths to humiliate Jesus by spitting on Him and dressing Him up in scarlet or purple, the color of royalty. They twisted a crown made from thorns -a mock symbol of authority- and put it onto His head. They gave Him a reed, or cane as a sort of "Royal Scepter," and then beat Him with it. The entire battalion of soldiers was there to witness this humiliation

Luke 22:64 provides us with some additional detail in reporting that Jesus was blindfolded for at least part of the time during which He was beaten. Being unable to see (and thus unable to protect Himself) it's likely that Jesus was injured severely around the head and face area during this beating.

"They took Jesus therefore, and He went out bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha" (John 19:17 RSV).

The crossbar (or the horizontal portion of the cross) was called a patibulum. The patibulum was a long piece of wood that could be used to bar large doors. They were generally 6 feet (2 m) long and weighed 100-125 lbs (45-57 kg). Those condemned to crucifixion would be made to carry this crossbar to the site of their execution by balancing it along both shoulders while both outstretched arms were tied to it.

Jesus walked upon a path that is now known to us today as the Via Dolorosa or the "way of suffering." This path represented about a half mile (0.8 km) walk to the site of His crucifixion. In Jesus' case, the beating He had sustained weakened Him to the point that He was unable to carry His cross all the way to the place of crucifixion. So a person who happened to be within the crowd that day -Simon of Cyrene, who was just coming into town- was made to carry Jesus' cross to the site of His execution (Mark 15:21).

The Cross - Part I

Note: During this week where we remember Jesus' death and resurrection, its appropriate to take some time to look at the events surrounding Jesus' crucifixion. Our current study is scheduled to return on Monday, April 2nd.

"Pilate said to them, 'What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all said to him, 'Let Him be crucified!'” (Matthew 27:22).

It seems that crosses have become something of a big-time fashion accessory. For instance, crosses are often displayed on clothing, or hung on necklaces, or worn as other forms of jewelry. Even though crosses seem to be quite fashionable right now, how many people are really familiar with the horror of what the cross actually represents?

At this time of year when we celebrate Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, perhaps it's time to take a closer look at what the cross really represents by looking at the experience of the One most closely associated with it- Jesus Himself...

"Pilate said to them, 'What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all said to him, 'Let Him be crucified!' Then the governor said, 'Why, what evil has He done?' But they cried out all the more, saying, 'Let Him be crucified!"

When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, 'I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.' And all the people answered and said, 'His blood be on us and on our children.' Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified" (Matt 27:22-26 NKJV).

This passage tells us that Jesus was beaten by the Roman soldiers before going to the cross. This beating, called a scourging, was usually performed in advance of the actual act of crucifixion. A "scourge" was a whip, consisting of a handle with three long lashes or strips of leather. Sharp edged pieces of bone or metal were commonly attached to these lashes. This act of scourging a prisoner was designed to help eliminate his ability to resist crucifixion.

The normal procedure was to strip the victim of his clothes and tie his hands above his head to a support column. Two soldiers (called lichtors) were then positioned on each side of the prisoner. These soldiers proceeded to take alternate turns whipping the victim. While they were doing so, the embedded metal within the scourge began to tear into the victim's body, ripping out small bits of flesh. This scourging continued until it appeared that the prisoner was near death.

While the Jewish people were limited to 39 lashes when whipping a prisoner (see 2 Corinthians 11:24), the Romans were under no such conditions. When it came to scourging, the Roman soldiers had one limitation- the prisoner had to be kept alive to carry his cross.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five II

"For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1 ESV).

Although Paul the Apostle is primarily known to us as a teacher, an evangelist, and the human author of the Biblical books that bear his name, Acts 18:1-3 tells us he was a tentmaker by trade. In fact, the Scriptures tell us that Paul often employed his professional skills to provide for his needs while pursuing God's call to teach and evangelize.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Paul turned to the familiar image of a tent to illustrate the temporary nature of physical life. One commentator expands on Paul's use of this illustration and explains why it served to communicate this idea so effectively...

"The word... 'tent' ...is as good a symbol of that which is transient and temporary as could be imagined. Paul was a tentmaker, and this is exactly the type of metaphor that should have been expected from him; and, added to that was the fact of Israel's having dwelt in tents during the forty years of the wilderness wanderings. No tent could last permanently when exposed to the elements; and the same is true of people's mortal bodies when exposed to the inevitable erosion of time." ₍₁₎

On the other hand, the image chosen to illustrate the concept of eternal life is a building or a house. Unlike a tent (or a jar made from clay, to borrow another of Paul's illustrations), the idea of a building communicates the qualities of strength, permanence, structure, and endurance. Thus, the resurrected glorified body (represented by the image of a house in this analogy) will be suited for eternal life with the eternal Creator.

The excellence and quality of this eternal home is guaranteed by the fact that its construction has been managed by the Master Architect, a builder whose abilities far excel those possessed by even the most skilled craftsmen. As Jesus once promised His disciples...

"In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:2-3).

(1) Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on 2 Corinthians 5". "Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament". <http://classic.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=2co&chapter=5&verse=1>. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter five I

Although it comprises a mere twenty-one verses, 2 Corinthians chapter five contains some of the best known, most important, and most beloved passages in all the Bible. For instance, the following noteworthy portions of Scripture are found here in 2 Corinthians chapter five...

"For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).
"We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8).
"if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
"Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18).
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

But first, Paul the Apostle will begin this portion of his letter to the Corinthians with a construction analogy that serves to contrast the differences between the earthly and the eternal...

"For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians 5:1).

Before we continue, we should pause to remember that the Biblical chapter and verse divisions we see today did not appear within the original Biblical text. These reference aids were later added to assist in identifying each individual portion of Scripture. Because of this, it might be easy to miss the link between 2 Corinthians 5:1 and the portion of Paul's letter that immediately precedes it in chapter four...

"...our light and transient troubles are achieving for us an everlasting glory whose weight is beyond description. We concentrate not on what is seen but on what is not seen, since things seen are temporary, but things not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-8 CJB).

So having just spoken about the importance of balancing the challenges, afflictions, and difficulties of life with the glory of eternity, 2 Corinthians 5:1 marks a progressive transition to the subjects of life and death. Just as Paul sought to value his life experiences in terms of their eternal significance, he similarly viewed his physical existence in terms of what was temporal and what was eternal.

We'll take a closer look at the analogies that Paul used to communicate those differences next.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four XVI

"For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 HCSB).

In closing out this portion of his letter to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul directs our attention to an important reality: the value system of eternity will be far different from the value system of today's world. The New Testament epistle of 1 John also touches upon the temporal nature of the attitudes, values, and belief systems of this world when it says...

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:15-17).

So to keep from losing heart amid his trials and difficulties, Paul sought to focus upon the eternal blessings God had stored up for him. In other words, Paul kept his eye upon the value that his afflictions gained for him and not upon the afflictions themselves. One source frames this idea in the following manner...

"Paul means the Christian is not to set his mind on the values and standards of worldliness. Paul means the Christian must decide that the things of Heaven, the values and standards and promises of God (disavowed by the worldly mind-set) are the realities. What the carnal mind-set calls realities (materialism, sensuality, atheism) are not realities at all because they are transitory. All that is physical and material (although not unreal and not evil in itself) is not abiding. All of it, too, shall pass away." ₍₁₎

This change of perspective also brings to mind Jesus' message from Matthew 6:33-34...

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own"

(1) Paul T. Butler. The Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians (College Press) [p. 111] Copyright © 1988 College Press Publishing Company https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four XV

"For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NET).

Anyone who operates a mechanical clock or motorized appliance is probably familiar with the operation of various gears. Such gears are often utilized to transmit rotational motion or change the speed of a rotating assembly. For instance, a large gear that spins relatively slowly can produce much greater speeds in a smaller interlocking gear.

Much like a large gear works to induce greater speed in a smaller gear, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 tells us that our troubles, difficulties and afflictions also serve to induce something far greater: "...they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!" (NLT).

This word "glory" has a number of different meanings depending on its context. For instance, "glory" can be defined in terms of magnificence, excellence, greatness, majestic beauty and splendor. ₍₁₎ The phrase "eternal weight of glory" implies something that is heavy and substantial. So taken together, we can say that our afflictions work to accomplish something of far greater worth. One commentator offers the following observation in this regard...

"...there is a direct tie between the afflictions of our “wasting away” in this physical life and the glory that is to be ours in the next life. The one is preparing for the other. No matter how great the trial may seem to us, compared with what is coming it is relatively slight. No trial, no pain, no isolation, no heartache, no loneliness, no weakness or failure, no sense of being put aside, is without significance. All of it is playing its part in accomplishing God’s work in our lives and the lives of others. It is building for us an incomparable weight of glory.

This one verse (2Co_4:17) is perhaps the most majestic verse in all the Bible! The hope of the Christian is a glory that has nothing on earth by which it may he compared! Gather together all the fame, riches, power, beauty, glory and capabilities ever experience in all of history—put all this in one huge pile, and it is not even worth comparing with the glory that shall belong to the Christian in the next life! It staggers the imagination! It is beyond human language, beyond human experience—not even an apostle could find words to describe it (see 2Co_12:2-4)." ₍₂₎

(1) G1391 doxa https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g1391

(2) Paul T. Butler, Second Corinthians Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians [pg.107] https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four XIV

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV).

One of the objections faced by those who believe in an all-powerful and benevolent Creator is this: "Why would a good God allow suffering and evil to exist?" Perhaps the oldest form of this objection can be traced to the Greek philosopher Epicurus who penned the "Epicurean Dilemma" around 300 BCE...

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.

Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.

Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?

Is he neither able nor willing?
Than why call him God?

While this may seem to represent a formidable objection, perhaps a change in perspective might be useful. For instance, what if we were to view pain and suffering from an eternal frame of reference and seek to determine what God might wish to accomplish through it?

Two sources address this issue in the following manner...

"There is a sense among skeptics that a good God would be more interested in our comfort than anything else. For people like this, discomfort is actually a proof that God does not exist. But reason through this idea for a minute; are we really prepared to say that a ‘good’ God cares more about our comfort than our character? And if a good God, by definition, ought to care more about our character than our comfort, isn’t it reasonable that this same God might use pain to develop that character? Isn’t it reasonable that this good God might value the pain that eventually produces something desirable?" ₍₁₎

"So, how can a loving all-powerful God allow pain and suffering? The same way a loving father can allow his infant child to suffer the doctor’s needle. From the child’s perspective, the shot is terribly painful and unwanted, but the father knows that the pain of the injection will result in something beneficial to the infant. The father also knows he is acting in love, even though a painless day (from the child’s perspective) might seem like a more loving approach.

Finally, the father knows that the pain of the injection is fleeting relative to the life of the child. For these reasons, it is reasonable to surmise that a good, loving God might allow pain and suffering in our own lives as well." ₍₂₎

(1) pleaseconvinceme.com Lesson 16: Does Pain and Suffering Prove There is No God? http://pleaseconvinceme.com/academy/

(2) J. Warner Wallace Why Would a Good God Allow Pain and Suffering? June 19, 2017 http://coldcasechristianity.com/2017/why-would-a-good-god-allow-pain-and-suffering/

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four XIII

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Our response to the troubles and afflictions we experience in life often comes down to a matter of perspective. For instance, an issue that might represent a concern for a toddler may be easily dismissed by a pre-teen. A person who has reached his or her mid-20's might be amused at the "problems" faced by a teen. A middle-aged person might welcome the opportunity to exchange the duties, challenges, and responsibilities of adult life for the problems of a 25 year old. Finally, a person who is approaching the final years of life may long to return to the "good old days" of middle-age.

Although it may be difficult to fully appreciate the challenges, difficulties, and concerns of those outside our age group, that does not make make those problems any less real to those who encounter them. Because of this, 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 encourages us to initiate a similar change of perspective with respect to the hardships and afflictions we face in life.

You see, the problems and troubles we experience can be seen as light and momentary if they are viewed from an eternal perspective, If we were to place our struggles on the scale of eternity and weigh them against the future that God has prepared for us, its possible to view them in a different light. For Paul the Apostle, the sufferings, persecutions, indignities and hardships he endured for Christ in this life were relatively insignificant compared to the eternal glory to follow.

One source explains this change of perspective in the following manner...

"After reading the terrible afflictions which the Apostle Paul endured, it may seem hard for us to understand how he could speak of them as light affliction. In one sense, they were not at all light. They were bitter and cruel. But the explanation lies in the comparison which Paul makes. The afflictions viewed by themselves might be ever so heavy, but when compared with the eternal weight of glory that lies ahead, then they are light. Also the light affliction is but for a moment, whereas the glory is eternal. The lessons we learn through afflictions in this world will yield richest fruit for us in the world to come."₍₁₎

(1) Believer's Bible Commentary William Macdonald Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers [4:17]

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four XII

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Nolan Ryan was undoubtedly one of the greatest pitchers in major league baseball history. He was a World Series champion, he pitched seven games in which he did not allow a hit (a major league record), and he struck out more batters than any other pitcher who has ever lived. Ryan's lengthy big-league career began in 1966 and lasted until September 22nd, 1993 when it ended in the first inning of a mid-week game when he tore a ligament in his elbow.

A few days later on September 25th, 1993, another outstanding major league baseball player called a press conference to announce his retirement. Like Nolan Ryan, George Brett was a former World Series champion as well. At the time of his retirement, Brett was the only player to hit over .300 in three different decades and is one of a small circle of players to collect more than 3000 hits over his major league career.

At his press conference, Brett offered a number of reasons to explain his decision to retire from the game. He cited the physical and mental stress of professional baseball and then went on to make the following statement: "I think the game just beat me, which, it beats everybody in time. It beat Nolan Ryan. It took 26 years to beat Nolan Ryan. Well, it took 20 to beat me." ₍₁₎

While there are few people who can perform at the major league level of professional athletes like George Brett or Nolan Ryan, Brett's observation carries a much wider application than perhaps he realized. As we grow older and slowly lose the abilities we once possessed in our youth, we can begin to recognize the truth behind 2 Corinthians 4:16 even if we are reluctant to admit it: "...our physical body is wearing away" (NET). To paraphrase George Brett, the game of life is beating us, just as it beats everybody in time.

However, this passage also provides us with a word of encouragement: as God works to conform us to the image of Christ, our internal being follows a reverse trajectory. While our physical capabilities may be diminishing, we are being internally renewed on a daily basis. Thus, the internal "you" inside your body is growing younger, stronger, and more powerful even as the external "you" is in decline.

(1) George Brett: A Royal Hero Kansas City Star Sports Publishing LLC, 2001 pg.101

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four XI

"And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 'I believed and therefore I spoke,' we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God" (2 Corinthians 4:13-15).

If there is one question that is basic to all humanity, it may well be this: "What is the point of my existence?" Jesus gave us the primary answer to that question when He said, "...you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment" (Mark 12:30). But a secondary answer to that question might also be found within the New Testament book of 1 Peter...

"Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing... It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you..." (1 Peter 1:10-12 NIV).

Another translation renders this portion of Scripture in the following manner: "God revealed to the prophets that the things they had spoken were not for their own benefit but for yours..." (GW). In a sense, what was true for the prophets is also true for us today- our lives serve future generations as well. Whatever we do (or don't do) will have an effect upon others, perhaps for generations to come.

However, our choices and decisions also carry a short-term impact as well for 2 Corinthians 4:15 tells us, "...we go through all things on account of you, because the greater the number to whom the grace is given, the greater is the praise to the glory of God" (BBE).

As we prayerfully endure the daily challenges of life and make long-term decisions with an eye towards honoring God, we can be assured that "...it will increase the thanksgiving of more and more people to the glory of God" (ISV) both now and in the future, even if we don't fully grasp the significance behind the events that transpire in our lives now.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four X

"For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you" (2 Corinthians 4:11-12).

Everybody wants to laugh, but nobody wants to cry.
Everybody wants to hear the truth, yet everybody wants to tell a lie.
Everybody wants to know the reason, without even asking why.

Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die ₍₁₎

In the Apostle Paul's New Testament letter to the Philippian church, he made the following admission: "I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead. I want to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death" (Philippians 3:10, NCV). This is a particularly revealing passage of Scripture for modern-day audiences for it draws our attention to a dichotomy that often exists between the first and second halves of that verse.

You see, it's easy to gravitate towards the benefits that accompany the knowledge of Christ and the power of His resurrection. But it is the second half of that Scripture that is often more problematic for it speaks of taking part in "...the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death" (HCSB). As much as we might like to avoid it, this represents a package deal- if we want to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection, we must be willing to participate in His suffering and death. In other words, we can't get one without the other.

For Paul, this meant total identification with Christ even if it ultimately led to suffering and death as a result. Thus, in the words of one theologian, "Paul uses the key experiences of Christ (death and resurrection) as a pattern for understanding his own experiences as an apostle. Paul’s suffering and apparent defeats are evidence to all that he shares in the death of Christ (cf. 1:5). Thus, Paul can see his own sufferings as an imitation of Christ’s." ₍₂₎

While many of us may never be called to endure the kind of affliction that marked the life and ministry of Paul the Apostle, we are similarly called to become "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1) that impact others for Christ within our circle of influence. To paraphrase 2 Corinthians 4:12, it is in this manner that death works in us so that life may work in others.

(2) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2055). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four IX

"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies" (2 Corinthians 4:8-10 ESV).

As part of the Lord's calling on the life of Paul the Apostle, the New Testament book of Acts records the following preview of what the future held for him: "...I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake" (Acts 9:16). If we were to engage in a study of Paul's life following this call to ministry, it would quickly reveal that he endured a great number of hardships, difficulties, and persecutions as he sought to fulfill God's call upon his life. These adversities included....

At least five different attempts to murder him (Acts 9:22-23, Acts 14:19, Acts 21:30-31, Acts 23:14-15, Acts 25:2-3).
An effort to secure a civil judgment against him (Acts 18:12-17).
An incident where he was beaten, imprisoned, and placed into stocks (Acts 16:16-24).
Two instances where he was forced out of town (Acts 13:49-50, Acts 17:13-14).
A shipwreck (Acts 27).

As we'll see in 2 Corinthians chapter eleven, these examples from the book of Acts represent a partial list of the afflictions Paul endured in pursuit of the work that God had called him to do. Therefore, he was uniquely qualified to speak on the ironies listed in the passage quoted above as well as a similar list that he will discuss in 2 Corinthians chapter six.

But these observations were no mere academic exercise for Paul- they carried real-life implications just as they do for God's people today. They remind us how the reality of Christ within us through the indwelling Holy Spirit sustains us through the injustices, disappointments, afflictions, mistreatments, and hardships of daily life. One commentator offers the following explanation...

"Abandoning metaphorical language, Paul proceeds now to describe the change that has come about since the placement of the treasure within him. It is not a change in the conditions or circumstances of his life (for pressure and perplexity continue to be a part of his experience, together with persecution and physical beatings which have come more recently, since the beginning of his ministry).

But instead it is a change in the attitude and fortitude of the apostle which has enabled him to bear suffering and even to triumph in the midst of it."₍₁₎

(1) Davis, J. A. (1995). 1-2 Corinthians. In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Vol. 3, p. 988). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four VIII

"We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body" (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

To further illustrate the concept of a spiritual treasure held within a fragile human vessel, 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 offers four sets of contrasts that demonstrate how these interior contents influence our response to the challenges of life. For instance...

"We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed." While we might expect a common clay jar to quickly fail under intense stress-testing, one that contains this spiritual treasure will remain intact as a result of what's inside.
"We are perplexed, but not in despair." Even though we don't always understand why things happen the way they do, we are strengthened by the knowledge that God always has valid reasons for things we can't easily explain.
"Persecuted, but not forsaken." As Jesus said to His disciples in John 16:33, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
"Struck down, but not destroyed." Many commentators have suggested that this passage might be paraphrased in the following manner: "We may be knocked down but we're never knocked out."

Jesus also shared a parable that serves to illustrate just how important this unseen spiritual strength really is…

"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall" (Matthew 7:24-27).

To a casual observer, each of these homes may have appeared to be no different than any other place of residence. Yet one prevailed against this storm because it's unseen foundation proved to be strong and secure. In a similar manner, we can also withstand the pressures, difficulties, perplexities, and challenges we encounter if we have the foundation of Christ within our lives.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four VII

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us" (2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV).

2 Corinthians 4:7 refers to a symbolic treasure that has been placed in common earthenware vessels. We can identify the nature of that treasure by considering the qualities and attributes that have been extended to those who are in Christ. Many of those things are listed for us in the opening verses of this chapter and include the following...

Mercy (verse one).
The word of God (verse two).
The gospel (verse three).
"The glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (verse four).
"Christ Jesus the Lord" (verse five)
"the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (ESV) (verse six).

So God has deliberately chosen to place these riches in an unusual place- finite human beings who are likened to "jars of clay." But why would He elect to place this treasure in human beings who are so prone to the frailties of life that they might be compared to fragile clay jars? Well, the passage quoted above provides us with the answer to that question: "...in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us" (GNB).

This serves to direct our attention to the value of the contents inside the jar (i.e. frail, fallible human beings) and not upon the jar itself. You see, a jar of clay only has a nominal value in and of itself. If an earthenware vessel holds any substantial value, it is only because it contains something of greater worth.

In a larger sense, this also serves to illustrate another important spiritual truth: our sense of worth must be built around what Jesus has done for us and not around any temporal qualities we may possess, no matter how impressive they seem to be. As we're told in the New Testament book of Romans, "...God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

No matter how extraordinary or attractive an earthenware vessel may appear to be, it shares the weaknesses that are common to such pottery- and just like fragile human beings, an earthenware container will eventually return to the earth from which it came. Therefore, it helps to remember the wisdom of the old proverbial saying: it's what's inside that counts.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four VI

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:7).

The central portion of 2 Corinthians chapter four finds the Apostle Paul moving away from the topic of spiritual blindness and introducing a new concept- the light of the gospel message contained within "jars of clay" (NIV).

Today, an ordinary clay jar is often used to hold a potted plant or perhaps some decorative flowers. However, these earthenware containers were also used for a variety of other purposes in the days of the first century, For instance, a clay jar might typically be used to store any number of things including personal valuables, water, or edible items.

Although these earthenware jars were fragile and easily damaged, they were inexpensive to replace if the need arose. And unlike an attractive, eye-catching product, there was little to commend the humble clay pot to a prospective purchaser. If one earthenware container did not meet with a buyer's approval, there might be dozens of others available to choose from, just as is true today.

This meant that the image of an earthen vessel served as an effective means of communicating the fact that God has chosen to place the incomparable message of eternal life through Christ into the hands of fragile human beings. Much like a clay jar holding a bouquet of beautiful flowers, this served to focus attention upon the Gospel message and not upon the one who held that message.

We'll talk more about this analogy next, but for now we can say that a good illustration of this idea might be found in an important series of events that took place beginning in 1946. It was during that time that a young boy found copies of the now-famous Dead Sea Scrolls in the caves that populated the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea. Copies of every Old Testament book (with the exception of the book of Esther) were found within these caves in whole or in part. At least one fragment among these discoveries is thought to have been copied around 250 B.C.

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls represented one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century. Yet how were these priceless manuscripts stored when they were discovered? Well much like the incomparable message of salvation in Christ in the custody of finite human beings, these precious treasures were found tucked away in common clay jars.

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four V

"For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:5-6).

Its not unusual to encounter those who seem to possess a gift for leadership. These charismatic individuals are often characterized by the kind of personality that radiates the qualities of strength and confidence. Since they are naturally comfortable in assuming leadership roles, such men and women often tend to rise towards positions of influence. Because of this, the Scriptures encourage those who possess the gift of leadership to exercise it in a God-honoring manner (see Romans 12:8).

2 Corinthians 4:5 offers some important counsel in this regard, especially for those who preach or teach the Scriptures as part of a media ministry, educational institution, or church fellowship. For instance, a person who holds such a position must always guard against the impulse to inject his or her views and opinions into a message at the expense of the Scriptures. If such indulgences should occur, there is a danger of violating the Biblical tenet found in the passage quoted above: "...we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord."

For example, we might steer a Biblical text towards a personal subject of interest or interject our social, political, or economic views into a teaching when it may not be warranted. Or perhaps we might draw attention to our personal experiences or insert different types of self-references into a sermon or message. The point is that a God-given position of leadership does not automatically bestow us with a license to indulge our personal opinions for "...it is Christ Jesus the Lord whom we preach, not ourselves" (Phillips).

This does not necessarily mean its wrong to refer to our personal accomplishments, interests, theories, or life experiences in ministering to others. However, such anecdotes should be seen as a vehicle to help others grow in their understanding of God's Word. When self-references begin to appear in a message for any reason other than as a way of connecting with people in order to communicate the Scriptures more effectively, there may be something wrong.

One source addresses this concern in the following manner...

"Not everyone who opens a Bible and starts talking is preaching Christ Jesus the Lord. Many well-intentioned preachers are actually preaching themselves instead of Jesus. If the focus is on the funny stories or the touching life experiences of the preacher, he may be preaching himself."₍₁₎

(1) David Guzik 2 Corinthians 4 – Our Light Affliction © Copyright - Enduring Word https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-corinthians-4/

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four IV

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 ESV).

The Scriptures associate "the god of this world" with Satan, a fallen angelic being. Contrary to many popular depictions, the Bible does not represent Satan as a myth, a legend, or a comic individual with a red suit and a pitchfork. Nor is he identified as a kind of "anti-god" who is equal in power with the Biblical God.

Instead, "the god of this world" is described as a real being with emotions (Revelation 12:17), desires (Luke 22:31). plans (Ephesians 6:11), the capacity to reason (Job 1:9-10), and the ability to carry out his intentions (2 Timothy 2:25-26). His is also described as "the evil one" (Matthew 6:13), "the wicked one" (1 John 2:13), "a liar and a murderer" (John 8:44), "a deceiver" (Revelation 20:10), and "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31) at various points throughout the Scriptures.

1 John 5:19 also tells us, "...the whole world is under the control of the wicked one." This passage helps us understand one way in which the god of this age has "...blinded the minds of those who do not believe" (NET). For instance, the spiritual blindness referenced here in 2 Corinthians 2:34 is routinely advanced by a world that has little interest in it's Creator and is populated largely by those who choose to live as if God did not exist. So when faced with the relentless daily pressure to go with the flow of a Biblically disinterested world, its easy to lose sight of the fact that a world that exists beyond the one we currently inhabit.

This spiritual blindness is also reinforced by the caricature of the devil as a cartoonish figure who is nothing more than a fictional prankster. Unfortunately, those who view the god of this world in this manner are ill-equipped to escape this kind of spiritual darkness because they perceive him to be something other than the dangerous enemy who is identified within the pages of the Scriptures.

In the words of one commentator, "It was because they [i.e., the unbelieving] refused to believe that Satan had power to blind them. They resisted the influence of light until they lost the power of appreciating it." ₍₁₎

(1) Plummer, Alfred. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. Reprint ed. The International Critical Commentary series. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1966. Quoted in The Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Dr. Constable's Bible Study Notes). Copyright 2012 by Dr. Thomas L. Constable. All Rights Reserved. http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/2%20Corinthians/2Corinthians.htm (4:3-4)

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four III

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

In 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, the Apostle Paul reached back for an analogy he employed earlier within this letter- the imagery of a veil that obstructs the spiritual understanding of those who encounter the gospel of Christ. A closer look at this passage identifies some important dynamics that often exist whenever a discussion of Jesus' substitutionary death takes place with nonbelievers.

First we see the involvement of Satan, or the "god of this age" who works to negate the message of salvation in Christ. As a created being, Satan does not possess the same attributes as the eternal, all-knowing, and all-powerful God of the Scriptures but he does possess certain god-like abilities that we'll examine in greater detail a little later. "This age" refers to the attitudes, philosophies, opinions, values, and belief systems that characterize the world as it is, a world that largely rejects it's Creator.

We next have a group of individuals who have been "blinded," a word that means, "to blunt the mental discernment, (or) darken the mind." ₍₁₎ That group would be the "unbelievers" or those who do not put their trust in God. ₍₂₎ One resource summarizes these elements in the following manner...

"The gospel was rejected by people who were unable and unwilling to accept it (cf. 1Co_1:18; 1Co_2:14). They disbelieved and were abetted in their unbelief by Satan, the god of this Age (cf. Eph_2:2) who, though defeated by Christ (Heb_2:14), continues his hold over the present world (1Pe_5:8; 1Jn_5:19)." ₍₃₎

However, the New Testament Gospel of John also reminds us that spiritual blindness is associated with an act of the will, at least to some degree...

"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:18-20).

As the well-known author C. S. Lewis once observed, "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.'" ₍₄₎

(1) G5186 tuphloo https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5186&t=KJV

(2) G571 apistos https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G571&t=KJV

(3) John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck Bible Knowledge Commentary [2 Corinthians 4:3-4]

(4) C. S. Lewis The Great Divorce [chapter nine].

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four II

"Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Corinthians 4:1-2 NIV).

It has often been said that "the ends justify the means" in life. A person who holds to such a philosophy is someone who believes that the tactics used in achieving a desired result are relatively unimportant as long as the result is "good." However, the Biblical passage quoted above is tells us that the opposite is actually true- the ends do not justify the means in life, the means justify the ends.

For example, Paul the Apostle clearly rejected certain means of promoting the gospel. Those means included things like concealment, adulteration, and/or deception in communicating the message of Christ.

Of course, its also been said that "the more things change, the more they stay the same" in life as well. For instance, there appears to be no shortage of those who are willing to dilute, tamper, or falsify the Word of God today just as there were in Paul's day. The difference is that those who work to use such methods today now have the advantage of 21st century technology to market and package such messages more effectively.

One commentator makes a pertinent observation in this regard...

"...There are various ways to use the word of God deceitfully, or to tamper with it. Using a Bible text to preach a ‘sermon’ that has little or nothing to do with the Bible is one of the common ways of doing it. Teaching it accurately, but refusing to live by it is equally deceitful." ₍₁₎

Nevertheless, this passage also carries a number of personal implications as well. For instance, our desire to help others find salvation might lead us to bargain, cajole, or leverage others into a "decision for Christ." Or perhaps we might seek to water down a controversial portion of Scripture or take it from its context to make it more palatable to those who hold an opposing view. Or we might invite others to attend a spiritual outreach without fully disclosing the nature of the event.

These things (and those like them) should give us pause to remember the message given to us in the passage quoted above: "...by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God" (NIV).

(1) Paul T. Butler. The Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians (College Press) [p. 93] Copyright © 1988 College Press Publishing Company https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

the book of 2 corinthians chapter four I

"Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (2 Corinthians 4:1-2).

The use of the word "therefore" in the opening verse of 2 Corinthians chapter four is much like a coupling in the Apostle Paul's train of thought- it alert us to the fact that we are now about to enter the next car of that train.

In this instance, the key idea is "ministry," a concept that Paul worked to develop over the course of chapter three. Since God has made us competent to perform the work He has given us to do, "we do not lose heart..." as we're told here in verse one. One commentator illustrates this idea by contrasting the difference between Paul's internal mindset and the difficulties he experienced in ministry...

"This must be understood in the light of Paul's overall ministry and this particular context (cf. 2Co_4:16). Paul did feel like giving up several times. Jesus appeared to him in visions several times to encourage him (cf. Act_18:9-10; Act_23:11; Act_27:24; 2Ti_4:17).

In this particular context, in the face of physical trials and problems with the church at Corinth, Paul had confidence that the merciful, covenantal God was there and in control (cf. 2Co_3:12). The task was too important to lose heart (cf. Mat_28:19-20; Luk_24:47; Act_1:8)." ₍₁₎

The Apostle then built upon this foundation by identifying an important cause-and-effect relationship: since God had given him this ministry, he refused to employ any communication methods that were inconsistent with God's character. This reminds us that there are methods and techniques for interacting with others that a God-honoring representative of Christ should seek to avoid. For instance...

"We don't do shameful things that must be kept secret..." (CEV).
"We don't use trickery, and we don't change the teaching of God" (ERV).
"we refuse to make use of shameful underhanded methods, employing deception or distorting God's message" (CJB).
"We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word" (ESV).

If we should ever encounter a person who regularly engages in such practices under the guise of "ministry," it may be a good indication that he or she did not receive that ministry from God. Instead, Paul sought to "...(commend) ourselves to every person's conscience in God's sight by an open display of the truth" (HCSB).