A Study in II Corinthians Week 7

II Corinthians 7:1-16

In this section, Paul reveals some details about how to be ministers of reconciliation. He will use the church at Corinth as a model.

The Verses

1 What promises does he refer to?
(The promises that God will be a Father to you and that you will be His sons and daughters – from 6:18).

2-4 Some scholars think that the Corinthians had questioned Paul’s authority to “tell them what to do” (Review Chapter 1). Here Paul His desire for mutual love and admiration.

5-7 This is a restatement of Paul’s reminder in Chapter 1 that God is a God of comfort and that His comfort is to be shared. He accepts the comfort sent to them via Titus.

8-12 Paul’s letter had caused concern, consternation and resentment among the Corinthians until they realized that he was right, at which time they repented and began to get themselves in line with God’s plan.

Godly sorrow brings repentance.

Our tendancy is to rebel when our wrong-doings are pointed out. We say things like, “Who are you to tell me what to do,” or, “You have no right to be so ‘holier-than-thou’ and to ‘condemn’ me.”

See, the essence of all sin and rebellion against God is pride. It’s the “I’m going to do things my way and nobody’s going to tell me what to do…(by implication: not even God in His Word).”

When we see our sin for what it is, repent of it and turn to God and His way, it is a beautiful thing. It will make a great difference in your happiness and satisfaction with your relationship to God.

13-18 When we have visitors in our church, or when we have a special guest or guests, what do you suppose is their response when they go back to their regular places of worship and tell them about us?

What part do you play in helping them to see this local congregation in a positive, Christ-loving light?

Do you consider yourself to be an encouragement to others or do you see yourself as a complainer, griper and sower of discord?

How do you think others see you?

What positive steps do you take to be a positive influence among each other and with guests?

A Study in II Corinthians Week 6

II Corinthians 6:1-18

Paul has been writing about the ministry of reconciliation. He has encouraged us to be reconciled to God, to be reconcilers of the lost and to be reconciled with each other.

When we have an issue with a brother/sister in Christ, we need to be reconciled. If we are not, we risk falling right back into the disunity Paul saw in Corinth as revealed in I Corinthians.

The Verses

1-2 This is a continuation of the reconciliation message in 11-21 of chapter 5. We have received God’s grace…now we are to make it count for something.

3-10 Some see this as Paul “bragging” about his holier-than-thou character. It is not. It is an illustration of the changes that take place in the life of a believer as a result of his becoming a “new creation” in Christ (II Corinthians 5:17).

As a new creation, how much like this “list” is your life? Do you exhibit endurance? Do you endure hardships as one who has experienced the grace of God?

Believers, in this world, need the grace of God, to arm them against temptations, so as to bear the good report of men without pride; and also to bear their reproaches with patience. They have nothing in themselves, but possess all things in Christ.

11-13 As Paul opened his heart to the Corinthian Christians, so we ought to open our hearts to each other and to “outsiders.”

14-18 This passage has been used for everything from choosing a marriage partner to being in business with a non-Christian.

Understanding it properly, it is really an attitude about our surrender to the claim Christ has on our lives.

If we still have things in common with those who do not believe in Christ, we need to examine our belief in Christ.

If we are in Christ, we will be different from the inside out. We will not enjoy the things of the world the way we used to, for we will see them differently.

Remember, we are the temple of the living God. He does not live in the church building, but in the church…that is: in the person of believers. David says, “Isn’t it good to be in God’s house this morning?” and we all respond, “Amen!” Now, we know what he means and we respond to that. But too often we give the impression that God lives in the building, rather than in our hearts.

As we grow in Christ, we will want to become more like Him every day in every way.

We don’t need to become separatists, but we DO need to become separate…not guided by the world, but being a guide in and to the world.

You and I need to demonstrate with our lives the new life we have found in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Master.

A Study in II Corinthians Week 5

II Corinthians 5:1-21

As we understand the theme of reconciliation, we are now guided by the Apostle to humbly consider ourselves and our ministry (continued).

The Verses

1-5 The phrase, “earthly tent” refers to our bodies. God would naturally use this phrase with Paul, because Paul was a Tent Maker.

“While we are in this tent, we groan…” All of us have times in our lives that cause us to groan.

We need to learn to look forward to our “heavenly dwelling” (body)? When God DOES call for you, you have a great thing to look forward to.

Notice his use of the name of the Spirit of God…he refers to Him as a deposit (a continuation of the
reconciliation bookkeeping theme). The Holy Spirit gives us confidence that our future is secure in
Christ.

6-10 We all know verse 7: “We live by faith, not bysight. What does that really mean to you?

It should be our goal to be present with the Lord. It is astonishing how many Christians do not want to be present with the Lord or are afraid of being present with Him.

We will receive rewards when we stand before Christ for what we did while we were still here on Earth.

11-15 This passage indicates that at least part of our reward will be based on how we try to introduce people to Christ. The “Since then…” is a continuation of the previous thought.

In verses 12-13 reiterates that everything we do should be done for Christ.

Verse 14 tells us that “one died for all…(that’s Christ)” and therefore we have died…as we follow and become more like Him every day.

Notice that in verse15 Paul uses the same thought that he emphasized in Romans and in I Corinthians: that we must die to self. We should therefore live for Christ.

16-21 As reconcilers, we are not to look at people from a worldly point of view, but as Christ would see them: the lost in love (agape) and the saved as His.

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Have you any idea of the power exuded by God in the first creation? Think of the power involved in your salvation as a new creation.

If we are in Christ, are we reconciled to God? _X_ Yes; ___No.

What ministry have we been given? The ministry of reconciliation

Does that mean reconciliation to God, reconciliation to man or reconciliation man-to-man? Answer: all three.

If we are Christ’s ambassadors, what kind of ambassador are you?

A Study in II Corinthians Week 4

II Corinthians 4:1-18

As we understand the theme of reconciliation, we are now guided by the Apostle to humbly consider ourselves and our ministry.

The Verses

1-6 We have a ministry that, if we understand it correctly, always encourages us to keep on keeping on. Our ministry reminds us that we ourselves must renounce secret and shameful things in our lives, to be honest in our ministry and to remain true to the Word of God as interpreted in light of its entire context and purpose.

Those who are perishing is a reference to lost people. They cannot understand the gospel and have been blinded to it. That’s why it is sometimes difficult to witness: people resist the gospel...because of unbelief; because they’re “not good enough” to be saved; because they make it more complicated than it is.

Our ministry must never be self-centered, but must always be Christ centered. God’s
glory is made perfect in Him and Him alone.

7-12 The “treasure” spoken of here is the good news of salvation in Christ and Christ alone. We are not the source of power…God is. We are “jars of clay,” that is: fragile, breakable and in need of a savior. We have struggles but we cannot be distroyed.

Verses 10ff remind us that Jesus died and now lives so we can live and not die. “…death is at work in us, but life is at work in you” is not a contrast between “us” and “you.” “Us” means all of us, you and me both. Christ imparts to you life everlasting, when you trust in, and only in, His finished work at the cross of Calvary.

13-15 Paul references Psalm 116:10 “I believed; therefore I said ‘I am greatly
afflicted.” When we believe God, we realize the seriousness of our sin. Ps 116:11 tells
us that this is not unique, it is common to all men, just as Paul told us in Romans 3:23.

Jesus’ resurrection is assurance for us that God will raise us, too, in newness of life.
This should give us reason to show the grace of God to more and more people and to
rejoice when they come to Him. It should also cause us to rejoice with thanksgiving
when they come to Him

16-18 Our physical bodies are temporal and will not last. Everyone eventually dies of something…heart trouble, breathing trouble, brain trouble…something (unless Christ comes first). Even if you are healed of a disease, you are going to die of something. But the life we will enjoy in eternity in Heaven will make all of the things we go through here WORTH IT!!

Our job is to keep our eyes on Jesus at home, at work, at play at rest. He is eternal, and while what is seen (the physical) is temporary, what is not seen (God) is eternal.

HOW I KNOW THE BIBLE IS "THE WORD OF GOD"

The Bible is the inspired Word of God.

It is God's revelation of His character, His love for His creation and His plan for its redemption.

That's what the entire book, Old and New Testaments, is about.

The Bible carries that one theme all the way from Genesis to the Book of the Revelation (there is no such book as "Revelations," it is one revelation of Christ to the Apostle, John).

Many people who call themselves "Bible Scholars" and/or "Theologians" would tell you otherwise, but they are wrong.

Some see the Bible as a book of Jewish History.

While it contains the very best Jewish History ever written, it is a dire mistake to try to interpret the Bible in light of Jewish History, for you will miss its point.

Others see the Bible as a book of religious philosophy.

While it contains the finest philosophical thought that has ever existed, to try to interpret the Bible in terms of religious philosophy will miss its point.

Still others find the Bible a sort of "guide book for life."

While it is the best guide book you could ever hope for, if you try to interpret it only in those terms, you will miss its point.

It is pretty sad that so many scholars and theologians expound on the Bible with self proclaimed wisdom, all the while badly misinterpreting words, phrases, chapters and entire Biblical books because they came at it with pre-conceived intellectualism or notions about why it was given to us.

The Bible is an amalgamation of sixty-six books written by 40 different authors, spanning over a thousand years. Most of its authors did not know each other, nor did many of them have access to the others' works (in spite of what you may have been taught).

The reason the sixty-six books are included in what we know as "The Bible" is that they have the common theme of revealing God's character, His love of His creation and His plan for its redemption.

Some groups try to include other "books" as part of the Bible, but those books do not conform to the afore mentioned theme, therefore cannot be considered part of the Scripture.

One group has their own "special" interpretation of Scripture that contradicts the theme of the Bible.

Another claims that a special angel told him of cities that have never existed, of peculiar angels who don't exist and that Native Americans are the "lost tribes of Israel," which is not possible theoretically, scientifically or theologically.

This latter work also fails to conform to the theme of the so-called "crimson thread" that weaves its way through the Word of God.

Other religions have writings that are supposedly "inspired."

Islam holds that the Qur’an was revealed from God to Muhammad orally through the angel Gabriel over a period of approximately twenty-three years.

But there is no thread of crimson weaved through Qur'an.

While "scholars" used to tell us that the Bible was untrue because it claims Moses wrote the Pentateuch before writing was invented, it turns out that archaeologists discovered writings that predate Moses, thus putting that theory to rest.

Other "scholars" have told us that Biblical cities never existed, Biblical kings never reigned, Biblical societies never were and that certain "facts" of science prove the Bible wrong in certain areas.

Archaeologists subsequently found proof that those cities DID exist, those kings DID reign, those societies DID exist and scientists discovered that those "scientific facts" were wrong and the Bible was right after all.

I will use future posts to elaborate on each of the above.

There IS a crimson thread that infiltrates every book of the Bible.

That thread is Christ (the Greek word for the Hebrew "Messiah).

It may not be clear to many that Christ is found in every book of the Bible, but that's because many try to read the Bible as a narrative or as one of the other ways I mentioned above.

Understanding the Bible depends, in part, on how you approach it.

If you approach it as God's revelation of His character, His love of His creation and His plan for its redemption, you will always get the interpretation right.

If you use any other approach, you will end up confused, discouraged, conflicted, skeptical, horrified or any number of other negative conclusions.

You will see mass murders, the destruction of societies, seemingly conflicting accounts, countless meaningless details and so on.

Here, in condensed form, is the message of every verse of the Bible: God created everything; He loved it; He gave mankind free will; mankind wanted to go his own way (called sin); He chose Israel as His vehicle for bringing Messiah to mankind and freely offers His gift of salvation to any and all who will "...confess with their mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in their heart that God has raised Him from the dead..." and will repent of sin and turn in faith, trusting in, and only in, Christ's finished work at the cross of Calvary.

The Bible tells of two covenants: The Old Covenant, which God made with Israel, in which He promised a coming Messiah and which Israel broke; and a New Covenant (predicted in the Old Testament) in which Messiah comes.

The New Covenant was and is made with anyone who will come to Him through faith in Christ (as opposed to faith in "faith"), including both Jews and gentiles (as made clear by the apostle Paul).

The Old Covenant and the New Covenant are written for us in the Old Testament and the New Testament, respectively.

Some of the things you find in the Old Testament that seem violent or "unfair," are God's revelation of the awful results of sin.

All of the things you find in the Old Testament point toward the solution to the sin problem.

The Bible is complete, leaving nothing essential to the imagination.

In fact, everything you need to know about God is found in the Word of God; nothing you need to know about God is NOT found in the Word of God; and anything you THINK you know about God that is not in the Word of God, you just made up.

Lots of people make up lots of stuff about God.

Many use the "Well I don't think God would (fill in the blank with whatever you don't think God would)."

It doesn't matter what you think. God is God and if He says it is true about Himself, count on it...it is true. If He says something is NOT true about Himself, count on it...it is not true. And if He does not reveal something you want to know about Him, count on it...He knows you don't need to know it.

The next time you read through the Bible, approach it with a different perspective. Approach it with an eye toward finding the Truth of Christ in every passage. It will transform your thinking, your philosophy and your very life.

Try that even if you have a PhD in theology, or philosophy, or history or whatever...because Jesus is the Truth and only The Truth will set you free.

If you take that approach, you will join with me in the assurance that the Bible is the very Word of God.

A Study in II Corinthians Week 3

II Corinthians 3:1-18

Paul’s theme to the Corinthians in this letter is reconciliation. In Chapter 3 he sets the tone of our reconciliation with God through Christ.

If we can’t feel Paul’s excitement as he writes about this theme, we need to check our heart meter. This is good stuff!!

The Verses

1-3 Contrary to what is often taught about this section, Paul does not ask for a letter of recommendation. He poses the question of whether he should ask for one, allows an implicit answer of, “No,” and goes on to say that their lives in Christ are all the letter he needs. They are a letter “written by the Holy Spirit on their hearts.”

4-6 When Paul speaks of “the letter” here, he is talking about The Law. The Law kills, but God’s Holy Spirit gives us life.

7-11 The Law was given by God and is therefore glorious, but the ministry of the Holy Spirit (the manifestation of Christ in our lives today), is more glorious because it imparts to us Christ’s righteousness which is the only righteousness worthy of salvation.

The New Covenant supersedes everything that came before it because everything that came before it (The Old Covenant) was preparation for the New Covenant, which is not a “what,” but a “who”…Christ.

12-18 Paul is so excited about this New Covenant that brings salvation! He alludes back to Moses to represent the Old Covenant and makes it clear that if we rely on “the law of Moses” to please God, we’re sunk. But in the New Covenant we can experience the Lord’s glory as we are “transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Here is a clear indication, by the way, of the Third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is not some feeling, some ethereal such-and-such that “represents” God. The Holy Spirit IS God. The Holy Spirit is that Person of God whom Christ left with us when he went away. (John 14: 16 & 26; John 15:26 & John 16:7)