Archive for the ‘1st and 2nd Corinthians’ Category
Scripture reading for September 3rd: 2nd Corinthians 6:14-7:7
When one is reconciled to God and is filled with God’s love, the things of this world lose their attraction. The Holy Spirit begins the work of sanctification. This word ’sanctification’ means being ‘made holy’ or ’set apart’ for God. The Holy Spirit helps us to separate ourselves from the worldly influences and ways that we had before salvation. When we become a ‘new creation’, the old things pass away and new things come that are from God. (2nd Corinthians 5:17-18)
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?” (2nd Corinthians 6:14-16a) Paul urged the Corinthians to not be yoked with unbelievers. He asked them questions with an obvious answer of ‘none’ or ‘nothing’ to emphasize their need to maintain separation and cooperate with the Holy Spirit.
They were now the temple of the living God. God lived in them and called them to be a holy and separated people! God wanted to be their Father and they would be called ’sons’ and ‘daughter’s’ of God the Father. They would be known as the people of God. These promises of God were “Yes” and “Amen” in Christ Jesus! (2nd Corinthians 1:18) These promises should motivate believers at Corinth and everywhere to perfect holiness in reverence for God.
This process of holy separation is initiated by the Holy Spirit living in us. He is the Spirit of Truth who reveals Christ to us. He convicts of sin, righteousness, and the coming judgment. He reveals to us all that we are and have through our relationship with God in Christ. (1st Corinthians 2:10-12) As we study the word of God, we are also required to do our part in a response of faith. We put off the old ways of the world and put on the new ways of the Spirit.
“Do not be yoked with unbelievers!” Paul’s instruction and questions were for self-examination. Take a moment today and ask yourself the questions Paul asked. Are there unbelievers who are influencing you because of close associations? Take Paul’s advice today!
Scripture reading for September 2nd: 2nd Corinthians 6:1-13
When many people hear the plea of one of Christ’s ambassadors: “Be reconciled to God!”, they make excuses as to why they are not yet ready. Some may feel that they have many things in the world that they want to do and see, and they don’t want God interfering. Others may have pet sins that they know God would ask them to give up. Their consciences have already been convicting them, but the sin is bringing them too much temporary pleasure. Others feel that they are young yet, and that religion is for old people who are near death. When they get older, then they will consider Christ’s plea for reconciliation. Still others feel that they are ‘good’. There are many others who are worse ’sinners’ and God surely knows that they are trying to do good works. It is easy to find justification!
“As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For He says, “In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (2nd Corinthians 6:1-2) It is possible to hear the message of the Gospel of God’s grace and receive it in vain! Failure to respond with a personal faith and trust actually makes you more liable for God’s wrath and judgment. To whom much is given, much is required! Paul urged those at Corinth to respond when they had the opportunity. “Today” was the best day and the right time because no one could guarantee themselves a “tomorrow”!
Paul continued his plea for these Corinthian’s reconciliation by explaining his own efforts to offer the message of reconciliation to them and not cause them to stumble. He had loved them sincerely and spoken the truth to them at every turn. He had worked hard to provide for himself and suffered for their sake to provide what they needed in an example of Christ’s love. (2nd Corinthians 5:3-10) Paul had opened his heart to them and demonstrated Christ’s love.
In spite of all this, the Corinthians were withholding their love to Paul and many had not opened their hearts. As you examine your heart, where are you with your response to Christ’s plea? Today is the best day to open your heart!
Scripture reading for September 1st: 2nd Corinthians 5:12-21
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them.” (2nd Corinthians 5:14-15) Love is one of the strongest of human motivations. God’s love poured into a human vessel through Christ Jesus is stronger than natural human love. Paul had received the love of God that brought forgiveness of his many sins. He had heard the Gospel message, even received it directly from Jesus Christ by revelation. (Galatians 1:11-12) He was fully convinced that Jesus died for all men’s sins. For him, he was compelled by the love of Jesus to live fully for Christ!
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2nd Corinthians 5:16-17) Paul’s vision of Christ had changed. He was no longer a false teacher and messiah pretender whose followers needed to be removed from the earth. Paul’s worldly vision was blinded on the Damascus road and a new revelation took its place. Christ was Lord of All and the Son of God! Paul was adopted into God’s family and made a new creation that day. The “old Paul” died, and a “new creation Paul” emerged through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul’s vision of others changed that day too.
Paul got a new mission: the ministry of reconciliation. “We are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2nd Corinthians 5:20-21) Compelled by the love of Christ, Paul was pleading with men and women everywhere on Christ’s behalf. He was now an ambassador for the Lord, sent in Christ’s place to make the King’s plea! All men could become righteous through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! Have you responded to this plea? If you are already a believer, are you offering this plea, compelled by Christ’s love, to your family, friends and neighbors?
Scripture reading for August 31st: 2nd Corinthians 4:13-5:11
The glorious hope of the believer is the resurrection of the body. “Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” (2nd Corinthians 5:1-4)
Our soul and spirit are clothed with our human body. This body is wasting away and decaying with age. The troubles of life take their toll and too soon we die. But for the believer, death is a transition to something better and more permanent. Our souls and spirits will go into the Lord’s presence to await the resurrection body. That body will be permanent. Paul used the analogy of clothes. Few of us feels comfortable being naked before others or especially God. There is a sense of privacy about the body. When we put off this human body at death, we also desire to be clothed with a new body. We also groan in our old bodies as we age and approach death. We long for something more permanent!
The Christian should be careful to use his body to bring glory to God. While in our bodies here, we should seek to live in a way that pleases God. “So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.” (2nd Corinthians 5:9-10) This judgment seat will bring rewards for those who have by faith done what God prepared for them. Others will suffer loss because of failure to obey or for squandering their time and talents. This judgment was not for unbelievers!
Are you living today with eternity in mind? What changes should be made to please God today and reap rewards at the judgment seat of Christ? That day may be closer than we think!
Scripture reading for August 30th: 2nd Corinthians 4:1-12
Paul’s encouraging words about transformation by the Holy Spirit could have brought some spiritual pride. Paul wanted none of that in his life or the Corinthians! This ‘glory transformation’ was a gift to each believer because of God’s mercy. Paul preached the straight Gospel of Jesus Christ as Lord with no underlying motives of gain or manipulation. He appealed to men’s consciences in the power of the Holy Spirit seeking their salvation and transformation.
There were some who would not believe. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2nd Corinthians 4:4) The Light of the World is Jesus Christ. The god of this world is the prince of darkness who blinds men to Christ’s glory. Men loved darkness, but God sent His greatest Light in His Son!
“We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be revealed in our body.” (2nd Corinthians 4:7-10) God has placed His Holy Spirit in us as this fragrance of life. Our human bodies are like jars of clay, fragile and breakable. Our life as ministers here on earth can bring lots of physical buffeting. It certainly did to Paul, but he understood the nature of his physical body. It was just a container of the glory of Christ! Christ’s glory was revealed to a greater degree as the troubles and pressures came.
Paul learned to walk by faith and not by sight. He knew that if he focused on the troubles and trials, he would be easily discouraged. He focused on the unseen world of the Spirit that was eternal, and not on his ‘clay pot’. This is a secret for our success as well. We have a wonderful treasure in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is able to renew us day by day, using the troubles we face to bring ever-increasing glory! Soon our jar of clay will be transformed into a glorious body! Hallelujah!
Scripture reading for August 29th: 2nd Corinthians 3:1-18
The Jews lived under the old covenant of Moses and the Law. This old covenant brought a veil over their hearts and brought them death. (2nd Corinthians 3:6-7) The Law of God demanded perfect obedience but man was prone to rebellion and always broke the law. This law came with glory to Moses. Moses’ face shone after being in God’s presence on the mountain for the second forty day period. He had to put a veil over his face to shield the Israelites from viewing the glory as it faded away. (2nd Corinthians 3:13)
Today Paul might compare the glory of the old covenant to a candle, bringing light to darkness. But Christ came bringing the brightness of the sun (Son) to illuminate the darkness of our souls. (2nd Corinthians 3:9-11) The old glory was a fading glory, but Christ’s glory is permanent and ever-increasing to those who believe! His glory is revealed in the new covenant of the Holy Spirit living in believers and revealing this glory.
The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit! (Romans 14:17) (2nd Corinthians 3:9) The Spirit has been poured out on believers bringing them into God’s kingdom. The veil over the Jews is removed when they turn to Christ. Now the surpassing glory of Christ is revealed to them by the Spirit. They are being transformed in ever-increasing glory by the Lord Jesus through the Spirit.
These verses open up to us a wonderful revelation of what we have now in our relationship with Jesus Christ! We have been brought into wonderful freedom from the Law, which brought condemnation and death. (Romans 3:20) We have been given righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. We now have the person of the Holy Spirit living inside of us, transforming us from glory to glory. Our faces are unveiled as priests of this new covenant. We can behold our Lord Jesus Christ and allow His glory to be reflected through us to the church and world!
Are you walking by faith that this revelation of Christ’s glory is reflected through your face? Remember this truth today and smile at others. Allow them to see this ever-increasing glory and ask you what is the reason behind that. You can share this glorious Gospel with those who are drawn!
Scripture reading for August 28th: 2nd Corinthians 2:9-17
Paul was a man sent by God to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He had a personal encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road that turned his life around. He was filled with the Holy Spirit and sent out by a confirming prophetic word to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. He also loved his own brothers, the Jews, and preached in synagogues everywhere. He wasn’t always received with open arms and some were hostile to the message he presented. Others welcomed the message and were gloriously saved.
Paul described his ministry to the Corinthians. “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.” (2nd Corinthians 2:14-17) Paul was led by Christ to the places he should preach. Even when it did not look like a victory, Paul knew the scope of his calling and that Christ would give him victory. Some would hear and receive and his message would be the fragrance of life. Others would not hear or receive and to them his message would smell like death and produce conflict. Paul’s job was to preach the message and leave the results up to God. He was only a servant of Christ, sent by Him to humbly share.
God has commissioned each of us to go into our world and preach the Gospel to every creature. (Matthew 28:18-20) Those who hear and believe will be saved and given eternal life. Those who refuse to hear and reject the Gospel will be damned. The call to us is to obediently preach, leaving the results up to God. Each person must respond! Who is adequate for this ministry? Christ works with us and He brings the fragrance of life to all who will hear! He wants none to perish in death, but all to receive His glorious gift of life! What a wonderful God we serve!
Scripture reading for August 27th: 2nd Corinthians 1:12-2:8
Paul’s failure to visit the Corinthians as planned had left some of them charging Paul with being unreliable. Paul wrote this second letter to them to defend his reliability and to deal with issues that needed resolution. Paul explained that he had dealt with them in holiness and sincerity, according to God’s grace. He had planned to visit them on his way to Macedonia and then come back though on his way back to Judea. He decided not to personally visit at that time to spare them a personal rebuke. He was not being deceptive, but faithful to God. (2nd Corinthians 1:15-17)
“For as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in Him has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2nd Corinthians 1:18-20) Paul may have appeared to be undependable, but God was and is faithful. God’s word can be trusted. Every one of His promises are true and believers can say “Amen” to them for their lives.
Paul next wrote to encourage these Corinthians to restore the brother that they had disciplined for having his father’s wife. (1st Corinthians 5:1-5) “The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. No instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. . . .in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not ignorant of his schemes.” (2nd Corinthians 2:6-11) This man’s punishment of being handed over to Satan had evidently brought deep sorrow and repentance to this brother. He was a broken man who now needed restoration from the same church family who had in love put him out. Paul encouraged them to obey his direction. Forgiveness was needed to restore him and this congregation to the flow of God’s grace.
Are you standing firm in God’s grace today? Is there a promise of God that you need to say “Amen” to? Is there a brother or sister that needs restoration and forgiveness? Be obedient!
Scripture reading for August 26th: 2nd Corinthians 1:1-11
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” (2nd Corinthians 1:2-5) Paul begins this second letter with a burst of praise from his heart to God! Paul had suffered many times for the Gospel in his journey to this point. The sufferings of Christ had flowed in his life but he had also experienced God’s comfort and compassion. In fact, Paul told the Corinthians that God’s purpose was to equip us with a flow of God’s comfort and compassion to bring to others who were also suffering.
Paul had experienced great suffering in Asia. “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we even despaired of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” (2nd Corinthians 1:8-9) Paul’s suffering brought a real fear of death. It was far beyond his natural ability to endure, but God came along side of him. The suffering drove him to even deeper trust in God and His resurrection power. If death came, Paul and his companions must cling to God and His promises!
“He has delivered us from such deadly peril and will continue to deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers.” (2nd Corinthians 1:10-11a) Paul’s faith in God was expressed by sharing the comfort he had received. This comfort would continue to flow as these Corinthians helped him by their prayers to God on his behalf. Prayer for those in suffering increases the flow of God’s comfort!
Today, many are suffering for the cause of Christ around the world. When one hurts, we all share in that hurt! The God of compassion wants to use you and me to pray for those who suffer. Will you take time to pray today?
Scripture reading for August 25th: 1st Corinthians 16:1-24
Paul closed his letter to the Corinthians with and encouragement and warning. He had dealt with many problems in this church and knew that there would be forces of opposition that they must watch out for. Mature believers are aware of the bigger picture and try to help the younger believers to stand firm.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith, be men of courage, be strong. Do everything in love.” (1st Corinthians 16:13) Rolled up in this short word of encouragement is Paul’s heart of love for these brothers. He had shared God’s word with them to build their faith. Faith would guard them by the truth and enable them to stand against every attack of Satan and their flesh. These men would need courage to live by faith. In the culture of Corinth, many temptations abounded to live in their flesh and enjoy the world’s pleasures.
If we all do everything in love, there would be no need of laws! Paul had taught them about how love was patient and kind. Love wasn’t rude or boastful, but considered others and their needs. (1st Corinthians 13:4-8) Love was what God was about and the love of God had been given us who believe by the Holy Spirit. Love would protect them and guide them into the will of God. Love would never fail to accomplish good! Faith expresses itself through love to make us pleasing to each other and God. (Galatians 5:6)
Paul encouraged these Corinthians to love in deed by preparing an offering. He told them that Timothy might come to see them and that they should help him and encourage him as he worked in their midst. He also told them that Apollos might come too. Love would not divide around these teachers, but would bless them.
Love should be expressed among themselves as well! “Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If anyone does not love the Lord–a curse be on him. Come, O Lord! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.” Paul personally closed this letter with encouragement and love! All love came from a love of Jesus Christ, who was coming! These are words we can use today!