Milo

OCTOBER 29

Reading 302

CHRIST IN US 2 Corinthians 12–13“He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For to be sure, He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives in God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you” (2 Cor. 13:3–4).Christ in us remains the source of our strength.

Overview

Paul’s chronic illness exhibited Christ’s power at work through weakness (12:1–10). Paul’s “defense” had been motivated by a desire to help the Corinthians understand and repent (vv. 11–21). Christ will surely discipline those who do not test themselves (13:1–10). Paul closed abruptly, with very brief greetings (vv. 11–14).

Understanding the Text

“Visions and revelations” 2 Cor. 12:1–6. Anyone other than Paul would have quickly broadcast reports of the stunning vision of paradise he alluded to here. Paul, however, preferred to highlight his weaknesses. Why? In part perhaps because the revelation Paul mentioned may have been personal: an encouragement from God strengthening Paul for the hardships ahead. But Paul had another reason. He knew that no one’s faith can rest on secondhand experiences. The conversion and growth of the Corinthians must be a response to the Word Paul had been called to teach, not to Paul’s report of a personal supernatural experience. Paul wanted the Corinthians to base their belief on what Paul said (his teaching of truth) and did (his modeling of truth). In this way the Corinthians’ faith would be rooted in their own experience of God, not Paul’s. You and I can testify to what God is doing in our lives, and so bless others. But no one can have our experience “secondhand.” At best such testimonies encourage others to step out in personal response to God’s Word, and experience Him for themselves. “There was given me a thorn in my flesh” 2 Cor. 12:7–10. Scholars still debate the nature of Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” Most often mentioned is a disfiguring eye disease that made it difficult for Paul to read and write (cf. Gal. 6:11). All we really know is that it troubled Paul greatly. So greatly that he prayed futilely for its removal and that he finally came to appreciate his thorn as a weakness through which Christ’s power might be more clearly displayed (see DEVOTIONAL). The lesson Paul learned can encourage us all. That sense of weakness we feel need not keep us from ministering confidently. In fact, it is a source of confidence. The more clearly I realize that God’s power is best expressed in weak human beings, the more freedom I will have to serve. And the more Christ will use me. “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses” 2 Cor. 12:9. In a significant little book on ministry (When the Vision Has Vanished), Bob Girard reviews the weaknesses that Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11–12. He notes that Paul admits: he was not a skillful speaker (11:6) he was seen as a “weak” leader (11:21) he had a prison record (11:23) he was wracked by internal conflict (11:28–29) his prayers had gone unanswered (12:8–9) he had been insulted (12:10) he had been in distress (12:10) he had experienced persecution (12:10) he had been afraid of disappointments (12:20) he had been afraid of rejection (12:20) he had been afraid of facing difficult situations (12:20) he had feared public humiliation (12:21) he had feared he would break down and cry publicly (12:21) he had been afraid people would not listen, but keep on being rebellious (12:21). Yet all these things which might make us stamp “failure” on Paul’s forehead were actually turned by God into strengths. Paul faced his weaknesses, accepted them, and in complete confidence that God would work through a weak—and thus humble—man, set out to serve with all his might. When we catalog Paul’s successes, the churches he planted, the letters he wrote, the clarification he brought to the nature of Christian faith, we might well stand amazed. All this done by an admittedly weak man? Yes. Because in his weakness this man trusted himself completely to Jesus, so that Christ’s power might rest on him. What an exciting prospect for you and me. Let’s not conceal our weaknesses, or deny them. Let’s learn to use them, to turn our hearts to Christ that we might know His power. “The things that mark an apostle” 2 Cor. 12:11–18. The Corinthians were unwilling to take weakness as a mark of apostleship. Or even Paul’s failure to demand money! So Paul reminded them that God “persistently” performed miracles among them while he was there. Paul became a bit sarcastic now. What a crafty fellow! He tricked them into following him by not demanding money! And the only explanation he had was love! How strange that some Christians are totally loyal to those who exploit them for money. More than one minister has said, and truthfully, “My people want me to drive a Mercedes. They expect me to have a half-million dollar home.” And more than one congregation has been contemptuous of those who serve them out of love. The things you and I see as marks of apostleship are often the measure, not of the man we evaluate, but of our own spiritual maturity and insight. “Everything we do . . . is for your strengthening” 2 Cor. 12:19–21. When I first read 2 Corinthians, I was embarrassed for Paul. I misunderstood what he was doing in sharing so openly. Only later did I understand how a careful study of 2 Corinthians is not only a course in Christian leadership, but a guidebook for congregations. If the Corinthians would only understand the implications of Paul’s sharing in this deeply personal book, their view of ministering and ministry would be transformed. Then they would respond, not to the exploitative “super-apostle,” but to the “weak” Paul. And following him rather than other divisive leaders would bring an end to the “quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder” that marked the church. Have you learned the lessons Paul was so eager to teach? Does your church understand? Look around. The existence in any church of these sins of Corinth suggests that leaders and people alike have missed Paul’s point. “He is not weak in dealing with you” 2 Cor. 13:1–10. Paul now warned the Corinthians. If they did not respond, he would use the authority he had been given by God to discipline them. The issue of authority has troubled the church in every age. Too often authority has meant power, and power the ability to punish. Thus some leaders have assumed a worldly kind of authority, and ruled over God’s people. Paul rejected worldly authority in all its forms. Yet he warned the Corinthians of the danger of resisting the authority he had received from Christ. What is this authority Paul had, and how was it exercised? Paul said simply “He [Christ] is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you” (v. 3). Paul’s authority was from Christ, and rested entirely on Christ’s work among His people. He, Paul, didn’t have to do anything to discipline the Corinthians. Jesus, living in His church, “is powerful among you.” When Suzie began living with a married man, we elders went to see her. We encouraged her to see that what she was doing was sin, and to break off the relationship. When she refused, we followed the biblical pattern for discipline laid down by Paul in 1 Corinthians. But we also rebuked Suzie. God does not permit His own to ruin their lives by habitually practicing sin. Exercising our authority, we sternly warned her. What were we elders going to do? Put her in jail? Fine her? Burn down her house? Of course not. We had no worldly power. But we knew that Christ lives, and is powerful in His church. Our warning simply meant that unless she repented and turned back to the Lord, Christ Himself would act. And He did. True spiritual leadership relies on God for spiritual results. And relies on Him to exercise authority over the church which is Christ’s body. “Aim for perfection” 2 Cor. 13:11–14. It’s not enough to be an “average church.” It’s not enough to wait patiently for Jesus to return. God calls us all to aim for perfection: to work toward the goal of fulfilling Christ’s purpose in our individual and corporate lives. For this we too must hear Paul’s appeal to the Corinthians, to be of one mind, and to live with one another in peace.

DEVOTIONAL

Unexpected Gifts(2 Cor. 12:1–10)

“Why has this happened to me?” She was a young woman, with two children. An aerobics instructor, and a teacher. She’d hurt her back, and been told an operation would solve the problem. But something terrible went wrong. Nerves were cut, and suddenly she found herself able to walk only with the aid of a walker and, most awful of all, without bowel or bladder control. Some Christians give peculiar answers to the question of “why?” “You didn’t have enough faith,” some will say. And they are likely to add, “Claim the promises of God and even now He’ll heal you.” Another person will say, “You sinned in going to a doctor. You should have relied on God only.” I suppose that Paul offered the strangest answer of all. It’s found in verse 7. “Your back injury and the operation were a gift from God.” That’s what pops out if you look at this verse in the Greek. Edothe moi skolops te sarki, it says. “THERE WAS GIVEN ME a thorn in the flesh.” And that word “was given” is a word used to denote special favors given by the Lord to His saints (cf. Gal. 3:21; Eph. 3:8; 1 Tim. 4:14). God gave Paul a terrifying weakness, a chronic illness, and though Paul prayed desperately for relief, God caused Paul to live with it the rest of his life. As a gift. You and I do others no favor when we tell them that God guarantees His children health and wealth in this life. That simply is not true. We do them no favor when we tell them if they only have enough faith, they’ll be healed. That’s not true either. Paul prayed with total confidence, only to learn that the answer was no. He learned in time that the weakness which devastated him was truly a gift from God. A gift that enabled him to experience God’s grace, presence, and power, in ways he would never have experienced them otherwise. Perhaps this is what we need to tell others, or remind ourselves of, when tragedy strikes and disaster comes. God gives His own strange gifts. But gifts they are. As we seek His strength, we’ll discover a depth to our relationship with the Lord that we would otherwise never have known. And a strength that makes weakness a triumph and a joy.

Personal Application

God’s best gifts are often wrapped in tragedy and suffering.

Quotable

“I do not believe that sheer suffering teaches. If suffering alone taught, then all the world would be wise. To suffering must be added mourning, understanding, patience, love, openness and the willingness to remain vulnerable.”—Anne Morrow Lindbergh

OCTOBER 28

Reading 301

PAUL’S APOSTLESHIP 2 Corinthians 10–11

“ ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.’ For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends” (2 Cor. 10:17–18).The differences between true and false servants of God are surprising.

Overview

Paul further explained his New Covenant ministry, touching on its resources (10:1–6), its essential character (vv. 7–18), its counterfeits (11:1–15), and its costs (vv. 16–33).

Understanding the Text

“ ‘Timid’ when face to face” 2 Cor. 10:1. These words reflect charges made against Paul by those in Corinth who shrugged and tried to dismiss the apostle as an insignificant man. They surely had their reasons. Paul wasn’t much of an orator (cf. 1 Cor. 2:4). He wasn’t a dominating personality: “timid” fit far better than “bold.” If we can believe early descriptions Paul was unimpressive physically. The earliest account we have describes Paul as a wizened little man, with a large hooked nose, peering up through eyebrows that met in the center of his forehead. Only his bright, twinkling eyes reflected the force of his personality. It’s all too easy for us to dismiss others on the basis of appearances. Or to be overly impressed. The last four chapters of 1 Corinthians serve as an important corrective, as Paul helps us better understand the qualities that make for spiritual power. Judging by appearances is neither right nor safe! “We do not wage war as the world does” 2 Cor. 10:2–6. Paul had been dismissed as spiritually irrelevant. He was not. Christians do not “live by the standards of this world” and there is a vast difference between spiritual and worldly power. Paul relied not on weapons of the world but on “divine power to demolish strongholds.” The image here is of an ancient fortified city set to resist a conqueror by taking refuge behind strong walls. Paul knew that those who resisted his authority resisted Christ, who appointed him an apostle. Paul was absolutely confident that God’s “divine power” would “demolish” the arguments of those who resisted his authority, for Paul’s sole goal was to bring every thought of the Corinthians into harmony with Christ’s will. Three things here lie at the root of spiritual power. To be called by Christ. To have confidence in spiritual rather than worldly power. To desire only to bring others to obedience to Jesus. Too many try to rest ministries on a two-legged rather than three-legged stool, and thus fall. Some are called and confident, but desire personal power over others. Some are called and seek to bring others into obedience to Jesus, but rely on worldly styles of “leadership.” But effective ministry must rest on all three legs for spiritual power. “Once your obedience is complete” 2 Cor. 10:6. Paul was sure that God’s power would work within the Corinthians, to change the minds and hearts of the majority and reestablish their obedience. Any who then continued to resist would be disciplined. Let’s be among the first to respond when called back to Christ. It’s dangerous to be among the last. “Building you up rather than pulling you down” 2 Cor. 10:7–11. Paul used this same phrase again in 13:10 to describe his authority. This is a critical difference between spiritual and worldly authority. Spiritual authority builds up others. Worldly authority builds up leaders. Watch a parade in Russia, and you see gigantic pictures of Marx and Lenin, with the current Chairman. In a land supposedly dedicated to equality, the fluttering portraits bear witness to the fact that in this world, leaders exalt themselves, not others. Christians become so used to worldly leadership that unless Christian leaders behave in the same way, we assume they are weak. We want “strong leaders.” Leaders the world will look at as “great” because they exalt themselves. It makes us feel good to be the followers of an acknowledged “great man.” But Paul, and mature believers today, knew that spiritual authority is given leaders to build others up. The test of spiritual leaders is not how “weighty and forceful” they appear to the world, but whether they are effective in helping others follow Jesus more closely. Don’t be taken in by the world’s fascination with “great men.” Choose instead the “timid,” unimpressive man or woman who sees authority as the privilege of building others up. “When they . . . compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise” 2 Cor. 10:12–18. Paul was picturing the yearly denominational get-together. One pastor in Chattanooga is on five radio stations. His friend in Nashville is on six. One candidate for the “fastest growing church” has increased in membership 89 percent. Another candidate claims 89.5 percent. There’s a hot debate over baptisms. Seven churches have baptized 38 folks since the last annual meeting. But three of them counted people who were rebaptized, and some of the brethren think this shouldn’t count. Paul looked at this kind of thing and simply said, “They are not wise.” Numbers do count. But comparing numbers—measuring ourselves by ourselves—isn’t wise. Paul didn’t say exactly why, but I suspect there are several reasons. It makes us unduly proud. It makes us self-satisfied. It shifts our focus from Christ to ourselves. It shifts our focus from the people leaders are called to serve to the leaders themselves. It makes us look to others for approval rather than to Jesus. Paul avoided all these traps, and simply said he wanted to reach out as far as he could with the Gospel of Christ. And that his hope was the Corinthian’s faith would continue to grow. I suspect if our whole motivation is to share Christ and see Christians grow, the numbers will take care of themselves. And our commendation will come from the Lord rather than from ourselves. “Sincere and pure devotion to Christ” 2 Cor. 11:1–6. Paul’s great frustration was to see the Corinthians showing devotion to human leaders—some even to him!—rather than to Christ. How baffling when modern “super apostles” appear, and our friends seem more committed to them than to Jesus. “Preaching the Gospel of God to you free of charge” 2 Cor. 11:7–12. We recently had a TV “expose” of a tent evangelist in St. Petersburg. They took him to task for the usual things—an emphasis on money, a lavish lifestyle, a million-dollar home. We’re so used to such things that it’s almost stunning to realize that Paul was being criticized in Corinth for not taking money! There is one thing anyone in ministry can count on. Whatever you do, someone will be there to criticize you. Paul was not one of those hard shell types, able to shrug off criticism. It hurt Paul. Just as it hurts most of us. When we do something out of love for others, to have that act twisted and used as a club against us is painful indeed. In this case, Paul reacted strongly. He explained why he acted as he did, expressed the love that motivated his action, and said he would “keep on doing what I am doing.” There are times it may be best to suffer in silence. But there are times when we need to confront criticism, and make our motives clear. “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” 2 Cor. 11:13–15. Don’t expect the spiritual fraud or pseudo-apostle to appear wicked. In fact, such people “masquerade as servants of righteousness.” Paul’s point was that we must be rigorous in testing those who announce themselves as heaven’s great gift to the church! If we stick to the context of these two chapters, we have several tests we can apply. Are our leaders concerned with building us up—or themselves? Do they rely on worldly leadership practices, or the spiritual armory of Paul? Are they eager for personal wealth, or indifferent to it? If we move to other passages on false teachers we find more specific tests. Is their teaching true to the Word? And do they live what they teach? Let’s not be fooled by the masks people wear, or their pious talk. It doesn’t take too much wisdom to distinguish those who want to exploit you from those who wish to serve.

DEVOTIONAL

Hire This Man!(2 Cor. 11:16–32)

The ad said “Résumés Professionally Prepared.” It went on to say how important it is to make a good first impression. And how the professional resume service would help emphasize strengths, and even shape the presentation to the specific job you were looking for. What would happen if the Apostle Paul walked hesitantly into such an office, and diffidently held out the handwritten list of accomplishments that are found in 2 Corinthians 11:16–33? Well, let’s listen to the resume writer. “A Jew? That’s one strike against you, Paul, if you really want to work in Gentile society. “Ummm. Let’s see. In prison. Flogged. Beaten five times by the Jews, three times with rods by the Gentiles. Stoned by a mob. It seems, Paul, you have a hard time getting along with people. “And this. In danger a lot. From bandits? At sea? In the city? The country? I guess your judgment isn’t too good, eh? Always getting yourself in these difficult situations. “Worked hard, gone without sleep. Often gone without food? I’m afraid your only experience is in the unskilled, low-pay labor market, Paul. You can’t expect to get an important job with this your only experience. “This mention of ‘pressure’ and ‘feeling weak’ has got to go. Makes you sound emotionally unstable, you know. “Oh, no. Fled arrest in Damascus? “Paul, there’s nothing we can do for you. Your resume reveals far too many weaknesses for you to succeed at anything. “Oh? The job you’re applying for requires weaknesses? What in the world could that job be? Oh, the ministry. “I see. It’s so whatever you accomplish will clearly be through Christ’s power, not your own? And so you won’t rely on your own strengths or talents? “Let me make a phone call. ‘God, I’ve got an . . . What? Oh, sure.’ “Paul. You’re hired.”

Personal Application

God still looks for weak people in whom to display His strength. Want the job?

Quotable

“When God delivered Israel out of Egypt, He didn’t send an army. We would have sent an army or an orator. But God sent a man who had been in the desert for 40 years, and had an impediment in his speech. It is weakness that God wants! Nothing is small when God handles it.”—D.L. Moody

OCTOBER 27

Reading 300

NEW COVENANT GIVING 2 Corinthians 8–9

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7).God wants the giver, then the gift.

Overview

Paul reminded the Corinthians of the Macedonians’ generosity (8:1–7), and urged them to give (vv. 8–13). Giving is sharing (vv. 14–15): a proof of love (vv. 16–24), and a service to the saints (9:1–5). God will supply those who give (vv. 6–11), for giving stimulates praise and thanksgiving to the Lord (vv. 12–15).

Understanding the Text

“Their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity” 2 Cor. 8:1–5. The poor still tend to be more generous than the rich. Perhaps it is just that those who are needy can better identify with others in need. Or perhaps it’s that those with little have learned to trust the Lord so much that they do not fear giving. When I was in seminary my Uncle Al sent us $20 a month. I was very concerned, because I knew something of the financial burden my uncle labored under. I even (foolishly and most ungraciously) wrote and said that if it was a burden for them, we could get along. They were hurt, but like the Macedonians in Paul’s time, “they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” I was relieved, because that $20 was often all we had for food the last week of the month! And I hope I learned then that giving is a joy of which no one should be deprived. “I am not commanding you” 2 Cor. 8:6–9. Paul brought up the subject of giving because he had sent Titus to Corinth, and one of his tasks was to receive the funds that had been collected there for the needy. Yet Paul maintained a delicate balance in dealing with the topic, and was very careful not to “command” giving. The Old Testament did command giving. The Law required that a tenth of the produce of the land be contributed for the support of the Levites and priests who led the community in worship. An additional tenth was gathered every third year and placed in local storehouses, for distribution to the poor and needy. Later in Israel’s history additional amounts were collected as taxes by Jewish kings, and then by the Gentile emperors who dominated Syria-Palestine. Each of these contributions was required: one had to pay. Now Paul introduced another principle. No one has to give. And no fixed percentage of income was set as the “right” amount! Moreover, while some giving did go to the support of missionaries (cf. Phil. 4:14–19), most collections mentioned in the New Testment were in the nature of disaster relief, and sent to saints in parts of the world stricken by drought or devastated by war. No one was commanded to give to meet such needs. But, as Paul reminds us, giving is (1) a grace to be developed (2 Cor. 8:7), (2) an evidence of sincere love (v. 9), and (3) an appropriate response to Jesus, who “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (v. 9). “If the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable” 2 Cor. 8:10–12. It’s easy to daydream about how generous we’d be if we suddenly inherited millions of dollars. But giving is a matter of “what one has, not . . . what he does not have.” God isn’t as interested in the amount as He is in our willingness. Ten dollars from a poor widow may mean more than $10,000 from a wealthy man—and that $10 may have a greater spiritual impact on others. “That there might be equality” 2 Cor. 8:13–15. The giving we see in the New Testament is sharing, not giving. In fact, the word “share” (koinonia) is used more often by Paul in these chapters than the word “give” (doron). What Paul pictured for us is Christ’s living body, extended over the entire earth. Money in this analogy is the sustenance carried by the blood supply. It needs to reach every cell, so that each will be able to carry out its function. Paul did not want one part of the body bloated and fat, while another is starved to helplessness. Instead the part of the body that has shares with that which lacks, aware that one day positions may be reversed. If such sharing does take place, the whole body of Christ on earth will be strong, able to carry out God’s will for humankind. We moderns have a tendency to lose sight of Paul’s worldwide vision. We give to pad our own pews, or enlarge our church buildings. Such giving may be valid. But it is not that sharing that Paul or the New Testament envisions in 2 Corinthians 8–9 and similar passages. “We are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men” 2 Cor. 8:16–24. What a principle for modern media ministries to remember. And for the local church as well. We’re all vulnerable to money; if not to cash itself, to the power money represents. This is one reason why every Christian ministry must be protected by establishing financial controls, and establishing a policy of absolute openness concerning its books. Don’t be insulted if someone asks to check on your receipts and expenditures. Thank him. He’s doing you the service of holding you accountable to man as well as God. “Then it will be ready as a generous gift” 2 Cor. 9:1–5. I know some folks think that church budgets are at best unspiritual, and a pledge drive is close to satanic. These can be, if they’re manipulative. Any approach to raising money for Christian work is wrong if it operates by producing guilt or twisting arms. But Paul reminds us that it’s not wrong for giving to be organized and systematic. If you pledge, and set apart a certain amount each week, you’re more likely to be able to give what you intend to than if you wait till the last moment, and find you’re short on cash. Lack of planning and organization can transform what was intended to be spontaneous and joyful into grudged giving.

DEVOTIONAL

Joyful Giving(2 Cor. 9:6–14)

Emphasize the benefits! According to my friends in marketing, this is the key to good advertising. Make sure folks see the benefits that accrue if they buy your product. I imagine that makes it tough for an ad agency trying to sell cigarettes. And for a preacher trying to sell giving! Paul, however, was a master salesman. He stuck strictly to the truth. He didn’t push. And yet he made it clear that joyful giving has tremendous spiritual benefits. No one has to give. In fact, Paul didn’t want any reluctant givers. A person who feels he has to give, or gives grudgingly, shouldn’t drop a single coin in the collection plate. God doesn’t need the money. And that kind of giving won’t bring the giver any blessings at all! But if we want to give—ah, then we reap tremendous blessings. So Paul reminded the Corinthians and us of the blessings that make Christian giving such a joy. First, giving benefits you materially and spiritually. You see, it’s impossible for us to outgive God (vv. 6–11). God is able to pour so much grace into our lives, that having been “made rich in every way” we “can be generous on every occasion.” This isn’t a “send in 10 dollars and God will send you 100” kind of promise. It is simply a reminder that God is the source of bread as well as the inner joy we experience in Christ. We give only money. God meets our material needs, and gives us spiritual riches as well. Second, giving permits us to bless others. What you give supplies “the needs of God’s people.” Even more, our giving deepens the relationship of others with the Lord. As they realize God prompted us to give, they “will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the Gospel.” Third, giving stimulates others to pray for us. As others identify us as the means God used to meet their needs, they will respond with gratitude and appreciation. And each of us needs all the prayers we can get! God doesn’t really care about our money. After all, His resources are infinite. But He does care about the spiritual benefits that generosity brings the giver and the recipient of this unusual grace.

Personal Application

Give joyfully, for you will be blessed.

Quotable

“The New Testament does not teach us simply to give away possessions for the sake of giving them away or appearing virtuous. Nor does it encourage us to adopt a ‘simple lifestyle’ because simplicity has merit in itself. Rather, all of these commands are put in the context of glorifying God and furthering the work of His kingdom, and of laying up treasures in heaven and increasing our heavenly reward.”—Wayne Gruden

OCTOBER 26

Reading 299

CARING IN MINISTRY 2 Corinthians 6–7

“We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. . . . As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also” (2 Cor. 6:11, 13).To minister effectively, we must do so in love.

Overview

Paul expressed his love for the Corinthians by facing hardships (6:1–10), by personal openness (vv. 11–13), by confrontation (v. 14–7:1), by expressing confidence (vv. 2–4), by joy (vv. 5–7), by rebuke (vv. 8–12), and by delight at Titus’ affection for them (vv. 13–16).

Understanding the Text

“Now is the time of God’s favor” 2 Cor. 6:1–2. Most feel these verses belong at the end of chapter 5. Yet they also fit here. Paul was about to express his feelings for the members of the church in Corinth. These feelings were intense, because he was gripped by a sense of urgency. “Now,” Paul was convinced, “is the day of salvation.” Driven by this conviction and by love for others, Paul gave his all to win them to Christ and lead them to a full present experience of salvation. Both a sense of urgency and love are vital if we are to have an impact for Christ on those around us. We must be convinced that “now” is vital for them. And we must care. “As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way” 2 Cor. 6:3–10. Real love is expensive. And Paul had spent himself without holding anything back. Some might think the physical hardships Paul listed—beatings, imprisonments, sleepless nights, hunger—are the greatest evidences of his love (vv. 3–5). Yet we all know that it’s much harder to always show “purity, understanding, patience and kindness” to our loved ones than to suffer hardships for them. You or I might give our lives for a loved one. Yet we find ourselves snapping at him or her in irritation, being critical, or uttering some cutting word we’d never think of saying to a stranger. Let’s remember, as Paul did, that we are “servants of God.” As God’s servants we have been assigned the task of showing His love to others. We may never have to show that love by braving the kind of hardships Paul faced. But we daily have the opportunity to show love by our purity, patience, understanding, and kindness. “We have spoken freely to you” 2 Cor. 6:11–13. When I first read 2 Corinthians as a young Christian, I was embarrassed for Paul. He seemed so, well, emotional. I much preferred the reasoned argument of Romans and Galatians, or the visionary images of Ephesians. Only much later did I realize that while Romans and Galatians represent the head, or the intellectual content of the Gospel, 2 Corinthians represents the heart, or the emotional drive of ministry. Actually, the heart is at least as important as the head. And in this book Paul “opened wide” his heart, for us to see. His emotions spilled out freely, touching us almost against our will. His feelings are so strong that we either draw back, as I once did, or we respond to the warmth. Why did Paul share himself so freely with the Corinthians, where many were already critical of him? Paul realized that human beings are whole. People are not computers who output programmed information, but sentient beings whose feelings play a vital part in every significant choice. Emotions play such a large part in every life. If we truly wish to influence others, we must love them, and let the love show. “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” 2 Cor. 6:14–18. Paul wasn’t speaking here about casual friendships (cf. 1 Cor. 5:9–11). We’re not asked or encouraged to cut off all contact with non-Christians. The image of “yoked together” draws an analogy from an Old Testament law which forbade the Israelites to hitch animals of different kinds to the same plow. Two oxen might work a field together. Or two donkeys. But not an ox and a donkey. Thus partnership in a cooperative endeavor is what Paul forbids. Don’t go into a business partnership with a non-Christian and expect that you’ll pull together. Don’t marry an unbeliever, and expect to walk through life in harmony, matching stride for stride. There’s no guarantee that a professing Christian will make a perfect partner or spouse. But you will have Christ in common, and God will “live with them and walk among them.” A common commitment to Jesus is the foundation on which we can build harmonious relationships in our significant personal relationships (see DEVOTIONAL). “You have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you” 2 Cor. 7:2–7. People we care deeply about can have a powerful effect on us. Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians had been rocky: they’d given him many an hour of anguish and worry. Yet at the same time that love makes us vulnerable to hurt, it opens up our lives to unexpected joys. It’s this that buoys up the apostle. Despite the troubles that had marked the relationship, Paul had great pride in the Corinthians, and word of their continued affection for him stimulated great joy. Caring may make us vulnerable. But it also expands our lives and gives us deep and abiding joys. Don’t hold back for fear of pain. Press on to deepen your relationships with other Christians in expectation of joy. “Your sorrow led you to repentance” 2 Cor. 7:8–9. Scholars believe the letter mentioned here is not 1 Corinthians, but another, lost epistle. Paul must have spoken very bluntly: so bluntly he regretted rebuking his beloved friends. But the letter had its desired result, and the Corinthians responded. Bluntness and rebuke are an important element in love. An acquaintance of ours brought up a son without ever rebuking him. Even worse, whenever the son was in trouble, the mother protected him from harmful consequences. Today the son is married with three children, is in constant trouble with drugs and alcohol, has permanently lost his driver’s license, and only holds a job because he works in his father’s factory. Misplaced love, unwilling to rebuke, contributed to his situation. If you really love another person, you will rebuke him or her when you see wrong. “Godly sorrow brings repentance” 2 Cor. 7:11–13. The world’s sorrow is an “I’m sorry I got caught” kind of sorrow. The individual is sorry for himself, and the consequences he now has to pay. Godly sorrow is grief about the original act, and repentance—a commitment to turn from wrongdoing. We need to be careful when someone says with tears, “I’m sorry.” If they’re crying because they’re sorry for themselves, don’t expect a change. If they’re weeping because they feel grief over what they did, there’s hope. “I had boasted to him about you” 2 Cor. 7:13–16. Tim brought his new girlfriend, Liz, along to meet Sue and me the other day. He’d told her, “Don’t worry. They won’t be critical.” It would have been hard to be critical of this girl even if we’d tried. And of course we didn’t. Later Tim told us Liz had been worried, and felt so relieved afterward. Tim hadn’t been worried. He knew we’d welcome her. It was so nice to hear that Tim had been confident in introducing us to his currently constant date. That’s just what Paul was telling the Corinthians. “Titus really appreciated you. I told him he would, and he did.” It makes others feel good when we can tell them honestly, “I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.” Along with infrequent rebukes, true love offers frequent reassurance and praise.

DEVOTIONAL

Be a Father(2 Cor. 6:14–7:1)Most of God’s promises are claimed simply by faith. Here’s a promise, however, that’s contingent. “Touch no unclean thing” the Old Testament says (Isa. 52:11), and “I will be a Father to you” (2 Cor. 6:17). At first this seems a strange promise. After all, God is our Father through faith in Christ. But He is able to be a Father to us only as we live holy lives. My wife’s oldest, Matthew, lives in Michigan with his father. For five years he lived with us, and while he was here, I was able to be a father to him. I disciplined him, took him on fishing trips, got him to bed on time, and did all the other things that are part of parenting. But when he moved to Michigan, I could no longer be a father to him. The distance between us is just too great. That’s what Paul is telling us here. God, who is a Father to us, wants to be a Father to us. But it’s our responsibility to see there’s no distance between us. Usually when you and I read Paul’s warning in 6:14–16 about being yoked together with unbelievers, we think of disasters that can result if we disobey. We think of the partner we can’t trust; of the spouse whose values and commitments are so different from ours. But Paul wants us to consider first the impact of being unequally yoked in our walk with God. You see, we Christians are to be completely separated unto the Lord, with that separation as sharp as the dividing line between light and darkness, between Christ and Satan, and between the temple of God and a shrine where idols are worshiped. In short, we are to “purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit.” Why? Because sin’s contamination separates us from God. He is our Father even then, but when we isolate ourselves from Him by bad choices, He is not able to be a Father to us in the same, intimate way He would if we were in close fellowship with Him. What a joy it is to have God be a Father to us. To walk hand in hand with Him. To be disciplined, yes. But then to be caught up in His arms and comforted as well. No wonder Paul urges us to purify ourselves from everything that contaminates out of reverence for God. There is no greater experience here on earth than to walk with the Lord, and have God be a Father to us.

Personal Application

Each step away from sin is a step closer to our Heavenly Father.

Quotable

“My Lord and my God, take from me all that separates me from Thee! My Lord and my God, give me everything that will bring me closer to Thee! My Lord and my God, protect me from myself, and grant that I may belong entirely to Thee!”—Nicholas of Flue

OCTOBER 25

Reading 298

RECONCILIATION 2 Corinthians 4–5

“God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (2 Cor. 5:19).Counted sins stunt other’s growth.

Overview

Paul ministered the New Covenant in honesty (4:1–6), aware of his mortal weaknesses (vv. 7–15) yet confident of the unseen (vv. 16–18). Heaven is assured (5:1–10), as is the love of God which works transformation within the believer (vv. 11–15), assuring the success of the New Covenant ministry of reconciliation (vv. 16–21).

Understanding the Text

“We have renounced secret and shameful ways” 2 Cor. 4:1–6. Paul used no tricks in presenting the Gospel. He set “forth the truth plainly” (v. 2). Some will believe, others will reject. Paul trusted the outcome of his ministry to Christ. Donald Barnhouse wrote a book called The Invisible War. In it he pictured spiritual armies of good and evil conducting their warfare on the battleground of history. This warfare is being conducted yet today, with Satan struggling to blind man’s eyes to the Gospel, as God cries out, through the proclamation of Jesus, “Let there be light!” How foolish we are to rely on our skill to make a material difference in the invisible war. Yet God has in fact entrusted to us the most powerful weapon of all, the simple message of Jesus and His love. We can rely on the simple story. As Paul wrote to the Romans, it is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). “We have this treasure in jars of clay” 2 Cor. 4:7–15. Paul wasn’t being critical of the mortal body. He was simply contrasting the weak and ordinary character of the messenger with the overwhelming power of the message. Paul found himself under pressure, perplexed, persecuted, knocked to the ground. Everything in his experience reminded him that the dynamic power that had marked his ministry had no source in him. He credited Jesus, who saves all who believe in Him, with the fact that despite his weaknesses he had not been crushed, nor drowned in despair, nor abandoned or destroyed. Don’t let a sense of personal weakness keep you from serving God. The fact that you and I are weak is the backdrop against which the incomparable power of God is revealed. “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen” 2 Cor. 4:16–18. This verse is the key to understanding New Covenant ministry. We don’t rely on the evidence of our senses. We rely instead on the utter reality of what has been revealed to us by God. Paul said, “Therefore we do not lose heart” (v. 16). Setback after setback can occur. People we minister to—our children, our friends—can fail again and again. But we remain confident that God’s Spirit does transform those who know Jesus, and will work in the lives of those we serve. Paul said that there is only one thing certain about things we can see and touch and feel. They are temporary: they can and will change (v. 18). And there is one thing certain about the unseen world. God will not change! What He has said is fixed for all eternity. How much better then to rely on what we cannot see than to rely on what we can see. Never mind discouraging setbacks. Never mind disappointments. These can and will change. Simply count on God, who can’t change. And who won’t. “If the earthly tent we live in is destroyed” 2 Cor. 5:1. We know only too well that one of those things which changes is our body. We grow old. We develop wrinkles. Our eyesight dims, our stride shortens, our back bends. One day the body, our “earthly tent,” will be destroyed. The seen is temporary, changeable. How wonderful to be able to look beyond our own decaying frames, and know that “we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven” (v. 1). Some ridicule Christians for confidently looking for life beyond death. How ridiculous instead to pin all one’s hope on an earthly body that every passing year brings closer to the grave. The “judgment seat” (bema) at Corinth was a large platform from which official announcements were made, and special honors given citizens were proclaimed. Paul’s teaching that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (v. 10) is no threat suggesting punishment. It is a promise implying reward! “Clothed with our heavenly dwelling” 2 Cor. 5:4–9. Christians earnestly debate Paul’s meaning here. Was he speaking about the resurrection body? Or, as the text seems to suggest, was he teaching that an intermediate body is worn by those who die until the time of resurrection comes? No one is really sure. But we can be sure that after death “what is mortal” will be “swallowed up by life.” How can we be sure? The Holy Spirit is a down payment God has made, His guarantee of what lies ahead. The Spirit is unseen, but real. His presence makes it possible for us to say “we are always confident” and that we “know” (v. 6). “What is seen rather than what is in the heart” 2 Cor. 5:11–14. Anyone other than Paul might have been discouraged at the unresponsiveness and unspirituality displayed by the Corinthians. Many a pastor has despaired over people like them. And many a parent has felt grief and remorse over a rebellious child. But Paul placed no confidence in what is seen (4:18). He was not one of those folks who viewed statistics as the bottom line in ministry. Yes, it’s nice to be able to report 39 folks joined the church, giving is up 18 percent, 7 young people went off to help construct a building in South America, and to bask in the envy of fellow pastors at the annual district meeting. But Paul took no pride in statistics (in “what is seen”). What counted for Paul was what was in the heart. However discouraging things may be, if Christ is in the heart, believers will be compelled by love to grow. And growth will transform the stumbling, unspiritual men and women of today into tomorrow’s saints. “Christ’s love compels us” 2 Cor. 5:14. One of the worst things desperate pastors and parents do is turn to inadequate motivators of spiritual growth. Some say “you must” and try to force growth. Some say “you should” in hope that guilt will move the reluctant. Some say “you can,” and try to create a willingness to try. Paul said, “Jesus loves you.” And he counted on an awakening response of love for Jesus to move others to want to grow and change. Keep on telling others, “Jesus loves you, and I love you too.” Love is the unseen reality that motivates spiritual growth and change. “He died for all” 2 Cor. 5:15. How could Paul have such confidence in the Corinthians, whose unspirituality he admitted in his first letter? (1 Cor. 3:1) Despite the evidence of all those problems in the church? Paul tells us that Christ died not just to forgive our sins, but to transform us. He died, “that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them.” It is unthinkable that God’s grand purpose in the sacrifice of His Son should fail. It is unthinkable that the Cross should have no impact on those who believe. Our progress may be slow. But God is committed to bring all who believe to the place where they gladly live for him! “We regard no one from a worldly point of view” 2 Cor. 5:16–17. Paul developed the thought of verse 15. Judged from a worldly point of view—by what we can see and observe—some might throw up their hands and give up on the Corinthians. Sometimes we feel that way about our fellow Christians too. But Paul said that’s not the way to look at people. Why, if we looked at Christ from that point of view, even He would seem a failure: a preacher of love, who awakened so much hatred that He was unjustly slaughtered by His enemies. But if we look at Jesus from God’s point of view, we see in the Cross the triumph and not the defeat of God. And if we look at our fellow believers from God’s point of view, we see Christ in the heart. And we know, whatever a believer may be now, he is one of God’s new creations, and one day he will become a living example of the triumph of God’s saving grace.

DEVOTIONAL

Reconciled(2 Cor. 5:15–21)

Mom and Dad looked at each other in fresh despair. No matter what they did, Jimmy didn’t seem to respond. Try to develop responsibility with regular chores, and Jimmy “forgot.” Insist he pick up his room before playing, and somehow or other he slipped out of the house before either of them could ask if he’d finished. Not just once. Not just twice. Dozens of times. Mom’s and Dad’s frustration mirrors that of many who come after a time to expect their children—or their charges—to misbehave. Ready to give up, their attitude says loud and clear that they don’t really expect their children to change. And that makes change even more difficult. Paul, on the other hand, exuded confidence in the Corinthians. Even though they challenged his authority. Even though they’d failed time and again. How can we have his confidence in others, and communicate that confidence as well? Paul understood the nature of reconciliation. This biblical term means, essentially, “to bring into harmony with.” Paul was sure that God, who in Christ has reconciled the world to Himself, will work in the believer’s life until he is experientially reconciled, and lives that life of righteousness that reveals our harmonious relationship with the Lord. Paul understood reconciliation. “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (v. 19). Paul understood, and he modeled his ministry on God. Like God, Paul didn’t hold the Corinthians’ sins against them. He didn’t even count their sins! Instead Paul communicated total confidence. The purpose for which Christ died will be accomplished, and the lives of believers will be brought into harmony with the righteousness of God. With this assurance, you and I are freed too. We’re freed not to count the sins of those who are young in our family or our faith. We’re freed not to hold their failures against them. And we’re free to communicate our confidence that, though they stumble, they will rise again.

Personal Application

Expect God to work in others, and they will believe that He can.

Quotable

“It is the Christian’s business to believe in others until they learn to believe in themselves.”—Gilbert R. Martin