2 Corinthians

Paul continues to explain his ministry. Acceptance and appreciation would be nice but separation is the first order of business.

In the early 1930's, the German people were despondent after the defeat of World War I and the subsequent economic depression.  They were looking for answers, for purpose when a charismatic leader named Adolf Hitler appeared on the scene.  To most Germans he appeared to be the answer to their prayers.

One German pastor Hermann Gruner said this:

 "The time is fulfilled for the German people of Hitler. It is because of Hitler that Christ, God the helper and redeemer, has become effective among us.… Hitler is the way of the Spirit and the will of God for the German people to enter the Church of Christ."

Another pastor put it more succinctly:

"Christ has come to us through Adolph Hitler."

The German people were led into a deception.  One of the exceptions was theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  He was determined to refute this idea of Hitler being an answer to the people.  He loved Germany and its people and wanted them to know Christ.  The heart of Bonhoeffer seems to be cut from the same pattern as that of Paul's heart toward the Corinthians.

Bonhoeffer was known for his conviction that grace is costly and there is no such thing as cheap grace. 

Cheap grace is preaching forgiveness without repentance; it is baptism without the discipline of community; it is the Lord's Supper without confession of sin; it is absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without the living, incarnate Jesus Christ.

Costly grace is the hidden treasure in the field, for the sake of which people go and sell with joy everything they have. It is the costly pearl, for whose price the merchant sells all that he has; it is Christ's sovereignty, for the sake of which you tear out an eye if it causes you to stumble. It is the call of Jesus Christ which causes a disciple to leave his nets and follow him.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which has to be asked for, the door at which one has to knock.

It is costly, because it calls to discipleship; it is grace, because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.  It is costly, because it costs people their lives; it is grace, because it thereby makes them live. It is costly, because it condemns sin; it is grace, because it justifies the sinner. Above all, grace is costly, because it was costly to God, because it costs God the life of God's Son—"you were bought with a price"—and because nothing can be cheap to us which is costly to God. Above all, it is grace because the life of God's Son was not too costly for God to give in order to make us live. God did, indeed, give him up for us.  Costly grace is the incarnation of God.

Bonhoeffer's life followed his beliefs when he returned to Germany speaking out against Hitler.  He knew the costs but he had received a priceless grace; a grace for which he was willing to give his life.

"To be a Christian does not mean to be religious in a particular way, to make something of oneself (a sinner, a penitent, or a saint) on the basis of some method or other, but to be a man—not a type of man, but the man that Christ creates in us. It is not the religious act that makes the Christian, but participation in the sufferings of God in the secular life."

After 2 years in a German prison camp Bonheoffer was executed just two weeks before the death of Hitler and the end of the war.

 

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

In Paul's writing, he used several analogies to typify his service to the Lord.  He gave his readers a picture of their place with the Lord in the culture, their time and their life.  Paul and those who served with him were pictured as bondservants; dirty, calloused hands from working, sweating, long hours, low pay and continually toiling at a thankless task.  They had experienced all the bad the world could offer but they did not waiver from their task.  Paul presented the picture of the Triumph; following the great victory in Christ as a free man.  They were the aroma of Chrst to God.  While Moses operated behind a veil, they were unveiled before the Lord.  They were earthen vessels with a great treasure within.  They were temporarily living in a broken-down tent with the knowledge of a new building from God awaiting them.  At the end of chapter five we were shown the picture of Paul the ambassador; a representative of the king operating in a foreign land for a time.

This ambassadorship is still in view and on Paul's mind as we continue on.  As an ambassador, we are at no time acting alone.  Everything has implications; everything has purpose.  Nothing is done for our agenda or our purpose.  Paul said we are workers together with Him.  He had already made mention of this back in chapter 1:

23 Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. 24 Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand. (2 Coirinthians 1:23-24)

The 'fellow workers' here is a different form of the same root word for 'workers together' of 6:1. It's all God's work; it's His plans and He allows us to take part in that work.  What a great honor.  Any Corinthians who looked down on this life of Paul's as something less than acceptable was failing in their analysis.  But not only was their analysis failed, but as Christians they were failing to not step into a similar service; whether it involved the same persecution, affliction and sorrow or not.

Anyone claiming to be Christian, yet looking at Paul's life as unacceptable is missing the point.  They are in essence saying, "Yes, I'm a Christian, but not that kind of Christian!  I want to be one of those Christians that can live their life the way they want."  This is 'easy believeism' or 'cheap grace'.  This kind of a understanding of your faith may reveal a lack of real understanding of God's grace.  Paul believes an inappropriate response to God's grace reveals that it may have been received in vain. 

Paul presents Isaiah 49:8 to them.  This passage is on the tail end of a messianic prophecy regarding a time of salvation; not just for the Jews but also the gentiles. 

" 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.

Paul applies Isaiah's words to the people of Corinth.  All through the bible there are examples of God's sovereign purpose and perfect timing.  Not that we always understand it but that there are times and seasons ordained by God.  In the same manner, there was an acceptable time that God heard the Corinthians.  Paul laid Isaiah's word over the Cointhian circumstances like tracing paper.  He saw these people through these words.  The time of salvation was before them.  It was that accepted time.  Because of that, an acceptable response is only right.

I remember when our grandson visited, he'd often go to the Kitchen to help grandma cook.  He was helping; he was talking a hundred miles an hour, not listening, stirring stuff, spilling stuff and generally making a mess of everything.  Yet, grandma allowed him to continue on, to be part of it.  Afterwards, grandma cleaned up the mess and fixed all the mistakes.  In the end, Eli helped grandma and he told everyone how he helped.  Grandma smiled and nodded in agreement; all the while knowing that she could have done the job quicker and easier without him.  But just baking something wasn't the only thing going on.  Grandma and Eli got to know each other.  They spent time together, their relationship deepened because they worked together.

That's how I picture Paul and us, as we work with God.  We're in there flinging stuff around, trying really hard, talking all the time because we are excited and never listening to what God is saying.  We generally make a hash of things and God comes along behind us and cleans up the messes.  At the end of the day, we say we are workers with God.  I am an ambassador and co-worker.  God smiles and agrees.  In reality, God did a great work and he allowed me to be a part of it but it also allowed me to become closer to Him; to feel his presence and love in a deeper way.

Working together with God, Paul pleaded with the Christians in Corinth not to receive the grace of God in vain.  When we believed, we received the grace of God.  Those people in Corinth, that Paul keeps calling saints, had received God's grace.  They were saved.  But Paul wants to see them apply this faith to their life.  What were they doing with what they had received? 

Now that they had this grace in their life it was time for them to quit being swayed by every errant wind, emotion, fad or temptation that comes along.  In first Corinthians it was worldly wisdom, it was immorality, suing each other, meat sacrificed to idols.  They had brought everything that was in the world into the church.  Then they were asking Paul to make a ruling on it.  Paul had to tell them immorality wasn't all right.  He had to tell them to love each other.  Who knows what other things were brought before Paul in all his visits and the letters that were lost. 

What was it about the Corinthians that kept them from understanding, from stepping forward and growing in their faith and from maturing?  It's the same thing that's in us; it's inadequacy, a sin nature, it's holding to a secret sin, it's fear, pride and much more.  All of these things stand opposed to faith; for every one of these things that have a toe hold in our life, our walk of faith is impeded.  Paul said 'now' is the time; now is the day.

 

2 Corinthians 6:3-10

Paul went to great lengths in his ministry to bring the gospel message to people.  He made sure he did nothing to discredit his own ministry.  We know he didn't take a salary so no one could say he was doing it for money.  We know he let others take the prominent positions, so no one could say he did it for prestige.  And we know he endured hardships and persecution so no one could say he was in the ministry for the soft life.

Paul wasn't afraid to offend anyone with the gospel but he wouldn't allow anyone to be offended with his method of ministry.  There were people that were constantly placing blame on Paul and his ministry; someone was always taking potshots.  But his critics would have to fabricate lies and stretch the truth, he wouldn't give them anything to work with.

As ambassadors, we will find our self on the front line in a strange land.  The guy on the frontline often takes the first bullet.  We just need to make sure we don't give the enemy the ammunition to shoot us with.  People can point at us and accuse us of all kinds of things but we should make it hard for them.  We should live lives above reproach, conduct our ministries above reproach and, in general, be cautious not to bring shame on the name of the Lord.

We talked before about these letters of commendation that the false apostles brought to Corinth.  Some were real letters, some were forged.  They were written by a person or church saying 'the person holding this letter is on a mission from god; they bring you their message; receive them and take care of them as apostles.'  The commendations were offered as proof of who they said they were.

Paul says in verse 4 that in all things they commended themselves as ministers of God.  Commendations were proof.  Paul said everything they did was proof of who they were.  No one could look at their life and find something that didn't fit.  They walked it, they talked it, and they were obedient in every way.  They weren't perfect, don't think that.  But they were striving to always be above reproach.  Their entire life was that of an apostle.

Now, Paul offers his 'apostolic resume' that gives the categories of 'all things'.  This was every internal conflict, external tribulation and physical and spiritual effort of their life.  The Greeks might carry commendations of similar claims.  While they claimed personal victory from enduring such things; Paul claimed endurance by the power of God.  This is the 'much patience' shown in each circumstance.  The word 'patience' here isn't just sitting and waiting.  It's an active waiting, its active and steadfast endurance.  It's keeping on as long as possible.  This perseverance or patient endurance included living a life marked by needs, distress and tribulation.  This was a life of being constantly under pressure; it's a stress and pressure that is relentless.  It's being pushed into a corner where there is no means of escape.

There were:

• tribulations; this is a sheer physical pressure that bears down on us.  It's relentless and unforgiving that begins to weigh down our spirit.  It's our hearts burden, crushing pain, disappointment or all of this and more.
• needs; these are the inescapable pains of life.  They are the burdens that can't be avoided and the sorrows that come from a life that's known love.  Maybe the most prominent of these unescapable pains is death itself. 
• distresses; this means to be in a tight place.  It's as if the walls were closing in on you crushing you.
• stripes; are the lashes and scars of the world's punishments.  This can probably be likened to the world's response to your value system.
• imprisonments; these go hand in hand with the stripes.  While the world imprisons, the Lord sets free.  They locked Paul up; the Lord used it to make him sit still and write the prison epistles.
• tumults; are political and social upheaval.  The accusation in Acts 17:6 was that these men were turning the world upside down.
• labors; this is toil to the ponit of exaustion.  It's the kind of labor that wears out your mind, body and spirit. 
• sleeplessness; we see several examples in scripture of Paul ministering well into the night; or imprisoned in prayer and hymns.  The word is insomnia and speaks of Paul's heart of ministry night and day.
• fastings; while there were many voluntary fastings, these are more likely referring to the involuntary times of going without food or other necessities. 

Some see these nine things categorized like this:

• Tribulations, needs and distresses are the outward circumstances of Paul's ministry.
• Stripes, imprisonments and tumults are the conditions the ministry operated under.  These are hardships imposed on them by others.
• Labors, sleeplessness and fasting's are then seen as voluntary or self-imposed hardships.

How was Paul able to do these things without losing heart?  How did he stay faithful?  How did he endure the hardships in his life?  In verse 6 he gives us a list of inward graces extended to them by God.  It is by these qualities of character that they could endure the nine hardships given. 

• Purity – a careful avoidance of all sin.  It's fascinating that purity is first on the list; it speaks to its importance above the others.
• Knowledge – Paul conveyed to them much knowledge; possibly the knowledge he already conveyed to them, that they would stand together before the Bema seat.
• Longsuffering – this is the ability to bear with people when you know they are wrong.
• Kindness – and not just to bear with them in longsuffering but to also show kindness.  I once was lost; I could well still be lost had someone not shown God's grace to me.
• The Holy Spirit – the Comforter, counselor, the very presence of the Lord in every state.
• Sincere love – evidence of God's grace for sure; Paul once pursued Christians to kill and imprison them, now he pursued them out of a Christlike love; giving his life for them.

These six graces are sometimes further categorized as the first three being qualities of mind and the second three as qualities of heart.  The third are the God-given tools for ministry:

• The word of truth – As scripture conveys and as each apostle and disciple understood; there is power in the Word.  This was the 'word of truth' they carried and conveyed. 
• The power of God – This word was carried by the power of God.  God didn't save us, wish us luck and send us alone into a hostile world.  He gave us His power and authority.  As His ambassador, we stand in his stead with the full authority of the King.
• The armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.  We could certainly launch into a lesson of full armor of God as detailed in Ephesians six.  At the very least I must mention the Sword of the Spirit and the shield of faith.  The right hand would have held the sword and the left the shield.  The sword was either defensive weapon or offensive.  With the shield in the left hand the sword became offensive weapon to slay the enemy.  Without both, one is destined to full time defense against a relentless enemy and is ony able to stay alive, yet unable to slay the enemy.  Our faith is our shield; and how often we let our shield down; how often we don't exercise it or keep it in good repair.  It must be ready to bear up at any time.

These things are the tools of a spirit led life.  A life lived for Christ will include trials, tests and tribulations.  By these things, Paul was able to persevere.  He was able to keep his eyes on Christ and continue to function in this fallen world.  We live in a world of unprecedented evil.  Every day there is some new evidence of how far we've fallen and that we continue as a society to delve to new depths of depravity.  On top of that, we see so many hopeless situations in the world; from aborted babies to discarded elderly, to children with cancer, victims of disasters and the list goes on an on.

Within the listed hardships, yet living by the graces of God and in the character and integrity of Christ we find our self walking in a paradox.  While the world sees one thing, we see another.  While our experiences appear as one thing, in reality they are something vastly different.  Look at these statements:

• by honor and dishonor – In one moment Paul was honored, in the next dishonored.  What the world would count as dishonor the Lord honored.
• by evil report and good report – the reports were given by people; some reported good, some evil, it was often a matter of their heart condition.  The evil report from the world was often a good report before God.
• as deceivers, and yet true – They were spoken of as deceivers; those who turned the world upside down.  Yet they held the truth and delivered the Word of Truth.
• as unknown, and yet well known – They were nobodies in the world's eyes and knew themselves as wretched sinners; yet God called them sons of the Most High God.  They were both unknown and well known.
• as dying, and behold we live – The old man passed away, the body was dying and frail; yet the inner man, the new person in Christ was alive and growing and being sanctified; longing for eternal life.
• as chastened, and yet not killed – often they were taken to the edge of death, yet preserved by God's power to keep on.  And in response to the chastening, they rejoiced and pressed on unwavering.
• as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing – there was much to be sorrowful about on the surface.  If all they had was what was in their pockets or on their body at the time, they were ment to be most pitied.  But they had laid up a treasure in heaven.
• as poor, yet making many rich – they had nothing in their pocket, they looked poor and downtrodden yet possessed the greatest of all riches; eternal life, the word of truth and a hope and peace beyond worldly understanding. 
• as having nothing, and yet possessing all things -  Anyone looking at Paul would see that he had nothing; his worldly possession were a pittance.  Yet, he found all sufficiency and provision in Christ.  Whatever was necessary, whatever need was provided to him. 

What we see as a paradox, Paul just accepted as the life and ministry the Lord gave him.  It was a mystery that didn't necessarily always make sense.  We can learn that we can't have it both ways.  We can't be honored, given a good report, be true, popular, alive, joyful and rich in all the things of this world without being dishonored, given a bad report, be a deceiver, unpopular, dead, sorrowful and poor spiritually.  We have to make a decision.  Which is important?  Do we seek the approval of God or men? 

 

2 Corinthians 6:11-13   
Paul cries out to them, O Corinthians!  You almost get the feel he would shake them if he was standing in front of them.  O Corinthians, can't you see?  Paul had opened his entire life to them.  He loved them and had given everything he had and was still giving.  His life was an open book and if you read it you knew that all of what he said was true.  It was all laid out before them.

Some of the Corinthians were playing the victim.  They were saying, "We would grow in the Lord, Paul, but you hurt us.  We've really been held back and restricted since you scolded us."  But Paul's actions didn't restrict them.  Paul was trying to get them to grow in the Lord.  The only thing that restricted the Corinthians was their own self-centeredness.  They were always looking at themselves.  They were asking." What's in it for me?"  And if there was nothing in it but personal sacrifice, that was hard for them to swallow because their eyes were on the world.  We all have those same tendencies. 

Paul wanted these folks to wake up.  They needed to examine themselves in the same way he just examined himself.  And I think there is an unspoken thought that these false apostles should open their lives up also.  There were accusations against Paul and he answered them, openly and honestly.  Now they needed to open up and look their own motivations.  They needed to look at how Jesus Christ and this gospel message had been applied to their life.  If they really did that, they would find problems.  We would all find problems.  We are much better at seeing others problems than we are seeing our own.  We should learn to look at others with grace and be critical of our selves first and foremost so we can be absolutely sure we aren't restricting anyone.  We should make sure we aren't giving someone a good excuse for not coming to the Lord.  No one should be able to look at us and say, "Well, they call themselves a Christian but look at them."  And then point to this or that in our life.

 

2 Corinthians 6:14
This passage is usually used to refer to a believer marrying an unbeliever.  This is being yoked unequally.  This thought comes from Deuteronomy 22:10 which says, "You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 

The principle is that these two animals aren't going to pull together in the same direction to get anything done together.  Nothing about them belongs together.  The ox is slow and steady and sure while the donkey is impulsive and reactionary.  The ox was a clean animal while the donkey was unclean.  They aren't going the same way or at the same pace.  Since they have different interest, they have no business being on the same yoke.

As Paul was trying to reconcile himself to these believers and this church in Corinth, the unbelievers were interfering.  Paul is not saying that they couldn't ever be around unbelievers.  He already dealt with that back in first Corinthians.  They obviously would be among unbelievers.  What they shouldn't be doing is joining themselves to unbelievers in spiritual things

Remember, Paul is still dealing with Corinth over these false teachers and false apostles that were causing problems.  I can't help but think that these Corinthians had somehow become yoked to these men.  They had somehow joined themselves with these false teachings or the men that brought them and Paul was calling them on it.  The Corinthians were impulsive and quick to bring the things of the world into the church.  In this case I think they brought someone from the world into their church and were showing some loyalty or allegiance to that person in spiritual matters.

 

2 Corinthians 6:14b

I wonder if someone at Corinth said to Paul, "Can't we just all get along?"  Doesn't it seem like that statement is usually spoke from someone in error?  What that really means is, "Why can't you just believe like I do and quit making me feel bad?"  It's not any kind of stretch to think these folks in Corinth had opened the door to everyone.  With all the pagan temples and false gods in Corinth there may have been all kinds of weirdness going on.  We know the legalists had got to the Corinthians. Maybe the universalists were there also along with those that worshiped the Greek gods and goddesses.  This wouldn't work righteousness and lawlessness doesn't mix.  Purity doesn't spread in filth; filth defiles purity.  So, righteousness has no fellowship with lawlessness.  There is to be no communion with Light and darkness.  This 'communion' means what belongs to one belongs to the other.  What is spiritually light can't belong to the spiritually dark and vice versa, it won't work.

 

2 Corinthians 6:15

Belial means 'worthless' or 'wicked'.  It's essentially another name for Satan.  This is the only place in scripture this word is used.  There is no connection or link between Jesus and Satan? 

Now if you were in Corinth and reading what Paul wrote here, you might feel some conviction of some things in your life.  Some people might be completely offended because Paul's statement isn't very tolerant and he's not trying very hard to get along.  What Paul just said was, if that thing you're doing isn't honoring God then it's of Satan.  There aren't gray areas.  If you are in Christ, you have no business dabbling with the things of Satan.  The two can't be intermingled.

 

2 Corinthians 6:15b-16.

From previous studies, we know individually we are the temple and now we know as the church, corporately, we are the temple of the living God.  The Holy Spirit lives in you; in us.  When we gather, this is the place where we meet God and where God meets us.  One of the ways this happens is when we come together we meet the Holy Spirit in each other. 

Then Paul asked, how can the temple of the living God agree in any way with idols?  Is it possible that the church of Corinth allowed idols to be brought into their midst?  Or that they, as the temple of God, went before idols of false gods?  We don't know.

This quotation shows up in several places: Leviticus 26:11, Jeremiah 24:7, Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 37:26 .and Hosea 2:2.  This backs up the statement that their church was the temple of God.

 

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Paul concludes with a 'therefore' statement that comes from Isaiah 52.  Because He is our God and we are His people, there are boundaries.  We are commanded to be separate; to be set apart.  That's what it means to be holy or sacred.  We are to be set apart for Him; for His use.  When we become believers, a separation must occur.  There must be a disconnection with the old ways; the old habits and things of the old pagan life.  We must come out from among the things of the world we used to be joined to.  We turn our back on what is unclean. 

As we are kept from the unclean and separate ourselves, then God will receive us.  Paul is describing is repentance.  That's missing in a lot of the gospel messages today.  The bible says we must repent and believe.  There must be a turning away; a divorce from the old life; death to the old man.  Paul said in 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. ²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."  (NKJV; Galatians 2:20; 1982, Thomas Nelson)

These men and women of Corinth may have repented initially but then been led into temptation by all the other temples, false teachers, false gods, and idols.  It's hard hearing the world say you need to turn down the heat of your religion, you need to be more tolerant.  We don't want to be different, we want people to like us, we want to be appreciated.  But if we aren't willing to stand on the truth of Christ, what will you stand on?

The answer the world offers is a big ole squish bomb that says, "Can't we all just get along?"  Can't we all just keep our beliefs quiet so we don't make anyone feel bad?  No, we can't because that's who we are; it's what we are.  Our faith forms our thinking, our morality, our attitude, everything about us.  I can't keep it quiet because it should be coming out of every part of my life.  The world can ban prayers, ban the name of Jesus, forget the ten commandments, and be intolerant of Christianity all it wants.  It doesn't change anything.

We are called to find that balance of living in this world but not being of this world.  That's hard because we want to be appreciated.  Paul wanted the folks at Corinth to appreciate him but it was more important to Paul to be separated from the world than appreciated by it.  His explanation of his life of separation was a call for them to do likewise.  They had somehow yoked themselves to something dark and it was dragging them down.  They needed to come out of the world and be set apart.  We need to examine ourselves in this way.  We should be different, peculiar.  We live, work, shop and school in a fallen world but that doesn't mean we have to be joined to the world.

Our churches must be set apart.  We can't be yoked to the spiritual values of the world because the light and dark don't share anything.  We are to be good ambassadors of light, of life, living upright, proclaiming Christ until He comes,  all the while being careful not to bring shame or reproach in any way.  We are all just passing through.  Our ambassadorship is a relatively short assignment.  Time is short, our message must be clear.  Our message will be offensive to many of those who need to hear it but the message isn't ours.  We are just humble ambassadors.  This message is from king of kings himself to a dark and dying world.  It's a message of hope, forgiveness, salvation, mercy, grace and peace.

 

©2006, 2010, 2016, 2022 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater