"Finally, then, my brothers, cheer up!  Straighten yourselves out, comfort yourselves, agree with one another and live in peace, so shall the God of love and peace be ever with you!"  (II Corinthians 13:11, Phillips translation)
 
In last week's lesson (on II Corinthians 13:1-10), the apostle Paul warned the Corinthian believers that in his upcoming visit to Corinth (his third), he would "not spare anyone" who had sinned and not repented, and that, as the Law required (in Deuteronomy 19:15, and elsewhere), "every fact would be confirmed by two or three witnesses," and especially for those seeking proof of his apostleship and of the Christ who speaks through him!
 
MacArthur notes that the Corinthians who were seeking proof of Paul's apostleship "would get more than they bargained for when he arrived, for he was to use his apostolic authority and the power he had in Christ to deal with any sin and rebellion he found there--and that would be first-hand proof of his divinely-given power"!
 
Paul challenged them, in his epistle, to "test themselves to see if they were in the faith, and to recognize that Christ was in them, unless they failed the test;" and, as believers to specifically examine their works to gain assurance that they were experiencing sanctification and walking in obedience to the Lord!  (Constable, you remember, noted that Paul's argument was compelling and if they wanted proof of Paul's ministry was of Christ, they needed to "look at themselves. not at Paul, because Paul had ministered the gospel to them"!
 
Paul had written earlier to the Corinthians (in I Corinthians 2:1-5) that "when he came to them, he determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified; and that he was with them in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and that his message and his preaching were not in persasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that their faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God"!
 
And he prayed "not that he would be approved by them. but that they would do what is right, even  though he might appear unapproved"!  His deepest longing for them was that, as his "spiritual children," they would lead godly lives even if they persisted in doubting his apostleship!
 
And he ended this section of his letter with a one-sentence statement which, in effect, sums up his reason for writing II Corinthians: "For this reason I am writing these things when absent, so that I need not use severity, in accordance which the Lord gave me building you up and not tearing you down"!
 
This set the scene for our lesson last night where the apostle apostle Paul closes out his letter with five exhortations, written as imperatives, for them to follow; a greeting from "all the saints;" and a remarkable reminder of all the blessings of the grace and love and fellowship they had received, and would continue to receive, from the Triune God!
 
The five exhortations, MacArthur notes, are a reflection of his prayer for them in verse 9, summed up as a desire that the Corithians "be made complete"!  Not in the sense of adding something that was lacking but of "putting things in order" in the church, and in their own lives!  In I Corinthians 1:10, Paul had earlier expressed his desire that the Corinthians "be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment"!  To the Thessalonians he wrote (in I Thessalonians 3:10) that he "prayed most earnestly"that he might "complete what was lacking in their faith"!  Similarly, to the Colossians he wrote (in Colossians 1:28): "we proclaim Him (Christ!) admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ"!
 
And to the Ephesians he wrote (in Ephesians 4:11-16) that Christ gave (to the church) "some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ...and grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Crist whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of the body for the building up of itself in love"!  Whew!
 
The Corinthian believers needed to "get things in order," to repent of their sins, to reject the false teachers and return to acknowledging Paul as a genuine apostle--and, most importantly, to submit to the truths of God that he proclaimed!  And to help them better align themselves with God's truth, Paul gave them five final exhortations; the first one--for them to "rejoice"!  A word used as a greeting, or a farewell--like "hello," or "peace," or "shalom" (the traditional Jewish greeting or farewell). It's the same word Jesus used (in Matthew 28:9) after he was resurrected and left the tomb, to greet his disciples!)  An appropriate word for all Christians because "joy" is an essential mark of every believer!
 
"Joy" is one of the "fruits of the Spirit," in Galatians 5:22!  Paul charged the Philippians (in Philippians 3:1 to "rejoice in the Lord" and, in 4:4, to "rejoice always"!  And added for emphasis: "And, again, I say rejoice!"  To the Thessalonians (in I Thessalonians 5:16), he wrote that they should "keep on rejoicing"! 
 
Remember the words of Jesus to His disciples, in the Upper Room, just prior the Cross, when after speaking about the "vine and the branches," and the need to "abide in Him," as He would abide in them, He said: "These things I have spoken to you, so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full!"  And, in the "beattitudes," where He said, "Blessed are you when men hate you and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.  Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven!  For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets!"  ("Leap" for joy?)
 
Peter got it all together when he wrote (in I Peter 1:8). "Though you have seen Him (speaking of Christ), you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice, with joy inexpressible (KJV says "unspeakable"!) and full of glory!"  And added (in 4:12-13), "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exhultation!"
 
MacArthur notes that the Christian's joy "flows from the deep, unshakeable confidence that God is eternally in control of every aspect of life for the good of His beloved children--a confidence rooted in the knowledge of His Word!  God's character, the saving work of Christ, the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, divine providence, spiritual blessings, the promise of future glory, answered prayer, and Christian fellowship all cause believers to rejoice"!
 
And, Paul writes, "Be comforted!"  And II Corinthians 1:3-4 comes to mind where Paul earlier wrote these great encouraging words: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God!"  Wow!  But in verse 11 of our passage Paul uses the Greek word, "parakaleo," which means "submission"!  And so Paul is writing that if we're going to "put things in order" (be complete!) and demonstrate "the fullness of the spiritual life as a measure of the stature of Christ," we must not only have joy but also "submit" to the authority of God--and (Paul continues) "be like-minded, and live in peace"!
 
Paul writes in Philippians 1:27: "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel"  And, as the prophet Isaiah says (in Isaiah 26:3, the way I learned it long ago in KJV): "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed in Thee; because he trusteth in Thee!"
 
And so, in this passage, Paul writes that when the Corinthians "rejoice," get things in order (be "made complete"), are "comforted" (and in submission to Him), and "are like-minded, and live in peace, the God of love and peace will be with them"!  And that applies just as much to the church, and to us, individually, as believers today!  Wow!  
 
And we were reminded (sadly!) that there were times (then, and even now!) when God abandoned the church, and its people!  John wrote in Revelation 2:2-7, to the "loveless church" of Ephesus: "I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.  But I have this against you, that you have left your first love; therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstead out of its place--unless you repent!"  Wow!
 
And to the "compromising church"of Pergamum (in Revelation 2:12-17)!  And to the "corrupt church" of Thyatira (in 2:18-28)!  And to the "dead church" of Sardis (in 3:1-6)!  And to the "luke-warm church" of Laodicea (in 3:14-18)!  May it never be, in our church!  Or to any of us!
 
The apostle Paul, bless his heart, wanted to get the Corinthian church in line and in order so that  they could enjoy the fulness of the love and peace of God that He brings to those who repent and follow His truth!  And this applies to the church, as well as to us as individual believers to this day!
 
But Paul's not done!  He wanted the Corinthian Christians to have a special love for fellow believers--and to continue to express that in a personal and affectionate way!  With "a holy kiss"--which was apparently a common way of expressing affection in that ancient society!  (Jesus said, in John 13:3-35, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you love one another!  By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another!  Wow!
 
"All the saints greet you!" Paul adds in verse 13 (writing from Macedonia, and communicating that unique and special affection (here expressed with a "verbal embrace") fellow "brothers and sisters' in Christ" have with each other!  
 
Then Paul closes his great epistle with perhaps the most awesome benediction in all the Bible, as a reminder of the inexpressible blessing that the Corinthians, and Christians everywhere, have received from our Triune God!  The grace from our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship we have with the God-head, and all believers, through the Holy Spirit1
 
Makes you want to sing, any number of sons and hymns of praise and adoration!  Like, "The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord!  She is HIs new creation, by water and the Word; from Heav'n He came and sought her, to be His holy bride; with His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died...!"  Or how bout, "Come Thou Almighty King, help us Thy name to sing; help us to praise; Father all glorious, oh how victorious; come and reign over us, ancient of days..."  Or, "Abide with me. fast falls the eventide, the darkness deepens Lord, with me abide; when other helpers fail and comforts flee; help of the helpless, oh, abide with me!"  And the one that comes first to my mind for this lesson; "I'm so glad I'm apart of the family of God!  I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!  Joint heirs with Jesus, as we travel this sod; for I'm part of the family, the family of God!"
 
Rejoice, my beloved brothers, be comforted, and go in peace!  
 
Blessing on you!
 
Til we meet again!
 
Lowell

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith!  Examine yourself!  Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?"  (II Corinthians 13:5)
 
In last week's lesson, on II Corinthians 12:11-21, the apostle Paul wrote about how he planned to return to Corinth for the third time and that he "would not be a burden to them," by accepting support for his ministry, but like a father with his children he would "most gladly spend and be expended for their souls"!  And he noted that neither Titus nor "the brother" who he had sent to them earlier had taken advantage of them either!  His purpose, and theirs as well, was "in the sight of God to speak in Christ and build them up in the faith"!   But he also expressed fear that he "might not find them again as he wished, and that they might not find him as they wished"!  He was concerned that there might be "strife, jealousy, angry tempers, slanders, gossip, arrogance, and disturbances" when he came, and that "God might humiliate him in their presence, and that he might mourn over many of those who who had sinned in the past and not repented, of impurity, immorality, and sensuality which they practiced"!  (MacArthur notes that "he didn't want to find them in the same sorry spiritual condition as on his last visit"--the so-called "painful visit"!)
 
And so, in last night's passage, Paul warned the Corinthians that in his third coming to them he would not show any leniency to those who had sinned and "not spare anyone," but deal with them biblically, in accordance with the Law of God which requires that "every fact be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses"--and especially since they were "seeking proof for the Christ who speaks through him, and is not weak toward them"!  
 
Deuteronomy 19:15 states that, "A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed"!  Jesus said, in Matthew 18:15-18: "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother!  But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector!"  (Interesting, as Jeremy noted last night, that the first act of church discipline is recorded in Acts 5:1-11, concerning the Ananias and Sapphira incident!)
 
The apostle Paul could be strong ("in the Lord"), if he had to be, in confronting believers living in sin, and not repenting!  MacArthur notes that those Corinthians "seeking proof of his apostleship" would have it when he arrived in Corinth!  They might, in fact, have gotten more than they bargained for--for Paul was going to use his apostolic authority and the power he had in Christ to deal with any sin and rebellion he found there!  They would have first-hand proof of his divinely-given power!
 
In verse 5, Paul challenges the Corinthians to "test themselves to see if they were in the faith; examine yourselves!  Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test"?  This verse at first glance seems to be talking about gaining assurance of one's salvation, but that is not apparently what Paul had in mind!  He was writing to genuine believers, and as Contable notes, was telling them to "examine their works to gain assurance that they were experiencing sanctification; that they were walking in obedience to the Lord"!  Were they living out the Christian life?  Just as he earlier wrote in I Corinthians 16:13: 
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men; be strong!"
 
In this same regard, James 2:14-20 says: "What use is it, my brethren, if some say he has faith but he has no works?  Can faith save him?  If a brother or sister is without clothinga and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?  Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself!  But someone may well say, 'You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works'!  You believe God is one.  You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder! But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is dead!"  Wow!
 
Constable notes that Paul's argument is compelling!  If the Corinthians wanted proof of whether Paul's ministry was from Christ, they must "look at themselves, not him, because Paul had ministered the gospel to them"!
 
Paul wrote in I Corinthians 2:1-5 that, "when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.  For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified!  I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trempling and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God"!  (MacArthur notes that "the genuineness of their salvation was the proof of the genuineness of Paul's apostleship"!)
 
Verse 7 is an interesting verse!  "Now we pray to God that you do no wrong, not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved!"  Paul's deepest longing was for his "spiritual children" to lead godly lives even if they persisted in doubting his apostleship! And then, in verse 9, where he adds: "For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you may be made complete!"  And we can't help but remember his shocking words in Romans 9:3, where he expressed "great sorrow and grief in his heart" for Israel's rejection of Chrst: "For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh...!"  Are you kidding?
 
And he ends this section, in verse 10, with a one-sentence statement which, in essence, sums up why Paul was writing this entire espistle of II Corinthians!  "For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not tearing down!" 
 
Wow!  The heart of Paul!  And the intensity of his love and concern for the people of God!  Balancing truth and love!  Willing to appear "unapproved"?  Even "accursed"?
 
And we are asked to "imitate him, as he imitated Christ"!
 
Til we meet again!
 
Lowell

"What makes you feel inferior to other churches?  Is it because I have not allowed you to support me financially?  My humblest apologies for this great wrong!"  (II Corinthians 12:13, Phillip translation)
 
In last week's lesson, the apostle Paul (in II Corinthians 12:1-10) began by returning to the theme of boasting, and the foolishness of it all--noting, however, that it was necessary, under the circumstances--and "caused by them"--for him to have to separate himself from the false apostles and establish his credentials as the true apostle of Jesus Christ!  And so he wrote that he "would go on to speak (maybe boast a little?) of visions and revelations he had received from the Lord"!  And he spoke "of a man in Christ who fourteen years earlier had been caught up into the third heaven (into Paradise, the very place where God dwells), whether in the body or out of the body, he didn't know"!  But a place where "the man heard inexpressible words which a man is not permitted to speak"!  And he went on to say that "on behalf of such a man, in all humility (speaking of himself!), he would boast"!
 
But, in what can only be seen, in retrospect, as a bit of "weasel-wording," he said that on his own behalf he would not boast except in his weaknesses, but that if he did wish to boast about it, it would not be foolish, for it would be the truth"!  But then he seemed to contradict himself by adding that "he would refrain from saying it, so that no one would credit him with more than he sees in him or hears from him" (even though he did not, in fact, refrain from actually saying (boasting about?) the very things he said he would not say)!  Wow!
 
Then he wrote that "because of the surpassing greatness of the revelation, there was given him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment him, to keep him from exalting himself"!  And although "implored the Lord three times that it might leave him," the Lord didn't remove it, but said to him: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weaknesses"!  To which Paul responded with these remarkable words: "Most gladly therefore I will rather glory (boast?) in my infirmities that the power of Christ may dwell in me!  Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong!"  And so, the theme of last week's lesson--"power in weakness"!  (And lending further credence to Rod's depiction, last week, of Paul as an "underdog"!)
 
All of which set the scene for our lesson last night where the apostle Paul, still in a defensive mode (as the "underdog," and wreathing with sarcasm), begins (in verse 11) by writing more about what he calls his "foolishness" in having to defend himself against his critics in the church of Corinth, who should have been commending him instead!  For "in no respect was he inferior to (and here he uses a little of that sarcasm) "the most eminent apostles (speaking of the false apostles!), even though I am a nobody"!
 
Then he claimed that he had, in fact, "performed all the signs of a true apostle among them, with all perseverance, by signs and wonders, and miracles"--something they should have been clearly seen while he was with them!  (They're all recorded in the book of Acts, and impressive, as noted by Kirk in his presentation last night!)
 
"In what respect have you been treated as inferior to the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not become a burden to you (by not taking financial support from them for his ministry)?  My humblest apologies for this great wrong!"  (He blurts this out with blatant sarcasm!)
 
Then, on a softer note, he likens his relationship to them (in verse 14) as one between a parent and a child!  "For children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their childrn!  I will gladly be expended for your souls!  If I love you more, will you love me less?  But be that as it may, I did not burden you myself...and (and contrary to the suspicion that some had) Titus and the brother I sent to you didn't take advantage of you either, right?"  And he goes on to note that "It is in the sight of Christ that we (speaking of himself as well as for Titus and the other brother) have been speaking in Christ; and all for your upbuilding, beloved!"
 
But then, in thinking about his planned and soon coming third visit, he expressses fear (in verses 20-21) that, when he comes again, he might "find them to be not what he wished, and them finding him to be not what they wished"!  And that "perhaps there would be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip. arrogance, and disturbances..." and that when he comes again God might humble him before them and he might have to mourn over many of those who had sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality, and sensuality which they have practiced!"
 
Wow!  We see in this passage the human side of Paul and yet the abundance of his love and concern for the spiritual needs of  the Corinthian brothers!  And we remember how he had earlier, in I Corinthians 11:1, "humbly" extolled them "to imitate him as he imitated Christ!"
 
And we closed this emotionally-drivn passage with a song that seemed to amptly fit the occasion: "Rise up, O men of God!  Have done with lesser things.  Give heart and mind and soul and strength to serve the king of kings!"  Amen!  Just like the apostle Paul!
 
Til we meet again, 
 
Lowell

"And He said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me!" (II Corinthians 12:9, KJV)
 
In last week's lesson (on II Corinthians 11:16-33), the apostle Paul again asked the Corinthians to endure what he considered "foolishness" in having to defend his integrity and his calling as an apostle of Jesus Christ against the lies and slander of a band of false teachers who had infiltrated the church of Corinth.  This, after he left Corinth and moved on to other cities!  Since some of the Corinthians apparently were tolerating the abusers and in danger of being swayed away from the truth that Paul taught, he found it necessary to take the offensive, call a spade a spade, and fight fire with fire by doing a little boasting of his own before them!
 
He was every bit as much a Hebrew, and an Israelite, and a descendant of Abraham, as any of them, he claimed, and expressed amazement that any of them could even be called "servants of Christ"!  And he "boasted" (in verses 23-28) how he had endured "far more labors, far more imprisonments," how he had "been beaten times without number, often in danger of death!  Five times (he said) he received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes; three times was beaten with rods; once stoned, three times shipwrecked, a night and a day spent in the deep; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers from false brethren; in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure! And apart from all these external things, there was the daily pressure on him for the concerns of all the churches"!  Suffering and trials that clearly set him apart from the false apostles!
 
And so Paul said (in verse 30) that "if he had to boast (something he hated to do!), he would boast "of what pertains to his weaknesses"!  (MacArthur notes that "by boasting in his weakness he magnified God's power at work in him!)
 
Paul had earlier written (i II Corinthians 4:7), "But we have this treasure (the 'light of Christ shining in darkness') in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves!"  In Colossians 1:29, he wrote: "For this purpose (of 'presenting every man complete in Christ') also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me!"
 
And all this set the scene for our lesson last night where the apostle Paul begins by writing (in II Corinthians 12:1, ESV) that he "must go on boasting"!  He must!  And adding, "Though there's nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord!"  Then relating the experience of "a man in Christ (speaking of himself) who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven...and into Paradise, whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows!  And he (Paul!) heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter!"
 
But then (trying to be humble, with a bunch of weasel-wording that follows!) he says that "on behalf of this man (not me?) I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses--though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I am speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me that he sees in me or hears from me"(?)  Did he refrain?
 
And so "to keep me from becoming conceited (thank the Lord!) because of the surpassing greatness of the revelation, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger from Satan to harass me (and he repeats it again!), "to keep me from becoming conceited"!
 
And Paul goes on to say (in verse 8) that "three times he pleaded with the Lord" that this (whatever it was!) should leave him, but that the Lord said to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness!"  And Paul's wonderful response: "Therefore I will boast (there he goes again!) all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me"!  Wow!
 
But he's not finished!  And so makes a broad declaration (in verse 10) of his predicament, something applicable and worth pondering and considering for all of us believers and followers of Christ: "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities!  For when I am weak, then am I strong!"  He was content!  (Contentment glories God!)
 
Wow!  Makes you want to sing, songs and hymns that come to mind!  Here's some of mine:
 
"Like a river glorious, is God's perfect peace, over all victorious in its bright increase; perfect yet still flowing fuller every day; perfect, yet still growing deeper all the way!" (And the chorus) "Trusting in the Father, hearts are fully blest, finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest!"
Verse two: "Hidden in the hollow of His mighty hand, where no harm can follow, in His strength we stand; we may trust Him fully, all for us to do; those who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true!"
 
Or, how bout: "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing; for still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe, his craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal!" (But there's more!) "Did we in our own stength confide, our striving would be losing; were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing; doth ask who that might be?  ChristJesus, it is He...!"
 
Or, "Marvelous grace of our loving Lord; grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!  Yonder on Calvary's mount outpoured, there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt!  Grace, grace, God grace!  Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God's grace; grace that is greater than all our sin!"
 
And, of course: "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!  I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see...!"
 
Remember, men, His grace is sufficient for all our needs!
 
Go with God this week and be a blessing!
 
Til we meet again!
 
Lowell

"If I must boast, I will boast of the things which show my weaknesses!" (II Corinthians 11:30, ESV)
 
In last week's lesson (on verses 7-15), we found the Apostle Paul still having to defend his integrity and his apostleship with the Corinthians, not to save his own reputation but to keep the church from being overrun by false apostles! And he raised the question (somewhat facetiously) as to whether he was, in effect, "committing a sin" by humbling himself and preaching the gospel of Christ to them without charge!  Paul had made it his policy of not accepting money from the churches while he was establishing them but only after they were established!  In fact, he had actually practiced his trade as a tent-maker, rather than accepting funds when he first arrived in Corinth and preached to them and was founding the church! But the Corinthians, instead of seeing this as evidence of his sacrifice and love for them, interpreted it as proof that he wasn't actually an apostle of Christ, something he himself must have recognized, they thought, by him not taking the money!
 
But we know the heart of Paul and realize that his real intention in not accepting financial support was rather to contrast his ministy with that of the false apostles, by making it clear that he wasn't in it for the money, unlike the false apostles whom he said were "deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostle of Christ!  And he wrote (in verses 14-15) that "no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light;" and, therefore, "it was not surprising that his servants disguise themselves as servants of righteousness"!
 
The welfare of those under Paul's ministry required him to identify his critics for what they were, and Constable noted that in our day, when people value toleration so highly and practice it so widely, even in the church, we need to learn from Paul's example to "call a spade a spade"!
 
And so the spostle Paul, in this passage, is again asking the Corinthians to endure more of "his foolishness" in having to defend his apostleship and even having to boast about it--contrasting himself with the teaching, and boastings, of the false apostles who "preached another Jesus," and boasted in the flesh!  Paul's critics had been making all kinds of foolish boasts about themselves in order to discredit Paul and his ministry, and so Paul had to "fight fire with fire"!  And so we him boasting, but not as them!  Boasting, rather, in the Lord!
 
And so we asked: what does the Bible say about boasting?  And we found it says a lot!

• Proverbs 27:2 says, "Let another praise you, and not with your own mouth!"
• Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, "Thus says the Lord, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not the rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things, says the Lord!"
• Paul himself wrote in I Corinthians 1:31, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!"
• And in that great love chapter (Corinthians 13) that "love does not brag and is not arrogant"!
• Then, in II Corinthians 10:13, "For we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach as far as you!
• And something similar, in II Corinthians 10:17, "But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord! For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends!"

The apostle Paul didn't like talking about himself, and it was the mark of his humility that he refused to engage in self-promotion!  (MacArthur writes that "humility is the noblest Christian virtue, and that the true measure of a person's humility, like Paul's, is the ability ot boast when necessary and yet remain humble"!)
 
The prophet Micah wrote in Micah 6:8, "He (God!) has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly before your God!"
 
Paul's big concern was what the Lord thought about him! But he felt he needed to defend his apostleship so that the Corinthians, in listening to the false apostles would not turn from the truth to lies!  Boasting was common among the philosphers and leaders in the Greco-Roman world and one of his critics favorite tactics, and something that tended to sway the Corinthians.  And so, when he was forced to talk about himself and his ministry, he apologically asked (in verse 16) that they "bear with him in his foolishness that he might boast a little"!  And he even goes on to say that he wouldn't be saying what he had to say as the Lord would say it" (since He didn't boast)!  
 
MacArthur writes that Paul, while acknowledging that boasting wasn't commended by the Lord, and was foolish, realized that the desperate situation in Corinth, forced him t do this!  And so he writes, with a bit of sarcasm that if the Corinthians "tolerate the foolish gladly...and anyone who devours them, or takes advantage of them, and even those who "hit them in the face," then they should listen a little to his foolishness as well!  "You listen to their foolishness, and their boasting," he says!  "Listen to mine!"
 
And so he begins to write (begininning in verse 22) what is known as his "fool speech"!  Boasting and comparing himself with the false apostles about his pedigree, as a Hebrew, and an Israelite, and as a descendant of Abraham--just like them!  And as "servants of Christ"?  But then, when saying this, he stops abruptly and asks, with more sarcasm, as if he's catching himself "speaking as insane"?  To even refer to the false apostles as "servants of Christ," even for the sake of argument was repulsive to Paul, so he hastened to add a disclaimer,  "Am I out of my mind," to even suggest that they are servants of Christ?  "I more so!"  
 
And he adds (in verses 23-28): "In far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death! Five times I received fom the Jews thirty-nine lashes.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.  Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches!"
 
Wow!  Paul here describing sufferings and trials he endured as a servant of Christ--suffering that clearly set him apart from the false apostles, and that could not possibly be equaled by them!
 
If he were not a genuine apostle of Christ, called by God, then why would he willingly endure so much for the gospel?  Why would he still be persevering in his work?
 
But this kind of suffering is exactly what Jesus predicted His apostles, and all those who followed Him, would experience!  He said, in Matthew 10:16-18 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves...and you will be brought before governors and kings for My sake!"  And in John 15:18, that "if the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you"!  And in John 16:33, "In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world!"
 
And to the general promise to the apostles of suffering, the Lord added a specific one for Paul!  Speaking to Ananias, the Lord said this of Paul, in Acts 9:15-16: "He is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My sake!"
 
Paul's life exemplified the truth of II Timothy 3:12, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted!"  MacArthur notes that "the false apostles had their letters of commendation (II Corinthians 3:1), but Paul had "on his body the brand-marks of Jesus"!  (Interestingly, Paul wrote, in Galatians 6:17, "From now on, let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus!")
 
No wonder he would write in verse 29 (again in contrast with the false apostles), "Who is weak without my being weak?  Who is led into sin without my intense concern?"  And then, in verses 30-31, "If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness!  The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying!"
 
And he closes this passage by making reference to the great escape he had in Damascus when he was let down in a basket "through a window in the wall!" (MacArthur calls this, "the crowning example of his weakness and infirmity in which he boasted")!
 
And he goes on to say in 12:10 that he "was well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake, for when he was weak, then he was strong"!  And we'll get into more of this in our lesson next week!
 
And so, til we meet again, walk with the Lord and be a blessing!  And remember that "His strength is made perfect in our weakness," and to boast only in the Lord!
 
Lowell

"No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds!" (II Corinthians 11:14-15)  
 
Last week we saw the apostle Paul continuing to have to defend his integrity and his apostleship against the false teachers who had infiltrated the church of Corinth, not to protect his own reputation but to continue to keep alive the ongoing ministry that God had established among them through him!
 
And being the humble man of God that he was, he felt foolish in having to put the spotlight on himself by having to defend his integrity and his ministry to them--something they should have been able to see for themselves!  And he expressed the same kind of "godly jealousy" for their welfare as God had for Israel!  God, in Old Testament times, had jealously guarded His people from the deceitfulness of deceivers who sought to drive their affections away Him, while charging them not to forget His covenant or make graven images! And Paul felt this same "pain of God's jealousy" when His name was dishonored by the Corinthians!
 
And, as you'll remember, he used a simple analogy (in verse 2) to descrbe his concern for whatever dishonored God in the life of the church, using the analogy of a father betrothing his virgin daughter to her would-be husband and, in that regard, striving to keep her pure and faithful until the consumation of the marriage!  Just as Christ loved the church (His bride!) and, Ephesians 5:25-26 says, "gave Himself for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word; that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she would be holy and blameless"!  And Revelation 19:6-9 describes the coming scene in heaven someday when all "the redeemed" of all the ages will rise and be gathered together by the throne of God to participate in the "marriage supper of the Lamb," and His bride, the church!
 
But Paul expressed fear (in verse 3), you'll recall, that "the minds of the Corinthians might be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ," by the same serpent who deceived Eve in the garden!  Led astray by false teachers who were infiltrating the church of Corinth!
 
And we remembered how Jesus warned, in Matthew 7:15-16, that "false prophets would come in sheep's clothing (the garb of shepherds!), but inwardly would be revenous wolves"!   And how Peter wrote (in II Peter 2:1-2) that "in the last days false teachers will rise who secretly will introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them..."!
 
According to verse 4, false teachers had already infiltrated the church of Corinth, and Paul writes (somewhat sarcastically), that they (the Corithian believers!) had apparently "received" and even "cheerfully welcomed those who preached a different Jesus than the one he preached, and a spirit and a gospel quite different from what they had not previously accepted"!  In a similar situation, Paul wrote (in Galatians 1:6-9) how the Galatians "had so quickly deserted Him who called them by the grace of God for a different gospel," and he wrote he said, "as we have said before that 'If any man is preaching a gospel contrary to the one what they had received (from him!), he is to be accursed"!  
 
Then Paul ended our lesson last week by writing that, "even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things"!
 
And that sets the scene for our lesson on March 24, where begins (in verse 7) where we find the apostle Paul still on the defensive, and now posing the somewhat strange question (again with a note of sarcasm): "Did I commit a sin in humbling myself so tha you might be exalted (or "lifted up," as believers), because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge?"
 
As Constable notes, Paul "claimed the freedom to minister in Corinth without receiving financial support from the Corinthians in order to illustrate his self-sacrificing love for his readers, and to contrast his attitude with his critics' selfishness...and is digressing here (in verses 7-12) to defend his policy regarding his own financial support, and (in verses 13-15) to describe his opponents true identity"!
 
Interestingly, Paul had written earlier (in I Corinthians 9:6 and14) that apostles "had the right to refrain from working for a living and to live off the gifts of their audiences;" and yet he chose to work, making tents in Corinth and refusing to accept gifts from the Corinthians (thus humbling himself)!  And the fact that he did this was actually used by the Corinthians not as evidence of his love for them but, instead, as proof that he really wasn't an apostle!  
 
Acts 18:3 says that when he first arrived in Corinth he practiced his trade as a "tent-maker" and followed his policy of not accepting money from the churches while he was establishing them but only taking it from those that were already established!  And as he put it, he "in effect robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you" (the Corinthians)!  And he says in verse 9 that "when he was present with them and was in need, he was not a burden to anyone," because "brethren came from Macedonia to supply his need"!  And he said he "would continue to follow this policy"!
 
And why was Paul responding in this way?  He says, in verse 12, basically to cut off the opportunity of those who thought he was only in to his ministry for money!  To separate himself from the false teachers who did it this way!  God knew his heart, he claimed! And he did what he did because he loved the Corinthians!
 
Again, unlike the false teachers who he said (in verse 13) were "false apostle, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ"!  And (in verses 14-15), "no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light!  And therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds"!
 
Constable notes that "in our own day, when people value toleration so highly and practice it so widely, even in the church, we need to learn from Paul's example of "calling a spade a spade"!  The welfare of those under Paul's ministry required him to identify his critics for who they really were!  We will serve our own generation faithfully if we do the same!"
 
II John 1:9-10 says, "Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son!  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds!"
 
Hold firm, men, in the teachings of Jesus!  And go with God!
 
Til we meet again (on April 7th)!
 
Happy Easter!
 
Lowell

"For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive another spirit which from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough!"  (II Corinthians 11:4, ESV)
 
"For apparently you cheerfully accept a man who comes to you preaching a different Jesus from the one we told you about, and you readily receive a different spirit and a different gospel than the one you originally accepted!"  (II Corinthians 11:4, Phillips)
 
In last week's lesson (on II Corinthians 10:7-18), we found the apostle Paul in the midst of defending his integrity and the ongoing ministry he had worked so hard to establish with the Corinthians; defending it against false teachers who had somehow infiltrated the church of Corinth in his absence, and who reasoned that if they could just get the Corinthian believers to lose their trust in Paul, they could become the reigning teachers and bring on their damnable lies and heresies, and destroy the work of Paul and his ministry with the Corinthians!
 
And so we saw Paul (in 10:7) challenging them "not to look at things superficially but to use discernment in examining the evidence with their eyes wide open, and see the obvious contrast between his life and ministry and that of the false teachers!
 
The Corinthians had been saved through the ministry of Paul; he was the founder of the church of Corinth and their "spiritual father"!  They knew of his conversion experience on the road to Damascus and how his life was supernaturally changed; of his calling, and of his authority, as an apostle of Jesus Christ; and of his mandate to build them up spiritually, and not destroy them!  They knew of the zealousness and impact of his teaching and of the exemplary life he lived before them!  His track record was clear, in stark contrast with that of the false teachers!  How could they possibly believe that the false teachers were the true apostles and that he was a false one?
 
And we learned from this lesson that a true man of God can be known:

• By his personal relationship with Jesus Christ!
• By the impact he has on the church, the body of believers!
• By his compassion for people!
• By his distain for eloquent sophistry and other fleshly methods to win the applause of people!
• By his humility and unwillingness to compare himself with others!
• By his willingness to minister within limits, and to not take credit for others' labors!
• And for his seeking only of the glory of God!

Our dear brother John MacArthur, who's now gone to receive his reward, summed up this passage this way: "The Corinthians should have been able to tell the difference between true and false spiritual leaders, and so should we!  True men of God are not "showmen"!  They don't intimidate people; they don't seek to promote themselves; they value truth enough not to tolerate error; they seek to imitate the meekness and gentleness of Christ; they have a high view of Scripture and preach the true and unadulterated gospel; they are content to minister in the sphere of ministry in which God called them; they lead lives consistent with their teaching; they don't take credit for other mens' work; and they seek God's eternal glory, and not their own temporal acclaim!  The man who in this way serves God is acceptable to God, and approved by man!"
 
And that set the scene for our lesson last night (on 11:1-6), where we find Paul continuing to defend his apostleship and his calling, not for his own pride and self-=preservation, or to save his personal reputation, but because the ministry of the gospel of Christ, and the survival of the church of Corinth, were at stake!
 
And so Paul, in verse 1, being the humble man of God that he was, is expressing his wish that the Corinthians "put up with a little more of his foolishness," as he continues to defend himself against the accusations of his critics, and even uses a little sarcasm in making his point!  "Bear with me in a little foolishness," he writes!  Phillips says, "I wish you would put up with a little of my foolishness!  Please try!"  (Constable calls it foolishness because "he didn't like focusing on himself, and shouldn't have had to defend himself, or remind them of God's commendation of his ministry"!  Both he and his ministry are well-known to the Corinthians and he's asking them just to "hang in there with him" while he continue his "foolish" self-defense a little longer!
 
It was important for the Corinthians to recognize him as an apostle of Jesus Christ and accept his apostolic authority, as a spokesman of God, as they apparently were doing, he notes in verse 1!
 
He writes (in verse 2) that he was jealous for them with a "godly jealousy," having the same kind of concern for the Corinthians as God had for Israel!  God jealously guarded His people Israel from the deceitfulness of deceivers who sought to drive their affections away from Him, and He charged them "not to forget His covenant, and not to make (and worship!) graven images"!  
 
Deuteronomy 4:24 says, "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, and a jealous God"!  Psalm 78:58 says, "they (the children of Israel) aroused His jealousy with their graven images!"  And the Psalmist wrote (in Psalm 69:9) that "zeal for Your house has eaten me up"!  These latter words were picked up and fulfilled by Jesus, John 2:13-17 tells us, when He "went up to the temple in Jerusalem, when the Sabbath was near," and found "money changers making His Father's house a place of business"! And so, He overturned the tables and cleansed the temple," reminding the disciples, verse 17 says, what was written about Him in the Psalms, "Zeal for Your house will consume Me"!
 
The apostle Paul felt this same "pain of God's jealousy" when His name was dishonored, according to our text!  MacArthur writes that he was "all caught up in whatever dishonored God in the life of the church," and that he used a simple analogy in verse 2 to describe his concern--likening himself to the Corinthians "as a father bethrothing his virgin daughter to her would-be husband"!  And, in that regard, making sure that she "remained pure and faithful, and was made ready for the consumation of her marriage in the upcoming wedding"!
 
Scripture likens marriage to the relationship between Jesus Christ and "His bride," the church!  In Ephesians 5:25-27, Paul writes: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless!"
 
The apostle Paul had this same concern: that the church would be kept pure until the Rapture and the coming marriage ceremony when He will gather His bride (the church, the "body of Christ"!) and take it to glory for the "marriage supper of the Lamb"!  Revelation 19:6-9 describes it this way: "Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, 'Hallelujah!  For the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns!  Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride (the church!) has made herself ready!  It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous act of the saints! Then he said to me, 'Write. blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb!"  (Wow!  What a day that will be, when all the redeemed from all the ages will be gathered together participate in this by the throne of God!)
 
But Paul also expressed a fear he had, in verse 3!  "That the minds of the Corinthians might be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ by the same serpent who deceived Eve in the garden!  Led astray by false teachers who were infiltrating the church of Corinth!
 
Swindoll writes that "Satan's major thrust into the experience of Christians is to cause our minds to stray from devotion to Jesus Christ into all sorts of other avenues, even ones that seem wise"!  (And he calls this very passage "one the most significant passages in the Bible concerning spiritual warfare"!)
 
Constable writes that "genuine Christians can be, and are being, deceived by false teachers today, and that they are abandoning their faith! This sometimes happens when young people go off to college and conclude that what they learned in church is unscientific and inaccurate! It also happens when Christians accept the teaching of cultists who come knocking on their doors!"
 
Remember how Jesus Himself warned, in Matthew 7:15-16, that "false prophets would come in sheep's clothing (the garb of sheperds), but inwardly would be ravenous wolves"!  And how Peter wrote (in II Peter 2:1-2) that "in the last days false teachers will rise, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves"!
 
And, according to this text, they had already arrived in the church of Corinth!  Paul writes, in verse 4 (and this is the way the Phillips' translation puts it): "For apparently you cheerfully accept a man who comes to you preaching a different Jesus from the one we told you about, and you readily receive a spirit and a gospel quite different from the ones you originally accepted!"  (The NASV says it more sarcastically: "For if one comes to you and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully!"  (Beautifully?)
 
In Galatians 1:6-9, the apostle Paul wrote something similar to the Galatians!  "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of God, for a different gospel, which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ!  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!  As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed"!  (The Greek word, "anathema," meaning to be separated from Christ and doomed to eternal Hell!)
 
Paul, still on the defensive, concludes this section in effect with this (and again with some sarcasm): "You may think I'm being foolish when I say this, but I consider myself not in the least bit inferior to the most eminent of these so-called 'super apostles"!  Obviously referring not to "the twelve" (since he already described himself "as the least" of the real disciples of Christ), but to the false teachers who claimed to be apostles of Christ!  And he goes on to say (in verse 6): "But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things"!
 
Phillips puts it this way (and again, sarcastically): "Yet I can't believe I am in the least inferior to these extra-special messengers of yours!  Perhaps I am not  polished speaker, but I do know what I am talking about, and both what I am and what I say is pretty familiar to you!"  It should be so evident to them, he writes!
 
Paul earlier (in I Corinthians 2:6-16) had written this to the Corinthians: "Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory, the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has undestood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, 'Things which the eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him! For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depth of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?  Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God!  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words!  But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.  But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.  For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct him?  But we have the mind of God!"  Wow!
 
And so we witnessed Paul standing firm and reprimanding the Corinthian believers for putting up with false teachers and allowing heresies to infiltrate the church of God!  The church!  The "body of believers"!  And the "bride of Christ"!
 
MacArthur, our dear brother, had this to say when preaching this passage: "I will never be the same as I was before I studied II Corinthians, by any means, not will I ever understand ministry in more rich, profound, heart-searching, and personal terms, than I have come to understand it from knowing the heart of Paul as revealed in this tremendous letter"!  And we can probably echo his thought!
 
And we want to sing again, as we did last night, that great old hymn of the faith: "The Church's One Foundation'"!  Sing it with me, as a remembrance of what we shared last night: "The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ our Lord; she is His new creation, by water and the Word; from heav'n He came and sought here, to be His holy Bride; and with His blood He bought her, and for her life He died!"
 
On the second verse: "Elect from every nation, yet one o'er all the earth; her charter of salvation, one Lord, one faith, one birth; one holy Name she blesses, partakes one holy food, and to one hope she presses, with every grace endued!"
 
And the third: "Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war, she waits the consumation of peace for evermore; til with the vision glorious, her longing eyes are blest, and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest!"
 
And the fourth!  "Yet she on earth hath union, with God the Three in One; and mystic sweet communion, with those whose rest is won; O happy ones and holy, Lord, give us grace that we, like them, the meek and lowly, in love may dwell with Thee!"
 
Thank you Lord, for the heart and example of Paul, and for the true, Bible-teaching and God-honoring church of Jesus Christ!
 
May God be with you all, til we meet again!
 
Lowell 

"But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord!  For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends!"  (II Corinthians 10:17-18, NASV)
 
"He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.  It is not self-commendation that matters; it is winning the approval of God!  (II Corinthians 10:17-18, Phillips)
 
In last week's lesson, on II Corinthians 10:1-6, we saw how the tenor and tone of Paul's writing changed as he found it necessary to answer his critics and the false teachers who had infiltrated the church of Corinth and were questioning his integrity and trying to destroy his ministry!  It's a "warfare motif" recognizing the spiritual battle that he, and the Corinthian believers, and all believers to this day were and are facing!  The apostle Paul saw the Christian life as an ongoing "spiritual battle" and himself as a "soldier of Jesus Christ"--and it's reflected in all his writing!
 
In I Timothy 6:12, he challenged Timothy, his "son in the faith," to "fight the good fight of faith... and to take hold of the eternal life to which he was called"!  Then, in II Timothy 2:3, to "endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," noting that "no man who wars tangles himself with the affairs of this life"!  
 
And he wrote that resounding passage to the Ephesians (In Ephesians 6:10-17) which is continuing reminder to all believers, and particularly for this day!  And I love the way the KJV says it (which is what I learned in my youth), and it bears repeating: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places!  Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand!  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God!  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints..."!  Whew!
 
And, at the end of his life, he was able to claim (as he wrote in II Timothy 4:6-8), "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand!  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing!"
 
And, looking back, we realize that he wrote II Corinthians, with its "war-like" tone, because he knew, as MacArthur pointed out, "something any good soldier knows--that though a rebellion has been for a moment ended, vistiges of it can be found in many places; and so he knew there were still some glowing embers from the fire of accusations against him, ready to be fanned into flames at the first opportunity!  And so, in this final section of II Corinthians (chapters 10-13), Paul directs strong and bold words at those remaining rebels, the recalcitrant false teachers, retrenched in the church of Corinth"!
 
And so, we see him coming with "weapons of war," and "guns blazing"!  But still, as he noted in 10:1, "in the meekness and gentleness of Christ"!  And though "walking in the flesh, warring with weapons of warfare not of the flesh but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses... destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ"!  Wow, love that verse!
 
And all that set the tone for our lesson last night, on verses 7-18, a portion of Scripture which, interestingly, MacArthur once observed, was "one most preachers and teachers of the Word would not likely select to preach or teach on"!  Because "there's not any doctrine here, nothing to comfort the heart, or anything to intruct the mind on theological matters," he said!  Until he later preached on it himeself, and then formed a whole different impression!  And took "an about face," and, would you believe, preached four consecutive, rich sermons on it, on four consecutive Sunday services at Grace Community Church, which he entitled, "How to Recognize a True Man of God"!  (Which is what we talked about last nite!)
 
You see, the apostle Paul was answering his critics in this passage, and comparing and contrasting his ministry with that of the false teachers who had infiltrated the church of Corinth, and were questioning his integrity and trying to destroy his ministry!  They reasoned that if they could get the Corinthians to lose trust in Paul they could become the reigning teachers and bring on their their damnable lies and heresy, and thus destroy the work of Paul!
 
Jesus Himself, toward the end of His earthly ministry, warned that this would be coming!  In Matthew 7:15-16, he said, "Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing (the garb of the so-called "shepherds"), but inwardly are ravenous wolves!  You will know them by their fruits!"  And Peter wrote, in II Peter 2:1-2, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought then, bringing swift destruction upon themselves!  Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep!
 
In this same manner, and for this same reason, the apostle Paul urged Timothy (in II Timothy 4:2-4) to "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but wanting to have their ears tickled. They will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths...!"
 
It was a dangerous time in Corinth!  And so Paul begins, in verse 7 of our text, by challenging the Corinthians not to look at things superficially, but to look at things rationally as they are before their eyes--and to be discerning in seeing the obvious contrast between him and the false teachers, and (as John Neal noted) to "judge their ministries through observation, identifying and being able to separate fact from fiction"!
 
The Corinthians had been saved through the ministry of Paul; he was the founder ot the church of Corinth and their "spiritual father"!  They knew of his conversion experience of the Damascus road, and how his life was changed!  Of his apostleship, and of the mandate he had received from Christ to be preach the gospel!  They knew of the zealousness and impact of his teaching!  And of the life he lived before them!  His track record was clear, in stark contrast with that of the false teachers!  How could they not see through this?  How could they join this mutiny against him, he must have wondered!  How could they possibly believe these false teachers were the true apostles and that he was a false apostle, as they claimed?
 
"A true man of God can be known by his relationship with Jesus Christ," MacArthur notes!
 
In verse 8, he writes that "even if he has to boast of his authority (as an apostle!) which the Lord gave him for building up and not destroying them, he would not be put to shame!" The impact he had on the lives of the Corinthians, and the evidence there and plain for all to see--again in stark contrast to the false teachers who were only trying to tear it all down!
 
"A true man of God can be known not only by his own relationship with Christ but by the impact he has on the church, the body of believers," notes MacArthur!
 
In verse 9, Paul writes that he "did not wish to seem as if to terrify the Corinthians by his letters," as false teachers accused him of doing--making him out to be an abuser and "brow beater" who tried to intimidate them by his letters, using perhaps Paul's "severe letter" to make their case!  And while Paul was concerned himself, at least initially, that that particular letter might have made them sorrowful, although only for a time, he "could now rejoice, not that the letter made them sorrowful but that they were made sorrowful to the point of repentance, a sorrow that was according to the will of God, producing a repentance without regret, leading to salvation"!  And so even that letter, as was the case for all his letters, were really written to bring them to salvation and sanctification, and so demonstrating the deep love and concern that he had for them!  
 
"A true man of God is known for his compassion for people," writes MacArthur!
 
And along the same line, in a culture that highly valued skillful rhetoric and eloquent oration, with a bit of charisma, the false teachers were accusing him of being two-sided and, basically, "a wimp"!  "While his letters were weighty and strong, his personal presence was unimpressive and his speech contemptible," they said!  Paul didn't dispute this sarcasm!  It's true that while Paul repudiated "eloquent sophistry," though clearly capable of expressing it, he preferred instead to preach the gospel in simplicity and power!  In I Corinthians 2:1-5, he explained it, by writing: "When I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech, or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.  For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified!  I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of man, but on the power of God!"
 
Paul claimed that, despite what they said, or thought they observed, "he was the same person in the words of his letters, when absent, as he was in their presence"!  "What we are in word by letters when absent, we are also in deed when present," he wrote in verse 11!  He was not a hypocrite; and his integrity was unimpeachable!
 
In I Thessalonians 2:4, he wrote, "But just as we have been approved by God, to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God!"
 
"A true man of God is known by his distain for fleshly methods, and he seeks in all he does to please the Lord," writes MacArthur!
 
In verse 12, he writes that he was not bold to classify himself with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding!"  (The Phillips' translation puts it this way: "Of course we shouldn't dare include ourselves in the same class as those who write their own testimonials, or even compare ourselves with them!  All they are doing, of course, is to measure themselves by their own standards or by comparisons within their own circle, and that doesn't make for accurate estimation, you may be sure!"
 
"There's no more noble Christian virtue than humility, the genuine conviction that one is utterly and completely unworthy of the goodness, mercy, and grace of God!"
 
Paul summed up the attitude of a humble person when he wrote, in II Corinthians 3:5, "Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything in coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God!"
 
In Galatian 6:3-4, he wrote, "For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another!"
 
Micah 6:8 says, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly before your God!
 
"A true man of God is known by his humility, and he will not compare himself with others," writes MacArthur1
 
But verse 13 goes even further in discussing humility!  "But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you!  Wow!
 
"Paul did not chafe under his God-ordained limits; he did not want to have a bigger or more important ministry than God intended for him.  He was perfectly content with the sphere of ministry that God intended for him!  He focused on excellence rather than success; on the quality of his ministry rather than on its size, on the depth of his ministry and not on its breadth" (again, spoken by our dear departed brother, MacArthur)
 
Even Christ placed limits on his ministry!  He said (in John 5:30) that He "did not seek His own will, but the will of Him who sent Him"!
 
"A humble messenger of God is willing to minister within limits," writes MacArthur!
 
Then, in verses 14-16, Paul writes that "we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ, not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another!"
 
(This is the passage that A. B. Simpson, who founded the the "Christain Missionay Allliance," and the missionary-oriented Nyack College (and where my oldest daughter graduated!) must have had in mind when he wrote that great missionary hymn, "To the regions beyond I must go, I must go, where the story has never been told; to the millions that never have heard of His love, I must tell the sweet story of old...til the world, all the world, His salvation shall know...!)
 
But wherever the message goes, "the humble messenger of God is unwilling to take credit for others' labors," writes MacArthur!
 
And so where is it appropriate for one to boast, one might ask!  Paul answers that, in verses 17-18, by writing: "But he who boasts, is to boast in the Lord!  For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends!"
 
David (a "man after God's own heart") wrote in Psalm 20:7, "Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord!"  Adding in Psalm 34:2, "My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear it and rejoice!"  And Jeremiah writes (in Jeremiah 9:23-24), "Thus says the Lord, 'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might; let not the rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,' declares the Lord!"  (Paul may have had this passage in mind when he wrote verse 17, and earlier when he wrote I Corinthians 1:31, "Just as it is written, 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord!")
 
"The humble messenger of God has a willingness to seek only the Lord's glory," writes MacArthur!
 
And he writes a fitting summation of last night's passage for us to remember (and marvel):  "The Corinthians should have been able to tell the difference between true and false spiritual leaders, and so should today's church!  True men of God are not 'showmen;' they don't intimidate people;  they do not seek to promote themselves; they value truth enough not to tolerate error; they seek to imitate the meekness of Jesus Christ; they have a high view of Scripture and preach the true, unadulterated gospel; they are content to minister within the sphere in which God has for them; they lead lives consistent with their teaching; they don't take credit for others' work; and they seek God's eternal glory, not temporal acclaim!  The man who in this way serves God is acceptable to God, and approved by men!"   
 
And that is something our dear brother, John (now gone on to his reward) could legitimately "boast" about (but wouldn't)!
 
Walk with the Lord, and be a blessing!
 
Til we meet again!
 
Lowell

"We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ!"  (II Corinthians 10:5)
 
In last week's lesson (on II Corinthians 9:10-15), the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers that God "who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness...and that you will be enriched in everything for your liberality which through us is producing thanksgiving to God"!  The "ministry" of your giving, he wrote, was "not only fully supplying the needs" of the poverty-stricken saints in the church of Jerusalem, but also "overflowing through many thanksgivings to God; and their obedience to the confession of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the liberality of their contributions was causing them to glorify God"!  Which, as the Westminister Catechism notes, is "the chief end of man"!  ("To glorify God and enjoy Him forever!")
 
But, as Rod pointed out to us last week, Paul's larger purpose, in getting the Corinthians to give, was to bring them to the place where they were "walking in the ways of the Lord"!  And we turned to the Bible to learn more about what it means to walk with the Lord.  Psalm 128:1 says, "How blessed is the one who fears the Lord and walks in His ways"!  And John writes (in I John 1:7), "If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin"!
 
And we sang a memorable song which rang out this truth!  "O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You!  I will see You in the morning, and I will learn to walk in Your ways; and step by step You will lead me, and I will follow You all of my days!"
 
And that set the scene for our lesson last night, on II Corinthians 10:1-6, which begins with a "now," indicating a whole new theme!  And we find Paul's tone and tenor changing from being gracious and conciliatory (as it was in the first nine chapters) to being strong and authoritative, and confrontational--as he answers his accusers, defends his integrity, and introduces a "warfare motif"--writing about a spiritual battle in which he and all believers--and particularly the Corinthian believers--are involved on a daily basis!
 
The apostle Paul saw the Christian life as "a battle" (a spiritual battle!) and himself as a "soldier of Jesus Christ"!  From the beginning, with his conversion, until the very end, it was "war"!  And he wrote in light of it!  
 
He challenged Timothy (in I Timothy 6:120 to "fight the good fight of faith," and to "take hold of the eternal life to which you are called"!  Then, in II Timothy 2:3, " to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ"!  Noting that "no man who warreth entangles himself with the affairs of this world"!
 
And he wrote that famous passage to the Ephesians (and to us!) in Ephesians 6:10-17, which says: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might!  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm agains the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm!  Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in additon to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God!  With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance for all the saints!"  Whew!
 
And so, at the end of his life, he was able to claim (as he wrote in II Timothy 4:6-11), "I have fought a good fight!  I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not only to me, but to all who have loved His appearing!"
 
MacArthur writes that Paul "battled every, facing each day as if it were his last...battling to protect the truth, battling to protect the gospel from assaults, battling to advance it, to conquer the satanic realm of error, to preserve the honor and advance the glory of his commander-in-chief, the Lord Jesus Christ...for the preservation of the Word of God...For the security and strength of the church...against demons...against false teachers...against philosophies and falsd religions...But nothing more ongoing and unrelenting than the warfare waged for the preservation of the Corinthian church"!
 
The apostle Paul had spent over a year and a half building and strengthening the church of Corith, but after leaving soon heard word that they were engaged in serious sin; and so he wrote the so-called "lost epistle," followed by I Corinthians, which contained a plethora of correctives to a church engaged in sins on many different levels! But then word came back that they were even more serious sins, and the arrival of false teachers assaulting him and the gospel; and so he sent what is known as "the severe letter," which he said (in II Corinthians 2:4) he wrote "out of much affliction and an anguished heart, with many tears," and sent with Titus--to confront their sin, "not to make them sorrowful, but that they might know of his love for them"!  And he was very depressed and downcast until he heard from Titus that the Corinthians had responded favorable to his letter and had repented, and even reported a longing for his return to them!  All of which brought him great comfort and led him to write (in II Corinthians 7:7-10) "that though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it--though I did regret it--for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while--I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance, without regret, leading to salvation!"  Wow!
 
Then he wrote II Corinthians, as MacArthur notes, "because he knew something any good soldier, and any good leader, knows--that though a rebellion has been for a moment ended, vestiges of it can be found in many places!"  He knew that "they were still some glowing embers from the fire of accusations against him and in some places ready to be fanned into flames at the first opportunity!  He knew false teachers were still hiding in the church!"
 
And so, in this final section of II Corinthians, Paul directs strong and bold words at those remaining rebels, the recalcitrant minority still entrenched there, hiding in the church!  He comes back with "weapons of war," and guns blazing!  Presenting himself in his soldier uniform with a soldier's mentality!
 
And it makes me want to sing again (as we did last night): "Onward Christian soldiers, marching off to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before...!"  Or the song I remember singing as a child, "I may never march in the infantry, ride in the calvary, shoot the artillary; I may never zoom o'er the enemy (I used to sing, "zoom over Germany"!), for I'm in the Lord's army..."  (Anybody ever sing that one?)
 
And he begins in verse 1 with, "Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ...identifying himself clearly and authoritatively, not only as the founder of the church of Corinth, but as the father of all believers there, and speaking as a called spokesman of God, with the gospel of Jesus Christ!  Not as a soldier of anger and revenge, but with the patience and compassion of Christ!
 
I Peter 2:19-20 says, "For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly!  For what credit is there, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?  But if when you do what is right and suffer for it, this finds favor with God!"
 
Verses 21-24 (of I Peter 2) go on to say: "For you were called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds we ae healed!"
 
Matthew 12:20 (quoting from the prophet Isaiah) says, "A battered reed He (speaking of Christ) will not break off; and a smoldering wick He will not put out, until He leads justice to victory!"
 
John 8:7 records how He responded to the scribes and Pharisees when they brought before Him a woman caught in the act of adultery: And after scratching something in the dust on the ground, He looked up and said, "He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone!"
 
MacArthur noted that "even Jesus' most scathing and blistering diatribe against the religious leaders, ended up with him uttering: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often I would have gathered you as a hen gathers her chicks, but you would not!"
 
And so Paul, "the warrior," in this passage, responds (in verse 1) "with the meekness and gentleness of Christ!  ("A noble soldier, a great soldier, a soldier who will win the spiritual warfare is both compassionate and courages," MacArthur writes!)
 
And he describes himself the way his critics in Corinth viewed him: "meek when face to face with them, but bold toward them when absent" (and when writing his letters)!  They pictured him, basically, as "a wimp"--and even accused him of "walking according to the flesh"! (And, in verse 10, noted that "his letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible"!)
 
And so, in verses 3-4, he admits that as a natural man he does "walk in the flesh," but, more importantly, that he "does not war in the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powered for the destruction of fortresses"!  And he goes on to say, additionally in verse 5, that "we are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ..."!  (The Phillips' translation puts it this way: "Our battle is to bring down deceptive fantasy and every imposing defence that men erect against the true knowledge of God.  We even fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ!')
 
MacArthur writes that "the formidable spiritual strongholds manned by the forces of hell can be demolished only by spiritual weapons wielded by godly believers--singularly, the 'sword of the Spirit' (or the Bible!), since only the truth of God's Word can defeat Satan's falsehoods.  This is the spiritual warfare! Believers are instructed to assault error with truth!"
 
Jesus prayed to the Father, for His disciples, in John 17:17: "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth!"
 
And Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart!"
 
And not only are our weapons of warfare powerful enough for the destruction of mighty fortresses, but also able to "destroy speculations (or arguments) and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God"!  And this would include (again, according to MacArthur) "any thoughts, ideas, reasonings, philosophies, and false religions which are the forts in which men barricade themselves against God and the gospel"! "Taking the thoughts captive" involves "the rescuing of those inside from the damning lies that enslave them"!
 
The apostle Paul was ready and eager to return to Corinth, but he wanted to come with "meekness gentleness," but he was ready too, he wrote (in verses 3 nd 7) to be "courageous and bold"--and to "punish those who continue to disobey," if that was required!
 
There's war out there, my brothers!
 
And so, like Paul, "Fight the good fight of faith!"  And, "Put on the whole armor of God!"  And, "Endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ!"  And, "Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ!"  And stay in the Word!  And "walk with the King, and be a blessing"!
 
Til we meet again!''
 
Lowell 

"Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness!"  (II Corinthians 9:10)
 
In last week's lesson (on verses 1-9), the apostle Paul, after noting to the Corinthians that it was "superfluous" (or totally unnecessary!) for him to write to them anything more about giving, since "they were so ready to give, and he had even boasted about it to the Macedonians," proceeded nevertheless to write more about giving anyway!  And he even "thought it necessary" to send Titus and two "brothers" from the Macedonian churches ahead to Corinth to arrange the collection and have it ready for him before he arrived--so he wouldn't be "embarassed, or see them put to shame" if he found them unprepared, or perhaps no longer as willing to give as they had promised!
 
And, as a further motivation (but without any intent to try to manipulate them!), he wrote that "he who sows sparingly would also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully would also sow bountifully"!  And that "each one must follow through in doing just as he had purposed in his heart--not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver"!  And he left them with that wonderful promise (in verse 8) that "God is able to make all grace abound to you so that always having all sufficiency in everything you may have an abundance for every good deed"!  Then ending with a reference to Psalm 112:9, where the Psalmist wrote: "He (speaking of God) scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever!"
 
And that set the scene for our lesson last night (on verses 10-15)--our fifth lesson on this subject--with Paul making reference to Isaiah 44:10, where Isaiah prophesies that "just as the Lord sends snow and water to replenish the earth, and seed to the sower, and bread to the eater (to satisfy the physical needs of people), so the Word which goes forth from His mouth will not return void but will accomplish the purpose for which it is sent"!
 
Similarly, the prophet Hosea prophesied this to God's people, Israel: "Sow with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you!"  But then, in verses13-15: "You have plowed in wickedness; you have reaped injustice...thus it will be done to you at Bethel because of your wickedness!  At dawn the king of Israel will be completely cut off!"
 
And with this as the setting, Paul charges the Corinthians that it's time for them to "sow righteousness and seek the Lord, and to be imitators of Christ, and (as Rod emphasized last night) to "walk in His way"!  And, more specifically, to "prove" the genuineness of their faith through the act, or "ministry" (as Paul calls it), of giving!  And all for the purpose of showing thanksgiving to Christ, and bringing glory to God!  (II Corinthians 10:13 says, "whatever you do, do all to the glory of God"!)
 
And so, in verse 10, Paul writes that "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness,"--so that (verse 11, in ESV, says) "you will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way (in your giving!) which through us will produce thanksgiving (and bring glory!) to God"! 
 
And he goes on in verses 12-14, "For the ministry of this service (the collection!) is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you!"  And we are reminded (from 8:1) that the generosity of the churches of Macedonia was also motivated by God's grace"!
 
MacArthur notes that this "ministry of giving" provided the Corinthians an important opportunity for them to test (and affirm!) the genuineness of their faith!  And Swindoll adds that "we are never more like God than when we give"!  But Paul puts it all into it proper context by summarizing his discourse on the believers' act of giving, by comparing it with what God did in giving Jesus Christ, "His indescribable gift"!  And there's obviously no comparison!  We can't outgive God!
 
And so the goal of raising funds for the poverty-stricken saints in the church of Jerusalem was accomplished, bringing thanksgiving and glory to God!  But as Rod pointed out last night, the larger goal which the apostle Paul may have had in mind for the Corinthians' giving was "to bring them into walking in the ways of the Lord"!
 
And the question was raised: what does it mean to "walk in God's ways"?  The Bible has lots to say about it!

• Psalm 128:1 says, "How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, and walks in His ways!"
• Romans 6:4 says, "...So as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life!"
• Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared for them beforehand, so that we would walk in them!"
• Ephesians 5:2 challenges us to "walk in love, just as Christ also loved and gave Himself up for us, as an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma"!  And, in verse 8, "For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light!"
• David's last words to Solomon, in I Kings 2:1-4, "Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes"... (then quoting words he received from the Lord): "If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you will not lack a man on the throne of God!"
• I John 1:7 says, "But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin!"
• And of course, John 14: 6, where Jesus says, "I am the way...!"

And we sang a memorable song, called "Walking in God's Ways," that rang out this truth!  And here are the words: 
 
"O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You!
O God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You!
And I will see you in the morning, and I will learn to walk in Your ways,
And step by step You'll lead me, and I will follow You all of my days!"
 
May that be our song, and our "walk," and our prayer!
 
And may our giving--though trivial as it is, in comparison with His "infinite gift" to us--produce "a harvest of righteousness" and bring glory to God!
 
Til we meet again!
 
Lowell