Week 22

Monday, May 26

2 Corinthians 5

         

Commentary

In today’s passage, Paul reminds believers of their home and their purpose. He also exhorts the Corinthians, as David Garland perfectly encapsulated, to “finally recognize that he serves them, not himself, that he wishes to exalt them before God, not himself, and that his bold admonishments are all part of his ministry to get them to accept God’s reconciliation so that they may stand with him acquitted before God. They need to examine their own consciences and question whether their own lives are governed by the fear of God.”[1]

The home of the Christian is not on this earth or even in this body (referred to here as a tent), but in heaven – and eventually, in the new heavens and earth. While we are in this life, we will face numerous hardships and trials, but one day, if know Christ, God will bring us to our eternal home with resurrected, perfect bodies. If we know Christ, we can assured of our salvation by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives as he helps us see and loathe our sin, desire God’s Word, serve others, and more. The Spirit’s continual work in our lives reminds us that God will keep his other promises, too, and one day bring us home.

Those who do not know the Lord will spend eternity in agonizing suffering – we must care about our salvation and the salvation of those around us! If we have been reconciled, brought back to good standing, with God, our mission is to convince others that they need this reconciliation too. In salvation, God’s enemies are made into new creations – forgiven of their sins, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, unified with Christ and covered by his perfect righteousness, and part of God’s family. This new identity gives us a new purpose, the purpose for which we are created and is impeded by our lostness – we are to know God and make him known.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Application/Discussion

1. Salvation gives us a new beginning and complete forgiveness. Have you experienced this forgiveness? If you have not, why not? If you have, do you struggle to feel forgiven or feel worthy? How does this passage speak to our guilt over sins God has already forgiven us of?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the gift of salvation, forgiveness, and new life and for Christ’s sacrifice to make this possible.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in boldly living out and proclaiming the gospel message.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin and understanding of the gospel for a lost person you know well, and pray for the Spirit to lead you to share the gospel with that person.

Tuesday, May 27

2 Corinthians 6

 

Commentary

In today's reading, Paul continues the previous chapter’s plea to embrace God’s calling, urging his readers to embrace God's salvation without delay. Why postpone such a great gift, especially when the next day or moment is not guaranteed? He quotes Isaiah 49:8 in reference to his own ministry, suggesting that as God sent Isaiah to the Israelites, he sent Paul to the Corinthians.

Throughout this letter, Paul consistently defends the legitimacy of his ministry. He wants the Corinthians to listen to him, not be swayed by envious critics, false teachers, or pagan influences. His own life stands as powerful evidence of his message's truth; Paul humbly and patiently endures countless hardships for the sake of the gospel. God sustains him through it all, and He will sustain us too if we commit our lives to His service. When we receive salvation, we are not only forgiven by God through Christ's perfect sacrifice, but we are also called and empowered to follow in Jesus' footsteps, denying ourselves to serve God.

Given this divine mission, Christians are warned against being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers. A yoke was a device that bound work animals together so they could pull carts or equipment in unison. While Paul doesn't explicitly define every close relationship he prohibits here, his rhetorical questions in verses 14-16 strongly suggest that the Corinthians were participating in the false worship practices of their unbelieving friends and neighbors.

In places like Corinth, social standing and even one's livelihood were often tied to the pagan worship of patron gods. It seems the Corinthians were compromising their faith to preserve their status. However, instead of seeking acceptance from unbelieving neighbors, believers should be seeking their salvation. We cannot blend in with those who are lost and their false worship as if everything is fine. We must declare the truth of the gospel, separate ourselves from idolatry, and be content with whatever rejection or praise results from our faithful witness.

 

Application/Discussion

1. Why should believers not participate in the worship and activities of other religions? How can refusing to compromise your faith for social acceptance be a gospel opportunity?

2. How can you witness to a friend of another religion (or no religion) respectfully but boldly?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for giving us his strength and comfort through hardship.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in persevering in, boldly witnessing for, and growing in your faith.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for your church to love and reach out to the lost in your community. 

Wednesday, May 28

2 Corinthians 7

 

Commentary

Wrapping up his discussion from the last chapter, Paul says that since God promises to save those who turn away from sin and idolatry, we should avoid associating with sinful influences. He reminds the Corinthians that he loves them and desires their flourishing. Paul has corrected them, but only to help them see their sin, turn to God, and live faithfully. He differentiates between two kinds of grief over sin. Godly grief will lead us to God in repentance and from there, to godliness. Paul loved the Corinthians enough that he told them difficult things, risking the relationship itself, so that they would see their sin and turn to the Lord. This is the same kind of love God himself has for believers and the same kind of love believers are called to show to each other and the lost. Worldly sorrow does not lead us to God in repentance, but away from God, ultimately to death. Consider the regret felt by Peter and Judas after the death of Jesus. Peter repented and was restored to Christ, whereas Judas let his sorrow overwhelm him to the point that he ended his life.

Commenting on this passage, Matthew Henry wisely observed, “Great comfort and joy follow upon godly sorrow. As sin causes general grief, repentance and restoration cause general joy. Paul was glad, Titus was glad, and the Corinthians were comforted. The repentant should be comforted, for there is joy both in heaven and earth when one sinner repents. Paul concludes this whole matter with expressing the great confidence he had in the Corinthians. He was not ashamed of boasting about them to Titus (v14); for he could now with great joy declare what confidence he had of their repentance and good behavior.”^[2]

 

Application/Discussion

1. Why is godly grief over sin helpful and edifying? Why is worldly grief over sin harmful? How can we rightly grieve and repent of our sin?

2. Has anyone ever told you something difficult that you really needed to hear? How did this help you? Often, the loving thing for us to do for our loved ones is to tell them the hard truth rather than sweep it under the rug for the sake of peace.

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for helping us see our sin and sending Jesus to be the sacrifice for our sins.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in speaking the truth in love to those around you, even when the truth may be hard to say or receive.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for your pastors to lovingly teach, encourage, correct, and rebuke as needed for the good of the church and its members.

 

Thursday, May 29

2 Corinthians 8

 

Commentary

Now that Paul has defended his ministry and encouraged the Corinthians for their faithful repentance, he urges them to financially help believers facing hardship. This is likely the same collection for the believers of Judea that Paul referenced at the end of 1 Corinthians. Colin G. Kruse summarized how Paul lifted up the Macedonian believers as an example of generosity to emulate: “The Macedonians, despite the fact that they themselves were undergoing severe trial and experiencing extreme poverty, expressed their joy in rich generosity. They not only gave as much as they were able, but even beyond their ability, and that not merely because of the urgency of the appeal, but they gave themselves first to the Lord. In the light of the Macedonians’ response, Paul sent Titus to raise again the matter of the collection with the Corinthians.”^[3] He is confident that the Corinthians will do the right thing here and share out of their financial prosperity. He encourages them to help others and deny themselves, following the example of Christ himself. As with the collection he encouraged in 1 Corinthians, Paul adds that Titus, someone known, tested, and trusted by all the churches, will help ensure the money arrives at the proper place. Believers should be careful to avoid temptations to or even the appearance of sin or scandal, including in handling donated funds. Believers should emulate the selflessness of Christ in all matters, all to his glory.

 

Application/Discussion

1. How does the incarnation, suffering, and death of Christ motivate us to be financially generous?

2. In what ways can you financially support the Lord’s work in your church and across the world?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for Jesus giving up heaven and his own life to come to earth and die for our sins.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in giving and serving generously.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for your church members to financially support your church and missional causes.

Friday, May 30

2 Corinthians 9

 

Commentary

          Continuing from yesterday’s reading, Paul notes the Corinthians have been financially supportive of the Lord’s work before and certainly continue to do so. Still, he is sending some of his associates to ensure the church is actively collecting for the Judean churches. He reminds the Corinthians that we will harvest according to how generously we sow (or plant). We should give liberally, but out of the sincere desire of our hearts, not a forced obligation. Some will read this passage and conclude that if you are not feeling like giving, you should not give at all, but this is not what Paul is meaning. We should give generously and out of love and thanks for the riches of salvation God has shown us – if we are not feeling kind with our wallets, we need to deeply examine our hearts rather than skip the collection plate and move on with our lives. Part of how we can worship and give thanks to God is through contributing to gospel causes. As we saw in the last chapter, the example of giving we are to emulate is Jesus, who gave his own life for us. How can we outgive God, especially when everything we have is a gift from him? If we withhold our finances, our prayers, or our service from God, what excuse could we have? Consider another example – the poor widow who gave her last two coins at the temple. She trusted that God would provide for her and gave what she had kindly out of love and worship. We should be wise with our money and take care of ourselves and especially our families, but we should ere on the side of giving rather than withholding. As Paul says in v15, we should thank God for the gift of salvation. If we truly cannot give anything else, we can give those around us the gift of the gospel and we can give God the gift of our prayer and praise. We should salways be overflowing in the giving of these gifts!

 

Application/Discussion

1. Do you feel you are appropriately generous with your giving to your church? How does this passage challenge the way we give, both in amount and attitude?

2. The gospel will not be attractive to everyone, some people simply will not understand or receive it. Why is it important for us to share the gospel if our message will so regularly be rejected?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the great gift of salvation, bought by the blood of his own Son.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help in being financially generous and to always be worshipful and evangelistic.

3. Pray for the salvation of two lost people you know well and for opportunities and boldness to share the gospel with them.

 

 

Saturday, May 31

2 Corinthians 10

 

Commentary

In this chapter, Paul now addresses the opponents of his ministry who have been influencing the Corinthian church. Matthew Henry summarized, “In this chapter the apostle, in a mild and humble manner, asserts the power of his preaching, and to punish offenders (v. 1–6). He then proceeds to reason the case with the Corinthians, asserting his relation to Christ, and his authority as an apostle of Christ (v. 7–11), and refuses to justify himself, or to act by such rules as the false teachers did, but according to the better rules he had fixed for himself (v. 12 to the end).”^[4] These opponents accused Paul of walking according to the flesh – in a sinful, godless manner, but Paul argues he does not minister in a fleshly way but in a godly way. His goal is to present Christ and tear down any objections or arguments against Christ. He also reminds the Corinthians that if they wish to be impressed by a resume of earthly pedigree, Paul’s background is as impressive as anyone’s by the world’s standards. More importantly, however, is that Paul and his associates were the first to reach Corinth with the gospel. The Corinthians should trust Paul and ignore his detractors because they have seen Paul’s sincerity and benefited greatly from his investment in them. Anyone who seeks to build up himself at the expense of others should not be listened to; we should let God define and approve us and others.

 

Application/Discussion                                                                                                

1. How does salvation bring us together at the same level despite our various backgrounds and experiences? How does God use our unique backgrounds and perspectives to build up the church?

2. Has anyone taken a special investment in your faith as Paul did for the Corinthians? Consider sending that person an encouraging note or message this week.

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for saving us and bringing us into his family despite our sin and rebellion.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help to love, respect, and support the leaders of your church and those who have invested in your faith.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s help for you and your church members to become more and more like Christ and to serve and build up each other.

Sunday, June 1

2 Corinthians 11

 

Commentary

In today’s passage, Paul further defends his ministry from his opponents. He asks for the Corinthians to bear with him and he continues this defense because he is lovingly jealous for them. David Garland explained that, “By repeatedly insisting that he is playing the fool by boasting in the same way that his opponents have, he hopes to lead his auditors to recognize how foolish his boastful rivals are and how foolish they have been for being taken in by them.”^[5] He does not want them to be swayed by those who do not truly love them, have not invested in them, and seek their own glory rather than God’s. Paul laments that they have been deceived and led astray by these opponents. He again speaks of his great investment in them, saying he even “robbed” other churches by accepting their financial support so he could afford to go to Corinth to preach and disciple them. He never asked the Corinthians themselves to financially support him; he poured into them spiritually without asking or expecting they would pour back into him financially. He is truly called by God and he truly loves them; his detractors are a different story. Just as Satan often disguises himself and his temptations to seem more appealing, Paul’s opponents disguise themselves as those who have been genuinely commissioned and sent by God. Paul again notes both his worldly background and, more importantly, his long record of faithful gospel service and perseverance. Who could match Paul’s track record? At best, these opponents are all fluff and no substance and at worst sent by the enemy himself; the Corinthians were gullible and foolish to be influenced by them. Do not be swayed by earthly pedigree or vain boasting, let God and his work be what impresses you!

 

Application/Discussion

1. Why would Paul care so much about the Corinthians listening to his detractors? Why does he use such condemning language in describing these opponents?

2. How does this passage help us see the importance of correcting and rebuking false teachers in the church?

 

Points of Prayer

1. Thank God for the salvation, sanctification, and strength he gives us.

2. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you be wise and discerning with who you listen to and what teaching you believe.

3. Pray for the Holy Spirit to unify your church in following godly leaders and embracing biblical teaching.

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[1] David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, The New American Commentary vol.29 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 272.

^[2] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 2287. Language simplified and modernized by myself.

^[3] Colin G. Kruse, “2 Corinthians,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 1199.

^[4] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 2289.

^[5] David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, The New American Commentary vol.29 (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 458.