Thoughts on 2 Corinthians – Part 1
2COR 1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
2COR 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
2COR 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
2COR 1:11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
Trouble came Paul’s way in Asia. He says in verse 8 that they were pressed out of measure and above strength. Paul says that they despaired even of life.
In verse 9 and 10 Paul talks about how they trusted in God and not in themselves. He gives the credit for deliverance to God. Not all Christians will have their lives threatened like Paul, but trouble will come to all Christians.
When the trouble comes we need to not trust in ourselves. We need to trust in God. Verse 9 says we are to trust “in God which raiseth the dead:” A God who is powerful enough to raise the dead is powerful enough to help with your problems.
We serve an Almighty God. A God who knows about and cares about your problems.
He is worthy of our trust. We need to trust in Him and not in ourselves.
2COR 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
2COR 1:11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
Paul was in life threatening trouble in Asia. He gave the glory to God for delivering them and then Paul brings up the role of prayer in it. In verse 11 he tells this church that they helped by praying for them. Many people were praying for Paul and God answered the prayer. Prayer plays a big role in the ministry. God is honored by our asking and He delights in showing mercy. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. We need to humble ourselves and realize that without Him we can do nothing. Our preachers, teachers, and missionaries can accomplish nothing unless God moves. We need to realize that and act accordingly. We need to be in prayer for those in the work. Not only for the preachers but also for all the Sunday school teachers and workers.
And like Paul when God answers the prayers, then we need to give Him the glory, but also acknowledge and thank those who were praying for us.
2COR 1:2 Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
This was not just a nice way to start a letter. Paul really meant it. He wanted them to be a receiver of God’s grace and His peace. And there is a great truth here. Peace and Grace come from God.
2COR 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Our God is wonderful. He is the Father of mercies. He delights in showing mercy. He has no shortage of it. All can come to Him for mercy and it would not even put a dent in His supply. And one of the mercies that He gives is comfort. Not the kind of comfort that the world thinks of. We are not talking luxury cars and fancy homes. Look at the next verse.
2COR 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
His comfort does not keep us from hard times. It does not protect us from persecution and tribulation. He comforts in the trial. When you are under persecution His comfort is there. God’s comfort is not dependent upon circumstances; God’s comfort is above circumstances.
2COR 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
In verse 5 we see a principal, as our sufferings abound because of being in Christ, so our consolation by Christ abounds the more. You will never suffer anything for Christ without Christ being there with you. He will let trials come, but He will also comfort you thru them. Stay close to Jesus. He has the Grace, mercies, and comfort to see you thru anything. Amen.
2COR 2:4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
This is a reference to the earlier letter of 1 Cor. that Paul wrote to them. In that letter Paul sternly corrected them on many things.
In this verse we see his reason for doing so. Paul did not write to them to grieve them. He says that he wrote to them that they might know the abundant love that he had for them. If you truly love someone, you will want what is best for them. And God’s truth is always what is best.
Sacrificing the truth is NOT love. Letting someone go down the wrong path without warning them is NOT love.
Christians are to love in truth. 1Jo 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Not only did Paul have the right reason for writing them before, but he had the right heart. He wrote that harsh letter in anguish of heart and with many tears.
Paul truly cared for these people. He really loved them so he had to correct them. But he did NOT do it gleefully. It did not bring him some kind of perverse pleasure. Paul corrected with anguish of heart and many tears. Paul corrected in true Christian love.
2COR 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
There have always been those that corrupt the Word of God. Paul says that there were many that were corrupting the Word of God. The New Testament had not even been completed yet and some were corrupting it. In fact Paul says that many were doing it. It should be no surprise. Satan hates the Word of God and he uses men to corrupt it.
And we find evidence of this in the Alexandrian manuscripts and also the manuscripts of the Vatican. These are the manuscripts that Westcott and Hort used in the manufacture of their Greek text. The manuscripts that all new versions like the NIV are based on are corrupt.
The argument that older makes them better is an invalid argument because men have been corrupting the Word of God from the very beginning. We see this in verses like verse 17. The age of the manuscript is not the most important thing. The purity of the text is.
God promised to preserve His Word and He did so in what we call the Majority text. The agreement of this line of texts clearly shows that they are preserved by God. The KJV is the only English translation that comes completely from the preserved Majority text. Don’t settle for anything less that the best.
2COR 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
Paul says that he is not like the many which corrupt the word of God. He says that there are many. It was that way then and it has been that way ever since and it sure is that way today. There are many who corrupt the word of God. They are everywhere. There is very little respect for the word of God. Many will want to make themselves the final authority. They like to say when the Bible is wrong. They are lifted up in pride and corrupt the Word. Others will teach what people want to hear. They do it for praise. Some do it for applause, and still others for money. All these people do not have real sincerity about what they are doing. They are not awed in the least with the responsibility of teaching and preaching the Word.
Paul then mentions something that is sorely needed by all who teach the Word. He talks about speaking in the sight of God. A realization that you are really speaking before God when you preach and teach. He is listening to every word you say and more than that, He is looking upon your heart. God knows the motive behind what you say as well. Preaching in the sight of God will keep your message right. You will preach what He lays upon your heart. Both the messages that encourage and the ones that admonish. The flock needs both to grow properly.
Praise God for the few men who will preach and teach with a real and practical realization that they are really preaching before God. If you have a Pastor like this, you should pray and thank God for him.
2COR 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
The context of this verse is talking about ministers of the New Testament. A preacher or a teacher of the Word of God is not to think anything as of himself. It is God that convicts the hearts. It is God that directs and empowers His work. Our sufficiency is of God.
But this truth does not only apply to preachers. All Christians are to be involved in God’s work. All Christians are to be witnessing. All Christians are to be involved in a local body of believers.
And no matter what job you are doing for God, your sufficiency is to be of God. You are to rely on and trust in Him and not yourself. If you serve in your power, then He does not get the glory. If you serve in His power relying on Him, then He gets the glory and not you.
2COR 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
All Christians need to remind themselves of this truth from time to time.
2COR 3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
Paul used great plainness of speech because he had hope. You have to go back a few verses to set the context and see what Paul is talking about.
2COR 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
Paul is talking about the work of the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that speaks to the hearts of men. It is Him that takes the blinders off the eyes. He is the one who empowers our words and brings the conviction.
Paul trusted in God to do the work. That is why Paul used great plainness of speech. He did not need to impress people with fancy flowery speeches. He realized that impressive complicated arguments was NOT what was needed. He realized that he was not going to change people’s lives in his own power. Paul was a tool, but God did the work. And the same is true today. We need to also use great plainness of speech and lay the truth out in a plain simple manner. We need to rely on God doing the work in the hearts of men.
Fancy words are not going to change lives. It is the Holy Spirit working on hearts that will.
2COR 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
There is a spiritual vail put over the eyes of understanding to those who read the Old Testament and have denied Christ. The Bible says their minds are blinded. This is also mentioned in 1 Cor 2:14
1 Cor 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
This explains why so many people cannot understand so much of the Bible. They are lost and they have a super natural vail over their eyes which is done away when they accept Christ as their savior.
2COR 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
It is not a new problem. It has always been this way and it is still this way today. And it is because of this that you will see so many groups come up with a false works salvation and many other beliefs that are contrary to the Bible. And yes, they all use Bible verses to try to back up what they believe. But they cannot understand the verses. They will take them out of context and they will read all kinds of strange things into them.
2COR 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
That word nevertheless can bring hope to all who have family that have this spiritual vail over their eyes. Just because they have the vail does not mean that they will always have it. They may have had it for a long time, and yet if they will turn to the Lord the vail shall be taken away. It is an act of God that does it, and it only happens when they get saved. Arguing with a spiritually blind person will not bring them sight. Stick to the one and only thing that will help them, and that is the saving gospel of Jesus. They need to repent and accept Jesus. Then and ONLY then will they ever be able to see the truths in the Bible clearly.
2COR 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2COR 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
2COR 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
In spite of what the health and wealth preachers say trouble will come into a Christian’s life. Paul was troubled on every side, he was perplexed, persecuted, and cast down. But at the same time he was not distressed, not in despair, and not destroyed.
The reason is because he was not forsaken of God. Just because trouble comes into your life does NOT mean that God has left you. In fact He promised to never leave you nor forsake you.
You need to understand that God has a plan for every trial that comes into your life. One reason is listed in verse 10. It is that Jesus might be made manifest in your life.
When trouble comes remember God is still with you and rely on Him to see you thru the trial.
2COR 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2COR 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
2COR 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
In verse 1 we see that they have this ministry and then it says, as we have received mercy. They had the right heart about serving God. They wanted to be involved in the ministry, and God had mercy on them and gave them a ministry. Paul knew that his ministry was given to him by the grace of God and therefore he did not take it for granted. Paul says we faint not.
Paul understood that it is a privilege to serve God, and Paul worked accordingly. He worked without fainting. No matter what the circumstances.
Then in verse two Paul declares how this work is to be done. Without dishonesty, without craftiness, and by not handling the word of God deceitfully. Tell the truth no matter what. Preach the whole counsel of God. It is handling the word of God deceitfully by only preaching what tickles people’s ears.
In verse 2 Paul writes, “in the sight of God.” Preach and teach as if God is sitting right there. Realize that He is watching and making note of everything that you do.
We are not to trick anyone into getting saved. We are not to declare to people something else to hook them and then later they find out that we are really about the gospel. Be upfront and open about it. We have nothing to hide. There are many groups that do not even put who they are on their literature. Only after they hook people a little bit do they let them know who they are. Some will have a conference on prophecy but only later you find out they are one of the cults.
We are to be different. We are to be totally honest and upfront about who we are, what we believe, and what we are about.
2COR 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
Paul endured quite a lot. And here he says the inward man is renewed day by day. No matter what trouble you face on the outside; no matter what the Devil throws at you. You can still be renewed thru it all by God’s grace.
And this miraculous renewing is not done all at once. On the first of August you do not get a supply of renewing for the whole month. You get enough for August 1st and on the 2nd you need renewed again. I am not talking about your salvation being renewed. No! Once saved always saved! The renewing that takes place every day has to do with walking close to God. It has to do with receiving spiritual strength, joy and peace from Him. And we NEED this renewing each and every day. Our flesh is weak. We face many temptations every day. We need Him to guide and strengthen us for the battle every day.
We get this renewing thru Bible study and thru prayer and being humble and asking for it. (God resists the proud) We desperately need to understand that the Bible is food for our spirit. We need to consider our need for the Bible more than our physical food.
Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary [food].
For your own spiritual health, you need to be in the Bible and in prayer each and every day.
2COR 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2COR 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
2COR 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Verse 6 says that while we are in the body we are absent from the Lord. This DOES NOT contradict other scripture that says He will never leave us. The next verse clarifies this. It says we walk by faith, not by sight. Today God is with us. But we cannot see Him with our eyes. What the verse is talking about is that we are absent from His presence in heaven.
Today we can only see God by faith. We see God working in our lives, we see God working in circumstances, we see God today working on and in the hearts of men. We know He is present and working, the evidence is all around us, but we cannot see Him by sight.
One day this will change. In verse 8 we learn that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. One day we will see him with our eyes.
We are also told that this happens as soon as you die. There is NO soul sleep. As soon as you are absent from the body, you are present with the Lord.
You also can tell from verse 8 that Paul longed for that day.
It will be wonderful to not have to fight sin, pain, heartache, ect… anymore. And we can look forward to that day.
However, until then we have a job to do for the Lord. I hope that you are busy witnessing for the Lord and supporting His work.
2COR 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2COR 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2COR 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2COR 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Reconciliation to God is only thru Jesus Christ. Verse 21 tells us that God the father made Jesus to be sin for us. Jesus took our sin upon him on the cross. There was more going on during the crucifixion than a man dying. There were two others who were also crucified, but believing in them does not save anyone. Believing in Jesus saves because of who He is and what He did on Calvary. He is the Son of God. Jesus is God manifested in the flesh. And He took the punishment for our sins. God the Father laid our sins upon God the Son. Accepting that is the only way to be saved.
The truth of the only way to be reconciled to God has been given to us. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ because we know the truth and are saved, we are therefore to be ambassadors for Christ. We are to be spreading the good news. This ministry of reconciliation has been given all those who are born again.
If you are saved, you need to be involved in telling others how they can be saved.
2COR 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
All men must one day stand before God. One group will stand before Him at the Great White Throne judgment. That judgment is for the lost. The other judgment is mentioned here. It is called the judgment seat of Christ. This judgment is for the saved. The purpose for this judgment is not to see if you made heaven or not. The people at this judgment are already saved. The judgment seat of Christ is so that all the redeemed can give an answer for how they lived for Christ.
Many Christians will not be concerned about this at all. They think that being saved is enough. Some will even have excuses that they have thought up for that day. To many it is just not important. Well it will be important on that day. You will be concerned then. When you are face to face with Jesus there will be no excuses.
And it will matter. You will have to go thru the 1,000 year reign with the lack of reward for not living for Him now. The Bible does indicate that the job you get during the 1,000 reign is dependent upon how faithful you are now. The parable in Luke chapter 19 is an example.
God tells us in His word how He wants us to live for Him. From giving, to service, to witnessing, to how to treat others. There is instruction for every aspect of our lives and we will have to give an answer for it all. That is a solemn thought.
2COR 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2COR 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
The Bible is very clear that we are not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Most often this verse is used as a proof text that Christians should not marry an unbeliever. And that is certainly true. But if you really look close at the context of the surrounding verses you will see that it goes much deeper than just marriage. The context here is false religions. Idol worship is mentioned in verse 16, Belial and infidels in verse 15.
And verse 17 tells us to come out FROM among them.
2COR 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
The question then comes up, what does it mean to be yoked. A yoke is what you harness two animals in to pull the same load. But for this to work both animals must be pulling the same direction. If one animal is pulling North and the other is pulling South, a lot of pulling might be getting done but they are going nowhere.
The same is true for us. If you yoke a Christian to a Muslim, they will be pulling in two opposite directions. The Christian will be working for Jesus and trying to bring people to Christ. The Muslim will be pulling in the opposite direction trying to bring people to their false god and thus with them into hell.
The idea today of having interfaith meetings with all religions is AGAINST the clear teaching of the Word of God.
A lot of pulling might get done, but the cause of Christ will get nowhere.
And remember that a yoke is talking about working together. It is about pulling the same load. This verse is not saying that we cannot talk to unbelievers, or have them as friends, or work with them on the job site. It is talking about pulling a load together for the cause of Christ. And this applies to marriage because a husband and wife are to be pulling the same load the same way for Christ in their household, in their finances, in raising children, and in reaching the lost.
2COR 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Now is the day of salvation. Now is the accepted time to be saved. Now is the only time that we have guaranteed. People die all the time un-expectantly. Some will leave work tonight and not make it home. Some will get hit by a drunk driver. Others will have a sudden heart attack. It could be a number of things. The truth is that none of us can be assured that we will be here next year, let alone next week. The only time that you are guaranteed to have to get saved is right now. Now is the accepted time.
I believe that there are large numbers of people in hell right now that had every intention to get saved someday. They figured that they had plenty of time. They wanted to indulge in sin first for a while. It has been well said that all Satan has to do to get you into hell is to get you to put off getting saved. Putting it off one day will lead to you putting it off for another, and then one day you will wake up dead and burning in hell. The wise thing to do is get saved today, while it is the accepted time.
If you are already saved, the truth that those around you could be dead tomorrow and in hell should stir you to witness to them. Give them a tract, pray for them, tell them about Jesus. Let us have a greater concern for the lost.
2COR 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
2COR 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
Sometimes you need to consider the whole context of a letter and to whom it was written. This can change the impact of what is in the letter. In these verses is an example. Some will see the word ministry and the phrase ministers of God in these verses and make an assumption that they don’t apply to me because these are for ministers. That is a mistake. This is NOT a pastoral epistle. It was not written to preachers for preachers. This book was written to a group of local believers in Corinth. A group that had many problems as you know from reading 1 Cor. By the time this letter was written they had grown much in the Lord but they still have some growing to do.
Paul tells them to give no offence in anything so that the ministry will not be blamed. This applies to all Christians. How we live and handle things matter. If done wrong can cause the lost to say bad things against the ministry. Then in verse 4 Paul talks about being the ministers of God. Remember this is not written to pastors, this is written to Christians. Does this mean that all Christians are to be pastors? No, of course not. It does mean that all Christians are to be ministers of the Word. Every one of us is to be involved in spreading the Word to the lost. Every one of us need to minister to the saints. Cry with them when they cry and rejoice with them when they rejoice. We are to help our brothers and sisters in Christ. Every Christians is to be a minister to the lost and to the brethren.
2COR 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
2COR 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
We see here that there are two different kinds of repentance. The first kind is godly repentance. Verse 10 says that godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation. It says that this kind of repentance is not to be repented of. Real godly repentance has a real lasting impact on one’s life.
The second kind is the worldly type. Verse 10 tells us that this kind of sorrow only worketh death.
A worldly repentance has no lasting effect and cannot save anyone. In the end its result is eternal death. We see too much of this type today.
What we need is real godly repentance. It is the only kind that will have not only a lasting effect in how someone lives their lives, but it is the only kind that will save people for all eternity.
Repentance is a part of salvation. We are saved by grace and it is a free gift of God. But you must call upon the Lord to save you with a repentant heart.
Pray that God will send a big dose of godly repentance. That there would be a real revival. One that would matter in eternity.
2COR 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The statement, “Having therefore these promises” points back to the last verses of Chapter 6.
2COR 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
2COR 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
God says come out from among them. He says be separate and touch not the unclean thing. Then comes the promise, and I will receive you. This is not talking about salvation. Salvation is a gift of God and not of works. You don’t touch not the unclean thing and because of that get saved. That is not it at all. What is being talked about here is fellowship. In 7:1 he uses the word dearly beloved, and he says, “let us cleanse ourselves”. Paul includes himself in this group so this is written to the saved.
These verses are talking about God’s promise that if we separate from the world that He will be in fellowship with us. Therefore because of this promise, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The point is that close fellowship with God is worth separating from filthiness. God promises to receive us in fellowship if we touch not the unclean thing, therefore we should do it. We should consider His promise and act accordingly.
2COR 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
2COR 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
2COR 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
Paul says that he had tribulation. He says that they were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. He says that our flesh had no rest. There is no doubt that Paul was going thru a troubling time.
And at the same time Paul says I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. The lost might say how is that possible? Verse 6 has the answer, God, that comforteth those that are cast down. God has the power, the ability, and the Love to comfort His own during tribulation. He has reasons for allowing the trouble, but He will not leave you alone. He will send comfort to those that are cast down. We have a loving God.
And notice how this comfort was sent, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
God used another brother in Christ to bring comfort to Paul. Here we see both God and man involved. God comforts those who are cast down, and He used Titus in the process. God actually does the work, but He chooses to use men who are willing to be used. Men who are willing to be a blessing to others.
How about you? Are you willing to be used by God to bring comfort to His own?
See more lessons from 2 Corinthians