Thoughts on 2 Corinthians – Part 2
2COR 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
2COR 8:8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
The grace that Paul is telling them to also abound in is the grace of giving. Paul tells them in this chapter of other churches in Macedonia who gave liberally even though they were in deep poverty.
They were able to give beyond their own power. They were willing to give. Their hearts were right with God. They asked Paul to receive their gift with much entreaty. They greatly desired to have a part in the ministering to the saints.
They gave above what Paul had hoped. This was possible because they gave their own selves to the Lord first. And they gave according to the will of God.
Paul says in verse 8 that giving proves the sincerity of your love.
Even if it is just a small amount, all of us can give something. And we all will if our hearts are right with God.
2COR 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Grace is un-merited favor. You can think of it as getting something that you do not deserve. Jesus was in the glories of heaven and He left that to come to this sin stained world and become poor. He did not even have a place to lay His head. He humbled Himself and lived a sinless life here so that He could go to the cross and pay for our sins. He was the just dying for the unjust. He took our sins upon Him and died for us. God the Father turned His back on God the Son. And the payment was accepted. It was enough. 3 days later Jesus rose again.
Jesus is now back in heaven. He is rich once again. And verse 9 says that He went thru it all so that through His poverty we also might be rich. In other words He did it all so that we could go to heaven and be with Him. This is the amazing love of God. And we don’t deserve it. That is why it is called grace.
EPH 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
We should be ever thankful for what He did for us. Be thankful for the grace of God.
2COR 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
What grace is he talking about when he says, see that ye abound in this grace also? All you have to do is look at the context of the verses before and you will see that the grace mentioned is the grace of giving. So they were to abound in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in diligence, and love, and also in giving. They were not to do the first 5 but ignore the 6th. God does give grace for faith and He gives grace to give utterance of that faith to others. It is God who enables us. He does it in many areas and here we see that there is grace available for giving, and that it should NOT be ignored. In fact we are to abound in it.
2COR 8:8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
Many will give lip service to love, but they stop there. Here we see that it is giving that proves the sincerity of your love.
2COR 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
In verse 9 what Jesus gave for us is mentioned. This should put things into perspective. After what He gave for us, should we not want to give back to Him out of gratitude?
2COR 8:10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
2COR 8:11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
Having a mind to give is not enough. There needs to be a performing of it. Determine to give and then follow thru and give. An intention to give never helps anyone.
Notice it also says out of that which ye have. God never intended you to give until you are in the poor house. The Bible teaches proportional giving. Give as God has prospered you. The heart also needs to be right. God loves a cheerful giver. Giving needs to be done out of a heart of love. It is a reflection of the heart. Therefore if you are not giving, then what does that say about your heart?
2COR 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
2COR 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
2COR 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Paul is still on the topic of giving in this chapter. He brings up 3 very important points about giving in verses 6, 7, and 8.
In verse 6 Paul brings up the truth that the law of reaping and sowing also applies to giving. He that soweth sparingly reaps sparingly, and he that soweth bountifully reaps bountifully. The context of the surrounding verses makes it clear that Paul is talking about giving to God’s work in verse 6. Is your ministry reaping sparingly? Then maybe your giving is the problem.
In verse 7 we see that the heart attitude about giving is important to God. Every man is to NOT give grudgingly. A man is to give as he purposeth in his heart. Giving is to be a heart matter. If you are giving with the wrong heart, you are NOT impressing God. God loves a cheerful giver. If you are giving but you are doing it grudgingly, then maybe you should just keep your money until you can get your heart right.
And in verse 8 Paul brings up the fact that God is able to provide that you may give. God will provide you the grace to give so that you may abound to every good work. If you give to God’s work with the right heart, He will not let you starve.
2COR 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
2COR 9:3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
2COR 9:4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
2COR 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
This church has many problems as you can tell by their first letter, but in verse 2 we do see that they now had zeal. Their zeal was to give to the ministry. Paul boasted of them to others and the zeal of this church provoked many to do likewise. Now the time of the promised gift is coming. And sadly to say Paul was worried that they might not keep their promise. Paul did not want these believers to be ashamed when it came time to collect.
So Paul sent others ahead to remind them of their promise and to help them get ready so they could fulfill their promise. The lesson here is that is a shame for a Christian to promise to give and then not do it.
2COR 9:11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
The context here is still giving. And here we see some of the results of giving. It causes thanksgiving to God. When you give you are used as a tool to bring about others giving thanks to God. Vs 11 says, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
2COR 9:12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
The giving does take care of a real physical need, it supplieth the want of the saints, and that is a good and needed thing. But the giving also does more. It brings about abundant thanksgivings unto God by many people.
I have taken food to some poor brothers and sisters in Christ. They were in great need and very thankful. It is a joy to see their faces and to hear them praise God for it. They will tell their family and friends and many more will give thanks to God. Right giving brings about abundant thanksgivings unto God.
2COR 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men;
2COR 9:14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
Those you give to will often end up praying for you. They can have a real love for you because of the exceeding grace of God that is in you. Giving can be a wonderful thing, and you can be blessed by it in ways you cannot imagine. It brings joy to others and to you. It glorifies our Lord. And it often brings returned acts of kindness, and as we see in verse 14 giving will increase the number of people who pray for you.
When is the last time you gave to someone’s need?
2COR 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Notice that our weapons are not carnal. This verse is not talking about M16’s. This is talking about spiritual weapons. And our spiritual weapons are mighty through God and not thru ourselves. They are mighty to the pulling down of strong holds. This brings up the question what strongholds? The next verse tells us.
2COR 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Just like the weapons are not carnal but spiritual, the strongholds are also not carnal but spiritual. The strongholds are not forts and military bases. They are spiritual strongholds.
The first stronghold mentioned is imaginations. Many a man has fallen into the sin of adultery because of his imagination.
The second one mentioned is every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. This covers a great number of things. Just one example would be evolution. Some have had their faith shaken because of the lie of evolution. Some evolutionists can talk a good talk but they have no proof. And what they teach is against the knowledge of God.
But our spiritual weapons are mighty thru God. He can enable us to overcome our imaginations and we can overcome our wicked thoughts. We are told in verse 5 to, bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
If our thoughts do not line up with God’s Word, then we are to bring our thoughts into line with God’s word.
We have no excuse for not doing this because He has given us the power to pull down these strongholds. We just need to humble ourselves and call upon Him to help us.
2COR 10:8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
Paul had been given authority by God. God is a God of order. He expects things to be done decently and in order. He is not the author of confusion. It is not His plan to have deacons running the pastor and the wives running the deacons. God does set up an authority structure. The structure is God, then the man of God, and then the flock. The structure is to be simple and direct. God is really the authority working thru the pastor. This structure is vertical with Jesus as the head. Man likes to set up horizontal structure, this is where man is the authority. In a horizontal structure the preacher gets orders from some headquarters where some man is calling the shots.
We are to have vertical structure. However, the preacher needs to remember what this authority is for. Paul tells us in verse 8, “which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction.” Edification is building people up. It is training and teaching. The goal is to help people. And not to destroy people. The authority of the man of God is given to guide, build up, help, and love God’s people. And to truly do that the pastor must preach and teach the word of God with authority but hugely important, for the right reasons and with the right heart.
2COR 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Too many people will make the mistake of comparing themselves to others. They will say I am not as bad as so and so. Or I am doing more than they are. The Bible tells us that is NOT wise. Others will compare themselves with themselves. They will say I am not as bad as I used to be. I am trying to do better all the time. This again is the wrong approach and is also not wise. They are looking at the wrong standard. Looking at others or your own progress can lead to several bad things. It can lead to harsh judgment of others and it can lead to a false since of security. You can think that you are better than you are for there is always someone worse than you.
There is only one correct standard to look at, and that is God’s standard. This standard leads to accepting Jesus as your Saviour because you realize that no one can measure up to God’s perfect standard. We need God’s mercy and His grace to be saved. God be merciful to me a sinner is our cry.
Looking to His standard makes the child of God keep pressing toward the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. It makes us realize how far we fall short; how much growing we have to do. None of us have arrived yet! We need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Amen.
2COR 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2COR 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2COR 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Make no mistake, Satan is in the religion business!
He has false apostles. The Devil has deceitful workers who transform themselves into the apostles of Christ. They will name the name of Jesus and they will teach about Him. They will claim to follow Jesus and most of them actually believe that they are following Jesus, but they are actually following Satan.
They fool many people. They really look like ministers of righteousness. They say many good things and they do many good things. Verse 14 says that this should not surprise us. Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness.
They will fool people but they will not fool God. Verse 15 says that their end shall be according to their works. God knows who they are and they will be punished in the end. We do not have to fret about that.
The question then becomes, how can I tell who they are. Since Satan’s ministers can be transformed as the ministers of righteousness how can I not be fooled.
The answer is easier than you might think. Their teaching will not line up with the Word of God.
This is just one more reason that you need to be in the Word of God for yourself.
2COR 11:6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
2COR 10:10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
Paul was not a good speaker. He says that his speech was contemptible, and he was rude in speech. He was also not a good looker. He did not have a powerful presence. Paul says that his bodily presence is weak. Paul would not make it very far today in the mega church or in T.V. land. Big churches require a great speaker. Someone that can hold them spell bound with his speaking and who is easy to listen to. And being entertaining is also a requirement. If you put a Paul in the pulpit in many churches today, the place would empty out in a hurry. Think about that for a moment. The writer of much of the New Testament.
Paul might not have been a good speaker or have a pleasing appearance. Neither of those are requirements to be used by God. God can use anyone.
Paul was knowledgeable and led by God. Paul was a very dedicated and spiritual man who walked with the Lord.
All too often people put carnal qualifications above spiritual qualifications. It should not be that way. When a pulpit committee is having to look for a man to fill the pulpit, they need to be more concerned with the man’s knowledge and his spiritual qualifications than his appearance and speaking ability.
2COR 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Paul is once again warning against false teachers. It seems like they are everywhere, and they cannot stand to just let people believe the simple truth. God loves people. He is not willing that any should perish. He wants the lost to come to Him. God has made it real simple. Simple enough for all to understand. You don’t need a high I.Q. You don’t need a college education. You do not need to be a theologian.
To be in Christ all you have to do is believe that you are a sinner and with a repentant heart call upon the Lord to save you. That is it. That is the simple truth.
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Act 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
That is the simplicity that is in Christ. It is not a works matter; it is a heart matter. Call upon God with a repentant heart and you are saved. Don’t let false teachers turn you away from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2COR 12:9 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.
Paul was given a thorn in the flesh. There are many theories as to what Paul’s thorn was, but no one really knows for sure. If it was important for us to know what it was, God would have told us what it was.
Instead of concerning ourselves with what the thorn was, we should concern ourselves with what was the purpose of the thorn. Why was it there and what did it accomplish.
2COR 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
Verse 7 tells us why Paul was given a thorn. It was given so that he would not be exalted above measure. The thorn was given to keep Paul humble. To keep him from getting too big for his britches as the saying goes.
Verse 9 tells us that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul realized this and gloried in his infirmities and the result was that the power of Christ rested upon him.
The thorn made Paul usable. In verse 10 Paul said, “when I am weak, then am I strong.” The thorn made Paul realize his weakness and made him lean on God’s power and not his own.
God gave the thorn to Paul to make him humble, to make him lean on God, to make Paul usable for God’s work.
We are not given the kind of thorn that Paul had. He was a special case. He had seen revelations that we will never see. He beheld revelations that could easily go to a man’s head. So God tailored a thorn just for Paul.
God does not give us Paul’s thorn, but God will bring thorns into our lives from time to time to effect the same results. God will use trials in our lives to humble us, to make us lean on God, and make us usable for God’s work.
When a trial comes into your life, don’t complain about it. Be thankful for what it is teaching you. Be thankful that God is working in your life.
And always remember the promise in verse 9. God’s grace is sufficient. No matter how bad it gets, God can get you thru it.
2COR 12:18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
2COR 12:19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
Paul and Titus understood that the ministry was not about them. It was about others. They were not in it for filthy lucre. They were not in it for power, or prestige. It was not about what they could get out of it. Paul would have never sold a book that cost 5.00 to make for 29.95. Titus would not have sold a CD that costs 2.00 to make for 16.95. Their focus was not on business or merchandising. Paul wrote, “but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.”
Now I am not against writing and selling books. I am not against selling CD’s. They are good tools that can help many. But the reason and goal behind them needs to be to minister and edify the saints and not as a profit center. Ministry is about others and not self.
The driving reason behind all that is done in the ministry needs to be for edifying the people, and not for power, prestige, or money.
2COR 12:14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your’s but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
There was trouble in the Corinthian church. Some members did not like Paul very much. They would debate who was better. Some would put Paul down and cast doubt upon his motives. In verse 14 Paul says, “I seek not your’s but you.” Paul was not in it for money. He was not after what was theirs. In fact he made a point not to take money from them to support himself. Paul knew that they were not spiritually strong enough; he knew it would be a problem for them so he forsook a paycheck.
2COR 12:17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
Paul says very plainly that he did not make a gain from any of them. And not only Paul, but any of the preachers he sent to them.
2COR 12:19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
“I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your’s but you:”
It was not about profit. It was not about getting what they had. It was about THEM. The ministry is about people! Paul also says in verse 19 that we do all things for your edifying. The purpose behind all they did was to build them up in the faith. To teach them, train them, show them how to live for Jesus, to make them more knowledgeable and stronger in the faith. If you are in the ministry in any way, you should always remember it is never about you. It is always about them. Teach, encourage, admonish, ect with their best interest in mind. Build them up in the faith.
If you are not in ministry, but are a Christian, then this applies to you also. You also need to realize that it is not all about you. It is about others and you also need to be involved in building others up. “for I seek not your’s but you:”
2COR 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
Jesus was crucified but He did not stay dead! Jesus lives. He was raised by the power of God. We serve a risen savior.
Mohammad is dead and in a grave. All of the Popes are also in a grave. Same goes for the leaders of all of Satan’s religions. Jesus is the only one who rose from the dead.
This is very important. Since Mohammad has no power to raise his own body, he certainly does not have any power to raise you.
But Jesus has the power over death. Verse 4 says that we will live with Him. If you are saved, you will be raised one day to live with Him for all eternity.
2COR 13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
People can and do all kinds of things to try to damage the truth. They try to twist it, deny it, and even destroy it. They spread lies. They invent facts. They come up with clever arguments. But regardless of their efforts. The truth is still the truth. 2 + 2 = 4 no matter what you think about it or what someone else says.
Truth cannot be changed. “we can do nothing against the truth” Facts are facts. Attacking them will not change them.
It is a fact that all men are born sinners on their way to hell.
It is a fact that man cannot save himself.
It is a fact that works do not save.
It is a fact that Jesus is God manifested in the flesh.
It is a fact that Jesus lived a sinless life and had no sin of His own.
It is a fact that Jesus went to the cross and paid for our sins.
It is a fact that salvation is a gift and that all we have to do is believe with a repentant heart and call upon Him to save us.
It is a fact that Jesus is the only way to heaven.
It does not matter if it is not politically correct. It does not matter how mad people get about it. Opinions do not matter. Truth is truth.
JOHN 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
2COR 13:7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
It has always amazed me how people will think that it a terrible thing if a preacher stands up and tells Christians to do no evil. They will call him names, and claim he is a legalist. Telling Christians to not sin is not legalism. Legalism is trying to work your way to heaven. Telling Christians to do no evil is not telling them to work their way to heaven. They are already saved. Telling them to do no evil, is simply telling them to do what is honest!!!!
Being saved is no license to sin. Sin is wrong. It is terrible. How terrible? Sin is so bad that the only payment that would be accepted is the death of the Son of God. That is how bad sin is! When a Christian does sin it brings shame upon our Saviour. We should not sin out of love for Jesus. We should do that which is honest, and right, and just, and deny the flesh and the lusts thereof. A Christian is to follow after Jesus and live according to His Word. Amen!
See more lessons from 2 Corinthians