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the Word of Truth (2 Timothy 2:15)
Established
November 2008 Published weekly on Friday
This is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men (and women) to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Timothy 2:3-4)
2 Corinthians 1:12-23 Lesson
03
When the calendar reveals
there’s only two weeks before Christmas, then you can expect an announcement from
me letting you know this will be the last Bible lesson of 2016. As per our custom, the next lesson will be published
on the first Friday of 2017.
HBS voluntarily “steps back” during the Christmas holiday
so that y’all can focus your attention on your families, your friends, and the reason for the season, Jesus Christ. Without a doubt Santa and his reindeer get
all the air-time from Thanksgiving onward, but Truth-be-told, a Child born in a
manger in Bethlehem, Ephrathah changed the world forever (Micah
5:2)!
Christmas time is a
special time of year, i.e. love is in the
air! HBS wants everyone to take
advantage of the opportunities this presents; spread some cheer.
If you know someone
who is alone this holiday, invite them over for a meal, or just spend some time with them; comfort them in their hour of need.
Carrying a grudge
against someone? Let go of your resentment
toward them; forgive them and break
free of the prison of animosity you’re building for yourself.
Know someone who
needs Jesus? Invite them to attend church
with you this week or next; they may accept your invitation. God performs miracles year-round but
especially at Christmas time. I’m a
miracle for once I was blind but now I
see.
We wish you and yours a Very Merry Christmas, June & Gary
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The section we are
about to study this week begins with Paul defending
his integrity. Paul’s change in
plans about visiting Corinth caused even more discord amongst the Believers
there; some of them brought charges of irresponsibility and cowardice against him. A minority of the Corinthians were going
around saying Paul wouldn’t dare come to Corinth to face those who questioned
his apostleship. Then the Petrine Jewish
representatives were saying harmful things about his character and reputation,
hinting at fraud where the Judean collection was concerned. They questioned his sincerity, when he refused to accept compensation from the
Believers for his service. They even attacked
him personally noting his “humble” appearance and his simplicity of speech (2 Corinthians 10:10). They went so far as to question his sanity at
one point (2 Corinthians 5:13).
Now Paul was
already overwhelmed with the concerns of this church, the other churches he ministered
to, and the issues he was dealing with in Ephesus, so rather than harass him
further with more bad news, Titus
chose to reveal the bad news in
Corinth to our Apostle Paul gradually. This
may account for the lack of definite arrangement or outline in this
letter. As I pointed out in the
introductory lesson, this letter from Paul responds to a variety of important
topics, but lacks the formal arrangement we’ve grown accustomed to. 2 Corinthians comes across as “disorganized”
in its response to these subjects. However,
one fact stands tall 2 Corinthians is unique in that you won’t find Paul pouring out his heart in love or so many
touching passages to any other church
as we have here.
People ask, “Was the church in Corinth worth it?” I respond to this question with a question of
my own. “When Jesus Christ chose to die
on the Cross for the sins of all were
we worth it?” The answer is undeniably, “Yes.”
********
Please
open your Bible at 2 Corinthians 1:12
Our Apostle Paul’s Integrity
Starting
with verses 12-14, we’re looking at three things primarily: Paul’s conscience,
his godly sincerity, and the grace of God.
2 Corinthians 1
12: For our proud
confidence is this: the testimony of our
conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in
fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in
the world, and especially toward you.
13: For we write
nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will
understand, and I hope you will understand until the end;
14: just as you
also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you
also are yours, in the day of our Lord Jesus.
This
isn’t the only place in Paul’s writings where he mentions how he strove to have a clear conscience. You may be able to discern how important this
was in his ministry. He could look
members of the Sanhedrin in the eye and with conviction say, Brethren, I have lived my life with a
perfectly good conscience before God up to this day (Acts
23:1).
Paul’s
comment didn’t sit well with the Jewish high priest whose conscience had
already been “seared with a hot iron”
that he commanded those standing beside
him (i.e. Paul) to strike him on the
mouth (Acts 23:2; 1 Timothy 4:2).
What
does this mean for you and me? Each and
every Believer’s conscience (and not
just some) needs to be more and more
formed by the Word of God and the Spirit of God and not by the opinions of man
or the world (1 Timothy 3:9). It’s not the responsibility of your church
leader to enlighten you; this task rests upon your shoulders. God will judge Believers by the light they
have, but all Believers need to be increasingly open to what the Scriptures say
(and I contend, “What the Bible does not say”) and the Spirit for more and more
light in order to continue to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
In
last week’s lesson I tried to point out in this life we’ll never reach a point
where we know all there is to know
about the Lord – or this book we call the Bible. If you ever hear someone say they do know it
all. Turn around and move away from that
individual because he or she is trying to sell you something you don’t
need… In this context, the end time
judgment is in view, i.e. the Bema Seat Judgment (2 Corinthians 1:13-14). Paul’s motives and actions were severely
criticized by a minority of false teachers at Corinth (chapters 10-13). One group of opponents was localized with expressed
divided loyalties (1 Corinthians 1:12).
The other group was likely made up of Petrine, Jewish false teachers
from out of town, meddling in his affairs.
If
you’ll recall, back in 1 Corinthians 4:1-3 Paul had this to say about being judged by men: …it
is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court… The
marks of Paul’s good conscience and of his spiritual integrity were his
simplicity and godly sincerity. Paul was blessed with a keen intellect, yet
his preaching was not “with earthly
wisdom” but “by the grace of God.” This is how he conducted himself not only in
the world, but more abundantly
toward them (v12).
The
Greek word for sincerity (v1) is Eilikrineis, (pronounced:
i-lik-ree-nace’), Adjective, Strong’s Greek # 1506, meaning, Pure, uncontaminated; literally, to judge in the sunlight. It’s
interesting how this phrase-in-a-word became one of the four Greek terms used
for sincerity.
The
Greeks produced many beautiful urns, vases, bowls, and pitchers with colored designs
that would glisten from the coats of lacquer that covered them. Every now and then, however, the lacquer, or
even the vessel itself, would develop a flaw.
You can call this a crack too either
word works. Now a cracked urn won’t hold
wine or olive oil very well, so it isn’t worth much if anything at all. But instead of discarding these flawed items some
unprincipled dealers would fill the crack with colored wax to match the
surrounding color. The defect would
become virtually undetectable – unless you held the vessel up to the sunlight! Thus Eilikrinei
became one of the Greek words for sincerity,
for knowledgeable buyers would hold any vessel up to the sunlight to ensure
that it was flawless or sincere.
But
there is more to this passage. Paul
solemnly declares here that he had lived in the world and among the Corinthian Believers “not in fleshly wisdom,” but in “godly sincerity.” Paul must
mean to be judged “in the sunlight of
God’s scrutiny.” How appropriate
then for the Believers who live in this world,
and especially amongst other Believers, in
simplicity and godly sincerity” or “without wax,” “until the Lord comes, who both will bring to light the hidden things of
darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart…” (1 Corinthians
4:5).
In
verse 13, Paul is saying he meant what he
said; he was referring to what he wrote to them in his first letter when he
declared, “For we write nothing else to
you than what you read and understand.” Obviously, they had read what he
had written and that was exactly what he had meant. Paul doesn’t alter his message like the men
who study worldly wisdom. There was no “craftiness” in his writings –
no hidden meanings. The letter had been
one of rebuke and warning, but it had also been written out of much “affection and anguish of his heart,” and
“with many tears,” and with an “abundance of love” (2 Corinthians
2:4).
Some
of the members of the church in Corinth had accepted his letter as written and they
began to make changes straight away, but some others were offended at his
reproof and perverted its meaning. Some
even charged him with loose talk, declaring
that his expressed desire to visit them was all a bluff and a deceit, that he
had no intention of coming, but had merely threatened them to gain their
obedience. But, how wrong they were! A careful study of 1 Corinthians reveals Paul
as writing with the calm confidence of one who lived and labored in the
presence of God.
Moving
down to verse 14a, I note a touch of sadness in these words, “just as you also partially did
understand us… For those of you who
use the KJV Bible the passage reads: As also ye have acknowledged us in part. Now when you only have a part of something, no matter what it is, what’s missing? The other part,
right? The entire assembly at
Corinth had received the same message from
Paul, but it’s clear from the Corinthian letters that not all the Believers
acknowledged Paul as God’s called and appointed apostle of grace. What’s even sadder is that this is typical of
God’s church in the 21st century which also only “in part” acknowledges
Paul’s distinctive ministry as God’s apostle for the present dispensation of
grace. But, even though he was only acknowledged
partially, he says of that part:
that we are your reason to be
proud as you also are yours in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If
he was their rejoicing, they were
certainly his. It was Paul’s deep and
constant joy that when finally called to be with Christ at the Rapture, these
Believers would be right there alongside him, as demonstration of the riches of
God’s Grace.
Let’s
go to verses 15-20:
2 Corinthians 1
15: In this confidence
I intended at first to come to you, so that you might twice receive a blessing;
16: that is, to
pass your way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by
you to be helped on my journey to Judea.
17: Therefore, I
was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to
the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time?
18: But as God is
faithful, our word to you is not yes and no.
19: For the Son of
God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us – by me and Silvanus (a.k.a. Silas) and Timothy – was not yes and no, but is
yes in Him.
20: For as many as
are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our
Amen to the glory of God through us.
In
verse 15, we see Paul acknowledging that he previously had planned to “visit”
the saints in Corinth before going into Macedonia,
so that they might twice receive a blessing. Now, as to the ruckus Paul’s change of
plans brought about in Corinth, did Paul make his plans “”according to the flesh,” did he appear to be “indecisive,” or “did
he make light” of his decision to change his travel plans? Was Paul guilty of any of these things as
some of the folks in Corinth claimed?
I’m not seeing it. What I do see
is his yes means yes and his no means no (v17).
What
the Corinthians aren’t acknowledging is the important circumstances, including
their sad spiritual state, which prevented Paul from coming to them sooner (1
Corinthians 4:21). Again, he said he did
not make his plans “according to the
flesh,” which meant he would not come to them to stand beside them just to
prove his own integrity. He sought God’s will, for He alone knows the
end from the beginning and leads His children one step at a time. God
never needs to change His mind, but His children may want to.
Paul
named Silas and Timothy in this passage for they had faithfully labored among
them, and declares that he and they had not preached to them a yes and no gospel, but a very positive one, one that was centered in Christ
Jesus, who is the yes and Amen, i.e. so be it of all God’s promises (v20).
Let’s
go to verses 21-24:
2 Corinthians 1
21: Now He who
establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God,
22: who also sealed
us and gave us the Spirit in our
hearts as a pledge.
23: But I call God
as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth.
24: Not that we
lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your
faith you are standing firm.
In
verse 21 Paul is saying the One who establishes
us (every Believer) in Christ, is
God. It is He who anoints us or consecrates us to His
Service (Romans 12:1-2). Furthermore,
God also has sealed us by giving the Spirit
in our hearts as a pledge or down payment on the heavenly promises that are
to come. God has placed His stamp of
approval, His seal of acceptance on every Believer, our faults notwithstanding,
so that we all may join with our Apostle Paul in saying, “God is the one that justifies; who is the one that condemns?” (Romans 8:1, 33-34; Ephesians 1:13-14)
It
is against this backdrop that Paul makes this statement, “But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I
did not come again to Corinth (v23).
Paul wasn’t seeking retribution against those who smeared his good name
and character in Corinth, clearly.
Instead of taking the fleshly approach
to problem solving, Paul calls upon God in a prayer to confirm to these
Corinthians the validity of his defense.
Careful
study of this section will reveal that Paul had chosen not to exercise his
apostolic authority over this church, but to promote their greatest welfare
instead. Had the former been the case,
he would have arrived on the scene wielding a disciplinary rod as
required. But it was by faith (alone)
that they must stand, not by apostolic decree.
For you see standing for God and His expressed will, His revealed
truths, by faith (alone), does indeed bring with it the greatest spiritual
blessing.
(To
be continued)
©
Copyright 2011
GJ
Heitzman’s Ministry
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Rights Reserved
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