Purify

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

PURIFY

2 Cor 7:1

7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

NIV

We should look back just a moment to review those promises. God said, “I will live with them and walk among then and I will be their God and they will be my people.” He also said that “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters. This, of course, is because we are the temple of the living God. So this coming out from among them, not behaving in the same manner, not being yoked, no being in partnership with unbelievers in any form all relates to purifying ourselves from everything that contaminates our body and spirit. How do we expect God to live with us and walk among us and be our God and us be his people when we accept so much of the ways of the world? Do we not know that being yoked contaminates us? Just as with a team of oxen, the weaker one will also drag the stronger one back, so it is with unbelievers. If we are in partnership with them, they will drag us back. We must purify ourselves from any manner of living as the world lives. We do not live by sight, but by faith in God. God has promised so much for us if we simply live for him rather than for self as the world does. Who would we rather have walk by our side, those of the world or God? So whose side do we chose to walk by? What has the world promised us? It promises if we learn as much as we can, make the most out of education, become successful, buy all the stuff, live in a great house, drive fancy cars, and if we work hard, or smart and make lots of money, invest it wisely, store as much up as we can for some later day, we will enjoy all the benefits of life and be happy every after. It also promises that at the end we will simply die leaving everything behind and never into the kingdom of God, but perish. God promises that he will live with us, walk with us, and that he will be our Father and we will be his sons and daughters and that at the end of this life, we will have life everlasting and will enter into his Kingdom. Should we give all that up for a brief moment of self-satisfaction? Should we give that up so we can partner with unbelievers and accumulate wealth like they do? Is it that difficult for us to see what contaminates us? Can we not see the warning signs posted all over the unbelievers? Do not touch! Unclean! We cannot afford to accept their way of life, we must live for God in all ways of our life. Purify.

No Yoking

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

NO YOKING

2 Cor 6:14-18

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."   17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate,       says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."   18 "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,    says the Lord Almighty."  

NIV

This is one of those scriptures some people use for only the things they want to. So many apply this to believers not supposed to marry an unbeliever and leave it at that. Some apply this in the sense that believers should isolate themselves from life with unbelievers. But there is much more here than that. To be yoked is to be in partnership with someone. As two oxen are yoked in order to pull together in the same direction, so are we when we join an unbeliever in any endeavor. That would apply to marriage, but it also would apply to being in business as well as investing in the business of an unbeliever. Whenever we place our money in the hands of an unbeliever, for the sake of their business, looking for a share of the profits from our investment, then we are being yoked together with unbelievers. The greater problem is that when we yoke ourselves in that manner, we might well be giving our money over to Satan for one of his plots to destroy the soul of people. We cannot know for sure if the company we invest in does not support Planned Parenthood, or gay marriage, or even have investments in gentleman clubs or the porn industry. Would marrying an unbeliever worse than that? We cannot have any sort of agreement, signed contract, investment plan, IRA, 401K or any form of being yoked in any manner. It is so plan and so simple, yet so many have their eyes blinded to this truth. We should not sit on any board of directors with unbelievers, casting our vote in agreement with them. We should not have any business dealers where our money and theirs is joined together in any way shape or form. This is truly coming out from them and being separate. This does not apply to living life with them, being involved in the daily living, as that is who we might share the gospel message. If we withdraw from life in any manner, from unbelievers, than we cannot share the gospel with them, which is what we are called to do. So we should live among them, but not be in partnership with them. Yes, there are activities which we abstain from which that indulge in. Yes, abstaining is being separate. But that should not be a barrier between our being involved in their lives, in order to share the gospel message. The not being yoked has everything to do with a shared investment. Do not be yoked.

Open Wide

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

OPEN WIDE

2 Cor 6:11-13

11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 13 As a fair exchange — I speak as to my children — open wide your hearts also.

NIV

Is it not enough to just open our hearts to each other? It appears the answer to that question is no, for it seems we should open our hearts wide. Why would these people without or restrain their affection for Paul? Why would we restrain our affection toward others? Surely there has to be people within the body of Christ that simply rub us the wrong way and certainly do not open their hearts wide toward us. Of course then there is no reason for a fair exchange, other than for us to return their coldness, or restrain with the same. Then of course there are those who simply, for whatever reason, do not like us and restrain any affection toward us. Again the only fair exchange is not to like them. There are those who may be jealous of us for some reason, so again, the fair exchange works well. But the point here is that we should not be the ones who merely respond with an exchange, but we should be the ones who take that step of opening our hearts wide to others, and if we do not receive the same in kind, perhaps we should be speaking to them as immature children, teaching them proper behavior for believers in Christ. It would appear that those who do not open wide their hearts to other believers are simply children, immature believers, unable to discern the truth in scripture, or they may know the truth, but as little children they push back, refusing to be obedient to their Father. We need to make sure we are not like that. We need to make sure we do not hide away our affections for others, keeping them bottled up inside, isolated and restrained. We need to remember this passage and open wide our hearts toward others, being real, showing our affection, showing our hearts, to others.. Yes it might be difficult. Yes, it does require forgiveness. It might even cause some pain, like going to the dentist, when we hear those words, “Open Wide”. 

Are We Willing?

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

ARE WE WILLING?

2 Cor 6:3-10

3 We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

NIV

How many of us would be willing to live that kind of life? It seems we cannot even give up just one of our creature comforts for the sake of another’s soul. It might also be said of us that we are so unwilling to have anyone think poorly of us that we have built a great defensive wall around ourselves and are unwilling to speak up about the damnation they face if they do not accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Why do we what our “good” life so much instead of wanting to do the will of God? We proclaim all the verses of scripture which promise us all the material blessings, but somehow leave out ones like this which show us we might need to give them all up in order to fulfill God’s mission for our life. Maybe we should be operating more in the Spirit then in the flesh. Maybe we should be living completely sold out for God, instead of trying to fit him into our own plans for life. Losing a job, because of being outspoken about God is not quite as bad as being beaten and run out of town. Having people think we are fanatics about Jesus, is nowhere near imprisonments and riots. How many sleepless nights have we struggled with because of our desires to spread the gospel? Do we guard our reputation using “being a good witness” as an excuse or is it because we just do not want people hating us because we have spoken the truth. We can be absolutely sure Paul did not just live a nice life hoping someone would see that he lives a little different than them as ask him why. We can be sure he came to town speaking the truth out loud and for everyone to here. He did not just seek out where there might be others who believed and hung around with them. He went to the places where the pagans were, and spoke about Jesus. Sure it is true some of them did not like his words and not only spoke out against him but treated him harshly, almost to death. We applaud him and are amazed by his commitment to the gospel, all the while still living our “good” life unwilling to sacrifice how we live one little bit for the sake of the gospel. There are times we must give up something we want to do, in order to serve the needs of others, even pagans, so we can speak the message of salvation. Are we willing?

Not in Vain

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

NOT IN VAIN

2 Cor 6:1-2

6:1 As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. 2 For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

NIV

Those were the words God spoke to Isaiah but there are eternal words as Paul restates them for the Corinthians and for us. What does it mean then to receive God’s grace in vain? If we receive his divine influence upon our hearts and do nothing with it then it would certainly have been received in vain. We might see that in two different ways. The first and most likely the one intended here in about being born again. When Jesus Sent the Holy Spirit into the world he is here to influence the hearts of men regarding their sin and their need to repent and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. If a person feels that urging or influence and does not respond positively then it is in vain. But also we that have already responded positively and have accepted Jesus, and have been born again also much continue to be receptive to the divine influence of God in our hearts. If we continue to live for self rather than for him that grace is in vain. Of what value is his divine influence if we pay no attention to it and just go about our own life doing and pleasing our own desires, our own plans, our own agenda, ambitions or what any other words of that nature which depict us. If God has shown his favor toward us, but sending his Son to die for our sin, to satisfy his need for justice, to reconcile himself to us, to give us eternal life, then why would we not continue to be attentive to his divine influence? Yet many of us still go on living like our life as if it all depends on our own efforts? We cannot every forget God has helped us, and is continuing to help us. Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the time of salvation. This is a continual action by God. We need to be attentive to his help, to his plan for us. We cannot allow any portion of God being involved in our lives to be in vain. 

View Adjustment

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

VIEW ADJUSTMENT

2 Cor 5:16-21

16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

NIV

It is like one very long sentence, thought that cannot be divided up into sound bites yet so much is said here that it could take weeks to explore to the fullest. Let us first consider the idea of not regarding anyone from a worldly point of view. Does this mean everyone or just those who are in Christ as the therefore part might imply? It surely is clear that Paul once viewed believers from a worldly point of view and now has changed his view completely about those who are in Christ. But does that also mean we should view all mankind from the same view God does? Did God only reconcile himself to those who believe or to the whole of his creation so they could be saved from his wrath? It is clear God sent his Son to die for all mankind, even though it is up to each one to accept that salvation personally, he still died for all, not just for a few. So them should we not see all of his creation as he does? We must not be judgmental toward their sinful lifestyle, but see them as simply disobedient children of God, who need to understand that he reconciled himself to them through Jesus Christ. In addition to that we must see other believers, especially recent ones, just as God does, a new creation. We are not to remember each other’s sinful failures. We are not to count other’s sin against them. That might be harder then we think as we certainly remember when someone sins against us, or causes us some form of hurt feelings. But we are just as Paul in that we have as believers been called to a ministry of reconciliation. We too are Christ’s ambassadors, with Christ making his appeal through us. We should implore people on Christ’s behalf to be reconciled to God. We can only do this if we view them from a heavenly point of view rather than from a worldly one. The worldly view only sees the outside of a person’s life. It only views the actions, the contributions to the society, or the dependence on the society. It only views the success or the failure of human endeavors. It does not see into the heart of man as God’s heavenly view does. This is the core of who we really are, and within that core God has planted the knowledge of himself into every person on earth. Some because of their sinful ways have only suppressed the truth about God. Although it is up to the Spirit to convict them of their sin and need of repentance, we have the task of reconciliation. We need to see them as new a new creation in Christ when they come to him. We need to see them as in need of him, not with judgmental attitudes, but with love and compassion. So we might be in need of an adjustment of our view.  

To Tell the Truth

DEVOTION

2 CORINTHIANS

TO TELL THE TRUTH

2 Cor 5:11-15

11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

NIV

Within the Greek words this first phrase reads more like, “Since we understand the terror of the Lord upon those who do not accept Jesus, we try to persuade men to accept God’s offer of salvation. This follows those words about the good and the evil doers getting their just due. We believers, although we understand the terror or the wrath of God that will be poured out on those who refuse his offer, do not have to fear him, or his wrath. But if we love the world as God does, then we should be trying with all our might to persuade men to accept his offer. If we are convinced as Paul was about Jesus having died for all, then we should be letting the all know about it, because without Jesus they are going to spend time in torment before perishing. We believers know hell is as real as heaven, but some might be a little confused about Satan being the lord of hell. Satan is not in hell; God is the Lord of Hell as he is the Lord of heaven. Satan is here on the earth roaming around to see who he might devour, so that when they die, they go to hell rather than heaven. At the end times God will have hell or hades give up its dead and that is when those who refused his offer will get their just due, being thrown into the lake of burning sulfur. Hell, Satan, the beast, the false prophet will all be thrown in there as well. So if we care at all about people we would try our very hardest to persuade them to accept God’s offer of salvation. It is a free gift; it cannot be bought or paid for in anyway. We must explain the result of their refusal to accept this gift. Our death is followed by our resurrection into the presence of God, their death is followed with torment until the last day, and then they perish. Death is not the end of life, but the beginning of either something wonderful or something terrible. Death either brings the love of God or the terror of God. If we love people we cannot remain silent, we must tell them the truth. If we are believers then we must tell the truth.