August 26, 2016
Paul requested that the Corinthian church be in prayer for him and his fellow ministers of the gospel. This was a request for corporate prayers, which he called real “help.” The modern church often overlooks the help that is found in prayer, especially the combined and unified prayers of the many. Do you need help today? Ask the saints of God to join together to pray on your behalf.
February 29, 2016
In John 4, Jesus offered to give the Samaritan woman “living water,” she responded with the practical observation that he didn’t even have anything to draw with. In other words, “You don’t even have a bucket. How will you be able to give me this “living water?” This is sometimes how we feel about God’s ability to generously supply our needs. Yet, God’s Word says that “God is able.” Able to do what? “To make all grace abound to you.” When? “At all times.” What? “In all things.” How much? “Having all sufficiency.” To do what? “To abound in every good work.” So, stop looking for God’s bucket. Instead, trust in God’s promise.
September 10, 2015
The Corinthians had fallen prey to false teachers who claimed greater authority than Paul. In response to this, Paul found himself in the awkward position of establishing his own credentials. Paul didn’t like to boast, unless it was to boast of Christ. So instead, he boasted of his “infirmity,” his weakness. He listed the number of times he had been beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, hungry, naked, and left for dead. Paul chose to see what others might call a record of disgrace as his resume of suffering for Christ. He was fulfilling the calling that Christ had given him on the road to Damascus, namely: “he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16). Most boast of their successes to elevate their position, but Paul boasted of his sufferings, that Christ might be the One elevated in status.
September 9, 2015
The gospel is simple. So simple that people nearly always want to complicate it. Just as the law of the garden was simple– “don’t eat,” so the gospel is simple– “take and eat.” The apostle Paul had preached the simple gospel to the Corinthians, yet false teachers were trying to add to his message. He warned them not to be deceived as Eve was in the garden. When you hear someone ask, “Did God really say?” You should be on alert. Anyone who questions the reliability of the Word of God is speaking with the serpent’s tongue. The gospel calls us to a faith of purity and simplicity. Believe and receive. No more, no less.
September 7, 2015
Paul encouraged the Corinthians in their giving by reminding them of how others would “glorify God” for their obedience to the gospel. Those who have received the gospel have received God’s greatest gift. Receiving, their hearts have been changed, so that they have become conduits of God’s grace. As Jesus said, “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matt. 10:8). Do others give glory to God for the way you “freely give” so that your gospel confession is given credibility?
August 31, 2015
Presently, we walk through life believing in our risen Lord without actually seeing Him. We believe because of the witnesses – the witness of the Bible, of the saints who have passed the faith down to us, and because of the inner witness of the Spirit of adoption who causes us to cry out, “Abba, Father” to our God. Our faith is by God’s grace and not our sight. The world says seeing is believing. However, Jesus said to Thomas, “You have believed because you have seen, but blessed are those who have not seen, yet have believed” (John 20:29). We believe in the risen Lord. He is the Head of His body, the Church. And so, we believe that just as the Head was raised, so shall the body be raised. The same God who raised Jesus from the dead, will raise us. We live by this faith, even though our eyes have not yet seen its fulfillment.
August 30, 2015
The same God who created physical light by His command has sent His Son, Jesus to be our spiritual light. Yet, our hearts remain in sin’s darkness until they behold the light of the gospel “in the face of Jesus Christ.” Those who would seek to know God, to see His glory, must seek the face of Jesus. There is no other power to enlighten our darkened hearts. For Christ is the image of the invisible God, the Light of the world, the only way to the Father. Although our hearts now reflect His light as we share the gospel, we are not its source, so we must always direct others to seek His face. We sing: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
September 13, 2014
This beautiful benediction closed Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. Paul’s trinitarian blessing bestowed three powerful attributes of the Godhead upon the believers at Corinth. 1) The “grace” (χάρις – charis) of Jesus. Which is Christ’s free and unmerited favor. 2) The “love” (ἀγάπη – agape) of God. Which is God’s unconditional love and chief attribute. 3) The “fellowship” (κοινωνία – koinonia) of the Spirit. Which is the abiding communion of the Spirit living in those of us who believe. May this blessing be yours today!
September 5, 2014
Paul commended the Corinthian church for its excellence in many areas. Yet, they were woefully lacking in one important place, the practice of giving. They were not a giving church. He brought this to their attention so that they might “excel” in it. Paul didn’t just challenge them to become occasional givers or sentimental givers, but excellent and gracious givers. Are you practicing the act of giving, so that you excel in this grace?
September 3, 2014
Paul’s warning does not mean separatism. He is not advising that we avoid unbelievers. In the previous chapter, Paul had just written about being entrusted with the “message of reconciliation,” so this requires engaging with lost people. What he is warning against is being partners with them. This should inform our plans for marriage, for church membership and other forms of partnership. Believers should not date or marry unbelievers. Churches should require belief before membership. Even business partnerships should be carefully considered. Successful partnerships have unity of vision and belief. When believers partner with unbelievers, this disunity of belief eventually leads to discord. Save yourself the pain and follow Paul’s advice.