2-Corinthians

True to Kind

“This is a faithful saying … If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself”  2 Timothy 2:11, 13

Paul encourages Timothy and all of us to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (v 1) through faith in who Jesus is. There will be reward for remaining faithful. Paul gives the examples of a soldier, an athlete and a farmer to show that God is faithful. But even if we are not faithful God remains faithful. Why is this? It is because God and all His creatures are true to kind. God cannot act contrary to who He is and that is a foundation stone of true Christian faith.

The Bible reveals two things that God cannot do: God cannot lie (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18) and God cannot act contrary to His Divine Nature (2 Timothy 2:13).

In an attempt to reduce penalty or even avoid penalty the defence of an accused may call witnesses to demonstrate that the actions of the accused were “out of character”. This is wholly untrue. All of God’s creatures act absolutely according to what they are. We all act exactly according to what we are. The natural person is always in rebellion against God and can do nothing but sin. The problem is not what we do but what we are. What we do is the outworking of what we are. A person may be able to suppress behaviour but they cannot change what they are. “There is none righteous, no not one” (Romans 3:10).

Sinful thoughts, words and deeds are the symptoms of what we are. As in the case of one before a judge we may try to escape penalty by claiming otherwise but God will not be deceived. We are sinners and there is no remedy until we admit that we are sinners by nature. We cannot change what we are. At best we may be able to change some aspects of our behaviour but that will never make us compatible with God.

God is holy; God is undefiled; God is without sin; God is love; God is righteous and just; God cannot deny who He is and if we are to come into His presence and have communion with Him then what we are must be changed. We cannot change what we are. This is why Jesus makes the emphatic statement that “you must be born again” (John 3:3). This is not a command but a statement of fact. To have communion with God we must have the same nature. This is only possible by way of a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 6:15) through which we are made “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).

When Jesus died on the cross He took our sin nature to death as well as the penalty for sin acts. In His resurrection He opened the door for a new life (Ephesians 2:10). The Gospel of Christ reveals God’s remedy for the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) but also the remedy for what we are. Jesus’ resurrection necessitated His death on the cross; for us to live the resurrection life we must die to self.

God cannot change who and what He is. He is holy and without sin. If anyone is to come into His presence it is they who must be changed. Only Jesus Christ is able to do that for He alone bore our sin and rose again.

A Place Prepared

“I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3)

It appears that the place we call heaven is seen by many people a bit like they see Father Christmas. We know he isn’t real but it makes the children happy. People will often speak of heaven in that way to children regarding a dead pet or loved one. Saying that a loved pet or person has gone to heaven somehow brings comfort to the child and relief to the parent. For the unbelieving parent it is an escape from a horrible reality for which they have no answer to offer their child. For some, there may be a vague hope that their loved one has found peace. R.I.P. may appear on many tombstones and monuments but it is probably more often wishful thinking than reality.

For the one who has trusted Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin and a new life sourced in Him there is a sure expectancy of heaven. God has not chosen to give us a detailed description of heaven but He has given some information.

In the words of Jesus stated at the head of this article Jesus informs us that heaven is with Him and it is a place especially prepared for us to co-habit with Him. The apostle Paul wrote the same thing like this, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Heaven is being with Jesus.

Since we are to be with Jesus forever in a place He has prepared, has God revealed anything about this place? Yes He has and it is in the Bible.

Ultimately, but not immediately, God will create a new earth on which we will have our home (Revelation 21:1). This will be a physical earth as we have now but without the corruption sin brought. It has to be physical because we are told that we will rise in physical bodies (1 Corinthians 15) and that Jesus rose in a physical body. The new earth is described in physical terms.

Jesus Christ came to redeem the world including the physical realm (Romans 8:20-22). He will bring about that which He intended in the original Creation, namely, God dwelling with men. Throughout the Bible God reveals His desire to make His home with the one and only being He created in His own image (Genesis 1:26).

Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, He will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23). This is the fulfilment of God’s plan in redemption but it is much more than both Father and Son indwelling believers by the Holy Spirit now. It is also prophetic, speaking of that time when God will dwell with redeemed people on the new earth (Revelation 21:22, 23).  Job saw that day when he said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27). In this passage we see that Job believed that his body would physically die and that in a new resurrected physical body he would see God in a physical body. Through the eyes of faith he saw the incarnate Son of God born, crucified and risen and himself raised and in God’s presence.

In His Presence

“From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering” (Exodus 25:2)

From the beginning to the end of the Bible we notice that God wants to dwell with the crown of His creation – man. At Christmas time we readily quote and sing one particular name of the Lord Jesus Christ and its meaning: Emmanuel, God with us. The purpose of the incarnation was to open the way for God to dwell with man. At Easter we remember how this was accomplished and directs our attention forward to the day when it will be an absolute reality.

Israel had a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night as witness of God’s presence. The next step was to have Israel build a portable sanctuary where God would dwell with the people as they travelled in the wilderness.

One can only wonder at what Moses thought of the Lord’s directive to obtain all the materials, including much gold and silver, from the people of Israel. They were a tribe of slaves who had left Egypt kicking, screaming and complaining at every obstacle. Would they have the materials and, if they did, could they be extracted from their hands? Also, the materials could only be received from those who give it willingly with their heart. Moses was not to use guilt or duty to provoke giving and people were not to give for self-esteem or the praise of men.

What would provoke the people of Israel to willingly give their gold, silver and other materials for the sanctuary? The answer is given in verse eight; “Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” Only the people who valued the Lord being physically present with them would be moved to give willingly from the heart. Anyone who preferred gold and silver could keep it but they would not have a sense of God’s presence.

We should remember that Israel had these materials because they were given to them by the Egyptians as they left Egypt. The Egyptians gave the materials to them because of the fear of the Lord that came upon them. God gave them the materials and now He asks for a portion so that He may have a physical presence with them.

No one has given anything to the Lord unless they understand that all they have has been given to them by Him. Their response is to give as He directs with a glad and willing heart. If the motive is anything else then it will not result in a sense of God’s presence. A sense of duty performed or self-satisfaction is no substitute for giving with a willing heart and it will not have the desired outcome of God’s presence.

Paul writes that the churches of Macedonia gave “according to their ability, yes and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we should receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:3-5).

The people of Israel did this, even giving more than required, and the sanctuary was built and God dwelt among them. When we give from the heart desiring God Himself He will manifest Himself to us and we shall know His presence now and be confident of His physical presence in the resurrection when He creates all things new.

Guarding our Motives

“For not he who commends himself is approved, but who the Lord commends” (2 Corinthians 10:18).

This is a principle that is eternal as God is eternal and no amount of mental gymnastics will cause the slightest ripple of variation. The Christians in Corinth were being seduced by men claiming to be prophets of Jesus Christ who were nothing of the sort. They were living the lie for wrong motives. But how could the Christians identify the motives in the many who taught in the name of Jesus Christ? After all, no one wears a sign saying ‘false teacher.’

To give his readers a means of determining motivation in these teachers Paul played the role of one of these “fools.”  He makes it clear that he would not present himself in this way other than for this purpose. He writes that he would be a fool to do so (vv 16-21). He then proceeded to write up his commendation in the manner in which he would do if he was one of the false teachers (vv 22-27). In none of these statements is he lying or exaggerating and certainly anyone would see them as giving credibility to his call as an apostle and the authenticity of his teaching. Actually his sufferings for the sake of Jesus Christ would easily have excelled any of the testimonies of the false teachers even if they had been creative.

If someone came to us commending themselves with such a story that could be demonstrated to be true would we not give them credibility? Paul is saying that we would be fools to do so.

The problem is not in the history of the person. The problem is in the reason for recounting the history. Paul wants Christians it understand that it is not the life or sufferings of a person that gives them credibility. This takes us back to chapter ten and verse twelve where Paul writes that people who measure themselves by their own ideas or by comparing themselves with other people “are not wise.”

The motive of the false teachers is to hear the praise of and receive honour from men. This is in direct contrast to that of Paul, “my deep concern for all the churches” (11:28). The false teachers are concerned with their own position and well being but Paul is concerned with the well being of other Christians. They boast in their own strengths and exploits but Paul boasts only in his weaknesses and the work of God in believers.

Paul knew that it was in his weaknesses that the grace of God is revealed more clearly in his life and ministry. The salvation and edification of Christians could be more easily seen to be the grace of God than wrongly attributed to anything in Paul.

When we hear a person commend himself we can be sure that pride is at work and Paul reminds us that Satan is the worker in the back ground (11:14). We should not be so concerned with commendations that come from others. Paul commended Christians to others in his letters.

Let us preach God’s word so as to be approved of Him regardless of what people may think. If we seek the commendation of men we may get it but that is all we will get. If we seek the commendation of the Lord and obtain His approval what more could one want? Let us guard our motives.

This Mortal Body

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Twice in this chapter Paul encourages us not to lose heart. That can mean only one thing; there are circumstances that may cause us to lose heart. He gives just two in this part of his letter.

In the first verse of this chapter he writes, “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.” He has just compared the covenant that God made with Israel through Moses with the New Covenant in Jesus Christ. It isn’t that there was any failure on the part of the Old Covenant itself but it did not provide any means by which men might keep it. What it did was reveal the sinfulness of the human heart by its revelation of righteousness and the holy nature of our God.

As we discover how far short we fall in comparison to God’s glory we may become discouraged and lay aside any further attempts to please God. When we feel this way it is because we have seen His glory more clearly than before and that is meant to be an encouragement to press on, not to give up. We don’t see things clearly now but the very fact that we see at all shows that we are “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (3:18). Instead of being discouraged Paul writes that God’s intention is to encourage us by this.

Secondly, as we age we are met with the frustration of the weakness of the body even though we know that we are nearer to Jesus now than ever before. The weakness of the body that comes with age, such as diseases that effect sight, hearing, speech or mobility, may cause us to become discouraged. It may be that we read verse 16, quoted above, and whole heartedly agree with Paul’s assessment yet still miss the point.

Aging and bodily death are no reason for discouragement. They are every reason for joy for the one in Christ. He writes, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (5:8). The aging body we inhabit should not discourage us but lift our hearts with eager expectation that soon we shall be with the Lord and He shall give us a new body apart from sin. Without bodily death we can not know the bodily resurrection we so eagerly desire.

There is more. In this life our body, though corrupted by sin, may be the means by which Jesus manifests Himself in this fallen world. Paul writes, “Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (4:10, 11).

Do not lose heart. In our mortal bodies we are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ and He will manifest Himself also in our mortal bodies “for we walk by faith, not by sight” (5:7).

Do not lose heart. For though our bodies are aging and will perish we are being renewed day by day ready for the day we see Him face to face “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Challenge or Change

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Perhaps one of the more frequent comments regarding preaching, Biblical teaching (in any of its media) is that one has been challenged by it. It may be surprising for many of us to discover that the word “challenge” does not appear in the Bible. Even the concept does not appear in regard to the effect the Word of God will have on a person – either believer or non-believer.

Sometimes it seems that we speak as though being challenged is the intended end of any biblical teaching.  The intent of the Word of God is to convict us not challenge us. When we accept that it is the Holy Spirit convicting us that there is an aspect of our lives contrary to the Divine Nature then we can move on to humble repentance. Following repentance there will be transformation. The word “transform” comes from the same word from which we get metamorphosis. This word describes the process that a caterpillar experiences when becoming a butterfly.

It would be profitable for each of us to spend some time regularly asking ourselves whether we are being transformed. “Am I more Christlike than I was one year ago?” If we haven’t changed we will be unable to answer such a question and we should take a serious look as to the reason why not. Paul writes that if we would be transformed it is the mind that must be the recipient of correct input and the correct input is God’s Word (Romans 12:2).

What did Paul mean in 2 Corinthians 3:18 (quoted above) when he wrote “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory?” As we look into the “mirror” of God’s Word we will be convicted (never challenged) so that we might repent and be transformed from glory to glory. The transformation is from living as a fallen person to expressing the Divine Nature in our physical bodies (Romans 12:1). The Christian being constantly transformed will reveal the glory of God more and more completely. The glory of God is His own Divine Nature.

If anyone says it cannot be done then that one is, at best, a defeated Christian. Jesus lived a God glorifying life in His body and the risen Jesus can do the same in our bodies if we will let Him do so by fulfilling the conditions He gives us in the Bible.

The reason we say that a sermon or some Biblical teaching has challenged us is because we do not want to face up to the fact that the Holy Spirit has convicted us of the need to make some change in our lives. If it is only a challenge we can convince ourselves that it is a good idea but we do not need to respond. If we acknowledge that it is the Holy Spirit convicting us then we know we cannot throw away the teaching we have heard or read without serious consequence.

A Yearning Heart

“We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8)

We too can have the same confidence as the Apostle Paul when we truly believe from the heart that we shall rise from the grave. Job expressed it most clearly when he said, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself and my eyes shall behold and not another” (Job 19:26, 27). Note the “I know” repeated.

How may one have such confidence? It can only come when the Father reveals it to us just as He did to Peter regarding the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:17). An unsaved person can never have this confidence. They may hope to rise and may even believe it is what the Bible teaches but they can never have the knowledge that they will rise as Job expressed. Job knew it as fact not a mere hope.

Jesus rebuked His disciples several times for their inadequate faith when faced with the normal tests of life that come. But even in the test faith is intended to grow just as it did for Job. The reason the Lord’s brings tests and trials our way are to reveal where we are in our walk of faith and to develop that faith further.

Satan would have us interpret our failures with finality and that we should give up trying. The first part of his accusation is false and should be renounced for the lie it is. The second part, though meant to discourage us has some truth in it. Perhaps we have been trying in the strength of the flesh instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to be our strength.

Yes, we may believe but without the special revelation of the Father, through the Word of God witnessed to by the Holy Spirit, we will never be as certain as Job. Do we really believe that absence from our body will really be our presence with the Lord? To be able to proclaim this with confidence we need to be refreshed in this truth by God’s Word and His Spirit from time to time.

Easter is a good time for deep reflection on this reality as is each time we meet for the Lord’s Table.

When a loved one passes to be with the Lord, we are tested in our belief that absent from this body of believers is present with all the body of believers who have gone on before. The test is so that we will be reaffirmed in that reality and be as Job who missed his first ten children and longed to see the Lord: “How my heart yearns within me” (Job 19:27).

Relational Faith

“In what way have we despised Your Name?” (Malachi 1:6)

An enduring plague of humanity is our failure to recognise our true condition and this applies to Christians as well. The verse quoted above has been thought or said by multitudes through history when challenged regarding their walk with the Lord. It spills over our lips because we are in the dark regarding the holy ways of our Lord and our own fallen state.

Israel was going through all the outward evidences of a true relationship with God but their heart was not in it. Their heart was not in their worship of the Lord and this led to lying to and robbing the Lord. They thought He would not notice that they were robbing Him of true worship. Counterfeit worship does not measure up or please the Lord.

They were despising the name of the Lord by giving Him less than the best. The animal sacrifices that were supposed to picture the sinless Christ were blind, lame or sick (1:8). The corruption of the image revealed that their worship was also corrupt and unacceptable. If we spend time with the Lord or give time to ministry to others only if we have spare time and there is nothing else to do, and we only give money if there is anything left over after we have spent on ourselves, are we not also despising His name?

Among other revelations of Israel’s falling short in Malachi is that they did not trust the Lord to provide for them (3:8-10). In order to ensure sufficient for their future Israel did not give the tithe to the Lord and short changed Him in their offerings and sacrifices. God says they were robbing Him (v 8) but also robbing themselves (v 10).

The matter of giving of time and money is closely related to faith and trust in the Lord. Giving is not a legalistic requirement, it is relational. Paul records that some believers had given “according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing … but they first gave themselves to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 8:3, 5). They did this because of the relationship they had with Jesus Christ not because of some religious requirement. They trusted their tomorrow in His hands.

When we withhold giving in the various ways we have opportunity we are in effect saying that the Lord is untrustworthy and unreliable. Clearly there is a relational problem that needs attention. If we do not trust Him to provide for our brief earthly future how can we honestly declare that we trust Him for salvation and eternity? Our children and the world will see through that hypocrisy in a moment.

No believer sets out to despise the name of the Lord or to rob Him but we may easily fall into the trap of doing so. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Jesus is our treasure. Everything else is fleeting, just for a moment.

My Next Meal

“Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all.” (Luke 21:3)

To the wealthy and religious leaders of the time this would have been a most unwelcome and repugnant statement.

The rich were the ones who put the most money into the treasury and sustained the religious system. The widow’s monetarily insignificant offering would make no difference to the treasury of the temple. It could have been lost in the dust on the ground for all the financial difference it would make.

Jesus is commenting not on the amount of money given but the kind and amount of faith behind the offering. Giving to the Lord in monetary terms has nothing to do with God needing money. What purpose would God have for gold since He is able to create it out of nothing?

The widow gave all that she had. We might rationalise that she ought to have kept it for her next meal and given when she was better able. However, she preferred to give it and trust God for her next meal.

The better off people who put in much more in monetary terms still had ample left over for many meals and had no need to trust God for the next meal.

Giving is an expression of faith in God. The expression of that faith may be by obedience to His command to provide for the ministry of His church, to missions or in compassion on one in need but first and foremost it is an expression of faith and therefore it is also worship.

Jesus says that giving should not be related to whether we will have enough for our next meal or not.

The fact is that Jesus does not want our money, He wants us. Our money without ourselves is like the rich who put in out of their abundance. When you first give yourself (2 Corinthians 8:5) you give in faith in Jesus Christ who first gave Himself to and for you. You know that you are no longer your own and that you and all you have is His for His disposal. This is the kind of faith for which the widow woman was commended. It isn’t wrong or ungodly to be well off materially unless it becomes the object of our faith in place of Jesus Christ. It has then become our god and idol.

It is God’s pleasure that we enact the dependence that in actuality we have in Him. The better off we are materially, the more difficult that becomes. The temptation is to trust in our own ability or wealth instead of the Lord’s faithfulness. It is quite clear that the widow woman’s trust was wholly in the Lord.

Chewing Gum

“So the King will greatly desire your beauty; because He is your Lord, worship Him.” (Psalm 45:11)

For one who indulges regularly in the habit of chewing gum there is the sweet sense of anticipation before the gum is placed in the mouth. The first bite releases the sweet sugars and freshness of the mint that provoke the taste buds to dance to exciting tunes. Although this initial burst wanes with chewing the memory of the initial gratification lingers so that the jaw continues its motion reminding the mind of the initial pleasure.

Eventually, long after the gum has lost its flavour and freshness the tastebuds manage to get a message through to the brain that it’s all over. There is no flavour and there is no freshness. Then the gum is thrown away and another sought to reproduce the initial sensation.

Unfortunately this seems to be an analogy of many marriages. They start out with freshness and ‘flavour’ but a long time after they are lost the couple concludes that they are no longer ‘in love’.

Satan is working hard at destroying the marriage relationship because he does not want people to see the beautiful imagery of the relationship that has been purchased by Jesus Christ for Himself and those who have been created new in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Those created new in Christ are His bride (Revelation 21:2, 9) and have entered into the most intimate of relationships.

There are some wonderful examples of intimacy in marriage about us but these all fall well short of that which Adam and Eve had before sin entered the world. However, even their perfect intimacy at a human level falls well short of that which those “born of God” may experience now. Yet again, that level of intimacy falls infinitely short of the intimacy that all in the New Creation will experience with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Believers are a new creation being prepared for and eventually fitted with bodies well suited to the New Jerusalem, new heavens and new earth that our Lord and Saviour will bring into being at a word. The new creation that we are in Christ and our resurrected bodies will be perfect for intimate fellowship with Jesus Christ..

The image that God gave as a visible and tangible experience is being attacked by the enemy of souls but we who love the lover of souls and His Word will taste the reality of that which is to come. No wonder Paul writes, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” That is not just speaking of heaven but of our lives now. This he makes clear as he continues, “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28).