And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit— to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. (II Corinthians 1:15-16)
We studied in the previous lesson that Paul had desired to visit Corinth after his first letter to them, but was not able to. Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (II Corinthians 1:17-22)
Paul was addressing a question the church obviously had asked, whether Paul was a man who kept his word or not. He had told them, Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. (I Corinthians 16:5-7) If he were not a man of his word, that would not be a good thing, because Jesus had taught, But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. (Matthew 5:37)
We studied in the previous lesson that Paul had desired to visit Corinth after his first letter to them, but was not able to. Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (II Corinthians 1:17-22)
Paul was addressing a question the church obviously had asked, whether Paul was a man who kept his word or not. He had told them, Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. (I Corinthians 16:5-7) If he were not a man of his word, that would not be a good thing, because Jesus had taught, But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. (Matthew 5:37)
So what was his reason for not coming? Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand. (II Corinthians 1:23-24) But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? (II Corinthians 2:1-2)
Paul was very upset by what he had learned of the behavior in the church in Corinth after he had left. He stated in the first letter, I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? (I Corinthians 4:14, 18-21)
Paul was very upset by what he had learned of the behavior in the church in Corinth after he had left. He stated in the first letter, I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. Now some are puffed up, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness? (I Corinthians 4:14, 18-21)
Paul did not want to return to Corinth in sorrow, because he knew he'd probably have to come to them with a rod of discipline, instead of in love and a spirit of gentleness. This is a very important lesson in self-discipline. God wants us to ...speak the truth in love... (Ephesians 4:15) But if we know our emotions are such that we won't come across as loving, even though our motivation is from love, sometimes it's best if we don't speak, or have someone else speak instead. That's why Paul sent Timothy, and instructed the church, And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do. (I Corinthians 16:1)
Another important lesson to learn is that we are not to make our plans outside of God's will. Paul was very wise to say in his first letter, I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. We can make plans, but they have to be according to God's will. Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16)
And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. (II Corinthians 2:3-4) My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11-12) God loves us who are His children, through our faith in Christ Jesus, and Paul loved this church in Corinth that he had established in the same way. He wanted them to understand he had no pleasure or enjoyment in having to correct them, to the point that he said, I wrote to you, with many tears.
But tears and sorrow didn't stop him from doing what needed to be done. Parents understand this truth probably more than anyone else. We love our children too much, or we should love our children to much, to stand idly by and watch them continue to make mistakes and do things that will eventually cause them harm. Well, we who are Christians should love others too much to stand idly by and watch them do things and make choices that will eventually lead them to hell; or if they are Christians, we shouldn't stand idly by while they misrepresent Christ, ...because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme,... (II Samuel 12:14) We have to check ourselves also, to make sure our behavior doesn't cause others to blaspheme, to speak against the Lord.
Another important lesson to learn is that we are not to make our plans outside of God's will. Paul was very wise to say in his first letter, I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits. We can make plans, but they have to be according to God's will. Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16)
And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. (II Corinthians 2:3-4) My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11-12) God loves us who are His children, through our faith in Christ Jesus, and Paul loved this church in Corinth that he had established in the same way. He wanted them to understand he had no pleasure or enjoyment in having to correct them, to the point that he said, I wrote to you, with many tears.
But tears and sorrow didn't stop him from doing what needed to be done. Parents understand this truth probably more than anyone else. We love our children too much, or we should love our children to much, to stand idly by and watch them continue to make mistakes and do things that will eventually cause them harm. Well, we who are Christians should love others too much to stand idly by and watch them do things and make choices that will eventually lead them to hell; or if they are Christians, we shouldn't stand idly by while they misrepresent Christ, ...because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme,... (II Samuel 12:14) We have to check ourselves also, to make sure our behavior doesn't cause others to blaspheme, to speak against the Lord.
But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. (II Corinthians 2:5-11)
We have to have the attitude towards others that Christ had; For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17) Our goal in correcting others based on the Word of God is not to condemn them and make them feel worse about their sin. That tactic didn't work in helping to lead us to saving faith in Christ Jesus, and it won't work on anyone else. But we are to love them, and remember love means how we treat each other. (I Corinthians 13) When we use the Word of God to explain to a person what sin is evident in their lives, if they repent, then you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow, not that they should be grieved, but that they might know the love which we have so abundantly for them.
Satan wants to make us feel that there's no way God can love us, because of all the sins we have committed. Satan is the one who condemns, for we are not ignorant of his devices. And since the first example of God most people will see is us who profess to be Christians, let's make sure we don't use the same devices as Satan. Let's show the world True Love, Christ Jesus in us, through the guidance of His Holy Spirit and the power of His Holy Word. Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord (Acts 16:6-15), I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. (II Corinthians 2:12-13)
We have to have the attitude towards others that Christ had; For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17) Our goal in correcting others based on the Word of God is not to condemn them and make them feel worse about their sin. That tactic didn't work in helping to lead us to saving faith in Christ Jesus, and it won't work on anyone else. But we are to love them, and remember love means how we treat each other. (I Corinthians 13) When we use the Word of God to explain to a person what sin is evident in their lives, if they repent, then you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow, not that they should be grieved, but that they might know the love which we have so abundantly for them.
Satan wants to make us feel that there's no way God can love us, because of all the sins we have committed. Satan is the one who condemns, for we are not ignorant of his devices. And since the first example of God most people will see is us who profess to be Christians, let's make sure we don't use the same devices as Satan. Let's show the world True Love, Christ Jesus in us, through the guidance of His Holy Spirit and the power of His Holy Word. Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord (Acts 16:6-15), I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. (II Corinthians 2:12-13)
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. (II Corinthians 2:14-17)
From the time Noah made a sacrifice to God and all the sacrifices the children of Israel made to God, if it was pleasing an acceptable to Him, And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. (Genesis 8:21; Exodus 29; Leviticus 1-26; Number 15-29) We are to be that same kind of fragrance in the world today. For those who have a true desire to hear the Word of God and believe it, we are the aroma of life leading to life. To those who choose not to listen nor believe, we are the aroma of death leading to death. But regardless of the world's response, we are to share the gospel of Christ, while always being mindful to speak the truth in love, as of sincerity!
From the time Noah made a sacrifice to God and all the sacrifices the children of Israel made to God, if it was pleasing an acceptable to Him, And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. (Genesis 8:21; Exodus 29; Leviticus 1-26; Number 15-29) We are to be that same kind of fragrance in the world today. For those who have a true desire to hear the Word of God and believe it, we are the aroma of life leading to life. To those who choose not to listen nor believe, we are the aroma of death leading to death. But regardless of the world's response, we are to share the gospel of Christ, while always being mindful to speak the truth in love, as of sincerity!
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