2 Corinthians 6:1

2 Corinthians 6:1 says, We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.  Paul said that all believers were workers together in Christ.  We are called by grace to the free gift of salvation, but we then are called to be laborers for Christ.  I believe that the only way to receive the grace of God in vain is to not truly accept the gospel.  A person might claim to believe for their own benefit, but Paul said that those who really believe will be at work for Christ, reaching out to others with the gospel. Verse two adds, For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)  Paul said that God heard those who had cried out to Him for salvation, and when the time was right, He sent Christ to redeem mankind.  Since the death of Christ, every day is the day of salvation for the lost, if they only accept Christ as their Savior and Lord.  We do not have to wait until we think everything is right, because Christ made all things right between God and us.  Now is the day.  Verse three continues, Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:  Paul said that he would live in such a way as to give no offense to others, that his ministry might not be blamed.  Do we live the same way, or do we allow our own self will to get in the way of our witnessing?  Verse four states, But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,  Verse five adds, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;  Paul listed many bad things that were happening to them but said that they lived in patience to approve themselves as ministers of God.  We often hear people today say that God wants us happy, but He really wants us to approve ourselves in the gospel, no matter what.  Verse six continues, By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,  Then verse seven adds, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,  Paul stated how they were able to live for Christ.  They did it by all the things that are good about belonging to God, pureness, knowledge of God, longsuffering, kindness, by the power of the Holy Ghost, and by love that did not fail.  Paul continued adding that they relied on the word of truth, the power of God, and by being surrounded by the armor of righteousness.  In the next three verses Paul states how much differently they were viewed by people.  Verse eight says, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;  Verse nine adds, As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; Then verse ten concludes, As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. Paul declared that no matter what happened to them in this world, nor how they were viewed, that they would do everything to approve themselves as ministers of God.  So must we today.

2 Corinthians 5:16

2 Corinthians 5:16 says, Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.   Paul declared that they knew no man after the flesh, even though they had once known Christ after the flesh.  Christ's time on the earth as a human being had ended with His death, so He could no longer be known after the flesh.  Paul was also saying that those who did know Christ in the flesh had no spiritual advantage over those who came to Him after his death.  Even those who walked with Christ while He was on the earth could only be saved by faith.  A close proximity to Christ, or to the church today, cannot bring salvation.  Only a personal relationship with Christ as Savior and Lord can bring salvation, and this is a spiritual condition.  Verse seventeen adds, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  Paul tells us that if we are followers of Christ that we are a new creature.  We may not want to think of ourselves as creatures, but we are all a part of God's creation, and compared to God we will always be but a creature, a part of His creation.  We will never be gods.  Still, when we accept Christ as Savior and Lord we become a new creature.  Old things, those things ruled by the flesh pass away and all things become new.  We live by faith and not by sight.  Verse eighteen continues, And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;  Paul acknowledged that everything that we do as followers of Christ is to be for God and because of His empowering us.  God reconciled Himself to all who will accept Christ through faith.  Since God redeemed us and made us a new creature, we are the be ministers, or witnesses, for Him.   Verse nineteen states, To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.  Here Paul declared the heart of the gospel.  God was in Christ.  Christ was not just a human but was Himself God.  God reconciled the world to Himself through the life and death of Christ.  We can be reconciled to God only by believing in Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Paul also said that God had committed to them the word of reconciliation, as He has with every Christian.  Verse twenty adds, Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.  Paul said that followers of Christ were ambassadors for Him.  We represent Christ to the world in all that we do.  Verse twenty-one continues, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.  Christ Who was sinless, took on the sins of all people for all time so that by our faith in Him our sins might be forgiven.  Yet, many people refuse to accept this forgiveness and choose instead to be eternally separated from God.

2 Corinthians 5:10

2 Corinthians 5:10 says, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.  Paul said that we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and answer for the things that we have done, whether good or bad.  We might say that as followers of Christ we have our sins washed away by His blood, and though this is true, we are not given the freedom to sin without any responsibility.  Verse eleven adds, Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.  Paul appealed to people to accept salvation made available through Christ so that they would not face the terror of the Lord.  Denying God or not accepting Christ as our Savior and Lord does not mean that we will not one day face God's judgment.  Paul said that the way that he lived his life should show His obedience to God.  Verse twelve continues, For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.  Paul did not commend himself to glorify himself, but that God would be glorified.  He said that other believers could us him as an example for those who did not believe except in things that they could see.  Some people will not believe in Christ based simply on what we say is in our heart but need to see our faith lived out in our everyday life.  Verse thirteen states, For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.  I believe that Paul was saying that sometimes they were excited, or beside themselves, and sometimes they were more sedate in their actions, but it was all for the glory of God and the benefit of those that he was witnessing to.  I do not believe that Paul was acting in the way he witnessed but was simply relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to lead him in the way he presented the gospel.  We cannot demand great excitement in worship, nor can we deny it.  We must react as the Holy Spirit leads us and not just react as others react.  Verse fourteen adds, For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:  I don't believe that Paul was saying that the love of Christ constrained them from witnessing but constrained them from putting any glory in themselves.  Since Christ died for all, no one believer is to be exalted above any other.  We are not made saints by anything we do of our own ability, but are made saints, those set aside for God, by our faith in Christ.  Verse fifteen continues, And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.  Paul says that as followers of Christ, since He died for us, we should live for Him.  Though Christ died for all, for His death to have meaning for any person, that person must accept His salvation by faith.

2 Corinthians 5:1

2 Corinthians 5:1 says, For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  Paul was not speaking of an actual house, but of the temporal body.  Paul said that even if we die and this body passes away that we have a building, a body, not made by hands, but by God.  Through the sin of mankind, this body became temporal.  Verse two adds, For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:  Paul said that this earthly body caused them to groan in the desire to put on that heavenly body.  As followers of Christ, we should have a great desire to put on that heavenly body, but we like Paul must declare that we are dedicated to doing the work that God has for us to do.  Verse three continues, If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.  When God clothes us in His righteousness, we will never be found naked.  Verse four states, For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.  This is another promise that we may suffer for Christ in this world, but that even if this mortal body groans, we as followers of Christ will ultimately have a resurrected body that rejoices in God.  Nothing will be left to cause us to groan.  Verse five adds, Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Paul tells us that God is the One Who gives us this promise of everlasting life and that He seals it with the Holy Spirit.  Though today we may groan from the problems and persecutions of the world, we have God's assurance that this is only temporary.  Verse six continues, Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:  Paul declared that they were confident, not just if things seemed to be going well, always.  He recognized that in this life we can never be totally present with God.  We are not removed from the trials and tribulations of the world, but we are never overpowered by them as long as we remain faithful to God.  Verse seven says, (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)  Paul saw persecution and possible death by his earthly sight, but he saw everlasting life by faith.  We today must walk by faith, just as Paul did.  If we walk simply by sight, by the things we see in the world, we can easily end up in despair.  If we walk by faith in God, we can rejoice no matter what is happening in our lives. Verse eight adds, We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.  Paul said that they were confident to die for their faith.  Paul knew that when he was absent from this body, or died, that he would be present with God.  As believers in Christ, we should never let the fear of death cause us to waver in our faith.  Verse nine continues, Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.  Paul said that they labored so that they would be acceptable to God, whether in life or death.  This does not mean that they were working to earn their salvation, but they were working to show their obedience to God.  We today should be laboring for Christ in all that we do.

2 Corinthians 4:11

2 Corinthians 4:11 says, For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.  This seems to be about as far removed from the concept that God wants us happy and successful as we can get.  Paul said that we are delivered unto death for Christ's sake.  When we begin to view following Christ as a means of material blessings, we are not following what the gospel demands.  We are to live for the glory of Christ.  Verse twelve adds, So then death worketh in us, but life in you.  I believe that Paul was saying that if those with him and he himself died for their faith it would be so that others might come to know life through Christ.  We must be willing to die to self so that we may effectively proclaim the gospel. Verse thirteen continues, We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;  All followers of Christ have the same spirit of faith and are called to witness for Christ.  The sharing of the gospel is not reserved for a select few but is the responsibility of each believer.  We all have the same spirit of faith and the same Holy Spirit living in us and empowering us.  Verse fourteen states, Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.  Paul said that we could have faith in our resurrection by faith in Jesus Christ, because the same God that raised Jesus will raise up those who put their faith in Him.  Verse fifteen adds, For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.  Paul said that their suffering was for the sake of those they were witnessing to and for God's glory.  It is because of the abundant grace of God that we have reason for thanksgiving even if we are being persecuted.  Verse sixteen continues, For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.  Paul declared that those who believe in Christ have everlasting security through faith. Even if the outward person, the body, perishes, the inward person, the soul, is renewed every day.  Verse seventeen states, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;  Paul said their light affliction was temporary, and that it worked for their more exceeding and eternal, or everlasting, glory.  Whatever we suffer for the sake of the gospel is indeed light when we compare it to everlasting life in the presence of God.  Verse eighteen adds, While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.  Paul said we must live by the unseen things of God, which are everlasting.  We cannot see faith, nor even heaven itself, but we must live by faith in the unseen things of God.  We can see the material things of this world, but we are to lay up our treasures in the unseen things of faith.

2 Corinthians 4:1

2 Corinthians 4:1 says, Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;  Paul said that because of Christ, Who brought salvation and purpose to people, that he was given a ministry.  Having been given this ministry by the mercy of God, Paul said they would not faint in carrying out their ministry.  We need to have that same attitude and determination today.  Paul said that nothing in this world could keep him from doing what he was called to do, and we cannot allow anything in the world to stop us today.  Verse two adds, But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.  Paul said they were not attempting to live deceitfully but were living by the truth of God.  Paul continued by affirming that the truth of God was manifested in their lives.  We cannot begin to change the gospel in any way and live with Christ being manifested in our lives.  Verse three continues, But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:  The truth of the gospel will only be hidden to those who refuse to accept it.  The gospel will always be available to all those who are willing to accept it, and until a person accepts the gospel by faith it will never mean anything to them.  Verse four declares, In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  Paul said that the god of this world blinded the minds of people so that the light of the gospel could not shine on them.  Paul refers to the gospel as the glorious gospel of Christ.  There is nothing more glorious that we can share with others than the gospel of Christ.  Verse five adds, For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.  Paul and those with him did not preach to bring glory to themselves, but only to bring glory to Christ.  Paul viewed himself simply as a servant to those he preached to for the sake of Jesus.  When we begin to view ourselves as anything other than servants of Christ for the reaching of the lost we are not being faithful to our calling.  We can never glorify ourselves nor let others glorify us.  Verse six continues, For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  Paul said that God Who caused the physical light to shine out of darkness also caused the spiritual light to shine in the hearts of those who accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse seven states, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.  We have this treasure of the light of God in us, not to glorify this earthly vessel, our body, but to glorify God.  Verse eight adds, We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  Paul was not preaching a gospel of prosperity, but a gospel of sacrifice and persecution. Verse nine continues, Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;  Paul said even though they were persecuted they were not forsaken by God, and though they were cast down they were not destroyed.  God will never forsake those who are His, nor will He allow them to be spiritually destroyed.  Paul did not see himself as suffering more than other Christians but saw them all as equals through the gospel of Christ.  Verse ten concludes, Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.  I believe that Paul was saying that if we want to share in the glory of Christ then we must allow Him to live through us, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:10

2 Corinthians 3:10 says, For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.  Paul said that even though the law was made glorious, since it was given by God, that it had no glory in its ability to save.  He then stated that this was true because of the glory of Christ, which excelled over the law.  God's word would now be written in the hearts of His people, and not on tablets of stone.  Verse eleven adds, For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.  Through the fulfillment of the law by Christ, the requirement to live up to every aspect of the law was done away with.  This does not mean that God's law is no longer valid, but that the requirement for salvation is simply faith in Christ.  This new covenant is indeed move excellent than the law.  Verse twelve continues, Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:  Paul wanted his message to be easily understood by all.  When we are witnessing for Christ, we need to keep the message simple.  Paul preached Jesus Christ, crucified, resurrected, and Lord.  This is still our message today.  We cannot explain every aspect of God, but we can proclaim the gospel clearly.  Verse thirteen states, And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:  Paul said that the children of Israel could not look openly at God through the law.  Just as Moses veiled his face before returning from the mountain, people were prevented from having unrestricted access to God.  They were still under the law and could never follow it completely, so sin always separated them from being able to look at God freely.  There was always a separating barrier, but Christ removed all barriers.  Verse fourteen adds, But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.  This is what Paul declared in this verse, that Christ removed the veil between people and God.  Verse fifteen continues, But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.   I believe that Paul was saying that when we attempt to approach God through the law that our will is always a barrier between God and us.  Though we are given free access to God through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, the sin in the world still keeps us from seeing all of God's glory.  Verse sixteen declares, Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.  There is coming a day, when Christ returns, when we can see God in all His glory.  Verse seventeen adds, Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  Just as the law brought bondage due to the inability of people to live up to its requirements, Christ brings liberty because we are under grace and not the law.  Verse eighteen continues, But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.  Paul said that as we look at God as though seeing His image in a mirror, that we are changed into that same image of God by faith.  We are to reflect God to the world by our faith in Christ.  We can only do this by living under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.