Tag Archives: 2Corinthians

2 Corinthians 10-11, Psalms 117-118

— by on

Paul writes “though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” This is a powerful reminder that we’re not alone in our battle against the flesh. The weapons we use are powerful and divine. God is on our side in this battle, and He wants us to win.

Similar thoughts in Psalms. “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”; and   “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” God is on our side. We are never alone in our battle and struggle with daily life. “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

2 Corinthians 5-7

— by on

Paul writes “the love of Christ controls us…that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” This is a powerful concept, and one that can really change the way we see our lives. It’s easy to say we love Christ, but does that love control our every action, to the extent that we’re no longer living our lives for ourselves, but for Christ?

Paul encourages us to be “ambassadors for Christ”, to be “the temple of the living God”, just as he was. God has said “I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me.” Let’s live as children of God, comforted in the knowledge that God loves and cares for us.

2 Corinthians 3-4

— by on

Paul writes to the Corinthians “you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”  It is our goal to be the same, to show the character of Christ in our lives to the extent that people can read us like they would a letter from Christ, to see “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.”

Paul goes on to describe how accomplishing this would be difficult and painful, but he also encourages his readers with the idea  “that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.”

 

2 Corinthians 1-2

— by on

Paul writes “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

This is a unique way of thinking about affliction and the comfort we have through Christ. That comfort isn’t just for our benefit, it’s for the benefit of those around us, so that we can help them through times of difficulty.  Comfort isn’t just a self-centered thing, although we often perceive it that way. It’s intended for communal benefit.  “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too”.

These concepts are made even more powerful when we reflect on Paul’s life – someone who suffered so much for Christ, yet he is concerned about the welfare of others.  Yet he views that affliction as something “to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”  It is this sort of attitude of communal care and comfort that makes the gospel such a unique, precious gift.