Day 339—We are in the LAST month of Bible reading for the year and studying The ACTS of the Apostles with the LETTERS of the Apostles.

Day 339 – 2 Corinthians 5 – 9 (Warnings, servants of God, repentance, the grace of giving, cheerful giving)

2 Corinthians 5.

As a tentmaker, Paul compares his earthly body to a tent, but his eternal body with Christ, as a house made without hands that God has prepared for those who believe.

He cautions that all of us will appear before Christ to receive what is due us for what we’ve done in the body, whether good or evil. And so, we should persuade others to be reconciled to Christ. In fact, believers are ambassadors for Him, imploring others to be reconciled to God through Christ.  “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Corinthians 6.

Paul claims truthfully that he “puts no obstacle in anyone’s way. ‘Behold NOW is the favorable time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation!”

Paul commends himself and his fellow workers as SERVANTS of God and lists the ways.

• by great endurance in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
• beatings, imprisonments, riots,
• labors, sleepless nights, hunger,
• by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love,
• by truthful speech and the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left,
• through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise,
• treated as imposters, and yet are true; as unknown, yet are well known; as dying and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed, as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing, as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

2 Corinthians 7.

Paul tells the people of the church in Corinth that “we are the temple of the living God” and to NOT be connected with anyone who is not also a believer – in marriage, business, worship, or leadership.

He and they are to “cleanse themselves from every defilement of body, and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.”

He also tenderly rejoices to hear of their godly grieving, which led to their repentance. It gives him comfort and joy.

2 Corinthians 8.

Paul again encourages them to prepare an offering for the poor in Jerusalem.  He’d mentioned it almost a year before, but all that palaver took place and sidetracked this grace. Now, he was coming with two other brothers to collect what they’d set aside.  He’s bragged to the Macedonians (Philippi, etc.) about them and now doesn’t want them to be embarrassed when he arrives.  He tells them how the Macedonians, even in extreme poverty, have given generously.  They gave not according to the means but BEYOND THEIR MEANS.

The Corinthians had excelled in everything – faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness –  “see that you excel in this act of grace also.”  He encourages them to imitate Christ, who was rich but, for their sakes, became poor to enrich them.  They are to give “according to what they HAVE, not what they don’t have.”

“So GIVE PROOF before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you.”

2 Corinthians 9.

Paul continues about the Corinthian’s offering to the poor. He wants it to be “a willing gift.”

“Whosoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, NOT reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. The ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”

Then Paul concludes this section on generous giving by praising God for His surpassing GRACe in giving His son for their salvation.  “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!