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2nd Corinthians 6:1-10 part II
December 23rd 2018
MEAT
So we left off with our three boxes on the board which contained the words of Paul in describing the IN’s BY’s and AS’s of the ministry.
In other words, he and they approved themselves IN the ministry (the things in box 1) BY (the things in box 2) and were then seen AS (the things in box three).
We left off at Paul saying that it was BY – pureness, knowledge, longsuffering, kindness, and we stopped at By the Holy Spirit.
Of course, the Holy Spirit works on us by and through its graces and gifts, so it would appear that Paul is speaking of things like the fruit of the Spirit, which according to Paul in Galatians 5:22-23 is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law
We get the gist, right, as many of these same characteristics are present here in chapter 6.
The point is, human beings can endure almost anything when the presence of God is with them mightily – and I think Paul is speaking to this here. He was able to go through IN’s BY these things.
“By love,” he adds – and we know he means by touchy-feeling, emotional love accompanied by oboe music, chocolate, flowers and sex.
No?
Actually he says, “By love unfeigned.”
Genuine affection for the souls and the well-being of others.
Again, a choice. Again, an effort. Again a death to the self and to self-love. I have to think about love unfeigned a lot in my life – what it means – what it looks like when in the works.
I possess a great deal of love for certain people and a great deal of non love for others. But it is in the case of the latter I wonder about . . . how do I have love unfeigned for those who I simply do not love? Is our only recourse to feign love? If it is, then we fail to walk in what Paul is describing here.
I suggest a reality check on this verse. It looks like this:
We THINK when Paul says, “and by love-unfeigned” he is talking about love for others. But I suggest a work around that is far more viable. It looks like this
LOVE UNFEIGNED FOR GOD
Labels the love we have for others as “love unfeigned” even when loving them is a choice of the will, a decision, a longsuffering if you will.
Think about this a minute. The true focal point of our devotions is in the first Great Commandment. If or when that love is genuine and unfeigned, then all expressions of our love to others will be love unfeigned – because we are DOING what God wants us to do.
This is not to say unfeigned love is not possible in the human experience – but it is certainly limited and failing as we amble forward in the faith.
For me, to be compliant with Paul’s BY of love unfeigned, the only way – the only way – to be continually successful in this is to have love unfeigned for God first – and sometimes it is the only unfeigned love we might possess.
But standing ON that love, that pure deep love for God are we then able to be true to this description.
The question then becomes, what if we DON’T love God with “ALL of our heart soul and might?”
How can we tell? First of all, I think that we know of our allegiance to God, and the level of our dedication to Him.
In fact, the level of self will in our lives (over His will) is a fantastic indicator of our love or non-love for Him. And in the face of this qualification I find myself humbled and ashamed.
I have been able to theoretically, even romantically claim and espouse a committed genuine love of God but in the face of my life and will and ways I am ashamedly far from even getting close.
What can we do? Can we concentrate really hard and love God more than we already do?
Some suggest that the love we have for God will commensurately parallel our knowledge of Him.
I think there is some truth to this, that knowing about Him leads to loving Him more. But perhaps also familiarity might also breed contempt, and we find ourselves even more alienated as the level of our knowledge increases of Him too?
After all, the closer we draw to the light the more our own darkness is exposed, and a human reaction to exposure is not always positive.
Like Paul famously says in another place, Oh wretched man that I am?
Interestingly, and most profoundly, I suggest that God has established a stop-gap on earth, in one of our own, that mediates between the command to possess love unfeigned and our inability to really do this – first with men and then even with God Himself when we really look at it.
And it is in the man, Jesus of Nazareth.
When we look at others we cannot love them – all of them – without some feigning.
When we examine our love and devotion to God Himself the ability to love him (in the ways the Great Shema describes) is in most people really lacking.
And so we are given a middle ground by our loving God, who we can’t seem to really love with all of our soul, mind, and mind. That mediation, that middle ground, that human sacrifice – hung between earth and sky for us – and it seems to me that somehow we are able to better love Him, in reality, that Men or God directly.
Why?
Perhaps its because when we see what we are capable of as humans, if not with our hands then at least with our minds (which is where the feigning lives) and we realize who and what He was and did, we are . . . both amazed and grateful.
A spoiled child that is given everything be his father doesn’t necessarily grow up to love him, does He.
So it is with us to God. We view him as God, who can do anything (which He can’t) and should DO everything (which he won’t) and sometimes, even when we realize that he has provided for us all things without price or cost, we remain full of self-will for ourselves, and therefore non-genuine love for Him.
But when a child actually sees his parent suffer for them, and literally sacrifice for them, and give to them a gift that is wholly unmerited, a form of unfeigned love germinates, and therefore IN Him, by faith and with gratitude, and selfless genuine unfeigned love grows.
And in and through HIM, we are able to actually love God with all of our Soul, Mind and Might, and therefore are able to say our loving actions toward others are truly unfeigned – because we do them OUT of unfeigned love for Christ.
I am not so sure a human being can effectively love God with all their soul, might and mind.
As love is a verb and is proven by actions and deeds, not words and feelings, and since all of us sin we are constantly proving the inability to love God with our all.
It appears that something more – something better was required than just the command to love God. And that something was Jesus.
An entire Nation of the most devout people on earth all proved that the human ability to love God perfectly was impossible, and since the command to love him with ALL heart, soul and might is proven an impossibility, a better way was needed.
The amazing added value to this whole thing is our love for Jesus, our allegiance to Him does not come by what we do first. It comes by believing on what HE did first. By faith.
And with this faith comes a justification, even a sanctification, which places us in the position of being “as if” – as if we actually loved God with our all, and as if we actually were loving others without feigning.
That to me is a mindblower. By faith we are saved. By faith in the life, works and resurrection of His Son we are justified, sanctified and made righteous before the God we all fail to love perfectly.
And as this faith takes root, and begins to press both downward and upward, our ability to love all with love unfeigned grows.
How? Why? Ready? Because HE FIRST LOVED US.
This brings me all the way back to first base. When I am confronted with not wanting to love another person – a difficult person – I am reminded that while I was yet an egregious, unlovable creature of self – and that while I remain such a creature – He loved and loves ME.
How could he? But perhaps most importantly, how could I NOT love all people in response to the love I have received . . . with a love unfeigned. And even if my love for the individual is not perfect, by loving Him – and doing His will, my love for them is perfected.
One final note: Over the years when I meet and talk with people who have an issue with appreciating Jesus, and prove it by failing to love others, there is almost always a disconnect or issue between how they see God and/or how they see themselves.
In other words, when people don’t feel a real love or devotion to jesus, you know, a “from the heart gratitude to him” for their very existence, and therefore to God for giving Him to the world, it is usually the result of how they view God and or Jesus in relation to themselves.
What this means is they see God as not as holy and undefiled as He is, or they see Jesus as lesser than He is, OR they see themselves as elevated in their own righteousness, therefore not needing Jesus or God as much in their lives.
And somewhere in these two views the disconnect lies – and therefore less of a connection in the individual to God.
Jesus touched on this through the teaching found in Luke 7 beginning at verse 36
“And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
Here, as a means to deal with the IN’s in his life, Paul has stated that through Love Unfeigned he is strengthened.
Knowing His life, and background and history, I can’t help but believe that the magnitude of his religious sin enabled him to genuinely love the Lord . . . and then others, as a result of seeing the love and forgiveness extended to him.
He adds, “by the Word of truth.”
We don’t know if Paul is talking about his sharing the Word of truth with others or if he refers to possessing and knowing the word of Truth.
Whichever way it was, the Word of Truth was a benefit to His dealing with the difficulties he faced.
And of course this is no new revelation to you all, but I have very very little in this world that can console my troubled soul like the Word of Truth – whether written or spoken by the Holy Spirit.
He is the Word and He is the Truth so the word of truth is simply words from Him.
And for me at least, they play the most significant role in my being able to cope with the “IN-SITUATIONS” of my life.
Similarly, I notice a distinct relationship between personal unrest in the lives of believers and their time in His Word. It is the first query I make to any and all who are struggling – Are you in the Word (or truth, I might add). Almost always the answer is no.
Because of the strength of my flesh, which is constantly seeking to dominate my life, I have discovered that a constant dose of the Word of Truth by the Spirit goes al long way in quelling the inner and outer disturbances we all face in life.
And by the power of God.
Most suggest that this is in reference to the miracles Paul did while preaching and teaching.
Of course when anything alleviates stress and difficulty it is a blessing and to be able to heal people and speak in tongues would greatly enhance life in ministry.
That is what I think he is speaking about.
“By the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.” Of course the interpretations of these passages are varied – even extreme.
First, to be armed on the right and the left is a reference to warfare where the left is protected by one armament – typically a shield, and the right with another, generally a sword.
But we see that Paul says the armaments are “of righteousness,” which in the Greek is DIK-OH-YOOS-EN-AYE, and means good character, but is used to describe justified too.
Of course the apostles were going out to meet conflict, persecution, opposition, and slander.
Just as the soldier went well armed to battle, so did they – but again, in this application they met assaults with personal character or a holy life. In so doing, they were able to meet attacks on their characters and body with resolve.
This has been the case with Paul and the others – they were out doing right, representing Christ Jesus and doing it with integrity, faith, courage – and yet, paradoxically, they were being maligned for their character, courage, and abilities to represent the King.
This comes with the territory, doesn’t it. The brighter the flame the more people want to put it out – it frightens them.
The more truth revealed, the more resistance to it.
And as a result, Christians in general are walking paradoxes – and it is to this last set of descriptions that Paul now goes – saying:
(VERSE 8B)
By honor and dishonor
By evil report and good report
VERSE 9
“as deceivers, and yet true;
“as unknown, and yet well known;”
“as dying, and, behold, we live;”
“as chastened, and not killed;”
“As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;”
“as poor, yet making many rich;”
“as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”
So back to the last two lines in verse 8 – and even though they are phrases that begin with “by” I suggest that they actually belong to the last collection.
By honor and dishonor.
Paul continues to maintain that he and his fellow laborers have given no offence (see verse 3 of this chapter) and he continues to commends themselves as ministers of God.
The word “by” here (dea) does not means the means by which they commended the gospel to others , but the medium – in other words, “In the midst of honor and dishonor,” he seems to be saying, “however we are esteemed we have not given any offence.”
So in some places they were honored, and in others dishonored.
“By evil report and good report.”
Doos-fay-mea and You fay mea – reproaches and mean-spirited language and praise, compliments and encouragements.
Enduring praise when doing good is one thing – and when the good is soundly based on service to Him it does not typically lead to pride.
But boy is it tough to be trying your best, and speaking from the heart, and being honest, and having people slander you in the face of it.
Part of the difficult lies in the fact that a Christian is not at liberty to slander back.
Like Christ, we are to take it – in public but also in private. One of the most difficult things in the world but to be a disciple of the master Christians can only expect to experience what He experienced.
And we recall that when He did good they told Him that the good He did was of Beelzebub.
Paul says in Philippians 3:8
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Note the ambition of Paul to ATTAIN UNTO the RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD?
That word attain means to arrive at the resurrection of the dead – the resurrection of the dead offered through Christ to all who are like Him.
“As deceivers and yet true.”
Boy isn’t this the truth, especially in this world where the Gospel, and Jesus, and faith in God is considered by so many as a deceitful message – all the while being true with a capital T.
Certainly Paul was considered a deceiver (to the Jews especially) while at the same time bearing the truth to that world.
No different today, friends.
“as unknown, and yet well known;”
Unknown to the world at large, known to God – does anything else matter? To many to be known by God is nothing compared to being known by men everywhere. But to Paul, he chose, with all of his education and history to remain unknown by most of the religious world (favorably, that is) but known to God.
We might also suggest that he is saying that he was unknown for his truest intentions but simultaneously well known for his true intentions.
The next three seem to all orbit around each other as he says:
“as dying, and, behold, we live;”
“as chastened, and not killed;”
“As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;”
These passages really speak to where I am in my walk – and I have to admit I am not adjusting well. My flesh resists
“Dying, while I yet live.” It resists
“Being chastened, but not killed.” And it certainly is sorrowful, but admittedly does rejoice.
How about you?
Well that was the living status of our friend Paul. And it is the reality of the paradox that we call the Christian walk.
Paul adds the last two, saying in the first of the last
“as poor, yet making many rich;”
Of course we know that if we are going to effectively share Him and His truths, which are NOT of this world, you will enter into the walk that the master had Himself when on earth.
“As poor.”
In other words teaching and preaching the truth never ever, in the face of the evidence discussed about, comes with great wealth, fame, or the favor of the world.
It just doesn’t work that way – as much as we might want it to. But Paul, in tracing the path of Christ in his own life, has contributed to the wealth of others.
In what way? Perhaps what he writes in Romans 11:33 will tell us as he says:
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”
Isn’t this what Paul was delivering to people around Him – the depth of riches in the wisdom and knowledge of God?
I think so. And isn’t this how we can help people become truly wealthy in their lives? Most of you know I was a stockbroker for 13 years and worked to help people gain material wealth.
It was always, always hollow to me when I really thought about it – the acquisition of wealth. And those who were successful in acquiring it never impressed me as being someone to emulate.
It was only when I came to see real riches, located in the wisdom and knowledge of God, that I discovered my vocation and advocation in life as I am personally committed to the idea that this wealth has genuine value.
And then echoing these sentiments I just expressed, Paul now adds
“As having nothing – meaning in this world – having no property, no money to speak of, no fine clothing – and yet possessing all things. And isn’t that the case?
And what are the all things? First of all, Christians are justified from all things! Ever think of that?
Act 13:39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
How about the certainty that all things work out for us as Romans 2:28 says:
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
How about that fact that as joint heirs with Christ we will receive all things, as Romans 8:32 suggests, saying:
“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”
How about freedom in Christ, as
Romans 14:2 says, For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
And Romans 14:20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
1st Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
How about access to the deep things of God, as 1st Corinthians 2:10 says
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
And an ability to judge everything, as
1Co 2:15 suggests, saying
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
And what about all things really being all things as 1st Corinthians 3:21 says
Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
And hand in hand with that, remembering that we are in possession of a gospel that . . .
Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
That we are living in an Age described by the following:
1st Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
That . . . all the old things are passed away; and all things are become new.
That . . . all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
As we wrap today up, two days before Christmas 2018, know this – in Christ – you possess all things, that all things have been completed, that all things have been subdued by Him, and you are to inherit all things by and through Him and that you presently have all things waiting you from the very hands of God.
In this we can trust and relax – and look to.
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