2 Corinthians 6:3-7:16 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Great Endurance
Comments for Study 5

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I. Paul's Hardship (6:3-13)

>1. What does it mean to put a stumbling block in someone's path? (3)

* 2 Corinthians 6:3 "We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited."

* Every human who has ever lived has experienced events that they never wanted to happen whether self-imposed or because of nothing they had done or failed to do. In this world everyone has troubles. Troubles will come.

Jesus' apostles experienced perhaps some of the worse life events. Paul lists some of his life pains here. They included troubles, hardships, distress, beatings, imprisonment, riots, hard work, sleeplessness, hunger, dishonor, bad report, regarded as an impostor, unknown, dying, sorrow, poverty, and having nothing. Paul lists his responses to these here.

My response to everything that happens to me wanted or unwanted is important. I can choose now not to let future events dictate my response to them. I can train my will to be set to positive and my mind to alert ahead of time. I can commend my soul to be preset to "great endurance" (4). I do this as a mental and emotional wall to guard against attacks on my positive inner well-being.

As wise as that sounds I have come to realize an attitude of no surrender to any future troubling hardships is sometimes not enough. Some mornings I wake up feeling refreshed and strong-willed. The wall of defense is strong.

Most mornings however I do not wake up like this. I wake up feeling unrested and melancholy. I have never been a morning person. Even on the mornings where I am raring to take on and overcome any obstacle and trouble, there is always the possibility that a major unexpected tragedy that no one could possibly muscle up a strong will to overcome will happen. What then?

Paul wrote here he endured, "in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love" (6) and "in the power of God" (7). I have discovered that every morning, especially the melancholy ones when I turn my mind, my emotions, and my will to God even for a minute or 30 the wall of defense is built on solid rock. It will not fall down and I will not be overrun by emotions and thoughts that kill.

Jesus taught in a parable the wisdom that he is a solid rock to build on. So when troubles come I will not be overcome because my wall of defense is built on solid ground. I will not be destroyed. (Matt. 7:24-27) "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (Ps. 18:2, 27:5, 40:2, 62:4)

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>What is the nature of servitude? (4a)

* 2 Corinthians 6:4 "Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way:"

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>What are some things that may happen in the life of a servant of God? (4b-5)

* 2 Corinthians 6:4b-5 "in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;"

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>2. What are some blessing of a servant of God? (6)

* 2 Corinthians 6:6 "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love;"

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>What are weapons of righteousness? (7)

* 2 Corinthians 6:7 "in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;"

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>What are some contrasts in a servant of God's life? (8-10)

* 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 "through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

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>3. What example can we learn from Paul's ministry? (11)

* 2 Corinthians 6:11 "We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you."

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>What problem had existed between Paul and the Corinthian believers? (12)

* 2 Corinthians 6:12 "We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us."

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>What did Paul ask of them? (13)

* 2 Corinthians 6:13 "As a fair exchange--I speak as to my children--open wide your hearts also."

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>How can we apply this to our own life?

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II. Do Not Yoke With Unbelievers (6:14-7:1)

>4. What does it mean to be yoked to someone? (14; Deut. 22:10)

* 2 Corinthians 6:14 "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?"

* Deuteronomy 22:10 "Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together."

* All my brother and sisters in Christ and I are the temple of the living God. The Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the Father live in me. I am a son of the Lord Almighty. God dwelling in his people is only by grace. No matter my life circumstances nor my past, present, or future God will never leave me.

I have a choice to whom I will be with, not just friends, but especially a spouse. The choice I make is important.

Paul says not to yoke with someone who does not believe in Jesus. Yoking is a farm term. Two oxen or another beast of burden are joined together by a board or iron so together they can plow a field. Yoking makes the work easier and quicker. Marriage is equated with yoking.

Paul instructs that Jesus's people should marry each other instead of an unbeliever. This is wise because eventually different religious beliefs will be a source of contentions in marriage. Historically people of God will eventually compromise their relationship with either God and/or the spouse if the one they marry does not have faith in Jesus.

Finding a fellow believer in today's age is not easy. It takes faith in God's provision and love. Some find a loving Christian mate right away. Other's find that they have to have the faith of Abraham who waited 25 years to have a son.

Knowing just exactly what another truly believes is not easy and perhaps is impossible. However, after some time I can make a reasonable conclusion that the lady I am dating has similar beliefs as I. Searching can be fun and daunting at the same time.

I have people give me so much conflicting advice about this matter that I become confused. I recently asked a man I respect why people who are generally the same in beliefs can express so much different options about who I date, weddings, marriage, and sex. He said, "You know why? It's because it is just that. It's their opinion. In the end, I have to decide what I believe is right and best. I have to decide what I want."

>Why shouldn't believers be yoked with unbelievers? (15; Matt. 11:29-30)

* 2 Corinthians 6:15 "What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"

* Matthew 11:29-30 "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

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>How is God's word consistent when it comes to who marry? (Gen. 6:1-3; Deut. 7:3-4; Ezra 9:10-12)

* Genesis 6:1-3 "When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years."

* Deuteronomy 7:3-4 "Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the LORD's anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you."

* Ezra 9:10-12 "But now, O our God, what can we say after this? For we have disregarded the commands you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: 'The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.'"

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>5. What is true about believer's inner being? (16)

* 2 Corinthians 6:16 "What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."

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>How is verses 17 and 18 to be taken? (Acts 10:27-29; John 17:15-19)

* 2 Corinthians 6:17 "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

* Acts 10:27-29 "Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?"

* John 17:15-19 "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."

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>How does this relate to the subject of marraige in previous verses? (Gen. 2:24)

* Genesis 2:24 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."

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>How does this relate to our inner being? (7:1)

* 2 Corinthians 7:1 "Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."

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>How does confirm these truths?

* Mark 7:14-16 "Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'"

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>What has happened in our generation of believers in regard to purity of heart and purity of marraige and how can the trend stop?

* I tend to stay away from such open ended questions, but the need for this is great.

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III. Paul's Joy (7:2-16)

>7. What had apparently happened in the Corinthian congregation after they received Paul's first letter? (2)

* 2 Corinthians 7:2 "Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one."

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>How did Paul respond? (3-4)

* 2 Corinthians 7:3-4 "I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds."

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>How had he practiced Jesus teaching on forgiveness? (John 13:34-35; Luke 11:4)

* John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

* Luke 11:4 "Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation."

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>8. What kind of gospel work ethic was compelled by Paul's love for them? (5)

* 2 Corinthians 7:5 "For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within."

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>How had God blessed his faith? (6)

* 2 Corinthians 7:6-7 "But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever."

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>9. How can unwanted feelings lead to good in our life? (8-9)

* 2 Corinthians 7:8-9 "Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-- yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us."

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>What is the condition that makes this good? (10)

* 2 Corinthians 7:10 "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death."

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>How does this highlight the process of salvation?

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>How does the response of the Corinthians tells us about a true Christian's attitude when they are wrong? (11)

* 2 Corinthians 7:11 "See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter."

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>What was Paul's objective when he wrote to them about their unwillingness to deal with a serious problem in their congregation? (12)

* 2 Corinthians 7:12 "So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are."

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>How did everyone benefit from their proper response? (13)

* 2 Corinthians 7:13 "By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you."

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>10. What can we learn about a mature Christian community (Paul, Titus, and the congregation) from verses 14-16?

* 2 Corinthians 7:14-16 "I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. I am glad I can have complete confidence in you."

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