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Good morning my friends,
Some of you have suggested that receiving the “Walking With Jesus” 7 days per week is both wonderful and ‘demanding’ for it requires daily time to keep in step.
You’ve suggested that since Sunday is a day of worship, and normally Sunday involves at least one time of hearing God’s Word taught in church, perhaps I would write “Walking With Jesus” once for the weekend of Saturday & Sunday, leaving you with a little breathing room, (and me too from a writing standpoint).
So this weekend (today or tomorrow) we’ll read 2 Corinthians 7, and give this a try. Let’s not loose momentum however!
How do we who have a relationship with God through the redeeming (salvation) work of Jesus Christ and the regeneration (new spiritual nature) work of the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit living within us… how do we live in a corrupt world, surrounded and inundated by evil, WITHOUT becoming corrupt ourselves?
At the end of the day, after listening to angry people in the stores or complaining people in restaurants, or trash talk on the radio/tv, or too much violence or sexuality on TV… do you sometimes feel like you need a spiritual shower, maybe if there was such a thing, a spiritual car wash?!
Paul was writing the letter we know as 2 Corinthians to Christians in the big, bustling, bombastic city Corinth, similar to our New Orleans, or New York, or Las Vegas, or I suppose most any big city. They were surrounded, as we are, by the dark side of life. So Paul opens chapter 7 with these words…“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.”
Wow, what a challenge. The “promises” Paul refers to are the closing two verses of the previous chapter… “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.” I wonder what picture comes into your mind as you read this?
When Jesus said “I will build My church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18), the word He used for “church” is “Ekklesia” and it means “called out people”. People called to come to Him, out of the darkness and evil of our world. As we come to Jesus, He cleans us up, doesn’t He? He forgives the sin of which we repent. His Holy Spirit cleanses us from all the residue and damage of evil in our lives. God defeats the stronghold of evil in our lives, and He adopts us into His family as His sons and daughters (Rom. 8:14-17).
So Paul is urging his friends in Corinth, to first of all SEE themselves through lenses of what God has accomplished in them spiritually, as they have come to Jesus. Secondly, see the world for what it really is… far from God and His holiness. Third, learn to recognize those attitudes, behaviors, choices in us, which would draw a Christ follower back into the darkness of our evil world. Fourth, learn to say NO to those things! Rather, embrace the truth of God’s work in us and seek to protect it, nurture it so that we become more and more like Jesus. Do you see Paul is challenging us to see, that once God has done His saving, cleansing work in us, then we have an obligation to pursue purity, stay clear of wickedness and walk wisely in the ways of God everyday.
Now think back… Deuteronomy 30:19,20, remember how Moses challenged the people: “Now choose life, so that you and your children may live, that you may love the LORD your God, listen to His voice, hold fast to Him, for the LORD is your life.” Amazing…1500 years apart, but both men are calling God’s people to the same God honoring lifestyle! And I’m calling us to it today… are you calling your family, your Christian friends to the same?
As you read the rest of 2 Corinthians 7, you’ll see Paul’s joyful response to the report he has heard from Titus, that the Corinthian Christians, while initially hurt by Paul’s first letter (1st Corinthians), which strongly denounced some of their wicked behavior, they eventually came to repentance and reconciliation with God, and with each other. Harmony returned, as did brotherly love, to this dear group of people Paul so deeply loved.
Look closely at vs. 8-16 and think about what you have experienced, in your family, your strained friendships, or even in your churches. Misunderstandings happen, don’t they? Rumors fly, gossip runs wild, and before long there’s discord, disagreement, even outright conflict between Christians. What’s the answer? Do you see the key in verse 10? “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation (forgiveness & reconciliation) and leaves no regret…”
Now I invite you to read carefully that entire section, vs. 8-16. What are the lessons for us in resolving conflict and gaining reconciliation today?
First is confronting the problem head on with truth.
Paul had lived in Corinth 18 months, (Acts 18:11) and after he left, others came in who spoke critically of Paul. Some said he shouldn’t be respected as an “apostle”, because he wasn’t part of the original group of disciples. Others said he couldn’t be trusted, since he had strongly opposed the followers of Jesus. All manner of accusations were made in his absence. He, of course, didn’t know about it, until word came to him in Ephesus.
People then, as now, unfortunately fall prey to rumors, gossip, juicy accusations, and some in the Corinthian church turned away, from trusting Paul and following his teachings. It was destroying the church in Corinth, thus when Paul heard about this, he wrote his very strong first letter. He confronted the lies, the distortions, the accusations head on, and also confronted the wickedness, which had swept in to the church.
Second, be honest…with yourself and with God!
Here in 2 Corinthians 7, Paul writes that he is delighted to hear that the people responded to his strong letter with honesty and repentance. They were hurt at first…often the truth stings as it penetrates, like salt water on a wound, but it purifies, it cleanses!
But as the light of truth is shined into the dungeon of doubt, rumor, gossip, slander, malice, bitterness, resentment etc., honest reflection yields clarity. Seeing the situation honestly, clearly, leads to confession and Repentance. And that is vital to reconciliation and restoration isn’t it?
Do you realize true repentance is three things…
1. Confession... that means “I agree with God and God’s assessment of the situation.”
2. Acknowledgment of wrong… this means, “I was/am wrong. What I’m doing or saying or thinking is not right, according to God’s standard of right and wrong.”
3. Change… it’s not enough to agree or acknowledge wrong, there needs to be this action of change. Sometimes it’s STOP doing or saying or thinking wrongly. Sometimes it’s PURSUE a different path. Sometimes its START doing, saying, thinking differently. Sometimes it’s all three!
Paul in chapter 7, is celebrating that their Godly sorrow, in response to his truthful confrontation, led them to honest repentance. God then did a work of forgiveness and cleansing, in their hearts and minds. The Holy Spirit, then awakened in them a renewed love and appreciation for Paul, and desire for their torn relationship to be reconciled!Thus, they sent this news back to Paul with Titus (vs. 7). Not only did that greatly encourage Paul, but look at vs. 13 to see how it impacted young Titus!
We’ve all heard the phrase “win-win” right?
As you read chapter 7, that’s what Paul is celebrating! The Corinthian Christians had experienced God’s “win-win”!
They had won the battle against the evil that was permeating their church and destroying it. That’s why the first verse of chapter 7 is so powerful. Jesus was again reigning as head of that group of Christ followers in Corinth Their sin and discord was defeated, through their repentance.
Also, their trust in, and love for Paul, was restored and their torn relationship reconciled, and that was a great “win”, for all of them, in their unity together as Christian friends.
And finally, the reputation of Jesus was restored in that wicked city of Corinth. None of the other religious systems in Corinth could claim such a mighty work of their god in cleansing out sin, which was destroying them, and bringing about reconciliation between people in discord. The power of Jesus was clearly evident for all to see!
Now, this weekend, may I ask that we spend some time percolating chapter 7 in our hearts and minds? We live in a time when social media, gossip, and rumors are so very destructive to relationships in marriages, families, churches, communities. May I urge us all to invite Jesus to speak to us, show us if there is any such repair work He wants to do in any of us? May we see the very same restoration work of God in our relationships my friends.
Click to read today’s chapter: 2 Corinthians 7. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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