There is a holy and righteous life for us to live before the world. Yes, separate from the ways of the world as in 2 Corinthians 6:17 “… be separate,” says the Lord, “and do not touch what is unclean, and I will welcome you”, but we are still in the world. Since we are in the world, there is sometimes repentance that is necessary, and when we have sinned, he says in 2 Corinthians 7:10 “For grief according to the will of God brings about a repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted”. But this is not the life the Lord wants us to live, he wants us to have a, in 2 Corinthians 9:2 “readiness to help”, to have in 2 Corinthians 9:2 “zeal (that) has stirred up”, to be those that are in 2 Corinthians 9:7 “a cheerful giver”.
I Will Walk About Among Them
2 Corinthians 6:14–18
If God had not wanted us in the world, He would have taken us out of the world with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So what does this mean in
2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore “come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord, “and do not touch what is unclean, and I will welcome you”
There is a life apart from the ways of the world, a holy life of righteousness, a life where we walk in the light as it says in
Ephesians 5:7–10 Therefore do not be sharers with them, 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live like children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is well-pleasing to the Lord.
Here, Paul says don’t live like them, don’t become like them, because there is a different way of living for us so in
2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers”.
Accomplishing Holiness in the Fear of God
You Were Grieved to Repentance
2 Corinthians 7:8–16
Paul had written to these believers previously because of division among them, “Then he addresses other issues he has heard about: incest, lawsuits, and sexual immorality (5:1–6:20)”.1
These were hard topics to hear, and for some, harder to deal with, but there was an intended purpose in Paul’s words, it was to bring a holy conviction, a sense that they had grieved the Holy Spirit of God by their actions. And, if they recognized this, they might repent and find reconciliation with God in
2 Corinthians 7:10 (LEB) For grief according to the will of God brings about a repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but worldly grief brings about death.
Proving the Genuineness of Your Love
2 Corinthians 8:1–15
They are Messengers of the Churches
Your Zeal has Stirred up the Majority
2 Corinthians 9:1–15
Paul commends the church at Corinth and all of the region of Achaia for their, in 2 Corinthians 9:1 “ministry to the saints” because of their, in 2 Corinthians 9:2 “readiness to help”. But their desire to help was also a catalyst, and encouragement to other regions, the “Macedonians” in 2 Corinthians 9:4 where he says in 2 Corinthians 9:2 “your zeal has stirred up the majority of them”.
Paul doesn’t assume that what the people of Achaia have promised will be fulfilled, not that he doesn’t trust them to fulfill their promise, but to make sure there is no pressure on the people, he sends “brothers” to receive their gift as he says in
2 Corinthians 9:5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers that they should go on ahead to you and make arrangements in advance for your generous gift that was promised previously, so this would be prepared as a generous gift and not as grudgingly granted.
We often hear these next verses quoted,
2 Corinthians 9:6–7 Now the point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
but seldom see the kind of order described here where there was planned giving with a goal in mind. Here, everyone gave, and “stirred up the majority” and everyone could see, in
2 Corinthians 9:12 “the service of this ministry is not only supplying the needs of the saints, but also is overflowing through many expressions of thanksgiving to God”.
Study Verses
- 2 Corinthians 6:14–18 I Will Walk About Among Them
- 2 Corinthians 7:8–16 You Were Grieved to Repentance
- 2 Corinthians 9:1–15 Your Zeal has Stirred up the Majority
Today’s Reading
- 2 Corinthians 6:14–18
- 2 Corinthians 7:1-16
- 2 Corinthians 8:1-24
- 2 Corinthians 9:1-15
References
- 1. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.