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2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTERS 1 & 2
2Cor 1-1
· (219a) Sovereignty Ø
God overrides the will of man Ø The elect Ø
Man is a spectator of his own salvation Ø God
elects us through His sovereign will
2Cor 1-2,3 -- No entries
2Cor 1,3-11
· (29g) Gift of God Ø
God is on our side Ø He stands beside us
through hardship
· (98h) Thy kingdom come Ø
Endurance Ø (Faith à
Suffering [Endurance] à Glory) – There were times when Paul was burdened
excessively, beyond his strength, so that he despaired even of life. He went
through horrible experiences, but he considered them all opportunities to grow
closer to God than he could have had he not suffered. This is the benefit of
suffering. We should take our trials as opportunities to know God better. It
doesn’t guarantee a closer walk with God, because we still have to endure
our sufferings faithfully.
· (233k) Kingdom of God Ø
Pursuing the kingdom Ø Seeking the glory of God
Ø Seek His glory without wavering Ø
Seek His glory through hardship
2Cor 1,3-10
· (188d) Die to self (Process of substitution) Ø
Separation from the old man Ø Suffering Ø
Growing pains Ø Growing inwardly – Persecution is a common affliction of
Christianity, but there are other Christian tribulations that are ours alone
that the world cannot know, such as having our spirit continuously vexed by
the sin of unbelief that surrounds us in the world. This affliction of spirit
is a backdrop for all other suffering. It is an extra layer of suffering added
to the Christian experience that we cannot explain to a non-Christian. The
vexation of spirit results from being among those who demonstrate a level of
disobedience and unbelief that is destroying them and those around them, and
adding to the darkness of this world. We are a light in the midst of their
darkness; the pain of unbelievers disallowing our light to affect them is a
deep vexation of spirit. Another vexation of spirit known only to us who have
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is His conviction regarding our own sin.
Temptation is another daily vexation of spirit. Then, keeping our spirit
immersed in the word of God and prayer to avoid spiritual starvation is yet
another responsibility and affliction of spirit that the world will never
know. These are all layers of affliction that we endure as Christians that the
world does not understand. Compassion is one of the greatest traits of
Christianity, but it can also be a source of conviction and affliction of
spirit. Witnessing the pain and horror in other people’s lives without being
able to do anything about it is a vexation of soul.
2Cor 1,3-7
· (32e) Gift of God Ø
God is our Father Ø God gives grace to the
afflicted
· (116c) Thy kingdom come Ø
Working the grace of God Ø Through worship Ø
Through our relationship with Him
– Those who have suffered, who have been through
the trenches, who have struggled in hard times, have felt the Holy Spirit
ministering to them and have benefited from His presence, experiences like
these are life changing. They give us tools to help others who are afflicted.
We don’t just tell them we understand what they are going through, but we
have the spirit, the ministry, the words and the relationship with God that
can find them in their place of darkness, because we’ve been there, and can
impart things in them by the Spirit that can help them through their moments,
as others have helped us though our darkest moments.
· (228a) Kingdom of God Ø
God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø God
working in you Ø Comforted Ø
God comforts you in times of adversity Ø He
comforts you in your suffering -- These verses go with verse 11. Jesus called the Holy Spirit our Comforter. Paul
also refers to the Holy Spirit comforting us. When we go through suffering as
a Christian, we can feel the Holy Spirit closer to us than at any other time.
Eating pizza and watching our favorite movies on TV does not frame the
circumstances conducive for the Holy Spirit to come alongside to help, but
when times get hard, He is faithful to visit us in our trenches, into the deep
pits of our despair and stands with us. We don’t suffer alone. Even with
other Christians nearby and our best friends consoling us, they cannot comfort
us the way the Holy Spirit does. He gets closer to us than anyone can. We
sense someone standing next to our spirit, not just our bodies, and he
doesn’t necessarily have to say anything, just be there. To sense Him with
us is comforting. It is a type of comfort that the world will never know or
understand.
· (229i) Kingdom of God Ø
God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø
Partaking of Jesus’ suffering – The sufferings of Christ are ours in
abundance, which causes His comfort to wash over our souls in equal abundance.
Jesus comforts us to the proportion of our suffering. The more we suffer, the
more comfort we receive. This is why people in other countries have a closer
relationship with Christ; some places in the world are very difficult to live.
They have problems that America doesn’t yet know. Paul says, “If we are
afflicted it is for your comfort,” meaning that he is working for them, and
that they will be the beneficiaries of his pain and suffering, “or if we are
comforted it is for your comfort,” because now they don’t have to worry
about Paul and the others. So, either way the Corinthian Church is comforted.
· (231b) Kingdom of God Ø
God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø Mystery
of godliness Ø Solving the mystery of godliness
Ø The mystery is solved in contentment – Our
suffering is abundant because our comforter leads us into the suffering of
Christ. As we rest in God's comfort, we transfer His blessing to others. Those
who receive it are comforted, and those who don't become our adversaries, a
source of suffering and an occasion for God's comfort. The key to receiving
God's comfort is to do His will so that when we suffer for it, He can comfort
us. Then we can turn and comfort others who are suffering. In this way we
become distributors of His grace, but if we receive comfort from God's
distributors, we do not become a distributor through them. We can only receive
their blessing of His grace and not the substance of it. We must seek God for
the substance of His grace.
2Cor 1,4-10
· (165l) Works of the devil Ø
Manifestations of the devil Ø The hardship of
affliction
2Cor 1-5
· (35b) Gift of God Ø
God is willing to Give Ø He is generous with
the Spirit of His Son
2Cor 1-6
· (99c) Thy kingdom come Ø
Endurance Ø Enduring the will of God Ø
Enduring people (patience)
· (126m) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Patience Ø
Be patient in your circumstances
2Cor 1-7
· (121j) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Hope Based On
Faithfulness Ø Hope based on endurance
-- This verse goes with verse 10
2Cor 1,8-11
· (29c) Gift of God Ø
God is our advocate Ø Delivered from death
· (242k) Kingdom of God Ø
Opposition toward the kingdom of God Ø
Persecuting the kingdom Ø Reacting to
persecution Ø Enduring persecution – Some of the experiences of the early apostles
were so bad that they were not able to trust themselves to get through them,
but relied completely on God. They were like a storm-tossed boat in the middle
of the ocean without a compass; they just had to trust God for the right
direction to row. When we go through something like that, it changes us
forever. The Bible says we will receive a crown for faithfully enduring
hardship and for maintaining an attitude of righteousness and hope. These
crowns are not necessarily about enduring our hardship as much as they are
about our relationship with God that resulted from faithfully enduring them.
The crown is placed on our heads to represent our spiritual understanding of
God that we receive in times of tribulation.
2Cor 1,8-10
· (9f) God is responsible to strengthen us
through our weaknesses
· (53m) Paradox Ø
Opposites Ø God is made strong in our weakness
· (227g) Kingdom of God Ø
God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø God
working in you Ø
Depending on Jesus to have compassion Ø
Depending on Jesus to deliver us
2Cor 1-8,9
· (176l) Works of the devil Ø
The religion of witchcraft Ø False doctrine Ø
Extremes Ø Exception to the rule; going to
extremes to love God
2Cor 1-9,10
· (102g) Thy kingdom come Ø
Faithfulness (Loyalty) Ø Trustworthy Ø
Faithfulness
2Cor 1-9
· (38c) Judgment Ø
Jesus defeated death (Satan) Ø Resurrection
overcomes death
2Cor 1-10
· (29a) Delivered From Our Enemies
(Key verse)
· (121j) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Hope Based On
Faithfulness Ø Hope based on endurance --
This verse goes with verse 7
2Cor 1-11
· (9g) God is responsible to strengthen us by
the sword of His Spirit Ø Through prayer
· (14i) Servant Ø
Ministry of helps Ø Helpers minister to the men
of God
· (30l) Gift of God Ø
God favors you through your prayers
· (82h) Thy kingdom come Ø
Prayer Ø Thankfulness Ø
Giving thanks for His mercy
· (83c) Thy kingdom come Ø
Results of prayer Ø Prayer unites the body – Paul and the other apostles were depending on
the church to pray for them as an investment in the kingdom of God for the
proliferation of the gospel as God used His prophets to cut through the thick
darkness of the world’s unbelief to deliver the clear message of Jesus’
saving power with signs and wonders following as a witness of the gospel they
preached. Their prayers proved there were people in the church who loved them
and cared for them, validating their suffering. They were not alone, but had
the whole church backing them. It is their prayers that God sees as a web that
binds them all together and forms them into a single effort powerful enough to
cut through evil. There is something about going through hard times alone that
is very disconcerting, but if we know there is someone with us, not just the
Holy Spirit but also the saints, we get a more physical representation of
assistance that is comforting.
· (130g) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Unity Ø
Committed to caring for the needs of the body Ø
Caring for spiritual needs
· (131b) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Unity Ø
Interdependent on each other to pray for you
· (228a) Kingdom of God Ø
God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø God
working in you Ø Comforted Ø
God comforts you in times of adversity Ø He
comforts you in your suffering -- This verse goes with verses 3-7
2Cor 1,12-15
· (122g) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Confidence in
yourself as you die to sin Ø Confident in good
conscience
2Cor 1-12
· (11j) Servant Ø
Paul is our example of how to walk with God
· (41j) Judgment Ø
Satan destroyed Ø Be like Jesus Ø
Be godly toward one another
· (78f) Thy kingdom come Ø
Sincerity Ø Embracing your first love Ø
Single devotion
· (92m) Thy kingdom come Ø
The narrow way Ø Walk it for the sake of your
brother
· (115c) Thy kingdom come Ø
Working the grace of God Ø Through your
ministry Ø Through your calling Ø
To build up the body of Christ
· (133g) Temple Ø
Your body is the temple of God Ø Holiness Ø
The body of Christ is holy Ø We have made
ourselves holy through Christ
· (142h) Witness Ø
Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Witnesses of Jesus
Ø Reputation exposed to slander Ø
Protect your reputation
· (155b) Witness Ø
Validity of the believer Ø Witness of the
believer Ø Conscience Ø
Having a good conscience Ø Conscience bears
witness of our good behavior – Paul defines confidence as the testimony of
our conscience. Just like the boat in the ocean without a compass, they got
through the waters and landed on shore with help only from God. We look to
our conscience and seek God who lives inside us for the direction of our
lives. As He leads us, we build confidence to trust our conscience. This is
the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all who believe and obey the
small voice in our spirit. When we accomplish the objectives that God has
for us, all is revealed after sufficient time has elapsed to see our trail,
straight and narrow, a procession of events we have done and said, places
we’ve gone and people we have met that brought us to the point on which we
are now standing. When we look behind, it makes sense, but when we look
forward, we see only darkness. Yet, we keep following God in our conscience,
knowing it will make sense some day. Living our lives this way is the
antithesis of fleshly wisdom. It gives us the grace we need to conduct
ourselves in the world and especially toward the saints.
· (166c) Works of the devil Ø
Manifestations of the devil Ø Wisdom of the
world Ø Man’s wisdom excuses his sinful
nature Ø Man’s wisdom wants to earn his
ticket to heaven
2Cor 1-13
· (98k) Thy kingdom come Ø
Endurance invites the Holy Spirit into your life Ø
The salvation of God
· (102j) Thy kingdom come Ø
Faithfulness (Loyalty) Ø Consistency Ø
Loyalty
· (109e) Thy kingdom come Ø
Revelation of the word of God Ø Revelation of
the meaning of God’s word
2Cor 1-14
· (45a) God judges us for not judging ourselves Ø
Preparing for believer’s judgment
· (227k) Comforted
(Key verse)
2Cor 1,15-17
· (251a) Priorities Ø
God’s prerequisites Ø Making plans Ø
Making plans according to the will of God Ø
Making plans within the boundaries of God’s will
2Cor 1-15
· (234l) Kingdom of God Ø
Pursuing the kingdom Ø Invest in the kingdom Ø
Be a blessing Ø Freely give what you received
from God
2Cor 1,17-20
· (195c) Denying Christ Ø
Man exercises his will against God Ø Idolatry Ø
Serving two masters Ø You can only believe in
one at a time
2Cor 1-17
· (166m) Works of the devil Ø
Manifestations of the devil Ø Carnality Ø
The carnal mind cannot discern between good and evil Ø
The carnal mind assumes the will of God
· (232f) Kingdom of God Ø
Pursuing the kingdom Ø Seeking the kingdom Ø
Count the cost Ø Procrastination
2Cor 1-18
· (102d) Thy kingdom come Ø
Faithfulness (Loyalty) Ø Faithfulness is
dependable Ø God is dependable
2Cor 1-20
· (205a) Salvation Ø
Salvation is based on God’s promises Ø
According to promise Ø God never changes – When it comes to the promises of God, we have
a green light. He does not say “Yes, but…” There are not buts in God’s
promises. There may be conditions, but those conditions do not mean no.
Rather, they also say yes to the promises of God; it is we who say no. The
conditions are all the ways we should be living, which establishes a proper
foundation, so God can build upon that foundation with the manifestation of
His promises.
2Cor 1-21
· (98c) Thy kingdom come Ø
Endurance Ø Rooted deeply Ø
The lord establishes us
· (113l) Thy kingdom come Ø
The anointing Ø Anointing establishes us in His
will – The word “anointing” is not often
mentioned in church. It is an old covenant concept with new covenant
applications. Samuel anointed King David with oil, pouring it over his head
before he became king. The only difference between the old and the new
covenant anointings is that God anointed only kings and prophets, and perhaps
the high priest, essentially anyone in a position to lead. In the new covenant
all of God’s saints are entitled to receive an anointing from God. The word
Christ literally means “The anointed one,” therefore the word Christians
means “the anointed ones.” So, should Christians be anointed? Yes. Are all
Christians sealed? Yes. So, is the anointing a seal? Yes. The anointing acts
as a seal or as a sign that proves we belong to God. As we see in the church,
however, not everyone has an anointing; not everyone in the church even
doctrinally adheres to such beliefs. Does this mean there are many people in
the church who are not saved? That is up to God to determine. What I know from
Scripture is that all Christians should be anointed.
2Cor 1-22
· (132f)
Temple Ø Your body is the temple of God Ø
Holy Spirit is in God’s people Ø God gives
his spirit as a pledge Ø God pledges His Spirit
· (132k) Temple Ø
Your body is the temple of God Ø Holy Spirit is
in God’s people Ø Holy Spirit is in the
hearts of men
2Cor 1-23
· (138c) Temple Ø
Building the temple (with hands) Ø Reproof Ø
Reprove your brother for sinning
· (155h) Witness Ø
Validity of the believer Ø Witness of the
believer Ø The Father bears witness of the
believer
2Cor 1-24
· (98a) Thy kingdom come Ø
Endurance Ø Rooted deeply Ø
Standing firm in the faith Ø Be strong
· (125h) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Joy Ø
Joy is the result of obedience
· (236j) Kingdom of God Ø
Pursuing the kingdom Ø Invest in the kingdom Ø
Invest in the treasures of the kingdom Ø Invest
your life in God’s faith
2Cor 2,1-8
· (69e) Authority Ø
Righteous judgment (outcome of discernment) Ø
Church is angry at sin
· (70d) Authority Ø
Discernment Ø Spirit grieves over the flesh
2Cor 2,1-4
· (11m)
Servant Ø Paul’s example of love for the
church – In his first letter to the Corinthians he
wrote with much anguish and tears. It wasn’t easy for Paul to be hard on the
very people he loved. Paul affirms his love for the Corinthians,
they being a manifestation of his ministry, that without them and the other
churches obeying Christ and increasing in wisdom and understanding and in
numbers, spotted throughout the world where he had visited, his labors and
efforts would be in vain. He loved the Corinthians because they played their
part in keeping Paul’s ministry from obscurity. So, Paul had his personal
motives involved. They were feedback to him as how effective his ministry was
in the world. He didn’t love them for them only, but for himself too, since
they were his reward in heaven and his confirmation here on earth that his
work was meaningful. There is a list in a later chapter of this book detailing
the pain and suffering, i.e. the beatings he received from the Jews, and all
the years in prison he endured for their sakes. He didn’t want to go through
all that for nothing. He wanted his commitment to them to mean something to
the Corinthians, not because he thought he deserved it, but because gratitude
is an appropriate response. If they weren’t grateful and respected his walk
with God and his ministry, it would be a red flag that there was something
missing in their hearts, which would ultimately spill into their relationship
with God. Paul was unwilling to allow anything to be lacking among the
churches he managed. He was going to make sure to instill whatever it took for
the Corinthian Church to be grounded in their faith.
· (123j) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Love Ø
Spiritual affection Ø Being in love with the
body of Christ Ø Weeping in the Spirit
2Cor 2-2,3
· (125g) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Joy Ø
Joy is the result of unity
2Cor 2-3,4
· (124g) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Love Ø
Acts of love Ø Love cherishes discipline
2Cor 2,5-11
· (95f) Thy kingdom come Ø
Attitude Ø Having a cooperative attitude Ø
Cooperating with each other
2Cor 2,5-8
· (108g) Thy kingdom come Ø
Balance Ø Do all things in moderation
· (130l) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Unity Ø
Accept one another Ø Accept the weak – The entire Corinthian Church was unfaithful
to God on multiple levels, and within that environment there was one person
who was having sex with his mother in law. Paul advised them saying,
“sufficient is such a one of this punishment,” referring to having
ostracized him from the church. As a result he repented of his sin and
realized the error of his ways that Christianity is not a license to do
whatever he wanted because he was forgiven, which apparently framed his
thinking. Paul commended the Corinthian Church to reaffirm their love with
this man and bring him back into the fold, to reestablish him as a vital
member of the body of Christ, not because he felt sorry or said the words they
wanted to hear, but under the premise that he had repented from the heart.
2Cor 2-6,7
· (176j) Works of the devil Ø
The religion of witchcraft Ø False doctrine Ø
Extremes Ø Truth is never found in your conduct
on either extreme of any circumstance
· (223c) Kingdom of God Ø
The elusive kingdom of heaven Ø Conceit Ø
Imposing your opinion of self on others Ø
Cliques make people seek your acceptance
2Cor 2-7
· (120i) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Forgiveness Ø
Forgiveness is an act of mercy Ø Forgiveness
sets you free -- This verse goes with verses 10&11
2Cor 2-9,10
· (72c) Transferring authority Ø
Men delegate authority by obeying the word
· (236d) Kingdom of God Ø
Pursuing the kingdom Ø Invest in the kingdom Ø
All things are for your sake Ø Our motive is
for your up-building
2Cor 2-9
· (5l) Responsibility Ø
The church tests the disciples
· (87d) Thy kingdom come Ø
Obey all the will of God Ø Church obeys all of
the Father’s will
· (239j) Kingdom of God Ø
Pursuing the kingdom Ø Pursuing the knowledge
of the kingdom Ø Teachers Ø
The gift of teaching Ø The ability to teach is
a gift from God
· (250b) Priorities Ø
God’s prerequisites Ø Sequence of priorities Ø
In all things ... Ø Be obedient in all things
2Cor 2-10,11
· (46f) Judgment Ø
Spiritual warfare Ø Fall of Satan Ø
Resisting Satan’s deception
· (120i) Thy kingdom come Ø
Manifestations of faith Ø Forgiveness Ø
Forgiveness is an act of mercy Ø Forgiveness
sets you free -- These verses go with verse 7.
– In Paul’s first writing to the Corinthians
he was obviously very angry, saying that he was going to deliver such a one to
Satan for the destruction of his flesh, and now in Paul’s second letter to
the Corinthians we see the other side of him, that after such a person is
delivered to Satan, if they repent they are welcome back into the fold with
open arms saying, “Whom you forgive anything, I forgive also.” So,
delivering such a one to Satan would seem to be the opposite of forgiveness,
and when he repents it is important that they quickly forgive and restore the
individual, “In order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are
not ignorant of his schemes.” In First Corinthians Paul is delivering the
person to Satan and in Second Corinthians he is forgiving him, because we know
how Satan can use unforgiveness to turn it into bitterness and then use it to
torture and destroy everyone involved. So, in First Corinthians they threw
this guy into a meat shredder, and in Second Corinthians they pulled him out
just before he got to the blades, before Satan got a hold of him and turned
his heart to stone, so that he is no longer able to repent.
2Cor 2-10
· (69k) Authority Ø
Discernment Ø Executing God’s judgment by His
authority
· (104i) Thy kingdom come Ø
Pure in heart shall see God Ø Shall see Jesus Ø
Being in the presence of Jesus
· (188j) Die to self (Process of substitution) Ø
Separation from the old man Ø Sorrow Ø
Grieving over your own loss Ø Grieving over
your loved ones
2Cor 2-11
· (80b) Thy kingdom come Ø
Know the word in spiritual warfare Ø To deliver
yourself from bondage
· (158a) Works of the devil Ø
Excerpts of the greatest verses of this chapter
2Cor 2-12,13
· (105g) Thy kingdom come Ø
Led by the Spirit Ø Into The will of God Ø
Led to the right place – Paul refers to some of his experiences in
passing in the last chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians,
specifically that he went to Troas, but now adding that he had no rest for his
spirit. This is what happens when you make a decision that doesn’t square
with the will of God, there is no rest for your spirit. When this happens you
know God is calling you elsewhere. Let peace be the umpire when it comes to
making decisions in the Lord. Paul had no rest for his spirit concerning some
of the ideas he had that he wanted to do. As he was making his plans and as
the moment was approaching for him to begin to implement those plans he found
no rest for his soul. He then realized that his plans were not the will of
God, so he had to change his mind and went to Macedonia.
· (148i) Witness Ø
Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Works of the church
bear witness to Jesus Ø Evangelism Ø
Obligation to preach the gospel Ø Ambassador in
chains
2Cor 2-13
· (216h) Sovereignty Ø
God overrides the will of man Ø God’s will
over man Ø Compelled by the Spirit Ø
Following God in fear of losing the anointing
2Cor 2,14-17
· (71a) Authority Ø
Believer’s authority Ø We have authority to
evangelize the world
· (111a) Thy kingdom come Ø
Spirit and the word Ø Spirit and evangelism
2Cor 2,14-16
· (39f) Judgment Ø
Jesus defeated death Ø Victory Ø
He overcame every circumstance
· (66i) Jesus’ authority Ø
Jesus is the power of God Ø Demonstration of
His Spirit
· (80j) Thy kingdom come Ø
Know the word to minister to people Ø To edify
one another
· (112j) Thy kingdom come Ø
Light Ø Being in the presence of truth
· (154d) Witness Ø
Validity of the Father Ø God bears witness
against the world Ø Witness that the world is
godless Ø Witness that the world does not know
God
· (156d) Witness Ø
Validity of the believer Ø Evidence of
salvation Ø Loving your brother is evidence of
salvation
· (187f) Die to self (Process of substitution) Ø
Separation from the old man Ø Die to the flesh Ø
Dying to receive the glory of God Ø Die to self
to know the revelation of God
· (228l) Kingdom of God Ø
God’s kingdom is a living organism Ø God
working in you Ø God works the victory in your
life
· (252g) Trinity Ø
You shall put no other gods before Me Ø Worship
God Ø Worship God who is Spirit Ø
Worship God in prayer
2Cor 2-14
· (81l) Thy kingdom come Ø
Pray without ceasing Ø For the church Ø
Anointing to pray
2Cor 2,15-17
· (67n) Authority Ø
Doing God’s work under His authority Ø
Ministry of helps Ø Help God
2Cor 2-15,16
· (157c) Witness Ø
Validity of the believer Ø Evidence of being
hell-bound Ø Rejecting God Ø
Rejecting God’s people
· (189a) Die to self (Process of substitution) Ø
Separation from the old man Ø Holy sacrifice Ø
The smell of death – Paul compares God’s blood-bought children
to a fragrant aroma. This fragrance could refer to the perfume they place on a
corpse to prepare it for burial, or it could refer to the burning of perpetual
incense that was once a requirement of the old covenant tabernacle, or it may
in fact be referring to both. The burial perfume reminds us that we are dead
to the evil deeds of the animal nature that reside in our flesh, while the
incense reminds us to always live in an attitude of prayer. Both the perpetual
incense and the perfume are analogies that suggest we are a fragrance of
Christ to the world and our fellow saints. Wherever we go we leave behind a
trace aroma reminding all within our sphere of influence that something from
God has come near, hopefully drawing them to the kingdom of heaven. On the one
hand, to the world we are an aroma from death to death, meaning that if they
weren’t sure they were going to hell, they are now that they have our scent,
a contrast of themselves, reminding the world they are making some really poor
decisions regarding their eternal destiny. We remind them that there are
alternatives; they can be saved from this evil and perverse generation. We
remind the world that God has reached down and communicated with us through
His Son. Our fragrant aroma jogs their memory that Jesus was sacrificed, the
perfume was placed on His lifeless body, but that he rose from the dead and is
interceding for us all, calling anyone who is willing to be a child of God. On
the other hand, among those of us who are being saved we are an aroma from
life to life. As in baptism, the burial perfume was rubbed on us, but being
followers of Christ, we have risen from the waters to a new and living way
through the Spirit. Now we demonstrate our Christianity through our joy and
the blessing and glory. We let the truth from God reciprocate through the
members of our bodies with an aroma of our own, that we might inhale the
fruits of each other’s labors we provide for the body of Christ, that we
might all grow together in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ,
till we meet Him face to face and rejoice in His presence forever. This is the
glory and the joy and the blessing of being a child of God. We offer each
other that which we received from God. Our very presence communicates our gift
and the aroma it presents. Let it linger long after we have left the room as a
reminder of God’s goodness who resides within us.
2Cor 2-16
· (116h) Thy kingdom come Ø
Working the grace of God Ø Our adequacy is from
God
2Cor 2-17
· (75m) Thy kingdom come Ø
Having ulterior (hidden) motives
· (78e) Thy kingdom come Ø
Sincerity Ø Taking God to heart Ø
Having pure motives and desires
· (104g) Thy kingdom come Ø
Pure in heart shall see God Ø Shall see the
Father Ø God can see us – we are in His sight
· (150b) Witness Ø
Validity of Jesus Christ Ø Works of the church
bear witness to Jesus Ø Evangelism Ø
Instructions on evangelism
See
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