Dealing With Sin -- 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

2 Corinthians 2:1-11


"For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs." (ESV)

It is important when reading the epistles, particularly ones that are designated "second" (2 Corinthians, 2 Timothy, etc.), to remember that epistles are letters, correspondence between the apostle writing that epistle and the recipients. They are missives written as part of an ongoing, already-established, relationship between people. Thus, there was a foundational understanding about what the writer was saying over and above what we actually are reading.

In order to better understand what Paul is writing about here in 2 Corinthians, we need to refer to the original issue in 1 Corinthians 5. Here, in 2 Corinthians, Paul refers to "such a one" (v. 5). That person, that "such a one," was a topic of concern for Paul in his first letter to the Corinthian church:

"It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

"For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

"Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

"I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’" (1 Corinthians 5, ESV)

There was a member of the Corinthian church, someone who claimed to be a believer, who was involved in sexually immorality and this was known to the other members of that church. In fact, it was so well known that Paul had become aware of the situation. In this case, a man was having sexual relations with his step-mother. But it could have been any kind of sexual immorality (as Paul goes on to delineate later in the chapter) as well as other kinds of habitual sin.

What’s interesting is that Paul, in v. 9-12, outlines the course of action for a church body when a member refuses to turn from habitual sin. First, as Paul often does, he lists sins, not for exclusivity, but as examples. Thus the concept is that believers are not to be embracing sin as a lifestyle. You cannot serve both God and sin. I can’t say that plainly enough. Throughout scripture, that concept is repeated over and over again. It doesn’t matter that our society has become very lax in identifying what is sin. It is the responsibility to each individual believer to purge their life of sinful choices and practices and to live as righteously as possible.

Second, Paul clearly teaches that there are social interactions that believers will have with nonbelievers who are habitual sinners. That makes sense based on what Paul taught in Romans 6. Those who aren’t Christians are slaves to sin. When they make sinful lifestyle choices, they are only acting according to their nature; they cannot do any differently. And their choices aren’t even the issue! Their one besetting sin is that of disbelief; that one sin will send them to hell. They cannot go "more" to hell because they are involved in a sinful lifestyle, regardless of what it is. And Paul clearly states that he expects that believers will be socially involved with nonbeliever who are sinful, even those who are sexually immoral. Why? Because in order to evangelize, we have to establish relationships with the unsaved. We have to "go into all the world" and preach and teach. And prior to preaching and teaching, we must establish a relationship where the world will actually listen to what we have to say.

Third, Paul is very harsh with the Church about how we, as believers, are to deal with our Christian brothers and sisters who are habitually involved in sinful lifestyles, including those lifestyles which are sexually immoral: we are to separate ourselves completely from such people. We are to "not associate" including "not even to eat with such a one."

It is against this background that Paul now writes, in 2 Corinthians 2, that the Corinthian church was to restore "such a one" to the church by forgiving him and comforting him.

There are some things here we need to remember.

It is easy for us to feel superior to each other, particularly feeling superior to those believers around us who have fallen into sin. We are not to feel superior, but rather to treat the sinner with gentleness, understanding that each of us can be tempted at any time.

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." (Galatians 6:1-3 NKJV).



Any of us can fall to sin at any moment if we let down our guard, even slightly:

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV).

Lastly, the goal always of any righteous judgment of another believer is to restore that one into the Kingdom. The Lord Jesus’ purpose—our purpose—is to bring souls into the Kingdom of God, not to hate and condemn them. Every interaction that we have with those around us needs to be with that in mind. Always! Everything we do, everything we say, everything we pray, must be for the purpose of compelling that person to turn to the Lord Jesus for their salvation and then teaching them to serve Him with their whole heart, soul, and mind. There should be no other purpose or goal for the believer. Ever!

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

Allowing Others Time to Process -- 2 Corinthians 1:23-24

2 Corinthians 1:23-24


"Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand." (NKJV)

As the founding pastor of the church at Corinth, Paul had a certain familiarity and authority in the church, the kind of authority that comes from being a teacher and mentor. But after he left to continue establishing other churches, problems came to the Corinthian church, problems that Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians and in perhaps other letters written between the two epistles.

When writing 2 Corinthians, Paul understood that people often process issues differently and on different time tables. Not everyone is convinced overnight nor does behavioral change occur quickly. Think of it. Some of the ways we view the world are deeply ingrained from when we were young; it’s difficult to change those overnight, even when we have the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. Even when we are confronted by the spiritual truth. Paul recognized this characteristic of the human condition and wanted to give the believers in the Corinthian church sufficient time to change so that his next visit didn’t have to be another stern lecture to them about their sin.

Yes, we embrace sin. Often we justify it, even continue to practice it under the guise of "doing God’s will." And when we are confronted by a loving brother or sister in Christ, we often stubbornly refuse to even consider that what we are doing is sin. This was the very situation Paul was addressing. So rather than go to visit the Corinthians while they were still working through the situation, Paul held back his visit in order to give them time to work through things.

Over the past two years, I’ve had some rather devastating changes in my life. These changes, like many in our lives, didn’t just touch me personally but also touched those around me. One important thing I’ve learned through this situation is that people process the pain of life differently. They deal with it in different ways and on different time tables. As mature believers, we need to give people time to process . . . to emotionally and cognitively deal with change. We cannot demand that they go through a difficult situation in the same way or at the same pace that we are. Rather, we need to lovingly and patiently support them, both in prayer and in care, while they deal with it.

Paul also reiterates that he doesn’t have the kind of authority that gives him dominion over them. This Greek word is kyrieuo and is the word for "lord." Regardless of the relationship that we have with another believer, we don’t have the right to demand that they do what we say simply because of our position in the church or in their lives. Paul even wrote that going to someone about their sin (having an intervention of sorts) didn’t give anyone the right to lord it over them:

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." (Galatians 6:1-3 NKJV).

We are, rather than lording, commanded to bear each other’s burdens and to live humbly with each other.

Paul ends this section with the phrase "for by faith you stand." Ultimately, our lives and our faith in Christ is the commonality that both binds us together and allows us to persevere for the Kingdom. If we forget our purpose, which is to serve and glorify Christ, we become nothing. If we live for our purpose, then everyday we become less so that He can become more in us. We "stand" because of our faith, for our faith, and in our faith. Without our faith in God, we are nothing.

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

We Are His Children -- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

2 Corinthians 1:21-22



"Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee."

The relationship that believers have with each other is unique because it is a relationship—always—that has been ordained by Father God. We are who we are together as a Body because there was first God who planned and designed that we would have relationships together.

There are four things Paul notes in this passage:

• God establishes us in Christ
• God anoints us for ministry
• God seals us
• God has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee


God establishes us in Christ

Salvation is both an individual and a corporate process. We are individually saved by our own confession of faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, but we weren’t saved to be saved alone. Once saved, we become part of a "body" of believers.

"For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many." (1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NKJV).

There is this inextricable fact: we cannot be saved alone! We must understand that when we are saved, we become eternally joined, not only with Christ, but with each other. "All the members of that one body." We are established together—us with you—in Christ. This creates a relationship from which we cannot escape, a relationship with every other believer. Whether or not we like them, whether or not they are lovable, we are joined with them for all eternity. And this was done by Father God Himself in order to create a Bride for the Son.

God is relational. He is a relational Being. He longs to be in relationship with others. That makes sense when we look at the Trinity: three Beings co-existing eternally as one God. But God wanted more. He wanted creations that would also be in relationship with Him. And because God is Three in One, in order to be in relationship with Him, those created beings would also have to be in relationship with each other.

God has established us together in Christ. Because of our sinful natures here on earth, it feels unnatural for us to be in eternity-type relationships. At some time or another, regardless of how much we love or respect someone else, we will want to be away from them. God established us in Christ so that the basis of our relationships with other believers would be the indwelling Holy Spirit. Since the Trinity already exists in relationship with itself, it becomes a more natural thing for us to want to be in relationship with each other because the Holy Spirit lives within us.

We are established with each other in Christ.


God anoints us for ministry

When you read the Old Testament, you see that the process of anointing was used to separate someone for the purpose of ministry. It wasn’t to separate that person out for exclusivity, but rather to propel them into the ministry to which God had called them.

We are all called to a ministry and so, we have all been anointed by the Holy Spirit. We don’t become saved for only the purpose of avoiding hell. If that were the only reason, once we turned to the Lord Jesus for salvation, we would immediately be taken to heaven. No, we have been left here on earth for the purpose of being light and salt to a dying world.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they slight a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16 NKJV)

The Lord Jesus, before He ascended back to heaven, commanded us to go into the world and preach the good news: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV).

We are anointed for ministry, to preach His gospel.


God seals us

Sealed, sphragizo (Strong’s 4972), which implies to mark a person, to prove, confirm, or authenticate beyond doubt.

Father God Himself has sealed us, has placed His seal of ownership on us. That seal confirms, beyond doubt, that we are His adopted children, that we belong to Him.

Many in our society talk about all people being the children of God. That is false. Not everyone is God’s child. We are all His creations, but we are not all His children. "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons." (Galatians 4:4-5 NKJV). Satan wants the world to believe that everyone is God’s child because Satan wants to set the rules . . . and that’s not his right! Only God establishes the rules of His creation and one of those rules is that only those who are adopted can be God’s children.

God seals us so that, beyond all doubt, we can then call Him "Father" because we have become His adopted children.


God has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee

It is impossible to please God within ourselves. Our frail, sin-inclined natures want really to only please ourselves. And so the Father sent His own Spirit to dwell within us so that we would be able to truly become the children of God. That ability, that power of the Holy Spirit, is the guarantee that we are His children, that we have been established in Christ, and that we are sealed without doubt.

The Father has given wonderful things to His children, to us! He didn’t just promise us heaven and then leave us here to fend for ourselves. He has given us the companionship of other believers, the anointing and empowering for ministry, the sealing for us to live without doubting, and the person of the Holy Spirit living within us. And all this happens from God, the Creator of the universe, the Master, the Lord of all things. How amazing is this!

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

God Cannot Lie -- 2 Corinthians 1:20

2 Corinthians 1:20


"For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (NKJV)

"God is not human, that He should lie, not a human being, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill it? . . . He has blessed and I cannot change it." (Numbers 23:19, 20b NIV)

God cannot lie. What He says, He will do. In Hebrews, it’s explained that God both promised and then confirmed that promise with an oath, both which are immutable.

"Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us." (Hebrews 6:17-18 NKJV)

What is "immutable?"

The English definition is that it is something that cannot change. The Greek word, ametathetos, is a compound word: a (meaning negative) and metatithemi (meaning "to change") (Strong’s G276). It was a legal (technical) word used in writing wills and lends itself to the idea that whatever was established cannot be changed.

God’s promises to us are immutable based on two things: His holy character and the oath that He made through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ and through His Word. Nothing that He has promised can be changed, even if He wanted to (which He doesn’t). It contains within it the force of immutability. Not only can it not be changed, it is not susceptible to change. It is impossible for God to even consider changing His mind.

All that being said, then how can it appear that God doesn’t act on His promises? We pray and what we expect doesn’t happen. We ask and it appears that we don’t receive. James gives us two reasons why our prayers are unanswered:

"You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." (James 4:3 NKJV)

"But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:6-8 NKJV).

In James 4, we ask "amiss," meaning that we have wrong motives behind our prayers. Our requests are not that we might live more in the will of God but that we might have what we want to make this life easier and more self-indulgent. In James 1, we ask but we doubt that we will receive. We aren’t sure that God can or will do what we ask.

Let me propose a third option as well. We ask, misunderstanding what God has promised. Because we want to avoid the future we think we are facing, we take scripture and twist it to our own devices. Then, when the "promise" isn’t fulfilled, we are left believing that God has lied to us.

He hasn’t. He cannot lie.

God’s promises are always true, but our understanding of what we read as His promise may be faulty.

In Numbers 22, Balak was king of Moab. He sent for Balaam, a prophet, so that Balaam could convince God to curse the Israelites. The first time, Balak took Balaam where they could see all of the Israelites camped in the plains of Moab. But rather than curse the Israelites (whom God had already blessed), Balaam spoke blessing on them. Hoping for a different response, Balak then—twice—took Balaam to different vantage points where they could only see a "part" of the Israelites. Balak’s logic was that if Balaam could only see some of the Israelites, perhaps then God would curse them (23:13 and 27).

When we find ourselves faced with great trials, we will sometimes use just a small piece of God’s Word, trying to back God into a corner and "forcing" Him to do what we want by claiming that He cannot lie so He has to do what He said He would do. The problem is, by exegeting scripture in such a manner, we are actually forcing words into God’s mouth that He didn’t say! He cannot lie, but He will also not be manipulated. God’s promises are always true, but our understanding of scripture may not always be true. It’s important, as believers, that we are convinced that God cannot lie. If there is a doubt about the validity of scripture, the problem never lies with God but with our understanding of what we have read or studied. God promises are always true and are for the purpose of bringing Him glory through our lives.

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

There Is a God -- 2 Corinthians 1:19-20

2 Corinthians 1:19-20



"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us."

The Bible is filled with promises from God, but His Word isn’t the only testimony to His existence and to His care. All of creation shouts that God loves us and cares for us; only those who are deceived have chosen to believe there is no God nor that He is loving and good.

"For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools." (Romans 1:20-22 NKJV).

Notice the progression that Paul lists in this passage from Romans:

• His invisible attributes are clearly seen in creation; we can understood those attributes by the things that are made (by creation around us)

• Everyone at one time knew God
• Unbelievers didn’t glorify Him nor were thankful; they became futile in their hearts.
• Their hearts were darkened, and they became fools

At one time in everyone’s life, there is a knowledge of God. Atheists aren’t born; they’re made. Now one might argue that young children also believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy, but those are fictional characters about whom adults teach children. But everyone is born knowing there is a Creator and that He is good. The very existence of all of creation, knit together and working continuously to support life, is evidence of a loving God.

"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" (Psalm 8:3-4 NKJV).

Joseph Seiss wrote a book, The Gospel in the Stars, that carefully and clearly shows the story of the life of Jesus Christ in the constellations. Even in the heavens, we can see that God exists and has revealed clearly who He is to everyone.

Two things happen to those who become unbelievers. First, they don’t glorify God nor are they thankful for what He has done. Second, they became futile in their hearts. The KJV says: "they became vain in their imaginations." The core of the meaning appears to be that they became self-centered or self-absorbed in their discussions, reasoning, and thought. In other words, once they began to think more about themselves than about God, all that they were thinking about became futile and without purpose. Instead of focusing on God and what He has done for them, they became absorbed in their own importance, their own issues, and their own thoughts. They actually placed their wisdom above God’s! Then to justify something so foolish, they turn from God, often becoming atheists or agnostics, saying there is no God. "The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity" (Psalm 53:1a NKJV).

These are the unbelievers to whom we are preaching the good news, those who no longer glorify God nor are thankful for what He has done. They are futile in their thinking, foolish and self-centered. No amount of arguing on their terms will change their minds. And yet, many spend hours, days, even lifetimes obsessing about trying to convince unbelievers that they are wrong and the Bible is right. This isn’t the way to witness:

"If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself." (1 Timothy 6:3-5 NKJV).

Notice what Paul does say has value:

• wholesome words, even the words of the Lord Jesus Christ
• to the doctrine which accords with godliness

How do we define "godliness?" That is the fruit of the Spirit lived out in our lives even as the Lord Jesus Christ lived, being willing to go nonjudgmentally out into a world of sinners, to eat and fellowship with them, showing them love and giving sacrificially. It is by this kind of life that unbelievers will begin to turn to us and say, "What must I do to be saved?" It is through our own lives, living where our yes means yes, living as if we truly did believe that God’s promises are all true, it is through this kind of life that we can become again a revitalized (revivaled) Church!

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

How Then Should We Live -- 2 Corinthians 1:12-14

2 Corinthians 1:12-14


"For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus." (NKJV)

"For our boasting is this . . . we are your boast as you also are ours." In English, there are actually two older English words that are relevant here: glory and vainglory. One of the verbs, "glory," means to exult, jubilate, delight. It is the kind of boasting that is so excited about the victory that has been achieved, particularly when that victory has been accomplished by someone else. Then there is vainglory which is the "excessive pride especially in one’s achievements." (Miriam Webster Dictionary). The Greek word here is kauchesis (Strong’s G2746) which would be "glory" as opposed to "vainglory." Several of the newer translations use "boast," but the KJV uses the word "rejoicing."

There is a real sense here that Paul is excited, even delighted, by what the Lord is doing by His grace, both in his own life and in the lives of the believers. His focus is: "I trust you will understand, even to the end (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus." He is saying that nothing matters except that which will matter when we stand before the Throne (the day of the Lord Jesus) and that all that will matter on that day are the lives of the believers, how we lived.

So then, how did Paul live? He describes his life (and the lives of his traveling companions and ministry partners):

• The testimony of their conscience was clear
• They chose to live in simplicity
• They chose to live in godly sincerity
• They chose to live by the grace of God
• They chose to live abundantly for others

The testimony of their conscience was clear
What is a "testimony of conscience?"

What it is not is an emotional response or a response to emotions. Emotions lie to us and the enemy will use our emotions at every turn to deceive us. In the Greek, it is suneidesis (Strong’s G4893), "the soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former and shun the latter, commending one, condemning the other." The writer of the Hebrews speaks clearly about the conscience:

"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:12-14 NKJV).

There are two characteristics of those whose consciences are fully developed: (1) They partake of the solid food of the Word, having gone past the "milk" stage where they are still hearing (perhaps over and over again) the very basic doctrines and tenets of the faith; and (2) they have used what they have learned to develop a strong conscience that can discern both good and evil.

There are many Christians who have accepted the Lord as their Savior but have failed to move much further in their spiritual growth. Why? Because they haven’t "exercised their senses to discern good and evil." They are so enamored with the things of this world—pleasure, power, control, entertainment, finances, lusts—that they embrace the "wrong" and repulse the "right."

And Paul goes one further. Paul says that "the testimony of their conscience was clear." It wasn’t just their own consciences, but Paul states that the testimony of their conscience was clear. It was more than their words, but also their actions, their very lives. Paul is saying, "You have seen our lives and you yourselves have witnessed that our consciences are clear." For the Christian, life is much more than "This is what I feel the Lord wants me to do." Our lives must measure up to scripture and that measure must be discernable by other believers.


They chose to live in simplicity
The Greek word is haplotes (Strong’s G572) and has a width of meaning: "1 singleness, simplicity, sincerity, mental honesty. 1a the virtue of one who is free from pretence and hypocrisy. 2 not self seeking, openness of heart manifesting itself by generousity." (Strong’s Enhanced Lexicon).

There are some prevailing characteristics of this life. It is a life that is purposely devoid of inward chaos, singleness of mind and purpose, and generous to all those around. Because Paul’s entire focus in life was on one thing—sharing the gospel—he was able to easily be generous, to easily be honest, to easily be unselfish. He was focused on "today" and "today alone," trusting God to guide and provide for each successive day. He ministered fully to those around him, so any ensuing drama didn’t matter. Paul knew that God loved those around him and his only purpose was to lead them more and more to Christ. "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV).


They chose to live in godly sincerity
Lots of people are sincere about a lot of things . . . today, but then tomorrow comes and the circumstances change and you can’t count on them to do what they had promised they would do. Marriages based on "until death do us part" are dissolved because the marriage partners no longer hold those vows to be compelling on their actions. They "fall out of love" or "grow apart" and suddenly the marriage is no more. People promise to do this or that but then life comes crashing in and they renege (or even worse, simply disappear). They were all sincere at the time, but their sincerity failed to deliver in the long haul.

Paul chose to live with godly sincerity. That is, what he said was what he would do. He was who he said he was and was transparent and honest in all dealings.


They chose to live by the grace of God
Grace is more than is often taught. Charis (Strong’s G5485) is "the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life." Divine influence and life reflection. What God says, we do. That’s grace! And not only do we do it, but we do it through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Father knows that we cannot please Him on our own, so He has given us the Holy Spirit who empowers us to reflect His own influence in our behavior and choices.

Paul says that they "conducted" themselves by the grace of God. There is a real sense of "choice" in that word. It is anastrepho (Strong’s 390) and "frequently denotes to behave oneself, to life a certain manner of life." In fact, Paul compares it with "with fleshly wisdom." When we choose based on our emotions or on what seems best to us, we are living with fleshly wisdom. When we choose based on the scriptures, we are living according to the grace of God.


They chose to live abundantly for others
There is a very dangerous doctrine that has permeated the Church and that is the doctrine that I must love myself before I can love anyone else, that I must take care of myself, that I must make time for myself, that I . . . I . . . I. There is nowhere in scripture where it tells us to take care of ourselves. Quite the contrary, we are commanded to consider others as better than ourselves:

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others." (Philippians 2:3-4 NKJV).

Paul chose to live that way, living abundantly for others. He says even "more abundantly toward you." The emphasis was always on giving, giving, giving and not worrying about himself. Paul knew that God would take of him (and who better?) and so, Paul could focus on living abundantly for others, doing whatever it would take to compel them to follow Jesus even more each day.

Paul ends by saying that "we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand." In other words, there is no hidden agenda in his words. What he says is exactly what he means.

There is so much here that can influence our lives. We can live with more simplicity, with more sincerity, with more abundance toward others. We can live in the grace of God, following His commands through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can live so that the testimony of our lives is clearly seen by others who will attest that our consciences always followed the will of the Father. We can do all this. Today, how will we choose to live?

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

God's Great Deliverance -- 2 Corinthians 1:8-11

2 Corinthians 1:8-11


"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many." (NKJV)

The church at Corinth had evidently heard that Paul and his traveling companions had suffered greatly during their trip to Asia. Paul explains that he doesn’t want them to be "ignorant" of those troubles, but also he doesn’t go into detail about all the ills and woes. Rather than focusing upon the specifics of the troubles, Paul instead focuses upon the graciousness of God to deliver the group from the troubles, troubles so great that the travelers were on the verge of death.

The thing is, Paul wasn’t afraid to die. In fact, he looked forward to dying, calling it "gain:"

"For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again" (Philippians 1:19-26 NKJV).

Paul absolutely had his priorities right. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that going Home was the best possible outcome for any believer on any day; however, he also knew that every moment spent here on earth had one purpose: to minister the gospel to those around him. And so, when he stated that he didn’t wanted the Corinthians to be ignorant about what happened in Asia, Paul wasn’t talking about them needing to know the details of the tribulation that he had faced. He was talking about how they needed to know what God had done to rescue him and his companions. Paul’s focus was solely on bringing glory to God and explaining how God is always there, providing at every turn for every need regardless of the seeming hopelessness of the situation.

"We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us"

God who "delivered us" (in the past).

God who "does deliver us" (in the present).

God "will still deliver us" (in the future).

Paul’s testimony was that Father God is there all the time, providing all we need, at every turn and in every circumstance.

You see, as Christians, every circumstance—EVERY circumstance—is a "win-win" situation. Even if we face death, if God rescues us, we "win" because we can stay here and continue our ministry to others. If God takes us Home, we "win" because we now with Him, the greatest event that happens to every Christian.

It makes me so sad when I talk to Christians and find that they are reluctant, even afraid, to die (or to have fellow believers die). Why would anyone not want to go Home to be with the Lord? Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself promised: "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3 NKJV).

The Lord Jesus has promised to come for every believer, either through death or through the Rapture. But He will come! He has promised! And He not only comes, but while we are waiting here, He is preparing a place for us. Think of it! It took God seven days to create this marvelous universe in which we live. And yet the Lord Jesus has been preparing our home for us for many years. I can’t begin to think about how wondrous that is! He loves us so much that He is spending time and energy preparing our place! He’s not just coming for us. He is anxious to have us with Him, so much that He is preparing our home.

Paul focused on what God had done for his traveling company because Paul knew what was important. It wasn’t important for him to go through the litany of his woes or pains. But it was important for the Corinthians to know what God had done for him.

What do our conversations consist of? Do we talk about what God has done for us? Or do we rehearse the many tribulations that we are suffering? Are our eyes on ourselves and what we have suffered or are our eyes on the King of All who has provided and continues to provide? If we, like Paul, have placed our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, then we should always be pointing everyone around us to Him . . . and nothing else . . . for in Him is all our faith and trust. Why? Because He is preparing a place for us and will come to take us with Him to that very special place.

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

Loving when We Disagree -- 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, 2:1-2

2 Corinthians 1:8-11, 2:1-2


"For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. . . . But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?" (NKJV)

Verse 8 in chapter 1 begins a section of writing that is understood by verses 1-2 of chapter 2. Paul begins explaining why he didn’t make a previously promised trip to the Corinthian church: after the rebuke in 1 Corinthians regarding the sexual sin of a church member, he didn’t want to come to them again with only rebukes. He put off his visit in order to give them time to process his letter and to deal with the issue. There is a wisdom that we can learn from Paul’s delay.

People process differently. They take different amounts of time and they use different methods. Not everyone can deal with an issue right now nor can most people respond appropriately within a short period of time. They need time to think about things before changing their opinions or how they do something.

Paul talked about this in both Romans and Philippians, acknowledging that there are believers who have differing viewpoints:

"Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you" (Philippians 3:15 NKJV).

Paul was completely confident that his "point of view" was God’s will. Paul didn’t give the same weight to differing opinions: "Well, you can have your opinion and I’ll have mine." He knew that what he believed (and what he had written) was God’s will. Paul had spent sufficient time in prayer that he was totally convinced that what he had written was exactly what God wanted; therefore, the reason that Paul wasn’t giving room for differing opinions wasn’t because he believed everyone had the right to their own viewpoint. Paul completely understood that those who disagreed with him would eventually agree with him as the Holy Spirit worked in their lives. He characterizes those who agree with him as being "mature" and those who disagree as still needing God’s revelation in this area of their lives.

People are at different places in their lives and need time to grow and mature. When faced with change or difficulties, they will likely process differently and at different rates. Paul understood this unique characteristic of the human psyche and made allowances for it while refusing to give way to a sinful opinion or position.

Paul takes a similar, but even more patient, stance in Romans 15:

"We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves." (Romans 15:1 NKJV).

Matthew Henry expands on Paul’s words:
"We all have our infirmities; but the weak are more subject to them than others-the weak in knowledge or grace, the bruised reed and the smoking flax. We must consider these; not trample upon them, but encourage them, and bear with their infirmities. If through weakness they judge and censure us, and speak evil of us, we must bear with them, pity them, and not have our affections alienated from them. Alas! it is their weakness, they cannot help it. Thus Christ bore with his weak disciples, and apologised for them. But there is more in it; we must also bear their infirmities by sympathizing with them, concerning ourselves for them, ministering strength to them, as there is occasion. This is bearing one another’s burdens." (Henry, M. 1996, c1991. Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible : Complete and unabridged in one volume (Ro 15:1). Hendrickson: Peabody)


Matthew Henry uses the word "infirmities" from the original King James. This word is asthenema (Strong’s G771) and means "those scruples which arise through weakness of faith."

We are surrounded, in the Body of Christ, by believers who are at different stages of spiritual maturity, who mature at different rates and in different ways, and who are going through the spiritual growth process perhaps differently than we did. Some may be greatly hurting. Some may be defensive or brash. All need our support and love.

Paul tells us that we aren’t here to please ourselves, but rather we are here to minister to those around us, being strong to bear with their opinions without beating them down. The place of the mature believer is to pray for those less mature, to befriend them, to gently minister to them. In everything that we do, we are to consider the welfare of those around us, pouring out our lives for them as Christ poured out His life for us. This is truly showing love to the brethren: "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16 NKJV) and "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35 NKJV). We love each other when we allow others to process at their own rate, to grow as the Spirit leads them, and to love even when we fail to agree.

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

Afflictions and Salvation -- 2 Corinthians 1:6-7

2 Corinthians 1:6-7



"Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation."

People follow Jesus, are attracted to Him, for different reasons. Not everyone "comes" to Jesus for the kind of salvation that He intended to bring.

"But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is the great power of God.’ And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity." (Acts 8:9-23)

Simon had developed a lifestyle that had granted him three things that he wanted:

• He wanted to be famous (v. 9-11)

• He wanted to do things no one else could do; he wanted to be special (v. 11)

• He wanted everyone to listen to him (v. 10)

When Philip came to town, Philip preached about Jesus, including the miracles that Philip had seen performed by both Jesus and the disciples. Simon was impressed with the miracles and became saved because of that. Simon wanted a release from the mundane suffering and trials of life and saw Christianity as a way to live happier, better, richer, and above the pressing concerns of day-to-day life (v. 13).

When Peter came and the believers began to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit which was accompanied by even more signs and powers, Simon wanted to be able to bestow those kinds of powers upon others. Why? Because he saw the adulation that Peter received (and very likely rejected). Simon realized that having this power would increase his ability to achieve his three goals of fame, uniqueness, and adulation. Peter admonished Simon curtly because Peter understood that the life of a believer is by it’s very definition a life of suffering. The gifts of the Spirit aren’t given to make our lives better but to allow us to minister to those around us, particularly ministering the gospel (the good news of salvation) to those who are lost. We haven’t been given anything, including the consolation for our trials, for our own benefit but only so that we can be strengthened to tell others about Jesus.

Paul is clear in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 that afflictions and tribulations are part of the Christian life; they are part of the salvation process. Paul says "as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation." Consolation, as we saw earlier is that by which we grow closer to the Lord Jesus through His instruction and encouragement. The sufferings are necessary for us to grow in maturity, to grow in faith. When we try to live lives that avoid suffering, we are actually short-changing ourselves because we are trying to "buy" our faith (as Simon was trying) without understanding at all what that faith means or its purpose.

Peter correctly identifies Simon as being "poisoned by bitterness." This is actually an idiom that describes extreme wickedness (Strong’s G4088/Vine’s). Peter further accuses Simon of being "bound by iniquity." We know from Romans 6 that we are no longer slaves to sin, but that as believers we have been freed to choose to serve God. But as Wesley taught (in great detail), we must choose to serve God:
"The flesh, the evil nature, still remains (though subdued) and wars against the Spirit. So much the more let us use all diligence in ‘fighting the good fight of faith.’ So much the more earnestly let us ‘watch and pray’ against the enemy within. The more carefully let us take to ourselves and ‘put on the whole armor of God’; that, although ‘we wrestle’ both ‘with flesh and blood, and with principalities, and powers, and wicked spirits in high places,’ we ‘may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ (Heritage of great evangelical teaching : Featuring the best of Martin Luther, John Wesley, Dwight L. Moody, C.H. Spurgeon and others. 1997, c1996. Thomas Nelson: Nashville)


The "flesh", our very bodies, desires so much for that which seems good to this life: popularity, ease of living, security in earthly resources, power and control of our circumstances. And yet Paul clearly outlines in 2 Corinthians that there are afflictions we must face in order to grow in maturity as believers. I know that I often spend a great deal of my own time and resources trying to make my own life better, focusing upon the temporary life here, rather than focusing upon the things of eternity. I would be better spent to approach each and every situation as if it had eternal consequences . . . because it does; to minister to each and every person as if their very lives depended upon me . . . because their eternal lives may; and, to lean more and more upon the wisdom and will of the Father who knows exactly what it is that I should do that would have eternal results.

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

The Consolation that Matters -- 2 Corinthians 1:5

2 Corinthians 1:5


"For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ." (NKJV)

Consolation. Paul tells us that when sufferings abound, so does our consolation. Now, I have to tell you, I don’t like that word very much. In the English language, my impression of consolations are sort of a "cluck, cluck" by an old mother hen trying to make someone believe that life really isn’t as bad as it is. "Consolation" goes with second place (consolation prize), a second chance with a lesser opponent (consolation game), and such.

Ug!

Thankfully the Greek is so much deeper and fuller, showing me so much more of what God has for me.

The Greek word is paraklesis (Strong’s G3874). The same root gives us Parakletos, one of the titles of the Holy Spirit. As the Parakletos, the Holy Spirit is our Comforter by being our advocate and teacher. That is a much stronger role than that of someone who simply pats us on the back and tells us everything will be okay.

Paraklesis has very broad meanings including "a summons for help; exhortation, admonition, and encouragement; comfort and solace which affords refreshment; persuasive discourse which is instructive and admonitory." By seeing these meanings, it becomes clear that the "consolation" which abounds in Christ during or through suffering is far more, far greater than simply the kind of consoling that I might envision.

When we are suffering, the consolation that abounds through Christ includes:

• A summons for help

• Instructive admonition and encouragement

• Refreshment


A summons for help

The Lord and the Lord alone is our help in times of trouble (Psalm 9:9-10). He is the only one we can count on to be there when we are hurting, when we have sinned, and when things are so bad that it seems nothing can help us. Our comfort comes because we can call for Him—summon Him—for whatever help is needed. The blessing is that He will provide the help that is most appropriate.

"Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence. If I say, ‘My foot slips,’ Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul." (Psalm 94:17-19 NKJV).

How many times have you been in a situation where you thought you saw the way out or the solution only to find that your solution simply mucked things up worse? I certainly have been in those situations. The blessing of the Lord’s comfort is that His answer, His solution, is always perfect! When I sin, He provides mercy. When I’m anxious, He provides comfort. The consolation of Christ is that we can cry to the Lord and He will hear us (Psalm 3:4, 120:1).


Instructive admonition and encouragement

I don’t like to be admonished. I like being right and I hate being told I’m wrong. So there is great peace in knowing that when the Lord admonishes me, He is also there to encourage me. In other words, He doesn’t admonish me and then abandon me (which happens to us often in life). His admonishment is couched in encouragement; His only point in admonishment is to encourage us to improve, to become more like Christ.

"He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct, He who teaches man knowledge? The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile. Blessed is the man whom You instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, that You may give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit is dug for the wicked. For the Lord will not cast off His people nor will He forsake His inheritance." (Psalm 94:10-14 NKJV).

Receiving the Lord’s correction, His admonition, and His teaching is a blessing for us because it will give us rest from the days of adversity. Once we have learned the lesson for which the tribulation was given, that lesson is done and we can move on with the Lord to other lessons.


Refreshment

Life is a burden. There may be times when it isn’t so, but there are many times when it is so. Even for those of us who seem to smile and laugh, there are often hidden sorrows and anxieties; we feel greatly burdened if not for ourselves then for the problems of those around us. The Lord brings admonition (teaching) as a time of refreshing. Life can seem grim because we see only one way to go, but the Holy Spirit can teach us that there is another option, one of His making, and suddenly we can feel energized and refreshed. We no longer feel burdened because there is another way, a better way.

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:19-21 NKJV).

Times of refreshing are a promise from God. We can depend on them, look for them, even seek them, remembering that as we seek these times what we are really seeking is the Lord Himself, to bask in His presence, to trust His judgment and His plan, to learn to rejoice in His will and His love.

The consolation that the Lord has promised begins with a call to Him for help, continues with receiving His gentle admonition and welcomed encouragement, and concludes with a time of refreshing in His presence. As tribulations abound, so does in equal or great measure the consolations of our Lord toward us. The comfort comes that our Comforter—not just a process, but a real Person—is no further away than a whispered cry for help.

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

And the Good News Is . . . (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

2 Corinthians 1:3-5


Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. (NKJV)

It seems in this passage that Paul begins by delivering some rather bad news.

The "bad news" is that we will have tribulation. In fact, Paul describes the tribulation as "the sufferings of Christ abound[ing] in us." This is actually worse than it seems. The Greek is perisseuo (Strong’s G4052) and means "to superabound, be in excess, to be abundant, to exceed, to remain over and above." This is more than "just" suffering. This is suffering to some kind of extreme.

The initial thought of having sufferings is something from which we, with reason, want to avoid at all costs. Suffering hurts, whether physical or emotional, and no one in their right mind wants to suffer.

Or so we have been taught to believe.

But there is a higher purpose in our suffering, a purpose which might change our minds about what we are going through. Andrew Murray writes:

"Abide in Christ! This is indeed the Father’s object in sending the trial. In the storm the tree strikes deeper roots in the soil; in the hurricane the inhabitants of the house abide within, and rejoice in its shelter. So by suffering the Father would lead us to enter more deeply into the love of Christ. Our hearts are continually prone to wander from Him; prosperity and enjoyment all too easily satisfy us, dull our spiritual perception, and unfit us for full communion with Himself.
"It is an unspeakable mercy that the Father comes with His chastisement, makes the world round us all dark and unattractive, leads us to feel more deeply our sinfulness, and for a time lose our joy in what was becoming so dangerous. He does it in the hope that, when we have found our rest in Christ in time of trouble, we shall learn to choose abiding in Him as our only portion; and when the affliction is removed, have so grown more firmly into Him, that in prosperity He still shall be our only joy. So much has He set His heart on this, that though He has indeed no pleasure in afflicting us, He will not keep back even the most painful chastisement if He can but thereby guide His beloved child to come home and abide in the beloved Son. Christian! pray for grace to see in every trouble, small or great, the Father’s finger pointing to Jesus, and saying, Abide in Him." (Heritage of great evangelical teaching : Featuring the best of Martin Luther, John Wesley, Dwight L. Moody, C.H. Spurgeon and others. 1997, c1996. Thomas Nelson: Nashville).


I think that we often spend great amounts of time pleading with God to remove the suffering, when, if we understood its purpose, we might instead embrace it with open arms. Who doesn’t want to be closer to Christ? Who doesn’t want to feel His communion with us even stronger? Who doesn’t want to be refined for the purposes of the Kingdom? And yet when we continue to beg for the suffering to be removed, we are turning our backs on the fact that there are usually clouds before rain, hard work before strength, darkness before light. Murray wrote: "He does it in the hope that, when we have found our rest in Christ in time of trouble, we shall learn to choose abiding in Him as our only portion" (emphasis mine). Life in America is infused, even bombarded, with things that please our flesh: food that is tasty, entertainment to distract us from the mundaneness of life, soft beds, comfy clothes, flattering talk. We are lulled by, even drawn to, those things which feel good and which satisfy our emotions. And yet, that is not the better thing! We are being deluded by the Enemy to settle for that which is temporary when our Heavenly Father so longs to give us that which is eternal. And the eternal only comes through the door of embracing the sufferings of Christ. We follow Him by picking up our cross just as He did. We cling to Him by taking up His yoke. We become like Him by understanding the purpose of sacrificial living and embracing it as fully as the human body can.

So, in a sense, perhaps it isn’t bad news that we will have tribulation. Perhaps Paul understood because of his own life experience that it is good news that we will have tribulation and even better news that through tribulation God will provide comforts beyond our wildest imagination. Perhaps what we are searching for, a cessation of the tribulation, is the wrong thing. Perhaps in embracing the tribulation we are facing only then will we receive the full comfort from the Father of all comforts. Perhaps what we need to do is instead of praying that our tribulation goes away, press in and push forward with open arms so that we can fully become that which the Father has longed for us to become.

Perhaps tribulation is really actually good news . . .

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.

God Will Comfort You -- 2 Corinthians 1:1-5

2 Corinthians 1:1-5



Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

"The Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation"

This is a crazy world we live in. There’s no getting around that. And it seems, as I get older, that the craziness just increases year by year, month by month, even sometimes day by day.

I think part of it is that we know so much more now than previous generations have known about what’s going on in the world. With a tap of a finger, we can access—usually on our smart phones—news headlines from across the entire planet: what’s going on in the US, what’s going on in the Middle East, what’s going on in Africa. And all with glowing (and often disconcerting) images. The evil that is in the world becomes very real when it’s displayed with video.

Tribulation. In the Greek, thlipsis (Strong’s G2347). It is anything which burdens the spirit.

I think that people are greatly burdened these days. It doesn’t matter that most basic creature comforts come readily to our fingertips. We are greatly burdened by demands on our minds to change how we think and act toward others; by events that influence our lives but which we cannot change; fears that the future may not be better, but in fact may continue to spiral out of control. We wake up expecting—even just hoping—that somehow life will get better "today" only to find that our circumstances continue to disappoint, even bring more turmoil, more concern, more pain. The cry seems to be going out from all quarters: "Is there nowhere to turn?"

And yet, God—our God—the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. All comfort. The Greek pas (Strong’s G3956) meaning "all, every, any, thoroughly" (emphasis mine). In every situation, for every circumstance, through every pain and heartache, our Father—the God who has given us permission to cling to Him and call Him by His name—has promised to provide completely and thoroughly comfort in our time of distress.

"If I say, ‘My foot slips,’ Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul." (Psalm 94:18-19 NKJV).

Our Father’s promise is to provide mercy and comfort through every situation; there is nothing He can’t do and nowhere He won’t go. When we sin (when our foot slips), He is faithful with His mercies to forgive. When we are surrounded with anxiety, His comfort within our very soul is there to delight us.

"Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life. . . . Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Your word to Your servant. Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for Your law is my delight." (Psalm 119:49-50, 76-77).

His promise is that His Word, given to us from His very heart and preserved over these many years by His own Spirit, will be our comfort when we turn to Him. There isn’t a calamity that our Father hasn’t already seen, not a trouble for which He hasn’t already provided what we need, not a pain for which He hasn’t already given comfort. We simply need to turn to Him, to open His Word, and seek that which He has already given.

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3 NKJV).

Our Father in Heaven, let it be so.

© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.