And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8) The Corinthian Christians had promised to gather a collection for needy believers in Judea, and they had yet to gather the money and give…
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9) This single verse is a powerful explanation of who Jesus is and what He did for His people. This verse presents: –…
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1) 2 Corinthians 6 ended with God’s promise of a close, meaningful relationship with those among His people who separate from the corrupt thinking and working of this world,…
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14) One reason the Corinthian Christians were in a bad relationship with the apostle was because they had joined themselves to unbelievers, and this prevented their reconciliation with Paul. The idea…
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) People long for transformation. It’s easy to see on media of all kinds the story of someone become someone or something new. The flabby become fit, the plain become beautiful,…
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. (2 Corinthians 4:17) Jun Sato, 25, couldn’t find work in downtown Tokyo, so he created his own job. Dressed in protective padding, he let people on the street put on boxing gloves…
You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:2-3) The…
Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14) Paul dealt with criticism from the Corinthian Christians, who said he was unreliable and fickle because his travel plans had unexpectedly changed. Earlier, Paul carefully explained himself…
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:5) Many people feel they must exaggerate their hardships. For them, nothing small ever happens; every inconvenience is a heavy cross to bear, and they suppose they bear it for Jesus. The Apostle Paul was not that…
Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love. (1 Corinthians 16:13–14) Near the end of this letter to the Corinthian disciples of Jesus, Paul hoped to stir their sense of responsibility and courage for the Christian life. In these two verses, Paul told them…
But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain; perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it…
How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. (1 Corinthians 14:26) This was about the conduct of the Corinthian Christians when they would come together for worship, fellowship, and…