Saturday, May 30, 2015

The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 45


Paul speaks to them as their Spiritual Father Part 2

2 Corinthians 12:16-21 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:  And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. KJV

Paul continues his appeal to them as their spiritual Father, but he now speaks with words of irony by using his detractor’s declaration of him being a man of deceit and deception. Paul knew that there was no guile in his heart toward them and their resources, but he wants to make the point to them clearly and emphatically how absurd the accusation against him in this matter was because even the men Paul sent to them (on his behalf) did not take anything from them, except the offering for the persecuted believers in Jerusalem. He asked them to recall (in their own minds) if Titus or the other brothers took money from them to live while they stayed in their city and Church fellowship. Paul knew that if they were honest with themselves they would have to know how wrong they were to believe that he would ever steal from them to pad his own wallet, and the irony or implication of his words here are that this was actually and exactly what these Judiazers were doing to them.

The very thing they had accused Paul’s motives to be was the actual thing being done to them by these false apostles, all while they claimed to come in the authority and approval of the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth was that Titus and the other brother Paul sent to them acted and lived by the very same spirit as Paul, in that they provided for their own living and took no money at all from this new Church in Corinth. Perhaps Paul wanted to do this in the midst of this Church because of the history of such deep pagan worship in the city for centuries or just because he felt it would be a greater witness to them of his genuine love for them and not for what they had as he just declared was his intent in verse 14 of this same Chapter. Paul wants them to know without ambiguity that everything he has done was for their edification and not their harm and this is why he was careful to send men who believed as he did and who would walk and live just as he did when he was with them for 18 months (Acts 18:11).

Paul knows that God knows the motives or the reason for the actions of all men (whether they be good or evil) and it is before Him that he writes these words to them declaring the truth. Paul had already declared to them in his first letter that by virtue of his office as an Apostle of Christ that he was entitled to or qualified for by right according to law (God’s Law) to live from the preaching or declaration of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:8-18). It is probable that part pf Paul’s reason for writing his first letter and addressing all the divisions within their congregation was because he wanted them to have a clear view of the truth and he sent Titus and others to them first to give them time to repent of all the factions, sects, and dissenting cliques that had formed among them that caused strife and jealousy in their midst.

Paul was reluctant to use the authority of his Apostolic office to dispense judgment on the offenders same as the Prophet Isaiah declared of God the Father with these words when he spoke to the tribe of Judah, “For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act.” (Isaiah 28:21). It is not the will of God that any human souls perish because of unwillingness to repent and turn to Him (2 Peter 3:9) because hell was not prepared for human souls, but for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41) and with all of this word in Paul’s heart and mind he wanted to give them time to repent of their sin and rebellion against God the Father being more disposed to show mercy rather than judgement. Paul had the heart and mind of Christ on this matter and was unwilling to us his rod and this is what brought about his fear and made him grieve, that they would force his hand on the matter because they refused to repent of all the things he wrote to them in his first letter in (1 Corinthians 5 and 1 Corinthians 6).

My own Personal Note: Paul knew completely and understood completely his role and responsibility as an Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, he knew it was the members of Christ Body that were responsible to dispense discipline on sinning members of the Body that did not repent of their sexual sins before God the Father and the members of the Body, even removing said person or persons from the fellowship as he declared with these words to them in his first letter, “But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” (1 Corinthians 5:11-13).

“Paul felt that his paternal relation to this church gave him the right to rebuke them, as a father rebukes his children. But he realized that they did not reciprocate his love, probably because they permitted the evil things enumerated in the closing verses. Often moral obliquity accounts for the decline and failure of love. Among other things, they had even accused him of getting money, if not directly, yet through Titus. But there were worse things still that needed to be dealt with, (2 Corinthians 12:20-21). Would that we were more often humbled to the dust by the sins of our brethren! F. B. Meyer

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…


           

 

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 44


Paul speaks to them as their Spiritual Father Part 1

2 Corinthians 12:11-15 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. KJV

Paul again goes back to his idea or concept he wrote in (2 Corinthians 11:1) of being a fool or the Greek word aphron meaning egotistical or the displaying of a swollen-head in speaking about his own accomplishments for Christ and the physical sufferings he endured for Christ and the Gospel. However, Paul declares to them that his glorying or boasting or vaunting himself in this letter was due to their refusal to do it for him. Paul was saddened and disappointed that the Corinthian believers had allowed the Judaizers to slander his name and reputation before them and even the remaining unbelieving people in the city of Corinth by charging him falsely with malicious intent to the believers at Corinth and attacking his good name and reputation he had proven to have when he was with them for the 18 months teaching them God’s Word before his departure (Acts 18:11). It was during this period of 18 months that Paul took care of himself by working as a tentmaker and then receiving resources from the Churches in Macedonia rather than taking from the new Corinthian believers.

The English phrase Paul uses “ye have compelled me” is an imperfect active from the Greek words ōpheilon and opheilō, which means to be under obligation, and the tense here expresses an unfulfilled obligation about the present. Paul was grieved as an earthly Father would be of his children who showed no love and appreciation to him for his hard work to provide food, clothing, and shelter for them as was the case with the prodigal son our Lord Jesus spoke of in (Luke 15:12) when he demanded that his Father give to him the Father’s own money, as if he was saying to his Father, “I want out of here and I wish you were dead!” Paul was the Corinthian believers spiritual Father as he declared to them in his first letter he wrote to them with these words, “I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.” (1 Corinthians 4:14-16). Paul would have never written to them to “imitate him” if he were not only concerned with their spiritual prosperity and growth.

Paul now reiterates, restates, and repeats what he had already revealed to them of himself in his first letter when he said, “For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10). Paul never wanted to be brought to boasting of himself because he knew and had seen the wretchedness of his own heart (Romans 7:18), but that it was only by God’s Grace that he even came to them preaching the Gospel in the very first place and in this he wanted his boast to be. It was by this very Grace of God that the authenticity of Paul’s Apostleship was demonstrated before them with miracles wrought by God the Father through Paul (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Paul was given tremendous Power from God, even to inflict pain upon those who opposed him and the declaration of the Gospel of Christ as he did in this example, “When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, and said, ‘You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?  Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.’ And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.” (Acts 13:6-12), but instead here in Corinth Paul displayed the signs, wonders, and mighty deeds of God “in all patience” bearing with these false apostles in their midst.

Paul’s patience shown did in no way bring the Corinthian Church down, but he had already declared to them that they were in no way “inferior” or the Greek word hettao meaning made worse or rated lower than any of the other Churches Paul had planted during his missionary travels. Paul declared it this way to them in his first letter when he wrote this, “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:4-8). It is with sarcasm and satire that he asked for their forgiveness in not taking their money (2 Corinthians 11:5-7), as did the false apostles who did them no spiritual good, but instead brought them into subservient, submissive, and slavish Jewish ceremonial rules and rituals that did not benefit them spiritually. Paul did not desire things from the Gentiles converted to Christ in Corinth, but it was their spiritual prosperity and growth that he sought as we stated earlier, which was the complete opposite of what the Judiazers had done in their midst (2 Corinthians 11:20). Paul (their spiritual Father) like any good earthly Father wanted his children to receive from him and not him take from them. Paul also wanted them to know that he held nothing against them for their turning away from him to the false apostles, but on the contrary he would continue to pour out spiritually into their lives as evidence by these two letters deep with content and doctrine and with sincere love for them and to them, even though they did not at all times reciprocate it to him, all done for their preservation and comfort.

My own Personal Note: Paul wanted the Corinthian believers that he preached the Gospel of Christ to and witnessed their miraculous conversions, to receive him as their spiritual Father, one who had only the disposition to do them emotional, physical, and most importantly spiritual good, for that is all and only what he wanted for them.

“I will even act towards you with the most affectionate tenderness, though it happen to me, as it often does to loving fathers, that their disobedient children love them less, in proportion as their love to them is increased. Does it not frequently happen that the most disobedient child in the family is that one on which the parents’ tenderness is more especially placed? See the parable of the prodigal son. It is in the order of God that it should be so, else the case of every prodigal would be utterly deplorable. The shepherd feels more for the lost sheep than for the ninety-nine that have not gone astray.” Adam Clarke

“The apostle here suggests, and appeals to themselves for the truth of it, that in nothing they came short of other churches; that as he was not behind the very chiefest of the apostles, and so they had no reason to be ashamed of him and despise him; neither were they inferior in gifts, grace, and knowledge, to other churches, all which were through his ministry; wherefore they ought to have spoken well of him, and not to have taken the part of the false apostles against him; since all the honor and credit they were in as a church were owing to him as an instrument.” Dr. John Gill

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…


           

 

 

 

Saturday, May 23, 2015

The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 43


Paul was given a Thorn in the Flesh

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. KJV

Pride is what controls the entire unsaved population here on the earth and the devil or the evil one is the mastermind behind all pride in the world (1 John 5:19). Pride is what made the devil rebel against God the Father and pride is the root or author of every sin in the hearts of men and women. Despite our regeneration and new birth “in Christ”, even true believers are very vulnerable and susceptible to this very deceitful, debilitating, and deadly sin. King Solomon (who penned the Book of Proverbs) listed seven things that God hated and number one on that list was and is pride (Proverbs 6:17). Therefore, even the mighty “man of God” Paul the Apostle was not immune to this sin becoming embedded in his heart.

Paul now reveals to the Corinthian believers how our Lord Jesus Christ (the searcher of every heart) (Jerimiah 17:10) allowed Satan to send one of his emissaries to Paul to inflict him with a thorn or the Greek word skolops which means a sharp point or prickle that was stinging or an annoyance or disability. Paul was visited by this “messenger of Satan” (either a demon or the false apostle in Corinth), because of the tremendous revelations that had been given to Paul by our Lord Jesus Christ, beginning with the “mystery” hidden from all of the Old Testament Prophets as he testified of to the Ephesians in this manner, “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles--if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power” (Ephesians 3:1-7) and this subsequent revelation of the awaiting glories of Heaven (2 Corinthians 12:4) Paul was given this thorn.

Many far greater commentators than I the son of the Lord Jesus Christ have speculated that this thorn was only physical in nature such as blindness, migraine headaches, some disease like malaria or epilepsy, but what I read in this text is that the thorn was the “messenger of Satan” and not separate from the messenger. Paul has just listed for us the great trials, beatings, imprisonments, nakedness, starvation, and attempts on his life and nowhere in any of his letters did I read him praying to our Lord Jesus Christ to be delivered out of these things, but he does request prayer from the brethren for the “Word of God” to be declared in all places and to be delivered from men that have not faith in Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:1-3). When Paul was about to sail from Miletus back to Jerusalem these words were recorded by Dr. Luke, “As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, ‘This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’’ When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, ‘The will of the Lord be done!’” (Acts 21:10-14).

Paul was not moved by physical pain and suffering for the sake of Christ Jesus our Lord and His Gospel, but in this instance, this thorn, this “messenger of Satan” brought this great Apostle to his knees as he wrote in this manner, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me” (2 Corinthians 12:8), whereas none of his other harsh, cruel, and brutal afflictions ever brought him to such deep petition for deliverance. It is reminiscent of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane as recorded by the Apostle Matthew with these words, “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.’ And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.’ And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?’ ‘Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.’ Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more” (Matthew 26:36-44). Surely our Lord Jesus knew the physical pain that he must endure, but it was the temptation and testing from Satan along with the knowledge of His separation from God the Father that caused His soul such deep grief and so it was with the Apostle Paul that the spiritual attacks caused him more grief (whether the messenger was a demon or the false apostle) than any of his temporary physical afflictions.

This was personally designed for Paul to keep him humble and to root out any chance of him becoming haughty and arrogant toward others who had not seen what he had seen. Our Lord Jesus knew Paul’s heart thoroughly and completely and this was done for his good preventing him from disdaining others and having some form of superiority because of these great revelations shown to him alone. If there was no chance of Paul behaving in such a negative way, our Lord Jesus would never have allowed this “messenger of Satan”  to get through to him as Christ declared of the Apostle Peter and of Job that Satan must always get His permission to inflict or attack any of His children with these words, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31) and “The LORD said to Satan, ‘Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.’ Then Satan answered the LORD, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.’ Then the LORD said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.’ So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD” (Job 1:8-12).

Grace (the divine influence upon the heart) to endure the afflictions or attacks was the answer the Apostle Paul received form our Lord Jesus Christ and not the removal of the afflicting messenger. Paul came to the conclusion that it was much more needful for him to “take pleasure” in or the Greek word eudokeo which means to affirm or sanction or approve of and accept his feebleness of body or mind or any malady or moral frailty, his insults and injuries for the proclamation of the true Gospel, his distress and needs, his persecutions from non-believing Gentiles and his countrymen the non-believing Jews, and any disasters or tragedies he me encounter along his walk of faith all for the sake of Jesus Christ who knocked him off his horse on the road to Damascus and blinded his eyes physically but opened them spiritually to Himself the Truth. For it is in our surrender to complete human weakness, when the Grace of God (divine influence on the heart that affects the life) makes us strong and powerful in His Might as Paul declared to the Ephesians in this manner, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:10-12).
My own Personal Note: Bible commentators over the centuries have divided on whether this thorn was mental, physical, or spiritual. I believe the thorn was mental/spiritual because this Apostle has just listed for us some of the most horrific instances of physical pain and suffering any one man could experience and endure and he never once wrote about praying to our Lord Jesus Christ to be delivered from them. Paul did not pray for our Lord Jesus to deliver him from prison, not once. In my humble opinion, it was both, in order to buffet him or the Greek words kolazo and kolaphizo which mean to rap or beat with the fist, to punish, and chastise, or to curtail, restrict, or limit him.

A messenger or angel of Satan to buffet me - Perhaps both visibly and invisibly; and the word in the original expresses the present, as well as the past, time. All kinds of affliction had befallen the apostle. Yet none of those did he deprecate. But here he speaks of one, as above all the rest, one that macerated him with weakness, and by the pain and ignominy of it prevented his being lifted up mere, or, at least, not less, than the most vehement head ache could have done; which many of the ancients say he labored under. St. Paul seems to have had a fresh fear of these buffetings every moment, when he so frequently represses himself in his boasting, though it was extorted from him by the utmost necessity.” John Wesley

After experiencing the state of the blissful angels, he is now exposed to the influence of an evil angel. The chastisement from hell follows soon upon the revelation from Heaven. As his sight and hearing had been ravished with heavenly ‘revelations,’ so his touch is pained with the ‘thorn in the flesh.’” JFB Commentary

Christ Jesus understands our case, and knows our need, and will proportion the remedy to our malady, and not only strengthen us, but glorify Himself. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Thus His grace is manifested and magnified; He ordains His praise out of the mouths of babes and sucklings.” Matthew Henry

For this late and rare word from kolaphos, fist. The messenger of Satan kept slapping Paul in the face and Paul now sees that it was God’s will for it to be so. Concerning this thing (huper toutou). More likely, ‘concerning this messenger of Satan.’ That it might depart from me (hina apostēi aph’ emou). Second aorist active (intransitive) subjunctive of aphistēmi in final clause, ‘that he stand off from me for good.’” Robertson’s Word Picture

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

           

 

 

 

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 42


Paul’s ultimate but reluctant Boast of going to Heaven

2 Corinthians 12:1-6 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. KJV

As we learned from this most gracious and humble Apostle in the last 12 verses of Chapter 11, it was totally against his very renewed, redeemed, and resurrected nature to speak with high regard concerning himself and what he had accomplished for Jesus Christ. Here in the beginning of Chapter 12 we see that same reluctance continue in Paul’s second letter to this Church that he planted in the city of Corinth enduring much hardship in so doing. Paul starts off by saying that it was not “expedient” or the Greek word sumphero for him to boast or glory in what he did and endured for Christ sake and that of the truth of the Gospel of Grace. The Greek word sumphero means profitable or to be better off or to one’s advantage. Paul wants them to fully understand that he does not get any profit or advantage or special treatment from our Lord Jesus Christ because of all the sufferings and hardship he endured in proclaiming the “true Gospel” to the world, for we already documented what he wrote in Philippians 1:29 in a previous study.

However, Paul now wanted to reveal to them his ultimate boast. Paul declares to them that he was taken up into Heaven or the third Heaven (the realm of God’s Throne) where he heard unspeakable words or words that cannot be translated into human language and comprehended or understood. Perhaps the reason for him declaring the words to be unspeakable and not lawful for a man to utter (2 Corinthians 12:4) is because God the Father made it known to him that these words he heard were strictly for his hearing and were not meant for him to share with others. Paul had been given other visions from our Lord Jesus Christ such as he described and documented for us in Acts 16:9 and Acts 18:9, but none of the previous visions compared to this one. What awaited Paul and every born again son or daughter on our entrance into Heaven, Paul was given a glimpse. Paul had no clue whether he was still in his physical body or it was just his spirit man in Heaven, but he was certain that he was before the very Throne of God the Father. God the Father’s Throne and Rule in the third Heaven was unveiled or made visible to the Apostle Paul and this boast he wanted the Corinthian believers to know, so that he would be clearly distinguished from the false apostles who had no revelations from God to speak of or declare to the believers at Corinth.

Paul’s reluctance was because he never wanted them to see him or think of him as highly exalted above them, but he was just their “fellowlabourer” or the Greek word sunergos which means a companion in work or helper in getting out the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul did not want all of his boasting to be judged as him exalting himself, but it was for the sole purpose of making known his authenticity to the faction of the Corinthian Church who were being lied to, snared, and trapped by the Judiazers. Paul’s reluctance was so strong in revealing his entrance into Heaven that he declared it in this manner “I knew a man” (2 Corinthians 12:2-3), as if the man were not him, but he spoke of himself in the third person.

Paul spoke of what happened to him as being “caught up” or the Greek word harpazo which means to catch away or catch up or to be pulled up or plucked or even to take by force and this same word is used by Dr. Luke in the book of Acts when he wrote of what happened to Phillip in the desert between Jerusalem and Gaza after he had baptized the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:39) and this is why Paul could not discern whether he was still in his body or out of his body. Paul would boast of the man who was deemed worthy to hear such revelations in Heaven. However, Paul’s reluctance to disclose this truth was because he had seen firsthand in Lystra (where he was stoned to death) after he spoke to the lame man and he had risen up and walked, the people there wanted to worship him as a god (Acts 14:8-18) and also on the island of Malta after he shook off the viper bite (Acts 28:1-6). Paul at all times in all places wanted to decrease that Christ might increase (John 3:30) and likewise as he declared to the Philippian Church he forgot or dismissed from his mind all things “in the past”, those that were good and bad and continued his voyage or journey to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Philippians 3:13-14).

My own Personal Note: In the last part of the previous Chapter Paul declared that he was stoned once (2 Corinthians 11:25) and in Acts Dr. Luke documents it in this manner, “But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead” (Acts 14:19) and the very next verse reads, “But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe” (Acts 14:20). I believe Paul died here as he was stoned in Lystra and this is where God the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit snatched him up to the third Heaven to hear these inexpressible words.

I wish each of you to estimate me by “what he sees” my present acts and “hears” my teaching to be; not by my boasting of past revelations. They who allow themselves to be thought of more highly than is lawful, defraud themselves of the honor which is at God’s disposal [Bengel] (John 5:44; John 12:43).” JFB Commentary

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

           

 

Saturday, May 16, 2015

The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 41


Paul’s boasting made Manifest

2 Corinthians 11:22-33 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. KJV

Paul has been building up and building up to this moment in his letter of declaring specifically what he has endured or suffered for the gospel of Jesus Christ because of his great love for our Lord Jesus and because of the Grace of God given to him by our Lord Jesus to endure. First, he declares to the Corinthian believers his Jewish heritage is just as authentic as these Judiazers and even more so because he was a descendant of the tribe of Benjamin perhaps the most respected of all the tribes of Israel as he declared to the Church at Philippi when he wrote this, “Although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee (Philippians 3:4-5). Paul wanted them to know that he was not inferior to these men in any way as a Jew, but Paul also wanted them to understand that his Jewish heritage as well as theirs means nothing now since Christ came, died for our sins, and resurrected from the dead for our justification (Romans 4:25). The fact that these men were boasting of being Jews testified that they did not know Jesus Christ personally and were not His true Apostles because Paul likewise boasted of these things prior to knowing Christ, but after he came to know Christ Jesus personally this is what he wrote to the Church at Philippi regarding his Jewish heritage, But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith (Philippians 3:7-9).

Paul’s concern for the Corinthian believers was legitimate and therefore, he regarded this boasting or bragging of what he endured and suffered as a minster of Jesus Christ to be justified in order that he would debunk and expose the vaunting and false claims of authentic Apostleship by these Judiazers who were trying to bring the Corinthian Church into bondage by declaring to them that they must be circumcised and observe the Jewish ceremonial laws. Paul declares the contrast of their claims to his suffering persecution from Jews in many of the places where he proclaimed the Gospel of Grace (2 Corinthians 11:24). Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to see that if these men were true Apostles, they too would have suffered stripes or beatings by Jews who reject or resist the Grace of God through Jesus Christ as he did. Paul declares that he has suffered hunger and thirst and been in danger of losing his very life on many occasions all and only for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the unsaved world. Paul was not only beaten by Jews but he list three times he was beaten by Gentiles or Non-Jews and even on one occasion stoned to death at Lystra (Acts 14:19). Paul did die physically on this occasion, but our Lord Jesus Christ resurrected him as we will hear him describe in the next Chapter of this same letter. Paul suffered being shipwrecked on some of his journeys traveling from place to place to proclaim the Gospel and being naked and cold. Paul had written to them in his first letter giving a prelude of these specifics when he said, For, I think, God has exhibited us Apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now (1 Corinthians 4:9-13).

None of the Judiazers who were trying to supplant Paul had any such testimony showing evidence of their love for our Lord Jesus Christ. Despite all of this hardship (that would make some renounce Jesus Christ), Paul was most concerned about the spiritual well-being of every Church bearing the Name of Jesus Christ whether he planted the Church or not. These Judiazers were not concerned for the spiritual well-being of the Corinthians, but only that they are accepted as true apostles so they could rule over them, control them, and take their money and goods to themselves. Paul was continually troubled in mind over the spiritual purity of the Church at Corinth and this is what compelled him to speak with such boldness regarding himself because God the Holy Spirit had shown him what would happen in many of the Churches after his departure to Heaven as he declared with these words, Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears (Acts 20:28-31).

Paul was severely grieved when he saw or perceived that genuine believers were being offended or the Greek word skandalizo which means to be tripped up or entrapped or enticed into sin and apostasy by abandoning or departing from true faith in Jesus Christ and His Word. Paul knew that our liberty was and is found in Christ alone and not in Jewish rituals or ceremonial laws or outward physical acts such as circumcision which is what these false brethren were trying to do in all the Churches (Galatians 2:4). It not only grieved Paul, but it greatly angered him and stirred within him a paternal instinct to guard and protect his spiritual children as a Mother bear would fight to the death to protect her cubs from all who would harm them. Paul expressed his anger toward these Judiazers with these words written to the Galatian Church, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves (Galatians 5:6-12). Paul was confident that God the Father knew the truth that was in his heart regarding his love and concern for the Corinthian Churches spiritual well-being.

My own Personal Note: It is only the true agape love flowing from the Grace of God that enables any of us to care for our fellow brothers and sisters “in Christ” so much that we would guard them from spiritual error and lies as a Mother Bear guards her cubs everyday of their lives until they become adult Bears and this is exactly what the Apostle Paul did for the believers in the Corinthian Church; remember what he wrote to them in (2 Corinthians 11:2).

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…


                                                                                                               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 40


Paul apologizes for what he is going to declare about his work for Christ
2 Corinthians 11:16-21 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. KJV

Paul now reiterates what he declared to the Corinthian believers at the very beginning of this Chapter by imploring them to put up with him in what he is about to testify of himself. Speaking about himself in what is going to seem to many a bragging manner is totally out of the character of this Apostle of Christ and is certainly not in accordance with our Lord Jesus’ directive or guidance. However, Paul feels compelled to declare what he has endured for the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ (at the same time embarrassed by doing it), which is in complete contrast to these Judiazers who have never suffered any reproach for the Name of Jesus Christ. Paul is not trying to make himself of some great self-importance or to issue forth that he is somehow the most important servant of Christ in the earth, but because these men (false apostles) were drawing away some of the Corinthian believers to themselves, Paul now must lower himself down to their level (not in a negative way, but only of boasting about himself) for a brief moment to give the Corinthian believers a clearer perspective. 
Paul’s desire was never to speak of himself or what he had done in the name and service of our Lord Jesus Christ, but in this case to prove or show himself above these Judiazers, he considered the things he is about to list much needed to draw back the Corinthians from their snare and trap. Paul perhaps had in his mind this Proverb written by King Solomon that said this, Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes (Proverbs 26:5). Paul wanted the faction of the Corinthian Church who were being led into bondage by the Judiazers to see the absolute folly and stupidity of following after these men who had no accounts of suffering reproach for the Name of Christ as he wrote in this manner to the Philippian Church is the will of God for every true son and daughter, “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me(Philippians 1:29-30). Paul knew that this boasting or listing of the things he suffered for Christ sake was not in conformity to our Lord’s display of meekness and lowliness as Paul wrote in the previous Chapter in (2 Corinthians 10:1).

This is why he speaks of it as the English word “foolishly” which is translated by the Greek words aphrosune and aphron and it means mindless, senseless, and egotistical, stupid, ignorant, and unwise. This is the way Paul saw himself by writing these upcoming words speaking of what he endured for the Name of Jesus Christ. Now Paul turns somewhat and makes a justification for speaking of himself in such a manner by declaring to the Corinthians their own folly and stupidity by allowing these men (who played no role in their conversion to Christ) lord over them and to defraud them of their resources while at the same time belittling them as a tyrant or dictator would do over his subjects with no regard or love for them at all. Paul was using sarcasm in his writing here meant to cut or sting these believers and wake them out from the confusion that these Judaizers had brought to them. The Corinthians thought themselves to be so wise, yet they allowed strangers (not concerned with their souls) to come into their midst and treat them with such hostility and brutality and yet they received them with open arms, while reproaching the instrument of God used in their regeneration and new birth (the Apostle Paul) who only treated them with gentleness, kindness, and love.
My own Personal Note: The idea of the Corinthian believers being led into bondage to rites (an established ceremony prescribed by a religion; Judaism) or all of the Jewish ceremonial law (that Christ abolished on the cross; (Romans 10:4)) appalled and alarmed the Apostle Paul so much that he was overwhelmingly compelled to boast of his sufferings for Christ sake in order that the Corinthians would continue in the freedom they (and all of us have in Christ sacrifice on Calvary) as he declared likewise to the Galatians here, “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain” (Galatians 4:9-11).

The idea is, doubtless, that the false teachers set up a lordship over their consciences; destroyed their freedom of opinion; and made them subservient to their will. They really took away their Christian freedom as much as if they had been slaves. In what way this was done is unknown. It may be that they imposed on them rites and forms, commanded expensive and inconvenient ceremonies, and required arduous services merely at their own will. A false religion always makes slaves. It is only true Christianity that leaves perfect freedom. All pagans are slaves to their priests; all fanatics are slaves to some fanatical leader; all those who embrace error are slaves to those who claim to be their guides.” Albert Barnes
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…


 

 

 

 

 

Saturday, May 9, 2015

The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 39


Paul unmask these false apostles to the Corinthian Church
2 Corinthians 11:10-15 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. KJV

Paul begins this section of his letter with a defiant rebuke to those false apostles who continued to disparage his authenticity as a true Apostle of Christ and to smear his character before the Corinthian Church that Paul planted. Paul declares by Christ in him the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27) that he was determined by his willingness to labor with his own hands for his sustenance (before the Corinthian believers to eliminate any and all accusations of him being a hireling only preaching for the financial gain. It was these false apostles who made these accusations trying to get Paul to recant and receive money and gifts from the Corinthian Church, so that they could then use his example as a means of extorting or fleecing them of even more money. It is evident that these Judaizers were doing exactly that without providing any true spiritual nourishment to the Corinthian Church as Paul goes on to declare in verse 20 of this Chapter. It is also certain that these are the same men or different men from the same religious group that Paul wrote to Titus to beware of with these words, For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain (Titus 1:10-11).
Paul’s boldness and his willingness to humble himself before them was because of his great love for them and his desire to keep them from being robbed of their material goods by men who cared nothing for them nor that they walked in the truth of Christ and His Word. Paul was confident that God knew his motives regarding them (John 21:17 & Romans 9:1 & 1 Timothy 2:7). Paul wants to pull back the curtain and let the Corinthian believers see who really energizes these men. Paul calls them deceitful workers and this English word comes from the Greek words dolios and dolos which means guileful or one marked by skill in deception; one filled with the art of trickery to allure, entice, and then entrap in order to extract money from someone. Paul wanted to remove the mask from these fraudulent men so that the Corinthian believers could see clearly who they were dealing with and then flee from them and all of their greed and works based teachings (Mark 13:22 & Philippians 3: 17-19). Paul concluded his letter to the brothers and sisters in Rome with this warning speaking of these kinds of men, Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting (Romans 16:17-18).

Paul declares the eternal doom and damnation of these men who parade as mercenaries, messengers, or ministers of our Lord Jesus Christ (when the reality is they belong to Satan) by pulling off their mask or disguise or their transformation or the Greek word metaschematizo which is exactly how Satan came to Eve at the very beginning in the Garden of Eden disguised as an “Angel of Light” briefly covering up his blackness and darkness for he despises light and can only temporarily clothed himself with it because he is the essence, the substance, and the core of all that is dark, black, and evil (Ephesians 6:11-12 & 1 John 3:8). The Apostle Jude even used stronger language to describe these men when he wrote this, For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (Jude 1:4).
My own Personal Note: Though we who love our Lord Jesus Christ with all our hearts (1 Peter 1:3-9) are often distressed, faithless, and even disobedient, we are not of those who pervert the gospel of Christ and Grace for “filthy lucre” or monetary gain, but instead we love it and even suffer for the truth of it by the power of God to the Glory of God.

We are not to suppose that all that appears to be piety is piety. Some of the most plausible appearances of piety are assumed by Satan and his ministers. None ever professed a profounder regard for the authority of God than Satan did when he tempted the Savior. And if the prince of wickedness can appear to be an angel of light, we are not to be surprised if those who have the blackest hearts appear to be people of most eminent piety. We should be on our guard. We should not listen to suggestions merely because they appear to come from a pious man, nor because they seem to be prompted by a regard to the will of God. We may be always sure that, if we are to be tempted, it will be by someone having a great appearance of virtue and religion. Their doom in eternity shall not be according to their fair professions and plausible pretenses, for they cannot deceive God; but shall be according to their real character, and their works. Their work is a work of deception, and they shall be judged according to that. What revelations there will be in the day of judgment, when all impostors shall be unmasked, and when all hypocrites and deceivers shall be seen in their true colors! And how desirable is it that there should be such a day to disclose all beings in their true character, and forever to remove imposture and delusion from the universe!” Albert Barnes
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…


 

 

 

 

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

The Truth comes to Corinth Part 2 Volume 38


Paul defends his Apostleship by how he humbled himself before them
2 Corinthians 11:5-9 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things. Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. KJV

Paul starts out this discourse defending his Apostleship by using some sarcasm here in verse 5 to those in the Corinthian Church who continued to doubt his authenticity because of what the false apostles had said of him, so he scornfully insults the false apostles by using the English phrase “I was not a whit behind” which is translated from the Greek word hustereo meaning not lacking in anything or deficient or inferior to. In other words, Paul wanted to know what demonstration of God the Holy Spirit’s Power these men manifested in their presence because he sure had done so as he reminded them in his first letter to them with these words, I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:3-5).
Paul continues to show his concern for them being lured away into error by these false apostles whose measuring rod is themselves and not our Lord Jesus Christ, for they did not preach the gospel to the unsaved Corinthian people, nor did they spend a year and a half teaching them after their conversion to Christ the deep truths and mysteries of the Word of God as Paul had done. What real knowledge of God’s Word had these men shown them? However, Paul’s knowledge of God’s Word of Truth was made very evident in their presence and he declared to the Galatian believers where it came from with these words, For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul did not want these false apostles to lure their affections away from him onto themselves and replace the deep truths and revelations from the Word made flesh our Lord Jesus Christ that he had taught them with their false teachings.

Also these false apostles had declared to the Corinthian believers that Paul could not be a true Apostle if he did not take money or other goods from them on every occasion he was with them. This notion that had crept into a faction of the Churches belief about Paul seemed to sadden him and at the same time infuriates him as well. Paul asked them a question that he wanted to open their eyes to the absurdity of the false apostle’s claims about him. Paul did not take any money from them during the entire 18 months he stayed in the city preaching and teaching them the Word of God, instead he teamed up with Priscila and Aquila in their occupation of tent making and earned his living from that, as well as being supplied sustenance from the Churches he had already planted in Macedonia (specifically the Philippian Church) (Philippians 4:15-16).
Paul’s question to them was in essence, “Did I commit sin when I preached the gospel to you free of charge? Obviously the answer to this question is no. Paul had already written to them in his first letter, clearly detailing his right as a commissioned minister of our Lord Jesus Christ to live from the proclamation of the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:1-18), and specifically in verses 11-12 of 1 Corinthians 9 Paul says this, If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.” Paul did not want anything (even himself) to be a stumbling block for these Gentiles in Corinth to receiving Jesus Christ as their personal Lord, Master, and Savior. Perhaps Paul felt because of their culture and the pagan worship there that glorified money and riches that his relinquishing his right to receive material support from them would shine forth God’s Love for them despite their sin and ignorance of the true God and bring many more souls there to Jesus Christ.

My own Personal Note: Paul, when he came to Corinth wanted nothing to stand in the way of the elect in that city receiving Christ through his preaching, so he supported himself by his occupation of tent making. Paul did not want these people to think he was there seeking to profit off of them financially. Part of Paul’s extreme disappointment was that these Corinthian believers had allowed these false apostles to come in and take from them financially and they had not provided them any true spiritual nourishment because they declared a false gospel that was works based. Paul was never one to use high and lofty speech or eloquent words but instead, as God the Holy Spirit inspired him, he would only speak the truth “in love” (Ephesians 4:15) and let the Spirit of God do His work of convincing, convicting, and converting the souls of men and women to Jesus Christ.
I was burdensome to no one; or more literally, ‘I did not lie as a dead weight upon you.’ The word used here, which occurs nowhere else in the New Testament (katenarkēsa), means, literally, to become torpid against, that is, to the detriment of anyone; and hence, to be burdensome. According to Jerome, its use here is a Cilicism of Paul. The idea is that he did not lead a torpid, inactive life at the expense of others. He did not expect a support from them when he was doing nothing; nor did he demand support which would in any sense be a burden to them. By his own hands Acts 18:3, and by the aid which he received from abroad, he was supported without deriving aid from the people of Corinth.” Albert Barnes

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…