November 19 Daily Discovery - Read 2 Corinthians Chapter 6

This passage below is from the King James Version (ekjv.org).  

Remarks from the Berean Fellowship follow the passage below.

[1] We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
[2] (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
[3] Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
[4] But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
[5] In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
[6] By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
[7] By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
[8] By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
[9] As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
[10] As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
[11] O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
[12] Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
[13] Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.
[14] Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
[15] And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
[16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
[18] And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Living Paradoxes

A paradox is 1) a person or thing having seemingly contradictory qualities or phases or 2) a statement or sentiment that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true. (Webster's Dictionary.)

In the 10th verse of this chapter we read of three different paradoxes that you paul used in this letter to the Corinthian church: "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

Sorrowing but Rejoicing

Some form of sorrow is ever present in the human condition. The things that cause us sorrow change as we grow. The intense sorrow that a child experiences because of some misfortune that they have experienced or observed may not face us as adults. However to that child's tender heart the sorrow is intensely real, and it is unkind for us if we brush it away. We should seek to enter into their sorrow with them and support them in it.

As we journey through life, there will always be things that bring a sorrow.
However as children of god we have this ever present overwhelming joy within our hearts because of the holy spirit's presence. We have the heavenly comforter living within us.

The Man that was anointed with the oil of joy lives within our hearts. This joy produces rejoicing regardless of the circumstance in which we find ourselves. This is a great testimony or witness to the world that is always about us of the incredible benefitof knowing God, especially when they are aware of our own live's circumstances that they would expect to completely eliminate joy from our hearts. We always have a reason to rejoice!

Heb. 1:9

Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Isa. 53:3-4

[3] He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
[4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Heb. 12:2

 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Poverty with Wealth

This is a paradox in two forms.

Firstly, every possible spiritual blessing is mine. I possess every possible unseen thing that brings true wealth to a life. In this current physical life, I certainly would be considered poor actually I would be considered impoverished. By God's grace I have learned to value those things that have real value, those things that cannot be seen which are eternal. With every temporal blessing comes some difficulties. I have often stated it this way, "Everything that we could own or purchase should come with a red warning label and on that label should be these things: 1) this will not make you happy and 2) this comes with a chain.

Eph. 1:1-6

[1] Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
[2] Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
[4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
[5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
[6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

2 Cor. 4:13-18

[13] We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
[14] Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
[15] For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
[16] For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
[17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
[18] While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

"But what is the chain that you speak of?", you ask?

Everything that you own demands maintenance. Remember Jesus told us to "lay up our treasures in heaven where moth or rust will not corrupt or where thieves cannot break through and steal"? Sometimes God blesses His children with material wealth, and when He does, He does it so they can enjoy them.  He does not do it as a means of enslavement. If you own stuff that you cannot enjoy, get rid of it. Maybe somebody else can enjoy it. Remember that Jesus told us, "It is more blessed to give than it is to receive". Take Him up on that promise and God will surely prove it within your own heart to be true.

If you have not already figured out that stuff will not complete your happiness in your heart in life, then you are yet awaiting a rude awakening someday. I would be surprised if you had not heard what I'm about to repeat. There is a void within your heart that results in this hollowness in your life and that void can only be filled with the presence of God Himself. Nothing else can fill it.

Luke 12:15

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Secondly, I am a child of the King of all kings. This King reigns over everything that is. This King owns everything that is. This King is my Father. I have an Elder Brother in this family and His name is Jesus. He is the firstborn. It has been decreed by the King as well as His firstborn Son (that Great Prince) that I am a co-heir with Him.

Owning Nothing and Everything

 Everything that is on this earth is our inheritance. Jesus is alive now. Jesus is King now. I have eternal life now. Everything that is on this earth is mine now, because I share it with the Great King who owns everything. You may think that you own things but you do not. I t is only on loan to you temporarily. It all belongs to God, and therefore it also belongs to me (and you if you are one of his children). While it is yet in your hands take care to be a good steward, as you will have to give an account to the King someday.

Luke 15:11-32

[11] And he said, A certain man had two sons:
[12] And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
[13] And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
[14] And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
[15] And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
[16] And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
[17] And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
[18] I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
[19] And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
[20] And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
[21] And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
[22] But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
[23] And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
[24] For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
[25] Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
[26] And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
[27] And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
[28] And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
[29] And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
[30] But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
[31] And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
[32] It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Psa. 50:7-15

[7] Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.
[8] I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.
[9] I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.
[10] For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.
[11] I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.
[12] If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.
[13] Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?
[14] Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
[15] And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

Rom. 8:14-23

[14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
[15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
[16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
[17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
[18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
[19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
[20] For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
[21] Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
[22] For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
[23] And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

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Continue Your Search

From this chapter, do you see any: Commands to Obey, Warnings to Heed, Promises to Claim, Examples to Follow, Vices to Avoid, Praises to Emulate, Prayers to Use, Principles by which to Live, Questions to Ask or Actions to Take?

See: Berean Fellowship Bible Study Method