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Devotion Time:2012 Devotions: 2 Corinthians 12b-13 and Review October 1 – October 6, 2012
Monday, October 1Bible Text
2 Corinthians 12:14-13:6 (ESV)
14Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? 16But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. 17Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? 18I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?
19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. 20For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. 21I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.
Final Warnings
13This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.2I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them—3since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.4For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.5Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!6I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.
REFLECTION Questions
2 Corinthians 12:14-19
“In 12:14b-15a, Paul supports his affirmation that he is seeking the Corinthians’ welfare, not his own, by returning to imagery of parenthood to describe his relationship with the church. Because he is their spiritual father, Paul is responsible to give to his ‘children,’ not the other way around, even if this means pouring out his life on their behalf.”[1]
- Why would Apostle Paul’s successful defense of himself before the Corinthians lead to their “upbuilding?”
- The Corinthians were seeking “proof that Christ [was] speaking in” Apostle Paul when there was obvious sin in their lives, including “impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality” (2 Corinthians 12:21). What aspect of human nature does this show?
- The call to “examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith” seems to indicate that some in the church were probably not Christian at all. Think of the irony of non-Christians having voice enough to critique Apostle Paul. Why is this absurd?
Please write out a brief prayer based on today’s DT. / 2 Corinthians 12-13 - Commentary
vv. 14-15: “Paul continues the theme of being a loving parent (11:11) with emphatic expressions: but I will gladly spend everything I have and will be spent for your souls. Here is the best litmus test for the sign of an apostle. A true apostle of the crucified Christ is one who is willing to spend and be spent on behalf of a congregation. He serves at great cost to himself for the great benefit of others. They should recognize the depth of his love for them from the magnitude of his sacrifices enumerated in 11:23-29.”[2]
Chapter 13
vv. 1-2:“According to Acts 18:1-17, Paul had an extended mission in Corinth when he founded the church. The second visit was painful and short. It was unplanned and undertaken to quell rebellion in Corinth. Paul’s grievous confrontation with an individual in the church caused him to cut the visit short. Though he sounds annoyed and disturbed in this section of the letter and paints an alarming picture of a church infested with strife and immorality, he has been successful enough through the severe letter and the personal intervention of Titus, and, he trusts, through this letter, to reestablish his authority over the church. He therefore warns them that he comes ready to punish every disobedience and to purge all pockets of resistance.”[3]
v. 5:“‘To see whether you are in the faith’ may also be translated ‘to see whether you are holding the faith’ (RSV). ‘Faith’ here does not refer simply to trust in Christ, which is its primary meaning in Paul’s usage, but to the whole Christian way and truth (Titus 1:13; 2:2). It is not a matter of examining their doctrines, however, but of bringing their conduct and thinking into conformity with their belief in Christ.”[4]
“The test to see if Christ is in the Corinthians will be their response to Paul and his call to repent, since God's message and the messenger are one (5:18–6:2).”[5]
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Devotion Time:2012 Devotions: 2 Corinthians 12b-13 and Review October 1 – October 6, 2012
tuesday, October 2Bible Text
2 Corinthians 13:7-14 (ESV)
7But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.9For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration is what we pray for.10For this reason I write these things while I am away from you, that when I come I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down.
Final Greetings
11Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.12Greet one another with a holy kiss.13All the saints greet you.
14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
REFLECTION Questions2 Corinthians 13:7-9
- Given the words of judgment in vv. 1-4, what is surprising about Apostle Paul’s prayers for the Corinthians?
- What does v. 8 reveal about what is necessary for the Corinthians to be restored?
- Of whom can I say that I am glad to be weak so they can be strong?
- How did Apostle Paul view his authority?
- When would a spiritual leader’s “severe…use of…authority” be appropriate?
Please write out a brief prayer based on today’s DT. / 2 Corinthians 13 - Commentary
v. 9:“The noun translated ‘perfection’ appears only here in the New Testament. The verb form is more common and is used for restoring something to its original condition or to make it fit for its purpose. […] The verb form also appears in the New Testament with the sense of restoring something that is damaged, such as fishing nets (Matt 4:21; Mark 1:19), supplying what is lacking in a church’s faith (1 Thess 3:10) […] and restoring a church member who is caught in a sin (Gal 6:1). This last usage best fits the context of Corinthians. Paul is not talking about their ‘perfection’ but their ‘reclamation.’ […] The Corinthians need reconditioning, restoring. They need to reknit their relationship with Paul, their relationship with one another, and their relationship with the crucified and resurrected Christ. […] The goal of the Corinthians’ restoration is that they will do what is pleasing to God (5:9).”[6]
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Devotion Time:2012 Devotions: 2 Corinthians 12b-13 and Review October 1 – October 6, 2012
wednesday, OCtober 3
For the next four days, we will reflect on key passages from the book of 2 Corinthians. Please reflect on each day’s passages, and think about what these passages say regarding the themes provided.
Bible Text
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,4who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (ESV)
14But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (ESV)
5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Corinthians 4:6-12 (ESV)
6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.12So death is at work in us, but life in you.
REFLECTION
Please reflect on today’s passages, and think about what they say about:
-the nature of the gospel
-the call of a minister
-the self-giving nature of love
-earth and heaven
-holiness
-generosity
-suffering, power, weakness
Personal Prayer
Please write out a brief prayer based on today’s DT.
Thursday, October 4
Bible Text
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV)
16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.17For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,18as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 5:1-7 (ESV)
5For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.2For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,3if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.4For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.5He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,7for we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (ESV)
14For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (ESV)
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
REFLECTION Questions
Please reflect on today’s passages, and think about what they say about:
-the nature of the gospel
-the call of a minister
-the self-giving nature of love
-earth and heaven
-holiness
-generosity
-suffering, power, weakness
Personal Prayer
Please write out a brief prayer based on reviewing your DT.
Friday, October 5
Bible Text
2 Corinthians 6:3-10 (ESV)
3We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,4but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;7by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;8through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed;10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
2 Corinthians 6:14 (ESV)
14Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 (ESV)
8For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
10For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV)
9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:13-15 (ESV)
13For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (ESV)
6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
REFLECTION
Please reflect on today’s passages, and think about what they say about:
-the nature of the gospel
-the call of a minister
-the self-giving nature of love
-earth and heaven
-holiness
-generosity
-suffering, power, weakness
Personal Prayer
Please write out a brief prayer based on your DT.
Saturday, October 6
Bible Text
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (ESV)
3For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…
2 Corinthians 11:2-3 (ESV)
2For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. 3But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:22-29 (ESV)
22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.23Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.24Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;26on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;27in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.28And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.29Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?