Posts from August 2020

There are (at least) two points of considerable interest in this great chapter. First, “What is the third heaven of verse 2?” The general view is that the Jews knew of three heavens as revealed to them in Scripture. The first is the atmosphere or sky wherein the clouds dwell and the birds fly (cf Gen 1 :20; 2 Sam 21:10). The second was the realm beyond the first wherein dwell all the celestial bodies (Gen 1:14ff; Deut 10:22). These…

The carnality of Corinthian thinking continues on display in chapter 11. As I read and re-read the text, I thought about a couple of dichotomies within the churches of Christ, namely, how different brethren treat their preachers differently. Without painting with too broad a brush, here are a couple of observations from my last 30 years in the church. Many of my white brethren have been perfectly content to allow men to serve them as Paul served the brethren at…

As Paul prepares to return to Corinth, there remain some who have failed to recognize his authority as an apostle and refuse to accept his instruction. One of the reasons for this rejection was a misunderstanding of Paul’s deportment while he was present among them. His demeanor while in their presence was one of lowliness (v 1). However, those who opposed Paul mistakenly construed his lowliness as weakness. This is because they were unaccustomed to servant leadership. Like many today,…

2 Corinthians 8-9 is the most extensive text regarding the matter of our giving. As noted yesterday, there is no mention of tithing in this or any other New Testament text provided for church instruction. Paul concludes his discourse on giving with some principles that will prove helpful to any church. First, Paul speaks of giving with goals in mind, in this case to relieve the needy saints in Judea (vv 1-5). People will not give generously without defined goals.…

Today begins the first of two chapters dedicated to the matter of giving to the Lord of our financial blessings. Many religious institutions continue to teach and practice the Old Testament law of tithing, but nowhere in the pages of the New Testament do we find Christians commanded to tithe. However, we will note some principles of giving that are found in 2 Corinthians 8-9. Paul begins this discourse by praising the churches in Macedonia for their giving. He first…

There’s a lot of misinformation about the subject of repentance. Many think it is being sorry for sin. Others think it is the cessation of sin or some sinful activity. Both are involved in repentance, but they do not paint the complete picture. We would do well to note Paul’s statement in vv 2-9 (v 1 belongs in chapter 6). First, he defends his integrity in dealing with the brethren, “We have wronged no one; we have corrupted no one;…

Misused #1 – “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (v 1). Anyone teaching irresistible grace or the inability to fall from grace has never read or does not understand verse 1. Misused #2 – “Behold, now is the accepted time: behold, today is the day of salvation” (v 2). Ten times out of nine when I hear this verse quoted, it is in the closing portion…

Though not often studied as such, 2 Corinthians 5 is a marvelous text to provoke us to greater evangelistic efforts. This chapter motivates us by reminding us of: Life’s brevity (v 1a) – Our bodies are described as tents, that is, temporary dwelling places. We will all die, unless we live until the coming of the Lord. Our mortality should motivate us to be more evangelistic. Heaven (v 1b-8) – In heaven, we will receive our permanent body. We don’t…

Paul continues his statement concerning the glory of the gospel vs that of the diminishing Decalogue. His lament concerning the blind state of his hearers had to pain him somewhat, as he had formerly suffered from that same blindness. In his own inspired irony, Paul’s spiritual blindness, (the veil over his heart, cf 2 Cor 3:14-15), was not removed until his physical blindness was manifested (Acts 9). But when he turned to the Lord, his blindness was taken away. In…

While it appears to be (thankfully and mercifully) coming to a close, the Roy Moore era has been a blight on my home state of Alabama. “The Ten Commandments Judge” has gained national attention and millions of dollars since his first run in with the federal government two decades ago. So far as I am concerned, if any good thing came of it, it was the increased opportunities to speak with people about their undiscerning claims to follow the Ten…