2 Corinthians 6 Contents

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2 Corinthians 6 Contents

From 2 Corinthians 6 onward, we are dealing with the path of a worker.

Verses 1-10 describe the path of a worker of the new covenant.

The world is becoming increasingly conscious of one's job based on social status, leading to a decline in the number of seminary applicants and missionary support, and this is causing concern for the aging mission field.

However, the prostitute church will inevitably become Babylonized, becoming a Christian enterprise, and the Lord's workers will treat it as a job, so we shouldn't worry too much.

A pastor once shared his reflections on the past, saying he had devoted his energy to establishing a good church while talking about church reform.

I told him this:

Even if it's not a good church, but the best church, that's relative. There is only one church, the body of which Christ is the head.

This means that a good church for people is not the church in Ephesians.

The spiritual church, the body of Christ which is the head of church, is not considered a good church.

We simply call it the Church of Christ, the Church of God. We are members of that church.

1-10 “We then, as workers together with God, beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain. For he says, I have heard you  in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured you: behold, now is the day of salvation!

Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

But in all things approving ourselves as the ministry of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, un watchings, in fastings;

By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned, 

By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 

By honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report:  as deceivers, and yet true;

As unknown, and yet well-known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 

As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

I agree with some of the negative aspects, and I nod my head in agreement with the positive ones.

But even after 40 years of service as a servant of the Lord, I confess that I still have a long way to go.

This is the physical path of remaining servants of the new covenant, and it is by no means easy.

The key verse in 2 Corinthians 6 is verse 14: Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. for what fellowship have righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion have light with darkness?"

"Unbelievers" does not refer to unbelievers outside the church. In Matthew 17:17,

the Lord's words, "O faithless and perverse generation," were directed at the Jews.

The target of these words were the pharisees and scribes.

They possessed a sense of superiority as God's chosen people.

However, those who do not walk by faith but according to the flesh are those without faith.

The fact that the Holy Spirit and the flesh are not one is because they are not of faith.

Revelation 21:8 says, "He who does not believe will go to the lake of fire." This is the second death.

The first death came from Eden. It was as God said, "You will surely die" (Genesis 2:17).

If humans are not saved, they are separated from the life of God and have no hope.

Since what they possess is death, they cannot escape the lake of fire where death leads. 

Therefore, those who possess life will be resurrected to life, while those who, possessing death and unbelieving, will be resurrected to judgment.

Therefore, he tells us not to be yoked together with unbelievers, with those who possess death.

He tells us that those of the Spirit and those of the flesh should not even begin to do anything.

Verses 15-16: "And what concord has Christ have with Belial? or what part has he that believes with an infidel? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? for you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

When those of the Spirit speak of life, those of the flesh speak of good and evil.

When those of the Spirit speak of heaven, those of the flesh speak of earthly things, like eating and drinking.

Because they don't understand each other, they can't become friends.

Even if they spend all day together, they have nothing to say except, "Let's have coffee" or "Let's have a meal."

Verse 17: "Therefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

If a church emphasizes faith in Jesus and God's presence, but fails to properly explain the process by which sinners are justified and become children of God, or if it fails to answer the questions of what kind of relationship I have with God, how I approach Him, and what I can gain from Him, then it is a church that needs to be worried.

Because if we cannot resolve sin and death, it is natural that we will go to the lake of fire in the future, but while we live on this earth, we will sleep and wake up in Hades and commute to and from work there, groaning in illness.

If we become the temple of body, where Holy Spirit remain, and be able to worship and praise God in fellowship with Him in the Spirit of truth, then such an unfortunate event as falling seriously ill would never have occurred, unless it were a providential suffering to demonstrate God's living presence.

In case anyone asks, "What are you?" I'll share my story.

I'm 72 years old, and after suffering a near-death experience due to severe stress and hardship in the mission field, I developed asthma. Since then, unless I'm attacked by the devil and become anxious and impulsive, my asthma has subsided. At least, I don't take any medication for any other disease.

Even though the government sends me texts repeatedly urging me to get a health checkup, I refuse.

That's because I'm wondering what you guys would do if I was found to have colon cancer.

However, as one who died in Christ and was resurrected, I meditate on the word of truth so that the function of the body temple where the Holy Spirit dwells can always function, and I earnestly call upon the name of the Lord toward the throne of grace in the triune God, always longing for the salvation of life and peace.

By constantly calling on the name of the Lord, we receive the richness of salvation, so that we may embrace the five oceans and six continents in prayer, and even though we have nothing, we are given the courage to bless or sanction them.

Even though I am a missionary who works eight hours a day as a tent maker, I never lose my smile.