Why would Paul be concerned about possible #idolatry among the Corinthian Christians?
10.03.2026 18:00
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Why would Paul be concerned about possible #idolatry among the Corinthian Christians?
While 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 does seem a bit discordant in the midst of Paul's message, we do best to understand it as from Paul and placed here in this context.
In the middle of opening his heart to them, and expecting them to open their hearts to him, Paul exhorted the Corinthian Christians to not become unequal #partners with #unbelievers.
He did not want them to compromise their #faith by participating in various idolatrous matters.
Having defended his #ministry, #Paul turned to make his appeals to the Corinthian #Christians.
Do not become partners with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)
Monday Miscellany (hey! it's still Monday out here)
This week:
- the heavenly #commonwealth
- unequally yoked
- #Bible readings
- #cat tax
- On the #Internets: #Israel and #Iran
- Book reviews: healing from racial #trauma, the #Romans
Please read, share, and subscribe!
The Philippian #Christians may have valued their Roman #citizenship, but #Paul reminded them of their greater allegiance to Jesus' #commonwealth.
The Heavenly Commonwealth | Philippians 3:17-4:1
https://www.deverbovitae.com/articles/heavenlycommonwealth/
Why must we open our hearts wide toward God and one another in Christ?
We must open wide our hearts to God in Christ and to one another if we would well and truly affirm and embody the Christian faith.
We can so easily want to #objectify the faith and make it all about doctrine and dogma; yet the core of the faith is #God working in the Person of #Jesus Christ to #reconcile people to Himself.
Precious little information will ever get through a restricted heart!
#Paul shifted from his defense to direct #appeals to the Corinthian #Christians beginning in 2 Corinthians 6:11-13.
His first appeal was for them to open their #hearts widely to him just as he had opened his heart to them.
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide to you (2 Corinthians 6:11).
How can we live so that no fault might be found with our #witness to Jesus?
Paul embodied what life in the #new #creation would look like, and we do well to imitate him.
He did not boast in how amazing he was; in a rhetorically powerful and moving way, he expressed how he endured distress and difficulty, maintained confidence and power in God in Christ through the Spirit, and in his lack and distress would secure true prosperity and security.
#Paul proved willing to commend his #ministry before the Corinthian #Christians in 2 Corinthians 6:3-10.
We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry (2 Corinthians 6:3).
How can we obtain reconciliation with God and one another?
#Reconciliation with God in Christ went well beyond anything which could have been enjoyed or hoped for under the old covenant.
Paul was an #ambassador of Christ begging everyone to be reconciled to God in Him and to share in life in the new creation.
How could #Paul say those in #Christ were #new #creation?
Through Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself by providing the means of the #forgiveness of people's #sin.
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his plea through us.
We plead with you on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God!" (2 Corinthians 5:20)
How can we profitably understand ourselves as new creation in Christ?
Life should not be like it was before.
Life should now be lived as the #new creation breaking into the old, looking forward to the final #reconciliation of all things.
#Paul understood what God accomplished in #Christ as the fulfillment of all He had promised through the prophet #Isaiah.
Jesus had lived, suffered, died, was raised again, and was now Lord and Christ.
So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away – look, what is new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
March Monday Miscellany!
This week:
- #Gospel as #transformative
- #Paul and #new creation, #reconciliation
- #Bible readings
- #cat tax
- On the #Internets: #gun tragedy, #feminism
- Book reviews: #newtestament, power analysis of #Corinthians
Please read, share, and subscribe!
Damaris and Dionysius were not expecting their lives to change. But then they believed the message from the visitor from Tarsus about a Jewish man named Jesus.
Transformed by the Gospel
https://www.deverbovitae.com/articles/transformedgospel/
How would God work to make all things new, and how might we maintain hope for a "new heavens" and a "new earth"?
In it he imagined God providing full #restoration to His people, long life, peace, security, and blessings.
Ever since, the people of God have yearned for God to make all things new.
Toward the end of Isaiah's messages for the Jewish people during the #exile and perhaps afterward, #Isaiah extended #hope regarding a "new heavens" and a "new earth."