ll CORINTHIANS LESSON 8


     We will begin this lesson in II Corinthians 6:1 "We then, [as]
workers together [with him], beseech [you] also that ye receive not
the grace of God in vain."

     This is a plea from Paul for the people of this church at Corinth
to realize that he is a messenger {ambassador} for Christ. The message
Paul brought, was Christ's message to them. Then he says, if you
received it as I believe you did, tell others so that they may have
this message of hope as well. Do not let the gospel message stop with
you {be in vain}. Paul is calling them to testify of the truth of the
gospel to everyone they have opportunity to.  I Peter 4:10 "As every
man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to
another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

     II Corinthians 6:2 "(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.)"

     "Succored", in this Scripture, means aid or relieve. No one
should ever put off salvation to a more convenient time. We are not
promised tomorrow. We do not even know whether we will be alive, or
not tomorrow. The Spirit might even stop drawing you at another time.
Today is the day of salvation. Even better, right this minute is the
time for salvation.

     II Corinthians 6:3 "Giving no offence in any thing, that the
ministry be not blamed:"

     This is the same as saying, do not even give the appearance of
evil. The only glimpse of what Christianity is all about, is sometimes
us Christians.  The non-believer does not go to church, or read his
Bible, or listen to sermons. He has no way of knowing anything about
Christianity, except the life we live before him. Is your life a
testimony for Jesus? If a Christian does something bad, and it makes
the news, the unbelieving world thinks all Christians are like that.
It drives them away from receiving Christ in their lives. Christianity
gets a black eye for what a few fallen Christians do. We must behave
{all the time} in a Christ-like manner.

     II Corinthians 6:4 "But in all [things] approving ourselves as
the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in
necessities, in distresses,"  II Corinthians 6:5 "In stripes, in
imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;"

     Are you a Christian just when everything is going alright, or are
you like Job: a Christian in hard times, too? The world is looking on
to see how you handle the difficult times in your life. The world has
no answer to this type of problem. God will help you, if you stand
fast and don't doubt.

     II Corinthians 6:6 "By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering,
by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,"

     Now, we see the standard that we should endure these problems
with. We should be absolutely honest with God, with ourself, and with
others. Knowledge, you remember, is accumulated learning. The Bible
teaches us how to withstand these onslaughts from Satan. We are to put
on the whole armour of God. Read the 6th. chapter of Ephesians
beginning with the 11th. verse to see the whole armour. In time of
troubles, we should allow the Spirit of God within us to take over.
The Holy Spirit needs to guide us through. We should never stop
loving, even the enemy. This, too, will pass. It is not how many
problems you have that are important, but how you handle those
problems.

     II Corinthians 6:7 " By the word of truth, by the power of God,
by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,"

     We know that every temptation Satan brought to Jesus, He answered
"It is written". This is a guide to us. We must face each problem, or
temptation, with "It is written". The answers to all of life's
problems are found in the Bible. We must use the Bible as our guide in
every situation. The power of God working in us can overcome all
obstacles.  Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me." Perhaps, the right and left side means that whether
this is coming from the world {left side}, or other Christians
{right side}, it can be overcome with righteousness.

     II Corinthians 6:8 "By honour and dishonour, by evil report and
good report: as deceivers, and [yet] true;"

     Paul is just saying, that it does not matter where the
accusations are coming from. It really does not matter whether they
are even true, or not. They are still overcome by the Word of God and
righteousness.  Just stand in your righteousness, and all of the
deceivers will finally be embarrassed when they are found out for what
they are.

     II Corinthians 6:9 "As unknown, and [yet] well known; as dying,
and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;"

     Problems come from those you know, as well as from strangers. The
intentions of those who are bringing the problems may be to cause your
death, but they will not succeed.

     II Corinthians 6:10 "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor,
yet making many rich; as having nothing, and [yet] possessing all
things."

     Circumstances around you may be sorrowful, yet unexplainable joy,
in the face of these bad circumstances, can be had in Jesus. Paul said
that he had learned to be satisfied in times when he had plenty and in
times of want. Whatever state he found himself in, he was content.

     II Corinthians 6:11 "O [ye] Corinthians, our mouth is open unto
you, our heart is enlarged."

     Paul is saying that he has opened his mouth and brought the
message of salvation to these Corinthians. He loves them as a parent
loves a child. His heart is with them.

     II Corinthians 6:12 "Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are
straitened in your own bowels."

     This is just another way of saying that Paul is not going to
straighten them out, they will have to straighten themselves out. He
can tell them what is wrong, but they will have to straighten
themselves out.

     II Corinthians 6:13 "Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak
as unto [my] children,) be ye also enlarged."

     Paul is saying, learn from your mistakes. "Recompence", in this
instance means correspondence. Paul has spoken good advice to them. We
might learn from our mistakes, too.

     II Corinthians 6:14 "Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"

     This does not mean that you should not witness to those that are
lost. It is saying, don't get involved in their way of life. There is
sin by association. It is strange, but it seems bad rubs off on good
more often than good rubs off on bad. This can mean for those who are
believers not to intermarry with those of unbelief. It, also, means
for the Christians not to get closely related in friendships with
those people of the world. The righteous are those who have been
washed in the blood of the Lamb and put in right standing with God.
The unrighteous are followers of the devil and the world. They are
heathen. Light does away with darkness. Darkness symbolizes evil.
Light is of God.

     II Corinthians 6:15 "And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or
what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?"

     "Belial" means worthlessness, as an epithet of Satan. That is
exactly what Satan is, worthless. All of the comparisons above are
opposites. Christ and Satan are opposites. "Infidel" means
disbelieving. The answer is, that they have nothing in common.

     II Corinthians 6:16 "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."

     Romans 8:9 "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so
be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."  We have said so many times in
these lessons that the Spirit of the Risen Christ dwells in the
Christian. The Holy Spirit of God is in us to teach the truth of God,
and to direct our lives pleasing unto God. This is the very reason it
is so important that the Christian not get involved in any sin that
involves the body. You would be including the Holy Spirit of God in
your sin. God is a Spirit. He can dwell in my heart and be in heaven
all at the same time. He is omnipresent {everywhere all at the same
time}. We live in God and He lives in us. You can easily see why it is
so important for the Christian to live a life pleasing unto God. We
should not go anywhere we could not take God, or do anything that He
would not be willing to do.

     II Corinthians 6:17 "Wherefore come out from among them, and be
ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I
will receive you,"

     Christians have to live in the world, until we go home to heaven,
but we must not be entangled with the world or its people. We must
separate ourselves unto holiness and righteousness. God said to the
believers, "Be ye holy, for I am holy". We are like an island
surrounded by water. We are the island, and the world is the water. We
have a hedge of the blood of Jesus which protects us from the world
coming too close. We are separated unto God. In other words, we have
come over to God's side. We have left the evil of the world behind.

     II Corinthians 6:18 "And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall
be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

     This is one of the few places that Christian women are spoken of
as daughters. We are children of the Father. We have been adopted into
the family of God. Jesus is our older brother. Romans 8:15 "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."  Just
as in earthly adoptions, there is a price to pay, there was for the
Lord. Jesus paid the price of adoption for us with His precious shed
blood.



















                     ll Corinthians 8 Questions


1.  What is verse one a plea from Paul about?
2.  Who's message had Paul brought them?
3.  Quote 1 Peter chapter 4 verse 10.
4.  When is the day of salvation?
5.  Why is it so important not to put off getting saved?
6.  What does "succored" mean?
7.  Verse 3 is the same thing as what statement?
8.  Name several reasons why the Christian is the only glimpse of
    Christianity the non-believer has.
9.  Is your life a testimony for Jesus?
10. What happens, if one Christian does something bad?
11. What are some of the things we might face proving ourselves?
12. Who, in the Old Testament, was a good example for us in handling
    problems?
13. What is the standard we should set?
14. Knowledge is ____________ ____________.
15. How can we withstand the onslaught of the devil?
16. Where do we find the instructions on this?
17. It is not important how many problems you have, but in how we
    _________ _______ problems.
18. How did Jesus answer every temptation Satan placed before Him?
19. Where can we find the answers to all of life's problems?
20. Quote Philippians chapter 4 verse 13. Then memorize it.
21. Accusations are overcome by the ________ of ____.
22. Who do problems come from?
23. When circumstances around you are sorrowful, what should be your
    attitude?
24. When was Paul content?
25. How does Paul love the Corinthians?
26. What is verse 12 saying, really?
27. What does "recompence", in verse 13, mean?
28. What is Paul telling them to do in verse 13?
29. What does "unequally yoked" mean?
30. Darkness symbolizes what?
31. What is "Belial" in verse 15?
32. What is the temple of God?
33. What are Christians to do, so they will not get involved in the
    world's sins?
34. Quote 2 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 18.