I Am Coming
Comments for Study 10
Pick to read this Bible passage in a separate window.
SORRY, THE COMMENTARY FOR THIS BOOK HAS NOT BEEN FINISHED.
CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF BOOKS THAT ARE COMPLETED.
I. Paul's Concern for the Corinthians (12:11-21)
>1. What does the word apostle mean and what confirmed them as true? (11-12; Matt. 10:1; Mark 3:14-15; Luke 11:49)
* 2 Corinthians 12:11-12 "I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. The things that mark an apostle--signs, wonders and miracles--were done among you with great perseverance."
* Matthew 10:1 "He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."
* Mark 3:14-15 "He appointed twelve--designating them apostles--that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons."
* Luke 11:49 "Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'"
*
*
>What seems to have been one of the reasons the Corinthians accepted the self proclaimed "super-apostles" words and help? (13)
* 2 Corinthians 12:13 "How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!"
*
*
*
*
*
>2. What good human trait is also true in God's spiritual family? (14)
* 2 Corinthians 12:14 "Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children."
*
*
*
*
>What is the motivation for sacrificial living? (15)
* 2 Corinthians 12:15 "So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?"
*
*
*
*
>Does sacrificial living include exploitation? (16-17)
* 2 Corinthians 12:16-17 "Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you?"
*
*
*
*
>Who else besides Paul did not exploit the Corinthian believers? (18)
* 2 Corinthians 12:18 "I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?"
*
*
*
*
>Is this cult like practice still being practiced by some religious groups who claim to be from Jesus? (2 Tim. 3:1-5)
* 2 Timothy 3:1-5 "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."
*
*
*
*
>3. What should be the result of our actions towards fellow believers? (19)
* 2 Corinthians 12:19 "Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening."
*
*
*
*
>What happens in congregations when the member's motivations are impure? (20)
* 2 Corinthians 12:20 "For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder."
*
*
*
*
>What does it Paul mean that God will humble him for the Corinthian's sins? (21)
* 2 Corinthians 12:21 "I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged."
*
*
*
*
>What does this show us about who is responsible when congregations go wrong? (Num. 32:9-13; Rom. 2:17-24)
* Numbers 32:9-13 "After they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the LORD had given them.
10 The LORD's anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath:
11 'Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years old or more who came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob--
12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly.'
13 The LORD's anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the desert forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone."
* Romans 2:17-24 "Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God;
18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;
19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark,
20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth--
21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23 You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?
24 As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."
*
*
*
II. Warnings (13:1-10)
>4. How should someone who preaches or teaches the word of God be confirmed? (1)
* 2 Corinthians 13:1 "This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."
*
*
*
*
>What should be done when someone who confesses Jesus and yet continually refuses to repent from sinful ways? (2)
* 2 Corinthians 13:2 "I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others,"
*
*
*
*
>5. How will God deal with people who do not respect his established authority? (3)
* 2 Corinthians 13:3 "since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you."
*
*
*
*
>What is easy to forget about Jesus' authority? (4)
* 2 Corinthians 13:4 "For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you."
*
*
*
>6. What does it mean to examine ourselves? (5)
* 2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?"
* Paul wrote, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-unless, of course, you fail the test?" How can I examine and test myself?
Self-examination can be a foreign idea to many even though Jesus taught that prayer and meditation are important. The idea of it certainly was for me in the early days of my relationship with Jesus. Though the idea of self-examination was new to me when I first came to believe in Jesus, I now see that the human mind is examining self motives and state of being all the time. The results vary depending on my spiritual health and relationship with Jesus.
A difference exists between self-examination in Christ and self-examination in the flesh (outside of Christ). When I allow it and I am in the right mindset the Holy Spirit will reveal to me my heart, motives, will, and mind for good change.
Several years ago I discovered the Christian Examin meditation that is believed to originate from the apostles and the Benedicts. It is based on the truth that Christ is in me all the time and always active in me and my life. I have found Examin important in my spiritual walk with Jesus.
The Examin contains 5 simple steps that are similar to these. They can be modified a little to your personality. 1 Have a heart of gratitude, examining and thanking God for specific things that he did in the last 24 hours. 2. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what he was doing in my life and character for the last 24 hours. 3. Think about all that I said and did in the last 24 hours, examining what motivated me to say and do those things. 4. Ask the Holy Spirit to forgive me where needed, change my character where needed, and help me change behavior where needed, and make amends where needed and is appropriate. 5. Thank the Holy Spirit for all he will do for and in me in the next 24 hours and help me see, understand, and accept it.
>What test is Paul talking about? (6-7)
* 2 Corinthians 13:6 "And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed."
*
*
*
*
>7. What is the truth? (8; John 1:17, 8:31-32, 14:6, 17:17)
* 2 Corinthians 13:8 "For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth."
* John 1:17 "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."
* John 8:31-32 "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
* John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
* John 17:17 "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.'
>How does the truth perfect us? (9)
* 2 Corinthians 13:9 "We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection."
*
*
*
*
>How was Paul's absence from the Corinthians and return like Jesus' absence and return for us? (10; Rev. 22:7, 12-13)
* 2 Corinthians 13:10 "This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority--the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down."
* Revelation 22:7 "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."
* Revelation 22:12-13 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."
*
*
III. Final Greetings (13:11-14)
>8. What is the result when Christians practice Jesus' words, "Love one another as I love you"? (11)
* 2 Corinthians 13:11 "Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you."
* John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
*
*
*
>9. What is a holy kiss? (12)
* 2 Corinthians 13:12 "Greet one another with a holy kiss."
*
*
*
*
>How might this be misused? (2 Tim. 3:6)
* 2 Timothy 3:6 "They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,"
*
*
*
*
>What does saint mean? (13)
* 2 Corinthians 13:13 "All the saints send their greetings."
*
*
*
*
>10. What three prayer topics does Paul conclude with? (14)
* 2 Corinthians 13:14 "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."
*
*
*
*
>When was the last time you prayed this for a fellow believer?
*
*
*
*
|
