2nd Corinthians 6:3 - 18; Proof That Paul’s Apostleship is Genuine; Paul’s Exhortation To Members of Christ’s Body to Live According to God’s Calling:

Our previous study pointed out that 2 Corinthians 6:22 (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.)

is a parenthesis, initially quoting first part the first part of Isaiah 49:88 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

teaching that God approved of Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross for the sins of fallen mankind and raised Him from the dead (the major event of history). The second part proclaims that “now” is the day of salvation. It has been the “day of salvation” ever since right up to today. 2 Corinthians 6:11 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

continues the thought from the previous chapter (2 Corinthians 5:17 - 2117 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

) and states that Paul and his fellow Apostles, working in concert with The Lord Jesus Christ, beseeched the Corinthians (and all believers since) not to receive God’s Grace in vain (that is, as if God’s Grace is empty or of no effect). Then 2 Corinthians 6:33 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:

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

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

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

6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

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

8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;

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

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

documents proof of Paul’s apostleship, i.e., that Paul and his fellow Apostles were truly sent as ambassadors with full authority of The Lord Jesus Christ:

• Paul and those with him gave no cause of stumbling (offense) for which his ministry could be blamed in any way by anyone, 2 Corinthians 6:3.

• He proved they were God’s ministers in everything he/they did by enduring afflictions, being needful and in anguish, suffering wounds, imprisonments, tumults, wearying labors while sleepless and hungry, 2 Corinthians 6:4 - 54 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

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

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• All the while knowing they are blameless with patience with the Holy Spirit’s gentle kindness in sincere love, 2 Corinthians 6:66 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

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• Paul’s work was carried out by the Word of Truth and the unlimited power of God, being armed with the weapon of righteousness on the right and the left, 2 Corinthians 6:77 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

. (The Greek soldier carried a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left. Ephesians 6:1414 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

teaches that believers are to wear the breastplate of righteousness and Romans 6:1313 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

b instructs believers to yield themselves as God’s tools of righteousness.)

• Some people treated Paul honorably and spoke in that way about him while some were contemptuous and spoke evil of him. Some said Paul deceived people while others recognized he taught the truth, 2 Corinthians 6:88 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;

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• Some did not know of Paul’s relationship with the Godhead but never-the-less The Lord Jesus Christ knew Paul’s sincerity. Paul constantly faced death from both disease and the enemies of Christ who wished to kill him, but God kept him alive; he was chastened but not killed, 2 Corinthians 6:99 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;

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• As sorrowful not only outwardly but also on account of the sin that permeates all mankind but always rejoicing in the finished work of The Lord Jesus Christ; as poor in worldly things and yet making many rich in Spiritual blessings; as having nothing and yet he had what was needed to maintain life in addition to all Spiritual blessings, 2 Corinthians 1:1010 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

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This list proving Paul genuinely represented The Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t match what most so-called Christian leaders teach today with their “name-it and claim-it” gospel. However, this is nothing new as before Paul died, some who had followed him at one time, turned against him, 2 Timothy 1:1515 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

. Thus, he told Timothy, and all believers who have followed, to stand strong and endure affliction and trouble while battling as Jesus Christ’s soldiers and to live and teach what Paul taught, 2 Timothy 2:1 - 41 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

. And since the time that Paul informed Timothy about the treatment he was going to receive, all true ministers of the Word since, as well as true believers to an extent, should expect the same treatment if they follow Paul as instructed: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:1212 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

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After listing proof of his genuineness, Paul continues: “O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.” 2 Corinthians 6:1111 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

. He is saying here that he held nothing back from the Corinthians; he spoke his mind and didn’t conceal anything. (Bullinger writes that the term “our mouth” as translated in the King James was a Hebraism for “speaking with liberty.”) His statement that his heart was enlarged means he spoke with love, desiring good to them. 2 Corinthians 6:1212 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

continues: “Ye are not straitened in us, (John Gill writes “The meaning of which is, either you are not brought into straits and difficulties by us; we do not afflict or fill you with anguish and trouble) but ye are straitened in your own bowels,” (meaning you are distressed by some among you who should not be with you and with whom you should have no fellowship.) 2 Corinthians 6:1313 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

continues: “Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.” The phrase “Now for a recompence in the same” is said to mean “to requite, repay, that your love to me may answer mine to you.” “Be ye also enlarged” means “in your love to me, as I am to you.”

Paul follows verse 13 with an exhortation to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 6:14 - 1814 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

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.

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.

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

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

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

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.

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.

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

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

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

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.

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.

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

, which is as clear and straightforward to believers today as it was to the Corinthians. (Verse 14) “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (Verse 15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial (worthlessness/Satan)? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel (faithless heathen)? (Verse 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. (Verse 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, (verse 18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” In these verses Paul alludes to and or quotes Old Testament (OT) Scriptures that were directed to the Nation of Israel who were under the Law:

• Verses 14 & 15 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers,” etc., hark back to God’s Law to Israel in Deuteronomy 22:10 - 1110 Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.

11 Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.

“Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together. Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woolen and linen together.” These verses were supposed to teach the Israelite’s they were not to be unequally yoked in any way with heathen idolaters.

• The phrase in verse 16 about the Temple of God having no agreement with idols and stating the Corinthians were the Temple of the Living God and He dwelt in them, and walked in them; and He will be their God, and they shall be His people basically quotes Leviticus 26:11 - 1211 And I set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.

12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.

, which was a promise God made to the Children of Israel that He would set His Tabernacle (dwelling place) among them and walk with them; He would be their God and they would be His people.

• Verse 17 harks back to God’s exhortation to Israel in Isaiah 52:1111 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.

to live lives separate from the idolatrous world around them and Leviticus 5:22 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.

& Numbers 19:1111 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.

wherein Israel was not to touch the dead bodies of animals or humans that were considered unclean without going through the ceremonial cleansing demanded by the Law.

• Verse 18 alludes to the Covenant God made with David that if his son Solomon remained true to the Law: “I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:” 2 Samuel 7:1414 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

. However, this was also true of God’s dealing with the Nation of Israel.

Let’s remember that 2 Corinthians 6:14 - 18 was directed to the believers in Corinth and to every true believer who has lived since then. All have been and are saved by believing, i.e., taken to heart, that Christ died for their sins and was raised from the dead for their justification, 1 Corinthians 15:1 - 41 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

; Romans 3:22 - 2422 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

; Romans 4:24 - 2524 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

; Romans 5:15 - 1815 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

. All believers are Members of Christ’s Body, Romans 12:55 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

; 1 Corinthians 12:2727 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

; Ephesians 4:1212 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

. And Members of Christ’s Body are dead to the Law of Moses, i.e., they are not required to abide by it as did Israel, who had to follow it to the letter, Romans 7:2 - 62 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

; Galatians 2:19 - 2119 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

20 I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you (Members of Christ’s Body): for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:1414 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

. But this does not mean believers should go about living Godless lives as Paul writes: “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” Romans 6:1515 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

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And so, the point of 2 Corinthians 6:14 - 18 is that God has the same expectations for conduct in the lives of believers today that He had for Israel under the Law. However, whereas God’s promises to Israel were contingent on whether they obeyed His Law, His promises to Members of Christ’s Body are not contingent on behaviors. Believers live Godly lives because they recognize God’s Love, Mercy and Grace manifested in The Lord Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cruel cross of Calvary to pay for their sins.

“But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4 - 104 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

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