2 Corinthians 5:5 - Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
The word earnest is ARRABON, which means guarantee. This is a guarantee of our inheritance. He has given us His Spirit. Please note the value that Paul places on the human. He considers that when it's time for him to die, he just torn down camp and left. He just packed up the tent!
It's just a place for us to live in while we're here. But there's going to be a new house to live in, a new body in heaven. In the meantime, God has given us His Spirit. He shows again the treasure that which is most valuable is the Spirit of God that's holding this tent, this clay dirt vessel together.
2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
Again, this is what's called the BEMA seat. This is not the Great White Throne Judgment. The BEMA seat is a judgment for believers. Non-believers will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment.
2 Corinthians 6:1 - We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
The word vain means empty or for no reason.
2 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.)
In the Greek text, the word for succoured means to help.
2 Corinthians 6:4 - But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
The word patience is the word endurance. In afflictions (THLIPSIS, pressure or stress). In necessities. This is that straight narrow. You find yourself being closed in on. In distresses. This is the word for no way out.
2 Corinthians 7:4 - Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
The Greek word for boldness, PARESIA, has to do with confidence. It has to do with speaking openly in public without fear. Great is my confidence of speech toward you. Great is my boasting of you. The word glorying is actually the word boasting. I am filled with comfort, and that's the word encouragement. I am exceeding joyful in all of our tribulations, and that's the word THLIPSIS for stress. He's not just joyful in stressful situations. He's exceeding joyful!
2 Corinthians 7:5 - For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
The word for fightings is the literal word for physical combat. He's making reference here to some of the physical attacks that came against him while traveling and while ministering.
2 Corinthians 7:7 - And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
There are three things that Titus told Paul that was a blessing to Paul when he told us of your earnest desire, literally their desire upon Paul. They wanted to see Paul again. He says your mourning, that is, lamentation over your sin when he told us you were mourning over your sin.
The fervent mind is one word in Greek and it means to boil. They had a hot desire to get back with Paul again because they received his letter and saw that they were in error. Paul says, so that I rejoiced the more. Not just to see Titus, and not just the fact that Titus was ministered to by the people in Corinth, but that the people in Corinth wanted to see Paul again. And they were mourning over their sins, and they were back to having a fervent desire to be taught again.
2 Corinthians 7:2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
He says Receive us. The word receive in the Greek text (CHORESATE) literally means to make room. Make room for us. He's making reference back to where he mentioned in Chapter 6 about having enlarged my heart to you. He says I've opened my heart to you. Now I'm calling on you to make room for us in your heart.
And he says three things that he did not do to them to emphasize that there's no reason for them to not open up to him, except that they're influenced by false teachers. First of all, he says we have wronged no man. The word wronged is the word injustice. In other words, we have treated no one unjustly.
Secondly, we have corrupted no man. This corruption, PHTHEIRO, has to do with teaching and speaking. In Ephesians Chapter 5, Paul always used it to do with let your speech be with grace, and not in corruption to the hearers. So, he says we haven't corrupted anyone with our teaching.
And thirdly, we have defrauded no man. The word defraud has to do with covetousness or desiring to want what other people have. We'll see later on in this letter that he says we are not pursuing you because of what you have. We're pursuing you because of your soul. So, he says we haven't treated anyone unjustly. We have corrupted no man with false teaching. We haven't defrauded anyone by coveting the things that they have.
2 Corinthians 7:3 - I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
The phrase "with you," goes with both die and live in the Greek text. What he's saying is that they and he are so attached, they are at such one with each other that if they live, he lives, and if they die, he dies. He's not going to turn around and walk away from them. He's attached!
2 Corinthians 6:12 - Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
You are not straitened in us, and the word straightened means limited, but you are limited in your own bowels. And that's what the word means, SPLUNKNOS in Greek, which is the intestines. And the Greeks used the inner organs of the body to represent deep down compassion, rather than the surface.
So, he says you've closed up your bowels of compassion. You've limited yourself. My heart is wide open. I'm sharing with you, my heart. I'm not getting it back!
2 Corinthians 6:15 - And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
The word concord is a Greek word from where we get our word Symphony from. It means agreement. SUMPHONE is the word.
2 Corinthians 7:1 - Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The word holiness is the word sanctification. He says you've been sanctified. You've been set apart for Christ. And we keep trying in the human social to cross the line and be socially joined and get our social needs met. But at the same time Paul is saying that you cannot compromise your walk with the Lord by getting involved in situations and with people that are going to influence your relationship with Christ and affect your effectiveness in your walk with Christ.
Therefore, perfect, mature the sanctification. We are sanctified the very moment that God's Spirit comes into our spirit. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul told the Christians in Thessalonica to walk in your sanctification. We are to cleanse ourselves and do this in the perfecting of sanctification, maturing in the lifestyle of sanctification, drawing closer to Christ.
2 Corinthians 6:5 - In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
In stripes, that is beatings. In imprisonments. In tumults, which are riots. In labours, and that's just physical working to the point of exhaustion. In watchings. This is just a King James way of saying going without sleep.
In fastings; and I think it's kind of interesting that Paul always used the word fasting to say to go without food. He never presents the fact that if he didn't have food, it's because he's going without food, and it must be time to fast because God didn't provide food. I think that's fascinating! So, in all of these conditions, if you find yourself in them, give no offence, so the ministry is not blamed.
2 Corinthians 6:6 - By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
By pureness. This is a word associated with sanctification. It means to be morally separate and pure. Through knowledge. Through longsuffering, that is, patience with people, slow in human reaction. Through kindness. That's the word for usefulness.
Through the Holy Spirit. And you're probably thinking "wait a minute now!" It's no misuse of the Holy Spirit. It's either through the Spirit of God or it's not. Don't try to do your own thing and say it's the Spirit of God. By love unfeigned. The word unfeigned means hypocrisy. This is through unfeigned and un-hypocritical love, love that's not acting. It's got to be genuine!
2 Corinthians 6:10 - As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
As sorrowful, and yet always rejoicing; The word rejoicing means satisfaction. Joy in the bible is not a "happy feeling." It means to be satisfied.
2 Corinthians 5:5 - Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
The word earnest is ARRABON, which means guarantee. This is a guarantee of our inheritance. He has given us His Spirit. Please note the value that Paul places on the human. He considers that when it's time for him to die, he just torn down camp and left. He just packed up the tent!
It's just a place for us to live in while we're here. But there's going to be a new house to live in, a new body in heaven. In the meantime, God has given us His Spirit. He shows again the treasure that which is most valuable is the Spirit of God that's holding this tent, this clay dirt vessel together.
2 Corinthians 5:10 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
Again, this is what's called the BEMA seat. This is not the Great White Throne Judgment. The BEMA seat is a judgment for believers. Non-believers will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment.
2 Corinthians 6:1 - We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
The word vain means empty or for no reason.
2 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.)
In the Greek text, the word for succoured means to help.
2 Corinthians 6:4 - But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
The word patience is the word endurance. In afflictions (THLIPSIS, pressure or stress). In necessities. This is that straight narrow. You find yourself being closed in on. In distresses. This is the word for no way out.
2 Corinthians 7:4 - Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
The Greek word for boldness, PARESIA, has to do with confidence. It has to do with speaking openly in public without fear. Great is my confidence of speech toward you. Great is my boasting of you. The word glorying is actually the word boasting. I am filled with comfort, and that's the word encouragement. I am exceeding joyful in all of our tribulations, and that's the word THLIPSIS for stress. He's not just joyful in stressful situations. He's exceeding joyful!
2 Corinthians 7:5 - For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
The word for fightings is the literal word for physical combat. He's making reference here to some of the physical attacks that came against him while traveling and while ministering.
2 Corinthians 7:7 - And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
There are three things that Titus told Paul that was a blessing to Paul when he told us of your earnest desire, literally their desire upon Paul. They wanted to see Paul again. He says your mourning, that is, lamentation over your sin when he told us you were mourning over your sin.
The fervent mind is one word in Greek and it means to boil. They had a hot desire to get back with Paul again because they received his letter and saw that they were in error. Paul says, so that I rejoiced the more. Not just to see Titus, and not just the fact that Titus was ministered to by the people in Corinth, but that the people in Corinth wanted to see Paul again. And they were mourning over their sins, and they were back to having a fervent desire to be taught again.
2 Corinthians 7:2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
He says Receive us. The word receive in the Greek text (CHORESATE) literally means to make room. Make room for us. He's making reference back to where he mentioned in Chapter 6 about having enlarged my heart to you. He says I've opened my heart to you. Now I'm calling on you to make room for us in your heart.
And he says three things that he did not do to them to emphasize that there's no reason for them to not open up to him, except that they're influenced by false teachers. First of all, he says we have wronged no man. The word wronged is the word injustice. In other words, we have treated no one unjustly.
Secondly, we have corrupted no man. This corruption, PHTHEIRO, has to do with teaching and speaking. In Ephesians Chapter 5, Paul always used it to do with let your speech be with grace, and not in corruption to the hearers. So, he says we haven't corrupted anyone with our teaching.
And thirdly, we have defrauded no man. The word defraud has to do with covetousness or desiring to want what other people have. We'll see later on in this letter that he says we are not pursuing you because of what you have. We're pursuing you because of your soul. So, he says we haven't treated anyone unjustly. We have corrupted no man with false teaching. We haven't defrauded anyone by coveting the things that they have.
2 Corinthians 7:3 - I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
The phrase "with you," goes with both die and live in the Greek text. What he's saying is that they and he are so attached, they are at such one with each other that if they live, he lives, and if they die, he dies. He's not going to turn around and walk away from them. He's attached!
2 Corinthians 6:12 - Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
You are not straitened in us, and the word straightened means limited, but you are limited in your own bowels. And that's what the word means, SPLUNKNOS in Greek, which is the intestines. And the Greeks used the inner organs of the body to represent deep down compassion, rather than the surface.
So, he says you've closed up your bowels of compassion. You've limited yourself. My heart is wide open. I'm sharing with you, my heart. I'm not getting it back!
2 Corinthians 6:15 - And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
The word concord is a Greek word from where we get our word Symphony from. It means agreement. SUMPHONE is the word.
2 Corinthians 7:1 - Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
The word holiness is the word sanctification. He says you've been sanctified. You've been set apart for Christ. And we keep trying in the human social to cross the line and be socially joined and get our social needs met. But at the same time Paul is saying that you cannot compromise your walk with the Lord by getting involved in situations and with people that are going to influence your relationship with Christ and affect your effectiveness in your walk with Christ.
Therefore, perfect, mature the sanctification. We are sanctified the very moment that God's Spirit comes into our spirit. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul told the Christians in Thessalonica to walk in your sanctification. We are to cleanse ourselves and do this in the perfecting of sanctification, maturing in the lifestyle of sanctification, drawing closer to Christ.
2 Corinthians 6:5 - In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
In stripes, that is beatings. In imprisonments. In tumults, which are riots. In labours, and that's just physical working to the point of exhaustion. In watchings. This is just a King James way of saying going without sleep.
In fastings; and I think it's kind of interesting that Paul always used the word fasting to say to go without food. He never presents the fact that if he didn't have food, it's because he's going without food, and it must be time to fast because God didn't provide food. I think that's fascinating! So, in all of these conditions, if you find yourself in them, give no offence, so the ministry is not blamed.
2 Corinthians 6:6 - By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
By pureness. This is a word associated with sanctification. It means to be morally separate and pure. Through knowledge. Through longsuffering, that is, patience with people, slow in human reaction. Through kindness. That's the word for usefulness.
Through the Holy Spirit. And you're probably thinking "wait a minute now!" It's no misuse of the Holy Spirit. It's either through the Spirit of God or it's not. Don't try to do your own thing and say it's the Spirit of God. By love unfeigned. The word unfeigned means hypocrisy. This is through unfeigned and un-hypocritical love, love that's not acting. It's got to be genuine!
2 Corinthians 6:10 - As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
As sorrowful, and yet always rejoicing; The word rejoicing means satisfaction. Joy in the bible is not a "happy feeling." It means to be satisfied.
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