Sun, May 30th - 9:04PM

2 Corinthians chapter 13 study

Brothers and sisters, God commands us to diligently address such persons in the church who show a pattern of resistance, and contention against the inerrant truth of scripture and it must be done sooner than later. We do not have any option from God to ignore it.

We are commanded to obey and pay close attention to Lord Jesus Christ regarding Himself and His gospel message: Jhn 3:36 - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

There is no passivity with God regarding those who continue to resist the truth after many teachings and admonishing: Heb 6:7 - For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8  But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

Amp Heb 6:7For soil that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces crops useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God; 8but if it persistently produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

There is not a mixed soil  taught in scripture, brethren, it is either good or bad determined by what it consistently produces. There is not the hocus pocus of a good bad man or a bad good man nonsense as some would like to think. No, holy people, Lord Jesus sets the standard and the record straight for all time: Luk 6:45 - A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Amp Luke 6: 45The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.

Love, serola

Thu, May 27th - 6:49PM

2 Corinthians chapter 13 study

Early on, brethren, as we continue to feed upon scripture, our spiritual food, we notice that Paul did not play around, hem and haw or beat around the bush at any time, but made it abundantly clear to the Corinthians that there would be no compromise with anyone in the church actively sinning, showing hostility to the gospel and refusing to repent.

Paul never shrinks back at the resistance among these Corinthians, but boldly and consistently teaches and warns them that his power does not rest on human invention, or mere titles, but that he is the real deal with apostolic power as a minister appointed by Christ to not only teach the word, but also to enforce the word of God in the church, should he return there and find them still resistant to the truth of how Christians are commanded to live by God. He is careful to note that Jesus Christ as the head of the church also has the power to discipline it through His ministers, the body general, as well as directly. Again, and again the Bible teaches us that no one is above church discipline.

Holy people, natural men then and now show up in the church and even in the pulpit or other ministry of the church while still remaining as natural men- hostile to the gospel message. When the natural man shows up in the church or in the ministry of the church, it is not surprising that he or she scoffs at biblical truth and instruction and will act to please his or her own fleshly desires and inclinations. Paul writes of such an instance:

3 John 1: 9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

Paul does not wax syrupy or make excuses for this man such as we ought to forgive him as we are all sinners, or he just needs our love, or hurting people hurt people, or he had a bad childhood, or we should not judge. No! Paul will not allow this man to rampage and spoil the church of Jesus Christ, and mislead or corrupt His flock. Sadly, even today we see the ruin of some ministries because they allowed their leaders, or members of their flock to go unchecked and cause the gospel message to be put in ill repute by their ungodly behaviors.

In no wise within context of scripture does God condemn anyone who has not been taught the truth of scripture but who are teachable and will believe the truth when they are taught it. This is having a hard look at those who having been consistently taught the truth, yet remain hostile to it. It is to such persons that these verses I post here again applies:  1Co 2:14 - But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Receiveth not: absolutely not.

Love, serola

Thu, May 20th - 12:54PM

2 Corinthians chapter 13 study

“Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” Paul is being quite blunt in raising the question that anyone claiming to be a Christian should and can absolutely know and be confident without doubt whether or not they are in Christ, except if they are not a true Christian, but still a natural man, one who has not truly been saved at all.

This question, brethren, cannot but come up in light of the context of Paul’s dealing with the Corinthians who disputed and remained defiant, quarrelsome, resistant, and challenging to not only his authority and apostolic ministry to the church, but also his right to admonish and biblically correct them.

Holy people, we know the fatal flaw of the natural man for the Bible teaches us:  1Co 2:14 - But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Romans 8:6, 7 “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”

2 Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Love, serola

Sat, May 15th - 10:49PM

2 Corinthians chapter 13 study

Brothers and sisters, raise your hand if you have ever found it difficult to confront another brother or sister, ( I raised mine). Fear can be the reason that some of us might not confront another, or that it is not polite, is judging, or may make the person angry or turn away from us. Some might see confrontation as never necessary because they think all people are just broken and hurting and just need love and understanding. There are many more reasons than I can post here, saints (G40 hagios), but feel free to think personally about your own reasons that might make you or other people hesitant to confront another when needed.

However, Paul has no problems with confronting others when it is needed. There is no hesitancy, touchy feely, warm and fuzzy, wishy washiness with Paul, or worries that he might offend or make those he confronts angry. This is because Paul boldly, lovingly fully comprehends his God given authority and the principles of confronting as taught by scripture. He does not confront on the basis of he said she said, but takes time to ascertain that there are actual witnesses that can confirm the truthfulness of the charges against another. Confronting another in the church is not about imposing our personal opinion on another, but about whether or not a person is living outside of biblical right living, whether inside or outside of the church, according to the word of God.

Its pretty clear that Paul had made inroads in correcting some in the Corinthian church, but some remained unruly. The fact that people in the church were sending letters to Paul about further problems indicate that they felt the need for help beyond what was available in the church, therefore the outreach to the apostle Paul-again. If the problem is too big or too intractable it would indicate that more help is needed to deal with it and there is a need to get help outside of the problematic church.

Paul, after dealing with ongoing improper questioning of His apostleship and authority from those resistant to sound biblical correction and continuing to do wrong within the Corinthian church, had come to the conclusion that it was time to ascertain if they were true Christians or not; therefore he wrote to them to:  KJV 5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Amp: 5Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?

Wed, May 12th - 2:48PM

2 Corinthians study chapter 13

1This is the third time that I am visiting you. EVERY FACT SHALL BE SUSTAINED and CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES. 2I have already warned those who have sinned in the past and all the rest as well, and I warn them now even though I am absent [from you] as I did when I was with you the second time, that if I come back I will not spare anyone, 3since you seek [forensic] proof that Christ is speaking in and through me. He is not weak or ineffective in dealing with you, but powerful within you. 4For even though He was crucified in weakness [yielding Himself], yet He lives [resurrected] by the power of God [His Father]. For we too are weak in Him [as He was humanly weak], yet we are alive and well [in fellowship] with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.

Brothers and sisters, we note here that Paul our beloved apostle is continuing to zero in on problems within the Corinthian church that he had also addressed in earlier chapters. Here He continues to warn and zero in on the fact that sin is being casually practiced, embraced among these believers, and God absolutely forbids this. He does not rationalize it nor psychologize it in any way or manner whatsoever. Paul isn’t worried that if he comes down hard on the Corinthians that some might leave the church or not give much money or no money in the weekly offering.

Love, serola

Mon, May 10th - 1:58PM

REGENERATION IN JESUS CHRIST, NOT RECOVERY

The baby Christian, (we all start that way but are not to remain as such), brothers and sisters, often comes to repentance in ignorance seeing himself or herself as still a sinner with whom God is so angry that He breaks fellowship with them and won’t accept them again until they beg for forgiveness. However, dearly beloveds, over time the  Christian matures and comes to understand and learn from scripture, servant leaders and the body general through the Holy Spirit, that God always sees His people as His children,, in the light of the eternal truth of His word: Heb 8:12 - For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

OUR STRUGGLES AGAINST SIN ISSUES:

Is there a war going on? Yes, brethren, the war of the fleshly dead old man against the new eternally alive spiritual man. Repentance is not merely a set of correctly said words. As so many have said and continue to say and teach, repentance is a change of mind and a change of heart from doing things our way to turning and doing things God’s way. Repentance is A verb and requires doing not just saying. We have looked at various types of addictions, but as commanded by God they are to be seen in His true light as sin. God calls all of it sin. What do we say?  God commands His people to agree with Him, and trust in His truth out of love and trust in Him. it is of the utmost importance to understand God’s principles of repentance that is acceptable with Him, for He will accept no other. Initially we may struggle against sin. What the struggle really means is we are wavering/resistant between accepting and obeying what God wants or instead doing what we want knowing God forbids that very thing.

ENDING OUR STRUGGLES AGAINST SIN

Heb 12:1 - Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Patience: steadfastness, constancy, endurance; in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings; patiently, and steadfastly; patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance.

Our old sin patterns, ways of thinking and living apart from God, were established well before our salvation, of course, we were born in sin so it had a head start on us before we were made new creatures in Christ Jesus. Nevertheless, God enables us through His word to know and understand how each and everyone of us must absolutely turn from sin and to jump start and maintain His eternal new ways of holy living and thinking for His people through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

All of our struggle’s end every time when we accept and obey the truth that God’s way is the only right way and the only right way is God’s way. Initially, dearly beloveds, letting go of what we like that God forbids is neither comfortable or seems pleasurable to us in the beginning. God is never angry when His people face temptations, and we should not bother to become upset when temptations occur as they surely will. Often the same temptations may arise through the course of our lives. However, again, brethren, repentance means we maintain our stance/stability of obeying God’s will above our own, period. 

God teaches us that regeneration is all about Jesus Christ who regenerates all who believe in Him into a holy new spiritual birth- reproduction, renewal, recreation, regeneration: hence renovation, regeneration, the production of a new life consecrated to God, a radical change of mind, change of heart and the power from God focused on following the things of Christ, and not of the world:  Tit 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 - Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Recovery movements focus on the external natural man in vain attempts to bring a so-called recovery to the spiritually dead with false promises, a so-called recovery that it can never give. Holy people, there is no power 

in the false doctrine of recovery, only destruction, lies and death. Its followers never achieve the power to deal

with their own inner destructive lusts and actions, and none can ever enter heaven through its false doctrine.

love, serola