The Blessings Of
Consistent Living
Book of 2
Corinthians Chapter 10
The word
"consistent" means "fixed"; or "firm".
"Living"
means as we understand it here means "as a living principle",
or "living our faith".
The truth is there
were some at Corinth who had been trying to overturn Paul's authority
and destroy his influence in the church. Notice Paul no longer says
"we" but now he says "I" as Paul will now begin
to deal with his critics.
The truth of most
Christians is that we do not acknowledge our true enemy!
The Bible is
specific about who the enemy of this world is and especially to the
Christian.
Eph 6:12 For
we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places.
We already know that
the root of evil is the "love of money" , "covetousness".
Our enemy is the
influence of evil on God's people!
We must never be
careless nor casual in our spiritual battles!
Our power is in our
"consistent living" for the Lord and by wearing the armor
of God at all times!
Our power in this
life comes from pleasing the Lord by being His true disciples!
Luk 6:46 And
why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Lets continue:
*****2Co 10:1
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of
Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold
toward you:
2Co 10:2 But I
beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that
confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of
us as if we walked according to the flesh.
If we are to be like
Christ then we need to know our Savior. Jesus Christ was known for
His "meekness" and His "gentleness".
Isa 42:3 A
bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not
quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
Isa 42:4 He
shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the
earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
We should clearly
understand "meekness" does not mean some sissified, limp
wrist man but "meekness" is "strength under total
control".
Meekness is a
"grace" which Jesus alone impressed as a Mighty God
presented as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and He remained that
way all His days.
"Gentleness"
goes with the meekness of Christ because it best represents this time
period we call "Grace"!
Gal 5:22 But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And
they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections
and lusts.
Paul had followed
the example of Christ Jesus in addressing the insults, the attacks,
the rumors, the outright lies, and the evil that had been done to
him!
There was at one
time a bracelet for kids that had WWJD printed on it. It stood for
"What Would Jesus Do" to remind them of what to do when
confronted.
It would pay for us
all to ask ourselves this question, "What would Jesus do",
when we are confronted with evil!
What was Paul's goal
for his ministry?
1Ti 1:15 This
is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1Ti 1:16
Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, "that in me first Jesus
Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them
which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting".
We see that Paul had
personal experience with the meekness and the gentleness of Christ
and wanted to show that to the world.
Remember Jesus
Christ was meek, "not because he was weak" but because He
was so strong, after all Jesus had all the power of God within
Himself!
Col 2:9 For in
him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
This should be our
goal, to be so strong in our faith that we can show meekness "and
it be clearly understood".
For instance America
is still known as a Super Power but America can show meekness because
of control of that strength. For many years now we have not seen this
as the truth because our strength and meekness has eroded!
God on the other
hand has all power that will never erode and He can show meekness in
His terrible strength!
Paul said we should
all remember the absolute power of our God at all times.
Php 2:12
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my absence, "work out your
own salvation with fear and trembling".
Meekness and
gentleness are directly opposed to the love of displaying that
strength. No doubt if God showed just a part of His strength the
churches could not hold the people who would want to get closer to
the Lord.
God has no desire to
show His pre-eminence at this time because our righteousness depends
upon our "faith" and not our fear of Him!
Again this is God's
plan and He wants us to be a part of His plan and not have a plan of
our own!
What Paul is saying
if his critics would return to God then they would never seel "what
the Christian says today" Paul get in the flesh. Paul had a
great desire to not have to confront his critics in boldness and
strength.
Again we should
remember the 12 Apostles had powers that we can only imagine and
those powers were to be used to build up the church, not to tear it
down but Jesus would stand by any decision that they made.
Those 12 Apostles
had powers that we may never understand till we get to Heaven.
Mat 16:19 And
I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Joh 20:23
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose
soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
There can be no
Apostles today because no other men have been trusted with such power
as these men were!
Paul was just saying
"compliance or non-compliance of his requests" rested
entirely upon his critics.
We should understand
that Paul was only a human and like as today as we all say "you
do not want to see me get in the flesh".
It should be very
clear that we must have patience and we should give everyone time to
repent of their sin with loving kindness!
*****2Co 10:3
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
2Co 10:4 (For
the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to
the pulling down of strong holds;)
2Co 10:5
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ;
2Co 10:6 And
having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your
obedience is fulfilled.
We should all
remember even after we are saved we still "walk in the flesh"
because we are not yet perfect, we are not yet glorified.
As along as we are
in this flesh we are subject to all the weaknesses of our flesh.
We still age, our
flesh is feeble, our minds can fail(we are subject to error in
judgment), we are subject to disease, and we are targets of Satan and
of the unbelievers of this world. Then there is also our conduct and
our temper.
The truth is if we
will study the Word of God and apply it to our lives then we will not
war after the flesh.
2Ti 2:15 Study
to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Our flesh is useless
in our spiritual warfare!
Our enemy is Satan
and Satan's influence on this world!
Eph 6:12 For
we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places.
**What are some of
Satan's strongholds?
We live in a world
where it is becoming even more willful to be ignorant of God's Words:
2Co 4:3 But if
our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Co 4:4 In
whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is
the image of God, should shine unto them.
The world has turned
this around against us and now claims that the Christian is willful
ignorant of the truth of the modern philosophy and have convinced
many with their false agenda.
But this same world
teaches infidelity, where revealed truth is just rejected!
This same world
teaches prejudice against all the doctrines of Jesus Christ!
The same world
teaches superstition and idolatry!
The biggest
stronghold is that of a depraved heart and depraved mind where we
find our refuge when all other things fail for us!
Spiritual warfare
requires spiritual weapons!
1) We must cast down
imaginations!
Eph 6:17 And
take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God:
2) We must cast down
everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God!
Eph 6:14 Stand
therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the
breastplate of righteousness;
Eph 6:15 And
your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
3) We must bring
into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Jesus!
Eph 6:16 Above
all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked.
**And then there is
another very important thing:
We must have a
readiness to revenge all disobedience!
**We must always be
ready to administer church discipline!
The "grace"
of God is completely in disagreement with the ways of this world we
live in.
**We must deal
immediately with false teachers and false preachers!
This is not just for
the Pastor to do but the Church must step forward and insist on it!
"This is where
the Church is failing terribly today".
Eph 6:13
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able
to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
**We must take a
stand on the "Doctrine of Jesus Christ"!
**We must also allow
some time for repentance!
This is the state of
"God's Grace" we are in today. God is allowing this time
for repentance!
2Pe 3:9 The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which
the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up.
God is allowing a
time of repentance that only He knows and we are wrong if we do not
allow a time of repentance in Church discipline but even that time
must end at some point.
No matter what this
world says, The Lord is coming and He has already given His warning,
there will not be another warning, God's patience does have a point
of ending!
And Paul continues:
*****2Co 10:7
Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust
to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again,
that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
Paul is saying that
if you insist on looking at things with an outward appearance and not
look into your hearts then go ahead and look and they would see what
Paul's ministry had accomplished.
Every Pastor has the
right to be accepted if he belongs to Christ, these things are hard
to hide!
A true man of God
should be welcomed and the church should help him through every
problem!
The trouble makers
at Corinth had said that Paul just did not measure up, but Paul said
look at what was accomplished through Jesus Christ.
Those trouble makers
had not planted a church. They had not won souls to the Lord. They
had no Apostolic powers. They were just trouble makers!
"They were just
doing what trouble makers do".
Paul said if he was
to judged by outward appearance then look at what lies plainly before
your eyes.
1) Paul was indeed
the founder of this church at Corinth.
2) Paul had refused
to be maintained by this church, for his own particular purpose.
3) The way Paul
lived was proof of his sincerity.
4) The Holy Ghost
conviction of this church also vouched for him.
These things were
certainly all true of the Apostle Paul but Paul said we still need to
look much deeper than what is seen on the outside.
None of these things
would be true if Paul had not belonged to Jesus Christ!
Joh 7:24 Judge
not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
Those men who are
not seeking to destroy what Jesus Christ died for but to see it grow,
should be honored with the love of the church!
*****2Co 10:8
For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the
Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I
should not be ashamed:
No doubt that the 12
Apostles had been given powers that no other men have been given and
we are wrong if we think this is not true.
Paul had a
supernatural endowment from the Lord. In this Paul was certainly
superior to all who questioned his sincerity to the church. Paul felt
that if he wanted to boast of these things then there was nothing
wrong with that boasting.
Paul also insisted
that he might use or not use this authority"because this power
did not infringe on his freedom to do so".
Paul also knew that
this authority, this power was given to him to edify the church and
not for destructive purposes!
God had done such
things with Moses, and Joshua, and Elijah and Elisha and the other 11
apostles but if we study we will see that they were free to use it or
not to use it.
God has instilled in
us all to be useful and not to be destructive if at all possible!
Rom 12:18 If
it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all
men.
The truth is the
more gifts God gives to each of us the more we are exposed to the
hatred of this world.
When Paul mentioned
his authority given to him by the Lord, he was by no means telling a
lie, these things were true!
*****2Co 10:9
That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
2Co 10:10 For
his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily
presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
Paul is described as
a short, thin headed man, with crooked legs, whose eyebrows met and
had a hooked nose but no one knows the actual appearance of the
Apostle Paul.
Paul's critics said
he was a poor preacher and not an eloquent speaker.
They would recall
how some would even fall asleep while Paul preached and we all know
the story of Eutychus how he fell to his death while Paul was long
preaching and Paul revived him.
They had said it
would be a waste of time for Paul to return to Corinth.
And they made
compared all these things to Paul's writings.
So we can see that
Paul's critics said that these letters might be weighty and powerful
but he was truly a very weak man and his speech was contemptible.
Remember Paul had
said that if he returned to Corinth he would use the authority given
of Christ if need be:
Refer back to verse
6 and add this one:
2Co 13:10
Therefore I write these things being absent, "lest being present
I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath
given me to edification, and not to destruction".
We can see the these
critics in the Corinthian Church did everything they could to
discredit Paul and Paul was aware of it all!
But Paul said you
need to keep this one thought.
*****2Co 10:11
Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters
when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are
present.
Paul's critics
denied his authority given to him of God.
Paul's critics
ridiculed Paul's appearance.
Paul's critics said
Paul was just a coward, because he would threaten at a distance but
was silent and weak when he was present.
We can understand
that all these things had to hurt the Apostle Paul but he did not
give up on himself and he did not give up on this church.
Paul was making it
very clear that all those that made these statements would see him
just as he had written not in weakness, but bold with the authority
of God!
Paul insisted that
he did not make idle threats that he could not back up with the power
of God!
*****2Co 10:12
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves
with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by
themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
2Co 10:13 But
we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the
measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to
reach even unto you.
The truth is when we
judge ourselves using ourself as the standard we are foolish.
We can only judge
ourselves using Jesus Christ as our standard to get an accurate
picture of ourself!
Nor should we ever
judge ourselves by the character of some other human being!
We have the owners
manual for our guideline and it is called the Word of God!
When we use some one
other than Christ to look up to, as our standard, then we have given
that person the authority to run our lives.
Only God through the
Lord Jesus Christ has that authority!
God says: "Thou
shalt have no other gods before me"
Jesus said: "Get
thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy
God, and him only shalt thou serve"
The Bible simply
says when we compare ourselves among ourselves "we are not
wise"!
How can we ever
boast ourselves against someone who is measureless in the eyes of
God.
We already know that
most every man has no limit to his high opinion of himself.
What does God say is
the truth of each of us?
Rom 3:10 As it
is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There
is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Rom 3:12 They
are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;
there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
We cannot use
another human as our standard of excellence, we must use the rule (or
ruler or measuring device) that God has distributed to us!
God has a plan and a
purpose for each of us and we are to always follow the lead of the
Holy Spirit.
Paul had not chosen
to place a church in Corinth, God had.
God had chosen
Thessalonica, God had chosen Berea, God had chosen Philippi to place
houses of worship!
Paul did not take it
upon himself to go to other places and Paul did not go to where other
missionaries were working.
Paul was the
missionary to the Gentiles!
*****2Co 10:14
For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached
not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the
gospel of Christ:
2Co 10:15 Not
boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's
labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall
be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
2Co 10:16 To
preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in
another man's line of things made ready to our hand.
We must remember the
command of Christ Jesus:
Mat 28:18 And
Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go
ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
What Paul adds is,
that there is no room for division or competitiveness in the church.
Jesus Christ sends
His disciples throughout this world. If we go to where the Lord has
called us to go and not pile on top of each other then the "Gospel
message" will one day reach every human being and they will get
their opportunity to accept it or to deny it.
In fact, we should
not worry or wonder if the "Gospel" will reach the world
because that is God's responsibility. We "must" fulfill the
purpose that He has for our lives!
We are never to
stretch ourselves beyond our measure!
These false men who
had come to Corinth with a "different gospel" were not sent
of God, because it goes against God's purpose!
All those who preach
other than the "Gospel of Christ Jesus" are false men and
women who serve the god of their belly or Satan!
God has His own
methods of directing His servants, His missionaries, His Preachers,
His Teachers!
God has His own
methods to dictate when that mission is to end and move on to another
place but "God does not ever change His command to go"!
The truth is, anyone
that goes without the guidance of the Holy Spirit will have very
little, if any good results!
We may also not ever
understand that some people just love misery too much to give it up!
Psa 144:15
Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that
people, whose God is the LORD.
In other words, the
people that hate the Lord, love misery!
We should also
clearly understand that when God establishes a new Church in an area,
He has a specific purpose for that place and that area, but He also
still gives the commands of the Lord Jesus to all the "body of
Christ" everywhere.
God does not leave
any room for us to tear down each other and we are not in some
competition for the same people!
It is a fact that
the troubles in this Church at Corinth had actually hindered the work
of God through the Apostle Paul and this is another lesson for all of
us to learn.
Controversy in one
house of worship can hinder the work of God in other areas!
We should also see
that when the Christian community of one area has allowed the world
or the government to dictate the "gospel message" then it
will affect the work of missionaries to found another church in some
other area chosen by the Lord!
What we do in our
local church and our local area has some effect on the spreading to
the "Gospel" around this world and we must always keep
these things in consideration!
God has a plan and
He just wants to be a part of His plan. We are never to come up with
our own plan!
God says that in
every way possible "the body of Christ" in every location,
is to assist in the means to preach the "Gospel in the regions
beyond their own location"!
**We are under no
circumstances to ever be a hindrance to the spread of the "Gospel"!
**We are never to
glory in our selves because we must give God the glory, after all we
are already on the winning side!
*****2Co 10:17
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
2Co 10:18 For
not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord
commendeth.
What does this mean?
Let God explain
Himself:
Jer 9:24 But
let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and
knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I
delight, saith the LORD.
In the Book of
Genesis, in the creation of man, God said "let's make man in our
image".
When God made Adam
he took delight in loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness
because this is the nature of our God.
It was sin that
changed Adam!
God said if we are
glory, then glory in understanding and knowing Him on a personal
level and in this we would know His ways.
God says when we
glory in our wisdom we will fail.
God says when we
glory in our own strength we will fail.
God says when we
glory in our riches we will fail.
It is these people
who have already chosen their god and it is the same in the world we
live in today!
Jer 9:23 Thus
saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let
the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his
riches:
The world may think
that success lies in the wisdom of man but the world is wrong!
There are those that
think success lies in the might of man but they are wrong!
There are those who
think success lies in the riches of certain men but they are also
wrong!
**We can only glory
in the knowledge of the Lord and His ways to succeed in this life and
obtain everlasting life!
God is already our
Creator we must also realize Him as our King, with absolute power
(for He is)!
Psa 105:3
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek
the LORD.
Psa 105:4 Seek
the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
Psa 105:5
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the
judgments of his mouth;
We must stand before
the Lord at the cross to be saved.
We must stand before
the Lord in judgment even after salvation but not for our sin.
We must stand before
the Lord in this life to have the joy of the Lord.
If we cannot do
these things how can we say we love the Lord?
Joh 5:42 But I
know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
Joh 5:43 I am
come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall
come in his own name, him ye will receive.
Joh 5:44 How
can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the
honour that cometh from God only?
If you want to know
the real truth, the Lord will not accept anyone recommended by some
man!
The Lord Will Only
Accept Those That He Recommends Himself!
Those the Lord
recommends are only those who have repented and given themselves over
to the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Questions?
Let's Pray
