2 Corinthians 6:1-18

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
​Series: 2 Corinthians (Acts)

Rusty's Notes

• Let’s get a running start and backup a few verses.

2 CORINTHIANS 5
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

• A transformation has taken place.
• Do you recognize it?
• Do you turn back to your flesh for a season?

18 Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” 21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. [1]
 
2 CORINTHIANS 6
1 Working together with him, we also appeal to you, “Don’t receive the grace of God in vain.”

• Can you abuse grace? No
• Can you misunderstand grace? Yes
• I’m begging you… pleading with you.

2 For he says:
At an acceptable time, I listened to you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.
See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!

• All over Corinth the believers were spread out in the region.
• False teachers were numerous.
• Sexual sin was active.
• Paul’s followers have one foot in and one foot out.

 
THE CHARACTER OF PAUL’S MINISTRY
3 We are not giving anyone an occasion for offense, so that the ministry will not be blamed.

• The purpose of this list that we find in this passage is they are marking his ministry as uniquely authentic because he is following along in the suffering of Christ.[2]

4 Instead, as God’s ministers, we commend ourselves in everything: by great endurance, by afflictions, by hardships, by difficulties,

• You think ministry is stressful?
• People ask me all the time, “What do you do with everyone’s ‘stuff’?” – It’s not my “stuff”.
• Good people around me.
• But I truly believe what I teach.

5 by beatings, by imprisonments, by riots, by labors, by sleepless nights, by times of hunger,

• As Paul traveled around the Mediterranean area.

6 by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God;

• This is how we deal with all the “stuff”
• We can have all kinds of support ministry and tactics to deal with issues… but this, my friends, is where it is at… the power of God.
• Do not substitute programs, accountability and self-discipline for the power of God.

through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 through glory and dishonor, through slander and good report; regarded as deceivers, yet true; 9 as unknown, yet recognized; as dying, yet see—we live; as being disciplined, yet not killed; 10 as grieving, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet enriching many; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

• Compare this list of suffering by Paul and his disciples to today’s understanding of a “successful church”.
• Today’s church only reports the good.
• So Paul is saying that, really, the mark of authentic ministry are hardships.[3]
• I’m OK with being labeled “the little church that meets in the bar”, “the place that harbors sinners”, “the place that only teaches grace”, “the place that has no ministry programs”.
• Because I know the Truth and I know what I have in this little room and I am so thankful for you.

11 We have spoken openly to you, Corinthians; our heart has been opened wide. 12 We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us.

• Reciprocation was a huge understanding in the Corinth society.

13 I speak as to my children; as a proper response, open your heart to us.

• Today, we want to do a quick survey.
• Give away videos
• Share stories in the room.

 
SEPARATION TO GOD
14 Do not be yoked together with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement does the temple of God have with idols?

• Paul is pretty straightforward here.
• This passage has always been interpreted as don’t marry an unbeliever.
• It is in reference to intimate/close relationships.
• Relationships that impact both parties.
• I encourage relationships with unbelievers as long as the believer is having impact on the unbeliever.
• I discourage relationships with unbelievers if the believer is being impacted by the unbeliever.

For we are the temple of the living God, as God said:
I will dwell
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from among them
and be separate, says the Lord;
do not touch any unclean thing,
and I will welcome you.
18 And I will be a Father to you,
and you will be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.[4]

• Paul uses several passages here from the Old Testament because God told the Israelites to remain clean and separated.
• You have been made holy!
• Holy – sanctified – set apart
• We are not like the world… we are aliens.
• We will be made fun of… we will be challenged… we will be called out.
• But remember who you are in Christ.
• You are the redeemed. You are the holy.
• The Lord God dwells inside of you.
• When you acknowledge your true identity… it causes you to desire different things than the world desires.
• It causes you to be focused on Jesus rather than yourself or the world.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 5:17–21). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[3] Guthrie, G. H. (2018). NT337 Book Study: Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Lexham Press.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 6). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.