THE KING’ S BUSINESS
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18, R. V .). His doctrine was from a God who changes'not, who is “ faithful,” i.e., who always keeps His word. The sum o f Paul’s preaching among them had been “the Son o f God, Jesus Christ” (cf. Acts 9:20). He is not changeable. He is not “yea and nay,” “ but in him is the (everlasting) yea” (cf. Heb. 13:8 ). “How many so ever be the promises o f God, in Him (that is, in Jesus Christ) is the yea,” i.e., they are always sure, no matter how numerous they are. Through Christ also “ is the Amen.” Through Jesus Christ our “Amen” should ascend to God, but while it ascends through Jesus Christ it is “unto the glory o f God.” Friday, January 18 . 2 Cor. 1 : 21 - 24 . , In verses 21 and 22 we have four excel lent things God does for the believer: (1) “ He stablisheth us.” That is, He makes us, firm, steadfast. It is J‘in (literally, into) Christ” that “ He stablisheth us.” (2) He anoints us. Since we are a priestly people and a kingly people (1 Peter 2:5-9) He anoints us for the service to which He calls us. This anointing is with the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:20, 27; Acts 10:38). (3) He seals us, A seal is a sign o f ownership. God gives us the Holy Spirit as the sign that we are His property (cf. Eph. 4:30; 1 Peter 2:9, R. V .). One o f the most blessed things about receiving the Holy Spirit is that it is the guarantee that we are God’s property. God can and will take care o f His own property (John 10:28, 29)'. - (4) He gives us “the earnest o f the Spirit in our hearts.” An earnest is a sum o f money given by a purchaser as a pledge o f the payment of the full sum, and the thought consequently is that the Holy Spirit how given to us in personal experience is a pledge o f the full inheritance that is to •be ours at the :oming o f our Lord (Eph. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:23). For all his apostolic authority, Paul had no authority or desire to exercise lord- ship over the faith o f others, but to be a helper of-their joy (v. 24). It is by faith that the believer stands (cf. Rom. 11:20).
Saturday, January 19 . 2 Cor. 2 : 1 - 4 .
Paul had made up his mind not to visit Corinth again in sofrow as he had visited it upon a former occasion, so he wrote his epistle to bring them to repentance so he might rejoice over them instead o f grieving over them. Their conduct ought to be such that he would rejoice over them instead o f grieving over them. He.was persuaded in regard to them that they really rejoiced in the same things in which he rejoiced. The wonderfully tender and loving spirit of Paul comes out beautifully in v, 4. The severe words which he had written in his first epistle had been written “out o f mucfi affliction and anguish o f heart,” “ with many tears.” How many o f us write in this way the stern things which we sometimes feel we must write to those who have grievously offended? Paul’s severity some o f us can match, that is quite easily done, but how many o f us can match his love and agoniz ing sympathy. Paul did not write thus because he delighted in making them sorry, but in order that they might know thereby his abundant love. There is no better proof o f love than rebukes administered as Paul administered his, “out o f much affliction and anguish o f heart,” “with many tears” (cf. Prov. 27:6; Ps. 141:5). Sunday January 20 . . 2 Cor. 2 : 5 - 8 . In answer to Paul’s letter they had treated the offender as Paul directed, and the offender had thereby been brought to bitter grief, and now Paul seeks to comfort him, and urges the church to forgive and comfort him. He seeks to moderate the statement o f the case lest he bear too heav ily upon the offender (v. 5, R. V .).' The punishment that had been already inflicted by the majority in the church (v. 6, R. V .) viz,, separating him from their company (cf. 1 Cor. 5:11), and'delivering Kim over to Satan to be vexed with physical infirmity (1 Cor. 5:5), was sufficient. It should not be increased, nor should it be continued. Now they “should rather forgive him (show grace toward him),” and comfort
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