II Corinthians 6
Workers together for Christverses 1-2
We then – as workers together with HIM
beseech you also that you receive not the grace of God in vain
(For HE said – I have heard you in a time accepted
and in the day of salvation have I succored you
BEHOLD – now is the accepted time
BEHOLD – now is the day of salvation)
Definition of a true belieververses 3-10
Giving no offense in anything – that the ministry be not blamed
but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God
in much patience – afflictions – necessities
distresses stripes – imprisonments – tumults
labors – watchings – fastings
by pureness – knowledge – long-suffering – kindness
the Holy Ghost – love unfeigned
the word of truth – the power of God
the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left
honor and dishonor – evil report and good report
as deceivers and yet true – unknown and yet well-known
dying and behold we live – chastened and not killed
sorrowful yet always rejoicing
poor yet making many rich
having nothing and yet possessing
all things
Christians need to be straight with each otherverses 11-13
O you Corinthians – our mouth is open to you – our heart is enlarged
you are not straitened in us
BUT you are straitened in your own bowels
NOW for a recompense in the same (I speak as to my children)
be you also enlarged
Separation from unions with those outside of Christverses 14-18
BE you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers
FOR what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
and what communion has light with darkness?
and what concord has Christ with Balial?
or what part has he that believes with an infidel?
and what agreement has the temple of God with idols?
FOR you are the temple of the living God – as God has said
I will dwell in them – and walk in them
and I will be their God – and they shall be MY people
WHEREFORE come out from among them – and be you separate
says the Lord
And touch not the unclean thing – and I will receive you
and will be a Father unto you – and you shall be MY sons and
daughters says the Lord Almighty
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 Giving no offence in anything, that he ministry be not blamed. (3469 “blamed” [momaomai] means find fault with, mock at, to be or become attributed with blame or criticism, to censure, to find fault with, carp at, or discredit)
DEVOTION: Goal of Paul’s life was that he would cause no one to stumble in their service to the LORD. He wanted to be a good example of someone who is a true follower of the LORD. He wanted to be able to say that any believer could watch what he was doing and be able to do the same thing. He wanted to never cause someone to do things that would displease the LORD.
His ministry was important to him. He didn’t want to give anyone an excuse and say “Well Paul did this.” He wanted to always encourage people in the right direction.
That should be our goal in life. We will always have someone look at us to see if they could find fault with something we are doing. The problem is that usually they can find something if they are looking hard enough.
Many believers have never had a real good example to follow in their Christian life. There are not too many Paul’s living today. Too many compromise their actions to look good to the world. Too many don’t stand up for their good Christian beliefs in front of those who are not believers. This causes some young believers to stumble in their Christian life.
CHALLENGE: We have to admit when we have failed to give a good example and move on to try to increase our goal to be a good example to others.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned (505 “unfeigned” [anupokritos] means genuine, without hypocrisy, not pretended, sincerely felt or expressed, irrevocable, sincere, irrevocable, or not just show.)
DEVOTION: Paul gives a long list of how he tried to be a good example to his fellow believers. He has admitted in other places that the good that he wanted to do was not done. He admitted to failures at times in his ministry.
Here we have part of his list of what it means to be a genuine believer. We are supposed to be pure in our thought life and our actions. We are to always be looking to understand what God expects of us in our service to HIM. We are not to give up but be longsuffering through all the trials HE allows in our life. We are to be kind to others especially those who love the LORD.
The only way we can do these things is though the indwelling Holy Spirit in our life WHO is continually instructing us in ways that will please the LORD and bring glory to HIS name.
Our love for the LORD and others has to be genuine. We are not to be fair weather friends. We are to love those in our world with a love that is faithful to the LORD. We never give up on those who are in our world.
CHALLENGE: If this is true in our life we will truly honor the LORD with our actions.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? (571 “unbelievers” [apistos] means faithless, infidel, without trust in God, lack of trust, non-Christian, unfaithful, incredible, weed, not obeying, untrustworthy or without Christian faith)
DEVOTION: Paul is comparing people. There are two groups of people in our world. There are those who believe in Jesus Christ and with the help of the Holy Spirit obey Jesus Christ. There is the second group that doesn’t believe in Jesus Christ and wants nothing to do with HIM.
The people in the second group always have a choice to become followers of Jesus Christ. The message of the gospel is presented to them but they refuse to accept it. They are faithless regarding Jesus Christ. They might be good people but they are not obedient to Jesus Christ and HIS teachings.
Paul states that as believers they are not to be yoked together with this type of individual. What does the idea of yoke present? It is used in farming when two animals are put in the same yoke. A yoke was built for two animals to work together. Usually it is a young ox and an older ox put together in a yoke. There was not a time to put a donkey and an ox in the same yoke. They didn’t work together.
Christians are not to be closely yoked with those who don’t trust Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. This means that a Christian should not go into business with someone who doesn’t hold to Christian principles like honesty. This also means that Christians should not be married to those who have not become followers of Jesus Christ.
The thinking process of someone who is a believer is different from someone who is not a believer. A believer is always thinking about how they can please Jesus Christ. Someone who is not a believer is only concerned with themselves and what they can get for nothing.
All believers were selfish and lazy before they became believers. After they became believers their life was or should be dedicated to serving others with all of their might for the glory of God.
CHALLENGE: There are those who claim to be believers who are only looking out for themselves. Don’t be that type of believer.
: 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. (873 “separate” [aphorizo] means to set off, limit, exclude, appoint, divide, ostracize, sever, to distinguish or to mark off from others by boundaries)
DEVOTION: Paul tells the Corinthian believers that he is a fellow worker with them. He wants them to work together with him. He wants them to realize that the LORD wants them to work together and not separately. Paul goes on to give quite a description of his ministry and the ministry of all Christians in this chapter.
He believes that we are all workers together in Christ. We are a team. All those who have received the grace of God in their lives are part of the team. This local church is part of the universal church of team members. They were responsible for their local area. They were to reach everyone with the good news of Christ. They were not to join themselves to their old team.
The old team is made up of unbelievers, unrighteous people, people who walked in darkness, people who worshiped Belial and other idols, and those who were infidels. He doesn’t want them to be yoked together with these types of individuals. They are headed in a different direction than those who are followers of Christ.
Where are our boundaries? Do the people around us see a difference in us that they want? Do they see NO difference between them and us? There should be a difference.
Sometimes we appear to others as if we are better than them. That is not what should set us off from others. We need to be sure they see Christ in us. HE never appeared better than them. HE always approached them with love. Can others see our love in our sharing HIS truth? Can the world see us working together with one another?
What type of limits are we setting in our relationships with others? Do people see the characteristics mentioned in verses 4- 10 in our lives? Are we excluding fellow believers from our fellowship? Some of Christians at Corinth wanted to exclude Paul from their fellowship.
In our Christian world today, we have some who practice second and third types of separation. Is this of God?
CHALLENGE: Watch who you fellowship with on a regular basis. Do these individuals help you grow in the LORD???
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Paul fasted often in ministryverse 5
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Heard of Godverse 2
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
He said (Is 49)verse 2
Word of Truthverse 7
Says the LORD (Is. 52)verse 17
Says the LORD Almighty (Jer. 31)verse 18
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Godverses 1, 4, 7, 16, 17
Grace of Godverse 1
Ministers of Godverse 4
Power of Godverse 7
Temple of Godverse 16
Living Godverse 16
Walk with believersverse 16
Lordverse 17
Receive believersverse 17
Fatherverse 18
Lord Almightyverse 18
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Christverse 15
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Minister through the Holy Spiritverse 6
Indwelling of Holy Spiritverse 16
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Belial (Satan)verse 15
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Corinthiansverse 11
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Receive grace in vainverse 1
Offenceverse 3
Blamedverse 3
Dishonorverse 8
Evil reportverse 8
Deceiversverse 8
Unequally yoked with unbelieversverse 14
Unbelieversverse 14
Unrighteousnessverse 14
Darknessverse 14
Belialverse 15
Infidelverse 15
Idolsverse 16
Unclean thingverse 17
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Workers togetherverse 1
Graceverse 1
Heardverse 2
Now is the accepted timeverse 2
Day of Salvationverse 2
Giving no offenceverse 3
Ministryverse 3
Approving ourselvesverse 4
Ministers verse 4
Patienceverse 4
Afflictionsverse 4
Necessitiesverse 4
Distressesverse 4
Stripesverse 5
Imprisonmentsverse 5
Tumultsverse 5
Laborsverse 5
Watchings verse 5
Fastingverse 5
Purenessverse 6
Knowledgeverse 6
Long-sufferingverse 6
Kindnessverse 6
Love unfeignedverse 6
Power of Godverse 7
Armor of righteousnessverse 7
Honorverse 8
Good reportverse 8
Trueverse 8
Well-knownverse 9
Liveverse 9
Chastenedverse 9
Sorrowfulverse 10
Rejoicingverse 10
Poor yet richverse 10
Possessing all thingsverse 10
Heart enlargedverse 11
Not unequally yokedverse 14
Fellowshipverse 14
Righteousverse 14
Communionverse 14
Lightverse 14
Concordverse 15
Believeverse 15
Temple of the living Godverse 16
Walk with Godverse 16
God’s peopleverse 16
Separateverse 17
Touch not unclean thingsverse 17
Received of Godverse 17
Sons and daughtersverse 18
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Workers togetherverse 1
Belieververse 15
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
11–13 It was not customary for Paul to address his readers by name. Only when his emotions had been deeply stirred—as at the bewitchment of the Galatians (Gal 3:1), at the generosity of the Philippians (Philippians 4:15), or here, at the remarkable candor of his defense and the intensity of his affection for the Corinthians—did he depart from his custom. Behind his freedom of speech (cf. 3:12; 4:2) was a warmly receptive attitude of heart (“we have … opened wide our hearts to you,” v. 11). “If there are any feelings of constriction or restraint in our relationship,” he continues, “they are on your side, not mine. I appeal to you as my spiritual children [cf. 1 Cor 4:14, 15]: in fair exchange for my unrestricted affection, give me yours, too” (vv. 12, 13 paraphrased). Although Paul’s desire was for complete reciprocity in family relationships, he was acutely aware that affection could only be given, not taken. (Harris, M. J. (1976). 2 Corinthians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians (Vol. 10, p. 358). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
6:11–13. Whatever failings Paul may have had, dissimulation was not one of them. Candor in speech and an unrestrained affirmation of affection (splanchnois; cf. 7:15; Phil. 1:8; 2:1; Col. 3:12; Phile. 7, 12, 20; 1 John 3:17) had marked his letter to this point (e.g., 2 Cor. 2:3–4). And he wanted the Corinthians to reciprocate. The depth of his feelings is noted by his calling them Corinthians. Only rarely did he name his readers in the midst of a letter. When, for example, he was greatly exercised about the declension in the Galatian churches, he sharply rebuked them by name (Gal. 3:1). On the other hand when he recalled the Philippian church’s faithful support of him in the early days of his ministry and in his prison experience, he called them by name (Phil. 4:15). Blending frustration and affection, Paul similarly hailed the Corinthians and called for them to respond with unrestrained love (my children—open wide your hearts; cf. 2 Cor. 7:2–3). (Lowery, D. K. (1985). 2 Corinthians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 570). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
In spite of all the problems and heartaches the church had caused him, Paul still loved the believers at Corinth very much. He had spoken honestly and lovingly to them; now he tenderly asked them to open their hearts to him. He felt like a father whose children were robbing him of the love that he deserved (see 1 Cor. 4:15).
Why were they withholding their love? Because they had divided hearts. The false teachers had stolen their hearts, and now they were cool toward Paul. They were like a daughter engaged to be married, but being seduced by an unworthy suitor (see 2 Cor. 11:1–3). The Corinthians were compromising with the world, so Paul appealed to them to separate themselves to God, the way a faithful wife is separated to her husband.
It is unfortunate that the important doctrine of separation has been misunderstood and abused in recent years, for it is an essential truth. Some sincerely zealous Christians have turned separation into isolation, until their fellowship has become so narrow that they cannot even get along with themselves. In reaction to this extreme position, other believers have torn down all the walls and will fellowship with anybody, regardless of what he believes or how he lives. While we applaud their desire to practice Christian love, we want to remind them that even Christian love must exercise discernment (Phil. 1:9–11).
Paul presented three arguments to try to convince these believers that they must separate themselves from that which is contrary to God’s will. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 651–652). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
6:11–13 Paul proved his genuine love for the Corinthians by defining love’s character. This passage confirms the reality of his profession of love for them (cf. 2:4; 3:2; 12:15, 19).
6:11 our heart is opened wide. Lit. “our heart is enlarged” (cf. 1Ki 4:29). The evidence of Paul’s genuine love for the Corinthians was that no matter how some of them had mistreated him, he still loved them and had room for them in his heart (cf. Php 1:7).
6:14 not be bound together. Lit. “unequally yoked,” an illustration taken from OT prohibitions to Israel regarding the work-related joining together of two different kinds of livestock (see note on Dt 22:10). By this analogy, Paul taught that it is not right to join together in common spiritual enterprise with those who are not of the same nature (unbelievers). It is impossible under such an arrangement for things to be done to God’s glory. with unbelievers. Christians are not to be bound together with non-Christians in any spiritual enterprise or relationship that would be detrimental to the Christian’s testimony within the body of Christ (see notes on 1Co 5:9–13; cf. 1Co 6:15–18; 10:7–21; Jas 4:4; 1Jn 2:15). This was especially important for the Corinthians because of the threats from the false teachers and the surrounding pagan idolatry. But this command does not mean believers should end all associations with unbelievers; that would defy the purpose for which God saved believers and left them on earth (cf. Mt 28:19, 20; 1Co 9:19–23). The implausibility of such religious alliances is made clear in vv. 14b–17. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Co 6:11–14). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 12. Ye are not straitened in us, &c.] The meaning of which is, either you are not brought into straits and difficulties by us; we don’t afflict and distress you, or fill you with anguish and trouble; but ye are straitened in your own bowels; you are distressed by some among yourselves, who ought not to be with you, with whom you should have no fellowship and, communion: or thus, you have room enough in our hearts, our hearts are so enlarged with love to you, that they are large enough to hold you all; an expression, setting forth the exceeding great love, and strong affection the apostle bore to the Corinthians; when, on the other hand, they had but very little love to him comparatively; he had a heart to hold them all without being straitened for room; and among all them they could scarce find room enough in their hearts and affections for him. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 796). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
He shares with them, also, his own opinion: “Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels” (2 Cor. 6:12). This, incidentally, is a specimen of King James English virtually unintelligible to the unaided modern reader. “There is no lack of room for you in our heart,” Paul says. “The want of love is on your side, not ours!”
We note in conclusion here, what he desires of his Corinthian friends: “Now for a recompense in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged” (6:13). He pleads with them to be as open toward him as he was toward them. Surely, the relationship between him and them was a father-child relationship. It is also a plea for “fair play.” There were no restraints in his love for them. There should be no restraints in their love for him.
Paul was not like many modern evangelists who come bursting into a church or city on the crest of a Madison Avenue type publicity crusade. They preach to people from a measured distance, over well-tuned public-address systems. They give the altar call and the people who come forward are taken over by counselors while the evangelist makes good his escape through a convenient back exit. Usually there is little or no personal contact between the evangelist and the inquirers. Those who make a “decision” are tied into a more-or-less efficient “follow-up” system from which the evangelist is far removed. He barely gives his converts a second thought. He is off to another crusade somewhere else.
Paul was not only a preacher he was a personal worker. He liked a one-on-one, personal contact with those he led to Christ. He stayed around as long as he could counseling his converts, teaching them the principles of the Christian life. He often worked at a secular job by day, not only to meet his financial needs, but to make grassroots contact with people he could then lead to Christ. He could say to the elders of the fledgling Ephesian church, on the occasion of his last visit with them, that he was “pure from the blood of all men” (Acts 20:26). When he was forced to leave a town, usually because of the outbreak of persecution, he did not abandon his converts. He sent co-workers to visit them and at the earliest possible moment he came back to visit them himself. Then, too, he would write to them, mentioning numerous ones by name. Above all, he prayed for them. All because he loved them. And, since love is reciprocal, he longed for them to love him too.
So, then, he enlists them. He extends to them a call to service and a call to suffering. In continuing this segment of his letter he extends to them a call to separation (2 Cor. 6:14–18). Indeed, it is more than a call, it is a command. First, the command is recorded: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (6:14a). The expression occurs nowhere else. The word is heterozugeō, which employs the word heteros, signifying others of a different kind. Paul had in mind the Old Testament law: “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together,” one a clean animal, the other an unclean animal, the one a tall animal, the other a short animal (Deut. 22:10). (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring 2 Corinthians: An Expository Commentary (2 Co 6:11–14a). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
After commending his ministry to the Corinthians, Paul conclude with a frank statement. The contrast between a heart that is opened wide versus one that I is restrained or restricted is related to the intensity of affection in the life of Paul and the Corinthians, respectively, Paul’s immense affection for them should now have been evident, but their affections for Paul were lacking. In return for what Paul had done for them, he exhorted them as his dear children to return affection to him.
(p. 1816, The MOODY Bible Commentary by Michael Rydelnk & Michael Vanlaningham)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
The light broke in through a study of the threefold experience of the Apostle Paul. Beginning as a self-satisfied, self-righteous legalist, Paul met Jesus on the Damascus road and became a justified man; but still a man under the defeats recorded in the seventh of Romans. Passing then into the marvellous victories of the eighth of Romans, it was plain that Paul ascribed these victories (Romans 8:2) to the new life in Christ Jesus as energized and made effectual through the indwelling Holy Spirit. The eager seeker found that great triumph chapter athrill with the Spirit. Passing over the parenthetic ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters to the twelfth—the true continuation of the eighth—he found the disclosure of the step into victory—and not victory over the Adamic self merely, but into the whole life of fruitful service and fulness of joy. The new act of faith demanded the presentation (or yielding) of the body, demanded not only the cessation of conscious resistance to Christ, but also the acceptance of the Christ life plan as one of sacrifice. A life no longer to serve self, but Christ. The thing demanded was an act as definite as the act of faith in which the new life began. (Trumbull, C. G. (1920). The Life Story of C. I. Scofield (pp. 67–68). New York; London; Toronto; Melbourne; Bombay: Oxford University Press)
Scripture Songs
“Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 31:19)
The book of Psalms was essentially a song book for Old and New Testament Jews, while other songs are scattered throughout Scripture written by a variety of prophets and leaders. Our text tells us that the Lord commanded Moses and Joshua to write aspects of the Law and details of God’s dealings with the nation, as well as His promise of judgment should they disobey—in a song.
This song would serve several functions. First, it would be a memory device. “It shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed” (v. 21). Those who have been around good church music probably know many portions of Scripture set to music, including the grand old hymns of the faith that are frequently conglomerates of many verses around a doctrinal theme. Many of us probably have memorized without trying, and maybe without realizing, many, many Scripture verses. In fact, this may be the very best way to build biblical principles into the lives of our children.
The second function of Moses’ song would be to convict those in disobedience (32:7, 47, etc.). As with the people of Israel, our hearts should be receptive to the teachings contained within the songs that we know.
Unfortunately, Israel seldom listened, even to those songs they had memorized. Thus, the third and evidently primary function of this song was to “testify against them as a witness” (31:21). Much of this song carefully explains their coming apostasy and inevitable judgment. No doubt many remembered this song and its message with tears as they marched into captivity, unable to charge God with unfaithfulness.
(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US HIS POWER
My speech and my preaching were not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. (1 Corinthians 2:4)
The Holy Spirit gives us His power, and, thank God, He not only gave it to the first apostles, He has also given it to quite unknown people throughout the centuries. He has enabled some simple people to speak just the right word at the right moment. John Bunyan tells us in his autobiography, Grace Abounding, that one of the greatest blessings and helps he ever had was one afternoon listening to three uneducated women who were doing some knitting together in the sunshine, outside a house, talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. He got more from them than from anybody else. And you find that is what happens. God gives this power to the simplest, humblest Christian to testify to the Lord Jesus Christ, sharing what He has done and the difference He has made to human life. This is how the Holy Spirit glorifies the Son. When He works in us, what He does is to make us glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. The man in whom the Spirit dwells does not talk about himself; whether he is a preacher or whatever he may be, you do not come away talking about him.
You and I have the inestimable privilege of being men and women who in this life and in our daily work and vocation can be glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, God grant that we all may be filled with this Spirit, the Holy Spirit, of God, that we may “know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10); that we may know what He has done for us; that we may know we are the children of God and joint heirs with Christ; that we may have glimpses of the glory that awaits us and that we may find our lives transformed and filled with His power, so that we may say with Paul, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”(Galatians 2:20).
A Thought to Ponder: You and I have the inestimable privilege of being men and women who in our daily work can glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.
(From Saved in Eternity, p. 94, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Deuteronomy 2
The Israelites wander in the desert.
INSIGHT
David writes that God withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly. But we see that it is possible, through rebellion,
to miss something good that God wants to give us.
God wants to give the Israelites the Promised Land. But when they refuse to enter it, they wander through the wilderness until the rebellious generation dies. Then that which God had wanted to give to them, He gives to someone else-the next generation. When we walk in rebellion, we pay a price. God’s blessings often include a test. Do we turn back? Or trust Him? (Quiet Walk)
CHURCH OF ENGLAND APOLOGIZES FOR SAYING ONLY MARRIED STRAIGHT PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE SEX (Friday Church News Notes, February 14, 2020, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – The following is excerpted from “Church of England apologizes,” Christian Post, Feb. 2, 2020: “Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Archbishop of York John Sentamu have apologized for a decree issued by the Church of England which said that only heterosexual married couples should have sex and that sex in gay or straight civil partnerships ‘falls short of God’s purpose for human beings.’ ‘We as Archbishops, alongside the bishops of the Church of England, apologize and take responsibility for releasing a statement last week which we acknowledge has jeopardised trust,’ the archbishops said in a statement, according to Belfast Telegraph. ‘We are very sorry and recognize the division and hurt this has caused.’ The House of Bishops of the Church of England last week issued a pastoral guidance, which said, ‘For Christians, marriage—that is, the lifelong union between a man and a woman, contracted with the making of vows—remains the proper context for sexual activity.’ … After the guidance, some important Anglican figures wrote an open letter to the archbishops, warning that the denomination had become ‘a laughingstock to a nation that believes it is obsessed with sex,’ according to The Telegraph. The pastoral statement, they added, ‘makes clear there has been no desire to listen or learn from those of us who spoke to explain how offensive we found the tone of the House of Bishops’ previous document. Indeed, the statement is anything but “pastoral”—it is cold, defensive, and uncaring of its impact on the millions of people it affects.’”
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