SFJ Bible Reading Plan

2 Corinthians 8

Encouragement to Give Generously

8:1 We want you to know, brothers,¹ about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor² of taking part in the relief of the saints—5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you³—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”

Commendation of Titus

16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going⁴ to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending⁵ the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers⁶ of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.

Footnotes

[1] 8:1 Or brothers and sisters

[2] 8:4 The Greek word charis can mean favor or grace or thanks, depending on the context

[3] 8:7 Some manuscripts in your love for us

[4] 8:17 Or he went

[5] 8:18 Or we sent; also verse 22

[6] 8:23 Greek apostles

(ESV)

2 Corinthians 7

7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body¹ and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Paul’s Joy

2 Make room in your hearts² for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. 13 Therefore we are comforted.

And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. 15 And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.

Footnotes

[1] 7:1 Greek flesh

[2] 7:2 Greek lacks in your hearts

(ESV)

2 Corinthians 6

6:1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,

  “In a favorable time I listened to you,
    and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken freely to you,¹ Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.

The Temple of the Living God

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial?² Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

  “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
    and I will be their God,
    and they shall be my people.
17   Therefore go out from their midst,
    and be separate from them, says the Lord,
  and touch no unclean thing;
    then I will welcome you,
18   and I will be a father to you,
    and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
  says the Lord Almighty.”

Footnotes

[1] 6:11 Greek Our mouth is open to you

[2] 6:15 Greek Beliar

(ESV)

2 Corinthians 5

Our Heavenly Dwelling

5:1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on¹ we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.² The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling³ the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Footnotes

[1] 5:3 Some manuscripts putting it off

[2] 5:17 Or creature

[3] 5:19 Or God was in Christ, reconciling

(ESV)

Going Deeper

Progressive Sanctification (2-28-15)

Grab your Bible and let’s go deeper into 2 Corinthians 3

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Today we are going to look at PERSONAL CHANGE.

In our sin, mankind has tried everything possible to improve or change what is broken about us.

This is why the self help section in the book store is by far the biggest.

This is also why TV shows like Oprah or Dr. Phil are so popular.

This is why many modern day churches who teach from the pulpit “10 ways to be a better you” instead of the full and authoritative Holy Scriptures are so highly attended.

In this, “self help” teaches that you just need to make an external modification or adopt a new manual set of actions and you will change.  But that change is always temporary.

Earn it, buy it, be it, think it, get it, take it, make it.. and on and on.

The trap is this:    None of these changes will really change us or make us complete.

Our efforts towards all of this stuff are always going to fail us and ultimately leave us wanting more… WHY?

Because no amount of external modification can restore you from death to life…

from sin to Holiness, from condemned to forgiven, from lost to found,

from incomplete to complete.  All of that stuff is just external modification!

What God is interested in is the inside of you… the core of “WHO YOU ARE”.

The kind of change God wants for us is an internal transformation.

Pastor Tim Keller says it well.  “Jesus longs for us to experience an organic change through a new inter-dynamic (which is only found in Christ) not just a mechanical compliance through external actions  (trying to be like him or please him by just acting out the Christian lifestyle)”.

C.S. Lewis helps set the table for what we are desperate for if we are ever going to truly change! He says In Mere Christianity,

“Christ says ‘Give me all. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it.

Hand over the whole natural self …all the desires, those which you think are innocent, as well as the ones you think wicked – the whole outfit.   I will give you a new self instead.    In fact, I will give you Myself:   my own will shall become yours.”

 Jesus is saying I want to become your reason for doing everything.  I will be your power for change!

Praise God he pursued us.  He chose us.  He saved us.  And He will sanctify us.

Without his grace we are all dead men walking!

Now that we see the constant failure of external, manual, man made, self help….temporary change.

Let’s look to personal change via Jesus Christ.  To do this we must understand what God is doing in our sanctification.

What is sanctification?

First off, sanctification is the process of something that is changing for the better or purifying or refining something from unholy to Holy and impure to pure.

A right understanding of sanctification must be considered under its three tenses.

1. There is a very real sense in which all of God’s elect have already been sanctified at salvation:

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

In our salvation and rebirth there is a Holiness.. a sanctification needed for a Holy God to receive us as worthy of his presence.

2. There is also a very real sense in which those of God’s people on earth are progressively being sanctified:

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Paul makes it clear that through the Christian life we are constantly being changed into his likeness.

3. And there is also a very real sense in which the Christian’s (complete) sanctification is yet future:

Revelation 21:27  “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

And as Christians, we are to grow more and more in sanctification just as we once used to grow in our flesh more and more in sin.

Romans 6:19 “For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.”

We must realize that sanctification is holistic.  It includes our soul, our thoughts, our actions and our bodies.

This means that sanctification is not complete until the Lord returns to give us new resurrected bodies by which we are finally glorified and ready to enjoy God’s eternal presence forever.

àUnless this threefold distinction can be carefully held we are bound to be confused.   So today we will look at all three of these faces of sanctification.   The faces of how God changes his people to glorify Him.

1. How Change Begins: Sanctification/Regeneration

2 Corinthians 5:17  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

First of all:   We must understand that the greatest change one can go through is being made alive in Christ.

Second:  Notice that change in Christ is not like the temporary changes we can put upon ourselves.

He makes us a new creature.    What else can you and I do that does this?  Nothing!

But in our regeneration in Christ:   The old, dead, sin-hardened creature is gone.

We are, through God’s gracious act of regeneration, a new creature.

Our old self, dead in sin and unrighteousness is passed away.

And our new self in Christ is born.   This is what we call regeneration:

Regeneration:  The secret act of God by the power of the Holy Spirit by which His life and His spirit are imparted to believers.

1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy,

he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”

In God’s sovereign and perfect will, He regenerates dead and depraved hearts to come to life.

This is truly the greatest gift one can be given and the most significant and lasting change a human life can go through.

Now, how does one know they are saved?

The evidence of regeneration is not just the initial response of faith,  or even in repentance and belief.

But is found in the real evidence is a changed life.    This is what we call progressive sanctification.

The difference between progressive sanctification and regeneration is the difference between an infant and an adult.  

At regeneration we are made alive.  We are born again.  We are infants.   Wonderfully chosen children of God.

But beyond the excitement for new life and a simple faith, we are terribly equipped for the battle awaiting us.

Soldiers are needed in battle.

Trained, strong, vetted, tested, matured soldiers are needed for battle.

That is why we must not just change at salvation but God has designed us to keep changing and growing!

That is why progressive sanctification is so critical.

2. How Change Continues: Progressive Sanctification

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

A working definition of progressive sanctification is:

Progressive Sanctification:  A progressive work of God in the regenerated man/woman that helps us fight sin and temptation, mature in our faith and obedience and become more and more like Christ in our day to day lives.

Sanctification is a constant, progressive renewing of the whole man, whereby the new creature makes war with indwelling sin and ongoing temptation and lives unto God.

This is the work of the Holy Spirit working in and through you… changing you from a self-centered person to other-centered person.

In Malachi 3:1-6, It says that God is like a refiner’s fire.

It says he is NOT like a forest fire or like an incinerator’s fire.

A forest fire destroys indiscriminately.    An incinerator consumes completely.

God does not bring this kind of fire on his people because he says he will not..

But

2 Corinthians 5:6

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,

(ESV)

says, “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.”

For his people he says he will be a refiner’s fire, and that makes all the difference.

A refiner’s fire does not destroy indiscriminately like a forest fire.

A refiner’s fire does not consume completely like the fire of an incinerator.

A refiner’s fire refines. It purifies. It refines and separates out the impurities that ruin its value, it burns them up, and leaves the silver and gold intact and far more valuable and useful then it was before.

This is the gift of progressive sanctification.  This is the change God wants us to constantly be in.  His refining fire.

What is important to know about our progressive sanctification? 

Life in the refiner’s fire is hot!  Hear me today: sanctification is not easy.

We are talking about FIRE here.    And therefore, purity and holiness will always be a painful thing.

Just like working out our bodies in the gym or by running to get in shape is not easy or painless.

There needs to be a proper “fear and trembling” in the process of becoming pure.

God’s passion for purity is never flippant.    It says he is like fire to us and fire is a serious thing.

You don’t fool around with it.       à Purity & Holiness come through the refining fire.

2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

Are you experiencing greater and greater freedom as you mature in Christ and he sanctifies and refines and purifies you along the way?

2 Corinthians 3:18 “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Do you see real change in your Christian walk? 

There is TRUE ongoing change for those in Christ. For those who press into Christ daily.

For those who surround themselves with others who will purposely press them into Christ.

Are you passionate for your personal sanctification?

Are you passionate for the sanctification of your brothers and sisters?  This is discipleship!

Are you comfortable….  Free of personal change?

Or are you on fire? Are you pursuing the flames of God’s purifying fire?  Because it will change you.

Praise be to God that he reached out his hand of grace and offered his son as our perfect substitute and his Holy Spirit to continuously work in the hearts and lives of his saved children to refine them.. to sanctify them.. to brighten their testimony so that others could also one day be glorified and join us at the eternal feast honoring the King of Kings.

This brings us to…

3. How Change Ends: Sanctification/Glorification

AGAIN, Paul says, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

The progressive change that happens in this life can be described in terms of holiness or glory—sanctification or glorification.

We should be amazed and sobered that this life is not just a waiting period for that day.

You are being changed now “from one degree of glory to the other.”

You are being glorified.  That is, you are being sanctified unto glorification.  

This is God’s plan of constant change in our personal lives.

And from the change he makes in our personal lives, he carries into our family’s lives, our club’s life, and our culture’s life.

Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Praise God for this change he is working out in us.   May we press into him every moment and embrace his holy and perfect refiner’s FIRE as he progressively sanctifies us unto eternal glory.

By His grace and for His glory,

Joshua “Shepherd” Kirstine

Soldiers for Jesus MC

National Chaplain