Meditations from 2 Corinthians – Part 3

                In the previous two meditations, we considered the truth that not only is our salvation a work of God, but also that what began in faith — trusting God for new life, the new creation that we have become in Christ — continues in our work and service as well.  Our calling, service and sufficiency are all from God.  We don’t do it in our own strength, but God uses and enables us to do His will. 

                Paul deals with further aspects of the Christian life in this letter which should give us comfort and encouragement.  There is no aspect of life in which God is not involved, and so we can have hope that God will do all He promised until we reach our final destination.

 1. Our share in the victory is of God (2:14)

                 We are in a spiritual battle (10:4).  Man's abilities, wisdom, and strength are of no value in this battle.  We need God's divine power to overcome these spiritual enemies.

We have available a tremendous power if we only knew it.  It’s "Christ...powerful among you” (13:4).  Christ is the one who has defeated death and the devil.  He overcame the final enemy.  It is God who always causes us to triumph in Christ (2:14).  God is its source (Col.2:15).  God now causes us to share in this victory which He has won.  Notice the word ‘always’ in chapter 2:14.  There is never a time when He will let us down.  He is faithful.  How do we view the work we are doing?  Do we see it in the light of a God-given victory, or do we feel defeated in our work?  God always causes us to triumph in Christ.  This is a great truth for us to hold on to.

2. Our fellowship, consecration and sealing is of God (1:21)

                "Now it is God who establishes us with you in Christ (ESV)."  The idea of fellowship is seen in the phrase, “us with you.”  We are not lone rangers.  We are in this together, and together God gives us the ability and stability to stand firm in Christ.  It is in standing firm in Christ, not being shifted from the foundation of our faith, not being tossed to and fro, that God is establishing us together in Christ.  As we look to God for that help to stand firm together with our brothers and sisters, we can have the confidence that He will do it. 

Our consecration, or ‘anointing’ — that is being set apart for God’s work— is here seen as linked to fellowship.  The priests in the OT were set apart by God.  Even Christ did not make Himself a priest, but rather God appointed Him and anointed Him (Hebrews 5:5).  We too do not presume to take upon ourselves particular Christian works; rather it is because God calls us into works of service for Him that we do what we do. 

                Then in the next verse another action on the part of God is seen, that of our sealing by giving us the Holy Spirit.  This guarantee of ownership is God's doing.  We now belong to God and so are assured that He will always be with us.  Do we revel in the fullness of it?

3. Our comfort is of God (7:6)

                In chapter 1, Paul gives one reason for suffering which is so that we can experience the comfort of God, and so help others who need comforting (1:4).  He calls God the God of all comfort, the source of every comfort. God comforts and will continue to comfort.  Paul experienced it in chapter seven when Titus arrived back from Corinth.  God knew what Paul needed just then, and so brought Titus back to him.  God knows how to comfort us when we are downcast. 

                We will meet many problems, trials and difficulties in the course of our activities in His service.  Paul we know went through many.  And just as Paul experienced God’s comfort so too we can have the assurance that God will be with us to meet every need, including comfort when we need it.   

4. Our glory is of God (5:5)

                Paul in the beginning of this chapter realizes that his life isn’t complete here on earth.  He is looking forward to the life that God will give him when this life comes to an end.  He tells us in verse five that it is God who has prepared us for this very thing, and we have the Spirit as the guarantee that it will come to pass. This is what we are looking forward too.  In the meantime, we groan and long for our heavenly dwelling. 

Summary

                We have briefly considered nine areas in these three articles.  The conclusion of the matter is that God is involved in every area of life; from our salvation right through to our glorification in heaven.  Do we appreciate these blessings, and trust God for them, or do we forget sometimes, and try and do things on our own and in our own way, forgetting that “God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places” (Eph.1:3)?  It has been encouraging to meditate on these aspects of what God does for us.