2 Corinthians 13 - 6.24.25

SCRIPTURE:  2 Corinthians 13:11, 14  “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice!  Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace.  And the God of love and peace will be with you…May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

OBSERVATION:  On Paul’s third visit to the church in Corinth, he addressed them about the importance of growing and maturing in their faith together. He used the authority that God gave him as a leader to correct some of their their actions, and to strengthen and unite the church by being straightforward and sincere.  He called them to examine themselves to test whether they were in the faith, giving them an opportunity to see if they were really living right before God.

These people Paul was addressing were the leaders of the church who had great gifts and talents to offer which God had given to them, but Paul wanted to make sure that the evil practices of the unbelieving Corinthians hadn’t crept into their church. Things like: discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. Paul had already warned them on his second visit, and now during his third visit, he warned them once again about the importance of living differently from the unbelievers.

APPLICATION:  Paul’s message is the same to all Christ followers today.  The same Holy Spirit Who was leading Paul to warn and correct the Church in Corinth to examine their lives is the same Holy Spirit who is prompting us to examine our lives today, giving us the opportunity to check our heart, our attitudes, our habits, and our lifestyles in general.  Are we living differently than the unbelievers? 

PRAYER:  I pray like Paul, that as brothers and sisters in the Lord, we will strive for restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, and live in peace.  I pray as we fill ourselves with God’s love, compassion, wisdom and gentleness that we will live together in unity to serve the Lord with humility as we work together to resolve and correct the problems that arise in and out of the church, and that God will help us to be excellent leaders to the body of Christ, and to the unbelievers as well.   

- Robin Orefice