Day 65 - 2Corinthians 6-9

To understand fully the last section of chapter six requires a bit of knowledge of the "holiness code" in the OT. God is very passionate about the distinctiveness of His people. This was seen time and time again in the OT as God directed His people to be distinct by means of circumcision, their manner of worship, even to the types of foods they could eat and fabrics out of which they should make their clothes. While those specific directives found in the OT holiness code are not applicable today, God still desires for His chosen people to be distinct from the surrounding world. The foundation for this desire is the fact that we are the temple of God (6:16). Since God dwells in us, and He is a holy God, He desires a holy separation from His people. When we do separate ourselves from the pagan world in our thoughts, attitudes and actions, we have a wonderful promise (7:1) from God--acceptance in God's family (6:17-18)!

What is "godly grief" (7:9)? Godly grief is grieving over your sin and how it has offended a holy God. There is an ungodly grief as well, and that is grieving merely over the natural and logical consequences of sin. In other words, there is grief over sin because of how it affects our relationship with God, and there is grief that simply affects our mood. This first type of grief results in true repentance (turning from sin) that honors God (7:10). The second type of grief results in just feeling bad (depression). It's the difference between being truly sorry that you sinned and being sad that you got caught in your sin.

8:2 contains what seems like an antinomy. On the one hand there is affliction and poverty, and on the other there is joy and generosity. These two sets of ideas are quite opposite, at least in the mind of the typical American! How can both of these sets of ideas coexist in the heart and life of the same individual or group of people? The answer is in vs1--the grace of God! That is the only way that anyone can be joyfully generous in the midst of affliction and poverty. How we need that continuing grace in our lives!

9:8 is truly an amazing verse! Notice how many times "all" and "every" are used! First, God gives us all the grace that we need. It is this enabling grace of God that makes us completely sufficient for what He has called us to do. This sufficiency extends to all things. There is nothing that God will ever call you to do that He hasn't also enabled you to do it. This sufficiency also covers every moment of every day. There is never a time in your life, nor will there ever be, when you will lack the grace of God to enable you to do what He has called you to do. The result of this all-sufficient grace is not just that you will have enough grace to do every good work, but you will have this in superabundance! What a wonderfully grace God we serve!