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2 Corinthians Chapter Six

 
Chapter Six General Review
 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
 
1) To see how Paul's ministry commended itself to others
 
2) To appreciate the need for having "hearts wide open"
 
3) To understand the principle of "separation", and why we cannot be 
 unequally yoked with unbelievers
 
SUMMARY
 
At the close of chapter five, Paul described himself as an ambassador
for Christ who pleads on God's behalf for people to be reconciled to
God. With that thought in mind, he makes a special plea for the
Corinthians not to receive God's grace in vain, reminding them that now
is the time for salvation (1-2).
 
In the ninth and final description of his apostolic ministry, Paul 
focuses on the "approved" nature of his ministry. Determined not to
give offense nor reason for blame, Paul has acted commendably. This is
seen in the physical sufferings he has endured and the spiritual graces
he has displayed. Even the conflicting reactions and reports by 
others, along with the various experiences described in a contrasting
manner, help to confirm that his ministry is "approved" (3-10).
 
At this point, Paul makes an appeal to the Corinthians. With a heart
that is wide open to them, he begs for them to open wide their hearts 
to him as well. Then he pleads with them not to be unequally yoked
with unbelievers, in order that they might receive the promises of
everlasting fellowship with God as their Father (11-18).
 
OUTLINE
 
I. THE "APPROVED" NATURE OF PAUL'S MINISTRY (1-10)
 
 A. AN ENTREATY NOT TO RECEIVE GOD'S GRACE IN VAIN (1-2)
 1. Made by those who are God's co-workers (1)
 2. For the "day of salvation" spoken of in Isaiah 49:8 has 
 arrived (2)
 
 B. PAUL'S MINISTRY AN APPROVED ONE (3-10)
 1. Giving no offense, he seeks to commend himself as a minister 
 of God in all things (3-4a)
 2. Physical sufferings endured as a minister (4a-5)
 3. Spiritual graces demonstrated as a minister (6-7)
 4. Conflicting reactions and reports by others toward him as a
 minister (8)
 5. Contrasting experiences as a minister (9-10)
 
II. PAUL'S PLEA TO THE CORINTHIANS (11-18)
 
 A. TO OPEN WIDE THEIR HEARTS (11-13)
 1. Paul's own openness towards the Corinthians (11)
 a. He has spoken freely (11a)
 b. His own heart is wide open (11b)
 2. The Corinthians likewise need to be open (12-13)
 a. They are restricted by their own affections (12)
 b. As a father pleads with his children, Paul appeals to them
 to reciprocate by being open to him (13)
 
 B. TO BE SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD (14-18)
 1. Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers (14-16a)
 a. Righteousness has no fellowship with lawlessness (14b)
 b. Light has no communion with darkness (14c)
 c. Christ has no accord with Belial (15a)
 d. A believer has no part with an unbeliever (15b)
 e. The temple of God has no agreement with idols (16a)
 2. Implications of the promise given to the temple of God
 (16b-7:1)
 a. As the temple of God, God has promised to dwell and walk 
 among us (16b)
 b. Therefore, we must be separate if we wish to be the 
 children of God (17-18)
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
 
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
 - The "approved" nature of Paul's ministry (1-10)
 - Paul's plea to the Corinthians (11-18)
 
2) How does Paul describe himself as he pleads with the Corinthians to
 not receive the grace of God in vain? (1)
 - As workers together with Him
 
3) Why was Paul so careful not to give offense in anything? (3)
 - So that his ministry would not be blamed
 
4) List some of the physical sufferings which commended Paul as a 
 minister of God (4-5)
 - Tribulations, stripes, imprisonments, tumults
 
5) List those areas where Paul demonstrated his integrity as a minister
 of God (6-7)
 - Purity, knowledge, longsuffering, kindness, sincere love, the Holy
 Spirit, the word of truth, the power of God, the armor of 
 righteousness
 
6) List the contrasting experiences Paul had as a minister of God 
 (9-10)
 - Unknown, yet well-known
 - Dying, yet alive
 - Chastened, yet not killed
 - Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing
 - Poor, yet making many rich
 - Having nothing, yet possessing all things
 
7) How does Paul describe his affection toward the Corinthians? (11)
 - His heart is wide open
 
8) What does he say about the Corinthians' affections toward him? (12)
 - They were restricted
 
9) What charge does Paul give concerning our relation to those in the
 world? (14)
 - Not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers
 
10) List the contrasting pairs that Paul uses to show the incongruity
 of believers being unequally yoked with unbelievers (14-16)
 - Righteousness vs. lawlessness
 - Light vs. darkness
 - Christ vs. Belial
 - Believer vs. unbeliever
 - Temple of God vs. idols
 
11) What is necessary to receive the promise of having God as our 
 Father who dwells among us? (17-18)
 - Come out from among them and be separate
 - Do not touch what is unclean

Hearts Wide Open (6:11-13)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. The apostle Paul was a man who loved his brethren...
 a. He loved his CO-WORKERS - 2 Ti 1:2; Phile 1-2
 b. He loved the CONGREGATIONS he worked with - 2 Co 11:28
 -- Because of his love, he was willing to give of himself and become
 close to them - e.g., 1 Th 2:7-12; 2 Co 12:14-15
 
2. The passage in 2 Co 12:15 indicates that sometimes Paul's affection
 was one-sided; he elaborated on this in 2 Co 6:11-13...
 a. Paul's heart was "wide open" towards the Corinthians - 11
 b. But their love for him was "restricted" - 12
 c. His exhortation, therefore, was "be open"! - 13
 
3. In our study, I would like to...
 a. Offer reasons why we all need to have "Hearts Wide Open"
 b. Explain why some may have "restricted hearts"
 c. Suggest how we can be sure to have our "Hearts Wide Open"
 
[Let's first examine...]
 
I. WHY WE NEED "HEARTS WIDE OPEN"
 
 A. BROTHERLY LOVE IS A MARK OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP...
 1. Note what Jesus said about brethren loving one another in 
 Jn 13:34-35
 2. Such love would be a visible sign by which the world would
 know Christ's true disciples
 3. People with "restricted hearts" would have a difficult time 
 displaying a visible love!
 
 B. BROTHERLY LOVE IS AN INDICATION OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH...
 1. Peter lists brotherly kindness (and love) among those graces
 involved in growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ - 2 Pe 
 1:5-8
 2. Whereas having a "restricted heart" is an indication of:
 a. Spiritual immaturity - cf. 2 Co 6:13
 b. Or spiritual ailments (short-sighted, even to blindness) 
 - 2 Pe 1:9
 
 C. BROTHERLY LOVE IS AN ASSURANCE OF OUR SALVATION...
 1. It is one way that we know we have passed from death to live 
 - 1 Jn 3:16-19
 2. The one who truly loves is one who is born of God - 1 Jn 4:7-8
 3. Having "restricted hearts" would not be very reassuring in
 light of such verses!
 
[Notice 2 Pe 1:10-11...If we want assurance, if we want to convince
the world, we need to have "Hearts Wide Open"! Now let's consider some
reasons...]
 
II. WHY SOME HAVE "RESTRICTED HEARTS"
 
 A. IT MIGHT BE DUE TO "IGNORANCE"...
 1. Some Christians may not have been give proper "follow-up"
 2. Their follow-up may have been "unbalanced"
 a. With an emphasis upon the externals 
 b. To the neglect of the internals 
 3. This cannot be our excuse any longer - 1 Jn 4:20-21
 
 B. IT MIGHT BE THE RESULT OF "SPIRITUAL AMNESIA"...
 1. As Peter indicated in 2 Pe 1:9
 2. Which occurs when we...
 a. Forget God's love for us in purging us from our sins - 2 Pe
 1:9
 b. Do not apply "all diligence" - 2 Pe 1:5,10
 3. With the passing of time, we may simply forget how important
 love is in the mind of God - cf. 1 Co 13:13
 
 C. IT MIGHT BE WE HAVE "SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET"...
 1. Some people refuse to get close to others for fear some hidden
 secret may became known
 2. If we have such "skeletons in the closet", we had better get
 rid of them!
 a. For they will eventually become known - cf. Num 32:23
 b. It may be now or later, but it will come out - 1 Ti 5:24
 3. With skeletons removed, we won't mind how well people know us
 a. Besides, no one is perfect, and we can use the help
 brethren can give - Ga 6:1-2
 b. Of course, this requires that brethren be trustworthy and
 not gossip!
 
 D. IT MIGHT BE WE HAVE A "FEAR OF GETTING HURT"...
 1. Loving does involve the "risk of rejection"
 2. Paul experienced rejection, not only at Corinth, but also at
 Rome - 2 Ti 4:16
 3. But the joy of true fellowship and love can more than make up
 for the few times some may reject us
 a. The apostle John had experienced both love and rejection 
 - cf. 3 Jn 1-4,9-11
 b. But if he had never taken the risk of running into a 
 "Diotrophes", he would have never found a "Gaius"!
 
 E. IT MIGHT BE THAT "TRUE CONVERSION HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE"...
 1. As indicated before, brotherly love is an assurance of 
 salvation; similarly, it is an indication of true conversion!
 - cf. 1 Jn 3:14-15
 2. Unfortunately, some people simply go through the "form" of 
 conversion
 a. Conforming, not converted
 b. Out of convenience, not conviction
 -- When this happens, there is no "life" to begin with!
 3. Those with "restricted hearts" might need to examine 
 themselves
 a. A process that all Christians should undergo periodically 
 - 2 Co 13:5
 b. While there are reasons why true Christians may not love as
  they should (see above), we can't discount the possibility
 that the problem may be more serious!
 
[Whatever the reason, there is really no excuse for having "restricted
hearts". What can be done to "open wide" our hearts? Here are some...]
 
III. SUGGESTIONS FOR HAVING "HEARTS WIDE OPEN"
 
 A. LET GOD'S LOVE TEACH YOU...
 1. This is what enabled the Thessalonians to excel in love 
 - 1 Th 4:9
 2. So take to contemplate upon God's love for you!
 a. As manifested through the blessings He has bestowed upon
 you
 b. Especially the blessing of being His child! - 1 Jn 3:1
 c. And the blessing of Jesus as our propitiation - 1 Jn 4:9-10
 3. This will help motivate us to love as we ought - 1 Jn 4:11
 
 B. NEVER BE CONTENT WITH THE PRESENT STATE OF YOUR LOVE...
 1. Paul did not let the Thessalonians rest on their laurels 
 - 1 Th 4:10
 2. The key idea is to "increase more and more"; or as Peter would
 say, "abound" - 2 Pe 1:8
 3. So we need to look for more people and more ways to express 
 our love
 
 C. LOVE TAKES TIME, SO TAKE TIME TO LOVE...
 1. Take advantage of opportunities to be with brethren
 a. I.e., ACCEPT invitations
 b. E.g., to people's homes, potlucks, church services, gospel
 meetings, etc.
 2. Make opportunities to be with brethren
 a. I.e., OFFER invitations
 b. E.g., practice hospitality - 1 Pe 4:8-9
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. What is the condition of our hearts?
 a. Are they "restricted", suffering from "spiritual hardening of the
 arteries"?
 1) Where the love of God is hindered from freely flowing?
 2) By the "plaques" of ignorance, selfishness, hypocrisy?
 b. Or are they "wide open"?
 1) Where God's love flows freely
 2) Nourishing not only our own lives, but the lives of those 
 around us!
 -- May we all be "taught of God" to have "Hearts Wide Open"!
 
2. For those who may not yet be Christians...
 a. Consider God's love for you, which is wide open in Jesus Christ
 - Jn 3:16
 b. Why not open wide your love for God...by keeping His
 commandments? - cf. 1 Jn 5:3; Jn 14:15

－－《Executable Outlines》

Servants of God

Having Nothing

Possessing Everything

I. Commend as Servants of God

1. Not to be Discredited

2. In Great Endurance

3. Seven “Yet”

II. Expect a Fair Exchange

1. Speak Freely

2. Open Heart

3. As My Own Children

III. Call to Set Apart

1. Nothing in Common

2. No Harmony

3. The Biblical Basis