*2 Corinthians 3:18 / *2 Cor. 3:18 -
This does not refer to the future, instantaneous, physical changing (if alive) or resurrection (if dead) of the bodies of obedient Christians (of all times) into immortality at Jesus Christ's Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53), but to the present, gradual, spiritual changing of Christians by the Spirit of the Lord working within them day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).
~
(As in a glass)
See 1 Corinthians 13:12 above.
--
*2 Corinthians 4:4 / *2 Cor. 4:4 -
This means that Satan, the little-g "god" of the non-Christian world, has blinded the minds of non-Christians so that apart from God's miraculous work (2 Corinthians 4:6) they cannot believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Satan has deceived the non-Christian world (Revelation 12:9). He has taken non-Christians spiritually captive (2 Timothy 2:25-26).
(See also Romans 9:11 above)
~
(This world)
See Romans 12:2 above.
--
*2 Corinthians 5:3 / *2 Cor. 5:3 -
(Re: Did God tolerate *nakedness in the Garden of Eden?)
Yes, for before Adam's and Eve's fall into sin, nakedness was nothing to be ashamed of (Genesis 2:25). It was only after their fall into sin that nakedness became a source of shame and fear for them (Genesis 3:10). God provided clothes to Adam and Eve after their fall into sin (Genesis 3:21), just as God provides robes even to the souls of dead people in heaven (Revelation 6:9-11); and just as God provided a robe to the soul of the dead Samuel in Hades (1 Samuel 28:14).
~
(Re: Then is nakedness now negative and cannot be ushered into the presence of God?)
Not necessarily, for even though the idea of nakedness can be negative (Revelation 16:15), it could still be ushered into the presence of God in heaven, just as even Satan himself can come into the presence of God in heaven (Job 1:6-7).
(See also Genesis 3:11a above)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:5 / *2 Cor. 5:5 -
(Earnest)
See section 2 of Ephesians 1:13 below.
--
*2 Corinthians 5:8 / *2 Cor. 5:8 -
This and Philippians 1:21,23 refer to obedient Christians dying and going to be in Jesus Christ's physical presence in heaven (Acts 3:21). For 2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:21,23 refer to going to be in the presence of Jesus in a way which living Christians are not.
~
(Confident)
Even though the apostle Paul was not perfect (Philippians 3:12a), just as no Christian is, Paul still had the confidence of 2 Corinthians 5:8 because he was careful to continue to do good works (2 Corinthians 5:9, Philippians 3:12b-14) and to repent from any sin that he committed (1 Corinthians 9:27, Romans 8:13). And he had not committed apostasy, but had continued in the faith of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:7).
~
(Re: My close friend is dying from cancer. This has rattled my faith. How can I grow stronger in my faith?) / (*Healing)
Share your faith with your friend, so that she can become a Christian and her soul can go into heaven to be with Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:8). And also her body can be physically resurrected into immortality at Jesus' future, Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,52-58). And if she is already a Christian, she can face what lies ahead without fear or dread (Philippians 1:21,23). And she can pray for miraculous healing now by the power of Jesus Christ, and her faith in Him (Mark 5:25-34). And she can go to a Christian congregation where someone has the Spiritual gift of miraculous healing (1 Corinthians 12:8-9), such as at a Pentecostal congregation, or a charismatic congregation, which can be of almost any denomination. And she can also ask church elders of any congregation to anoint her with oil and pray the prayer of faith for her miraculous healing (James 5:14-15).
(See also the "healing" sections of 1 Corinthians 12:8 and Luke 13:16 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:9 / *2 Cor. 5:9 -
(Re: *Synergism)
2 Corinthians 5:9, 1 Corinthians 3:9, Colossians 1:29, Philippians 2:12b, Titus 3:8, and Romans 2:6-8 show that Christians themselves must actually labor, together with God. Ultimate salvation is synergistic because Christians can end up losing their salvation if they wrongly employ their free will to stop their laboring, to become utterly lazy without repentance (Matthew 25:26,30, John 15:2a).
(See also Philippians 2:13 below)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:10 / *2 Cor. 5:10 -
The judgment seat of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) will not be only for rewards.
(See Matthew 24:48 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:14-15 / *2 Cor. 5:14 / *2 Cor. 5:15 -
This means that Jesus Christ died to save all elect individuals, the "us" in 1 Peter 4:1 and 1 Peter 3:18 (cf. 1 Peter 1:2), who are all His sheep (John 10:11,15). For not all individuals are His sheep/His elect (John 10:26, John 8:42-47, Matthew 13:38-42).
(See Romans 9:11 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:16 / *2 Cor. 5:16 -
Here, "after the flesh" is not literal, but a figurative reference to the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 3:2-3, Romans 7:5-6) as opposed to the spiritual ministration of the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6-18).
(See also Luke 24:39 above, and Galatians 3:2 below)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:17 / *2 Cor. 5:17 -
While Christians are already new creatures spiritually (2 Corinthians 5:17), they are not yet new creatures physically. And so they still await the resurrection (if dead) or changing (if alive) of their mortal physical bodies (Romans 8:23-25) into immortal physical bodies at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:22-23,51-58, Revelation 20:4-6), like the immortal physical body which Jesus Himself obtained on the third day after His death at His first coming (Luke 24:39-48, Philippians 3:21).
~
(Re: OSAS?)
A Christian becoming a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17) does not take away his free will. It does not turn him into a robot. So it is possible for him to wrongly employ his free will to the ultimate loss of his salvation (Hebrews 10:26-29, Hebrews 6:4-8, Matthew 25:26,30).
(See the "NOSAS" section of Hebrews 3:6 below)
~
(Re: Does "old things are passed away" mean that our physicality will pass away?)
No, for 2 Corinthians 5:17 refers to people in Jesus Christ presently, people who are in the physical, just as the resurrected Jesus Himself is still in the physical (Luke 24:39).
(See Luke 24:39 above)
~
(Re: Does the new creature = the New Creation, that is, the New Heaven and New Earth?)
No, the "new creature" in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15 refers not to the future New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:1), but refers presently to "any man in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17), such as the apostle Paul, and "as many as walk according to this rule" (Galatians 6:14-16). For the New Heaven (a new first heaven/atmosphere for the earth) and the New Earth (a new surface for the earth) will not be created until over 1,000 years after Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 21:8).
(See also 2 Corinthians 12:2 below)
~
(Re: Romans 8:19)
2 Corinthians 5:17 does not restrict "the creature" in Romans 8:19-22 to saved humans, who are specifically distinguished from it in Romans 8:19-25.
--
*2 Corinthians 5:19 / *2 Cor. 5:19 -
This does not mean everyone in the world, for not everyone will be reconciled to God (Matthew 25:41,46, Matthew 13:38-42), but only a relatively few people (Matthew 7:14, Matthew 22:14) compared with all of humanity.
(See also paragraph 3 of section 3 of John 3:16 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 6:2 / *2 Cor. 6:2 -
The day of salvation will include the time of Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Romans 11:26, Zechariah 12:10-14) and the subsequent Millennium (Revelation 20:4-6).
(See Isaiah 66:18 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 6:12-13 / *2 Cor. 6:12 / *2 Cor. 6:13 -
The original Greek word (stenochoreo: G4729) translated as "straitened" can mean "distressed" (2 Corinthians 4:8). But it can also more literally mean "squeezed", or "restricted".
~
(Bowels / G4698)
See Philippians 1:8 below.
~
The original Greek word (platuno: G4115) translated as "enlarged" can mean "made broad" (Matthew 23:5), in this case widened in the sense of no longer restricted.
So 2 Corinthians 6:12-13 meant that the apostle Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to be as unrestricted in their affection toward him as he was toward them (2 Corinthians 6:11).
--
*2 Corinthians 6:14 / *2 Cor. 6:14 -
(Re: Why do Christians have issues with the *metal music genre?)
It could be because some of its songs are so overtly Satanic.
[2 Corinthians 6:14b-15a]
Some metal lyrics are so expressly hailing Satan and cursing God, and their music thumps with so much intensity and inspiration from demons that some Christians are unwilling to listen to such songs for very long. They would rather change the channel on the radio right away, unlike with any other genre.
[1 John 1:5-7]
[Ephesians 5:8-10]
--
*2 Corinthians 6:15 / *2 Cor. 6:15 -
(Belial)
See 2 Samuel 16:7 above.
--
*2 Corinthians 6:16b / *2 Cor. 6:16b -
This refers to Leviticus 26:11a,12, not Ezekiel 37:26-27, for "walk in them" (2 Corinthians 6:16b) is not in Ezekiel 37:26-27.
--
*2 Corinthians 7:8-12 / *2 Cor. 7:8 -
This refers back to the situation in 1 Corinthians 5.
(See 1 Corinthians 5:5 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 8:1 / *2 Cor. 8:1 -
The original Greek word (gnorizo: G1107) translated as "we do you to wit" means "we make known to you" (cf. Colossians 4:9b).
--
*2 Corinthians 8:2 / *2 Cor. 8:2 -
The original Greek word (haplotes: G0572) translated as "liberality", like the English word, can mean "bountifulness" (2 Corinthians 9:11), in this case in the sense of generosity (2 Corinthians 9:13b).
--
*2 Corinthians 8:8 / *2 Cor. 8:8 -
The original Greek word (spoude: G4710) translated as "forwardness" can mean "eagerness" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
--
*2 Corinthians 8:14 / *2 Cor. 8:14 -
See Acts 2:44 above.
--
*2 Corinthians 8:18-19 / *2 Cor. 8:18 -
The brother could be Silas (cf. Acts 15:22,40).
--
*2 Corinthians 8:19 / *2 Cor. 8:19 -
The original Greek word (prothumia: G4288) translated as "ready mind" can mean "willing mind" (2 Corinthians 8:12).
--
*2 Corinthians 8:23 / *2 Cor. 8:23 -
The original Greek word (apostolos: G0652) translated as "messengers" can mean "apostles" (2 Corinthians 11:5).
--
*2 Corinthians 9:8 / *2 Cor. 9:8 -
See Titus 3:8 below.
--
*2 Corinthians 9:13 / *2 Cor. 9:13 -
The original Greek word (dokime: G1382) translated as "experiment" is not referring to a scientific experiment, but simply means "experience" (Romans 5:4). That is, the first century AD Christians in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 16:3b), who were in poverty, would experience the generosity of the well-to-do Christians of Corinth (2 Corinthians 8:14a) and thereby glorify God (2 Corinthians 9:13).
(See also Matthew 25:42 above, and what 1 John 3:17 says)
--
*2 Corinthians 10:5 / *2 Cor. 10:5 -
(Re: Is this referring to lies which Satan feeds into our minds?)
Our spiritual warfare against Satan and his fallen angels and demons (2 Corinthians 10:5, Ephesians 6:12) can indeed involve our thoughts.
Regarding Satan feeding lies into our minds, he certainly does that. But he usually just feeds images into our minds rather than lies expressed in words. For example, if he wants to tempt us to commit a sinful act, instead of whispering into our minds the words: "Do that act; won't it feel good to do that act", he will usually just place an image of the sinful act in our minds and then sit back and see how we react to it. If we hold onto the sinful image, which is an idol (1 John 5:21), and have desire for it and let it begin to inspire our own lust within us, then Satan does not have to do anything else: Our own lust will then entice us into committing the sinful act (James 1:14-15).
But if we immediately cast down the sinful image, the idol, in our imagination, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), then we immediately cut off Satan's power of temptation at its root, which is images, idolatry. We must not give ourselves any time to gaze upon his images, his idols, and then desire them, until we become driven by our own lust to act upon them.
But someone could say, "Yeah, right. Easier said then done. You have no idea of the power of the sinful images which Satan and his demons feed into my mind. It is a constant, continual barrage until I give in. If I try to fight it, I can't do anything else: It takes all of my mental power just trying to beat down the sinful images in my mind, and the constant craving for the sinful act which they engender within me. My trying to fight back against the temptation just wears me out. I eventually become totally helpless before it. It always wins in the end. I am like its slave. It cracks the whip, and I eventually obey. Every. Single. Time".
If this is the case with someone, then they truly are a slave to their sin. They must remember these words of our Lord Jesus Christ:
[John 8:34-36]
When a Christian is barraged with temptation, he can think: "Free. I am free. Jesus has made me free". And he can pray: "Lord Jesus, free me from this sin, this idolatry, this temptation, this lust, these sinful images in my mind, that I may no longer be a slave to sin". And Jesus can then free him from them. The images can cease. The struggle can melt away. And he can then serve Jesus Christ by performing some righteous act instead of the sinful act (Romans 6:18).
So a Christian can only win against Satan and his demons if he takes constant control of his sinful thoughts, and brings them all immediately to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), and brings Jesus into all of his thoughts (Psalms 10:4, KJV). Jesus can then set him free from his sinful thoughts (John 8:34-36) and strengthen his righteous thoughts (Romans 6:18). Jesus is the only one who can save us from our sins (1 John 3:5-10).
--
*2 Corinthians 10:15 / *2 Cor. 10:15 -
The original Greek word (kanon: G2583) translated as "rule" can mean "sphere of activity" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
--
*2 Corinthians 11:5 / *2 Cor. 11:5 -
The original Greek word (medeis: G3367) translated as "not a whit" can mean "not at all" (2 Thessalonians 3:11).
--
*2 Corinthians 11:6 / *2 Cor. 11:6 -
The original Greek words (idiotes: G2399; and logos: G3056) translated as "rude" in "speech" can mean "unlearned" (1 Corinthians 14:23) in public speaking. That is, the apostle Paul was not a great speaker, but he knew what he was talking about, as is proven by his writings. Compare what 2 Corinthians 10:10 says.
--
*2 Corinthians 11:8 / *2 Cor. 11:8 -
(Re: Robbed other churches. Is this a mistranslation?)
No, for the apostle Paul was using hyperbole to try to make the Corinthian Christians ashamed for looking down on him for never asking them for money, but always preaching to them freely (2 Corinthians 11:7-9). The Corinthians saw Paul's not asking them for money, and his general meekness toward them, as weakness on his part (2 Corinthians 10:10). For they had become used to loud-mouthed, bossy preachers who knocked them around and demanded their money: "For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face" (2 Corinthians 11:20). Here the KJV uses "suffer" not in the sense of pain, but in the sense of "submit to", "allow", "put up with". It is the same with many Christians today, especially those who watch and listen to a lot of preachers on TV and the radio. For they have become used to preachers with strong personalities who preach forcefully and always ask for money, eventually. If some meek guy came to them preaching quietly and never asking them for money, they would think that he was strange, and maybe even worthless as a preacher, regardless of the actual content of his preaching.
~
(Re: So is Paul saying that sin is okay so long as the end justifies the means? Stealing from the rich, giving to the poor?)
No, the apostle Paul did not commit sin by "taking wages" from other churches during his ministering to the Corinthian Christians (2 Corinthians 11:8). Those other churches were willingly supporting Paul financially in their gratitude for his past work among them, during which he had led them to salvation from hell through their faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Paul only calls it "robbing" those other churches in the sense that the Corinthian Christians should have been financially supporting Paul themselves for his ministering among them. For why should other churches be paying when the Corinthian Christians were getting all of the benefit? The other churches were getting "robbed" only in the sense that they were paying wages for nothing to their own benefit.
Paul says that stealing is a sin (1 Corinthians 6:10). He never says that sin is okay or that the end justifies the means, but says the opposite (Romans 3:8), that if we keep on sinning without repentance, then we will end up losing our salvation (1 Corinthians 6:8-10).
There are some preachers today who are doing wrong and defrauding their brethren (1 Corinthians 6:8), not in the sense of stealing from the rich to give to the poor, but by doing the opposite: They are robbing the poor to give to the rich (themselves) (compare what 2 Corinthians 8:13 says). They dun poor widows who are barely eking by on their Social Security checks with endless mailings asking them for more money, more money, "so that this vital ministry can continue". But then they use that money to buy huge mansions and Bentleys, and to give Rolls Royces to each other as gifts. Then they get on TV or the radio and make these long prayers, always ending with the idea that the viewers need to send in money to them:
[Mark 12:40; 2 Peter 2:3]
1 Thessalonians 2:5 ... neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness ...
This means that they hide their covetousness, their greed for more money to spend on themselves, behind an amazing stream of words which make you feel like they are lifting you up, when in fact they are just setting you up as their mark (Ezekiel 34:2-3), to swindle you, to get you to the point where you will gladly call in and give them your credit card number (cf. Romans 16:18).
They use covetousness as their bait. They tell you that if you "plant a seed", that is, give them more money so that they can "continue their ministry" (but really so that they can buy another Rolls Royce), then God will give you more money back than you gave them. So they get you to start thinking of God as basically nothing more than a magic ATM machine where you deposit $100 and He spits back $1,000. They get you to turn your relationship with God into being all about gaining money:
1 Timothy 6:5 ... supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
[1 Timothy 6:6-12, Luke 6:24-25, James 5:1-3, Ezekiel 7:19]
--
*2 Corinthians 11:14 / *2 Cor. 11:14 -
Satan can reveal himself to people in a deceptive way which makes them think that he is the good guy (2 Corinthians 11:14) and that YHWH God of the Bible is the liar (Genesis 3:4).
(See also the "Devil's theology" section of Genesis 3(space) above. And see Revelation 13:4 below, and sections 7-8 of Matthew 24:31 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 12:2 / *2 Cor. 12:2 -
(*3rd heaven)
There are three literal heavens (2 Corinthians 12:2b). The first heaven is the sky, the atmosphere in which the birds fly (Genesis 1:20b). The second heaven is outer space where the sun, moon and stars reside (Deuteronomy 4:19). Where God resides is the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2b, Revelation 4:1-2) and so it is beyond outer space in the sense of it being in a higher (a fourth) spatial dimension. And it is a physical place, for Jesus Christ ascended there in His physical resurrection body (Acts 1:9-11, Luke 24:39) and the apostle Paul said that he could have visited there in his mortal physical body (2 Corinthians 12:2). Also, Elijah and Enoch were taken up there in their mortal physical bodies (2 Kings 2:11, Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5) and God's future, Two Witnesses will be taken up there in their mortal physical bodies (Revelation 11:11-12).
In the third heaven there is currently a literal city, 1,500 miles cubed (Revelation 21:16), called New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2), the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22), the Jerusalem which is above (Galatians 4:26), and God the Father's house (John 14:2, Revelation 21:2-3). In the future, God will create a New Earth (a new surface for the earth) and a New Heaven (a new first heaven/atmosphere for the earth) (Revelation 21:1). And then God will come down in New Jerusalem from the third heaven to live with Christians on the New Earth (Revelation 21:2-3, Revelation 3:12b). It is New Jerusalem which has the literal pearly gates and streets of gold (Revelation 21:21) which Christians ascribe to heaven. So what Christians think of as heaven, in the sense of living in bliss with God, will eventually be on the New Earth.
Currently, the third heaven is where paradise is (2 Corinthians 12:2,4), and paradise is where obedient Christians go when they die (Luke 23:43,46). So obedient Christians go to the third heaven when they die. Also, paradise is where the literal tree of life is (Revelation 2:7), and the tree of life is in New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:2). So when obedient Christians go to paradise, they go to New Jerusalem.
The earth's third heaven could be high above the north pole. Compare the connection between heaven and the north in Isaiah 14:13, KJV. Regarding what we today call "the northern lights", even though they can be explained by physics, they could still point to the location of the glory of the earth's third heaven. And Psalm 48:2's reference to the north could refer to the location of New Jerusalem in heaven.
-
Next entry / Prior / Table of Contents
Dec 17, 2018
This does not refer to the future, instantaneous, physical changing (if alive) or resurrection (if dead) of the bodies of obedient Christians (of all times) into immortality at Jesus Christ's Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53), but to the present, gradual, spiritual changing of Christians by the Spirit of the Lord working within them day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).
~
(As in a glass)
See 1 Corinthians 13:12 above.
--
*2 Corinthians 4:4 / *2 Cor. 4:4 -
This means that Satan, the little-g "god" of the non-Christian world, has blinded the minds of non-Christians so that apart from God's miraculous work (2 Corinthians 4:6) they cannot believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Satan has deceived the non-Christian world (Revelation 12:9). He has taken non-Christians spiritually captive (2 Timothy 2:25-26).
(See also Romans 9:11 above)
~
(This world)
See Romans 12:2 above.
--
*2 Corinthians 5:3 / *2 Cor. 5:3 -
(Re: Did God tolerate *nakedness in the Garden of Eden?)
Yes, for before Adam's and Eve's fall into sin, nakedness was nothing to be ashamed of (Genesis 2:25). It was only after their fall into sin that nakedness became a source of shame and fear for them (Genesis 3:10). God provided clothes to Adam and Eve after their fall into sin (Genesis 3:21), just as God provides robes even to the souls of dead people in heaven (Revelation 6:9-11); and just as God provided a robe to the soul of the dead Samuel in Hades (1 Samuel 28:14).
~
(Re: Then is nakedness now negative and cannot be ushered into the presence of God?)
Not necessarily, for even though the idea of nakedness can be negative (Revelation 16:15), it could still be ushered into the presence of God in heaven, just as even Satan himself can come into the presence of God in heaven (Job 1:6-7).
(See also Genesis 3:11a above)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:5 / *2 Cor. 5:5 -
(Earnest)
See section 2 of Ephesians 1:13 below.
--
*2 Corinthians 5:8 / *2 Cor. 5:8 -
This and Philippians 1:21,23 refer to obedient Christians dying and going to be in Jesus Christ's physical presence in heaven (Acts 3:21). For 2 Corinthians 5:8 and Philippians 1:21,23 refer to going to be in the presence of Jesus in a way which living Christians are not.
~
(Confident)
Even though the apostle Paul was not perfect (Philippians 3:12a), just as no Christian is, Paul still had the confidence of 2 Corinthians 5:8 because he was careful to continue to do good works (2 Corinthians 5:9, Philippians 3:12b-14) and to repent from any sin that he committed (1 Corinthians 9:27, Romans 8:13). And he had not committed apostasy, but had continued in the faith of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:7).
~
(Re: My close friend is dying from cancer. This has rattled my faith. How can I grow stronger in my faith?) / (*Healing)
Share your faith with your friend, so that she can become a Christian and her soul can go into heaven to be with Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:8). And also her body can be physically resurrected into immortality at Jesus' future, Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:21-23,52-58). And if she is already a Christian, she can face what lies ahead without fear or dread (Philippians 1:21,23). And she can pray for miraculous healing now by the power of Jesus Christ, and her faith in Him (Mark 5:25-34). And she can go to a Christian congregation where someone has the Spiritual gift of miraculous healing (1 Corinthians 12:8-9), such as at a Pentecostal congregation, or a charismatic congregation, which can be of almost any denomination. And she can also ask church elders of any congregation to anoint her with oil and pray the prayer of faith for her miraculous healing (James 5:14-15).
(See also the "healing" sections of 1 Corinthians 12:8 and Luke 13:16 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:9 / *2 Cor. 5:9 -
(Re: *Synergism)
2 Corinthians 5:9, 1 Corinthians 3:9, Colossians 1:29, Philippians 2:12b, Titus 3:8, and Romans 2:6-8 show that Christians themselves must actually labor, together with God. Ultimate salvation is synergistic because Christians can end up losing their salvation if they wrongly employ their free will to stop their laboring, to become utterly lazy without repentance (Matthew 25:26,30, John 15:2a).
(See also Philippians 2:13 below)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:10 / *2 Cor. 5:10 -
The judgment seat of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) will not be only for rewards.
(See Matthew 24:48 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:14-15 / *2 Cor. 5:14 / *2 Cor. 5:15 -
This means that Jesus Christ died to save all elect individuals, the "us" in 1 Peter 4:1 and 1 Peter 3:18 (cf. 1 Peter 1:2), who are all His sheep (John 10:11,15). For not all individuals are His sheep/His elect (John 10:26, John 8:42-47, Matthew 13:38-42).
(See Romans 9:11 above)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:16 / *2 Cor. 5:16 -
Here, "after the flesh" is not literal, but a figurative reference to the letter of the Old Covenant Mosaic law (Galatians 3:2-3, Romans 7:5-6) as opposed to the spiritual ministration of the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:6-18).
(See also Luke 24:39 above, and Galatians 3:2 below)
--
*2 Corinthians 5:17 / *2 Cor. 5:17 -
While Christians are already new creatures spiritually (2 Corinthians 5:17), they are not yet new creatures physically. And so they still await the resurrection (if dead) or changing (if alive) of their mortal physical bodies (Romans 8:23-25) into immortal physical bodies at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (1 Corinthians 15:22-23,51-58, Revelation 20:4-6), like the immortal physical body which Jesus Himself obtained on the third day after His death at His first coming (Luke 24:39-48, Philippians 3:21).
~
(Re: OSAS?)
A Christian becoming a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17) does not take away his free will. It does not turn him into a robot. So it is possible for him to wrongly employ his free will to the ultimate loss of his salvation (Hebrews 10:26-29, Hebrews 6:4-8, Matthew 25:26,30).
(See the "NOSAS" section of Hebrews 3:6 below)
~
(Re: Does "old things are passed away" mean that our physicality will pass away?)
No, for 2 Corinthians 5:17 refers to people in Jesus Christ presently, people who are in the physical, just as the resurrected Jesus Himself is still in the physical (Luke 24:39).
(See Luke 24:39 above)
~
(Re: Does the new creature = the New Creation, that is, the New Heaven and New Earth?)
No, the "new creature" in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15 refers not to the future New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:1), but refers presently to "any man in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17), such as the apostle Paul, and "as many as walk according to this rule" (Galatians 6:14-16). For the New Heaven (a new first heaven/atmosphere for the earth) and the New Earth (a new surface for the earth) will not be created until over 1,000 years after Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 21:8).
(See also 2 Corinthians 12:2 below)
~
(Re: Romans 8:19)
2 Corinthians 5:17 does not restrict "the creature" in Romans 8:19-22 to saved humans, who are specifically distinguished from it in Romans 8:19-25.
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*2 Corinthians 5:19 / *2 Cor. 5:19 -
This does not mean everyone in the world, for not everyone will be reconciled to God (Matthew 25:41,46, Matthew 13:38-42), but only a relatively few people (Matthew 7:14, Matthew 22:14) compared with all of humanity.
(See also paragraph 3 of section 3 of John 3:16 above)
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*2 Corinthians 6:2 / *2 Cor. 6:2 -
The day of salvation will include the time of Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming (Romans 11:26, Zechariah 12:10-14) and the subsequent Millennium (Revelation 20:4-6).
(See Isaiah 66:18 above)
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*2 Corinthians 6:12-13 / *2 Cor. 6:12 / *2 Cor. 6:13 -
The original Greek word (stenochoreo: G4729) translated as "straitened" can mean "distressed" (2 Corinthians 4:8). But it can also more literally mean "squeezed", or "restricted".
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(Bowels / G4698)
See Philippians 1:8 below.
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The original Greek word (platuno: G4115) translated as "enlarged" can mean "made broad" (Matthew 23:5), in this case widened in the sense of no longer restricted.
So 2 Corinthians 6:12-13 meant that the apostle Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to be as unrestricted in their affection toward him as he was toward them (2 Corinthians 6:11).
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*2 Corinthians 6:14 / *2 Cor. 6:14 -
(Re: Why do Christians have issues with the *metal music genre?)
It could be because some of its songs are so overtly Satanic.
[2 Corinthians 6:14b-15a]
Some metal lyrics are so expressly hailing Satan and cursing God, and their music thumps with so much intensity and inspiration from demons that some Christians are unwilling to listen to such songs for very long. They would rather change the channel on the radio right away, unlike with any other genre.
[1 John 1:5-7]
[Ephesians 5:8-10]
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*2 Corinthians 6:15 / *2 Cor. 6:15 -
(Belial)
See 2 Samuel 16:7 above.
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*2 Corinthians 6:16b / *2 Cor. 6:16b -
This refers to Leviticus 26:11a,12, not Ezekiel 37:26-27, for "walk in them" (2 Corinthians 6:16b) is not in Ezekiel 37:26-27.
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*2 Corinthians 7:8-12 / *2 Cor. 7:8 -
This refers back to the situation in 1 Corinthians 5.
(See 1 Corinthians 5:5 above)
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*2 Corinthians 8:1 / *2 Cor. 8:1 -
The original Greek word (gnorizo: G1107) translated as "we do you to wit" means "we make known to you" (cf. Colossians 4:9b).
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*2 Corinthians 8:2 / *2 Cor. 8:2 -
The original Greek word (haplotes: G0572) translated as "liberality", like the English word, can mean "bountifulness" (2 Corinthians 9:11), in this case in the sense of generosity (2 Corinthians 9:13b).
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*2 Corinthians 8:8 / *2 Cor. 8:8 -
The original Greek word (spoude: G4710) translated as "forwardness" can mean "eagerness" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
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*2 Corinthians 8:14 / *2 Cor. 8:14 -
See Acts 2:44 above.
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*2 Corinthians 8:18-19 / *2 Cor. 8:18 -
The brother could be Silas (cf. Acts 15:22,40).
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*2 Corinthians 8:19 / *2 Cor. 8:19 -
The original Greek word (prothumia: G4288) translated as "ready mind" can mean "willing mind" (2 Corinthians 8:12).
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*2 Corinthians 8:23 / *2 Cor. 8:23 -
The original Greek word (apostolos: G0652) translated as "messengers" can mean "apostles" (2 Corinthians 11:5).
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*2 Corinthians 9:8 / *2 Cor. 9:8 -
See Titus 3:8 below.
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*2 Corinthians 9:13 / *2 Cor. 9:13 -
The original Greek word (dokime: G1382) translated as "experiment" is not referring to a scientific experiment, but simply means "experience" (Romans 5:4). That is, the first century AD Christians in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 9:1; 1 Corinthians 16:3b), who were in poverty, would experience the generosity of the well-to-do Christians of Corinth (2 Corinthians 8:14a) and thereby glorify God (2 Corinthians 9:13).
(See also Matthew 25:42 above, and what 1 John 3:17 says)
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*2 Corinthians 10:5 / *2 Cor. 10:5 -
(Re: Is this referring to lies which Satan feeds into our minds?)
Our spiritual warfare against Satan and his fallen angels and demons (2 Corinthians 10:5, Ephesians 6:12) can indeed involve our thoughts.
Regarding Satan feeding lies into our minds, he certainly does that. But he usually just feeds images into our minds rather than lies expressed in words. For example, if he wants to tempt us to commit a sinful act, instead of whispering into our minds the words: "Do that act; won't it feel good to do that act", he will usually just place an image of the sinful act in our minds and then sit back and see how we react to it. If we hold onto the sinful image, which is an idol (1 John 5:21), and have desire for it and let it begin to inspire our own lust within us, then Satan does not have to do anything else: Our own lust will then entice us into committing the sinful act (James 1:14-15).
But if we immediately cast down the sinful image, the idol, in our imagination, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), then we immediately cut off Satan's power of temptation at its root, which is images, idolatry. We must not give ourselves any time to gaze upon his images, his idols, and then desire them, until we become driven by our own lust to act upon them.
But someone could say, "Yeah, right. Easier said then done. You have no idea of the power of the sinful images which Satan and his demons feed into my mind. It is a constant, continual barrage until I give in. If I try to fight it, I can't do anything else: It takes all of my mental power just trying to beat down the sinful images in my mind, and the constant craving for the sinful act which they engender within me. My trying to fight back against the temptation just wears me out. I eventually become totally helpless before it. It always wins in the end. I am like its slave. It cracks the whip, and I eventually obey. Every. Single. Time".
If this is the case with someone, then they truly are a slave to their sin. They must remember these words of our Lord Jesus Christ:
[John 8:34-36]
When a Christian is barraged with temptation, he can think: "Free. I am free. Jesus has made me free". And he can pray: "Lord Jesus, free me from this sin, this idolatry, this temptation, this lust, these sinful images in my mind, that I may no longer be a slave to sin". And Jesus can then free him from them. The images can cease. The struggle can melt away. And he can then serve Jesus Christ by performing some righteous act instead of the sinful act (Romans 6:18).
So a Christian can only win against Satan and his demons if he takes constant control of his sinful thoughts, and brings them all immediately to Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5), and brings Jesus into all of his thoughts (Psalms 10:4, KJV). Jesus can then set him free from his sinful thoughts (John 8:34-36) and strengthen his righteous thoughts (Romans 6:18). Jesus is the only one who can save us from our sins (1 John 3:5-10).
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*2 Corinthians 10:15 / *2 Cor. 10:15 -
The original Greek word (kanon: G2583) translated as "rule" can mean "sphere of activity" (Strong's Greek Dictionary).
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*2 Corinthians 11:5 / *2 Cor. 11:5 -
The original Greek word (medeis: G3367) translated as "not a whit" can mean "not at all" (2 Thessalonians 3:11).
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*2 Corinthians 11:6 / *2 Cor. 11:6 -
The original Greek words (idiotes: G2399; and logos: G3056) translated as "rude" in "speech" can mean "unlearned" (1 Corinthians 14:23) in public speaking. That is, the apostle Paul was not a great speaker, but he knew what he was talking about, as is proven by his writings. Compare what 2 Corinthians 10:10 says.
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*2 Corinthians 11:8 / *2 Cor. 11:8 -
(Re: Robbed other churches. Is this a mistranslation?)
No, for the apostle Paul was using hyperbole to try to make the Corinthian Christians ashamed for looking down on him for never asking them for money, but always preaching to them freely (2 Corinthians 11:7-9). The Corinthians saw Paul's not asking them for money, and his general meekness toward them, as weakness on his part (2 Corinthians 10:10). For they had become used to loud-mouthed, bossy preachers who knocked them around and demanded their money: "For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face" (2 Corinthians 11:20). Here the KJV uses "suffer" not in the sense of pain, but in the sense of "submit to", "allow", "put up with". It is the same with many Christians today, especially those who watch and listen to a lot of preachers on TV and the radio. For they have become used to preachers with strong personalities who preach forcefully and always ask for money, eventually. If some meek guy came to them preaching quietly and never asking them for money, they would think that he was strange, and maybe even worthless as a preacher, regardless of the actual content of his preaching.
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(Re: So is Paul saying that sin is okay so long as the end justifies the means? Stealing from the rich, giving to the poor?)
No, the apostle Paul did not commit sin by "taking wages" from other churches during his ministering to the Corinthian Christians (2 Corinthians 11:8). Those other churches were willingly supporting Paul financially in their gratitude for his past work among them, during which he had led them to salvation from hell through their faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Paul only calls it "robbing" those other churches in the sense that the Corinthian Christians should have been financially supporting Paul themselves for his ministering among them. For why should other churches be paying when the Corinthian Christians were getting all of the benefit? The other churches were getting "robbed" only in the sense that they were paying wages for nothing to their own benefit.
Paul says that stealing is a sin (1 Corinthians 6:10). He never says that sin is okay or that the end justifies the means, but says the opposite (Romans 3:8), that if we keep on sinning without repentance, then we will end up losing our salvation (1 Corinthians 6:8-10).
There are some preachers today who are doing wrong and defrauding their brethren (1 Corinthians 6:8), not in the sense of stealing from the rich to give to the poor, but by doing the opposite: They are robbing the poor to give to the rich (themselves) (compare what 2 Corinthians 8:13 says). They dun poor widows who are barely eking by on their Social Security checks with endless mailings asking them for more money, more money, "so that this vital ministry can continue". But then they use that money to buy huge mansions and Bentleys, and to give Rolls Royces to each other as gifts. Then they get on TV or the radio and make these long prayers, always ending with the idea that the viewers need to send in money to them:
[Mark 12:40; 2 Peter 2:3]
1 Thessalonians 2:5 ... neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness ...
This means that they hide their covetousness, their greed for more money to spend on themselves, behind an amazing stream of words which make you feel like they are lifting you up, when in fact they are just setting you up as their mark (Ezekiel 34:2-3), to swindle you, to get you to the point where you will gladly call in and give them your credit card number (cf. Romans 16:18).
They use covetousness as their bait. They tell you that if you "plant a seed", that is, give them more money so that they can "continue their ministry" (but really so that they can buy another Rolls Royce), then God will give you more money back than you gave them. So they get you to start thinking of God as basically nothing more than a magic ATM machine where you deposit $100 and He spits back $1,000. They get you to turn your relationship with God into being all about gaining money:
1 Timothy 6:5 ... supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
[1 Timothy 6:6-12, Luke 6:24-25, James 5:1-3, Ezekiel 7:19]
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*2 Corinthians 11:14 / *2 Cor. 11:14 -
Satan can reveal himself to people in a deceptive way which makes them think that he is the good guy (2 Corinthians 11:14) and that YHWH God of the Bible is the liar (Genesis 3:4).
(See also the "Devil's theology" section of Genesis 3(space) above. And see Revelation 13:4 below, and sections 7-8 of Matthew 24:31 above)
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*2 Corinthians 12:2 / *2 Cor. 12:2 -
(*3rd heaven)
There are three literal heavens (2 Corinthians 12:2b). The first heaven is the sky, the atmosphere in which the birds fly (Genesis 1:20b). The second heaven is outer space where the sun, moon and stars reside (Deuteronomy 4:19). Where God resides is the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2b, Revelation 4:1-2) and so it is beyond outer space in the sense of it being in a higher (a fourth) spatial dimension. And it is a physical place, for Jesus Christ ascended there in His physical resurrection body (Acts 1:9-11, Luke 24:39) and the apostle Paul said that he could have visited there in his mortal physical body (2 Corinthians 12:2). Also, Elijah and Enoch were taken up there in their mortal physical bodies (2 Kings 2:11, Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5) and God's future, Two Witnesses will be taken up there in their mortal physical bodies (Revelation 11:11-12).
In the third heaven there is currently a literal city, 1,500 miles cubed (Revelation 21:16), called New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2), the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22), the Jerusalem which is above (Galatians 4:26), and God the Father's house (John 14:2, Revelation 21:2-3). In the future, God will create a New Earth (a new surface for the earth) and a New Heaven (a new first heaven/atmosphere for the earth) (Revelation 21:1). And then God will come down in New Jerusalem from the third heaven to live with Christians on the New Earth (Revelation 21:2-3, Revelation 3:12b). It is New Jerusalem which has the literal pearly gates and streets of gold (Revelation 21:21) which Christians ascribe to heaven. So what Christians think of as heaven, in the sense of living in bliss with God, will eventually be on the New Earth.
Currently, the third heaven is where paradise is (2 Corinthians 12:2,4), and paradise is where obedient Christians go when they die (Luke 23:43,46). So obedient Christians go to the third heaven when they die. Also, paradise is where the literal tree of life is (Revelation 2:7), and the tree of life is in New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:2). So when obedient Christians go to paradise, they go to New Jerusalem.
The earth's third heaven could be high above the north pole. Compare the connection between heaven and the north in Isaiah 14:13, KJV. Regarding what we today call "the northern lights", even though they can be explained by physics, they could still point to the location of the glory of the earth's third heaven. And Psalm 48:2's reference to the north could refer to the location of New Jerusalem in heaven.
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