But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 2 Corinthians 6:4-5

Do you think the Apostle Paul was preaching a prosperity gospel here? The obvious answer is NO, but it amazes me today the amount of “Christianity” today that is carnal and self absorbed. Do the majority of Christians read the Bible at all? This is an honest question, because I don’t see how you can read a text, like today, and get a prosperity gospel out of it? 

Paul starts out by saying “But In ALL things, approving or commending ourselves as the ministers/servants of God” In ALL things in life we prove if we are truly Born Again by the Holy Spirit. If you’re alive long enough, you know life is full of hardships and pain and trials. How do you respond to these things? How do you endure these times of trouble?

The fake gospel is if your a Christian then your blessed with wealth and health. This could be nothing farther from the truth, because as a Christian your probably going to be poorer than you have ever been, your probably going to be persecuted more than you have ever been, your going to feel sorrow more than you have ever did, but it’s how do you respond to these things? When you have the peace of God by the Holy Spirit, you are able to endure to the end! Notice Paul says here “In much affliction, in much distress, in much imprisonment, in much hunger and fasting, yeah this is not a pretty list!

But we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (Philippians 4:13) This is not just a bumper stick, cliche, this is a way of life! This is the battle cry, as Jesus said “Don’t fear the One who can kill the body, Fear Him who can destroy both the body and soul in Hell” (Matthew 10:28) In Christ we have spiritual victory over sin, death, and Satan! Amen!

 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 6:6-10

Now the question is how? How can we as Christians endure all these sufferings and pain, well lets look at Paul’s next list. It’s by knowledge, it’s by pureness, its by patience, By The Holy Spirit! There’s an ex factor nobody is talking about, you have been Born Again by the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that raise Jesus Christ from the dead is living inside of You! (Romans 8:11)

When you are In Christ, Christ lives in You, nothing can separate you from the love of God, Amen!

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:  2 Corinthians 6:1-3

Jesus said “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37) Notice Jesus said The Workers are Few, being a Christian is a calling, it’s a way of life, it’s not just a title you give yourself or another religion, it’s a relationship with God. 

There are many Christians who have this attitude, they are entitled by Gods grace. Now that they are saved, they don’t have to do anything, just sit on the couch and wait to be raptured. This is not at all what Jesus and the Apostles taught, in fact when Christ does come back, he going to check to see what works you have done while he was away (Matthew 25:14-30)

Notice what the Apostle Paul says here “We (Church) then, as workers together with Him (Christ)” We as the Church are workers together in Christ, even though nobody ever knew when Christ would return, this never stopped the urgency of the work of the Church. In fact, we should live everyday like Jesus is going to return, if we knew Christ would return immediately, there probably would be more urgency. However we have fallen asleep, allowing the world to perish, allowing our lamps to run out of oil, allowing our hearts to grow colder, this is not the Great Commision Christ commanded us to do!

When Jesus told us “Go and preach the gospel to everyone” (Matthew 28:19) That’s alot of work to do, as everyone is everyone! That means every human on the planet needs to hear the gospel! If you don’t know where to begin with your ministry, start there with 8 billion people who need to hear about Jesus! As Christ said The Harvest is plentiful but the workers are few!

Paul goes on to say “We beseech or urge You not to receive God’s grace in vain” The reality is alot of Christians have abused Gods grace, alot of Christians have abused the blood of Christ, alot of Christans have abused the Holy Spirit, many Christians want to continue living for themselves except dying on their cross! 

Don’t receive Gods grace in vain! You were bought with a price, your life is not your own! (1 Cor. 6:20) If you are a Christian, then you are a worker in Christ! It’s time for the Church to get back to work, be the hands and feet of Christ, be the Salt and Light in Jesus name Amen!

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:19-21

The Apostle Paul talks about being reconciled back to God, how is this possible? How can a wretched sinner like me, be reconciled back to a Holy God? That is the core of the gospel message, and it’s only possible through Jesus Christ! This is why Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6, Acts 4:12) This is why Christianity is the only true religion, no other religion or anyone else provides a way for you to be reconciled back to God!

To understand this first we need to understand we are all sinners! (Romans 3:23) And because of our sin, we have become separated from God (Isaiah 59:2)A sign of a false religion is people who believe they can earn their salvation or earn the favor of God, as the wages of our sin is eternal death! (Romans 6:23)

So how did God make a salvation plan for us, notice what Paul says here “For He (Father) has made Him (Christ) to be sin for us, who (Christ), knew no sin, that we (Christians) might be made the righteousness of God in Him (Christ) Wow , what an amazing revelation made by the Holy Spirit through Paul

Why did Jesus die on the cross for us? Because Christ became the Lamb of God who paid the penalty for our sin, so we can be declared righteous before God. It’s only by the blood of Jesus, that you can be washed clean of your sin and be reconciled back to God

The world will tell you , there are many ways or paths to God or Heaven, this is a lie from Satan. It’s only through Jesus Christ that you can be saved, because your sins have separated you from God. Once you understand this, you understand the beauty of the gospel message, you understand the love of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen!

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 2 Corinthians 5:16-18

One of the foundational teachings that I think is sorely missing in Christianity today, is regeneration from the Holy Spirit. I hardly hear any preachers or Churches teaching this today, yet this is essential for our salvation, why? Because as Paul taught us previously, “Nobody can say Jesus is Lord, with the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3) You are spiritually dead without the Holy Spirit, you are dead in your sins (Ephesians 2) 

Look at Paul’s teaching today “If anyone be in Christ, You are a New Creature” boom! This runs parallel with Jesus’ teaching on becoming Born Again, regenerated (John 3) If you call yourself a Christian, if you confess Jesus Christ is your Lord, you must be Born Again by the Holy Spirit, there is no debate about this. 

I often hear “Christians” try to use the grace card,  they say I can still do this sin and that sin because I’m covered by the blood of Jesus. First off, anyone with this thought mentality , does not have the Holy Spirit inside them, because this is blasphemy! You believe your going to trick God in covering for your sins? People with this mentality have no personal relationship with Jesus Christ, as Christ said “You will be known by your fruits” (Matthew 7:16)

Paul goes on to teach “Old things are passed away, behold , ALL things become NEW” This is why Jesus said “You must become Born Again to see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3) The old things have passed away, your old man has been crucified on the cross with Christ, your old man is dead! (Romans 6) And your New Self, the regenerated self by the Holy Spirit, is raised with Christ! You are a New Person, you are not the same person as when you came to Christ, this is the baptism of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5) this is the regeneration of the Holy Spirit

All things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ! Why do you need to be Born Again, to be reconciled back to our Heavenly Father. Without regeneration, you have been separated from God by your sin! That’s why Jesus said “Nobody comes to the Father (God) except through me (Christ)” (John 14:6) Until you are regenerated you are an enemy of God, when you understand this, then you understand why there are so many false religions and false converts, because they have never been regenerated!

But the Good News (Gospel) is , In Christ we are Born Again, a New Creation, reconciled back to our Father in Heaven filled with the Holy Spirit, Amen!

For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 2 Corinthians 5:13-15

Why do we do anything that we do? When we wake up in the morning, why did we pray immediately? Or why do we read the Word of God daily? Or why do we tell everyone we know about Jesus? As the Apostle Paul says “For the Love of Christ compels or constrains us” It’s the Love of Christ and the Love for Christ that drives everything we do in life

Remember what Paul said “But God demonstrated his love towards us, why we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8) Think about that, even at our worst, even when we were enemies of God, He always loved us and even died for our sins. Can we even begin to fathom this amazing grace and love our God has towards us!

So when we serve The Lord, we are not doing this because we are trying to “earn our salvation” or we are not doing this to be “religious” No we serve The Lord because we love The Lord and He loves us! It’s a relationship with your Creator not a dictatorship. We gladly serve Jesus Christ because He is our Lord, and because Christ has loved us first!

As Paul continues to say “And that He (Christ) died for all, that they (us) which live should not live for themselves” Our lives belong to Jesus, because our lives were bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:20) You were bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, your life is not your own anymore! We live for Jesus, because Jesus died for us! Think about that!

For Him (Christ) who died for them (Us) and rose again! (v15) Because Jesus rose again we can have eternal life! Everything we do is for and because of the Love of Christ, who loved us first, Amen!

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 2 Corinthians 5:11-12

Often in Christianity today we hear a watered down , sugar coated gospel. We hear about a Jesus who only loves, yeah doesn’t require repentance or obedience. This is why we have so many false converts throughout the Church, there is no fear of The Lord. 

The Bible tells us “The Fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom and understanding” (Proverbs 9:10) So what does this mean? How can “fear” bring us to wisdom or understanding? Well first if you dive into the original Hebrew word translated as Fear here its “Yirah” which also means Reverence or Awesome. 

Many people will affirm Jesus loves them, and Yes Christ loves everyone as He demonstrated his love towards you on the cross. But the real question is “Do you love Jesus”? If you claim to love Christ, then why don’t you demonstrate your love? Jesus said “If you love me, Keep my commandments” (John 14:15) If a child continually defies and dismisses what their parent says, do they really love them? No, true love is a respect or reverence for someone. So do you really have reverence for God? 

Back to our original question, how can fear bring wisdom? The first question is why do I need a Savior? Often people dismiss the gospel because they don’t understand the purpose of the gospel, we have all fallen short of the glory of God, we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) How can the knowledge of sin be obtained? By the Ten Commandments, Gods moral law. If you want to know if you need Jesus, just walk through the Ten Commandments and examine your life

The Bible also says “It’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31) The bad news is there are consequences for your sin, as the Bible says “The Wages of Sin is death”(Romans 6:23) the second part of the verse gives us the gospel or Good News “BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23) You can’t have the good news without the bad news, right? Otherwise the good news doesn’t sound like good news!

As the Apostle Paul says “Knowing the terror of The Lord, we persuade men” How do you persuade people to need Jesus? You give them the bad news first, we are all sinners headed to Hell, the good news is Jesus Christ gave us the way to eternal life, Amen!

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Recently John Macarthur did a sermon on “We lose down here”, and while I have great love and respect for Macarthur, I strongly disagree with his message. Our scripture readings today support my stance on this, as Born Again Christians we can never “lose”. Whether we are alive or dead, whether we are rich or poor, whether we are healthy or sick, we have Victory in Jesus Christ, period! (1 Cor. 15) 

While from a worldly perspective it may look like we are “losing”, our victory is sealed and guaranteed, Jesus said “I have already overcome the world” (John 16:33) Now Pastor John might have been trying to address “Christian Nationalism” which is an entire different topic, but understand this, nothing can separate you from the love of God, nothing! (Romans 8)

The Apostle Paul teaches “To be absent from the body is to be present with The Lord” If your alive today, rejoice you have another day on this Earth. If you have died today, you are with The Lord! There is no losing as a Born Again Christian, as Jesus said to the thief on the cross “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43) Jesus didn’t tell the thief, when the resurrection happens you will be with me, No Christ said Today, instantly! It lines up perfectly with what Paul is teaching

So the idea of “Soul Sleep” is not Biblical, to think you are going to die and cease to exist until God remembers you again, doesn’t align with scripture. Strangely this viewpoint aligns more accurately with Atheism than it does Christianity. How can we have Victory if we cease to exist? Why would Paul desire to depart from the body, if he was going to cease to exist? Did Jesus lie to the thief on the cross? No of course not, Soul Sleep is another man-made doctrine destroyed by the Word of God

So does this mean, we coast through this life, waiting to be with The Lord? No, as Paul says “We labor” as he goes on to teach, all of us with stand before Christ and give an account of all the works we have done, whether good or bad! Does this mean we have to “earn our salvation”, No, we can only be saved by faith in Christ. However if you are Born Again, filled with the Holy Spirit, then you should be producing fruits of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 7, Galatians 5) A good tree produces good fruit! 

Take heart and comfort knowing to depart from the body is to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ forever! Amen!

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

If you live long enough, you know life is painful. Life is full of trials and suffering, life is full of medical issues and struggles, sometimes it makes us wonder what is the point of life, right? This is why the gospel is called the Good News, all your pain and suffering will be gone! All your physical and mental health issues will be gone! All your family who loves The Lord will be seen again! This is described as the New Heavens and Earth in the Bible (Revelation 21)

Because Jesus Christ physically died for our sins and physically rose from the dead, defeating sin and death, we will someday physically rise again with glorified bodies, this is the final resurrection (1 Cor. 15) The Apostle Paul describes this in more detail “our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” Many of us have a “thorn in the flesh” that haunts us everyday, however one day that thorn will be removed in our glorified bodies. One day the battle with sin will be over, as our earthly house will be dissolved and we are given a temple of God, a glorified, sin free body

Paul describes our current state best here “ For this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven” As Born Again Christians we groan daily, striving to be conformed in the image of Christ, while stuck in a sin-filled body. We groan at the current state of the world, while we strive for daily sanctification of the Holy Spirit, the world strives for the flesh and becomes more depraved. We groan for the day we are physically united with our Lord Jesus Christ, and reign with him in God’s Kingdom!

As Paul continues “For we that are in this tabernacle, do groan, being burdened” Take comfort and peace knowing that God understands your burdens and groans in your current state. While you struggle daily to understand how you are blessed or Born Again, but reminded of the promise, that one day we will be Rise with Christ in glorified bodies. While the current struggle of life seems long, Gods eternal kingdom is forever, take heart Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33) Amen!

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Jesus said “Unless you are Born Again, you can’t see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3) I believe this is a foundational teaching of Christianity that is often neglected by the Church. Most Churches will affirm the cross and the resurrection of Christ, how many Churches are teaching you must be Born Again? You must be regenerated by the Holy Spirit to see the Kingdom? When you ask most “Christians” are you Born Again, then look at you like you have three heads

It’s a foundational teaching because Jesus said “You can’t” be saved without the Holy Spirit. Looking at Paul’s teaching here, without the concept of regeneration, it wouldn’t make any sense. Paul says “Our outward man perishes, yet the inward man is renewed daily” Most would say Paul is talking about the resurrection of the body, well no because are you being resurrected on a daily basis? No, but we as Christians should be renewed daily, how? By the sanctification of the Holy Spirit

Anytime we start talking about sanctification and holiness, everyone runs for the door. But if you’re truly a Christian, then you must be Born Again, and if you are truly Born Again, then the Holy Spirit lives inside of you. And if the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, you are going to be sanctified. Your going to be renewed daily, growing in Christ, moving farther away from your sins, gaining deeper knowledge in The Lord, yes this is a lifetime process

I love the next piece of wisdom Paul reveals here “For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” We could write a whole sermon about this, having an eternal perspective. The world only has a temporal perspective, they are living for the flesh, they are living just for today. We as Born Again Christians are living for the eternal Kingdom of God. Everything we do is for the Kingdom, everything we do has eternal consequences and the fruit will last forever

The unregenerated person doesn’t understand the spiritual warfare that they are in. They don’t understand there is a war for their soul, that their sin has eternal damning consequences. Jesus Christ came to set us free, our inner man is being renewed and sanctified on a daily basis, Amen!

For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.2 Corinthians 4:11-14

What hope does this world have? If you said Jesus Christ, then you are correct, but what about those without Christ? What hope does the world have without Christ? Nothing, there is no hope outside of Jesus, why? Because regardless of your beliefs or religion, we are all under the curse of death. We are all dying on a daily basis!

But as the Apostle Paul reminds us “So then death works in us, but life in You” As Born Again Christians we are not yet in our glorified bodies, therefore our physical bodies are dying everyday, just like the world. However our “inner man, our soul is being sanctified daily! As Paul says later in this chapter “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed daily” (v16)

Those who reject the soul, this concept would make no sense, how can the Holy Spirit be sanctifying our physical bodies everyday? It wouldn’t make sense because our physical bodies are wasting away on a daily basis until our glorification in Christ. 

How do we know its the Holy Spirit renewing us daily? Notice what Paul says here “Knowing that He (Holy Spirit) which raised up the Lord Jesus , shall raise up us also by Jesus” Wow, consider what Paul said in Romans “The same power that rose Jesus from the dead is living inside of you” (Romans 8:11) The Holy Spirit shall raise us up also like Christ! Do we ever acknowledge the Holy Spirit enough?

For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15

How much does God love you? Christ died for you, the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, and notice what Paul says “For all things are for your sakes” If you feel unloved or unimportant, remember you are made in the image of God and all of this was done for your grace, to give God the glory in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen!