Epistles of Paul 51

Well, good evening, brethren. We are continuing today with 2 Corinthians, and as a brief review, the purpose of 2 Corinthians is to commend the Corinthians for their obedience and for them being able to show love for the offender, in other words, to encourage them to show love to the offender. Also, later in 2 Corinthians, from about chapter 8, we see Paul urging for the collection for the saints, which was completed during this three-month visit to Corinth. Also, a third purpose was to show that false prophets were causing the vision.

Many were corrupting God's word, as we see from 2 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 7. Let's just look at 2 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 7, big part, verse 17. 2 Corinthians chapter 2, verse 17, a big part. For we are not, for we are not, as so many, peddling the Word of God, but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ. So, many were corrupting the word, but Paul is saying, you know, they're not, is not like them, false prophets.

Also, in chapter 11, 2 Corinthians chapter 11, he says in verse 2, for I'm jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I betrothed you to one husband, then I might present you as a chaste version to Christ. For I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. And then he talks about people giving a different gospel, and that they might well bear with them.

And then later on in verse 13, he says, that's of chapter 11, for such are false apostles. And no wonder then in verse 14, because he says they, he transformed themselves into apostles of Christ, and he says, and no wonder, for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. So, so he was addressing that the area of false prophets causing this unity. This 2 Corinthians epistle is an epistle of love. In 2 Corinthians 12 verse 15, 2 Corinthians 12 verse 15 says, and I will very gladly spend and be spent for your lives, for your souls, though the more abundantly I love you, the less I'm loved.

So it's an epistle of, he's a postolic love for the Brethren, and his relationship with a church that was having some troubles. And so, in other words, is a story of unreturned love. We then started reading in chapter 1 verse 1. We showed that he, Paul, was appointed by God's will.

He says an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, by God's will, and not that he was self-appointed. And also, when we read scriptures like Psalm 75, let's just turn quickly to Psalm 75 verse 6 and 7. Psalm 75 verse 6 and 7, we see that promotion comes from God. Psalm 75 verse 6 and 7. For exaltation comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. In other words, it comes from God. But God is the judge. He puts down one and exalts another. So, Paul was appointed as an apostle according to God's will by God himself. And then in verses 3 to verse 7, it's a section here that is describing the nature of God.

But the nature of God in the context that God is merciful and one that consoles or comforts or helps those going through serious trials. So, the nature of God, God's nature, is one of mercy and comfort and encouragement. So, that's what this small section here, as he starts 2 Corinthians. In verse 3 he says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I'll make a pardon. The Father of mercies and God of all comfort. And so, he is a God of mercies.

He sits on what we call the mercy seat. And he is a God of all comfort. In the Greek word is paraclesis. A similar word that is used when it's talking about the Holy Spirit. So, if we briefly talk or turn to, I beg your pardon, to John chapter 14. John chapter 14 verse 26. John 14 verse 26.

We read that the helper Paracletus, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that are said to you. So, God's Holy Spirit is a helper and God is a God of helping, of assisting, of consoling, and so of comforting. And he does that through his Holy Spirit. So, also when we look at Philippians chapter 2, Philippians chapter 2, and he says, therefore, if there is any comfort, any consolation, any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love being of one accord of one mind. Let us become, in other words, like God is, merciful and encouraging.

God comforts Jesus Christ also like God, also comforts, also consoles, and we are to become like that. So, as we get now on to verse 4 of 2 Corinthians chapter 1, who comforts us in all our tribulations. So, when you and I are in trials and difficulties, God comforts us. Doesn't necessarily say that you will remove the trials, as we heard recently at the Mr. Garipetti sermon during the winter family weekend, that he mentioned, you know, I believe, but, and he was emphasizing how many times God does not remove the trials, many times he does, but many times he doesn't, but he helps us through the trials, helps us to overcome till the end. So, he comforts us through these difficulties. So, God comforts us in all our tribulations. So, it doesn't mean that the tribulations have gone away. So, when we're going through these tribulations, and the Greek word here is one that implies a crushing pressure, a crushing pressure. When you emotionally and mentally are going through a very difficult situation, or a very difficult time. So, God comforts us. In 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 9 and 10, 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 9 and 10, we read, and he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. God's strength in us is made perfect through our weakness, our frailties, when we go through trials and difficulties. When we are weak, when we go through some trials, they, these trials, this weakness, forces us to trust God. And then, we become strong because God is our strength. You see, therefore, continue reading here in verse 9 of 2 Corinthians chapter 12, therefore, most gladly, I'll rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. When we're weak, as I said, it forces us to trust God. Those that are strong in their minds, in other words, which trust in their abilities, instead of trusting God, when a real trial will come, then they will show some weakness. So, we have to try to really put our trust in God.

And then, in Romans chapter 8 verse 31 through 39, Romans chapter 8 verse 31 through 39, Romans 8 Yeah, it's a section that if God is for us, who can be against us? That's Paul writing out in Romans.

And then, he goes down into verse 35, who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

What is going to separate us from God's love? Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, health. What will separate us from God? From God's love, from the love of Christ. You see, because later on in verse 38, he says, For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creative thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The love that God has for you and I is inseparable.

We need to understand that God has so much outgoing concern for us. He cares for us as his children. He's given us his only Son, and Christ died for us. And why? Because he loves us. He cares for us. He cares for us. So nothing will separate us from God's love towards us.

And God, if we are sinning, God wants us to repent. But he always loves us. But he wants us to repent. In Philippians chapter 1, Philippians chapter 1, he has another little nugget which is so, so encouraging. Philippians chapter 1 verse 6, it says, Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you, God who called you, and through God we receive many benefits through whom God delegated a lot of the work to be done through Christ and through his power. For he who has begun a good work in you will complete it.

Until the day of Jesus Christ. God will complete the work that he has started in you and I.

We don't have to have any doubt. God will complete it. Unless you and I turn our backs on him. But God will complete it. His work in us. So quite often we think, oh well, preach the gospel. And yes, we need to preach the gospel. That's God's work. But a very important additional part of God's work, which is not just preaching the gospel, is changing us from carnal mind, from carnal nature to divine nature through the sanctification of God's holy spirit for obedience. That is the greatest work changing a rebellious carnal mind to an obedient and loving and care being that is becoming over a period of time. As a being, as a person, with the help of God's early spirit, through the sprinkling of Christ's blood, that person then becomes more and more merciful and comforting and loving and caring for others like God is, like his nature. So the purpose of God comforting us as we read and we go back to reading in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 4, it says, it confers us in all tribulations that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble. We have to pass the gift. As Mr. Cubich used to say through LifeNets, we gotta pass the gift, pass the gift to others. We are comforted by God. We need to comfort others. So we need to become comforters, encourages, help us.

We need to become helpers. And then we continue now in verse 5, for as the sufferings of Christ abounding us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.

The sufferings of Christ abounding us. Well, you look in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 from verses 23-28. I'm not going to read it now, but Paul gives a complete resume of his sufferings. Whooped 39 slashes five times, beaten over rods three times, pummeled with stones, shipwrecked three times, adrift at sea one night and one day, various dangerous journeys that he went through, dangers in rivers with robbers from his own people, from gentiles in a city, in the wilderness at sea, danger from false brothers, various hardships that he went through in sleepless nights, often hungry and thirsty, cold and exposed, and with daily anxiety for the well-being of the brethren in the church. You see, Paul went through a lot of sufferings and look at Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1 verse 24. Colossians chapter 1 verse 24. Another beautiful scripture that we need to remember because yeah, Paul says in verse 24, I now rejoice in my sufferings.

Can we say that?

When we go through trials and difficulties and health issues, I rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.

You see, Christ suffered for us, but we are part of Christ's body, spiritual body, the church, and Christ's body suffered afflictions, and we as part of Christ's body fill up, fill up in our flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.

For instance, there are certain sicknesses and illnesses and difficulties and problems that Christ doesn't go through.

For instance, Christ doesn't suffer certain types of physical pain.

He doesn't suffer maybe an illness like cancer, and we fill up so that somebody, a number of people in God's kingdom, as then spirit beings, which is us then spirit beings in God's kingdom, will be able to have compassion and mercy and console and comfort those that have gone through trials because we've been there, and we went through such sufferings. We fill up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the church. And so the bride of Christ goes through sufferings like Christ had to.

Why? So that in the resurrection, we may be a compatible wife to Christ. A wife meet for him, compatible. In other words, he's going to marry a bride with the same empathy, the same love, the same mercy, and feeling for fellow human beings.

When Jesus Christ sets up his government, he wants help us.

Help us fit. Help us to help him who feel as he does with the same mercy and empathy that he has for others. And now continuing in verse 6. Second Corinthians chapter 1 verse 6. Now, if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation. It was to help you endure because we go through the same trials, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings, which will also suffer.

On the other side, if or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation as well.

You see, for the same end result. If we suffer, it's for your consolation and salvation.

If we comforted, it's for your consolation and salvation.

You see, we all in the body of Christ will suffer different stresses, different challenges, different persecutions and trials, but that helps us to develop a godly patience and a godly endurance.

Now, in verse 7. And our hope for you is steadfast because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so you also will partake of the consolation. If you go through the same sufferings, you will also be strengthened by God and you also go through the comfort.

Now, into verse 8, the first part of verse 8.

4. We do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia.

Now, what trouble, what problem did Paul have in Asia? Now, as you do study in various commentaries, there are different possibilities. First, for instance, the Jews will lie in wait to kill him.

We see that in Acts 20 verse 3. In Acts 20 verse 3, he says, and stayed three months, and when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. So, maybe he was some Jews were lying in wait to kill him. Maybe that was one of the problems that he had in Asia. Another possibility that some people say is that it could have been the insurrection raised by the Mitrus and fellow craftsmen. And that is in Acts 19 verse 23. Acts 19 verse 23. So, he says, and about that time there arose a great promotion about the way, and 24 for a certain man, the Mitrus, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. And then, as we know the story, there was a big commotion and a war problem that developed. So, maybe a possibility could have been that.

Another situation is that because he was stoned to death in Lystra. In Acts 14, in Acts 14, verse 19 through 20, we see, and when Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there, and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposed him to be dead. Well, probably he was dead. They dragged him out of the city. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up. It's like he resurrected. He came alive and went into the city. So, could it have been one of the problems that he had in Asia was that? Now, in 1 Corinthians 15 verse 32, it also talks about 1 Corinthians 15 verse 32. He says, if in a manner of man I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? So, did he fight with beasts?

Literally. Question mark. It could have been that maybe he was sentenced to death, and there, you, as a death sentence, he was put in an arena to be killed there. He was sentenced to death.

Which ever one it is, because the Bible is not clear for sure which one it is, he went through trials. Maybe it was even something else that the Corinthians knew that it's not even mentioned in the scriptures. But let's continue reading in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 8, this latter part. It says that we were burdened beyond measure above strength so that we're despaired even to life. So, we were burdened beyond measure that we despaired even of life. In other words, that stress was so profound that it weighed so heavily upon him or them, because it says we, that there was no way out of this trial. So, it was like a case that if he was despairing, despairing, and unless God would deliver him, he was good as dead. And now look at verse 9. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves. The Greek word iafocentus, 610, this Greek word implies a judicial decision. It literally implies a judicial decision. So, it seems therefore to imply that there was the passing of an official resolution to give him the death sentence. It was a death sentence had been pronounced upon Paul and maybe others, and could therefore, because of that, they were thrown into the arena, and so that he and or they didn't see any hope out. No way out, except that God delivered them.

Look at verse 10. Who delivered us from so great a death? God delivered us from so great a death. So, whichever this trial was, wherever it was, whether it was the Jews lying in wait to kill him, whether there was the situation of Demetrius, whether there was because he was being stung to death in Lystra, maybe it was literally that he fought with beasts, or rather he was in arena with beasts in Ephesus. Whatever it was, it seems obviously the Corinthians knew what it was.

He was delivered, or they were delivered. And therefore, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. He trusted in God who raises the dead. And God delivered them. Look at verse 10. Who delivered us from so great a death? Delivered us from so great a death?

And does deliver us, you know, we trust that he will still deliver us.

So, we still believe, we believe that God will deliver us whatever additional trials we may have, God will deliver us. Verse 11. You're also helping together in prayers for us. You see, prayers for the brethren are effective. When we pray for others, God intervenes. Prayers make a difference. Sometimes we don't want to ask other people to pray for us, but you know, it is good to get others to pray for us. Because he says who delivered us, and, I'll be part of the verse 11. You also helping together in prayer for us.

That thanks may be given by many persons on your behalf, on our behalf, for the gift granted to us through many. The gift granted to us through many. The gift of their life being spared, of the favor that they received from God, the divine answer that they received through many, through many people's prayers. Prayers are effective. We should not be shy in asking others for prayer when there is a time for that. Verse 12. For our boasting is this. The testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity. Our conscience is this. I can say with complete honesty that that we conducted ourselves in simplicity. It was not in duplicity, but in simplicity and godly sincerity. Not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God and more abundantly toward you. In other words, our conscience, in a sense, is our witness. You see, the boasting is the testimony of our conscience. Our conscience is our witness that we did it honestly and sincerely. Now, our conscience needs to be transformed. Our mind needs to be transformed. That is also true.

You read Romans 12, Romans 12, verses 1 and 2. Let's look at Romans 12, verses 1 and 2.

Talking about the conscience. Romans 12, verses 1 and 2. It says, I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, only acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing our mind.

Our minds, our conscience, needs to be renewed. We need to be changed from the old man to the new man.

Our thinking process needs to be retrained. Our conscience needs to be retrained.

And we have to fight a good fight, and with faith, and a good conscience. As we read in 1st Timothy 1, verse 19. Fight the good fight with faith, and with a good conscience. Let's also look in Hebrews chapter 9.

Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 14. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 14. It reads, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit, offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Christ's sacrifice cleanses, clears, washes our conscience from dead works to serve God, to living works of service to God and fellow man. And look at also in chapter 10.

Hebrews chapter 10 verse 22. Hebrews chapter 10 verse 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. You know, through Christ's blood, as we, after we baptize them, as we use God's only spirit, and God's only spirit in us, helps us to change and to become more and more like him. Our hearts are sprinkled by Christ's blood, our high priests, our heavenly high priest, from an evil conscience. And so it's talking here in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 12, that Paul did what he did with great sincerity and honesty. And now in verse 13, for you're not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. In other words, we're not preaching different things one thing, one day one thing, another day a different thing.

You know, the Gospel, the preaching of the Gospel, what are we writing, is consistent.

Is consistent. There's no deception, no duplicity. It's straight, it's simple. In other words, it's just one message. And then it continues here in verse 14, as also you have understood as in part that we are your boast as you also are ours in the day of Lord Jesus. So as you understood the Gospel from us, and we are your reason to be proud and vice versa.

In other words, they could boast in the work they're going to have done through Paul, because they knew Paul had come there to preach the Gospel, and thereby this church in Corinth, this congregation, was raised up. Whilst the false accusers were saying that Paul had ulterior motives. And likewise, Paul can boast about those Christians that he helped as a servant of God, of Christ, with the help of God's early spirit. He helped serving God for these people to become true Christians, and to be baptized, and to be converted, and receive God's early spirit, and work on changing their lives. So it was a mutual opportunity to boast, as he says, that we are your boast as you also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus. So when Christ comes and we get our rewards, then it is a time to rejoice for the service that we receive through God's ministers, and for God's ministers to rejoice for those people that have been converted through the labor of love. Verse 15, and in this confidence I intended to come to you before that you might have a second benefit. And so he intended Paul's original plan was to visit Corinth twice, but plans changed. So you see, I intended to come to you before that you might have a second benefit, because I intended to pass by way of you to Macedonia to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. And so let me just share you this map.

So we can see, yeah, his intention that he was originally, when he wrote the first epistle, he was in Ephesus. So it appears that his intention was to go and sail from Ephesus to Corinth.

From then they go to Macedonia, and then to come back via Corinth to go back to Judea to take that gift of help because of the famine and problems they had there. So his intent was originally to do that and then go over to Macedonia and then come back. It appears that that was his intent. But he changed it. He changed it. His plans changed it.

And therefore what he ended up, as we can see, he went up here, and then why did he go up there? Well, we'll see a little later when, at the end of the chapter, he explains that he wanted to give them an opportunity to repent because when he heard about their son and he wrote to them 1 Corinthians, he did not want to visit them straight away because he wanted to give them an opportunity for them to repent. That's what it appears when we read verses 22 and 23 of the first chapter, which we will address at another time. So because of that, he then decided to wait and then he wanted to get news from Titus that Titus would bring them news or bring Paul news whether they had repented or not. And so he, because and therefore there he went to throw us to see for Titus, but Titus wasn't there. Then he went to Macedonia and then there he saw Titus.

And then from there he went to Corinth and then he came back on the trip to go to Judea. So his trip actually changed. His plans changed. Look at verse 16, to pass by way of you to Macedonia and to come again from Macedonia to you and be helped by you on my way to Judea. So that seems to be that that was his intent originally. But because he wanted to see that, give them an opportunity to repent, it's not because he vacillated, not because he wasn't sure. But look at verse 17. Therefore when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? No. All the things I plan, do I plan according to flesh? Then with me there should be yes, yes, and no, no.

You see, the accusers were accusing Paul that he had vessel, vacillated, that he wasn't sure.

The accusers are saying, well you can't trust Paul's word, he said he was going to come, but he didn't come, and whatever it is. So and then he says, no, there was a reason for that. And look at it in verse 18. But as God is faithful, God is faithful, God does not lie.

Our word to you was not yes and no. You know, it was our word was not yes, no, maybe, yeah, vacillating all the time. The reason why plans change, it was a valid reason.

In other words, he was not saying yes, one thing, and meaning something else. There was no duplicity in his plans. It's just a case that the plans changed. Sometimes plans do change.

And then he says, God is faithful, just as God is faithful.

Verse 18, but as God is faithful, our word to you was not yes and no, but not vacillate. Verse 19, for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among us, among you by us, by me, Sylvanias and Timothy, was not yes and no, but in him was yes. The gospel of Christ, the message of Christ, what Christ has done for us, redeemed our lives, is not yes, maybe this, maybe that, was not wavering, but it was sure, it was solid. It was through him, through Christ, was a promise that is faithful, a promise that is true. Now let's read verse 20. For all the promises of God in Christ, through Christ, are yes and in him, amen, in him, yes, surely, verily, I agree, and in him, yes, I agree, to the glory of God through us. And so, the gospel of Christ, the message that Paul was giving about the good news or what Christ has done to open up the way for us to understand the gospel of the kingdom, it's true, it's solid, it is to God's glory. It's yes, yes, yes, it's faithful. Verse 21, now he, that's God, who establishes us with you in Christ, and as anointed as is God. It is God who establishes us, who makes us firm, who calls us, who gives us the opportunity. It's God that establishes us in this truth that calls us.

It's God that anointed us. In other words, that's consecrated us.

Anointing, as we know, was set, was to set apart kings and special servants.

Anointing. And so, God sets us apart. How? Through receiving God's early spirit, and oil is symbolic of that. Anointing, so of receiving God's Holy Spirit. So, as we receive God's Holy Spirit, in a sense, we anointed. We anointed by God.

Verse 22, who also has sealed us. Now, sealing. Now, in old days, young people probably don't remember that, but I remember when I was young, if you received the letter that was sealed, you know, where you closed the envelope, you took... I remember in old days we had like a little red thing, and with my parents we would put a candle or something like that, and that would melt. That red thing would melt like a wax, and then you had a little stamp, and you'd stamp on that part of the envelope, and you'd seal that envelope, and that would show that that envelope, when it was received by somebody else, it had not been tampered with. Likewise, some documents, at the end of the document, you have a signature, and then you had a seal, the same seal, and a stamp on top of it to show authenticity.

And so, this seal shows authorship, ownership, authenticity, and protection. Like an example that a letter is not being tampered with. So, we are sealed, that we belong to God, and we are sealed, how? With God's Holy Spirit, that God owns us, and then, and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. And so, God's Holy Spirit in our hearts is a guarantee, is earnest money, it's a pledge, it's a small down payment on eternal life. The redemption of our bodies is still to come, but the giving of the Holy Spirit for us to be the first fruits of the Spirit is a down payment, a guarantee. It's the earnest that we will have eternal life. And so, we are four important verbs, establishing us, making us firm, giving us the opportunity, anointing us with His Spirit to be set apart for a specific purpose in the Kingdom of God.

Then He has sealed us, showing God's authority and sealing and protection and authenticity and ownership that belong to God, and the guarantee, the guarantee that we will receive eternal life. And so, we can look now, very briefly, at a few scriptures that talk about the Holy Spirit being a guarantee. Look at the first one, Ephesians chapter 1, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 12 through 14, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 12 through 14, and it says that he who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of his glory. In him you also trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. So, he's sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, verse 14, which is a guarantee of how inerrant us until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the redemption of our bodies, then redeemed from physical to spiritual, the purchased possession to the praise of his glory.

Look at 2 Peter chapter 1, 2 Peter chapter 1, 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 3 and 4. 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 3 and 4 says, as he's divine power, that's God's Holy Spirit, has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him, who call this by glory and virtue, by which divine power, by God's Holy Spirit, have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. So, God's Holy Spirit, we receive through God's Holy Spirit, through what Christ done and for his Christ gives us, baptizes us with the Holy Spirit, which proceeds from the Father, God's Holy Spirit. Through God's Holy Spirit, we have great promises so that we can have the divine nature. And look at verse 11. Verse 11 of the same 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 11, for an inheritance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through the working of God's Holy Spirit, the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, as it works through us and goes through this process of growth, as you see in verses 5 and 6 and 7, goes through this process till we go from adding to your faith, virtue, and knowledge, etc., until we reach godly love, outgoing concern, the nature of God. That's what it is. So, we have that Holy Spirit from God that gives us great promises. Then in Romans 8 verse 23, Romans 8 23, it shows also that the Holy Spirit is that when we receive the Holy Spirit, it is, let's have a look, not only that, but we also have the first fruits of the Spirit.

Even we ourselves grant within ourselves eagerly waiting for the adoption or sonship, the redemption of our body. You see, we have the first fruits of the Spirit. We have God's Holy Spirit. We are the first fruits of the Spirit, not yet redeemed, not yet changed to Spirit being, not yet at the resurrection. Pentecost symbolizes receiving the Holy Spirit and becoming the first fruits of the Spirit. We will become first fruits to God at the first resurrection, at Christ's second coming, which is symbolized by trumpets, if we remain faithful till the end. And then in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 5, 2 Corinthians 5 verse 5, we read, Now he who has prepared for us this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

The Spirit as a guarantee that one day we will have eternal life in God's family. So continuing in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 23. And now it discusses here why Paul changed his travel plans. He says, Moreover, I call God as a witness against my soul that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. In other words, I decided not to do that, going there first, and then a second group. I came not immediately to Corinth to give them a chance to repent, to give them a chance to change. After he had heard that they had all these problems, after he had heard that they had all these difficulties, he wanted them to have a chance to repent before you go and see them.

You see, to spare you I came no more to Corinth. In other words, he wanted to give them an opportunity to repent. Verse 24, Not that we have dominion over your faith, but we are fellow workers of your joy.

For by faith you stand. Or as the King James Version says, we are helpers of your joy.

We, as God's ministers, we are servants to you, to serve you, to help your joy.

There should be joy and excitement in obeying God. And we, as God's ministers, are helpers of your joy. We don't rule over you. We don't have dominion over you. We are to help you.

And in 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 2 and 3, 1 Peter chapter 5, 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 2 and 3, 1 Peter chapter 5, verse 2, he says, As the elders, or the shepherd of the flock, to the elders, shepherd of the flock, which among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly, not being lords of those entrusted to you, but being an example to the flock.

We are overseers, not lords. We have a responsibility to help you, help you on the way to Christ, on the way to the kingdom of God. We are to help you with your joy of being in the kingdom of God.