Wednesday in the Word with Krisan Marotta

View Details

This episode closes the Start Strong series by asking a question many believers quietly carry: if we are no longer under the law, what keeps us from drifting back into sin? In Galatians 5:13–24, Paul’s message is both freeing and searching: true faith does not lead us to use freedom as an excuse for sin, but to become people who increasingly love what is good.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul wrote to the Galatians and how he answers the claim that grace leads to moral collapse
What Paul means by “the flesh” and why self-reliance can never produce true holiness
How freedom from the law is not freedom to sin, but freedom to love and serve others
Why a changed life does not earn salvation, but does testify to the reality of saving faith

By the end of this episode, listeners will better understand why the Christian life is not sustained by fear, technique, or external pressure, but by God’s Spirit at work within us. It is an encouraging reminder that holiness grows not from trying harder in our own strength, but from trusting the God who changes broken people from the inside out.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

Most people fail at Bible study because no one ever taught them how. Bible Study Boot Camp fixes that: one short email a day for a week, plus a worksheet you can use on any passage for the rest of your life.

View Details

This episode explores why believers can have real confidence that their hope in God will not fail. In Romans 5:1–11, Krisan Marotta explains that salvation does not rest on the strength of our love for God, but instead on God's love for us.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

What it means to have peace with God
Why biblical hope is not wishful thinking, but confident expectation
What Paul means by “the hope of the glory of God” in Romans 5
Why believers can rejoice even in suffering
How trials test faith, produce endurance, and strengthen assurance
Why the cross proves that God will not abandon his people halfway
How God’s love and the gift of the Holy Spirit guarantee that hope will not disappoint

After listening, you’ll better understand why the Christian life is not sustained by your own strength, but by God’s faithful love. This episode offers comfort for anyone who fears falling short, showing that the God who reconciles sinners to himself is also the God who brings them safely home.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

This episode explores how the Holy Spirit gives believers real assurance that they belong to God. Looking closely at Ephesians 1:13–23, Krisan Marotta explains that the Spirit is not only the fulfillment of God’s promises, but also God’s seal of ownership and his guarantee that he will bring his people safely into their promised inheritance.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

What Paul means when he says believers are “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit”
Why hearing and believing the gospel are central to receiving this assurance
How Old Testament promises in Jeremiah and Joel help explain the Spirit’s role
The threefold meaning of God’s seal: authenticity, ownership, and protection
Why the Holy Spirit is described as a pledge or down payment of our inheritance
How Paul’s prayer in Ephesians points believers toward wisdom, revelation, and lasting hope
What it means to have the “eyes of your heart” enlightened to see the value of God’s promises

After listening, you’ll have a clearer understanding of why the Christian’s confidence rests not in feelings, rituals, or circumstances, but in God’s own work through the Holy Spirit.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

You can look faithful on the outside and still be building your life around the wrong treasure. In this epsidoe, Krisan Marotta walks through Matthew 6:19–24 and shows how Jesus exposes the false security of worldly wealth, approval, and success. The real issue is not simply money, but whatever we cling to for meaning, safety, and hope instead of trusting the promises of God.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

What Jesus means by “treasures on earth” and “treasures in heaven”
Why earthly treasure always fails, while God’s promises endure
How your treasure reveals where your heart truly is
What it means for the eye to be “healthy” or “bad,” and how spiritual blindness distorts what we value
Why serving both God and money is ultimately impossible
How the Pharisees modeled outward religion while still chasing the rewards of this world
What it looks like to entrust your future to God instead of building your life around what you cannot keep

After reading, you’ll have a clearer picture of what Jesus is warning against in the Sermon on the Mount and why this warning matters for every believer. This post invites you to examine what you are really living for, to see the emptiness of temporary treasure, and to fix your hope on the one treasure you can never lose.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Authority and submission often feel like problems to solve or power struggles to survive. In this episode, Krisan Marotta explores Colossians 3:18–4:1 and shows how Paul reframes those relationships through the gospel. Rather than asking how to protect ourselves or get our way, Paul calls us to live as people who belong to Christ, acting in every role with humility, responsibility, and trust in God.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

What it means to do everything “in the name of the Lord Jesus”
How the gospel reshapes relationships involving authority and submission
Paul’s teaching for wives and husbands, and how responsibility differs from worth
What children and parents are called to in a relationship shaped by love and wisdom
How Paul’s words to slaves and masters speak into the realities of work and leadership today
Why every human role is ultimately accountable to the Lord Christ

After listening, you’ll have a clearer framework for thinking about authority, submission, work, and responsibility in light of the gospel.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, Krisan Marotta returns to Genesis 2:15–25 to recover a biblical vision of marriage—not as a checklist of moral rules, but as God’s beautiful design for human intimacy and flourishing. By watching how God creates Adam and Eve, Krisan shows why marriage is God’s wise provision for a need we were made to have: the need to know and be known in a uniquely human relationship.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why God says it is “not good” for Adam to be alone—even before sin enters the world
What it means for Eve to be a “helper fit for him”: truly corresponding, matched, and human
How Genesis presents marriage as God’s gift and design, not a human invention we can redefine
The three foundational commitments of marriage in Genesis 2:24: leaving, holding fast, and becoming one flesh
How “specialness,” “permanence,” and shared life reshape everyday tensions—including chores, priorities, and conflict
Why the Bible frames sexuality as an expression of covenant faithfulness: chastity before marriage and fidelity after

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer, more compelling picture of what marriage is meant to be: a covenant where two people reorder life around one another, stay committed through hardship, and learn to live as “we” instead of “me.” Most of all, you’ll be invited to see God’s design not as restrictive, but as the path toward the intimacy and security our hearts were made to seek.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, Krisan Marotta walks through 1 Corinthians 6:9–14 to answer a question many believers quietly carry: If I still struggle with sin, does that mean I’m not truly saved? Paul’s warning is sobering, but it’s not meant to crush the repentant struggler. Instead, it exposes the danger of self-deception and clarifies the difference between stumbling into sin and settling into it as a way of life.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul says “do not be deceived,” and what kind of deception he’s warning the church about
How to understand the “will not inherit the kingdom of God” list without denying either grace or the reality of ongoing struggle
The crucial distinction between momentary failure and a life characterized by settled, defended unrighteousness
How Titus 3:3–7 helps explain what it means to be “washed,” “justified,” and “sanctified”
Why “all things are lawful” can become a dangerous misuse of the gospel when it’s used to excuse sin
Paul’s correction to the “food is for the stomach” argument—and why the body matters to God, including the hope of resurrection

After listening, you’ll have a clearer framework for examining your own heart without despair or denial: not whether you’ve ever sinned, but whether you’re willing to repent, be taught, and move toward the Lord.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 8 of Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity.

Do you ever feel like a trial has you cornered, like you have to choose between trusting God or taking matters into your own hands? In this episode, we walk through James 1:1–8 and learn why James can say to “count it all joy” when life gets hard.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Who James is, why his voice matters, and what we know about his role in the early church
What James means by “trials” and how pressure reveals what we truly trust
Why perseverance is so valuable
How “perfect and complete” means mature faith reaching what it was intended to become
What “wisdom” is in James 1:5
Why God gives wisdom “generously…without reproach,” even to the immature and struggling
What it means to ask “in faith” instead of being double-minded

By the end, you’ll have a clearer, steadier way to think about hardship: not as random pain or a spiritual failure, but as a proving ground where God strengthens faith, grows endurance, and teaches wisdom.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 7 of Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity.

In 1 Corinthians 12:1–3, Paul speaks to a church that’s confused about what makes someone “spiritual.” The Corinthians had started treating dramatic experiences—especially speaking in tongues—as proof that God was truly at work.

Paul redirects them to something far simpler and far more decisive: the Spirit’s work is shown in a person’s confession and conviction that Jesus is Lord, not in how impressive their worship looks or how extraordinary their experiences feel.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why the Corinthians’ pagan background shaped their expectations of spiritual “signs”
What Paul means by “spiritual things” in 1 Corinthians 12:1
How Paul identifies the real mark of the Holy Spirit’s work in a believer
Why “Jesus is Lord” summarizes the heart of the gospel message
How modern Christians can repeat Corinth’s mistake
What true spirituality looks like in ordinary life: work, family, faithfulness, and daily obedience

By the end of this episode, you’ll have clarity and relief: the Spirit’s presence isn’t measured by flash, intensity, or spiritual comparison.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 6 of Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity.

In Matthew 10:40–42, Jesus makes a startling connection: the way we welcome His people reveals the way we welcome Him and, ultimately, the God who sent Him. This episode clarifies what it means to “receive” Jesus in Scripture, showing that it’s not a passive feeling but an active choice to accept, listen, and embrace His messengers and message.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

What “receive” means in the Bible and why it implies deliberate welcome rather than passive contact
How receiving Jesus’ disciples reflects receiving Jesus Himself (and the Father who sent Him)
What it means to receive a prophet “in the name of a prophet”
Why Jesus links “reward” to salvation and mercy
Why Jesus calls His disciples “little ones,” and how humility and dependence shape true faith
How welcoming a disciple with something as small as a cup of cold water carries eternal significance
What your response to Scripture (the apostles’ words) and to fellow believers reveals about your heart toward God

After listening, you’ll have a clearer, more biblical understanding of what it means to “receive” Jesus and why faith shows up in concrete, everyday welcomes.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 5 of Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity.

Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount with a warning that is both sobering and hopeful: it’s possible to talk like a disciple while walking the wrong road. In Matthew 7:12–29, we learn how a God-centered worldview reshapes what “love” looks like in practice—and how the Golden Rule, true spiritual fruit, and the foundation we build on reveal whether we’re actually headed toward life.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

How the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) summarizes “love your neighbor as yourself” as a call to seek another person’s good—not simply to be “nice”
Why Jesus frames the choice before us as two roads: the wide way to destruction and the narrow way to life (Matthew 7:13–14)
What it means to “recognize them by their fruits,” and how discernment protects God’s people from false teachers (Matthew 7:15–20)
Why calling Jesus “Lord” and even doing impressive religious works isn’t the same as doing the Father’s will (Matthew 7:21–23)
How the images of rock and sand press the question: are we hearing Jesus’ words and living as if they’re true? (Matthew 7:24–27)
How humility, mercy, repentance, and a longing for God’s kingdom mark the path Jesus describes throughout the sermon

After listening, you’ll come away with clearer “markers on the road” for examining your faith—not through fear or performance, but through the settled direction of a life built on Jesus’ teaching. You’ll be invited to center your worldview on God, practice love with wisdom and integrity, and choose the narrow path that leads to life.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 4 of Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity.

What does saving faith actually look like and how did Jesus define it? In this episode, we turn to Matthew 5:1–12 and the Beatitudes to hear Jesus describe the people who are truly “blessed.” Rather than offering a path to personal happiness or self-improvement, Jesus paints a picture of saving faith that recognizes sin, depends on grace, and trusts God for eternal life.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why the Beatitudes are not a checklist for a better life, but a description of people who inherit the kingdom of heaven
What Jesus means by calling the poor in spirit, the meek, and the persecuted “blessed”
How the Beatitudes reveal the sharp divide between those in God’s favor and those under judgment
The four core convictions of saving faith: Recognize, Embrace, Accept, and Lean (R.E.A.L faith)
Why future hope, not present comfort, defines who is truly fortunate
How Jesus’ teaching exposes the lies we believe about God, ourselves, and where real life is found

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer understanding of what saving faith is—and what it is not. You’ll see how the Beatitudes describe the heart posture of those who trust God rather than themselves, and why faith is ultimately about where you are headed, not how comfortable you are now.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 3 of Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity.

If all religions lead to God, why did Jesus have to die? This episode walks through John 3:14–21 to show why the cross is not one option among many, but God’s gracious and necessary provision for a guilty world. Through Jesus’ nighttime conversation with Nicodemus and the Old Testament story of the bronze serpent, we see why believing in Jesus is the only way to escape condemnation and receive eternal life.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

The tension many Christians feel between “all religions are valid” and “Jesus is the only way” and why both cannot be true
How Jesus challenges Nicodemus’ assumptions about religion, knowledge, and spiritual rebirth
The wilderness story of the bronze serpent in Numbers 21 and how it prepares us to understand the cross
What it means for the Son of Man to be “lifted up,” and why simply looking to Christ in faith is God’s appointed way of rescue
How John 3:16–17 reveals God’s heart: not to condemn the world, but to save it through His Son

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer grasp of why the cross was necessary, why belief in Jesus matters so profoundly, and how your response to Him reveals the true condition of your heart.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 2 of Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity.

Why do you still feel guilty even after you’ve apologized and tried to move on? In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks through Romans 1:18–32 to show that guilt is more than a feeling to shake off—it’s the real and serious result of rebelling against a holy God. Paul’s words expose a pattern of rebellion, death, and wrath that explains why life unravels without God, and why real guilt can only be answered by real forgiveness in Christ.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why confusion about sin and guilt is so widespread—even among Christians
How Romans 1:18–32 fits into Paul’s larger argument about justification by faith
What it means that God’s wrath “is revealed” now, not just on a future Judgment Day
How creation itself leaves us “without excuse” before God
The repeated pattern Paul traces: rebellion, death, and God “giving them over”
Why idolatry begins with what we see, captures our hearts, and then reshapes our bodies and behavior
How “respectable” sins like gossip, pride, and arrogance reveal the same underlying exchange of truth for a lie
Why God’s wrath is not a temper tantrum, but a just decision to hand us over to what we insist on having
How this bleak diagnosis prepares us to understand and cherish the hope held out in the gospel

After listening, you’ll see guilt in a new light, not as something to ignore or manage, but as a truthful indicator that you need more than a fresh start. You’ll come away with a clearer grasp of what Romans 1 teaches about sin, spiritual death, and God’s wrath, and you’ll be better prepared to understand why the good news of Jesus is not just helpful advice, but the only way out of the prison of sin and death.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Today we’re kicking off a new season of the podcast which is a special companion series to my book, Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity. Each episode will walk you through one of the book’s “See for Yourself” passages, helping you read Scripture with confidence, even if you’re just starting out. Today's passage is from Chapter 1.

Most people today assume we’re basically good—and that sin is a few bad choices sprinkled on top. In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks through Romans 6:15–7:6 to show why that view quietly empties the gospel of its power. Paul’s argument reveals that grace doesn’t make sin safer; it exposes just how destructive it really is—and why understanding sin is the first step toward real hope.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why believing we’re “born innocent” blinds us to our need for a Savior
How Paul answers the objection, “If grace covers all sin, why not keep sinning?” (Romans 6:15)
What it means to be a “slave” either to sin or to righteousness—and how that shapes the quality of your daily life
How the Bible defines “death” as more than physical dying: a present experience of decay, futility, and relational breakdown
Why sin always pays out in death, even for believers whose eternal inheritance is secure (Romans 6:23)
Why the law could expose sin but never cure it—and how it actually inflamed our rebellion (Romans 7:1–6)
Paul’s marriage analogy for being released from the law so that we can “belong to another,” to Christ, and bear fruit for God
How the Holy Spirit, not human willpower, becomes the new way we serve God “in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code”

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer understanding of what sin really is, why it always brings some kind of death into your life, and why grace is not permission to drift but the power that frees you from slavery to sin.

Series: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

View Details

Krisan Marotta, host of Wednesday in the Word podcast, joins Rob Schilling on AM 1070 WINA's The Schilling Show to discuss her book Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity. Instead of talking about why she wrote the book, they dive straight into the theology, covering what new believers need to understand and why it matters.

Key takeaways:

Repentance is more than saying sorry. It's a complete change of direction and the first step of saving faith.
Sin has both short-term consequences (bitterness, frustration, tragedy) and long-term consequences (standing before God).
Finding the right church means looking for one that teaches the Bible in a real way, not just political agendas.
Biblical worldview divides people into sinners who have found forgiveness through Jesus and those who haven't, not oppressors and oppressed.
Fellowship with other believers is essential for encouragement and growth.
Fearing God means making what He thinks more important than anything else.

AM 1070 WINA's The Schilling Show January 27, 2026

View Details

Season 27 of Wednesday in the Word begins February 4, 2026, and I couldn’t be more excited to share what’s ahead. This new season is a companion to my book Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity, and it's designed especially for those who are new to faith, returning to church after time away, or walking alongside someone who is.

Each week, we’ll unpack one key passage from the book’s “See for Yourself” section, helping you build a solid foundation, one truth at a time.

I’m also introducing something brand new: Krisan Marotta’s Bookcast—a subscriber-only podcast where you can listen to the audiobook version of Start Strong, one chapter at a time. Each chapter will release one week before the matching podcast episode, giving you a chance to hear the full teaching, then explore the biblical passage in depth.

If you’ve ever wanted a trusted guide to walk with you through the basics of Christianity—or wished you had a resource to share with someone just starting out—this is for you.

Podcast: Start Strong: A New Believer’s Podcast

Book: Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity

Krisan Marotta's BookCast - click on the support the show link

View Details

Psalm 110 doesn’t mention a manger, shepherds, or angels. Yet it gives us one of the clearest pictures of who the baby in Bethlehem really is: the eternal King and Priest who will rule over all and bring His people back to God.

In this Christmas episode, we trace how Psalm 110 reveals the identity and mission of the Messiah and how the New Testament writers apply this ancient psalm directly to Jesus.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why it matters that Psalm 110 is “a Psalm of David” and how Jesus Himself uses that authorship to reveal the Messiah’s greatness
What it means for the Messiah to sit at God’s right hand and how that image explains the authority and scope of His reign
How the promise that enemies will become a “footstool” points to a final, decisive victory over all evil and opposition to God
The surprising declaration that the Messiah is “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” and why that matters more than the Levitical priesthood
How Matthew 22, Acts 2, and 1 Corinthians 15 each reach back to Psalm 110 to identify Jesus as David’s Lord, God’s chosen King, and our eternal Priest
What Psalm 110 adds to our understanding of Christmas: not just the birth of a child, but the arrival of the One who will rule, judge, and reconcile forever

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer, richer vision of who Jesus is at Christmas, not only the promised son of David, but the greater Lord whom David himself calls “my Lord.” You’ll see how Psalm 110 anchors the Christmas story in God’s larger purpose: a reigning King, a forever Priest, and a sure promise that history is moving toward the day when every enemy is subdued and God’s people stand secure in His kingdom.

Series: Christmas

View Details

Questions? Comments? Send Krisan a text

How can a believer live with real confidence that they belong to God, even while they still struggle with sin?

In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, Krisan Marotta walks through key New Testament passages to show how God marks His people inwardly (by a changed heart that endures through testing) and how that mark becomes the basis of true assurance of salvation.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why the question “How do I know I’m saved?” is not only common but crucial
The biblical idea of God “marking” His people—not outwardly, but by circumcising the heart
How holiness is first a change in direction of the heart, not instant moral perfection
The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 and what these qualities reveal about a heart inclined toward God
How the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 describe the inner life of those who will enter the kingdom of heaven
The difference between sinners who don’t care about their sin and “righteous sinners” who grieve it and hunger for righteousness
Why common approaches to assurance—like relying on a remembered prayer or only on God’s general promises—can give false or incomplete comfort
How Romans 5 teaches that tested faith, proven through suffering and perseverance, produces a hope that “does not put us to shame”
Why God uses trials to reveal, both to us and to others, that His Spirit is truly at work in our hearts

After listening, you’ll come away with a clearer, more biblically grounded understanding of assurance. You’ll see that the evidence of salvation is not a flawless life or a perfectly steady heart, but a tested faith that continues to seek God, hate sin, and long for His kingdom. And you’ll be encouraged to view your trials not as proof that God has abandoned you, but as the very means by which He makes it visible that you belong to Him.

Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity launches January 9, but you can pre-order your copy now. Just visit StartStrongBook.org for more details.

View Details

Questions? Comments? Send Krisan a text

In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, we confront a bold question: “How do you know you’re truly in the faith?” Drawing on Paul the Apostle’s letter to the church at Corinth (2 Corinthians 12–13), we explore how genuine faith is more than appearances, more than impressive speech or credentials. It’s about the living power of Christ at work in weakness and integrity in community.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul refused financial support from the Corinthians and what that taught about his motives and their spiritual health.
How Paul responded to accusations of deceit and weakness—not by hiding, but by pointing to God’s power in human frailty.
The challenge and invitation of Paul’s command to “examine yourselves” to see whether you are in the faith.
The difference between outward appearances (strong, impressive, successful) and the reality of Christ’s power working through brokenness.
How Paul’s ultimate aim was not his own reputation but the restoration, maturity and unity of the church.

After listening you’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of how the gospel changes the way you view strength and weakness. You’ll feel encouraged that authentic faith isn’t about putting on a show—it’s about letting Christ live through you in honesty, dependence, and love for others. You’ll be equipped to ask yourself healthy questions about your own walk with God and your community in light of what Paul lays out here.

Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church Hurts

Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity launches January 9, but you can pre-order your copy now. Just visit StartStrongBook.org for more details.

View Details

What was Paul’s thorn in the flesh and why didn’t God remove it? Discover how weakness can reveal God's power and reframe your own struggles.

View Details

Paul confronts the false apostles and reveals what true gospel leadership looks like. Learn how to spot deception and follow the real thing.

View Details

Imagine your church split between two voices. One is polished and persuasive, the other quiet and unimpressive. Which do you trust?In 2 Corinthians 10, Paul shows how to fight lies without theatrics and how to exercise authority that builds people up. Learn how to spot the difference between charisma that flatters and truth that sets you free.

View Details

In 2 Corinthians 8–9, Paul calls the Corinthian church to be cheerful givers and complete a promise they once made with joy: to support their fellow believers in Jerusalem. But this appeal is about much more than money. It’s a spiritual invitation to live out faith through sacrificial generosity, restore broken trust, and affirm unity across cultural and spiritual divides.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul views the Jerusalem collection as both charity and spiritual responsibility
How the Corinthians’ initial enthusiasm faded and what that reveals about faith
The example of the Macedonians and what it teaches about grace-driven giving
Paul’s emphasis on integrity, transparency, and voluntary generosity
What it means to “sow bountifully” and reap a harvest of righteousness
How generosity reflects both love for God and love for others

By the end of the episode, you’ll see how generosity is more than a good deed—it’s a reflection of spiritual health, unity in Christ, and trust in God’s provision. This message will encourage you to think not just about what you give, but how and why you give.

Cheerful Giver: How to Sow for a Lasting Harvest (2 Corinthians 8-9)What does it really mean to give generously, and why does it matter? When Paul asks for money for the Jerusalem collection, he is doing more than asking the Corinthians to donate. He is inviting them to express their faith, restore broken trust, and unite with their spiritual family. If you have ever wrestled with when, why, or how much to give, this message will help you see giving in a whole new light.

These two chapters in 2 Corinthians give us a glimpse into how early Christians understood generosity and what it means to live as a cheerful giver.

Background: The Jerusalem Collection2 Corinthians 8-9 deal with what is commonly called the Jerusalem collection. Paul spent a lot of time in his ministry collecting money from the largely Gentile churches he ministered to. Then he sent the money to Jerusalem for the relief of the suffering Jewish believers in Judea.

In the last podcast, I argued that this collection was about more than helping the poor.

Paul was asked to make this collection by the apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem. Leaders like Peter, John, and James specifically asked him to commit to raising this money, which he did for many years. They wanted to foster a relationship between the Gentile churches led by Paul and the Jewish believers in the church in Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was like the matriarch or family head of the Christian faith. All eleven apostles started their ministry from Jerusalem.

Paul, on the other hand, ministered far from Jerusalem. He did not spend much time there. Many Jewish believers feared him or had doubts about his apostleship. At the same time, many of Paul’s Gentile converts had no relationship with the Jewish believers in Judea.

This gave Paul’s collection for the Jewish poor greater significance than charity relief. When members of the Gentile churches in Asia Minor agreed to send money to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem, each side was acknowledging that they were members of the same spiritual family.

In fact, the Jews were a crucial part of their spiritual heritage. As Paul explains to the Romans, if the Gentiles shared in the spiritual things that came through the Jewish believers in Jerusalem, then the Gentiles have an obligation to minister to the Jewish believers with material things.

To contribute to the Jerusalem collection was both an act of mercy and an act of religious conviction. It acknowledged that the Christian faith was at its heart Jewish.

In 1 Corinthians Paul had written that he was going to come and collect the money from the Corinthians. But, as we know, Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians soured. He made an emergency trip there that we called the sorrowful visit. It went so badly, Paul had to leave early. As Paul is writing 2 Corinthians, he still has not dealt with the money collected for Jerusalem. That is what chapters 8 and 9 are about.

The Situation in CorinthLet me pull out the main ideas. First, what can we learn about the situation into which Paul is writing?

We have already seen that Paul views this collection as a spiritual issue. Donating to the Jews in Jerusalem is an act of mercy and an act of commitment to the gospel.

Now we learn that the Corinthians were initially very enthusiastic about this gift (2 Corinthians 8:10–11; 9:1-2; 9:5) We see two important things.

And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 2 Corinthians 8:10–11

So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. – 2 Corinthians 9:5

First, the Corinthians were on board early.

They wanted to participate from the beginning. They were the first to start raising money. The other churches in the Greek regions were inspired by the Corinthians’ zeal. Paul told them that Corinth was eager to participate, and that encouraged the other churches to participate as well.

Second, the Corinthians did not follow through.

It is likely they did not follow through because of their problems with Paul. Some in Corinth were set against Paul. Others were not, but it was a divided and contentious church. Those troubles likely dampened their enthusiasm for the gift.

Later in 2 Corinthians we see that Paul’s critics in Corinth are suspicious because he did not take any financial support from them. His enemies might be suggesting that Paul has ulterior motives for not taking financial support from them. They think he pretended not to take support, but secretly he was siphoning off a piece of this collection money for himself. That may be another reason they are dragging their heels.

Guarding Integrity Paul takes great pains to show them that he is dealing with this money with integrity.

He tells them in 2 Corinthians 8:18–23 that a third party, along with Titus, watched over the money. This third party was a believer who was famous for preaching the gospel.

Paul explains the situation carefully. He is administering this collection for the glory of the Lord. To make sure everything is above board, two believers of very high reputation are working with him, as well as Titus. That makes four men overseeing the money.

Paul and Titus have collected money from Macedonia, and these two men have been appointed to accompany them on this trip.

He does not name the men, but there is much speculation. Paul only tells us they are of good reputation and they have been chosen by the Macedonian churches, not by Paul and not by Titus. They travel with Paul, partly for his protection, and partly to establish that Paul is not indulging in any monkey business with the money.

They can testify that all the money he received arrives in Jerusalem.

Persuasion, Not CommandPaul makes various arguments to convince them to follow through with their pledge. We want to figure out what sort of reasoning he uses.

I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. – 2 Corinthians 8:8-11

First, note that Paul insists he is not commanding them to give this money (2 Corinthians 8:-11). He wants it very clear that he is not commanding them to give. He is saying, I am sure you will do the right thing.

Is there a difference between the commands of an apostle and the opinion of an apostle in a situation like this? Yes.

Paul is not saying, I do not care whether you agree with me or not, just give me the money. He is not pulling rank.

Instead, he is trying to convince them to see the situation the way he does. In fact, he is trying to convince them to see it the way they saw it earlier. He is giving them his opinion because it is to their advantage to hear it.

He reminds them they wanted to participate. They started to collect money. They were among the first churches to do this. Other churches followed their example. It is for their benefit that they follow through on their earlier promise.

Persuasion is very different from commanding or demanding.

On the other hand, Paul’s opinion carries weight and he wants it to carry weight. He is not saying, do whatever you want and I will stay out of it. He is urging them to do the right thing.

The Heart Issue: Cheerful GiverPaul implies that one problem holding them back is their attitude toward money (2 Corinthians 9:5). They promised a bountiful gift to Jerusalem, but their willingness has been affected by covetousness. They want to keep their money.

Paul clarifies they are not being asked to impoverish themselves (2 Corinthians 8:12-14). No one is asking them to give more than they can afford. The Jerusalem church is not demanding that everyone prove devotion by sacrificing everything and giving it to them.

For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. – 2 Corinthians 8:12-14

Rather, at the present time there is great need among the poor Jewish believers in Judea, and there is great abundance among the Gentile churches. The Corinthians are being asked to respond to that need. Those who are well off are being asked to help those who are not.

Paul is assuring them that this gift they once eagerly wanted to give is not more than they can afford. The idea is not to impoverish them. The idea is that they can afford to help those who cannot help themselves.

Examples of Cheerful Givers: The Macedonians and ChristFor you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. – 2 Corinthians 8:9

To persuade them to generosity, Paul gives examples of self-sacrifice. He gives the example of the Macedonians, and he gives the supreme example of the self-sacrifice of Christ (2 Corinthians 8:9). By rights, the entire world belongs to Christ, and yet he sacrificed everything, including his life, so that his people might gain everything. The foundation of our faith sits on a man who gave up what he had so that others might live and prosper.

Paul appeals to how the other churches are giving, and to what other churches will think about them if they do not give (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).

2Co 8:1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. — 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

Is Paul Manipulative?Is this guilt manipulation? Paul says, look at what the grace of God has done in Macedonia. He reminds the Corinthians of the afflictions and poverty of the Macedonians.

From what I can tell, the Macedonians as a whole were poorer than the Corinthians, and yet Paul tells them the Macedonians overflowed with generosity. They begged Paul for the favor of participating and voluntarily gave more than they could afford.

Paul makes it clear their generosity was rooted in their attitude toward God. They first gave themselves to the Lord and then to Paul by the will of God.

The Macedonians understood the spiritual significance of giving to this collection. It was more than an act of mercy toward those in need. It was an expression of unity in the church. It acknowledged that God gave the gospel through the Jews. They gave themselves to God, and then they gave themselves to Paul as the carrier of the gift.

Their willingness to give started with their commitment to God, and they trusted Paul as God’s messenger.

In 2 Corinthians 8:8 Paul tells us why he is using the Macedonians as an example.

2Co 8:8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.

Paul is testing the sincerity of the Corinthians’ love by telling them of the earnestness of the Macedonians. The Macedonians have eagerly donated more than they can afford. Their love for God and the people of God is sincere.

So, Corinthians, examine yourselves. How does your sincerity match theirs?

Later Paul is very bold in using the Macedonians as leverage (2 Corinthians 8:24; 2 Corinthians 9:1–3).

2Co 8:24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. – 2 Corinthians 9:1-3

He says, I have been boasting to the Macedonians. Remember, you started this. You wanted to participate. I have been telling others how eager you are to give, and it made them want to give too.

But when I arrive in Corinth, I will be traveling with some Macedonians. How is it going to look if you are not ready for the collection? They have been ready for a year. You had even longer.

If we show up and you are not ready, I will be ashamed. You will be ashamed too. You would be ashamed for the Macedonians to find out you are going back on your word. It will make us both look bad.

Shame and AccountabilityCan we defend Paul against the charge of being inappropriately manipulative? I think so. Remember, Paul is anxious that the Corinthians choose voluntarily to carry out their plans to give (2 Corinthians 9:7).

2Co 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Shame is manipulative when someone uses public opinion as a weapon to force someone to do something they otherwise would not do.

Suppose you are sitting in church and you have already given what you intend to give for the year. In an overzealous plea, the pastor threatens to publicly shame anyone who does not give more. He threatens you with others’ disapproval to coerce you to give more than you intended and more than you can afford. That is wrong and manipulative.

In that situation, shame uses public opinion as a lever against you to make you look bad if you do not do what the other person wants.

But that is not what Paul is doing in this situation. If a person’s behavior truly would be shameful, there is nothing wrong in calling the person to recognize it.

The Corinthians eagerly agreed to give this gift. They set the amount, and they thought it was appropriate. They understood the gift was an expression of compassion and of gratitude for the Jewish roots of the gospel. It was an expression of their trust in Paul’s leadership in organizing this gift. In that situation, Paul says, it would be shameful for them to break their word.

Why are they not carrying through? They have an inappropriate and unjust resentment of Paul. And they are letting covetous fears keep them from being generous.

That is a heart issue. Their choices have spiritual significance. Their choice not to give reveals a break of trust in Paul and a lack of trust in God.

Paul is a spiritual father to them. He is not forcing them to give the money, but he is reminding them that serious issues are at stake. This is what Paul means when he says, I am doing this for your sake. You do not really want to break your promise. You are about to make a mistake that shows where you are spiritually, and I do not want you to make it because I want you to come back to a good spiritual place.

They need to come back to accepting Paul, understanding his ministry, embracing the gospel, and trusting God. This gift is one more indication that they are off course.

Sowing and Reaping: What Harvest Does Paul Mean?There is one last argument: if we sow big, we will reap big (2 Corinthians 9:6-15).

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! –2 Corinthians 9:6-15

We all know preachers who use this language to convince people to give them money. He who sows sparingly shall reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully shall reap bountifully. If you sow bountifully by giving me money, God will cause you to reap bountifully by giving you even more money.

We have all heard messages like that, that if you are generous to the ministry, then God is going to be generous to you.

I do not think that is what Paul is saying. Let us think about the metaphor.

If you want a big harvest, you have to sow a lot of seed. That is common sense. If you only plant a few seeds, you only harvest a few plants. If you want a big harvest, you sow bountifully.

But notice Paul never says the harvest is financial gain. What sort of harvest are we talking about?

When we think about the situation he is writing to, we can figure out the harvest. What harvest would you expect from generously giving to suffering believers? Paul tells us in this context.

God Provides the Seed and the HarvestFirst, Paul says God makes it possible for the Corinthians to have abundance so they can give generously to others. Then he tells us the result (2 Corinthians 9:8-11). God gives the Corinthians a gracious gift of financial abundance. He makes it possible for them to share that gift with others. Their abundance is from God so that it is possible for them to give.

The topic is how God has graciously given to them so that they may graciously give to others.

Then Paul talks about the result, the harvest he has in mind (2 Corinthians 9:10). God supplies seed for sowing. He gives you resources to help meet the needs of others.

And he increases the harvest of your righteousness. When you act graciously and generously, God increases the harvest that results, the harvest of your righteousness.

In this context, by righteousness he means holiness. God is going to increase your holiness. His Spirit furthers the changes he is making to make you less sinful and more holy, morally perfect and spiritually beautiful like God. God will use this to make you more like him.

God will enrich the Corinthians so they can be liberal in generosity. The Spirit is changing them to make them more compassionate and generous. God gave to the Corinthians so that they might show generosity and compassion to the saints in Jerusalem, and thereby become more generous and compassionate people.

That generosity produces thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:11). The believers in Jerusalem will thank God for the believers in Corinth. The believers in Corinth will thank God for their abundance. The first harvest is meeting the needs of the poor in Judea. The second is an overflowing of thanksgivings to God (2 Corinthians 9:12).

When the Corinthians minister to the poor in Judea, they prove to those believers that their confession of Christ is real (2 Corinthians 9:13-14).

Their generosity shows that they have embraced the gospel, that they see the Jewish believers as family. The Jewish believers will glorify God that he has worked such genuine faith in the Corinthians, and will glorify God for their generosity.

This is the harvest.

If the Corinthians follow through with their gift, all these things result. The Jewish believers have their needs met. They thank God for meeting their needs through the Corinthians. They thank God for the Corinthians and pray for them because they see the reality of the grace of God at work in the Corinthian believers.

In this context, he has something specific in mind. It is a multifaceted gift.

The grace of God is working to make the Corinthians willing to give.
The grace of God is working to give them the means to give.
The grace of God is working to meet the needs of the poor Jewish believers.
And the grace of God is working to forge a bond between Gentile and Jewish believers based on the reality of their common faith.

Equality and How Not to Misread ItGod has always used money and wealth as a tool to shape and mature his people.

The Jews were asked to give tithes under the Old Covenant. The Jews were asked to keep the Sabbath. One implication of keeping the Sabbath is that you cannot do business on the Sabbath. You end up losing money by following the law, because the Sabbath can be a good day to do business. But they were not allowed to do it.

Money pushes us to ask, what am I really counting on?

We are taught we can be generous with our wealth because God has our back. God promises an eternal life of fulfillment to those who trust him and follow him. Part of trusting and following him is giving generously when needed.

It is no surprise that the Corinthians, who struggled with many aspects of faith as a group, struggled with giving generously. You and I can expect to struggle with that same issue.

It is one thing to value generosity and another to know exactly how that should work out practically. I am not here to advocate a specific answer.

Paul’s discussion of equality invites a caution. His point is simple. The collection was not intended to bankrupt Corinth to enrich Jerusalem. It was intended to alleviate the poverty of the Jewish believers by means of the abundance of the Gentile churches.

However, talk of equality has been used to justify any number of religious and political agendas. The goal of financial equality has preoccupied mankind from the beginning.

Financial equality can be used to justify greed, theft, coveting, and all kinds of selfish behavior. Equality can be used to justify Robin Hood, steal from the rich and give to the poor. Equality was used to justify communism and the abolition of private property.

People listening to this podcast come from different political perspectives. I think we all agree it is right and appropriate for those who have more to help those who have less.

But we do not all agree, for example, on the role of government in bringing this about. I am not going to get into the politics of that discussion. That is not my purpose.

What seems clear from Paul is this: our faith at times calls us to give generously. The Jerusalem collection arose from the fundamental motivations of any follower of God. We are to love our neighbor.

In this case, they were loving their neighbor by relieving the poverty of the Jewish believers in Judea. And they were loving God by submitting to the truth.

The gospel came to them through the Jews. The gospel fulfills the promises God made to the Jews. The gospel came through the Jewish apostles who started their ministry in Jerusalem. Giving to the collection for Jerusalem was both an act of loving their neighbor and an act of loving God.

Speaking very generally, that should motivate us as well:

loving the purposes of God,
loving the promises of God,
loving the gospel of God

As we think about opportunities in our own lives, we want to use our money so that we love our neighbor and love God. That is our guide.

See: A Biblical Perspective on Money

See: What is Tithing?

ConclusionPaul wanted their giving to be voluntary.

He would not command the Corinthians to give. He urged them to once again embrace the generosity they had voluntarily chosen before. The issue was more than the practical outcome of getting money to Jerusalem.

The issue was whether they were going to live as people of faith. The issue was choosing to use their money in a way that reflected love of God and love of neighbor.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 14 How To Confront With Christlike Meekness (2 Corinthians 10)Previous: 12 Why Gentiles Gave to Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8-9 Background)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 13

View Details

2 Corinthians 8–9 records Paul’s advice to Corinth about the Jerusalem Collection. But it isn’t just about fundraising. In order to understand this event, we trace the story behind the Jerusalem Collection. We look at various passages in Acts, Galatians and Romans. so we can hear Paul’s appeal to Corinth the way his first listeners did.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Paul’s path from persecutor to apostle (Acts 9; Gal 1).
How a famine prophecy in Antioch launched the first relief gift and why “remember the poor” became Paul’s standing charge (Acts 11:27–30; Gal 2:10).
How the Jerusalem Council’s decision shaped Paul’s mission strategy (Acts 15).
Paul’s theological rationale behind the collection (Romans 15) and his prayer that the gift would be accepted despite real risks in Jerusalem (Acts 21).
Three intertwined motives behind the Collection.

By listening you’ll gain: an example of how to do a background study; and a clear understanding of the historical situation behind 2 Corinthians 8–9.

Why Gentiles Gave to Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8-9 Background)Paul devoted more than a decade of his ministry to the Jerusalem Collection. Understanding the story behind it helps us understand 2 Corinthians 8-9. Today we’ll explore the origin, purpose, and implications of the Jerusalem Collection, using events in Acts and Galatians to trace the evolving relationship between Paul, the Jerusalem apostles, and the Gentile churches.

Paul has finished his long defense of his ministry. He started in chapter 1 and ended with his plea for the Corinthians to make room in their hearts for him again. Now he moves on to the next concern of the letter, which we find in chapters 8-9.

From Defense to a New ConcernThroughout his ministry, Paul spent time collecting money from the Gentile churches he founded and sending it to Jerusalem.

Historically, this collection addressed relief from famine and persecution in Judea around AD 46-57, culminating in Paul’s delivery of the funds in Acts 24:17. At its most straightforward, the collection was a pragmatic response to material need in the region. But it is also about the relationship between the Gentile believers outside Judea and the Jewish believers in Judea, and Paul’s relationship with the apostles in Jerusalem.

We are going to look at the key events that explain the relationship between Paul, the original apostles, the Jerusalem church, and the Gentile churches outside Judea.

Paul’s Conversion and First Visit to Jerusalem (Acts 9; Galatians 1)After Jesus ascended to heaven, the first followers of Jesus congregated in Jerusalem. At this point, his followers were almost all Jews.

A believer named Stephen gave a powerful sermon in Jerusalem about how their Jewish ancestors killed the prophets and now they had killed the Messiah, Jesus. The crowd became enraged and stoned Stephen to death. Watching this execution with approval was a man named Saul, whom we will later know as the apostle Paul. But at this point he is called Saul (Acts 6-7).

Saul became a persecutor of the church, dragging Christians off to prison.

As he traveled to Damascus to find even more Christians to arrest, he had an encounter with the risen Jesus. He saw a bright light. He heard a voice. Jesus called Saul not only to become a follower of Jesus, but to take the gospel to the Gentiles. He also renames Saul as Paul (Acts 9).

For three years after his conversion, Paul stayed away from Jerusalem. He stayed in Damascus for a while, went to Arabia for a while, then returned to Damascus. He got himself in trouble and had to leave again. Finally, after three years, he made his first trip to Jerusalem as a believer.

And when he [Paul] had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. – Acts 9:26-30

In Galatians, Paul comments on this event.

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas [Peter] and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. – Galatians 1:15-19

Paul encountered Jesus on the Damascus road. Although he was now an apostle, he did not visit Jerusalem for three years. When he did go, nobody wanted to talk to him. His old Jewish allies wanted to kill him, and the followers of Jesus did not trust him.

Barnabas, whose name means son of encouragement, believed Paul. He took Paul to talk to Peter and James. Paul stayed for 15 days. Then people sought to kill him, so he left. At this point, Paul had a very tenuous relationship with the believers in Jerusalem. In 15 days, he barely managed to convince them that he was a genuine follower of Jesus, largely through Barnabas’s help. After 15 days, Paul left and did not return to Jerusalem for over a decade.

Peter, Cornelius, and the Gentiles (Acts 11)After Paul left, God gave Peter a vision telling him that God had accepted the Gentiles. God told Peter to visit the Gentile Cornelius and his family. Peter obeyed and then returned to Jerusalem.

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” But Peter began and explained it to them in order: – Acts 11:1-4

Peter explained his vision and how God had sent him to Cornelius.

[Peter speaking] As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way? When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” – Acts 11:15-18

From our point in history, we are used to the idea that Gentiles can be believers without becoming Jewish. But this was a huge issue then. Peter eating with Gentiles was earth-shattering news. The Jews were confused and upset with Peter. Peter explained his vision. They calmed down and accepted that God is accepting the Gentiles.

But the issue of the Gentiles was not settled. It had only begun.

Antioch and the Rise of a Gentile Church We see another big event relating to the Gentiles in Acts 11:19-26.

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. – Acts 11:19-26

After Peter’s vision and encounter with Cornelius, the gospel began expanding to the Gentiles. Prior to this, most of the Jewish believers who went out from Jerusalem talked to other Jews. But in Antioch they spoke to Gentiles, and a large number became believers. The Jerusalem leadership heard about this and sent Barnabas to see what was going on.

Barnabas embraced this Gentile group of believers and encouraged them to persevere in the faith. But he realized they were going to need help.

He remembered Saul, whom he had met in Jerusalem a few years back. He traveled to get Saul, whom we know as Paul. Paul worked with Barnabas in Antioch, teaching the Gentiles for a year.

Famine Relief and Paul’s Second Visit Now we come to Paul’s second visit to Jerusalem. Acts 11:27-30:

Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. -Acts 11:27-30

Several important events emerge. God revealed to Agabus that a great famine was coming. The believers in Antioch realized that Judea would be hit hard. They decided to collect money from the predominantly Gentile believers in Antioch to send to the predominantly Jewish believers in Judea.

They sent the money with Paul and Barnabas. This was Paul’s second trip to Jerusalem after his conversion.

Next we look at Galatians. Scholars debate whether what follows in Galatians refers to this famine visit. I believe it does. I go into that debate in my series on Galatians.

See 04 The Gospel to the Uncircumcised (Galatians 2:1-10)

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in (who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery), to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. – Galatians 2:1-10

Paul made his second visit to Jerusalem around 14 years later. He met privately with Peter (Cephas), John, and James. Paul told them what he had been preaching among the Gentiles, and they had no problem with it.

But the problem of the Gentiles had not been settled.

Some Jews wanted Titus, a Gentile, to be circumcised. Paul refused, and the leadership in Jerusalem agreed. They did not compel Titus to be circumcised, which Paul pointed to as evidence that they were in agreement about the place of the Gentiles in the people of God.

Remember why Paul wrote Galatians. Some Jewish believers had come to the Galatians insisting that Gentiles must become Jews. They argued Gentiles must be circumcised and embrace Jewish practice to be saved by Jesus. We refer to them as the Judaizers. They claimed Paul was not really an apostle. They said the true apostles were in Jerusalem, and Paul was kind of a renegade who allowed the Gentiles in. They claimed Paul stole the gospel message from Peter and the rest, then added his own heretical twist that allowed the Gentiles in.

Paul wanted to make it clear that Jesus made him an apostle independently of the other apostles. He first met them three years after his conversion and then only for 15 days. Over a decade later he met them again, explained the gospel he preached, and they accepted it.

Paul did not steal the gospel from the apostles and then change it. Paul was called and taught by Jesus himself, and the other apostles recognized that.

The important thing here is that they put no restrictions on Paul. As the leadership in Jerusalem, they could have said, Paul, you need to submit to us, add this, remove that. They did not.

They put only one obligation on Paul: remember the poor. Paul says they only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I also was eager to do.

In the context of Acts and Paul’s letters, it becomes clear what they meant. He is referring to the Jerusalem Collection. This is not just take care of the poor in the various cities you visit. They meant, collect money from your Gentile churches to help the poor here in Jerusalem. We know that because that is what Paul went on to do.

After all, that is why Paul and Barnabas had come in the first place. They brought money from the Gentile church in Antioch to help the poor among the Jewish believers in Jerusalem and Judea.

The apostles in Jerusalem asked Paul to continue this effort. They wanted him to collect money from the Gentiles he interacted with in his ministry for the needy in Jerusalem.

That is what he did. Paul planted churches in Asia Minor and Greece, and he told all of them to collect money for the church in Jerusalem.

The Judaizers and the Jerusalem Council After Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, Peter visited Antioch. Peter was eating with the Gentiles. He had seen the vision. He knew that Gentiles had been accepted and ate with them freely.

Then some Judaizers from Jerusalem came. These were Jewish Christians who believed that Gentiles must be circumcised and live like Jews. The church in Jerusalem at this point was divided about how to deal with this issue. They had not settled how to handle Gentile converts.

Peter knew it was okay to eat with the Gentiles. He knew God had accepted them without becoming Jews. But when these Jewish believers came from Jerusalem, Peter was afraid there would be a big blowup. To avoid a huge confrontation, Peter stopped eating with the Gentiles.

Paul publicly rebuked Peter because Peter was sending the wrong message about the Gentiles. We read about that in Galatians 2.

See: 05 Did Jesus Die for Nothing? (Galatians 2:11-21)

The end result was a meeting in Jerusalem to deal with this issue. We read about that meeting in Acts 15. Paul presented his case. The Judaizers presented theirs.

In the end, both Peter and James stood up and strongly supported Paul’s position. They decided to send a pronouncement from Jerusalem to the Gentile churches, saying what they decided.

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. – Acts 15:22-31

For our purposes, notice the important place that the Jerusalem leadership had in the life of the entire church. Jerusalem functioned like the supreme court. When they settled a dispute, that settled it for the churches everywhere.

The leaders in Jerusalem wrote an official letter to the other churches. Basically, they said Gentiles do not have to become Jews and live like Jews to be believers. We are not going to require you to become Jews, but we ask you to respect issues very sensitive to your Jewish brothers. Paul delivered this letter to Antioch, and they rejoiced.

This means that twice the Jerusalem church pronounced that they approved of Paul. They approved of Paul’s teaching. They were okay with the growth of Gentiles who were not becoming Jews. This is what God wants, and we approve.

Paul then resumed his ministry to the Gentiles, traveling through Asia Minor and Greece planting churches. But he did not see himself as independent of Jerusalem. He did not want the Gentile churches to see themselves as independent of Jerusalem.

The Gentile churches had a connection back to the Jerusalem church. One way they fostered this connection was through the collection of money from the Gentiles to send back to Jerusalem.

Instructions to Corinth We next read about the Jerusalem Collection in 1 Corinthians.

Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. – 1 Corinthians 16:1-4

Paul told the Corinthians that he had given the churches in Galatia instructions on how to collect money for Jerusalem. Now he gave them the same instructions. He said let each person set aside some money on the first day of the week. Then when Paul came he would arrange to have the money sent to Jerusalem.

That is not how it turned out. Paul had to make an emergency visit to Corinth to deal with a bad situation. Some man was causing a lot of trouble and publicly attacked Paul. There was so much turmoil that Paul had to leave before dealing with the collection. As Paul wrote Second Corinthians, he had still not returned to Corinth.

The issue of the collection for Jerusalem had not been resolved. That is what we are going to see in 2 Corinthians 8-9. Paul was writing to them about how to handle this collection. As you might imagine, it is complicated with a group like the Corinthians.

Paul’s Concerns I want to look at one more letter where Paul mentions the Jerusalem Collection. Paul wrote Romans after 2 Corinthians. Titus brought 2 Corinthians to Corinth. Paul followed afterward. While he was in Corinth he wrote the letter to the Romans. In Romans 15 we read Paul’s last comment about the Jerusalem Collection.

This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ. I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. – Romans 15:22-33

Paul was writing to the Romans from Corinth. He told them that Macedonia and Achaia (where Corinth is) had been pleased to contribute to the Jerusalem Collection. Evidently Paul had settled things with the Corinthians. They agreed to make their contribution. Paul was going to take it to Jerusalem.

In Romans 15:27 he said, Paul emphasized the relationship between the Gentiles outside Judea and the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. The Gentiles were indebted to the Jewish church in Jerusalem. The Gentiles shared in spiritual blessings provided by the Jewish church in Jerusalem. Therefore, it was appropriate for the Gentiles to share material blessings with the Jewish believers in Jerusalem.

This strongly suggests that Paul did not see the Jerusalem Collection as just any gift to the poor. This was a gift from Gentile churches acknowledging their connection to and debt to the Jewish believers and leadership in Jerusalem.

Paul was worried about how he would be received when he visited Jerusalem with this money. He had good reason to be worried.

Arrival in Jerusalem and Arrest When Paul finally arrived in Jerusalem, he greeted James and the other elders in the Jerusalem church. They warned Paul that some in Jerusalem had been spreading lies about him. His critics claimed that he was teaching that the Jews should stop being Jewish, stop practicing the law, and stop circumcising their children.

Paul did not teach this. To vindicate himself, they advised Paul to do something Jewish. They advised him to pay for a vow along with a group of men so that everyone would see he had not abandoned his Judaism.

Paul agreed, but this advice did not turn out well.

Then Paul took the men, and the next day he purified himself along with them and went into the temple, giving notice when the days of purification would be fulfilled and the offering presented for each one of them. When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. – Acts 21:26-31

Paul had asked them to pray for his safety when he went to Jerusalem. When he went, he was arrested on trumped-up charges. There was a plot to kill him. To save his life, Paul appealed to Caesar, and he was taken to Rome as a prisoner.

His other prayer request was that his service for Jerusalem would be acceptable to the saints. Paul wondered how they would respond when he delivered the money he had collected. It was a legitimate fear because some there believed he was an enemy of Judaism.

He was bringing money from Gentile churches, but the whole issue of the Gentiles was the sticking point with the church in Jerusalem to begin with. Would they recognize his spirit of service, or would old tensions remain? He was genuinely concerned about how he would be received when he brought this collection.

What the Jerusalem Collection Was Meant to DoLet’s put this together. I think we see three elements to the Jerusalem Collection. It had three goals.

Care for the needy. There was a great need in Judea. This collection was motivated in part by a desire to help in the coming famine. It was an act of compassion: people with abundance helping those in need.
Strengthen the relationship between Gentile and Jewish believers. There were great needs everywhere, yet Paul did not collect money for the poor everywhere. The Gentiles were asked to think of the needs of their Jewish brethren and remember they are one church.
Affirm unity between Paul and the original apostles. Jesus called Paul to be an apostle apart from the original twelve. Paul ministered to Gentiles far from Jerusalem with very little direct contact with the Jerusalem church. Pursuing this collection was a way of saying we are all on the same church.

Fundamentally, the Jerusalem collection was designed to nurture and maintain the relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 13 Cheerful Giver: How to Sow for a Lasting Harvest (2 Corinthians 8-9)Previous: 11 Godly Grief and Worldly Sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:2-16)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 12

View Details

In 2 Corinthians 7:2–16, the Apostle Paul reflects on a painful moment in his relationship with the Corinthian church where he chose to speak hard truth out of love. His “sorrowful letter” caused grief, but it also sparked repentance and renewed connection. This passage offers profound insight into how godly sorrow can produce lasting spiritual change.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul wrote a sorrowful letter instead of visiting in person.
How the Corinthians responded and what it revealed about their hearts.
The difference between godly grief and worldly sorrow.
What Titus reported back to Paul and why it mattered.
How we can apply Paul’s approach when facing difficult conversations today.

By listening, you’ll gain a richer understanding of how confrontation, when done with humility and love, can strengthen relationships and deepen faith. Krisan Marotta walks through the text with clarity and insight, helping you see how Scripture speaks into real-life challenges.

Godly Grief and Worldly Sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:2-16)When should you say the hard thing that might upset your friend but also bring repentance and reconciliation, and when should you stay silent? How do you tell godly grief from the kind that only wounds?

In today’s passage, we follow Paul’s emotional journey after sending a sorrowful letter to the Corinthians. As he recounts his story, he teaches us why some truth-telling heals and restores while other apologies only reopen the wound.

ReviewPaul is writing to the church he founded in Corinth. He has a troubled relationship with them. Some in the church have rejected him and do not think he is really an apostle. From chapter 1 he has been defending himself and his apostleship.

Last time we walked through 2 Corinthians 6:13–7:2 to ask what Paul means by “unequally yoked” and why that command sits inside his appeal to “widen your hearts.” I argued this is not a tangent but fits very well with the plea that comes both before and after it: open your hearts to the true gospel.

Paul is writing to a church of mixed believers and unbelievers. A group in Corinth claims to be Christians, but they continue to pursue a pagan lifestyle. Paul argues God’s people fear God. They know God will be merciful if they repent and follow him. Their pagan neighbors are taking the road that leads to death, and the people of God will not follow them. Because they are heading in different directions, they cannot be joined together.

What is the problem with being unequally yoked? Those who are taking the road that leads to death and those who are traveling the road that leads to life cannot travel together. We are headed in different directions and we are not on the same team. It is foolish to try to behave as if we are.

Paul’s concern is what the church is communicating. Being a believer means turning back toward God and agreeing with God that we have done wrong, that we need his mercy, and that he needs to show us the right way. It makes no sense to include people who will not repent, who will not turn from idolatry and immorality. It makes no sense to encourage them in their deception that they are on the right road when they are not.

Why does Paul Speak so Positively?Imagine you found this statement Paul wrote to a church: “I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.”

You might think Paul was writing to a great group of believers. Too bad he could not speak that way about the Corinthians. But he did. He wrote that to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 7:4.

How do we reconcile his very negative words with his very positive words? We will sort that out today.

Paul returns here to the story he started in chapter 2.

The Travel Story Behind the LetterGeography of the New Testament. If you have a Bible map, it might be handy to consult it.

If you don’t have a map, picture an upside-down horseshoe. The horseshoe is the land, and in the middle is the Aegean Sea. Ephesus is on the east side. North of Ephesus is Troas. Across the sea to the northwest is Macedonia, and below Macedonia to the south and west is Corinth in Achaia, which we would call Greece.

Ephesus is on one side. Corinth is on the other. To travel between them, you could go directly across the sea by boat, or you could go around the horseshoe on land, which took longer.

Paul was in Ephesus and went to Corinth for what he calls a painful visit. There was a man there who caused Paul great trouble. We do not know what he did, but the situation was so bad that Paul decided he had to leave. Presumably no one in Corinth helped Paul or defused the situation.

Paul returned to Ephesus and wrote what he calls his sorrowful letter. He had told the Corinthians he would visit them again. He originally planned to go across the Aegean Sea from Ephesus to Corinth, then travel north to Macedonia, and then come down again to Corinth before heading for Jerusalem and Antioch. He planned to visit them twice, once on the way to Macedonia and then again on the way back.

He did not do this because after his painful visit things were so bad he thought two more visits would only make the situation worse. Instead of visiting, he wrote the sorrowful letter. He sent Titus with this letter and stayed in Ephesus.

He was anxious to hear from Titus how the letter was received. So he went by land to Troas hoping to meet Titus on his return from Corinth. When he got there, he says he had an opportunity for ministry, but he was so upset about the situation in Corinth he could not stay. He kept going around the horseshoe and came to Macedonia, where he finally met Titus.

Paul began this explanation back in 2 Corinthians 2:12-23. At that point he stops. He does not say what happened. Instead, he breaks into a defense of his ministry that runs all the way to our passage in chapter 7. He reminds them the gospel he teaches is true and powerful. He says he is not adequate for such a ministry, but God has made him adequate. He has suffered many things on their behalf. He is a man of honesty and integrity and he loves them greatly. He urges them not to receive his message of grace in vain.

Last week we saw the culmination of Paul’s appeal. He says he has opened his heart to them and urges them to open their hearts to him. Now in our passage he concludes with the same idea: make room in your hearts for us (2 Corinthians 7:2-4).

This language makes it clear there is tension. You say “I wronged no one” when someone is accusing you of wronging someone. He has been defending his ministry and motives. He is urging them to abandon their negative feelings toward him.

He acknowledges the relationship is strained and that he has spoken strongly. His words could be interpreted as condemning them, but he says that is not his goal. He has strong affection for them and, in some sense, confidence in them.

Affliction in MacedoniaWhen Paul arrived in Macedonia, he still had not found Titus (2 Corinthians 7:5). Macedonia is a region, not a city. Paul founded the Macedonian churches of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

As he visits those churches, his sufferings continue. Externally he has conflicts with people in Macedonia. Internally he has fears for the Corinthians. Acts 20:1–2 says Paul went through the districts of Macedonia and gave them much exhortation. He is working while he waits, and people there are giving him a hard time. He does not say whether the opposition came from the churches, the synagogue, or the local government.

Titus Arrives with Good NewsTitus finally meets Paul and reports how the Corinthians responded (2 Corinthians 7:7-16). We already know two things from earlier in the letter.

The Corinthians did deal with the man who opposed Paul. In 2:6, the majority rebuked the troublemaker. They did not blow Paul off. They handled the situation well, which Paul calls their longing, mourning, and zeal for him. They were stricken by his letter and recognized the truth in his words. They dealt with the situation and wanted Paul to know they were not his enemies.
There is still trouble in Corinth. Some accused Paul of hypocrisy and indifference because he did not visit as he said he would. There are factions. A minority disagrees with the majority and resists Paul.

The Corinthians could have responded to his letter negatively. They could have said, “Who do you think you are?” But they did not. They said, “Paul, you are right. We are on your side. We will take care of this,” and they did.

Think of how Titus must have felt. Things were so bad that Paul left abruptly. Then Paul sent Titus with a sorrowful letter that might have made them angrier. They might have beaten Titus and run him out of town. Instead, Titus was encouraged by their response, which in turn encouraged Paul. Titus was received well.

In 7:6 Paul speaks of God as one who comforts the downcast. By downcast, he does not mean clinically depressed. He is sorrowful that he had to write such a harsh letter, worried about their spiritual health, and weary from constant opposition. He is sad and rundown because of difficult circumstances.

I would translate this as “encourages” rather than “comforts.” Comfort is not wrong, but the sense is strengthening of resolve. It is looking at the situation and God’s promises, and realizing the situation is not hopeless. God encourages Paul by showing him that things were not as bad as he feared.

Godly Grief and Worldly GriefPaul describes a common human experience (2 Corinthians 7:8-10).

Imagine you see a friend making bad decisions. You warn her. She pulls away and listens to people who misrepresent you. You pour your heart into a long message, and then you wait in silence, second-guessing every word.

Finally a mutual friend calls with good news. She read your message, agrees with you, and wants to talk.

That is what happened between Paul and the Corinthians. He wrote a strong letter that could have been misunderstood. He waited and worried. Then Titus arrived with good news, and Paul overflowed with joy.

Often these situations end in a breach. Both parties feel sorrow but stay convinced they are right.

That is what Paul calls the sorrow of the world that produces death. His harsh letter could have become one more nail in the coffin of their relationship.

But that is not what happened. The Corinthians had something to repent of. Paul pointed it out, and they repented. Their sorrow was according to the will of God.

“I do not regret it, though I did regret it” is deeply human. Sometimes we need to say things that make others unhappy because unhappiness is the door to life.

Godly grief is sorrow when the light goes on. We see our sin, recognize we are wrong, and want to be different. It leads somewhere. Paul says it produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret.

Worldly sorrow never turns. It is self-focused. It never learns. That path leads to death.

The prodigal “came to himself” before he came home. His empty stomach exposed his empty heart, and sorrow moved his feet toward the Father (Luke 15:17–20).
David does not just admit failure; he mourns a violated relationship: “Against you, you only, have I sinned” (Psalm 51). That is godly grief.
Peter meets the eyes of Jesus, weeps bitterly, and then returns to the mission restored (Luke 22:61–62; John 21).
Judas is the contrast. He feels remorse, but he never turns to the Lord with it (Matthew 27:3–5). That is worldly grief.

Sorrow is not the finish line. It is the gateway to repentance and salvation. Paul is not saying believers never look back with sadness over what sin cost.

He is saying that repentance produces no regret. Ten years into repentance, no one ever says, “I wish I had stayed in the dark.” Godly sorrow yields a life you will not regret.

Results of GriefWhen Paul says they “proved yourselves innocent,” he does not mean they never did anything wrong (2 Corinthians 7:11-12). If that were true, he would not have needed to flee Corinth and write the sorrowful letter.

He is acknowledging that they are on the right track. Their misunderstanding did not stem from rejecting Paul. They wanted him to understand they still had zeal for him and his gospel. They feared he had lost confidence in them.

Paul says he did not write for the sake of the offender or the offended. His purpose was not to punish the wrongdoer or clear his own name. He wrote so that their earnestness for him would be revealed to them. He wanted them to confront the question: Will you side with the man who opposes my apostolic work, or does my proclamation of the gospel mean something to you?

Titus reported a whole list of responses:

They vindicated themselves of being against Paul.
They were indignant that anyone would think they had turned against Paul and the gospel.
They feared that Paul had written them off.
They longed for their relationship with Paul to be repaired.
They had zeal for Paul’s ministry and the gospel.
They punished the wrong and dealt with the man who had opposed Paul.

Titus’ Joy and Paul’s ConfidencePaul had boasted to Titus about the Corinthians, presumably when he handed Titus the sorrowful letter (2 Corinthians 7:13-16). Titus must have doubted how he would be received. The Corinthians might have turned on him.

Paul encouraged Titus that there were genuine believers in Corinth who would repent and respond to the truth.

After Titus left, Paul’s imagination seems to have gotten the better of him, and he feared a bad outcome. You can hear his sigh of relief: I boasted to Titus that you would respond well, and you did.

Reconciling Paul’s Mixed ToneHow do we reconcile the strong warnings and defensive language with the positive tone here?

On the positive side, the Corinthians did not explode when they got Paul’s letter. The majority acknowledged they needed to deal with the man who opposed Paul, and they did. They assured Paul that they were earnestly committed to him and his gospel.

On the negative side, a minority still opposes Paul. We will hear more about them later. Paul knows he is still criticized for not visiting as he said he would. The church still struggles with problems from its pagan background. Some still dabble in immorality and idolatry.

When to Speak and When to Stay SilentThis section raises practical questions. Do I write the sorrowful letter or not? When you see a Christian friend seriously in the wrong, do you have that sorrowful conversation that might make them angry and break the relationship, or do you stay silent?

Paul gives a helpful guide in 7:12:

2Corinthians 7:12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God.

He did not speak up to make sure the wrongdoer got punished. His primary concern was not to make sure the offender got what was coming to him. Nor did he write for the sake of the one offended, that is, for his own sake. He was the one who had been offended.

This helps me examine my motives. Often I want to correct others so they will treat me better or so my life will be easier. I want the sense of victory that comes when the person who hurt me is proven wrong. Paul says that is not his motivation. He is not seeking personal vindication.

So I ask: What is my real motivation? If I am after winning the argument, vindicating myself, or making my life easier, I should stay silent and trust God to handle it.

Paul also wrote to awaken them. He wanted something in them to be revealed. He wanted to remind them of a truth they believe, namely, that Paul and his gospel mean something to them. He wanted to reawaken their grasp of the truth they had embraced.

Two guides emerge:

Do not write the sorrowful letter to improve your own life, win, or feel vindicated.
Do write when your aim is to awaken someone to the truth of the gospel and to improve their life before God.

We are all tempted to puff ourselves up by putting someone else down. In that situation, bite your tongue. Paul says he wept many tears writing this letter, but he wrote in the hope of awakening something in them.

In essence, we write the sorrowful letter out of love. If our motivation is to help the other person and point them to the truth of the gospel, then we speak.

Embracing Godly SorrowPaul talks about sorrow according to the will of God, the sorrow that leads to repentance. That sort of sorrow is a treasure. It is painful, but it leads to life. We should want the sorrow that leads to repentance, because repentance is something we will never regret.

If we think our words could cause the kind of sorrow that leads to repentance, that is ultimately a good thing. Be open to the idea that sometimes it falls to us to say the sorrowful words. The most loving action may be to point out the problem that leads to the sorrow that leads to repentance.

Godly sorrow is a doorway, not a destination. Walk through it, and help others find the way. You will not regret the turn.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 12 Why Gentiles Gave to Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8-9 Background)Previous: 10 Unequally Yoked: Understanding Paul’s Warning (2 Corinthians 6:13-7:2)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 11

View Details

“Do not be unequally yoked” is not a blanket ban on contact with unbelievers. It is a warning about binding yourself in partnerships that tug your heart away from Christ and deceiving nonbelievers into thinking they are on the right path.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

How this section connects to the larger context, and why “open your hearts” frames Paul’s argument.
What the yoke image means, and why mismatched bonds don’t move in the same direction.
Paul’s five contrasts (righteousness/lawlessness, light/darkness, Christ/Belial, believer/unbeliever, temple/idols) and how they clarify the issue.
What “unequally yoked” does and does not mean for marriage, business, friendship, and church life
How wise separation protects love, loyalty, and holiness without withdrawing from the world

By the end, you’ll be able to read this passage in context, understand the “unequally yoked” metaphor, and evaluate your closest partnerships with clarity and confidence. You’ll gain practical ways to keep your heart open to truth while guarding your allegiance to Christ.

Unequally Yoked: Understanding Paul’s Warning (2 Corinthians 6:13-7:2)What does Paul mean by “unequally yoked,” and how does it fit his call to “widen your hearts”? In this episode, you will learn what the yoke image symbolizes, why Paul links it to idolatry, and how to evaluate partnerships that pull your heart off course.

In the first half of this chapter, Paul appeals to the Corinthians not just to hear the gospel, but to respond to it with genuine faith. He urged them not to receive the grace of God in vain. In other words, do not let the message of reconciliation go in one ear and out the other.

Reconciliation with God is not automatic. It must be embraced. How we respond to both the message and the messenger reveals the state of our hearts.

Some in Corinth dismissed Paul because he did not measure up to their worldly standards of success or status. But Paul reminded them he is not promoting himself. He is Christ’s ambassador, sent with a message from the King.

Paul describes the hardships he has endured for the sake of the gospel to show the depth of his sincerity. He is not manipulating or pressuring them. He is pleading with them to open their hearts in return.

Is 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1 an interruption?There are two main points I want to address today.

First, the issue of 6:14 through 7:1. Many have noticed these verses seem like an interruption in Paul’s flow. In 6:13 Paul urges them to open up to him, and in 7:2 he repeats the plea. You could jump from 6:13 to 7:2, skipping the middle and it would make sense. Some conclude the middle section does not fit and must have been inserted later.

But that leaves a problem. If it obviously does not fit, why would someone stick it here?

Others say it is a piece from another letter Paul wrote, inserted so it would not be lost. Again, why place it here?

The other option is that Paul wrote it and he wrote it here. We have good interpretive evidence for that. If the call to “open your hearts” surrounds this section, then the middle likely addresses the same issue.

It may look like an unrelated tangent to us. But the author knows more about the situation. For him, these ideas go together.

Part of finding the flow of thought is seeing how this series of ideas fits. The approach that says, “It does not quite fit, let’s take it out,” ignores the very evidence that can help us understand his point.

It is better to approach the text assuming it fits unless we have overwhelming evidence that it does not. Especially when he is talking about point A before the section and returns to point A after it. That flow is significant.

Our first task is to ask: what is the situation? Why does Paul think they are being unequally yoked with unbelievers? And how is that keeping them from opening their hearts to him?

What Does “Unequally Yoked” Mean?Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? – 2 Corinthians 6:14

Many read 2 Corinthians 6:14 in isolation and conclude Paul is talking about marriage to an unbeliever. Is he?

Before we reach that conclusion we need to understand the verse in context. Once we understand the context, then we can ask whether it applies to marriage, to business, to friendship with nonbelievers, or to people who claim to be Christian but hold bad theology.

Problems in Corinth That Inform This PassageHow does this passage fit into the flow of 2 Corinthians? Paul addressed many problems in 1 Corinthians that help us here.

In 1 Corinthians 5, a man was part of the church, but his life did not reflect following God. He was living with his father’s wife, a situation not even pagans would tolerate. He was unrepentant. He was unwilling to acknowledge that following Christ has implications for how he lives.

See: 12 Ignoring Immorality (1 Corinthians 4:17-5:5)

Paul says do not associate with him as if he were a believer. His lifestyle indicates he is not willing to follow God, so do not encourage him in deceiving himself.

Some in Corinth boasting that they tolerated this obviously sinful situation. They disagreed with Paul that Christian discipleship involves repentance and a change in how they live.

Paul says he had written before warning against associating with so-called brothers, listing red flags like greedy swindlers and idolaters. That suggests a long-standing problem in Corinth about people claiming to be believers who were not. Paul urges the church not to treat the unrepentant as genuine believers.

In 1 Corinthians 8–10 Paul deals with meat sacrificed to idols. Pagan temples in Corinth sacrificed meat to idols and then sold it in the market. There was a controversy over whether Christians should eat it.

See: 22 Concerning Meat and Idols (1 Corinthians 8:4-13)

Paul agreed there was nothing wrong with the meat. He called those who thought otherwise the weaker brothers. But his warnings were directed at the “meat eaters,” the ones who felt free.

He had two warnings.

First, love your weaker brothers. Do not tempt them to violate their conscience.
Second, beware idolatry.

Paul was not convinced they were entirely free of dabbling with idolatry. He feared they felt free to eat the meat because they did not see idolatry as a serious problem. They pressured immature Christians to eat meat sacrificed to idols because they thought it was sophisticated to flirt with idolatry.

Underneath their freedom was a nonchalant attitude toward pursuing righteousness. They pressured others to do what they considered wrong.

Earlier in 2 Corinthians Paul mentioned the man who had caused sorrow. When Paul visited, this man caused such a ruckus that Paul left and wrote the sorrowful letter. The majority agreed to discipline, but presumably a minority did not.

Later Paul expresses fears about what he will find when he arrives (2 Corinthians 12:20-21). There is a clear indication that a group is resisting Paul’s moral instruction.

From this quick tour we can see a significant group in Corinth who are not listening to Paul. They call themselves Christians and think of themselves as members of the church, but they are unwilling to abandon their pagan way of life. They live in sexual immorality, flirt with idolatry, and set themselves up as Paul’s enemies.

The Yoke Image and Paul’s Five QuestionsPaul has been making an impassioned appeal about his sacrifice and integrity as an apostle. He urges them to open their hearts to him. Then he says, do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.

The image is of a yoke on the necks of two animals pulling a cart or turning a millstone. If the animals are unequally yoked, they cannot pull well together. You need two oxen or two donkeys. They must be of the same sort. To be unequally yoked is to be bound together with someone so unlike you that the task cannot be done.

Believers and unbelievers yoked together are unequally yoked. The image is clear, but what exactly is he talking about?

Paul follows with five versions of the same question.

What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. – 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

Belial is another name for Satan. In some way the Corinthians are facing whether to associate with lawlessness, darkness, Belial, unbelievers, and idols.

God’s Temple and Old Testament EchoesPaul uses several Old Testament passages to fill out this picture.

First, in Leviticus 26:11-12, God warns Israel against embracing the idolatry of the land they are entering. Then he promises to be with them and be their God.

Does this language apply to Christians? Yes. Paul rightly understands that this language carries over to all the people of God. All who belong to Christ, Jew and Gentile, enter into this relationship. He will be among us, he will be our God, and we are called to turn away from the idolatry of the unbelieving world.

Paul then uses language from Isaiah 52:11. Isaiah speaks of captivity and return. Israel has been among pagan idolaters in Babylon. Now she is called out. God is bringing salvation. Do not bring Babylon’s idolatry with you.

Paul uses this image for the people of God in this world. It is as if we are in Babylon. We want to come out and not take the unclean things of our pagan neighbors with us.

Finally, Paul crafts language that is not a specific quote which vaguely echoes the Davidic covenant. The only place I know in the Old Testament where God refers to his people as sons and daughters is Deuteronomy 32, where he is displeased with them because of idolatry.

All the Old Testament language Paul borrows communicates two things:

God will be with his people who are the temple where he dwells.
His people turn away from the idolatry of the pagan world.

What Problem Is Paul Addressing?Commentators imagine many scenarios. Some think Paul is addressing Christians marrying non-Christians. Others think business arrangements with pagan neighbors. Without context any of these are possible. But notice the appeal. Open your heart to me. Do not be unequally yoked. Make room for me in your hearts.

This seems central to Paul’s appeal since chapter 1. He urges them to listen to him, believe his love, take the gospel seriously, and deal with those who oppose him and mislead them.

If there is no evidence Paul has changed the subject, assume he has not. In this context, being unequally yoked with unbelievers most likely refers to a church where some call themselves Christians while living as unbelieving, immoral, pagan idolaters.

To join together as one church with those who thumb their nose at the gospel combines things that do not belong together.

The issue is not that some in Corinth are sinners. All are sinners. But following Christ requires admitting we are sinners and that immorality and idolatry are wrong.

What This Command Does Not MeanLet’s broaden the context with other New Testament teaching.

Jesus and Paul teach that one of the great commandments is to love our neighbors as ourselves. Every human being is a creature of God. We are to seek the welfare of others, believers or not.

Jesus says we are to love our enemies. If we followed his example, we would die for our enemies.

Whatever Paul means, he is not contradicting the law of love. Being unequally yoked cannot mean we should stop befriending, respecting, and serving unbelievers.

The New Testament also tells us to be merciful because we need mercy. It is hypocritical to ask God to overlook my many sins and then refuse to overlook yours.

When I look at any human being, I should see a fellow creature deserving dignity and respect, a fellow sinner before God. Whatever Paul means, he is not contradicting that.

This rules out ostracizing nonbelievers, cutting off friendships, or being aloof and judgmental. It also rules out shunning people simply because I do not like their theology.

Paul himself told the Corinthians he was not urging them to avoid unbelievers. When he told them not to associate with sexually immoral people, he did not mean avoid all unbelievers all the time.

He saw nothing wrong with relationships with non-Christians. He expected unbelievers to join their assembly and was concerned that Christians conduct themselves so as not to drive them away.

Paul limited his freedom to avoid alienating unbelievers. When he was with Jews, he lived like a Jew. When he was with Gentiles, he lived like a Gentile.

All this puts limits on what “unequally yoked” means. Christians should seek the good of unbelievers, show mercy, expect to have unbelievers in their circle, and treat them well.

What It Does Mean in CorinthWe know Paul was concerned about people claiming to be Christian while unwilling to live like one.

What does it mean to live like a Christian? Consider two proverbs.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The beginning of wisdom is to recognize who God is. God is my creator. He holds my destiny. His opinion matters most. To fear God is to let his opinion carry more weight than any other.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

We think we know what will fulfill us. We take the road we think leads to life, but we are wrong. That road leads to death.

To be a believer starts with fearing God and turning from the road that leads to death.

As always, some in the church want to be seen as Christians without repenting, without fearing God, without turning from the way of death. As Paul sees it, idolatry and immorality are the road to death. Yet some Corinthians are unwilling to stop following that road.

Paul compares the Christian in this world to Israel living in Canaan among pagans and to Israel coming out of Babylon. God dwells with those who turn from the way of death. God’s people fear him and trust his mercy as they repent. Their pagan neighbors are taking the road that leads to death, and the people of God will not follow them.

In that way they are different, and they cannot be joined together.

God has called us to be holy, which is to be marked as different because we follow a different road. We strive to be morally good and compassionate like the God who is saving us. To pursue holiness is to pursue the things that differentiate us from the world.

Those who are taking the road to death and those traveling the road to life cannot travel together. We are headed in different directions. It is foolish to act as if we are on the same team.

The Church as the Yoke in ViewIn context, Paul is speaking to the situation in Corinth. Being yoked together is being joined as one church, supposedly following Christ together.

The assembly of Christ’s people is an assembly of those who fear God and have turned from the way of death. Paul’s concern is what the church communicates. Being a believer means something. Being a believer means turning back toward God, agreeing with God that we have done wrong, that we need his mercy, and that he must show us the right way.

It makes no sense to include people who will not repent, who will not turn from idolatry and immorality. It makes no sense to encourage them in their deception that they are on the right road when they are not.

Applying the Principle: The Stoplight TestCan we apply this to other situations like marriage and business? Yes.

Picture a simple stoplight for every tie you are considering.

Green. Ask, “Does this relationship help the truth take root in me?” Green ties make room for obedience. They encourage repentance, respect your conscience, and move with you toward Christ. When a friendship or partnership strengthens your faith and aligns with wisdom, proceed. It pulls you toward following God.
Yellow. Ask, “Will this tie pressure me off the right road?” Yellow ties pull, even if they do not demand. Maybe the other person nudges you to cut corners, downplay convictions, or trade faithfulness for short-term gain. Yellow means slow down, define boundaries, and get clarity. If you cannot set wise limits, yellow drifts toward red.
Red. Ask, “Will this tie require me to live like a pagan?” Red ties demand what God forbids or forbid what God commands. If the partnership insists on deception, celebrates idolatry, or requires you to deny Christ to belong, that is a clear stop. Do not enter a yoke that compels disobedience.

Paul’s warning helps you sort your ties before you cinch the strap. Green ties help truth. Yellow ties pressure you off course. Red ties require you to live as if God were not your God. Any red means stop. If a tie stays yellow, set firm limits or step away. If it is green, proceed with gratitude and keep your heart open.

Marriage and BusinessIf you asked Paul, “Should I marry a nonbeliever?” he would say no. The principle he applies to the church applies to marriage. Sooner or later you will be forced to choose between following God and following your spouse. That marriage will pull you down the wrong road.

Does it apply to going into business together? There is more gray area because business relationships vary in intensity and dependence. Some arrangements have minimal entanglement. Others are deeply intertwined. It depends.

Fundamentally, recognize that nonbelievers are heading in a different direction. It is unloving to encourage them to think they are on the right path, and it is wrong to join them on that path.

Why This MattersEvery church is filled with sinners, and we need to be merciful to each other. But we cannot look at unbelief and call it belief.

We cannot say to someone who refuses to repent, “You are a believer along with me.” We cannot be a group pursuing holiness while some refuse to be any different from the world.

There are those who do not want to go the right way. Some use religion to justify their greed and lust. There comes a point where we must say, “You and I do not seem to be on the same road. We cannot be yoked together because we are two different sorts of creatures. It is important that the world know. It is important that we ourselves know that a real choice must be made.”

There is only one way to find life, and that is to follow God, the author of life. The choice to follow God is the choice to repent. We cannot do one without the other.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 11 Godly Grief and Worldly Sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:2-16)Previous: 09 Receiving Grace in Vain (2 Corinthians 6:1-12)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 10

View Details

In 2 Corinthians 6:1–12, Paul urges his readers not to receive the grace of God in vain. Though many in Corinth claimed to believe the gospel, their rejection of Paul revealed a lack of faith. In this episode, Krisan Marotta explains why responding to grace involves more than religious affiliation or claims of belief.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul presents two urgent appeals: “Be reconciled to God” and “Don’t receive God’s grace in vain.”
How some in Corinth received the gospel message yet rejected the messenger.
How Paul defends his ministry through suffering, sincerity, and spiritual fruit.
What Isaiah 49 reveals about the present “day of salvation.”
How worldly values can keep us from embracing true faith.

By listening, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of what it means to respond rightly to God’s grace and how Paul’s words challenge both ancient and modern assumptions about faith, success, and spiritual integrity.

Receiving Grace in Vain (2 Corinthians 6:1-12)Have you ever wondered why Paul urges believers not to receive God’s grace in vain? And how do you know if you have truly embraced grace? If you have wondered how to tell real faith from empty ritual, or what it looks like to live as someone reconciled to God, today’s passage has answers.

ReviewIn the last podcast, we looked at the end of chapter 5. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to stop judging him by outward appearances.

The way Paul sees the world is defined by his understanding of the love of Christ. Out of love, Christ died so that his people could be reconciled to God and God could make us the sort of people who love and follow him. In that sense, God’s people are new creations.

Therefore, Paul argues, it makes no sense to evaluate us merely by what we are in the flesh, such as by our status, talents, weaknesses, material wealth, or achievements. God has started changing us. Paul no longer judges people by their fleshly status, and he does not want the Corinthians to judge him by that standard either.

Paul gave two reasons to abandon those external standards.

The gospel itself implies we should not be judging each other by outward appearance. Those worldly standards do not apply anymore because those who belong to Christ are new creations. The Spirit of God is at work in us, making us new and different.
Paul says they should see him as an ambassador for Christ. He has been sent to represent the king. God is reconciling his people to himself through Christ. Christ sent Paul as his ambassador. The Corinthians should see Paul as the one charged with proclaiming the king’s message: be reconciled to God.

Who cares if Paul is not impressive by worldly standards? He is the ambassador for the Savior of the world.

Two EntreatiesTherefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. – 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:1

In 6:1 Paul describes himself as working together with him. The words “with him” are not in the Greek text. They are an interpretive decision by the ESV editors, and I agree with that call.

Paul has just described himself as an ambassador for Christ. He speaks for Christ. It is as though God is entreating them through Paul. He begs them on behalf of Christ. So when he further describes himself as working together with someone, it is clear he means he is not working alone. God, through Christ, is working together with Paul.

What is God’s message through Paul? God entreats them to do two things. It is the same Greek verb for appeal in both verses. There are two entreaties. In 5:20, be reconciled to God. In 6:1, do not receive the grace of God in vain.

Be Reconciled to GodWe are alienated from God because of our sins. God in Christ is reconciling his people to himself. He is not counting their trespasses against them. We will not be condemned as we deserve.

But this does not happen automatically. People must turn back to God. We must choose to be reconciled to God through Christ. Christ is calling us, through Paul’s message, to make the choice. Turn to God and be reconciled. This call is fundamental to Christianity. It makes Christianity distinctive.

Broadly speaking, human beings fall into one of four camps:

We can deny that there is a God at all.
We can believe in God, but deny that we are guilty and in need of reconciliation.
We can believe in God and believe we need reconciliation, but seek it through obedience to religious and moral rules.
Or we can embrace the basics of biblical Christianity. We believe in God. We believe we are guilty before him. We believe reconciliation comes not through our own good works, but through God reconciling us to himself through Christ.

If you do not believe in God at all, you will not see any need to be reconciled, so the gospel will not seem important.

Many reject Christianity because they do not think guilt is an issue. They believe in a God of love, but not a God who judges. They look around and see everyone else doing wrong and think they are no different. This is human nature, so God must be okay with it.

But the Bible teaches we are called to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. The standard is incredibly high, and all of us have failed to meet it in many ways.

Our guilt is real. Our alienation from God is real. Our need for reconciliation with God is real. That is fundamental to the Christian message.

We do not become reconciled to God by cleaning up our act. We are not reconciled because we try harder and eliminate a few transgressions. We are reconciled because God acted to save us. He does not count our transgressions against us, and he forgives us through Christ.

We all want to know how to make that choice, and how to know whether we have made it. There is a lot to that question. I am not going to get into a discussion of God’s sovereignty and human free will. That would be too much for one podcast. Paul’s second entreaty helps.

What Does It Mean to Receive Grace in Vain?Many commentaries argue that Paul is not talking about salvation here because the Corinthians are believers. He calls them brothers several times. He commends their faith. Since Paul did not believe you could lose your salvation, how could he tell Christians they could receive grace in vain? So, they say, it must refer to something else, like failing to bear fruit, or hindering the gospel by bad-mouthing Paul.

As you might guess, I disagree.

Let’s examine their argument.

A Mixed Audience in CorinthFirst, these commentators appeal to the times Paul speaks positively to the Corinthians. He calls them brothers. He commends their faith. That would mean Paul believes he is talking to genuine believers.

But Paul is talking to a church split into factions. Some follow and trust Paul. Others reject him. At times he speaks warmly, generously attributing to the whole group the qualities he sees in some. At other times he speaks as if they may not be believers, or as if he is unsure where they stand (e.g 2 Corinthians 13:2-5)

This is how teachers teach. Every pastor speaks to his flock as if all are believers, while knowing some probably are not. He may speak about a problem as if everyone has it, while knowing it applies only to some.

Teachers do not usually stop and say, “This only applies if you are actually a believer.” I know not everyone listening to this podcast is a believer, but I talk to you as if all of you are.

So it does not surprise me that Paul would commend them at one point and then evangelize them at another.

Perseverance of the Saints and False ProfessionsThe second step in the commentators’ reasoning is that Paul believes we cannot lose our salvation. If the readers are believers, then they cannot jeopardize their salvation, therefore Paul must be talking about something other than salvation.

I believe you cannot lose your salvation. I think Scripture teaches that if God has begun his work in me, he will finish it. Having given us his Spirit, God will not take him back. I know not everyone shares that conviction, but that is where I am coming from.

But is everyone who claims to believe in Jesus really a believer? The New Testament is clear the answer is no. Many will claim to follow Jesus, but for one reason or another, they do not really have saving faith.

Church history shows this, going back to the Pharisees.

Religion can be attractive for many reasons. Organized religion can be a great environment for self-righteousness and worldliness to flourish. We can do all manner of selfish and legalistic things in the name of Jesus, claiming we are following him when we are not.

That is why the theme of God testing our faith is so central in the New Testament. I have a whole chapter on this in my upcoming book, Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity, which will be out next year.

Genuine faith arises from a heart being transformed by the Spirit of God, such that we recognize four core convictions:

We know we are sinful.
We long to be freed from our sin and be made holy like God.
We recognize God is not required to forgive or save us.
We trust that God will forgive and save us because of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Those four convictions change the way we live. We start to flee sin and value what God values. We grieve over our selfishness and turn to God in prayer for mercy.

That is what the testing of our faith is about. Life forces us to make choices, and genuine faith chooses to follow Jesus and regrets it when we fail. Those situations force us to confront this question: What do I believe so deeply that I will let it change my life?

Paul never implies that everyone who claims to believe in Jesus is necessarily saved. When he expresses confidence in someone, it is because their faith has been tested in the crucible of life. He has seen events that encourage him about what is going on inside. When he expresses reservations, it is because their lifestyles do not match what they say they believe.

When you put all that together, the commentators’ argument does not hold water. There is no necessary progression from “you are believers” to “this cannot be about salvation.” Step one is false. Paul speaks to them as if they are believers, but he knows some may not be.

Back to Paul’s AppealSo we return to Paul’s statement: We entreat you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Paul is talking about their reception of his gospel message. He has been defending his life and ministry because some in Corinth question whether they should listen to him.

They have received this message of grace in the sense that they have heard it. Paul has explained it, and they have called themselves Christians. But some live in a way that contradicts their claims of faith. In this context, Paul focuses on the way they respond to him.

If you listened to my series on the gospel of Matthew, we talked about this issue at the end of Matthew 10 and in Matthew 25. The way you respond to a prophet of God reveals where you stand with Christ.

Some in Corinth claim to believe in Jesus, yet they reject Paul, the apostle of Jesus. This raises serious questions in Paul’s mind. Why do they reject Paul?

In verse 3, Paul maintains that he is careful to give no offense in anything, so that the ministry might not be discredited. He has done nothing to deserve their rejection, yet many reject him or call him into question.

Throughout the Corinthian letters we see why. They do not like how Paul speaks. He does not have the powerful rhetoric that appeals to the elites and sophisticates of Corinth. They say he lacks the charisma a respected teacher ought to have. His ministry looks like a failure. He is always getting beaten up and run out of town.

Even though they claim to believe the gospel, their rejection of Paul shows they value other things more than the message he proclaims.

Isaiah 49 and the Day of SalvationWorking together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. – 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

Paul quotes from one of the famous Servant Songs in Isaiah

Isaiah’s Servant Songs

Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away. And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” – Isaiah 49:1-3

At first it sounds like the servant is the nation of Israel. But watch how it develops.

But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.” And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” Thus says the Lord: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages.” – Isaiah 49:4 -8

When you put this Servant Song together, the servant is not the nation of Israel. The servant is the one who will bring back Jacob and restore Israel, and be a light to the nations. This song is messianic. It describes the Messiah whom God will raise up to save Israel and the world. We know that Messiah to be Jesus.

That makes verse 8, the verse Paul quotes, very significant. The servant feels he has toiled in vain. He is abhorred by the nation and trusts in God. This is what happened to Jesus. He was rejected by men.

But in verse 8, God says: “In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people.”

A “favorable time” here means a time characterized by God’s favor. It is parallel to “a day of salvation.” At a time when God shows favor, he answers. On the day when he brings salvation, he helps.

Isaiah makes it clear this is not just favor and salvation for the servant. It is the time when the servant is given as a covenant for the people.

Isaiah is saying a time is coming when God will raise up the servant, the Messiah, from his lowly, rejected place. That day will be a day of favor and salvation for him and for his people.

So Paul says to the Corinthians: Do not receive the grace of God in vain. Isaiah foretold a day when God would raise up the Messiah. That would be a day of acceptance and favor. A day of salvation. A day of grace.

That day is here. The time of acceptance and favor is now. I have proclaimed salvation to you. You need to respond.

Cash the CheckImagine someone sent you a certified check for a million dollars and you stuck it on your refrigerator with a magnet. Days and weeks pass. You never take it to the bank. You might even brag, “I am a millionaire.”

But the power company cuts the lights because the bill is unpaid.

You call customer service and explain that help has arrived. You have the money to cover your bills. You may even read the amount off the check. But the agent is not moved.

Banks do not credit intentions. They credit deposits.

Failing to cash the check is receiving it in vain. Until you cash it, you are not wealthy. You are just a person with a piece of paper on a refrigerator.

The Corinthians are in that boat. They received the gospel, but some were letting it sit uncashed. That is receiving the gospel in vain.

Paul is saying, there is nothing else to wait for. The Messiah came. The day is here. The message of grace has been proclaimed. Now is the time to decide what you will do with it.

No Obstacles From PaulWe put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way. -2 Corinthians 6:3-4

Negatively, Paul tries hard not to do anything that would cause offense. He does not want to do anything that would lead someone to stumble. They may stumble anyway, but he does not want to be the cause.

Positively, Paul wants them to see him as a servant of God. He asks them to look at how he has lived and conducted his ministry.

Endurance Through HardshipPaul’s list is not what his critics want to hear. His list describes what a servant of God is like, not what his critics want him to be like. Some items on the list are the very things they hold against him.

by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; -2 Corinthians 6:4-5

He has persevered through hardship. His critics do not like that he lacks the air of success. He does not have hordes of followers and cheering crowds. He does not arrive with an entourage, to public fanfare, and stay in the best inns. Often the people he preaches to try to kill him.

Many think the person who is right with God ought to lead a cushy life. God shows he likes you by making things easy, right?Yet Paul is constantly beaten and suffering. He looks like a worldly failure.

Paul says this is how the gospel is received. Some will reject it. Some will accept it. They tried to kill Jesus. They will try to kill his followers. The servant of God must persevere through hardship.

God’s Work in Paulby purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; -2 Corinthians 6:6-7

In addition to perseverance, they should see positive qualities. The Spirit of God is at work bringing these moral qualities about. Real change is happening, and God is doing it.

He speaks of the Holy Spirit, genuine love, the word of truth, the power of God, and the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left. The picture is that you have something in both hands so you are ready for the battle. A shield and a sword, for example.

The Contraststhrough honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. – 2 Corinthians 6:8-10

Look at the negatives and you have an accurate description of Paul’s life from a worldly perspective: dishonor, slander, impostors, unknown, dying, punished, sorrowful, poor, having nothing. That list describes a loser. He is not respected or successful. He does not have a stellar reputation.

Now look at the positives. Each answers the negative: honor, praise, true, known, alive, rejoicing, making many rich, possessing all things. This is the ultimate reality of Paul’s life and ministry. He is saying, this is what you ought to see when you look at my life.

You are looking at external appearances. Look instead at eternal realities.

One contrast needs clarifying: unknown yet well known. He’s speaking of reputation, not fame. Paul’s critics want him to have a solid reputation, to be the kind of person everybody knows because he is so impressive. He does not have that. He gets beaten and run out of town.

Yet he is well known where it matters. God knows him. Those among the Corinthians who judge rightly know him. They see that he has acted with love, integrity, and wisdom. Among them, his reputation is great.

Sorrowful yet always rejoicing. Many of his sorrows involve the response of people he cares about, and watching churches fall into heresy or division. He rejoices over the work God is doing in believers’ lives, and he rejoices most of all in his hope for the future in the kingdom of God.

Having nothing yet possessing all things. Paul was not rich by worldly standards. But God destined him for an eternal life of glory. He has riches that cannot be taken. In the end, he will have everything worth having.

Paul’s life demonstrates he is a true servant of God. He perseveres under suffering and rejection. His life is characterized by purity and understanding. The power of God is at work through him. Although he looks like an unknown, rejected loser, his life is one of triumph.

An Open-Hearted AppealWe have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. – 2 Corinthians 6:11-12

Paraphrase: Look, Corinthians, I have told you the straight, unvarnished truth. I have made my heart known to you, my love for you, my longing that you might find life. You have every reason to understand the truth of what I am saying and how I care for you by teaching you the gospel. If there is a problem, it is not on my side.

If something is holding you back from trusting me, it is on your side. You know the message I preach. You know the sincerity of my conduct. You know the power of God at work in my ministry. You know the depths of my genuine love for you. Those of you who reject me are doing so for all the wrong reasons.

Application: Cash the Gospel, Not the HypePaul’s two entreaties confront us with fundamental choices.

We are used to hearing that we must be reconciled to God, but that is the heart of the choice Paul presses. Be reconciled to God. There is a God. We have sinned against him. God has reached out to offer forgiveness and reconciliation. We must decide what to do with it.

Do not receive the grace of God in vain. Having heard the message of grace, do not let foolish and worldly values keep you from embracing it. Do not let this message come to nothing because you are chasing false gods.

Paul’s primary concern is their spiritual well-being, not whether he was personally hurt by their rejection. They wanted teachers the world saw as successful and impressive. Were they going to let those desires keep them from taking Paul’s gospel seriously?

We face the same question. Many look at organized church and find fault. They want a church that is more impressive to the world. More inclusive and entertaining. One that does not require lifestyle change or commitment.

But finding fault with organized religion or a particular church is no excuse for rejecting the gospel.

Christianity is not attractive to the world. It does not dazzle the elites. It can feel embarrassing. Those who are humble and sincere in their commitment to Christ are not usually celebrated by our culture. Our culture tends to mock them.

A lot of scholars today mock and ridicule Paul. You may have met people who say, “Jesus was a great teacher, but I do not like Paul.”

The Lifeboat, Not the YachtImagine you are on a party boat with friends when a big storm hits. The storm pushes your boat toward the rocks. Two other ships appear in the spray.

One is a glossy yacht with a party going on. The music thumps. Lights flash. It looks impressive, but it never comes close enough to rescue anyone. It just circles, selling the party lifestyle.

The other is a battered orange lifeboat with a crew in rain gear. It is solid but could use a new coat of paint. It is clearly well used. That crew circles in close and yells over a bullhorn: “Grab the rope. Step in now.”

You can stare at the yacht, hoping it will notice you and come to your rescue. Or you can step into the plain lifeboat and live.

Corinth loved the yacht. Paul brought the lifeboat. We can be deceived by an attractive lie. Or we can embrace the plain truth of the gospel.

Like the Corinthians, we can judge by external appearances and miss the gospel. Or we can embrace the plain truth and find life.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 10 Unequally Yoked: Understanding Paul’s Warning (2 Corinthians 6:13-7:2)Previous: 08 New Creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:11-21)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 9

View Details

In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, Krisan Marotta examines how the Apostle Paul defends his ministry against critics who judge him by outward appearance rather than by the message he proclaims. Paul insists that true transformation comes from God’s work in the heart, not from impressive credentials or presentation. Through this passage, Paul calls the Corinthians—and us—to see others through the lens of the gospel, not worldly standards.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul refuses to judge others “according to the flesh”
What Paul means by being “beside himself” and “of sound mind”
How the love of Christ shapes Paul’s ministry and message
What it means to be a new creation in Christ
The meaning of the ministry of reconciliation
Why Paul calls himself an ambassador for Christ
How Paul explains the gospel through the exchange of sin and righteousness

By listening, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how Paul frames gospel ministry—not as self-promotion, but as a calling shaped by God’s grace and Christ’s love. This episode encourages us to reevaluate how we view others, how we assess ourselves, and how we respond to the gospel’s call to be reconciled to God.

New Creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:12-21)Paul addresses criticism from the Corinthian church and explains the theological foundation and personal motivations behind his work. His message clarifies both the role of an apostle and the purpose of the gospel.

ReviewWe are still in a section that began at the end of chapter 1 and continues to chapter 7. Paul repeats three themes in this section.

Paul is not adequate to produce the results his ministry has been producing. The gospel is beyond him. He is just a man. He is not capable of inventing something as powerful and wise as the gospel.
Paul speaks with openness and integrity. He is not a salesman. His goal is not to manipulate you into buying the gospel. He sincerely speaks the simple truth as if he were standing in the presence of God.
The gospel is superior to the Old Covenant because, through his Spirit, God is transforming his people.

Paul claims his gospel has a huge impact, but he is not bragging about himself. His job is to preach the gospel, and understanding the gospel is a matter of life and death. His ministry is incredibly important, not because he is a big deal, but because his message is a big deal.

At the end of chapter 4, Paul gave two reasons he did not despair.

He does not lose heart because the reaction is not about him. It is about the gospel. If he faithfully preaches the gospel, some will accept it and some will reject it. That is the way it is. Paul admits freely that he himself is not up to the job. He is foolish, but God has given him the wisdom of the gospel. He is weak, but God has helped him stand in the midst of suffering and persecution.
He does not lose heart because he knows the outcome of his sufferings will be eternal life. He is learning to focus not on the temporary sufferings of today but on the eternal glory that awaits him.

He continues that theme in the opening verses of chapter 5.

He faces constant suffering and the threat of death in his ministry. Paul can face the loss of his earthly body with courage because he knows that life in this earthly body is not the best life. Here he is apart from Jesus. Better to leave this body and go to the existence where he will be with Jesus forever. He fears God more than he fears other men and makes it his aim to please God.

As we saw last week, Paul conducts himself in light of his future hope. He knows his sufferings today are temporary and that he has an eternal life filled with glory ahead of him.

Paul does not fear what people can do to him or what they think of him. He fears God. When deciding how to conduct himself or proclaim the gospel, his concern is to please God. Knowing he is answerable to God, he sets about persuading people of the truth of the gospel.

At the end of 5:11, Paul expresses his hope that the Corinthians would see him the same way. God sees Paul’s heart, and Paul wishes the Corinthians would see his heart. He wants his sincerity to be obvious to them.

Not Commending OurselvesTherefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. — 2 Corinthians 5:11-13

You give a letter of recommendation to someone who does not know you. But as Paul said in chapter 3, he and the Corinthians are not at the beginning of their relationship. He is not a stranger who has to introduce himself again. He has been ministering to them for years. They have every reason to know that Paul is a faithful minister of a powerful gospel.

He is not trying to convince them of something they have no reason to believe.

Why is he writing this? He wants them to understand the spirit and attitude behind this letter. He is giving them an opportunity to be proud of him. He is reminding and clarifying how he worked among them and why he did that work.

When they think about how Paul treated them, it should make them proud. They should rejoice and brag about how Paul sacrificed for them. Many in Corinth are not proud of Paul. Many criticize and reject him. He will speak more plainly about this by the time we get to the final chapters. Paul reminds them what is true about himself so they have an answer for those who criticize him.

Judging by AppearanceSome in Corinth are judging him by outward appearance, not his motives. They are more concerned with how he proclaims his message than with the content. They find Paul’s presentation boring and unimpressive. Paul does not fit their definition of a good speaker or their idea of the sophisticated elite. They judge him by the external standards the world uses.

Later in the letter, his opponents say his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible. In their eyes, he is not a charismatic, entertaining speaker. They prefer others and want Paul to be like them. Paul urges the Corinthians not to judge appearance but to judge content and motives. He wants them to be proud of his sincerity and integrity.

“Beside Ourselves”What does Paul mean by “beside ourselves” (2 Corinthians 5:13)? The Greek word translated beside literally means to stand outside oneself. It can mean to displace, to remove from its place, or, metaphorically, to be amazed or astonished. It can describe being so astonished you almost fail to comprehend what happened. It can also mean to be out of one’s senses.

Examples in the New Testament include:

Matthew 12:23 All the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “This man cannot be the Son of David, can he?” (astonishment)

Mark 2:12 And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Mark 3:21 When his own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of him; for they were saying, “He has lost his senses.”

There is also discussion about the Greek verb tenses in 2 Corinthians 5:13. The first verb is aorist and the second is present. It is possible to translate it, “If we were beside ourselves, it was for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.” That could suggest something in the past that could be characterized as being beside himself.

Some argue Paul is talking about an ecstatic experience, like speaking in tongues. In this context that seems unlikely. The immediate context is the way some Corinthians judge him according to externals. Most likely Paul is echoing a criticism of his past preaching. Judging by externals, some said he was so passionate that he seemed crazy.

If he looked crazy, it was because he was being true to God. If he spoke clearly and calmly, it was so they would understand. He may or may not have a specific event in mind. We cannot say for sure. But the context requires that it refers to how people in Corinth judge him by external factors.

Whatever led them to call him crazy, his commitment to following God was behind it. In contrast, when he teaches them, as in this letter, he is of sound mind.

Paul hopes that when they look at his life and ministry, they will see his sincerity and the depth of his understanding. In the past he may have said or done something that looked out of control. The one who judges Paul rightly will see past those weaknesses to the truth of the gospel and the sincerity with which he proclaims it.

What Christ’s Death AccomplishesFor the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. – 2 Corinthians 5:14-17

The statement “we regard no one according to the flesh” connects directly with his warning against boasting in appearance. Something about what Christ has done makes it foolish to judge by the flesh.

The love of Christ controls Paul. Whether he seems beside himself or in his right mind, his actions are determined by his understanding of Christ’s love and its purpose. Christ’s love led him to die for us to bring about a specific result. He died so that those who live would no longer live for themselves but for him.

From my study of Scripture, this is how I understand the salvation that comes through the death of Christ.

Because of sin, we are alienated from God and under his wrath. We do not deserve forgiveness or mercy. We deserve condemnation because we are guilty. Justice demands we pay the price for our guilt, and that price is death.

Jesus died to reconcile us to God. He paid the price for our guilt by dying in our place and taking the punishment we deserve so that God could forgive us and we could be reconciled to him. We call that justification.

Justification has a two-part result. Right now, those of us who trust in the blood of Christ are forgiven and reconciled to God. Because we are reconciled, God gives us his Spirit to change us from the inside out. Our choices, values, goals, wants, and desires show the mark of the Spirit. We seek God and want to be holy as he is holy because of the Spirit’s work in our lives.

God is doing this work in his people today to ensure that we belong to him and will arrive at eternal life in the end. On the day of judgment, we will not be condemned; we will enter eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.

Paul has been talking about that first benefit throughout this letter. When he talks about the new covenant, the Spirit writing the law on our hearts, and the Spirit as the down payment, he is referring to something brought about by Christ’s death.

In 5:14-15, Paul is talking about this first benefit. Jesus died to reconcile us to God so that God would give us his Spirit, and the result is that we become people who live for the one who died and rose for us. When Jesus literally died on the cross, we metaphorically died to sin. Sin no longer controls us as it once did. Now that we are reconciled to God, God writes the law on our hearts. We can live this new way because God has given us his Spirit.

Therefore it is no longer appropriate to assess believers by what we are in the flesh. If we belong to Christ, we are new creatures.

No Longer According to the FleshTherefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. — 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

Paul’s picture is not merely, “You ought to live for Christ since he died for you.” His point is more profound. You cannot judge this new creation the same way. You are a new creature. The flesh is not enough to explain who you are anymore.

To recognize a person according to the flesh is to judge the natural, external attributes of life: status, intelligence, importance, good looks, contribution to society, personality, and all the traits that make someone impressive by worldly standards. Believers have become more than that. The spiritual change happening in believers transcends worldly attributes and accomplishments.

Paul says he does not think about people that way anymore. He used to think that way about Jesus. In the flesh, Jesus was a poor, traveling peasant who got himself killed as a troublemaker. That is how Paul once thought of him. When Paul came to understand the truth, he could see past the worldly insignificance of Jesus to the true significance of his life and work.

Paul has abandoned that external standard for Jesus and for God’s people. The way to evaluate them is not their place in the world or their talents or wealth. The way to evaluate them is who they are becoming in Christ.

There is a double message. Paul recognizes no one according to the flesh, and he wants the Corinthians to do the same. In particular, he wants them to stop judging him by external appearance.

Ambassador for ChristAll this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. –2 Corinthians 5:18-21

Jesus did not have to convince God to forgive us or twist God’s arm to accept his sacrifice. God himself wanted us reconciled to him. God sent Christ to accomplish this. This is God’s work and God’s plan.

Notice the language about Paul and his ministry: “entrusting to us the message of reconciliation,” “we are ambassadors for Christ,” “God making his appeal through us.” This whole letter is about how the Corinthians should think about Paul’s ministry and what attitude they should have toward him.

First, God reconciled Paul to himself through Christ. Then God gave Paul the task of proclaiming this reconciliation to others. The message is that God is reconciling his people to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them. God will forgive and adopt us into his family. He brought this about through Jesus.

Therefore Paul is an ambassador for Christ. It is as if God were entreating them through Paul. He begs them on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

In 5:21, Paul articulates the heart of the message. On the cross, Jesus, the righteous, took upon himself the sins that were not his. He became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. The righteous man was treated like a sinner so that sinners could be treated as righteous.

In this context, righteousness points to justification rather than moral perfection. He became sin so that we might be reconciled to God.

Why This Matters for CorinthPaul wants the Corinthians to see him clearly, not through the lens of external standards. He gives two reasons to abandon those standards.

The gospel implies we should not judge each other by external appearance. Worldly measures do not apply anymore because those who belong to Christ are new creations. The Spirit of God is at work in us now, making us new.
Paul is an ambassador for Christ. God is reconciling his people to himself through Christ, and Christ sent Paul as his ambassador. The Corinthians should see Paul as the ambassador charged with proclaiming the king’s message: be reconciled to God.

There is urgency here. If you dismiss Paul because of worldly standards, you may also dismiss the gospel. Who cares if Paul is impressive by worldly standards? He is the ambassador for the Savior of the world.

Why This Matters for UsWe are not apostles. We do proclaim his message, but we bear witness to what we have heard from the ambassador. We are representatives of the ambassador, though without the authority Paul had. Still, it is true of us that, as believers, we are a new creation in Christ.

Each of us has a unique personality and life experience. Becoming a believer does not erase that. People still judged Paul by his personality. If he was personally unimpressive before he became a believer, he remained personally unimpressive after, and the Corinthians pointed that out.

The person who belongs to Christ has something else: the work of the Spirit of God. In John 3, Jesus said the Spirit’s work is like the wind. You cannot see it, but you can experience its effects. Jesus describes it in the Beatitudes: poor in spirit, humble, merciful, hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians: love, patience, joy, and kindness.

Both things are true of believers. We are who we are, and we are still sinners with strengths and weaknesses. But the Spirit is changing us and making us new creatures. Those changes will be real, visible, and tangible.

When another believer hurts or offends me, I should remember both facts. That person is still a sinner and will sometimes act badly. But that person is also a child of God who is learning, growing, and changing. I can forgive and pray for them because the same is true of me.

We are all inclined to judge by externals, not just appearance but the whole set of values we use to measure who is worthy. We judge ourselves and others by the qualities the world tells us are most valuable. We are either happy or unhappy with ourselves depending on how we score on those scales.

The gospel tells us what is truly valuable. Like Paul, we should learn to say to others: When I look at you, I do not think about how impressive you are or your status in the world. I think about the Spirit of God at work, marking you as a person of God. I am grateful for that. I rejoice with you about that. I boast with you about that. That is worth celebrating and seeking.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 09 Receiving Grace in Vain (2 Corinthians 6:1-12)Previous: 07 Why We Should Not Fear Death (2 Corinthians 5:1-11)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 8 — EPISODE 500

View Details

In 2 Corinthians 5:1–11, Paul continues his defense of his ministry by explaining how his confidence in the resurrection shapes his message, motivates his courage, and defines his integrity.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

How Paul contrasts earthly suffering with eternal glory
What Paul means when he says “our outer self is wasting away”
Why the Holy Spirit is described as a pledge and what it guarantees
The debate between the two-stage and three-stage views of life after death
The meaning and purpose of the judgment seat of Christ
How Paul’s hope in the resurrection affects how he lives—and why that matters

By listening, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how Paul’s eternal perspective gave him courage, how that same perspective can shape our lives today, and what it means to aim to please Christ in all we do.

Why We Should Not Fear Death (2 Corinthians 5:1-11)ReviewPaul has a troubled relationship with the Corinthian church. Some in Corinth do not think he is charismatic or sophisticated enough as a teacher, and some have rejected him as an apostle. Some do not think he can be trusted because he said he would visit and then did not.

Since chapter 1, Paul has been explaining how they should view his ministry.

First, Paul is not adequate to produce the results his ministry has produced. The gospel is beyond him. He is just a man. He did not invent something as powerful and wise as the gospel. In a sense, he agrees with them. He is kind of a loser and not as sophisticated and charismatic as they want. Nevertheless, God chose him to be an apostle, and God is producing these great results.
Second, Paul speaks with openness and integrity. He is not a salesman. His goal is not to manipulate you into buying the gospel. He will not change the gospel or his presentation to win more converts. Instead, Paul sincerely speaks the simple truth as if he were standing in the presence of God himself.
Third, the gospel is superior to the Old Covenant because, through His Spirit, God is transforming His people. The Old Covenant Law was a set of external commands, but our problem is rebellious hearts. The external law is powerless to change internal rebellion. Under the New Covenant, God offers a different deal. He forgives us because of Jesus, and then He gives us His Spirit to cut the rebellion out of our hearts so that we follow Him.

Walking a TightropePaul claims a huge impact for his gospel while making clear he is not bragging about himself. His job is to preach the gospel, and understanding the gospel is a matter of life and death. His ministry is incredibly important, not because he is a big deal, but because his message is a big deal.

Why Paul Does Not Lose Heart (Chapter 4)In chapter 4, Paul gives two reasons he does not lose heart in the midst of suffering and hostility.

He does not lose heart because God has given him a great ministry. Yes, many reject Paul and he suffers many things, but those called by God find life through his gospel. His sufferings bring the message of life to many, including the Corinthians.
He does not lose heart because God is teaching him through his sufferings. He is learning to focus not on the temporary sufferings of today, but on the eternal glory that awaits him.

We started that last time, and Paul continues the theme in chapter 5.

How Paul Uses “We”I remind you that Paul uses the pronoun we throughout 2 Corinthians to refer to himself. In this section he says that God gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. I would argue Paul is still talking primarily about himself, his own perspective on his own destiny in the midst of his struggles as an apostle.

But in this case, God has given the Spirit as a pledge not only to Paul but to all believers.

Sometimes Paul is saying, this is how I respond to my circumstances as an apostle. Sometimes he is saying, this is how I respond as a believer. When he talks as a believer, we can apply that directly to ourselves. When he talks as an apostle, we have to ask whether and how it applies to all believers.

Paul’s purpose throughout the letter is to talk about himself. He is trying to get the Corinthians to understand him and his ministry the right way. Many things he says about his own attitude are also things we should embrace because they are true of us.

Death and Hope in MinistryFrom the beginning of the letter, Paul has made it clear that as an apostle he is constantly confronted with death. In chapter 1 he said his ministry was so difficult he thought he was going to die. He faces the hostility of the world and describes that as living out the death of Christ. He faces the same hostility, rejection, and death Jesus faced. That could cause anyone to lose heart, yet in 4:16 he says he does not lose heart.

His hope grows because his vision is fixed on eternal things. With his eyes on the right things, the inner man does not fall into despair, even though outwardly he suffers. As he said in chapter 4, he preaches the gospel because he himself believes it. He preaches it for the sake of others, and he preaches it faithfully for his own sake, so that he might be a believer and enter into life.

Paul’s present experience is difficult and discouraging. If he focused only on what he sees in this world, he would lose heart. Instead, he thinks about the unseen promises of God. God has promised that Paul will inherit glory. His suffering is temporary. The glory God has promised is eternal. This age and its sufferings will not last. The next age and its glory will last.

Our Earthly Tent and Heavenly Building (2 Corinthians 5:1–4)For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened, not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. — 2 Corinthians 5:1-4

It sounds like Paul mixes metaphors. He speaks of longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven. The image is both a house and clothing. Those images work together. Both cover and protect. Do not think of clothing as adornment, but as protection.

The idea is that we have an inner self that is housed and clothed, protected by the body. The issue under discussion is losing that protection. When my body is gone, what happens to me? Where is my house? Where is my clothing?

As Paul puts it, if the earthly tent that is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. This is a metaphorical way of saying what he says at the end: what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

Echoes of Isaiah 25I think Paul is echoing a passage from Isaiah about mortality being swallowed up by life. Isaiah 25 speaks of the day when God will rescue and redeem His people.

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. – Isaiah 25:6–8

I cannot prove it, but I think it is possible this passage influences Paul’s language about death being swallowed up.

The Spirit as Guarantee (2 Corinthians 5:5)What Paul says is not abstract. For him, suffering and death are ever-present. He groans in this life under constant threat, which burdens him and puts emotional pressure on him. His hope is that when he dies and loses his temporary tent and clothing, he will not be left naked or unprotected. He longs for new clothing and a new house that will protect him in death.

That is exactly what God intends to do:

2Co 5:5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

Two important ideas:

This is God’s idea. God intended from the beginning to give us eternal life. God promised to prepare new, eternal bodies to replace our temporary ones.
God guarantees that His people will arrive at this new life through the work of the Spirit in their lives today.

This is a strong theme throughout 2 Corinthians. Paul keeps bringing up that the Spirit of God reaches out and works in His people to bring them to this good end. This is the second time Paul speaks of the Spirit as a pledge, a down payment.

Paul has said his ministry is better than that of Moses because his ministry concerns the Spirit writing on our hearts and transforming us. Our hope for the future is secure because God is working on us now to ensure we arrive there. The Spirit guarantees that Paul will indeed arrive at that new life in that new body. He can have confidence in that hope because of the Spirit’s work in him now.

Courage in Life and Death (2 Corinthians 5:6–9)And so Paul can face death with courage:

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. – 2 Corinthians 5:6-9

In one sense, this is clear. His ministry involves constant suffering and the threat of death. He can face death, the loss of his earthly body, with courage because life in this body is not the best life. Here, he is apart from the Lord. Better to leave this body and to go to that existence where he will be with Jesus forever.

In the history of reading 2 Corinthians, people started speculating about how exactly life after death works. There is a debate between a two-stage view and a three-stage view, and much of it comes from this passage.

The three-stage view argues:

Stage 1: is our earthly body. Then we die.
Stage 2: is a bodiless spiritual existence in heaven.
Stage 3: Finally, when Jesus returns, we enter stage three, resurrected with new bodies.

The two-stage view argues:

Stage 1: is bodily existence in this world. Then we die.
Stage 2: The next event we experience, which will seem immediate, is our bodily resurrection with Christ.

Part of the debate centers on what Paul means by being away from the body and at home with the Lord, his groaning, and what it means to be naked or unclothed.

My personal, good-for-nothing opinion is that building theology on a metaphor puts you on shaky ground. It is easy to take a metaphor and run in directions the author never intended. Paul expects us to understand his point from the context. I am not sure he means to say anything beyond that.

But here are the arguments.

Everyone agrees that stage one is this earthly existence in a fallen world with physical bodies that decay. Everyone agrees that we get our resurrected body when Christ returns. Paul makes that clear elsewhere. At the second coming, the last trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised, and we will be changed.

The question is what happens between death and Christ’s return. Are we essentially asleep, or are we awake and conscious in a disembodied state with Christ?

Three-Stage View of Life After DeathThose who hold the three-stage view take “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (5:8) to mean our souls depart from our physical bodies and are immediately present with Christ in a disembodied state.

They understand “being away from the body” as suggesting a conscious existence apart from the physical body.
They argue the groaning for the resurrection body (5:2–4) implies a current state of incompleteness. We groan because we lack a tent or a building, a temporary disembodied state that longs for embodiment.
They take the tent to be this earthly body and the building from God to be the resurrected body that comes later.
They point to Luke 23:43 (“today you will be with me in paradise”) and Philippians 1:23 (“depart and be with Christ”) as emphasizing the soul’s immediate communion with God after death.

Two-Stage View of Life After DeathProponents of the two-stage view also take the current tent as the earthly body and the future building as the resurrection body. But they argue the groaning happens while we are in this tent. We are not groaning because we lack a body. We are groaning because we have a physical, decaying body and we long for the resurrected body.

They understand “away from the body and at home with the Lord” to mean away from this earthly body, not away from any body at all, and at home with the Lord in our resurrected body.
They also argue that the naked or unclothed state (5:3–4) is something Paul dreads and wishes to avoid. That suggests it is not a desirable intermediate state of disembodied consciousness, but the tragic state of death itself, which is overcome at the resurrection.
They argue the next conscious moment after death will be Christ’s return and the resurrection, so Jesus can say to the thief “today” because it is the next thing the thief will know, and Paul can say he wants to depart and be with the Lord for the same reason.
They call this “soul sleep.” This view draws on 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, where the dead are described as asleep until Christ’s return. They argue the three-stage view was influenced by ancient Greek philosophy.

Both sides draw on 2 Corinthians 5, but their conclusions reflect broader theological commitments.

If you are inclined to a dualistic view where the soul can exist separate from the body, you will lean toward the three-stage view.

If you assume a more holistic view where human existence is tied to a body, you will lean toward the two-stage view.

I lean toward the idea that there is no intermediate state. When I die, the next thing I will know is the day when Christ returns and raises me from the dead. There is no break in my experience. I move from this life to the return of Christ. I am leaning in that direction.

But if you convinced me otherwise, I would say great. It does not matter to me whether there is an intermediate stage. What matters is that Jesus claims me as His and grants me forgiveness and a resurrected body. I am not going to argue about when that happens.

What Matters Most Regardless of the ModelI would classify this debate as an issue of deriving doctrine. It seems obvious from the context that Paul did not intend to explain what happens after death in this letter. He is using a metaphor to make a different point.

We are debating how far to take that metaphor, and in my good-for-nothing opinion, neither view has rock-solid ground. We can speculate and try to put the pieces together, but this is not a hill to die on. The other side has as much chance of being right as whatever side I favor.

Crucially, which side you land on does not change Paul’s essential point. His ministry involves constant suffering and the threat of death. He faces the loss of his earthly body with courage because he knows something better is coming. Here he is apart from Jesus. It is better to leave this body and be with Jesus forever. If his opponents succeed in killing him, he will be with Jesus sooner. His courage is grounded in confidence that death will not be the end.

The Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:9–11)As we continue in verses 9–11, the idea of eternal life not only gives Paul hope, it changes how he lives each day.

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. – 2 Corinthians 5:9-11

As I understand it, the issue for Paul is whom he will fear. By straightforwardly preaching the gospel, Paul faces hostility and the threat of death. He goes into that situation confident that no human being can truly hurt him. No one can steal his eternal destiny. He fears the Lord, the judge who decides his eternal destiny. That Lord is Christ, the judge of all.

Who Faces the Judgment Seat?Here is another controversial question. What is the nature of the judgment seat of Christ? Who and what is being judged?

Some scholars argue that 5:10 refers to a judgment specifically for Christians, noting the use of we suggests Paul is speaking to the church. They argue this judgment evaluates believers’ works for rewards in heaven. Salvation is secured through faith.

They claim Paul is talking about a second judgment only believers will face that determines crowns, jobs, and individual rewards. The focus is on what was done in the body, assessing faithfulness, service, and obedience.

They see “good or evil” as referring to the quality of believers’ deeds (effective or worthless) rather than moral evil leading to condemnation.

They note the Greek word bēma refers to a raised platform for rewards given to winners, not a criminal bench.

They point to 1 Corinthians 3:10–15 where believers’ works are tested by fire, and they receive rewards or suffer loss but remain saved. On this view, when believers appear before Jesus, salvation is not at stake, but rewards are.

Faith, Works, and Judgment: Two ThemesWhen we hit the relevant passage in 1 Corinthians, I did a bonus episode called Are there Rewards in heaven?. I will not cover all that ground again. I will summarize.

I think the key is understanding the relationship between faith and works.

Theme 1: Yes, we are saved by the faith and the grace of God alone. None of us will stand before God and survive based on the merit of our works. I am a sinner, and apart from the grace of God and the blood of Christ I stand condemned. Left to myself, I can do nothing to save myself or change that fact. If I am saved, I am saved solely on the basis of God having mercy on me because of the atoning sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. That is a key teaching of the Bible. I will call this theme 1.

Theme 2: Faith makes a difference in how I live today. Once I have genuine, saving faith, the Spirit changes me in real and tangible ways. I have real repentance and grief over my sinfulness. I have a real desire to be holy and free from sin. I long for the life God offers and to live in accordance with His teachings and precepts. If I claim to believe in Jesus, I will make different choices than if I do not believe He is the Messiah. Does it mean I will never sin again? No. Does it mean perfect obedience is within my grasp? No. But over time my life will change, and I will increasingly make wiser choices. I will call this theme 2.

I would argue the Bible teaches both themes. The Bible says both that we will not be judged by our works and that we will be judged by our works, depending on which theme the passage is addressing.

When the Bible talks about believers being judged by our works, it is talking about theme 2. What I do reveals who I am. What I say, think, and do reveals what is inside me and, over time, whether I have genuine, saving faith. We are not judged by our works in the sense that we earn a place in heaven or a higher place in heaven. We are judged by our works in the sense that our lives demonstrate that we actually have faith.

I would argue that those who teach we are earning rewards in addition to salvation are mixing up these themes and, or, misunderstanding which theme a passage has in mind. To say a passage addressed to Christians and talking about being judged by works cannot be talking about salvation is not a given. It depends on which theme the passage has in view.

So I do not see a problem with the idea that the judgment seat of Christ here could be for all mankind. Christ will judge all as to whether they have lived as the people of God, whether they have done good or bad, not in the sense of whether they are sinners, but whether they have trusted God and lived a life of turning to God for salvation.

I do not have a theological problem with this being the judgment of mankind. In John 5, Jesus says God has given Him authority to judge all. He will raise all, and they will be judged on whether they did good or bad. Some will enter into life, and some will enter into judgment. That fits Paul’s language here.

Do not misunderstand me. I am keenly aware that if I am judged on whether I am a sinful, weak, fallible human, I am guilty. If that is the criterion for getting saved, then I am not getting saved. That is theme 1.

But theme 2 is also true. Faith makes a difference. It makes such a difference that Jesus can look at how we lived and tell if we have it. Our lives express the reality of our relationship with God. They do not show moral perfection, but they do express our faith. I think that is what Paul is getting at.

Bringing It Together and Our CallingThe hope of eternal life affects how Paul conducts his ministry in two ways.

First, it gives him courage as he faces hostility and death. He can face death with courage because he knows a better life is ahead.

Second, it teaches him whom to fear. It does not matter what people think of him. It matters what God thinks. It matters that he lives out his faith. Entering into eternal life is key, and Christ determines that, not other people.

So Paul does not worry about how people react. His job is to persuade them if he can, no matter how they respond. He conducts himself with integrity and honesty, knowing his life is an open book to God. God sees Paul’s motives and heart.

He hopes the Corinthians see his motives and heart as well. In spite of their troubled relationship, he hopes they will see him clearly for what he is. In many ways, this is about Paul. But in another sense, it is not just about him.

There is a sense in which we all must do this. Everyone faces the same issue Paul faced. The hope that gives him courage is the same hope every believer has. The fear of God that motivates him is the same fear every believer should have. We should seek to have our inner person renewed in the same way, by thinking about the future things that are not yet seen.

When you and I think about death, we should see it as a comfort and an incentive. I know this is not easy to do or say. But this is what Paul believes. The comfort is that God gives us an eternal weight of glory. He intends to give us eternal life with Jesus our Lord. That is His purpose. That is what He has set out to do. That is what the Spirit of God working in us is ensuring we reach. The incentive is that we recognize our destiny is in the hands of God and His Messiah, Jesus.

Our calling is to live our lives as genuine believers. We want to be among those who have sincerely turned to God and found life.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 08 New Creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:11-21)Previous: 06 Why Paul did not lose hear and what we can learn from him (2 Corinthians 4)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 7

View Details

Paul offers a powerful defense of his ministry, explaining how the gospel he proclaims is not about him, but about the transforming power of God. Though Paul faces rejection, suffering, and accusations, he remains unwavering because he knows the source of the message and the One who is truly at work through it.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul insists he is not the source of the gospel’s power and what that means for his critics.
How Paul contrasts human weakness (jars of clay) with the divine treasure of the gospel.
What it means that the “god of this world” blinds unbelievers, and why Paul isn’t discouraged by rejection.
How Paul connects the glory of God to the face of Christ, echoing imagery from Moses and the Old Covenant.
Why Paul refuses to tamper with the message, even when it leads to suffering.
The hope that sustains Paul through affliction: an eternal glory far outweighing the temporary trials of ministry.

What you’ll gain from this episode:

You’ll come away with a deeper understanding of Paul’s view of ministry, not as a showcase of human strength, but as a vessel for God’s glory. Learn why Christian hope isn’t rooted in visible success or public approval, but in the unseen, eternal work God is doing in and through us.

Why Paul Did Not Lose Heart (2 Corinthians 4)Paul responds to criticism of his ministry by affirming that the power of the gospel does not come from the messenger; it comes from God. His suffering, weakness, and rejection do not discredit his message. Instead, they showcase the surpassing power and glory of God.

ReviewPaul began defending his ministry almost immediately. His changed travel plans (1:15–17) led some in Corinth to question his commitment. He said he would visit and then did not. Paul explains why he changed his plans.

He chose not to visit because their relationship had deteriorated after the sorrowful visit. If he had come as planned, he suspected the visit would be painful for them, so he decided to spare them.

Paul insists his conscience is clear. He behaved with sincerity and concern.

His defense revolves around three repeated ideas:

Paul is not adequate to produce the results his ministry has produced. The gospel is beyond him. He is just a man. He did not invent something so powerful and wise.
Paul speaks with openness and integrity. He is not a salesman manipulating people to “buy” the gospel. He speaks the simple truth as if in the presence of God.
The gospel is about God working a spiritual transformation in his people. This ministry of transformation is greater than the Old Testament law, which means Paul’s ministry is, in a very audacious way, greater than the ministry of Moses.

Paul walks a fine line. He claims his gospel has huge impact, but he is not bragging about himself. His job is to preach the gospel. Understanding the gospel is a matter of life and death. His ministry is incredibly important, not because he is a big deal, but because his message is a big deal.

He is not adequate to produce the result. God works through Paul’s ministry to bring it about.

Paul is about to finish this section by returning to how he pursues his ministry.

Let me remind you, Paul uses “we” but is talking about himself.

We Do Not Lose HeartTherefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. – 2 Corinthians 4:1–7

Paul describes his ministry. He proclaims the message that brings people face to face with God. His glory becomes their glory. This is a great ministry beyond description, and God in his mercy gave it to Paul.

So he is not ashamed of this gospel. He proclaims it openly. He does not adulterate it, even if that might make him more popular. He leaves it to each hearer to decide what to do with it.

He knows many will reject what he says, but that does not make him ashamed or hesitant.

If the gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, those whose eyes Satan has blinded.

Paul is not the issue. The response is not about whether Paul is entertaining, sophisticated, or charismatic. Paul is not preaching Paul. He preaches Christ. He is a servant who proclaims the gospel of Christ.

From Moses to Christ: Light, Glory, and the Veil2Co 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

At the end of chapter 3, Paul compared his ministry to Moses. God revealed himself to Moses as a bright light, and that light was reflected on Moses’ face.

When the glory shone on Moses’ face, it authenticated his ministry. When Moses returned with the law, the people saw the glow and knew he had been with God. It was a sign that Moses spoke the truth.

But the people were afraid, so Moses veiled his face. The glory of God was too much for them to bear.

Now Paul shifts the metaphor. The veil keeps people from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Up to this point, Paul has spoken of the glory of God on Moses’ face and the glory of God becoming ours through the Spirit’s work. Now he brings Jesus into focus. Jesus is the image of God. In him we see the glory of God in the form of a man.

Christ is the true Moses. Moses reflected God’s glory physically. Christ perfectly reflects God’s glory in his person.

This glory is not an external shine. It is the inner reality of God’s wisdom and character expressed in Jesus.

Light in the DarknessRemember, Paul is talking about himself and his ministry.

His first metaphor is darkness and light: God said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” and he has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. Paul was in darkness. He did not understand the gospel. He rejected it and tried to arrest and kill those who believed it.

But God, who shines light in the darkness, shone the light into Paul’s life so Paul now has light to take to the world. He understands the gospel and the glory of God in the face of Christ.

God made the wisdom of the gospel shine out of the foolish heart of Paul. He once did not get it, but now he carries this light to the nations.

Treasure in Jars of Clay2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

This repeats a theme from earlier. Paul is not adequate to do this. He could not have invented the gospel or produced its effects. He is like a cheap clay pot holding an incredible treasure.

The cheap clay pot highlights how great the treasure is. Paul’s weakness makes clear that the power is God’s, not Paul’s.

This speaks directly into the situation in Corinth. Many were not impressed with Paul. They wanted a more eloquent, sophisticated speaker and a message tailored to the elites.

But the treasure of the gospel has been placed in an earthen pot, which is Paul. The contrast between his weakness and the gospel’s effect shows the message is from God. It does not matter how impressive or unimpressive Paul is. God is at work through him.

Later Paul will say, “You think my speech is unimpressive. Perhaps. But not my knowledge.” He is making the same point.

He is a cheap earthen pot. He agrees. But this pot contains a great treasure. You cannot throw away the pot without throwing away the treasure, and you do not want to lose the treasure.

Here is how Paul wants the Corinthians to think about him. Yes, he is weak. He wept many tears writing to them. He was so worried that he passed up an opportunity for ministry. He is not the kind of speaker they want to hear.

But his ministry as an apostle is strong. He proclaims a message of forgiveness and spiritual transformation with openness and integrity.

His many weaknesses highlight that Paul is not the one doing it. The gospel is the work of God.

Transformation Begins NowThe gospel is about transformation, and it begins now.

Paul told the Corinthians they themselves were his letter of recommendation. The transformation was already visible among them. That is true for us today as well.

Speaking as a person with many flaws and weaknesses, I am counting on that transformation. Like Paul, I have been criticized for not being entertaining enough or not marketing this podcast well enough. All I can say is that I am counting on God to overcome my many flaws and spread his word to his people.

This is not only about ministry. It is personal. In spite of the selfishness I see in myself, I have also seen transformation in me and among my friends, family, and church.

It is a wondrous thing to watch as we grow strong in faith together. We find strength to persevere through trials. We see moments where we joyfully show mercy, compassion, and kindness in ways we would not have in our younger days.

One day we will perfectly reflect his wisdom and moral beauty as Jesus does now. That is a day we eagerly long for.

What Paul says of himself is also true of us. But our task as Bible students is first to understand what he means in context.

Jesus does in reality what Moses pictured physically. Jesus is a perfect reflection of God’s glory, his character, and his wisdom. As the image of God, Jesus shows us who God is. He did not literally glow, but he continually reflected God’s glory.

Jesus came to impart that glory to us. It will be as if we enter the holy of holies, look at God, and have his glory rub off on us. One day we will share fully in the wisdom and moral beauty of our Creator. We will be like Jesus, who is like God.

That is the hope of the gospel, the hope of the glory of God.

Suffering Without DespairWe are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. – 2 Corinthians 4:8–12

Twice in this chapter Paul says, “We do not lose heart.” He opens with it in 4:1 and will repeat it in 4:16.

What might make Paul lose heart, and why does he not?

Paul is talking about the rejection and suffering he experiences as an apostle. He still has in view the claim that his ministry is greater than Moses’. When he considers how many reject his message, he could lose heart. He could be ashamed of the gospel because it gets him into trouble and is widely rejected.

He could water down the message so more people would respond positively. He does not. He speaks the truth plainly.

He knows many cannot see the glory of the gospel. Satan has blinded their minds. He cannot change that. He speaks the truth and lets the chips fall where they may. Their hostility does not change his strategy.

No matter how much hostility and rejection he encounters, he does not lose heart. The gospel will win. It will find its people. Paul is confident that God will use the gospel to save those God wants to save.

He does not need to sell himself. He needs to shine forth the light of the gospel, and people will respond as they will.

Paul is still talking about his ministry. It could be said of all Christians that we are earthen vessels holding a great treasure. I have heard that taught many times. But here Paul speaks specifically about his ministry.

First he used the imagery of light in the darkness. He is not smart enough to be an apostle. God shone the light of the gospel into the darkness of Paul’s mind.

Then he said he is not strong enough in himself to be an apostle. God’s power is at work. He is a clay pot, unimpressive and weak. That contrast only highlights how great the treasure is and how powerful God is.

Paul makes it clear what he has in mind. He is afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. He carries in his body the dying of Jesus.

In this context, Paul is talking about his ministry. Just as Jesus suffered and died in his ministry, Paul also suffers in his. Jesus proclaimed the truth, the world hated him, and eventually killed him. The same pattern marks Paul’s life.

He is always on the brink of death because of the world’s reaction to his gospel. But that is only half the story.

Paul is just a clay pot with no particular merit or strength. Yet the power of God shines through. He may be afflicted, but God keeps him from being crushed. He may be perplexed, facing such hostility that the path forward is hard to see, but he is not driven to despair. He may be persecuted, but not forsaken. He may be struck down, but not destroyed.

He carries in his body the dying of Jesus. You can see the scars and the marks left by beatings and bruises.

That is so God can demonstrate the power of the resurrection in him. Paul’s life shows the living Jesus at work, helping him bear a burden no one could bear alone. The burden of being an apostle of Jesus Christ is beyond any one person. Paul bears it because the power of God is at work in him.

What is the result? As he has said from the beginning of the letter, his sufferings are for the sake of believers like the Corinthians. So he says again in verse 12, death works in us, but life in you.

As an apostle, he shares in Christ’s sufferings because people try to kill him as they tried to kill Jesus. He faces death so he might impart the message of life to others. This is the kind of ministry God has given Paul. This is why, even in hostility and persecution, he does not lose heart.

Believe and SpeakSince we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:13–15

Paul says yes, he proclaims the gospel for their sake. Ultimately, his sufferings are for their sake.

But he also proclaims it because he believes it. He himself believes the message he calls them to believe. He hopes that he too will be raised by Jesus and stand with those who respond to his message.

He quotes Psalm 116:10. The psalmist suffered, yet maintained faith in God. God ultimately rescued him. Because he believed, he spoke.

That is what Paul is doing. Even though he suffers, he continues to speak the gospel because he believes it. “I believed, and so I spoke.”

He hopes to stand together with the Corinthians at the end. The more people believe through the gospel, the more thanksgiving rises to God for his grace.

The Eternal Weight of GlorySo we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:16–18

This passage is often taken out of context as a statement about aging. It is fine to apply it that way. Our bodies decay, but God renews our souls.

In context, Paul is talking about his afflictions as an apostle. He is afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. Pursuing his ministry is beating him up. He is constantly facing death.

Later Paul will list his sufferings in detail. He calls them “light momentary afflictions” to contrast them with the glory ahead.

This word afflictions is important. He has been using it throughout the letter.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Paul connects his afflictions with the sufferings of Christ, which is exactly what he describes in chapter 4. He carries in his body the dying of Jesus. He, as an apostle, suffers the same sort of rejection Jesus suffered, and he embraces these afflictions for the sake of people like the Corinthians.

He also spoke of the afflictions that came upon him in Asia. They were so bad he thought he would die.

So when Paul talks about afflictions here, he means the sufferings he has undergone as an apostle. Many afflict and persecute him because they hate the gospel, but he does not lose heart.

He does not lose heart because he remembers his eternal inheritance.

Why Paul Does Not Lose HeartPaul is still defending his ministry. Some Corinthians are inclined to see him as a loser. Why do so many reject his message? Why is his life so painful and messy? Why is he so unimpressive? If Paul were more successful, they might take him seriously. But they see many rejecting him.

Paul considers the rejection and suffering he faces. In spite of these, he does not lose heart for two reasons.

First, he knows the reaction is not about him. It is about the gospel. If he faithfully preaches the gospel, some will accept it and some will reject it. That is how it works. He admits he is not up to the job. He is foolish, but God has given him the wisdom of the gospel. He is weak, but God helps him stand in suffering and persecution. He is on the right path with the right message told in the right way.
Second, he knows the outcome of his sufferings will be eternal life. When his current sufferings are over, he will enter into eternal life. The Corinthians should be concerned to enter that same life.

Our TakeawayPaul repeats a simple conviction: he will not lose heart. The message he carries is God’s, not his own, so rejection or hardship does not shake him. He is an ordinary jar of clay, yet God uses that weakness to show the gospel’s power. Setbacks never overturn the deeper truth that God sustains him.

We can adopt the same perspective. As we proclaim Jesus in whatever ways God calls us to, we will face rejection and criticism.

Our challenges will be real, but they are temporary. God is shaping an eternal future that outweighs present trouble. God is in charge of the results. We can trust him.

So we keep speaking the truth and serving others, confident that the God who raised Jesus will bring us through as well. In that confidence, we do not lose heart.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 07 Why We Should Not Fear Death (2 Corinthians 5:1-11)Previous: 05 Why Paul’s Ministry Outshines Moses (2 Corinthians 3:7-18)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 6

View Details

In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, Krisan Marotta explores Paul’s bold claim that his ministry as an apostle is more glorious than the ministry of Moses. By comparing the Old and New Covenants, Paul shows that spiritual transformation doesn’t come from the Law but from the work of the Holy Spirit.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul says the law kills, but the Spirit gives life.
The symbolic meaning of Moses’ veil and how it relates to hardened hearts.
How the Spirit removes the veil and brings true transformation.
The contrast between external obedience and inward change.
What it means to be transformed from “glory to glory.”

By listening, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the glory of the gospel and how God is at work transforming hearts. Whether you’re teaching the Bible or seeking personal encouragement, this passage is a reminder that real change comes from God’s Spirit, not from our own efforts.

Why Paul’s Ministry Outshines Moses (2 Corinthians 3:7-18)Paul continues defending his apostleship by highlighting the source and impact of his work. He isn’t exalting himself but clarifying that the power behind his ministry comes from God and that power brings real transformation.

ReviewPaul has a troubled relationship with the Corinthian church and writes to help resolve it. Some in the church respect and trust him. Others have rejected him, refusing to believe he is a true apostle.

He begins defending his ministry in chapter 1 and continues that defense here. When he changed his travel plans and did not return to Corinth, some accused him of being unreliable. Paul explains that after a painful visit he delayed coming back to spare them more grief. His delay was not careless. It was compassionate.

He assures them that his conscience is clear. He acted with integrity, sincerity, and concern for their well-being.

A unifying theme runs through this section. Paul urges the Corinthians to view him and his ministry in a certain way. That theme appears in three repeated ideas.

Theme 1: God’s Sufficiency, Not Paul’sPaul is not adequate to produce the results his ministry has produced. The gospel is beyond him. He is just a man. He cannot invent something as powerful and wise as the gospel.

In 2:15-16, after describing the gospel as the aroma of life to those being saved and the smell of death to those perishing, he asks, Who is adequate for these things? The implication is clear. Not Paul.

In 3:2, the Corinthians themselves are Paul’s letter of recommendation. Yet he insists he did not write that letter. They are a letter of Christ, ministered by Paul. Christ is the one doing the profound work.

2Co 3:4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 2Co 3:5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 2Co 3:6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Again, Paul is not the source of the wisdom and power of the gospel. God prepared Paul for this task, taught him, and gave him deep understanding so he can minister to others. On his own, he could not have accomplished this.

2Co 4:5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 2Co 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Paul has the treasure in an earthen vessel so that it is clear the power belongs to God, not to him. The Corinthians consider Paul a man with weaknesses and flaws, and he agrees. That is no reason to dismiss his ministry. The truth and power of the gospel are due to God, not Paul.

Theme 2: Openness and Integrity2Co 2:17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.

Paul is not a salesman trying to manipulate anyone. He speaks the simple truth sincerely, as before God.

2Co 3:12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 2Co 3:13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.

He is open, transparent, straightforward, and bold.

2Co 4:1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2Co 4:2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

The gospel is true and life-changing. Paul is not ashamed of it, does not water it down, and leaves the response to his listeners. He proclaims the truth and trusts God with the results.

Theme 3: A Ministry of Spiritual TransformationPaul’s ministry is about God working a spiritual transformation in his people. That makes the gospel greater than the Old Testament law and, audaciously, Paul’s ministry greater than Moses’s.

He is a weak man. The gospel’s power is from God. Yet he speaks a message that brings transformation by the Spirit. That ministry extends to us as we read his letters and believe his gospel.

In 3:1-3 Paul says he needs no letter of recommendation to the Corinthians. He knows them. The impact of the gospel in their lives is his letter. Christ has written this letter on their hearts.

Jeremiah compared the external law with the promised new covenant. The law pointed to life but could not change hard hearts. In the new covenant, God writes the law on hearts so his people want to follow him and find life.

See: What good is faith? (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Across Paul’s letters, God forgives us in Christ and works by his Spirit so we persevere in faith. That work begins now and culminates in complete moral transformation when Jesus returns. The gospel is not only that Jesus died for our sins. It is also that he rescues us from the hardness of our hearts.

Letter and SpiritPaul claims the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.

The letter is the law, the external commands written on stone. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit writing God’s ways on hearts. The law kills because it does nothing to change us. It cannot remove our rebellious, sinful nature. Only the Spirit can transform us into people who turn to God and find life.

Paul defends his apostleship as a minister of this new covenant. Moses was the minister of the old covenant. God gave Moses the law for Israel. God gave Paul and the other apostles the gospel for his people.

Moses’ Veil in Exodus 34To understand Paul’s argument, we need to look at Exodus 34:27-35. After the incident with golden calf, Moses returned to the mountain and received the Ten Commandments again.

Exo 34:29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai… Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Exo 34:30 Aaron and all the people of Israel… were afraid to come near him. … Exo 34:33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Exo 34:34 Whenever Moses went in before the LORD… he would remove the veil… Exo 34:35 …And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Whenever Moses stood before God, his face was uncovered. He then spoke to Israel with his face shining, and afterward he veiled it. The text does not tell us why he veiled it. We infer it was to shield the people from the fearful glory on his face.

Paul calls that shine “glory.” The word glory can mean a literal, bright light or, more often, a reputation or quality that is attractive, admirable, and praiseworthy.

See: Word Study: glory, doxa, G1391

God revealed himself in light to show his holiness and beauty. That visible glory stamped Moses’s face and authenticated his message. Moses’s ministry came with glory because God is glorious.

The Greater Glory of the New CovenantPaul looks back on Moses’s story from the standpoint of Christ.

2Co 3:7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory…, 2Co 3:8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?

Moses understood the problem of his ministry. The law called for faithfulness, but most hearts were hard. Israel would rebel and be exiled. The law did not impart life to the many. In that sense, it was a ministry of condemnation.

2Co 3:9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 2Co 3:10 Indeed… what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 2Co 3:11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

The gospel is a ministry of righteousness. It shows the way to be right with God, to be justified and reconciled. Its glory so far surpasses the law that the law’s glory seems as nothing by comparison. The law had a role but was not meant to last. God ultimately intended to bless the world through the cross, not the law.

Boldness, Not a Veil2Co 3:12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 2Co 3:13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.

Some argue Moses veiled his face to hide the fading of the glory. Exodus does not say that. The veil seems to protect the people from a glory they feared. Paul’s point is that the law’s ministry was not intended to last, while the gospel’s is permanent.

The veil implied separation. Moses had glory from God, but the people were veiled from it and were afraid.

Paul’s ministry is different. God is holy and we are sinful, but in Christ he has forgiven us and promises to make us like him. Paul can proclaim this good news boldly. He does not need to veil it. The gospel rescues people from their weakness.

The Veil Removed in Christ2Co 3:14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 2Co 3:15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 2Co 3:16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2Co 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

It is as if the veil was never removed. A metaphorical veil lies over many hearts, blocking sight of God’s glory. When one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

The Lord is the Spirit. The Spirit at work in our hearts is the same Lord before whom Moses stood. By the Spirit we have freedom of direct access to God.

With unveiled face we behold the Lord’s glory and are transformed into his image from one degree of glory to another. As Moses came before God unveiled and the glory came off on him, so believers come before God and his glory is imparted to us. Not as visible light, but as the glorious character that light symbolized.

The veil both separates us from God’s transforming glory and blinds us to its value. In Christ the veil is removed. The Spirit brings sight and transformation.

Applying Paul’s Tightrope TodayPaul is not adequate for his apostolic ministry. God is doing the work through him. As a Bible teacher, I feel this tension. I am no one from nowhere. You have no reason to listen to me. Yet the message God has given is worth hearing because it is true, as far as I have understood Scripture.

You do not have to be a teacher to feel this. We all explain the gospel at times and face criticism for following Jesus.

How should we think about negative responses? How much is my fault, and how much is the offense of the gospel?

Paul holds two truths in tension. He seeks not to put stumbling blocks in anyone’s way. To the Jews he became as a Jew. To the Gentiles as a Gentile. He aims to avoid needless offense.

Yet he also says this is not about him. Some will reject the gospel no matter how it is presented. He must speak simply and truthfully and leave the results to God. Rejection does not necessarily mean he spoke unwisely.

If you told me many were offended by this episode and I replied, My job is to proclaim the truth and let the chips fall where they may, you might think, Maybe. Or maybe you are just a jerk. Both are possible.

There is no guarantee that because the gospel is true, I am speaking it wisely. I should be ready to hear, Krisan, you may have something good to say, but you are not saying it well. That is valuable feedback.

Yet the gospel always offends somebody. You could always charge me with being a bad teacher because some reject what I teach. There comes a point to say with Paul, There is nothing I could have done to prevent offense. The message itself offends.

We all walk this tightrope. We do not water down the gospel to win approval. Neither do we want to be rude or needlessly offensive. Think carefully about how you speak, but do not change the core message.

If feedback says you missed something or could explain it better, listen. If it says change the gospel so more people respond, do not cross that line.

Once a pastor encouraged me to be more seeker friendly. That sounded good until the advice was to stop talking about the cross and focus more on God’s love. I decided to stick to the biblical text, verse by verse. If the passage is about sin and the cross, I will teach about sin and the cross. That is difficult, but necessary.

I am floored by Paul’s courage. He paid a great price for his boldness. He suffered rejection, beatings, and near stonings. Ultimately, it cost him his life.

My prayer is that we would share his courage and not lose sight of the glory of the gospel. It is a thing of great value, beauty, power, and truth. May we honor Paul for the suffering he endured so we could hear the gospel. May our faith be strong enough to stand for it in this world, no matter the cost.

Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 06 Why Paul Did Not Lose Heart and What We Can Learn From Him (2 Corinthians 4)Previous: 04 What’s New About the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:1-6)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 5

View Details

Trying harder won’t fix the human heart, and that’s exactly why the new covenant is such good news. In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks us through 2 Corinthians 3:1-6, where Paul defends his ministry by pointing not to his qualifications, but to the life-giving work of the Spirit. Paul’s confidence doesn’t come from his own strength. It comes from what God is doing through him.

In this week’s episode, we explore:

Why Paul calls the Corinthians his letter of recommendation.
How Paul carefully walks the line between defending his ministry and boasting.
How Paul compares his ministry to the ministry of Moses
How the Spirit changes hearts in a way the Law never could
Why the “Victorious Christian Life” reading of this passage misses Paul’s point

By listening, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of the difference between law and Spirit, external obedience and inward transformation, and why the gospel offers something better than a new strategy for self-improvement.

What’s New About the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:1-6)In 2 Corinthians 3:1–6, Paul continues defending his ministry to the Corinthian church. Some in the church questioned his authority and demanded proof of his legitimacy. Paul responds by pointing to the Corinthian believers themselves as the evidence of his ministry and explains how his message brings life through the Spirit in a way the Law could not.

Review: Where We Are in the LetterPaul opened his letter by highlighting the concern he shares with the Corinthians.

As an apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul endured intense suffering. He was beaten, threatened, and even faced attempts on his life because he preached the gospel. He did not view these trials as meaningless. He saw them serving two purposes.

Paul suffered so the Corinthians could hear the good news. Just as people rejected Jesus for telling the truth, they rejected Paul for representing Him. His suffering was part of the cost of bringing the gospel to them.
In the midst of those trials, God comforted Paul. The encouragement Paul received was not just for him. It was something he could pass on to the Corinthians. His suffering and his comfort strengthened their faith.

The Corinthians had a role too. By praying for Paul, they could support him and his ministry and then give thanks when God answered their prayers and rescued him.

But not everyone in Corinth shared Paul’s concern. Some rejected him altogether and refused to believe he was a true apostle.

Why Paul Changed His PlansAlmost immediately, Paul defends his ministry. His change in travel plans (1:15-17) raised doubts. Some in Corinth accused him of being unreliable. He said he would visit, and then he did not. Could they trust someone who did not follow through?

Paul explains why he changed his plans. After a painful visit that strained their relationship, he chose not to return right away. He suspected another visit so soon would only add to their grief, so he decided to spare them. His delay was not careless; it was compassionate.

He assures them his conscience is clear. He acted with integrity, sincerity, and genuine concern for their well-being.

The Fine Line He WalksPaul describes the huge impact of the gospel he preaches, but he also wants to make clear that he is not bragging about himself.

His job is to preach the gospel, and understanding the gospel is a matter of life and death. His ministry is important, not because Paul is a big deal, but because his message is.

He is not adequate to produce such results. God works through Paul to bring them about. He will talk more explicitly about that now.

Do I Need a Letter of Recommendation2 Cor 3:1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 Cor 3:2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 2 Cor 3:3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Paul often refers to himself in the first person plural. He says “we” when he means “I, Paul.” This is one of those sections. When he asks, Are we beginning to commend ourselves again, he means, Am I, Paul, beginning to commend myself again, or do I need a letter of recommendation to you or from you?

Paul has been defending his integrity as a minister of the gospel. Now he speaks directly to the fact that he has been talking about himself.

I used to think Paul was asking, Am I blowing my own horn? But the word again puzzled me. Was he saying he had just bragged and now he was doing it again? That does not fit the flow of thought.

The emphasis is on beginning and again. Think of the phrase as, Are we beginning again to commend ourselves?

He is asking, Do I have to go back to square one? Must I start over as if we did not know each other? Do I need to introduce myself again and make a case for why you should listen to me?

That fits with what follows: Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?

Letters of recommendation are for strangers. If he were coming to the Corinthians for the first time, someone they knew might write to say, “This is a good man. You should listen to him.”

He should not need to defend his ministry that way. They are not strangers. They know him and his ministry. He should not need a letter of recommendation.

The Corinthians are Paul’s letter of recommendation.

What Kind of Letter You ArePaul uses the metaphor of a letter of recommendation and expands it. He is saying, Do you want to know whether I am worth hearing? Look at what has happened among you. Your lives answer the question.

But he is walking a fine line. This metaphor brings him close to bragging. So he qualifies it.

2 Cor 3:2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 2 Cor 3:3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

First, you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us. Yes, the Corinthians are his letter of recommendation. Look at how they changed and grew. You can see he taught the true gospel because their lives are changing.

But Paul did not write that letter. They are a letter of Christ. Paul delivered it. He is Christ’s servant. He introduced them to Christ and taught them about Him. Christ, not Paul, did the work.

Second, they are a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. The letter is the dynamic, life-changing work of the Holy Spirit. If the Corinthians look at themselves, they will see the Spirit at work fostering faith, understanding, and maturity.

Of course, the Corinthians are a mixed bag. Some show maturity, some do not. But anyone who takes an honest look at the church in Corinth will recognize that the Spirit of God is at work among them through Paul’s ministry.

Third, they are a letter written not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. This alludes to the Ten Commandments written on stone tablets.

Exo 24:12 The LORD said to Moses, Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.

Exo 31:18 And he [God] gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

Paul is contrasting his gospel with the law. We are not talking about words written on stone tablets. We are talking about the Spirit of God writing on human hearts.

This is a new idea in the letter. He will develop the contrast between law and gospel in the rest of the chapter.

Confidence and SufficiencyPaul’s overall purpose remains the same. He is defending his ministry. God uses him to bring Christ to the world. Some accept Paul’s gospel and find life; others reject it and find death. He says he is not adequate to have such an effect. He speaks with sincerity and is not a peddler of the gospel. The Corinthians should see the value of his ministry by looking at the work of Christ through the Holy Spirit in their own hearts.

2 Cor 3:4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 2 Cor 3:5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 2 Cor 3:6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Remember, in this section we refers to Paul. He has just said he needs no letter of recommendation. When he says, Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God, he means, I have great confidence that my ministry is what I say it is.

His confidence is not in himself. It is in God working through Christ. My confidence is through Christ toward God. My confidence is in God, not in me.

Here is the fine line he walks. He is not adequate to accomplish what has happened among them. He is weak. But God has made him adequate as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He has fulfilled his ministry because God made him adequate to proclaim the gospel with sincerity and truth.

He does not call his message the gospel here. He calls it the new covenant. He also introduces the contrast between letter and Spirit. The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

A Detour: The Victorious Christian Living DebateThese verses have been at the center of a theological debate in American Christianity. An entire theology has been built on this passage. It pops up under different names: Keswick theology, Victorious Christian Living, Higher Life theology, sometimes New Covenant theology. I will call it Victorious Christian Living (VCL)

The central idea behind VCL is that if we choose to plug in to the power of the Spirit, we can experience victory over sin in the moment. The debate centers on whether we can have victory over sin now and how.

VCL says yes. We can have victory over any given sin at any given moment, and there are strategies to ensure that victory. One of the key passages they cite is this one in 2 Corinthians.

They argue Paul is teaching VCL in 2 Corinthians 3. They say Paul teaches that we are not adequate in ourselves to keep from sinning, so we must stop trying in our own strength. If we avail ourselves of the Holy Spirit’s power, God will make us powerful and successful in ministry and life. That, they say, is the new covenant.

I believe VCL is wrong in its theology and in its reading of 2 Corinthians. The context shows why.

Who Is the WeThe debate turns on the pronoun we. Is Paul talking about himself and his ministry, or about all believers?

VCL reads we as all believers: We Christians have confidence in Christ toward God. We Christians are not adequate in ourselves, but God has made us all adequate ministers of the new covenant. The new covenant, they say, is God’s arrangement that if we stop trying in our own strength and instead rely on the Spirit, we will have victory over sin now.

Some background helps. John Wesley rejected the Reformed view of election. He thought God gave everyone the power to choose salvation. He believed God freed us from original sin so we could decide on our own whether to follow God. Wesley applied this to sanctification. He taught that God did what He needed to do to save us, and now we must choose to believe and choose to be sanctified. If we choose properly, we can reach perfection.

Wesley influenced the Keswick movement, which began in the 1800s in Keswick, a town in England. They held a Convention for the Promotion of Practical Holiness. Over a week, they taught Christians how to surrender to God and be sanctified. They believed we have the Holy Spirit’s power inside us, but we need to learn how to use it. God has already given us all the power necessary to avoid sin. We just need to appropriate it.

The Keswick movement was very influential in early American Christianity. The idea that the Christian life is about learning how to avail yourself of the Holy Spirit became widespread. The key idea is that the power is in my hands. God has done His part and given me all I need. The rest is up to me.

One of the passages used to support this theology is our passage today. They argue Paul is talking about all believers and is teaching us to use the Spirit’s power.

Reading in ContextDoes that theology fit the context? If you start reading at 1:1 and read to this point, does it make sense that Paul would pause to say, Here is how to have a victorious Christian life. You need to appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit?

Context is king. When you pull a few verses out of a chapter without the flow of the entire letter and its historical setting, you open the door to interpretive problems.

Look at the context. Paul has been defending his ministry from the start. The issue is, How should you Corinthians think about me, Paul? Some of you are ready to reject me and accuse me of lacking integrity. So let me tell you how to think about me and my ministry.

It seems unlikely that in the midst of that defense he would stop and say, Oh, and by the way, here is how you can have victory over sin. The context shows he is talking about himself. That is what he has been discussing before and after this section.

We means I, Paul. Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Do we need letters of recommendation? He is explaining why he should not have to defend himself. Even though he is not adequate for the high calling of being an apostle, God has made him adequate. The Corinthians should see that by looking at the impact of his ministry.

In my view, Keswick theology makes two mistakes here.

Paul is describing his own adequacy as an apostle, not the adequacy of all believers. God did not make you and me apostles the way He made Paul. We have adequacy from God, but that is not what Paul is talking about here.
The Spirit is at work in all believers, not just those who choose to plug in. The discussion about the Spirit working in our hearts is not qualified. The language does not suggest, If and only if you plug in, you will have success. It speaks of the sanctifying work the Spirit does in every child of God. The Spirit is not a power source that some Christians tap while others miss out.

Why This Is Still RelevantSome VCL proponents say that if Paul is talking about himself, this passage has no relevance to us. I would say it is absolutely relevant, but in a different way.

The adequacy of Paul as an apostle is incredibly relevant to me. If you meet someone who claims to be the best lawyer in town, you may or may not believe him, but at least you know his claim. You must decide whether to trust him.

That is Paul’s claim. He knows what he is talking about because God made him adequate. God taught him the gospel. He did not make it up. That is why we should listen to him.

We cannot treat him as just another Bible teacher. He claims to be an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ by the will of God. That is why we read his letters and seek to understand them.

What Is New About the New CovenantPaul gives a series of contrasts we need to understand.

He is a minister of a new covenant, which implies there was an old covenant.
He contrasts writing on the heart with writing on stone tablets, which points to the law.
He says the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. If letter refers to the law, that is a strong statement.

What is he getting at? To answer this, we need to look at some three Old Testament passages.

Old Testament Background: Deuteronomy 30Moses laid before Israel the blessing and the curse. As they were about to enter the land, he told them that if they were faithful to God’s law, He would bless them. If they rejected His law, they would be cursed and exiled.

Moses predicted they would not keep the law and would be exiled. But someday God would restore them.

Deu 30:4 If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. Deu 30:5 And the LORD your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. Deu 30:6 And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

Why did exile come? Because they did not love the Lord their God.

One day God would circumcise their hearts. He would cut away the rebellion that turned them from Him. They would love God sincerely and live.

Moses implies the law he is giving Israel is not going to be enough. They will not be able to keep it, and they will be exiled.

In what sense is it not enough? The law is good and promises blessing, but what good is a law of blessing if your heart is hard and rebellious?

Knowing the law without being the kind of person who can obey is like having a map to a treasure but a broken compass. The map is accurate and promises great reward, but if your compass is faulty, you still wander off. The problem is not the map; the problem is your internal guide.

So too with the law. It points the way to life, but a rebellious heart cannot follow where it leads. Until the heart is fixed, the law alone will not get you there.

Old Testament Background: Ezekiel 36Ezekiel wrote after the exile Moses predicted had come upon Israel. Babylon had conquered the nation and taken them into captivity. Ezekiel wrote from Babylon.

Eze 36:22 Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. Eze 36:23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. Eze 36:24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. Eze 36:25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. Eze 36:26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Eze 36:27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. Eze 36:28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

This echoes Moses. They are in captivity, as Moses predicted. They will be regathered, as Moses predicted. They will be given a new heart. The purpose of the new heart is obedience to God.

Ezekiel implies the same thing as Moses. The law cannot bless you unless God removes the rebellion from your heart. You cannot find life unless you stop being a rebel. How do you stop? God must put a new heart within you by His Spirit.

Old Testament Background: Jeremiah 31See What good is faith? (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Jeremiah also wrote during the Babylonian captivity. In a famous passage he says:

Jer 31:31 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, Jer 31:32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. Jer 31:33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jer 31:34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, Know the LORD, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Again, we see the same themes. God will make a new covenant with Israel because they broke the old one. God did amazing miracles to take them by the hand and lead them from Egypt, but they rejected Him. The old covenant, as good as it was, did not lead to life because their hearts were hard.

What is new? This time God commits to writing His law on their hearts. Like Moses and Ezekiel, Jeremiah teaches that God will change their hearts. Faithfulness will no longer be an external demand they cannot meet. It will be embedded within them so they follow God from the heart. No more curse. They will be God’s people.

Jeremiah gives the foundation for this new covenant. God will forgive their sin and change them. That is what we find in the New Testament. God forgives us because of Jesus and His death on the cross. Then God gives us His Spirit to change us from the inside out so that we seek Him and find life.

Why VCL Misses What Is NewSee: Who is the Holy Spirit? in the Old Testament: A New Heart

If VCL is right, what is new about the new covenant?

The problem with the old covenant was that we could not keep the law. We had the map but a broken compass. If under the new covenant we still must choose to appropriate the Spirit’s power, how is that different? What is new and improved?

If my compass is broken, why would I choose to follow the Spirit? I need my internal guide fixed.

Maybe it is easier to follow the Spirit than the law, but the fundamental problem remains. I am a sinner, and I will fail.

Thankfully, the new covenant is truly new and better. It is not that the Spirit helps me now and then when I cooperate. God gives me a new heart. Through His Spirit, I am now the kind of person who loves God and wants to follow Him. I am no longer the kind of person who hates and rejects God. That is truly good news. God has made me new, and the promises of life will be mine.

That is what Paul claims for his ministry. His ministry proclaims that because of Christ, God will forgive us and change our hearts through His Spirit. Paul is a minister of a new covenant. He echoes Jeremiah. The promise of a changed heart in the Old Testament is brought about through Christ and the gospel Paul proclaims.

2 Cor 3:5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 2 Cor 3:6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Letter and Spirit: What Paul MeansWe sometimes say, I was not following the letter of the law, but I was following the spirit of the law. That is not what Paul means.

Paul uses the same contrast we saw in Jeremiah. The letter consists of external commands and words. It is written on stone. This is the Old Testament law. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit working internally, writing the law on our hearts.

In Jeremiah, the old covenant was the law Israel broke, while the new covenant writes God’s law in their hearts. Paul makes the same distinction. The letter, the external requirements of the law, kills because it does not change us. Only the Spirit transforming our hearts can make us the sort of people who turn to God and find life. The law kills because it does not produce in us what is required to find life, but the Spirit does.

The Problem With the LawPaul will later call the ministry of Moses a ministry of death. That sounds dismissive of the law, so remember what we saw in those Old Testament passages.

Some Christians think the entire problem with the law is that it demands perfect obedience. That is certainly a problem. But the Old Testament describes a deeper issue.

Read Exodus. We do not see Israel trying hard to follow God but failing now and then. We see them refusing to follow God. They did not trust Him. They wanted this world to pay off on their terms. They talked about killing Moses and going back to Egypt.

That is why Moses says God needs to circumcise their hearts so they will love Him. They need to be made new. It is true we cannot keep the law perfectly, so we are condemned by it. But the problem is bigger. We cannot keep it at all in any meaningful sense.

The problem with the law is that it is external. It appeals to us from the outside. Until God changes us inside, the law cannot do us good. That is the problem Paul describes, and solving it is what makes the new covenant new and improved.

There is nothing wrong with the law. The problem is with us. The law could only appeal to people who had no interest in following God. The Spirit does not have that problem. The Spirit changes us from the inside out.

Why the Gospel Is Good NewsThe story of humanity is that we each have turned away from God and chosen death. The gospel is the story of how God does for His people what they cannot do for themselves.

Paul proclaims Jesus, who is transforming the hearts of His people. That process has begun now. Paul says, Look at yourselves and see that the Spirit is at work among you. The Christ I proclaimed is turning hearts from death to life. That is why the gospel is good news.

Left to myself, I would fail miserably. But the gospel promises God will give me a new heart and write His law on it. The good news is not another story of try harder. It is not only a promise of forgiveness and avoiding hell. The gospel promises forgiveness and transformation so that we may become what we are not.

That begins now as we entrust ourselves to God and will be completed in our glorification when we finally become what we are not yet. That is Paul’s point here.

Let me leave you with this thought. If trying harder could fix our hearts, we would not need the gospel. We would not need a new covenant. The truly good news is that God does not hand us a better set of instructions. He gives us a new heart. He does not just point the way. He changes who we are.

through the Spirit. The Law gives good commands, but it cannot change a rebellious heart.

Further Study:Who are the Carnal Christians? (1 Corinthians 3:1-4)Who is the Holy Spirit?Please listen to the podcast for more detail and explanation.Next: 05 Why Paul’s Ministry Outshines Moses (2 Corinthians 3:7-18)Previous: 03 Why Paul Refused to Change to Win More Converts (2 Corinthians 2:5-17)Series: 2 Corinthians: When Church HurtsResources to help you study: 2 CorinthiansPhoto by the author

Podcast season 26, episode 4

View Details

Explore why Paul refused to change either himself or the gospel to win more converts and what that means for us today.

View Details

When Paul didn’t return to Corinth as expected, some accused him of being unreliable. His response shows us how faith navigates conflict, disappointment, and the hard work of loving others well.

View Details

Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 offer deep insight into suffering, encouragement, and prayer. Learn what his experience teaches us about gospel ministry and why it still matters today.

View Details

Corinth was a city of wealth, power, and moral decay—an unlikely place for a thriving church. In this episode, we explore how Paul planted the church in Corinth during his second missionary journey and why he stayed longer than expected. You’ll learn about his partnership with Priscilla and Aquila, the cultural challenges he faced, and the strategic vision behind his ministry.

View Details

Wednesday in the Word Season 26 kicks off July 9 with a series on 2 Corinthians: When Church Hurts.

View Details

In this episode, Krisan and David John Marotta present a biblical perspective on money. Drawing from Scripture and their extensive experience in financial management, they blend theological insights with practical advice.

View Details

John 20:30-31 captures the themes of John's Gospel. The final episode in this series explores John’s purpose and major themes, tying them to Passion Week and the book’s closing chapters.

View Details

The Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17) records Jesus' final teaching to his disciples. Jesus explains 5 key themes to prepare his disciples for the future.

View Details

Jesus’ ministry shifts toward the cross. Mary’s devotion and the triumphal entry highlight his worthiness, while Judas and the crowd expose the complexity of belief.

View Details

Jesus’s raising of Lazarus proves his authority over death, offering us confidence in his promise of eternal life and setting the stage for the cross.

View Details

When Jesus pointed to his works as proof of words, he made the famous claim "I and the Father are one." He is at least claiming to be the Messiah. How much more he's claiming is debated.

View Details

Jesus describes himself as both “the door” to salvation, and “the good shepherd,” who willingly gives his life for his flock.

View Details

In John 9, Jesus heals on the Sabbath again, provoking the Jewish leadership. John highlights a variety of responses to this miracle, contrasting spiritual and physical blindness. The blind man now sees, but more importantly he has faith.

View Details

What does Jesus mean when he says 'before Abraham was, I am?" Traditionally seen as a declaration of divinity, context suggests Jesus intends to highlight his role as the Messiah.

View Details

Jesus came to offer his life to free us from the condemnation that we deserve. Now he add something new: he also came to free us from slavery to sin.

View Details

Many Bibles omit the account of the woman caught in adultery because of questions about its authenticity. Despite these textual debates, the interesting narrative reveals profound truths about grace, humility and judgment.

View Details

Who is Jesus? The people respond with belief, confusion and awe over Jesus' teachings. These responses reflect our complex relationship to truth.

View Details

John 6 opens with two famous miracles: feeding 5,000 people and Jesus walking on water. What makes this chapter intriguing is John does not focus on the miracles, but on their aftermath—the dialogue that follows.

View Details

Jesus heals an invalid on the Sabbath. Instead of marveling at this miracle, the Jewish leaders are incensed by the violation of their strict Sabbath laws.

View Details

While exploring his theme of belief, John teaches us about worship and hungering for God’s will.

View Details

John adds a new twist to his theme of testimony and belief: this time the believers are the hated Samaritans. John explores three themes this chapter. We examine the first theme in this podcast.

View Details

John the Baptist decreases: In this narrative, John affirms his contentment and joy with following God's plan for him.

View Details

Nicodemus approaches Jesus as a truth-seeker who acknowledges Jesus is a teacher from God. Jesus warns him four ways that's not enough to gain eternal life.

View Details

Jesus challenges Nicodemus four ways. First, he tells Nicodemus seeking truth and responding to miracles are not enough to enter the kingdom of heaven.

View Details

Jesus cleanses the temple, provoking the leaders to demand a sign of his authority. No one understood his answer until later.

View Details

Only the disciples and a few servants saw Jesus turn water into wine at the wedding at Cana. John highlights how this quiet miracle confirmed their belief that Jesus is the Christ.

View Details

The Apostle John explains how the first disciples moved from curious followers to apostles entrusted with spreading the gospel.

View Details

The author focuses on the evidence John the Baptist provided about the identity of the Christ. John the Baptist gave two kinds of testimony: negative and positive.

View Details

John 1:1-18: The Apostle John starts his gospel with a prologue that introduces 3 key themes that resonate throughout the book.

View Details

This episode kicks off a new season on the Gospel of John. We delve into the what we know about the author, the Apostle John, and review the unique characteristics of this gospel, as compared to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke).

View Details

Season 25 of the Wednesday in the Word podcast starts August 21

View Details

The podcast is on break. In the meantime listen to one of the 500+ previous episodes and this song.

View Details

The fruit of the Spirit are not “feel-good vibes” or moral must-haves. They result from a seismic worldview. They grow from faith taking root in our souls.

View Details

While self-control might sound like a call to perfection, at its core self-control values the gospel more than our desires of the moment.

View Details

Gentleness as a fruit of the Spirit is not about being soft or timid. It involves humbly accepting what God gives without self-promotion or ambition.

View Details

Faith as a fruit of the Spirit is not a feeling or belief, but a transformative worldview based on four core convictions.

View Details

Goodness as a fruit of the Spirit isn't doing random acts of kindness. Goodness is an active pursuit of what is right and holy in both speech and action.

View Details

Kindness as a fruit of the Spirit is not good deeds. Rooted in understanding God's kindness, it's intentionally acting to benefit others.

View Details

Patience as a fruit of the Spirit results from belief. We are longsuffering because we fix our hope on the promises of the gospel.

View Details

We typically think of peace as fruit of the Spirit as "peace of mind." But most often Scripture speaks of peace as unity among believers.

View Details

Scripture teaches believers have joy as a fruit of the Spirit in the middle of struggles. Joy is confidence based on hope.

View Details

Scripture teaches a second aspect to love as a fruit of the Spirit which concerns how believers relate to each other as a church and community.

View Details

A deep dive into Scripture to understand what love is as a fruit of the Spirit. Spoiler: It is not a feeling.

View Details

The entire argument of Galatians in one podcast! Understanding the themes of Galatians is the foundation for our study on the Fruit of the Spirit. Knowing the context surrounding the list is the crucial first step.

View Details

The latest news from Krisan Marotta and the Wednesday in the Word podcast: New series on the Fruit of the Spirit starts March 6.

View Details

Paul encourages his listeners to invest their lives in truth. We reap what we sow. If we seek teachers who flatter and entertain us, that is what we will harvest. God is not mocked. He knows what we seek.

View Details

As he closes the letter, Paul explains how the fact that we all believe the same gospel translates into our lives as a community. First, he urges us to stop competing with our teammates. Then Paul explains how to respond when someone stumbles on this metaphorical race to glory.

View Details

Paul argues we don't need the Law to keep us from pursuing sin. We have something better. We have the Spirit of God teaching us to pursue goodness.

View Details

In the final chapters, he develops his third major theme which is the freedom the gospel brings. Because the gospel solves our two biggest problems, it brings freedom from the law and freedom from slavery to sin.

View Details

In the story of Abraham we find two sons, two wives, two covenants, two mountains, and two cities. So we have only two options. One option leads to eternal life in the kingdom of God. The other leads to destruction.

View Details

In his fourth argument, Paul appeals to the Galatians to return to the true gospel based on his deep affection and concern for them.

View Details

The Judaizers teach you need to place yourself under the guardianship of the Law. Why would adults want to return the restrictions of childhood? Like a child who has come of age, you have graduated from the guardianship of the Law.

View Details

The Law teaches valuable lessons that prepare us for faith and keep us from evil. But, after the Messiah came, we graduated from the protective custody of the Law. All of us receive justification by the same path: faith in Jesus Christ.

View Details

Paul argues the Law, which was a deal, does not nullify the promise given to Abraham. In a deal, two parties agree to certain obligations. But a promise is made by one party unconditionally.

View Details

In Galatians 3, Paul begins a series of five arguments for justification by faith. In the first two, Paul argues from experience and from the plain teaching of Scripture.

View Details

Paul includes rebuking Peter as part of his defense. Paul could rebuke Peter because they had the same view of the gospel. This incident serves two purposes: 1) it furthers Paul’s claim that he and the apostles teach the same gospel; and 2) it introduces this issue of whether gentile believers must keep the law.

View Details

Fourteen years after his conversion, Paul went to Jerusalem to consult with the other apostles. They added nothing to his understanding and gave him the right hand of fellowship.

View Details

Paul argues he received his gospel first-hand as a revelation from the risen Lord. His lack of contact with the other apostles proves the divine origin of his understanding.

View Details

Paul opens his letter by defending his authority and his gospel. He argues you can recognize the true gospel by its source and its substance.

View Details

Paul wrote this letter around 49 AD, about 15 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus to churches he founded during his first missionary journey. After Paul left, the Judaizers began teaching the Galatians they must keep the law to be fully Christian. Paul wrote this letter in response.

View Details

Paul closes with with three directives regarding work: 1) follow Paul's example of being willing to support himself; 2) work to meet your own needs; and 3) stop enabling those who won't work.

View Details

Paul reassures the Thessalonians that Christ has not returned because certain events must happen first. But they can take comfort that Christ will return to bring both justice and salvation for those who believe.

View Details

Paul encourages a suffering church by reminding them of the certainty of God's justice and judgment. One day their suffering will end. But more importantly their faithful response through suffering is evidence that they will inherit a place in the kingdom of God.

View Details

Paul closes this letter with what appears to be an arbitrary list of exhortations. However, the list follows a theme, as Paul explains how a church community should treat each other.

View Details

Paul explains what it means to be alert, awake and prepared for judgment day: have faith. Christians know how the world will end and we do not have to fear it. Jesus died for us so that we might live with him.

View Details

Paul deals with a second issues related to how live as a Christian: work. His advice is strive to follow God, rather than impact the world.

View Details

In Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It matters whether something is real or not. It also matters whether an idea is true or not. The historical fact is Jesus rose from the dead, and it makes a difference that he did.

View Details

In 1Thessalonians 4, Paul addresses specific questions and issues in the Thessalonian church. First, Paul addresses how Christians should handle their sexuality. Then he tackles work.

View Details

While Paul laments his inability to visit the Thessalonians, he rejoices over their faithful response to the gospel. Paul claims his crowning joy is seeing people like them respond to the gospel.

View Details

Paul explains how he conducted himself at Thessalonica and why his message his trustworthy. Today we face the same choice: whether or not to believe Paul.

View Details

In their first year of faith, Paul sees three changes that confirm the genuine belief of the Thessalonians: their "work of faith," "labor of love," and "steadfastness of hope."

View Details

Paul is writing to a very young church of people from different ethnic groups in a city that is intensely hostile to them. Paul wants to encourage them to persevere in the faith and clarify some issues that confuse them.

View Details

In this final section, we offer some advice on how to evaluate your current relationships and what to talk through before you say "I do."

View Details

If the cultural view of sexuality, what is the biblical view? Is it just a list of dos, don'ts, and not yets? The question I want to address in this section is: What are you waiting for and why is it worth it? We find those answers in the Song of Solomon.

View Details

We compare and contrasts the different kinds of relationships: biblical marriage, secular marriage, friendship, dating, friends with benefits, and an ideal Christian courtship.

View Details

When it comes to dating, sex and romance, a majority of college students report being "profoundly upset" about their own behavior. Our goal in this seminar is to show you a better way.

View Details

Why do a podcast on what the Bible means and how we know when we’re practically drowning in online sermons? Because Bible study is a lost art.

View Details

The angel tells Joseph to take Mary as his wife because Mary is about to have a son through the power of the Holy Spirit. Then the angel also tells Joseph something about this son. Who does the angel say this child is?

View Details

Each one of us must decide what to do with Jesus. Sitting on the fence is not an option. The stumbling block is not lack of evidence. The stumbling block is the stubbornness of our hearts. In the end, we do not believe, because we do not want to believe.

View Details

For the second time, Matthew quotes an Old Testament prophecy as predictive prophecy. Isaiah says 'Behold my servant' and explains something about how the Servant will act. Matthew shows us this is out Jesus acted.

View Details

The Sabbath played a big role in the worsening relationship between Jesus and the Pharisees. Matthew gives us only these two stories. By the end of the second story, we learn that Pharisees are planning to kill Jesus partly because of his views on the Sabbath.

View Details

For people who are self-satisfied and indifferent to God, miracles change nothing. They believe they already have wisdom and they reject Jesus. But those who are know they are needy and weary understand the miracles and embrace the wisdom of Jesus teaching. To them Jesus promises rest.

View Details

What Malachi predicted is finally happening. This generation finally stands in the presence of the herald and the Messiah. How does this generation receive that message? Jesus explains with an analogy: Jesus and John are like children sitting in the marketplace playing the flute and calling to their friends to dance, but their friends refuse

View Details

Jesus was so different from the Messiah people expected, even John the Baptist had moments where he wondered if Jesus was the Messiah. If he’s really a prophet, how could John become confused? In this passage, Jesus answers that question.

View Details

Matthew shifts his focus to the how people respond to Jesus. Most reject him. Even John the Baptist becomes confused, because Jesus is not acting like the Messiah he expected.

View Details

Jesus ends this discourse by telling the Twelve their role is like the prophets. They are standing in the place of Jesus. How people respond to the apostles reveals how they respond to Jesus.

View Details

Ultimately Jesus' role is to bring peace and restoration to the earth, but not yet. Now he came to bring a sword because his message requires a choice and that choice divides even families. To follow Jesus, you must be willing to live with that rejection and hostility, even if it means losing your closest family members or your very life.

View Details

All of us face the question: What am I going to believe so much that it changes the way I think, respond and make choices? I make those decisions based on what or who I fear most. Jesus says the wisest choice is to fear God.

View Details

Matthew 10:23 is one of the most difficult verses in the New Testament. It raises many eschatological problems. This podcast provides an overview of the options and issues.

View Details

On this journey, Jesus deliberately makes his apostles dependent on the hospitality of the children of Israel by instructing them not to take provisions. The apostles might expect they are launching a victory tour, but they will learn first-hand how the children of Israel will reject the Messiah.

View Details

Matthew presents this initial sending of the Twelve as a first step toward their ultimate global mission. Even though they are to stay in Jewish territory on this journey, ultimately, Jesus is going to send them to the world.

View Details

In these last two miracles, Matthew foreshadows the growing conflict with the Pharisees. While the crowds are excited and amazed, the Pharisees reject Jesus as working with the devil. Ultimately the unbelief of the Jewish leadership will be a crucial part of the story.

View Details

In the raising of Jairus's daughter, we learn that death should no longer command fear and power over us, because we follow a savior with authority over death.

View Details

Jesus asked, "Who touched me?" In a metaphorical way, he asks it still. You can try to touch his robe and then run away. But if you do, you're missing the greatest gift of all: salvation.

View Details

In these stories, Jesus challenges the religious culture and practices of the Pharisees, not the Old Testament. His understanding is so fundamentally incompatible with the Pharisees that if he tried to reform their their views, he would only destroy them.

View Details

Jesus sat and ate among the tax collectors with the message, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand and that is a message we do well to share. The most loving thing we can do is to help people deal with their real problem.

View Details

Jesus demonstrates that he has authority from God to forgive sins by calling upon the power of God to heal the paralytic. In addition to the faith of the paralytic, the miracles support our faith by demonstrating that God has given Jesus authority.

View Details

When Jesus heals the demoniacs, we learn Jesus has God-given authority over the powers of darkness and evil. In the last podcast, we saw that Jesus has God-given authority over the power of nature. Together they build the case that Jesus is the Messiah.

View Details

When he calms the storm, we learn Jesus brings the power of God to rescue His people from the vast destructive forces of nature. The miracles of Jesus have a message: Jesus brings the mercy of God for healing and deliverance.

View Details

Matthew introduces us to two potential disciples. One says: "I will follow Jesus if it pays off now." The other says: "Now is paying off, I’ll follow Jesus later." The opportunity to decide to follow Jesus is now. One day it will be too late.

View Details

Through these miraculous healing, Jesus physically demonstrates that he came to rescue us from our ultimate suffering which is rooted in our sin and our guilt.

View Details

Matthew has just quoted Jesus as claiming to have authority from God. Now he turns our attention to how Jesus acts with God's authority, by performing miracles only God can perform. These miracles confront us with a choice to believe Jesus is who he says he is.

View Details

The podcast is on break for some much needed study time before we start a new series.

View Details

How did Jesus had to our understanding of what should we do or not do on the Sabbath? He taught that Sabbath is a rest that is given, not earned, and that our “job” is to enjoy it, not to live up to it.

View Details

Sabbath rest is yet to come —the rest we enjoy today anticipates the real Sabbath rest that awaits us in the kingdom. That future rest is granted to those who have saving faith in Jesus Christ.

View Details

How do we keep the Sabbath? The simple command is not to work. We stop the activities we do that sustain our lives and instead we do the things that most foster our relationship to, understanding of and dependence on God.

View Details

Sabbath is about who God is. It’s not about what we need to live healthy lives. It’s not about making sure we get our rest so that we can be productive at work, be nice to our family and stay awake during Bible Studies (though none of those things are bad things). Sabbath reminds us who God is. Because as we’ll see, on the Sabbath, we rest to remember God.

View Details

What if God has called me to something and I'm just plain afraid to follow? What if the path He has put before me seems too frightening or overwhelming?

View Details

How do you accomplish great things for the kingdom of God and quiet that inner voice that says whatever you're doing, it's not enough? In 2Kings 5 we see a series of contrasts between how the world measures greatness and God measures greatness.

View Details

When God called Elisha to be succeed the prophet Elijah, Elisha was a farmer with no apparent qualifications. Yet Elisha burned his ox and followed. Then Elisha refused to leave his mentor's side, humbly asking that God equip him for the journey ahead.

View Details

Habakkuk responds to what he has learned with a song of praise and fear. In his prayer we see the answers to our 2 theme questions.

View Details

Habakkuk first asks why God would let evil go on so long among His own chosen people. Confused by the Lord's answer, Habakkuk then asks how the Lord can let the wicked trample the righteous? Again, the Lord's answer is not what Habakkuk expects.

View Details

Habakkuk asks the Lord one of the most fundamental questions of faith: How long will you let your people suffer? The Lord answers, but not the way Habakkuk expects.

View Details

The Old Testament book of Habakkuk speaks to two of the most fundamental questions of the Christian faith: 1) How long will God let His people suffer? and 2) Why should we keep believing Him if we're not spared the tragedies of life?

View Details

Matthew 7:12-29 summarizes two great themes we've seen in this sermon: 1) You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 2) There is a road that seems right to us, but it leads to destruction.

View Details

Ask God for the life He has promised and you will receive it. Seek the good things that He has promised and you will find them. Knock on the door to the kingdom of heaven and it will open to you. These words are powerful because of the difficult battle they represent. Believing and acting on these promises is the central struggle of the Christian life.

View Details

In Matthew 7:6, many people understand Jesus to be saying something like: you don't need to share the gospel with hostile, unworthy people. However, I agree with the minority who understand Jesus to be saying: don’t be the kind of fool who throws away what is beautiful and precious.

View Details

The log in your own eye versus the speck in your neighbor's eye is a powerful image of willfully living a lie. Jesus warns that if you condemn other people for their sins, you are ignoring a fundamental truth about yourself in a way that is almost impossible to imagine.

View Details

At first reading, Matthew 6:25-34 seems simple and straightforward: Don’t be anxious. God knows what you need and He will take care of you. The tricky part of this passage is figuring out exactly what we should not do and what we can expect God to do.

View Details

Why is the kingdom of heaven so incredibly valuable? In this passage, Jesus gives one of many important reasons: We cannot keep the treasures of this earth, and we cannot lose the treasures in heaven.

View Details

This last request is not to avoid the choice posed by temptation. This request is to be preserved through the choice. Father, do not let me fall into temptation to my doom.

View Details

It's not surprising that we find forgiveness in the Lord's prayer. For believers neither sin nor mercy are hypothetical concepts. We should be staggered by the power and beauty of mercy as proclaimed to us on the cross because we have been forgiven so great a debt.

View Details

In Matthew 6:11 we don't know with certainty what the word translated "daily" means. This leads to much debate and two good interpretations: one literal and one metaphorical. Both understandings have merit. Both use good methodology. Both teach something that is taught elsewhere in Scripture, and in that sense, both of them are true. In this life, we may never be certain which one Jesus meant, but we can affirm the truths both of them teach.

View Details

In giving us the Lord's prayer, Jesus is not giving us a ritual to perform or a spiritual discipline to ensure our prayers are answered. Jesus is challenging us to consider what is our hearts are set on.

View Details

Being religious is no guarantee that you are genuinely following God. Whatever you define as obedience to God (being in full-time ministry, church attendance, praying, fasting, giving to the poor, adopting social justice causes), Jesus says: stop and ask yourself who are you doing it for?

View Details

Jesus commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. In one sense, loving your neighbor is a simple, practical guide to good conduct. But it is also a truth we have to embrace and choose to follow. In that sense, it is a test of faith.

View Details

Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for applying instructions for the judges of Israel to their personal behavior. They claim they can be proportionally vindictive in the name of seeking retribution and still consider themselves blameless. Jesus says the guiding principle is not "an eye for an eye" but rather "turn the other cheek."

View Details

Since we rarely make oaths today, there doesn’t seem to be much to learn from Matthew 5:33-37. However, Jesus is speaking to a deeper issue than telling the truth or meaning what we say. He's dealing with violating the 3rd commandment, taking the Lord's name in vain.

View Details

Both Moses and Jesus recognize that we sinners are going to fail in our marriages and so they allowed divorce with some regulations. Moses did not mean divorce was a righteous option. Divorce results from the fact that the parties involved are sinners. God intended marriage to be forever but divorce is a necessary evil because of our sin.

View Details

The Pharisees consider themselves blameless before the law if they have refrained from physically committing adultery. But Jesus says righteousness requires more. It requires inward submission to the will of God and accepting the boundaries He has placed on your life, including your sexuality.

View Details

The Pharisees believed they were righteous because no court could convict them of murder. But Jesus countered that if courts were in charge of judging righteousness, then responding to others with unloving anger would get you arrested; and calling people insulting names would get you thrown into the fires of judgment.

View Details

In the second section of this sermon Jesus warns that our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. Unlike them, we must have a genuine commitment to the Scriptures and what they teach if we want to find life in the kingdom of God. We must seek to understand the full demands of the Law and want to obey it.

View Details

People marked by the being poor in spirit, mourning over sin, hungering for righteousness, pursuing peace and mercy, etc. will draw the hostility of the world, but they will be rewarded with eternal life in the kingdom of God. We, his disciples, are not to shrink from following Jesus for fear that the world might hate us. We are to follow him, even though that invites mocking, scoffing and persecution.

View Details

Like the merciful, those commit the costly act of refusing to answer injury for injury and seeking a peaceful reconciliation instead will find their inheritance as children of God in the kingdom of heaven. When we realize how deeply we ourselves are indebted to God's grace and dependent on His mercy, we also realize we're in no position to condemn the sins of others.

View Details

The pure in heart are not those who are morally perfect. Rather their hearts have been cleansed of rebellion and rejection of God. The pure in heart live like the gospel is true, though not perfectly. One day they will stand before God and be accepted.

View Details

Only those will to commit the costly act of being merciful will receive mercy in the kingdom of God, because showing mercy is an implication of having saving faith.

View Details

When you’re physically hungry, the desire to eat is so overwhelming you can hardly think about anything else. Jesus is counting on that experience in this beatitude. The truly fortunate ones long for that which is missing in this life which only the kingdom of God can fulfill: holiness.

View Details

While Matthew 5:5 is probably the most famous beatitude, not many people understand what it means. Jesus does not explain what he means by "meek", but he is quoting Psalm 37 which gives us a very big clue.

View Details

Mourning is the appropriate emotional response to being poor in spirit. When you realize that life is not what it should be and you are not the kind of person you should be, the appropriate response is to weep over it.

View Details

Unlike those who are self-satisfied and see themselves as spiritually rich, the poor in spirit know that they are morally bankrupt and nothing in this world can give them what they truly need. This knowledge is a core conviction of saving faith.

View Details

Before we look at the beatitudes, we need to understand what it means to be blessed, the nature of a beatitudes (Jesus wasn’t the first to employ them) and how Jesus expects us to understand them.

View Details

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most important passages in Scripture, as it is a profound and unique body of teaching from the Messiah himself. Yet throughout church history, believers have found it difficult to agree on what this sermon means and how it is to be applied to our lives. In this introduction, I’ll contrast the different approaches to the Sermon on the Mount and explain which approach I take.

View Details

As Matthew closes this first section of his gospel, he highlights the Galilean nature of Jesus’ early ministry. Matthew summarizes Jesus’ early ministry as marked by healing and teaching.

View Details

Satan offers Jesus a shortcut to gaining the blessings God has promised him. But idolatry is looking to someone or something other than God to grant us Life.

For each of the temptations, we’ll answer 3 questions:

Why is the choice wrong?Why is the choice attractive?How does Jesus respond?

Review

At Jesus’ baptism, we have a dramatic heavenly confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah. After that, we might expect Jesus to rally an army and march to Jerusalem to claim the throne of David amidst the cheers and adoration of his nation.

Instead Jesus is led into the wilderness, alone, to face starvation and temptation.

On the one hand, Jesus has been powerfully confirmed as the Son of God, the Messiah. On the other hand, God has put him in a place where he is facing great hardship and deprivation. This tension lies behind all these temptations.Satan wants to destroy Jesus personally and more importantly he wants to disqualify Jesus to be the Messiah. God is testing Jesus and demonstrating that Jesus is, in fact, worthy to be the Messiah.God tests Jesus in a way that echoes the story of Israel’s journey in the wilderness to teach us that Jesus is succeeding where Israel failed. Jesus shows he understands this parallel between his situation and Israel’s by quoting from Moses’ sermon to the nation before they enter the promised land.

Why is the choice tempting?

8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” 11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. - Matthew 4:8-11

Satan is not asking for Jesus' complete loyalty, but for an act of respect.This word translated "bow down" refers to the physical act of prostrating yourself as a gesture of respect, the kind of homage a subject would give a king (e.g. Revelation 3:9; Mark 15:19).Satan is asking Jesus to perform the physical act of bowing down before him in exchange for the kingdoms of the world. Ruling over the kingdoms of the world is Jesus' destiny as the Messiah (e.g. Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus must have longed for it insofar as he longs for God's will.God has promised to give Jesus authority over all the earth, but to realize that promise Jesus must suffer and die. Satan is offering to "fulfill" God's promise to Jesus WITHOUT the suffering.Luke 4:6-7 implies that Satan has authority to grant these kingdoms.

Deuteronomy Review

1“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son's son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey." - Deuteronomy 6:1-3

The focus in this section is on the future. Israel is about to cross into the land God promised their fathers. Moses reminds the present generation that in the promised land they will face the same temptation their fathers faced in the wilderness: Will they be faithful to the Lord or not?

4“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart." - Deuteronomy 6:4-6

What does it mean that that Lord is one? Compare with Mark 12:28-34.The scribe in Mark 12 restates the significance as there is no other besides him.

View Details

While the temptation to jump to from the top of a high mountain may not appear very enticing at first glance, it’s a temptation we all face today. When life gets hard or overwhelming, like Jesus, we’re very tempted to believe God has ceased to take care of us and we need to take a "leap of faith" to get back in His good graces.

View Details

In the temptations, Satan wants to disqualify Jesus as the Messiah while God wants to demonstrate that Jesus is worthy to be the Messiah. We’ll look how how Jesus responds when he’s tempted to believe God is no longer taking care of him.

For each of the temptations we’ll answer 3 questions:

Why is the choice wrong? Why is the choice attractive? How does Jesus respond?

Review

At Jesus' baptism, we have a dramatic heavenly confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah. After that, we might expect Jesus to rally an army and march to Jerusalem to establish his rightful reign. We might expect him to claim the throne of David as is his right amidst the cheers and adoration of his nation. Instead Jesus is led into the wilderness, alone, to face starvation and temptation.

Setting

Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit. He is there because God told him to go there (Matt 4:1). God sends Jesus into the wilderness is so that he might be tempted by the devil (Matt 4:1). The basic meaning of the Greek word for "test" (periazo) is to test something to find out what it's made of. If you are testing a person with the hope that he fails the test, this word is typically translated "tempted." If you are testing a person with the hope that he succeeds, this word is often translated "try" or "test." God and Satan have two very different purposes for this testing.Satan wants to disqualify Jesus as God's Messiah while God wants demonstrate that Jesus is qualified to be the Messiah. God is deliberating creating a parallel between the nation of Israel in the wilderness and Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus appears to understand the parallel by quoting from the sermon Moses gave to Israel reviewing the lessons they were supposed to learn from their journey in the wilderness.Jesus succeeds in obeying God where Israel failed.

Passage

1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” - Matthew 4:1-4

Satan is not asking Jesus to prove that he is the Messiah.It is not inherently wrong to turn the stones into bread. Elsewhere Jesus miraculously produces food.Satan is trying to convince Jesus that God cannot be trusted and he should take matters into his own hands.Satan's logic: "If God is really good, He would feed you. He's not feeding you, so God must not be good. If God isn't good, I can't trust Him to care for me. And if I can't trust God to care for me, then I'd better look out for myself.”The problem is the premise: God is good and He may not feed you.The choice is tempting because Jesus may conclude from his present circumstances that God is no longer taking care of him.The choice is wrong because it would be to stop trusting God and take matters into your own hands.

Exodus Review

When the nation of Israel is suffering in slavery in Egypt, God sends Moses to them with a message of deliverance (Exodus 4:1-31).God promises that He will deliver them from their slavery with a striking display of power. He will be their God and they will be His people (Exodus 6:1-130.Even though Israel is skeptical, God delivers them through a series of ten miraculous plagues, including the Passover (Exodus 7-13).Pharaoh agrees to let them go, but pursues them with his army after they leave. The people panic when they see Pharaoh's army approaching (Exodus 14:10-13). But God miraculously saves them by parting the sea (Exodus 14).The people believe God (Exodus 14:31), but their trust does not last.When they face hunger, the nation again loses confidence in God (Exodus 16:1-3). But God miraculously provides food for them (Exodus 16).

Jesus' Response

View Details

At his baptism, God confirms that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, who will rule on David’s throne forever. We also see what kind of king he is: humble and willing to serve.

View Details

John the Baptist was the herald who announced the coming of the King. His message had two parts: repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. The king is coming. It is time to turn back to God and follow his Messiah.

View Details

This quotation presents the hardest challenge because no passage in the Old Testament says the Messiah will be called a Nazarene. Instead Matthew is summarizing an idea taught in the prophets. We need both grammar and historical background to understand him.

View Details

In this third fulfillment passage, Matthew compares the murder of the young boys in Bethlehem to the Rachel weeping in her tomb for the captives about to be deported to Babylon. In both events, all hope seems lost.

View Details

Matthew tells us the life of Jesus "fulfills" something spoken by the prophet Hosea. Yet Hosea is not "predicting" anything; Hosea is looking backward to the Exodus. What is Matthew doing? He's pointing out the theological connection between Israel as God's son and the Messiah, God's son.

View Details

Matthew draws many parallels between the early life of Jesus and the Old Testament to reinforce his main point: Jesus is the Christ, the son of Abraham and son of David, who will fulfill God’s promises.

View Details

You would think that a passage covering the birth of Jesus would be easy "Christmas stuff" we're all familiar with. Don't be fooled. Matthew's account raises some interesting theological questions.

View Details

Writers are usually told to start their books with a hook that will immediately engage their readers. Matthew begins his gospel with a list of names. Could anything be more boring? Yet Matthew did start with a bang. This list is relevant to every human being who ever lived.

View Details

Jesus claimed that "all authority in heaven and on earth" has been given to him (Mt 28:18). If that's true, and I believe it is, then we benefit by learning all we can about Jesus. Matthew wrote this gospel to tell us who Jesus is and what that means for us.

View Details

As citizens of God's kingdom, we ought to reflect our holy king. This is what citizenship in the kingdom of God looks like.

View Details

The King redeems His people from Egypt. At Mt Sinai, He explains what it means to be His people. At end of Exodus, He is dwelling with them.

View Details

Proper understanding of the Pentateuch can help us understand the Christian life and all of God's creation. We are part of the biblical narrative - God's plan to redeem a people for Himself.

View Details

How are we to interpret the numerous prophetic predictions of the glorious future restoration of Israel?

View Details

In the year Ezekiel should have started his priestly duties, he was in exile in Babylon. Instead the Lord gave him a vision. What exactly did Ezekiel see?

View Details

3 reasons why we don't study the prophets: they're weird, confusing and they all sound alike. Here's why it is important to study the prophets.

View Details

Professor Ken Elzinga answers the question: If your life is going great, why should you bother with Jesus?

View Details

While this topic is controversial, I think Scripture teaches that the baptism of the Holy Spirit has both an individual application (as applied to the apostles) and a universal application (as applied to all believers).

View Details

As Paul deals with the issue of the “weaker” brother, he makes an important point about unity and the power of the Holy Spirit at work in all believers. Unity is not something that can be imposed from the outside or the top down. Unity is a work of the Holy Spirit bringing individuals together through their shared faith.

View Details

As a new believer, I thought the Holy Spirit was like the “force” in Star Wars: something I had to access to find success. Paul has a different view in this passage. The Holy Spirit is the active love of God intervening to make us people who will persevere in faith.

View Details

Paul describes believers as sealed with the Holy Spirit. A seal fulfills a past promise and pledges a future inheritance. A King’s seal had a three-fold purpose: 1) to guarantee authenticity, 2) to name the rightful owner, and 3) to protect from being tampered with or harmed.

View Details

Both the Old and New Testaments speak about the need for God to spiritually renew us and change our hearts. Both associate this spiritual renewal with the Spirit of God. But there is only one really clear Old Testament passage on this topic.

View Details

Most of the Old Testament references to the Holy Spirit involve his work empowering the leaders of Israel to protect the nation. But a second way we see the Spirit of God working in the Old Testament is giving revelation to the prophets.

View Details

One of the main themes in the Old Testament regarding the Holy Spirit is that God empowers Israel’s leaders through His Spirit to bless the nation and keep His covenant promises.

View Details

In 1Corinthians 2, we learn two more important works of the Spirit: 1) The Spirit reveals the thoughts of God to His chosen messengers. This is revelation. 2) The Spirit gives understanding to all believers so that we embrace the claims of the gospel.

View Details

1Corinthians 12 teaches an important distinction between the type of work the Holy Spirit does. The “universal” work of the Holy Spirit is a work that he does for all believers to bring about the inner transformation of faith. The “individual” works of the Holy Spirit are works he does in some believers but not others.

View Details

In John 3:1-8, we learn two themes that we will see repeatedly in this series: 1) The Holy Spirit is God’s agent of change, and 2) one of his most crucial works is the inner transformation of believers.

View Details

After Jesus was captured in the Garden of Gethsemane, the soldiers led him to the high priest. Mark is very careful to point out that these two situations — the trial before the Sanhedrin and the denial of Peter — occur side by side. The contrast between these two situations gives us an illustration which is the answer to the question Jesus asks on the cross.

View Details

Probably one of the most difficult questions Christians are asked is: If God is sovereign, why bother to pray? Why pray, since it won’t change anything? This question gives a really good start on understanding it.

View Details

What’s the most expensive thing you own? Maybe it’s not the most expensive in terms of dollars, but maybe it’s something that’s impossible to replace? What would it take to make you part with it? That kind of costly, self-sacrificing love is at the theme of this question.

View Details

As we’ve seen, Jesus asks questions designed to help people understand themselves and God in a new way. The question “whose likeness is on this coin” often prompts a lecture on paying taxes and financial stewardship. But this passage is more about image and authority than money.

View Details

What do you want Jesus to do for you? Do you want him to make you great? Greatness is not demanding loyalty and service from others. Greatness is serving, to the point of giving your life.

View Details

This question comes from the well-known passage about the rich young ruler. The rich man wants to know what he can do to inherit eternal life. He learns that what he must do is impossible to do.

View Details

The questions we’ll look at in the rest of our series will differ from the previous questions. These questions cover a wider range of topics and the questions focus more on what Jesus came to do and by extension what does it mean to follow him, rather than on who he is. The passage concerns divorce and marriage, and the question that Jesus asks is, “What did Moses command?”

View Details

This question is the turning point of the story. So far in Mark’s gospel, the primary focus of Jesus’ teaching revealing his authority as the Son of Man and the Servant of God. Having established his identity, Jesus now prepares his disciples for what he came to do.

View Details

The passage contains several questions which all revolve around seeing and not seeing, culminating with Jesus asking a blind man if he sees anything.

View Details

Jesus asks this question of his disciples. He highlights a specific area of concern: what makes a person unclean?

View Details

The feeding of the 5000 is the only story — other than Jesus’ last week on earth — which is found in all 4 gospels. It is mentioned in several other passages as well. Even though it’s part of a familiar story, this question is one of the more obscure questions that we’ll cover.

View Details

As we journey through Mark, the evidence is mounting that Jesus is the Messiah. First, he claimed to have the authority to forgive sins. Then we saw him deal with an overwhelming external storm and an overwhelming internal storm, followed by a debilitating physical illness. With this question, he confronts the final enemy: death.

View Details

This question is addressed to the woman whose period didn’t end for 12 years. She was ritually unclean, isolated, sick and living a life that was going from bad to worse with no hope on the horizon. She touched Jesus in hopes of being healed physically, but Jesus stopped and offered her spiritual healing and a place in the community of believers.

View Details

This question is addressed to the legion of demons who are tormenting the man in the graveyard, and it is asked in the presence of the disciples. Why would Jesus care about the name?

View Details

Perhaps the most difficult question that skeptics ask is the question of suffering. How can God be all-powerful and all-loving and allow His people to live in tragedy and anguish? The disciples ask "Don't you care if we drown?" Jesus responds reveals the problem of suffering is ultimately a problem of faith.

View Details

Mark 2:23-3:6 contains two stories back-to-back about the sanctity of the Sabbath. In the first story, the Pharisees accuse the disciples of Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. In the second story, Jesus turns the tables on the Pharisees and accuses them of being the real Sabbath breakers.

View Details

This passage contains two questions addressed to the Pharisees when the paralyzed man was lowered through his roof. Jesus challenges them, asking whether they serve a Lord who forgives and delights in forgiveness or one who withholds forgiveness?

Passage

2:1And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. - Mark 2:1-4

Jesus' ministry is causing both excitement and controversy. What excited the people of Galilee provoked controversy in Jerusalem.Capernaum is Jesus' home base.The paralytic is also from Capernaum.1st Century Capernaum was not an easy place in which to maneuver if you are disabled. The roads were not paved smoothly, stairs and vertical rises made it difficult to get around. You'd have to rely on your friends to help you travel there if you're not ambulatory.

Why was the paralyzed man's condition so urgent that they had to create a hole in the roof?

Jesus was at home. There's no indication he's leaving soon.The man and his friends are also at home. Being paralyzed is a not going to change in the near future.Why tear up the house of a man from whom you need a favor?The paralyzed man must had a spiritual crisis of faith -- which is how Jesus responds to him (Mark 2:5).

5And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7“Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” - Mark 2:5-12

"Why are you thinking these things?" equals "What kind of God do you serve?" One who forgives and delights in forgiveness? Or one who withholds forgiveness?The religious teachers had already concluded that God does not forgive easily: Even when God does forgive it must be in Jerusalem and not in Capernaum. Forgiveness must be given in a temple, not a home. Forgiveness must be given by a priest, not a carpenter. And, forgiveness must be based on a sacrifice, not a mere word."What's easiest to say" equals "Does Jesus have authority to forgive?"If Jesus can do the more difficult, external, visible healing, isn't it likely that Jesus can also do the invisible forgiveness?The miracle validates both Jesus' authority and identity.

For more detail and explanation, please listen to the podcast.

Next: 03 Good or evil, life or death? Mark 2:23-3:6

Previous: 01 Introduction to the Gospel of Mark

Series: Questions Jesus Asked

Resources: Gospel of Mark

For help learning to study, see Bible Study 101.

Photo by Jaka Škrlep on Unsplash

View Details

Have you ever wondered why Jesus would ask a question, especially one he already knows the answer to? Divine questions are meant to be answered on a deeper level.

View Details

Jesus said whoever does not bear his own cross cannot be his disciple. This passage can be terrifying because Jesus makes strong claims about hating your family and your own life. If we claim to follow Jesus, then we need to know exactly what he requires to be his disciple.

View Details

In Luke 14, Jesus gives a series of parables in rapid secession. They are all set at a banquet. These parables aren’t as famous as some of the other parables Jesus tells. They are relatively straightforward so they tend to get overshadowed by other parables like the prodigal son. But I think they are very profound.

View Details

Matthew 12:43-44 contains one of the most difficult sayings of Jesus. This passage can only be solved with good Bible study methodology.

View Details

The podcast is on study break before we start a new series. During my study break, I will randomly offer single podcasts that illustrate good Bible study methodology. Or you can listen to any of over 500 previous episodes.

View Details

In the business end of the letter, Paul explains his travel plans and gives his final admonitions. We’ll also reflect on two important themes we learned from the letter as a whole.

View Details

Paul argues that death is a bigger problem than we think because it is more than the end of our earthly life. It is the doorway to judgment. But God will give us mercy in judgment and victory over death because of Jesus Christ.

View Details

Paul answers an objection to the resurrection raised by his opponents with three comparisons: a seed versus the plant it becomes; Adam who brought death versus Christ who brings life; and natural lie now versus transformed life in the kingdom of God.

View Details

In correcting the Corinthians' view that there is no resurrection, Paul argues that resurrection is an essential part of the way God intends to solve the problem of sin and death.

View Details

Paul starts correcting the Corinthians view that there is no resurrection from the dead by making two points: 1) Jesus, the man, was resurrected and 2) if Jesus wasn’t resurrected, then his death accomplished nothing and we are still guilty before God.

View Details

Paul gives the Corinthians a rule for deciding when to speak in their public gatherings: If your speech does not edify the group, keep silent. If your speech does edify the group, take turns in an orderly fashion.

View Details

Paul argues that prophesy is a better than tongues because prophesy edifies the larger body while speaking in tongues edifies only the speaker. Implicit in his argument is that we should value truth over emotion.

View Details

Before he explains what he means by the greatest gifts, Paul interrupts his argument to explain something more important than all of the individual gifts: love.

View Details

Paul's famous passage on the attributes of love is part of a 3-chapter argument. In this podcast we focus on what Paul is saying about love and why Paul felt it was important to correct the Corinthians understanding of love. In the next podcast, we'll examine how this passage fits into the context of his overall argument.

View Details

Paul compares the people of God to the unity and diversity of the human body. In this rich analogy, Paul teaches us how we should view ourselves, how we should view each other and where we should find our worth.

View Details

As Paul continues discussing the unity and diversity of the body of Christ, we pause to consider what that tells us about speaking in tongues today. Should everyone speak in tongues?

View Details

Paul argues that while all believers have the same Spirit, God distributes different gifts to different believers on purpose. Paul's point in this section is not to give a catalog of gifts, but examples of the diverse ways the Spirit works.

View Details

Paul starts the topic of spiritual gifts in 1Corinthians 12. The Corinthians are confused in thinking that speaking in tongues is the mark of true spirituality and that those who have not spoken in tongues are lesser Christians. Paul lays the foundation in 12:1-3 for his argument which will run through chapter 14.

View Details

What does it mean to take communion in an unworthy manner? How are we to examine ourselves before participating? In this podcast, we look at what Paul found wrong with the way the Corinthians were handling the Lord’s Supper and what he wants them to do instead.

View Details

What’s the connection between Passover and Communion? Why are we suppose to celebrate the Lord’s Supper? In this podcast, we look at how Paul explains the significance of the Lord’s Supper.

View Details

What’s the problem with the way the Corinthians are handling the Lord’s Supper? Some think the key issue is that they were profaning a holy ritual. Others think the key issue is mistreating the poor. I think the key issue is their lack of belief.

View Details

Most everyone agrees that Paul is speaking metaphorically, but few agree exactly what he means by the metaphor of head. To understand Paul’s use of head in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, we look at Paul’s use of head in all his other letters, particularly in Ephesians.

View Details

Paul appeals to the creation of Adam and Eve to make his argument. This podcasts examines what Genesis 2 teaches us and why Paul appeals to it.

View Details

The cultural background behind Paul’s advice on women wearing head coverings is incomplete and contradictory. Here’s what we know and (what I think is) the best way to put it together.

View Details

When a woman participates in a public worship service, is it proper for a her to uncover or head? This podcast gives an overview of what (I think) Paul meant to say and what it means for us today. If you only want the bottom line, listen to this podcast. The next several podcasts cover the details and the controversies.

View Details

The podcast is on break for the holidays. In the meantime, please listen to a previous episode or series. May I suggest one of these:

View Details

Paul concludes by summarizing the his 2 main points: 1) We should limit our freedoms out of love for our neighbor; and 2) We need to take care lest our freedoms are a covering for idolatry.

View Details

1Corinthians 10:13 is often memorized as a stand-alone verse that promises God always provides a way to escape sin, if only you’ll take it. But in context, Paul is saying something quite different.

View Details

Appealing to the example of the Israelites in the wilderness, Paul warns that not everyone who saw the miracles entered the promised land. Being part of the tribe does not guarantee God's favor.

View Details

In 1Corinthians 9, Paul uses his own situation as an example of how the Corinthians ought to think about exercising their freedom. As an apostle, Paul has the right to receive financial support, but declined to take any support from them. He wants the Corinthians to learn from his example and exercise their freedom the same way. In part 2 of his argument, Paul explains why he declined to take support.

View Details

In 1Corinthians 9, Paul uses his own situation as an example of how the Corinthians ought to think about exercising their freedom. As an apostle, Paul has the right to receive financial support, but declined to take any support from them. He wants the Corinthians to learn from his example and exercise their freedom the same way. In part 1 of his argument, Paul defends his right to accept support.

View Details

In 1Corinthians 8, Paul argues that knowing the truth is not enough; we must use our knowledge in the context of loving our neighbors as ourselves and consider the implications of our actions.

View Details

Paul addresses a new question: Can we eat meat sacrificed to idols? His answer gives us deep insight into the relationship between knowledge and freedom, truth and love.

View Details

Paul concludes his advice on marriage by addressing the engaged. As he explains his thinking, Paul gives us one of the most profound lessons we can learn in this life.

View Details

In 1Corinthians 7, Paul corrects the idea that married people should be celibate in order to be holy. In this section, he addresses believers married to unbelievers, and tells them it is best to honor their marriage vows.

View Details

In Corinthians 7, Paul begins answering specific questions the Corinthians asked. After correcting their view that married people should be celibate, Paul addresses the widows and widowers, telling them both singleness and marriage are good gifts from God. Then he addresses those considering divorce as a way to please God.

View Details

In Corinthians 7, Paul turns to answering specific question the Corinthians asked. The first question concerns the place of sexuality. Paul corrects their view that married people should be celibate.

View Details

Paul argues that the pursuit of sexual purity is a necessary part of following Christ, because we belong to him in a profound way and God created sexuality with a specific meaning.

View Details

Paul counters two arguments the Corinthians used to justify their choices: “all things are lawful” and “food is for the stomach.”

View Details

Should believers take other believers to secular law court? Paul confronts the Corinthian church for doing so. But like the other issues he's addressed, Paul is more concerned with the attitudes behind their taking legal action.

View Details

Continuing his discussion of the man having an affair with his stepmother, Paul uses a common biblical analogy that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. What exactly is he telling us about the church?

View Details

Paul confronts the Corinthian church about their attitude toward a man having an affair with his stepmother. Paul is concerned with the blatant disregard of God's law by the man in question, and even more concerned with the attitude the church is taking toward his behavior.

View Details

Paul concludes the first major section of this letter by urging them to repent and imitate him in following Christ and looking foolish to the world.

View Details

Should we expect rewards in heaven for our behavior in this life? If 1 Corinthians 3 does NOT teach that we will receive rewards in heaven, are there other passages which do teach that doctrine?

View Details

1Corinthians 3:10-17 is frequently cited as one of the places that Scripture teaches believers will receive various rewards or crowns in heaven. The context indicates otherwise. Paul is issuing a warning to leaders in the church.

View Details

Paul explains how the Corinthians should view Apollos and himself – as fellow-servants of God. His explanation has far-reaching implications for the American church today.

View Details

1Corinthians 3:1-4 have been at the center of a theological debate over whether we can have victory of sin in our lives now. One side argues that Paul believes "carnal Christians" will be saved but not sanctified because they have not learned to appropriate the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The other side says there is no such thing as "carnal Christians." I will attempt to you show you from context which side is right and which side is wrong.

View Details

Paul argues that the message he preaches is in fact wisdom because it is revelation from God. The gospel is not something we would figure out on our own.

View Details

Paul argues that when he was in Corinth he didn’t seek to impress them with flashy rhetoric and charisma, rather he taught them wisdom from God, so that their confidence would rest in the power of God.

View Details

As he discusses this issue of changing the gospel message to make it more attractive to the world, Paul says let’s consider what happened when I first preached the gospel in Corinth. Let’s consider your calling. What we can learn from it? Our boast is that we belong to God -- not because we were smart enough to find Him; but because He was merciful enough to find us.

View Details

Paul argues that those who live in rebellion to God will see the cross as foolishness. There’s no way to spin the gospel to change that. If you re-package the gospel to make it attractive to rebels, it is no longer the gospel.

View Details

As part of the deeper issues of why factions are developing in the Corinthian church, Paul tells us he’s grateful that he baptized few people in Corinth. His discussion gives us a window into the place of baptism.

View Details

1Corinthians 1-4 are one of the best examples of why it's necessary to study an entire letter rather than sets of verses here and there. We won’t accurately understand Paul unless we understand the situation into which he was writing.

View Details

In the greeting of 1 Corinthians, Paul introduces 3 themes of the letter: 1) Paul is an authoritative emissary for Jesus Christ; 2) God chose Paul for this role; and 3) speech and knowledge are gifts from God that we ought to view wisely. We'll also contrast 2 ways to approach studying this letter. One perspective finds little value in some of the practical problems. The other perspective leads to wisdom that can be applied to any situation.

View Details

Acts 18 records Paul's first visit to Corinth. Understanding Paul's relationship to the Corinthian church is crucial to understanding his letters to Corinth.

View Details

John concludes his letter saying believers can have confidence about three things: 1) that you have eternal life, 2) that your sin cannot jeopardize that life and 3) that this gospel message is true.

View Details

John tells us genuine believers will confess that Jesus is the Christ — the Jesus who was confirmed by three witnesses: “water”, “blood” and “the Spirit.”

View Details

In 1 John 4:7-19, John explains why self-sacrificing love is a mark of a believer: this other-focused love is part of God’s holy character and God is in the process of giving us His character.

View Details

The Apostle John says we can identify false prophets two ways: by the content of what they say (4:2) and by the origin of what they say (4:6).

View Details

How can John say that love is a mark of believers and hate is a mark of non-believers when we know believers who struggle with hate and non-believers who genuinely love others?

View Details

No true believer is committed to sin as a lifestyle because God plants in believers a longing for holiness and righteousness which opposes any tendency to rebel. Believers no longer remain committed to a lifestyle of sin.

View Details

1 John 2:18-28 tackles the question: how do you know what’s essential and what is non-essential?

View Details

John sets the world and the gospel in opposition to each other. You can’t serve them both. You have to choose and his first exhortation is don’t choose the world.

View Details

How should we handle theological disagreements among believers? What issues are so critically important that we should draw a line? And, on what issues should we agree to disagree? John gives us a place to draw the line.

View Details

John begins his summary of the true gospel by saying God is the source of and all life, salvation and holiness. Therefore those who are trust Him will have lives marked by a concern for goodness and a pursuit of righteousness.

View Details

Of all the competing voices out there, how do you know which one is right? Which one is worth listening to? And which ones carry more weight than the others? Who you listen to and why is a major theme of the letter of 1 John. John wrote this letter teach his readers to recognize the difference between the true gospel and false gospels and between true teachers and false teachers.

View Details

Peter concludes his second letter by discussing the end of the age, the return of Christ and what that tells us about how we should live now.

View Details

2 Peter 3:8-9 features in the debate over God's sovereignty and human free will. While this verse does not settle the debate, understanding what Peter means in context teaches us a lot about both good Bible study and the issues in the debate.

View Details

Peter argues that more than anything else we need to find life through forgiveness and to find fulfillment through righteousness. It is this hope that he wants us to remember such that we let it change our lives today.

View Details

Peter warns that the false teachers are like springs without water, promising freedom but delivering destruction and he warns his readers not be deceived by their empty promises.

View Details

Continuing his warnings about the false teachers, Peter uses of Balaam from Numbers 22-24. Like Balaam, the false teachers are profiting from causing the people of God to stumble.

View Details

In the third major interpretative challenge of 2 Peter 2, we tackle the questions of who are the glorious ones, why would they be reviled and what does Peter want us to learn from this example?

View Details

The coming judgment of God is not a popular topic today. We prefer to emphasize God's love instead. Yet Peter thought judgment was important enough to include in his final letter, so that would remember it long after he is gone.

View Details

Peter and Jude appear to be quoting the book of 1 Enoch, which is part of the psuedepigrapha. Why would they quote it? What does it mean when an apostle quotes from a non-biblical source? I think both Peter and Jude quote 1 Enoch, the way a teacher today might quote Harry Potter -- to make a point based on popular culture.

View Details

The Oxford Dictionary defines "post-truth" as "relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief." Do we live in a post-Bible study world? Increasingly sermons are heavy with stories and emotional appeals and light on critical explanations of the author's intent. But good Bible study methods haven't changed.

View Details

2 Peter 2 and the Epistle of Jude presents the same ideas in the same order and often use the same words. Did Peter copy from Jude? Did Jude copy from Peter? Or did they both copy from someone else? What's going on?

View Details

Peter asserts the gospel is not a clever philosophy but divine revelation from God. Which presents us with a choice about how we understand the Bible.

View Details

In 2 Peter 1:5-11, Peter explains the connection between believing the gospel and pursuing a lifestyle of godliness. When we come to believe the gospel, these qualities follow. In last week's podcast, we defined the first 5 terms on the list. In this podcast we'll finish the list and cover Peter's conclusion that our lives as believers will be marked by these growing qualities.

View Details

In 2 Peter 1:5-11, Peter is explaining the connection between believing the gospel and pursuing a lifestyle of godliness. I argued in the previous podcast that these qualities are NOT the cause of spiritual maturity, rather they RESULT from spiritual maturity. When we come to believe the gospel, these qualities follow. In this podcast we'll define each term in the list and discuss why Peter includes it and how it results from faith.

View Details

To understand 2 Peter 1:5-11, we need to know that: 1)Peter is speaking to churches who are bewitched by false teachers who are encouraging them to pursue greed and sensuality; 2)Believing the gospel includes a change in lifestyle.

View Details

Peter wrote this letter to churches infected by false teachers to encourage them to remain true to the apostolic gospel. He encourages them to reject both the message and the lifestyle of the false teachers. He starts his case by proclaiming thatin the gospel we have everything we need to obtain Life and godliness. #witw #Biblestudy #2peter

View Details

Peter concludes his letter by returning to his main theme: Stand firm in the gospel. Peter wrote his first letter give his readers perspective. Our “big picture” –what we believe is true — changes how we think, what we say, and what we do. Peter’s primary concern is to ensure we have the right big picture. He summarizes this theme addressing the leaders of the community.

View Details

This section marks the beginning of the end of the letter. In conclusion, Peter returns his main theme of the letter: how you deal with fellow believers and hostile nonbelievers. His answer is in each case you need the right perspective.

View Details

Psalm 1 is classified as a "wisdom" psalm. In many ways it functions as an introduction to the book of psalms.

View Details

1 Peter 3:18-4:6 includes one of the more difficult passages in the New Testament. However we understand this section, the context suggests that the main point should be related to patiently enduring suffering for the sake of another.

View Details

Peter wraps up the second major section of his letter reminding his readers that the more we embrace the truth of who Jesus is and what he did for us, the less we have to fear. The more we know where life, hope and blessing are to be found, the freer we are to let go of this world.

View Details

In his 3 examples, Peter addresses people who are stuck in a binding social relationship which they cannot easily escape. His advice to all 3 situations is the same: As aliens and strangers you are called to live in a hostile unbelieving world. When possible show the unbelievers that you are a person of virtue by behaving in a submissive and respectful way. Love your oppressor so that your faith is not interpreted as rebellion and hostility, and they may see God's grace through you.

View Details

Peter gives us the principle in 1 Peter 2:11-12 and then he applies that principle to 3 situations where someone is be treated unfairly in a binding social relationship: a citizen under an unjust government, a slave under an unjust master and a wife married to an unbelieving husband. This talk examines the first 2 examples.

View Details

Have you seen a map of the universe taken from space with a tiny insignificant pinpoint of light labeled "you are here"? In 1 Peter 2:1-10, rather than demoralize us with our insignificance, Peter inspires us with the plan of God and how we are a part of it.

View Details

In 1 Peter 1:14-25, Peter explains that the gospel gives us a living hope that ought change every aspect of our lives. Just as the Olympic athletes change their values, their goals, their actions, their words and their daily routines in light of their Olympic goals, so the gospel ought to change us.

View Details

In the field of psychology, "locus of control" refers to the extent to which a person believes they can control the world around them. People with a strong internal locus of control tend to attribute the outcome of events to factors under their own control. People with a strong external locus of control attribute outcomes of events to external circumstances. But both have a perspective which influences and predicts their actions. The book of 1 Peter is about that big perspective. In a sense, Peter is writing to explain a "gospel locus of control."

View Details

An introduction to the letter of 1 Peter and a look at Peter's calling from Luke 5.

View Details

The Epistle to Philemon is a private letter written by the Apostle Paul. Along with the letter, Paul returning Onesimus, a slave who ran away from Philemon. This letter appeals to Philemon to take the right action and free Onesimus, but it speaks volumes to us today about how to live our daily lives.

View Details

The "so what" of being justified by faith is now we have a reason to boast. Paul explains the 3 things we boast about in Romans 5:1-11. The first is hope.

View Details

Saving faith is the permanent, ongoing trust in God that one day He will free me completely from all the consequences and effects of sin because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Saving faith itself is a gift from God and it involves 4 things.

View Details

There are 2 consequences to our sin: 1) We experience death and futility. 2) Our rebellion is wrong and we now owe a debt to justice that must be paid. Justification is the payment of that debt.

View Details

Understanding the gospel means we must understand the problem that the gospel solves. While the word gospel means "good news," understanding the gospel begins with bad news: death.

View Details

Compare Romans 16, Paul's conclusion of his letter to the Christians in Rome, to a high school yearbook. During the high school years, we are supposed to learn skills, knowledge, and an approach to life that will get us launched into adulthood. The book of Romans also records truths that should be foundational building blocks for life, the essentials upon which we ought to build our lives. The high school yearbook is the history of the events, ideas, and accomplishments that took place during the year, but it also contains a collection of handwritten names, greetings, memories, and thoughts about life. We find at the end of the book of Romans some very personal words, too.

View Details

Paul closes Romans as he began, with a personal word about himself and the church in Rome. Reflecting on his life so far and where God will take him next, Paul discusses two themes: 1) the situation of church at Rome, and 2) the future of his ministry. As you study Romans 15, you might want to compare what Paul says to your own church and ministry.

View Details

Have you ever noticed, how much easier it is much easier to destroy something beautiful and worthy than to build it? Building up and tearing down is at the heart of Romans 14-15. Paul’s going to encourage us to build each other up and remind us that this building takes a lot longer to accomplish, than does tearing down.

View Details

The issue Romans 14 concerns one of our favorite sports: How and when should Christians meddle in each other’s lives?

View Details

In Romans 13:8-14, Paul explains what it means to be able to live as people who are free to love one another and free of self-recrimination, guilt, uncertainty, or doubt. The passage speaks of freedom from debt and freedom from darkness.

View Details

In Romans 13, Paul continues in his application of how we should live in light of the gospel. In this often-discussed and debated passage, he explains how to be good citizens: submission, fearlessness and conscience.

View Details

In part, Romans 9-11 is an explanation of how people can be caught in spiritual pride and how the advantages of knowing about God and His truth can be twisted into something that actually drives us away from God.

View Details

In Isaiah 55:1-5, Isaiah describes the glorious and abundant banquet that God has prepared and bids all to attend — both Israel and the Gentle nations. This banquet is none other than the life offered through the work of his Servant, Jesus Christ. We saw that the way into the feast was to listen and believe. Now we're going to see that part of that listening and believing is repentance.

View Details

In the Servant Songs, we saw that a Servant would come who would bear our iniquities and inaugurate a new age through his death and resurrection. Now Isaiah invites all to a banquet feast to celebrate and share in the reign of the Messianic King.

View Details

In 54:11-17 Isaiah speaks of a New City to demonstrate that what the Servant accomplished through his death and resurrection not only fulfilled the Old Covenant, but it far surpasses Israel's grandest dreams.

View Details

Can believers expect prosperity in this life? What happened to the promises of prosperity in the Old Covenant? When the Servant finished his work of atonement, a new age will be born which promises a prosperity which far surpasses the prosperity of this age.

View Details

Isaiah describes the work of the Servant and how his work will be received by the Lord, by the nations and by Israel.

View Details

Isaiah describes the work of the Servant and how his work will be received by the Lord, by the nations and by Israel.

View Details

The Servant will be equipped with divine speech as he goes through the school of suffering.

View Details

The Servant will not only restore the people of Israel, He will also bring salvation to all the nations.

View Details

If God is truly sovereign, where is justice to be found? Where is justice to be found when terrorists plan attacks on tourists and innocent bystanders? Where is justice n the face of school shootings and other acts of senseless violence? Isaiah answers that question for the Jewish exiles in Babylon in the first Servant Song. The foundation of this new kingdom will be a suffering servant who will be everything Israel was intended to be and who will bring justice to the nations.

View Details

The exiles in Babylon faced three insurmountable obstacles: the nations, their rulers and their religions. These 3 obstacles dominated and permeated every aspect of their daily lives. How could they be overcome? In 40:12-31, Isaiah contrast these three formidable adversaries with the power of God as author and creator of history. He concludes this new kingdom God is announcing is so powerful nothing will threaten it and it will stand forever because it is build by the word of the Lord.

View Details

The nation of Judah was facing exile, the destruction of their land, their community, their temple, and their religion. The critical question before them was: Have we forfeited the promises God made to Abraham and David? Into that despair and doubt, Isaiah announces the end of the exile, the birth of a new kingdom and the arrival of its King.

View Details

Isaiah wrote these prophecies of the Servant about a time when all God’s people are scattered and the Davidic throne has disappeared into the sands of Babylon. Does the exile mark the end of the history of God’s people? Have they forfeited the divine promises made to Abraham?

View Details

Twice Paul raises the question: “Did God reject His people?” Twice he answers: “By no means!” In Romans 11:1-15, Paul gives five reasons why it is evident that God has not forgotten His people, the Jews.

View Details

In Romans 10, Paul is answering the question of why some people who have little knowledge are saved while some who have much knowledge are not saved. He gave part of his answer in Romans 9. All of us are born lost, and God in His mercy and grace chooses to call some people to him. Paul continues his answer into chapter 10. Taking religion seriously is not the answer.

View Details

On what is the basis does God choose the elect? Paul’s answer is that God -- as God -- has a sovereign right to choose who receives mercy.

View Details

Romans 9-11 must be read as a unit that builds to a wonderful climax. It contains some of the most difficult material in the Bible.

View Details

Paul argues that because of the activity of the Spirit, we can have confidence that everything that happens to us is in our own best interests.

View Details

Paul argues that the Holy Spirit produces within believers grief over sin and eager hope for their inheritance.

View Details

While Miriam was more focused on getting glory than on doing good, Barnabas was more focused on doing good than on getting glory and in the process he changed the world.

View Details

How do we deal with the fact that we serve and work in a local church where some people just seem to get a better deal than we do? Miriam had the same problem with her baby brother Moses. This talk looks at Miriam and how we go wrong when we focus on who gets the glory rather than doing good.

View Details

Sometimes we act as if finding God's will is a version of the old 3-shell con game: where a marble is hidden under one shell and the con man moves them rapidly around the table and you have to guess which shell contains the marble. No matter which shell you pick you are always wrong. I would argue that the problem is not God hiding his will. The problem is the way we are looking for it.

View Details

Bill Wilder speaks on how and why to interpret the Psalms. Bill Wilder is the Director of the Center for Christian Study (www.studycenter.net)

View Details

Paul concludes his letter wrapping him up major themes of embracing the gospel individually and striving toward unity around that common belief and thanking them for their support and partnership in proclaiming the gospel.

View Details

What do you do when you try harder and still struggle with sin? That's the question Paul answers in Philippians 3:12-31. Paul pauses to clarify what he means by perfection and the goal of the Christian life.

View Details

With chapter 3 of Philippians, Paul begins a new but related topic. While his major concern is still that the Philippians sincerely embrace the gospel and so find eternal life, he now warns them against the false teaching of the Judaizers. While warning against legalism, Paul explains his view of his own "accomplishments" under the law.

View Details

Paul concludes this first section of the body of the letter by again encouraging them to persevere in the faith and telling them of 3 ways he hopes to communicate with them.

View Details

Philippians 2:12-13 is one of Paul's most famous statements and it's one we forget to place in the context of the letter. At first reading, it looks like Paul is highlighting a paradox of YOU work out your salvation because GOD is working in you. But in context, I think Paul is still concerned that the Philippians are living their lives in a manner worthy of the gospel (1:27) and are motivated to do so for the right reasons.

View Details

Philippians 2:5-11 is traditionally associated with the doctrine of the Trinity. However, I think the context suggests that Paul's main point is not to teach the doctrine of the Trinity. From an interpretative standpoint, I believe the context suggests that Paul intends to teach something about unity and our attitude towards other believers, and he uses Christ as an example to make that point. If we also learn something about the Trinity, that is icing on the cake.

View Details

Philippians 1:27 begins a new section in which Paul urges his readers to live a life worthy of the gospel. Living such a life does not mean that you will live a perfect life. Rather if we actually believe the gospel is true, we now see the world differently and, we begin to view some things as right, proper and good, and begin to view other things as wrong, selfish and evil. And we choose accordingly.

View Details

What are we to make of Paul's joy that selfishly ambitious teachers are proclaiming the gospel? And, what can we learn from his famous statement "to live is Christ, to die is gain"?

View Details

Paul's opening prayer in Philippians reflect what he hopes and confidently expects God to do in the lives of his readers and it introduces the main theme of his letter. From this short prayer, we can learn what we ought to most want for ourselves and for each other.

View Details

Paul's message in Philippians is essentially the same as Moses in Deuteronomy 30:19-20: Choose life by loving the lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him. He opens the letter expressing his gratitude -- not because the Philippians have sent him financial support. But rather he is grateful that the gospel was so important to the Philippians that they wanted to support it.

View Details

In Acts 16, when Luke reports on the conversion of two locals, he tells us that Paul baptized their entire households. Why would Paul baptize an entire household?

View Details

Years later, Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to find the people have broken all their vows. His reaction is ruthless -- to make a point.

View Details

The history told in Nehemiah is a historic witness to the restoring work of God in people's lives. Now in chapter 12, at the what should be the end of the story, Nehemiah is once again going to make a circuit of the city. But this time instead of a single rider on a single horse as we saw in chapter 2, he is part of a parade circling the city on top of the rebuilt walls, singing the praises of God.

View Details

The people vow to keep God at the center of their lives as they move back into Jerusalem both by choice and by draft.

View Details

If all the generations prior to you have been people who listened to God and eventually rejected him, what is the likelihood that your generation is going to be different?

View Details

In chapter 7 the wall is finished. The city is safe, but not yet “alive." In chapter 8 the people long to know God so they ask Ezra the priest to teach them the Law.

View Details

In chapter 5, the problems Nehemiah and the Isrealites encounter are inflicted from within the community itself. In Chapter 6 Nehemiah is tested. Is he the kind of leader who fears God? Or is he the kind of leader who thinks too highly of himself and had been seduced by the power of leadership?

View Details

Chapter 3 paints a picture of community, including the main point that we should begin serving the body by working on “the broken wall in front of our own house.” Chapter 4 records the opposition they face and the leadership they need.

View Details

Nehemiah faces three moments where he must rely on the word of God and speak out boldly.

View Details

Nehemiah is caught in the tension of living between two worlds. He needs an answer from God as to how to resolve the dilemma.

View Details

How do you introduce yourself? What things about you are the most important to tell someone first? Do people know about your prayer life before they get your business card? Do they know of your passion for God before they know your job title? For Nehemiah, being part of the people of God was his identity. His job was an afterthought.

View Details

In Jeremiah 38, we talked about how doing the right thing sometimes leads to punishment. But what about the people doing the punishing? When Babylon destroys our city or we get thrown into a cistern of mud, what happens to the guys doing the destroying or throwing? Will the bad guys get what's coming to them? And, is it okay to want that to happen?

View Details

Psalm 98 is a victory or coronation psalm. It has 3 stanzas: 1-3: praise the Lord as savior; 4-6: praise the Lord as King; 7-9: praise the Lord as judge.

View Details

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

View Details

Sometimes we despair over our sinfulness and turn the Lord for mercy (Psalm 130). But other times, we do the right thing and are punished for it. That's the situation we find in Jeremiah 38:1-13. Jeremiah has spoken the message that the Lord asked him to speak and others are seeking to kill him for it.

View Details

Psalm 130 is an individual lament and a repentance psalm.

View Details

You don't pick up a cookbook looking for the same things you would find in history textbook or vice versa. You expect a different kind of experience from a "beach read" and a suspense-thriller or from a travel guide and a self-help book. What do you expect from the Bible? What kind of book do you think it is? What do you hope to gain from reading it? Jeremiah 36:1-32 records a story about Scripture and reveals part of the process of how it was written down. In looking at why God instructs Jeremiah to write down His words, we're going to answer, "What's so special about the Bible?"

View Details

With the Babylonian army threatening their border, Jerusalem was a place with little to no hope. How could that hope be for real? To teach His people that hope is real, the Lord told Jeremiah to do something crazy. In fact it was perhaps the most ridiculous move anyone could take - unless hope is true.

View Details

Jeremiah warns the people of Judah that God is about to let the Babylonians conquer Jerusalem and deport them because they have disobeyed God. That raises the question, "If God really is going to let our city be destroyed and send us into exile, what good is believing in Him? What good is faith?" In Jeremiah 31:31-34, God tells Jeremiah to reveal more about His plan and show His people where faith will eventually lead them.

View Details

Jeremiah 29:1-14 is addressed to people from Jerusalem who have already been deported to Babylon but before Jerusalem itself has been completely destroyed. These people want to escape. They want the exile to end and they want to get back home. Jeremiah writes the letter in this chapter to set them straight. Surprisingly, he doesn't tell them how to escape; instead he tells them how to endure. What do we do while we await the not-yet? What’s there to do in Babylon?

View Details

We live in a world of a million conflicting voices today. You can be constantly updated with tweets, texts, alerts and notifications. Which voice has authority? Which voice can be trusted? In Jeremiah 23:9-33, God addresses this issue of these different voices, criticizing those prophets who claim to speak for Him, but really don’t. In 23:1-8, the Lord called out Judah ’s political leaders; in this section He calls out her spiritual leaders.

View Details

Today's leaders promise hope and change only to deliver corruption and scandal. We elect bright promising outsiders who go to Washington and immediately become insiders. They cease fighting for the ideals they promised in the campaign and start fighting to keep themselves in power. Who can make things right? Who will help us out of this mess?

View Details

With Absalom dead, Joab blows the trumpet to end the battles and the civil war is over. Except David is still in exile. Now we have a guilty nation and a vindicated king, and the question that remains is how to restore the relationship. How do you approach your king after you’ve been sinful or rebellious?

View Details

2 Samuel 18 is the climatic battle for the throne. But instead of highlighting the ferocity of the battle, the spotlight focuses on David's anxiety over his son, and how the news of Absalom's death impacts him, especially when he learns that the price of rebellion is the death of his son. It is a price David cannot bear to pay, but it is a price God pays for us. David’s grief gives us a glimpse of the price our heavenly father was willing to pay on our behalf.

View Details

As we’ve studied the rebellion of Absalom, we’ve been asking what we can learn about responding when we sin, understanding the discipline of our heavenly father, and how to respond when suffering unjustly. With 2 Samuel 17 we focus on these questions from God's perspective.

View Details

How should you respond when suffering unjustly? As David flees Jerusalem, he is used and abused by two members of Saul's family. We can learn from his example how to bear unjust suffering.

View Details

What do you do when you fail in a big way and your failure matters? Your mistake has big consequences for other people? How should you respond? That’s the situation David is facing in our story today.

View Details

The conflict between appearance and reality is the theme of our story today. As we'll see, what appears to be wisdom and repentance is not.

View Details

The sins of David's sons repeat and magnify David’s sin. David's crime was against the wife of a friend. Amnon sins against a sister. The consequences of the first were death of a husband and baby. The consequences of the second was civil war. But why do the consequences fall so heavily on Tamar?

View Details

We all come to a place at one time or another where we ask the question, “Why is my life so hard? Why do I have to endure this particular problem or experience this pain or go through this situation?” In Jeremiah 20:7-19, we see Jeremiah reach that place. He hits rock bottom and cries out asking, why his life was so hard.

View Details

One of the most common complaints is that the God of the Bible doesn’t seem to be very “fair.” We come from different backgrounds, we have different accents and we have different gifts and opportunities. And we look at that and ask, "Is God fair?"

View Details

I suspect many of believers today are convinced that Sabbath still means something but have no idea what it is. You take the Bible seriously, you sincerely want to follow and obey God, but in this particular instance you have no idea how to begin, what to do or what not to do. What can we learn from Jeremiah about Sabbath?

View Details

What do you do when you sin repeatedly? What do you do when you see something about yourself that you decide to change, you give it your best effort, and you don't change? What's wrong with us? Jeremiah gives 3 metaphors to explain the problem of our hearts.

View Details

Religion should make a difference in our lives. By "religion," I mean the set of outward behavior, practices, ethics and rituals that we do or avoid doing to mark ourselves as believers. Believing in God means we ought to love and value what God loves and values, and therefore we ought not to be nicer to each other. Yet, religion doesn't seem to solve all the problems we think it ought to solve. What is wrong with religion? Why doesn't it make more difference?

View Details

Why is God so difficult to believe in? We want control. We explain away His gifts and provision. We want a predictable god who doesn't surprise us. The God of Scripture is complicated and does not answer all our questions. We are afraid the hope of the gospel is too good to be true. The truth is that God is really not hard to believe in. The problem is that it is our hearts that are fickle.

View Details

Jeremiah Answers: What does God want from us? Faithfulness. Calling begins with God, develops through our relationship with God and that relationship leads us to others.

View Details

The book of Jeremiah is about global national and political crisis, personal crisis and most importantly, the word of the Lord.

View Details

The prevailing belief of the world is that "You go around once and then you die." Yet, the remarkable claim of the Christian faith is that those who have died are more alive today than they were before their deaths. "If I die and go to heaven, what is it going to be like?" "Someone close to me died, where do I turn for comfort?" "If I die, will I go to a better place?" Professor Ken Elzinga answers these questions.

View Details

Lecture notes for Meeting God in the psalms: application and deriving doctrine.

View Details

Lecture notes for Psalm 107 The Lord delivers us from manifold troubles

View Details

Lecture notes for Psalm 109 which is used by Peter to describe Judas in Acts 2:16-20: “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas”

View Details

Lecture Notes for Psalm 49

View Details

Psalm 73 The end of the wicked contrasted with the end of the righteous.

View Details

Lecture notes for Sharing the Psalms by Ed Scully. Tips for polishing your presentation.

View Details

The key to understanding Hebrew poetry is knowing that the "rhyme" of ideas is more important than the sounds. This "rhyming" of ideas is called parallelism.

View Details

How are we to understand these various Scripture verses that encourage us to persevere in prayer, continue to pray, pray without ceasing, and pray at all times. Can we fulfill them by setting an app on our smart phones to remind us to pray 15 minutes of every hour? If not number of minutes, what are the authors asking us to do?

View Details

In this series of exhortations, Paul explains how belief in the gospel changes how you act in three pairs of relationships: wives/husbands, children/parents and slaves/masters. The overarching theme in this section is to live all our relationships as bond servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing ultimately we serve him. The challenge is to resist the tendency to "win." Instead we are to recognize God has a higher prior claim on our lives and seek to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ -- in whatever situation we find ourselves.

View Details

Paul has been warning the Colossians that they are in danger of becoming like the Pharisee in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18). Essentially, he warns: Don't trust in your law-keeping; trust in the blood of Christ and the hope of the gospel. Then you'll see real gospel change.

View Details

The point of Christianity is NOT how do I make this world a better place. The point is where am I going to spend eternity and how do I know?

View Details

Paul contrasts faith in Christ with keeping a set of religious disciplines. He claims limiting what you eat or practicing specific rituals as an effort to prove yourself a spiritual person or show yourself worthy to God is foolishness. It misses what Christ came to do for you.

View Details

Performing external rituals does not change my sinful heart. There is only one way to be made clean.

View Details

Paul is laboring to nurture a strong mature faith among his readers. He struggles to make the truth of the gospel crystal clear so that our understanding reaches settled conviction and full assurance such we have the courage to follow Jesus no matter what.

View Details

In perhaps the most explicit teaching on the Christ in the New Testament, Paul says: 1) all that we can know of God is seen in Jesus because the visible man Jesus reveals the invisible God to us, and 2) Jesus has priority in every way as the Father has given authority over all creation to Jesus. Written to a community in danger of leaving the gospel, Paul emphasizes that Christ and the cross are essential to getting the gospel right.

View Details

Paul is thankful for what God has done in the Colossian church to bring about their faith and salvation through Jesus Christ which has resulted in their faith and love of their fellow believers. What has transformed their thinking and who they identify as their people is the hope which results from understanding and believing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

View Details

The first two verses of Colossians follow the typical greeting for a New Testament letter: the author(s), the recipient(s), greetings. Paul identifies what his readers should understand about him. Then he explains who he considers his readers to be, particularly in relationship to God.

View Details

Peter's main concern in this section is how we treat others, both inside and outside the family of God. But his point is a fuller richer picture than 'be nice.' His advice is fix your hope completely on the grace that is coming to you. And then be humble. Be soft-spoken. Seek their welfare. Don't give evil for evil. There's a bigger gospel perspective to take.

Part of the series 1 Peter: Living as aliens and strangers For more information: WednesdayintheWord.com

Many thanks to Reggie Coates of Heartfelt Music & Ministry for graciously providing instrumental guitar music for our podcasts!

View Details

Peter continues the theme of submission he introduced in 2:11. He calling people who are being persecuted to consider what their response communicates to those persecuting them. His advice is the same in all three examples: When possible show the unbelievers that you are a person of virtue by behaving in a submissive and respectful way.

View Details

In this section Peter explores the connection between what we believe and how we act 3 ways.

View Details

This December you can have a Mary Christmas or a Martha Christmas. In a Martha Christmas you are so frantic doing good things that you miss the best gift of all. In a Mary Christmas you recognize what is truly important and find the best gift of all.

View Details

There’s nothing like the Christmas season to force you to face the fact that life is often neither joyful nor triumphant. What is there to celebrate about Christmas? We'll answer that question by looking at one of my favorite Christmas stories: Job.

View Details

The more I study the Lord's Prayer, the more I conclude the prayer asks for one and only one thing: that God would make us completely righteous once and for all.

View Details

Peter concludes his letter by returning to his great main themes: salvation, suffering and submission. In his "final imperatives", Peter encourages his readers to stand firm in the faith and focus on their future hope.

Part of the series 1 Peter: Living as aliens and strangers For more information: WednesdayintheWord.com

Many thanks to Reggie Coates of Heartfelt Music & Ministry for graciously providing instrumental guitar music for our 1 Peter podcasts!

View Details

With 4:7, Peter begins the conclusion of the letter. In his summary he returns to two of his major themes: how to respond when suffering for the name of Christ and how to treat fellow believers. In each case you need the right perspective.

Part of the series 1 Peter: Living as aliens and strangers For more information: WednesdayintheWord.com

Many thanks to Reggie Coates of Heartfelt Music & Ministry for graciously providing instrumental guitar music for our 1 Peter podcasts!

View Details

1Peter 3:18-20 is one of the more difficult passages of the New Testament. We know it has to fit the context of suffering unjustly for the sake of another and we have to answer these 4 questions:

View Details

Peter concludes the section his section how to respond when being treated unjustly speaking to wives whose husbands are disobedient to the word. He summarizes this section "Finally/To sum up" - first how we should get along with a pagan government (2:13), then an unfair boss (2:18) and a non-believing spouse (3:1).

View Details

Peter begins a new section of the book, explaining what to do when you're stuck in a situation you can't leave and you're being treated unjustly.

View Details

Peter draws on the sweep of redemptive history to encourage his readers to stand strong in the faith.

View Details

As Peter transitions into the body of his letter, he encourages his readers to live out their hope in fear, holiness and brotherly love.

View Details

I remember clearly the day I became invisible. Walking through the mail with my teenagers, all the females were noticing my son and and the males were noticing my daughter.

View Details

Nehemiah is one of the few Old Testament books with sections written in the first person. It's interesting how Nehemiah introduces himself.

View Details

A good teacher tailors her presentation to her audience. The same is true of the four New Testament gospels. Each gospel writer had a different audience in mind and tailored his presentation of the story to his audience.

View Details

What can the story of a coal miner's kid trying to build rockets teach us about Bible Study?

View Details

Psalm 143 is about being in the deepest blackest pit of despair and finding God anyway. It’s about depression, but the particular depression and anguish you feel when you’re confronted with the consequences of your sin.

View Details

All through my academic career I rubbed shoulders with people smarter than I. The standard was always higher than I could reach, no matter how I hard I tried. Holiness is like that.

View Details

Think about what you'd wish for if you had a genie. Think about what you pray for. How similar are they?

View Details

When Paul writes in Ephesians 2 that believers are "growing into a holy temple in the Lord" and "being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit", he's drawing on rich Old Testament history.

View Details

Wednesday in the Word with Krisan Marotta: Recent Episodes

Krisan Marotta