II Corinthians 2

Paul wants to bring joy to congregation in Corinthverses 1-4

 But I determined this with myself

            that I would not come again to you in heaviness

FOR if I make you sorry – who is he then that makes me glad

            but the same which is made sorry by me?

AND I wrote this same unto you – lest – when I came

            I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice

                        having confidence in you all – that my joy is the joy of you all

FOR out of much affliction

and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears

                        not that ye should be grieved

            but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly

unto you

Reconciliation needed toward repentant manverses 5-8

 BUT if any have caused grief – he hath not grieved me – but in part

            that I may not overcharge you all

Sufficient to such a man is this punishment – which was inflicted of many

            so that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him – and comfort him

                        lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with

overmuch sorrow

WHEREFORE I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him

Reconciliation necessary to defeat Satanverses 9-11

FOR to this end also did I write – that I might know the proof of you

            whether ye be obedient in all things

To whom ye forgive anything – I forgive also – for if I forgave any thing

to whom I forgave it

for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ

LEST Satan should get an advantage of us

            for we are not ignorant of his devices

Paul waiting for Titus’ reportverses 12-13

 Furthermore – when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel

and a door was opened unto me of the Lord

I had no rest in my spirit

BECAUSE I found not Titus my brother

            but taking my leave of them

I went from thence into Macedonia

March to reach all with the message of salvationverses 14-16

 NOW thanks be unto God – which always causes us to triumph in Christ

            and makes manifest the savor of HIS knowledge by us in every place

FOR we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ – in them that are saved

and in them that perish

to the one we are the savor of death unto death

                                    and to the other the savor of life unto life

AND who is sufficient for these things?

Some preach a corrupt messageverse 17

 FOR we are not as many – which corrupt the word of God

            but as of sincerity – BUT as of God

                        in the sight of God speak we in Christ        

COMMENTARY:           

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers 

: 7      So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. (5483 “forgive” [charizomai] means to grant as a favor, gratuitously, in kindness, give freely, bestow, pardon or rescue, deliver, give, grant or to do something pleasant or agreeable)

DEVOTION: This word is used four times in this chapter. The disciple’s prayer tells us that we are to deliver others from their sins and then our sins will be delivered. We have to be willing to be gracious to others for the LORD to be gracious to us. If we will not pardon others, then the LORD cannot pardon us.

This church was noted for having problems. Paul addressed many of the problems in the church. One of the problems was a man who had a physical relationship with his step-mother and did it outwardly with the church doing nothing about it. Paul told them to do something about it. They did.

The man confessed and asked for a pardon. Some apparently were not willing to pardon him. Paul told them to pardon him or else he might be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. In the state of “overmuch sorrow” Satan might get a foothold in the individual as well as the church. Paul didn’t want this to happen.

We are to confront someone about their open sin but when they confess and ask for us to grant them a favor or kindness – we need to give it. We can’t let open sin be allowed in our churches but remember that correction needs to be done in the spirit of meekness with restoration in mind. Paul was dealing with a church that wasn’t letting someone back in after they confessed their sin and repented. The church is to be a hospital for sinners, not a self-righteous gathering of people who think they are not sinners like others.

Too often those in authority abuse their authority to hurt people rather than to encourage them back to the good standing with the LORD. Let’s not be guilty of causing “overmuch sorrow” in someone’s life.

When dealing with sin we need to make sure that we deal with it according to Matthew 18. If there is confession and a change of lifestyle we need to show those individuals kindness and let them serve the LORD in the local church again. We are not to hold past sins that are confessed over the heads of those in our church.

CHALLENGE: Do we show kindness to those who have hurt us or the church when they confess their sin and start living the way they should?  Or do we make them second class citizens in the church? 

 

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers 

: 13      I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother, but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. (425 “rest” [anesis] means relief, liberty, be eased, liberty, relaxation, or abatement)

DEVOTION:  Paul was intently waiting for an answer to his letter to the church of Corinth. He wondered if they would be obedient to his request to forgive the man who was living with his father’s wife.

The man had moved out and asked for forgiveness. He wanted to become a member in good standing with the church. He wanted to worship with those who had done church discipline on him for his sin.

Paul was asking the church to forgive him and invite him back into their fellowship. He wanted to know what they would do and Titus was to bring the message.

Peace of mind is important to Paul. He didn’t receive it from the LORD but was waiting for his fellow servant Titus. He was so concerned that he left an area of good evangelism to find out what his next actions had to be to see that what the LORD wants all believers to do would happen.

Reconciliation is important to the LORD. It should be important to us. If someone has hurt the church the church needs to work with the individual to the point where they either repent or walk away.

CHALLENGE: Too often it is the church that walks away from the individual which is displeasing to the LORD. 

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 : 14      Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. (2358 “triumph” [thriambeuo] means conquest over opposition, to give victory, or to make an acclamatory procession)

DEVOTION:  Most of us like to be on the winning team in whatever sport we play. The true is that we are on the winning side when it comes to eternity. It is because of the death of Christ on the cross for our sins. HE was our substitute. When God looks that those who are followers of Christ HE only sees HIS Son who died for their sins.

Paul wants us to be thankful for what God has done for us on a regular basis. Too often we forget to say thank you to God for all HE does for us each day. He was thanking the LORD for God the Father looking at him as a sweet savor and all those who are in ministry for HIM.

We put out an odor or fragrance that smells good to HIM. Most of us don’t realize that because of our faithfulness we are like a sacrifice in the Old Testament that gave a sweet smelling odor that pleased the LORD.

Our attitude has to be one that is thankful for all that the LORD has done for us and because of HIS sacrifice we are supposed to sacrifice in our service to HIM which God the Father smells with pleasure.

We are also supposed to put forth this fragrance even during times of suffering. That is the hardest time to have this fragrance. Ask the LORD to help you to continue to put out this proper fragrance.

Christ is leading us in a victorious march toward heaven while we are spreading the knowledge of salvation to all we meet. We are to enjoy the march as Paul enjoyed his march from place to place even during times when he was put in jail.

CHALLENGE: Remember that we are given victory over all the devices of Satan. Never take a defeated attitude.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 17      For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as of God. In the sight of God speak we in Christ. (2585 “corrupt” [kapeleuo] means trade in, peddle, huckster, characterized by false and deceptive practice, to exercise a petty retail traffic, habit of adulterating their commodities for the sake of gain, or to hawk)

DEVOTION:  False prophets and false teachers are everywhere. They are only preaching and teaching for the money it will bring in. Many have grown rich through this type of ministry.

People with itching ears love to hear their message because it is one that promises them health and wealth and riches. It also is a message that requires no service to the LORD just some giving of money.

Those who represent the LORD truly are not interested in the money or the fame. They are only interested in seeing the LORD glorified. They preach with sincerity. They are concerned for the eternal souls of those who they preach too. Paul was such a preacher.

We need to make sure that those we are listening to are not just telling us what we want to hear but telling us what God wants us to hear. We need to be confronted with our sins. We need to be humble servants of the LORD that will bring glory to HIS name.

Good Biblical teachers are not peddling the word of God for their own profit but for the profit of those who are listening to them. Their desire is for personal growth in those who will listen and apply the truth of God’s Word to their life. These are the only true representatives of Jesus.

Will good Biblical teachers ask for money? YES!!! Money is not their main object but money is needed to help the ministry move forward for the LORD.

CHALLENGE:  God expects HIS servants to give a portion of their income to HIM willingly.

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD) 

Wroteverses 3, 4, 9

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

Godverse 14, 15, 17

Word of Godverse 17

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Christverse 10, 12, 14, 17

Person of Christverse 10

Christ’s gospelverse 12

Lordverse 12

Triumph in Christverse 14

Sweet savor of Christverse 15

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Satanverse 11

Not ignorant of his devicesverse 11

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Troasverse 12

Macedoniaverse 13

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Overmuch sorrowverse 7

Satan have an advantageverse 11

Ignorant of Satan’s devicesverse 11

Perishverse 15

Corrupt the word of Godverse 17

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Heavinessverse 1

Sorryverse 2

Gladverse 2

Rejoiceverse 3

Confidenceverse 3

Joyverse 3

Afflictionverse 4

Anguishverse 4

Love for fellow believersverse 4, 8

Punishmentverse 6

Forgiveverse 7, 10

Comfortverse 7

Obedientverse 9

Thankfulverse 14

Triumph in Christverse 14

Spreading knowledge of Christverse 14

Sweet savor of Christverse 15

Savedverse 15

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Church (New Testament people of God)

Open door to preachverse 12

Titusverse 13

Make manifest the savor of his knowledgeverse 14

Speak in Christverse 17

Last Things (Future Events)

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DONATIONS:

Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org.  Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method.  Thank you.

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QUOTES regarding passage

: 16b, 17 To Paul’s urgent question “Who is equal to such a task (of preaching the gospel of Christ or being the aroma of Christ)?” the answer may be either, “We apostles are, for we are not peddlers of an adulterated message,” or “No one is, if he depends on his own resources.” The latter reply is supported by 3:4–6; the former by 3:1.

By the phrase “unlike so many,” Paul may be referring to the numerous wandering teachers and philosophers of the first century (see note on 11:8) who expected or demanded payment for what they claimed was “the word of God,” or (and this is more likely; note the “some people” of 3:1) to the group of his Judaizing opponents at Corinth who converted preaching into a means of personal gain. In contrast, Paul appeals to the sincerity of his motives and the purity of the message. This was shown by his divine commission (“like men sent from God”; cf. Gal 1:1, 12, 15, 16), his sense of divine dependence and responsibility (“we speak before God”) and his divine authority and power (“in Christ”). The principle is clear: As those who dispense the life-giving remedy for sin, preachers must avoid diluting or adulterating the medicine of life, the Word of God. (Harris, M. J. (1976). 2 Corinthians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians (Vol. 10, p. 332). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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Corrupting (καπηλευοντες [kapēleuontes]). Old word from καπηλος [kapēlos], a huckster or peddlar, common in all stages of Greek for huckstering or trading. It is curious how hucksters were suspected of corrupting by putting the best fruit on top of the basket. Note Paul’s solemn view of his relation to God as a preacher (from God ἐκ θεου [ek theou], in the sight of God κατεναντι θεου [katenanti theou], in Christ ἐν Χριστῳ [en Christōi]). (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (2 Co 2:17). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)

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2:17. In Paul’s day there was apparently no lack of false apostles (cf. 2 Peter 2:1). According to Paul, the ministry of the many false apostles was a matter of self-interest. Unlike them, he had ministered in Corinth without charge (cf. 2 Cor. 11:7–12; 12:14), though in principle he had no problem accepting material remuneration for spiritual labor (1 Cor. 9). What characterized the false apostles were their messages and their motives. Like dishonest merchants they selfishly hawked their wares. Paul said they peddle God’s Word. This word kapēleuontes, “to hawk, peddle,” is used only here. Paul may have had in mind Isaiah’s description of Jerusalem’s unscrupulous Israelites who “diluted” their wine with water to increase their profits (Isa. 1:22; cf. Lucian’s description [Hermotimus 59] of similarly unscrupulous philosophers). So too these false apostles adulterated the Word of God for profit. They served themselves, not God whom Paul represented. They were “greedy for money” (1 Peter 5:2), an evidence of their falsehood. But Paul ministered with sincerity (cf. 2 Cor. 1:12). (Lowery, D. K. (1985). 2 Corinthians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 560). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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Paul was sure that God was using him as He was leading him (vv. 14c–17). As the Roman priests burned the incense in the parade, that odor affected different people in different ways. To the triumphant soldiers, it meant life and victory; but to the conquered enemy, it meant defeat and death. They were on their way to be killed by the beasts.

Using this image of the incense, Paul pictured the Christian ministry. He saw believers as incense, giving forth the fragrance of Jesus Christ in their lives and labors. To God, believers are the very fragrance of Jesus Christ. To other believers, we are the fragrance of life; but to unbelievers, we are the fragrance of death. In other words, the Christian life and ministry are matters of life and death. The way we live and work can mean life or death to a lost world around us.

No wonder Paul cried out, “And who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Cor. 2:16) He gave his answer in the next chapter: “our sufficiency is of God” (2 Cor. 3:5). He reminded the Corinthians that his heart was pure and his motives sincere. After all, there was no need to be clever and “peddle” the Word of God, when he was following in the triumphant train of the victorious Saviour! They might misunderstand him, but God knew his heart.

We don’t have to fail! Circumstances may discourage us, and people may oppose us and misunderstand us; but we have in Christ the spiritual resources to win the battle: a clear conscience, a compassionate heart, and a conquering faith.

“If God be for us, who can be against us?… Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Rom. 8:31, 37). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 636). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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2:17 not like many. Or, “not as the majority.” This specifically refers to the false teachers in Corinth and to the many other teachers and philosophers of that day who operated by human wisdom (cf. 1Co 1:19, 20). peddling. From a Gr. verb that means “to corrupt,” this word came to refer to corrupt hucksters, or con men who by their cleverness and deception were able to sell as genuine an inferior product that was only a cheap imitation. The false teachers in the church were coming with clever, deceptive rhetoric to offer a degraded, adulterated message that mixed paganism and Jewish tradition. They were dishonest men seeking personal profit and prestige at the expense of gospel truth and people’s souls. in the sight of God. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Co 2:17). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

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Ver. 17. For we are not as many, &c.] The apostle here removes from himself, and other ministers of the Gospel, a character which belonged not to them, but to the false apostles; who are described by their number many; there were great swarms of false teachers in the early times of Christianity; see 1 John 2:18 and 4:1 some copies read, as the rest; and so the Syriac and Arabic versions; and also by their quality, which corrupt the word of God; by the word of Cod, may be meant the Scriptures in general, which are from God, contain his will, and which he uses for the good of men, and his own glory, and may be corrupted by false glosses, and human mixtures, and by adding to them, or taking from them; or the Gospel in particular, which is the word of truth, of faith, righteousness, reconciliation, and salvation, and which was corrupted by-these false teachers, by making merchandise of it; they huckstered the word of God, made gain of it, sought merely their own worldly interest and advantage in it, and so mixed it with their own vain philosophy, to please the carnal ears and hearts of men; the blended law and Gospel, grace and works, in the business of salvation; they did, as pedling merchants do, mix good and bad commodities together, and then vend them for sound ware; or as vintners, who mix their wine with water, and sell it for neat wine. The Septuagint interpreters on Isa. 2:21. translate the last clause of that verse thus, οε καπηλοε δου μισγουσι τον οινον υδατι, thy vintners mix wine with water; which may be understood in a moral or spiritual sense; so aid these men mix, and hereby corrupt the Gospel, the word of God; and so the Syriac version reads the words דממונין, who mix the word of God: now the apostle says, they did not do so; they delivered out the word pure and unmixed, without any corruption or adulteration: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, says he, speak we in Christ; they spoke in Christ, in the name of Christ, of or concerning him, and him only, and freely, fully, and plainly, as God’s free gift, and the only way of salvation without the works of men: and they spoke, as of sincerity; what they delivered was the sincere milk of the word; the manner in which they did it was sincere, with all integrity and faithfulness; and so were their views, which were not their own profit and applause, but the glory of God and the good of souls; they spoke in Christ, and with all sincerity, as of God; by whom they were called and sent forth to speak in his name, and from whom they received the Gospel, and gifts, and abilities to preach it; and all this they did, in the sight of God, as the searcher of hearts, and to whom they knew they must give an account of their ministry another day. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 768). London: Mathews and Leigh.) 

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Last of all, we have the fidelity of a true Christian: We are not traders of God’s word; we are true to God’s word: “For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ” (2 Cor. 2:17). There are those, indeed, who do traffic in the Word of God. The word for “corrupt” here makes that clear. The word is kapēleuō and it occurs only here. It means “to adulterate.” A kindred word kapēlos occurs once in the Septuagint, where Isaiah 1:22 reads: “Thy wine sellers mix wine with water.” There are those who water down the truth to please their audience and who bow before the intellectual Baal of this world. Paul scorned all such deceitful handling of God’s Word. He called for “sincerity,” for men who would preach as he did, under God’s all-seeing eye.

The Bible ends, indeed, with a warning against tampering with the Word of God (Rev. 22:18–19). I had a friend, years ago, who had been raised as a child in Africa where his parents were missionaries. I sat by him in church one Sunday morning, when the family was home on furlough. His Bible fell open during the service at a place where he had a large leaf from some great jungle tree. It was, however, only the skeleton of a leaf. Some industrious African insect had eaten away the entire fabric of the leaf except for the veins. It was so full of holes it was only a shadowy outline of its former self.

I have met so-called liberals like that. They have gnawed away at their Bibles until nothing worthwhile is left. They have attacked the Pentateuch, dismissed the prophets, explained away the miracles of Christ, denied His deity, rejected His resurrection, maligned Paul, redated Daniel, scoffed at Jonah. They have bored and burrowed away at the Book until all they have left is a tattered tracery. They call all this “Higher Criticism.” In fact they are “traders,” trading away vital truth for some trifle. They are guilty of “corrupting” the Word of God. Interestingly enough, the word Paul uses to describe their nefarious activities, the word kapēleuō (and its kindred kapēlos) was used by the Greeks to describe the huckster, or a tavern keeper of dubious honesty. What these “traders” have done to the Scriptures, and the subsequent damage they have done to the souls of men, they have done “in the sight of God.” Terrible will be their awakening on the day of judgment when they stand before a God who is very jealous of the integrity of His Word (Ps. 138:2). (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring 2 Corinthians: An Expository Commentary (2 Co 2:15b–17). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)

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2:16b -17 Who is sufficient for the gospel ministry? In contrast to the newly arrived opponents who preached for the money, Paul is adequately equipped for this ministry because he preached (1) free of charge with pure (sincere) motives,  (2) was commissioned from God, (3) was accountable in the sight of God, and (4) was in union with Christ.

(p. 1811,The Moody Bible Commentary by Michael Rydelnik & Michael Vanlaningham)

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FROM MY READING: 

Making A Diffeerence

One day a man was walkking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy. he asked, “What are you doing? The youth replied, Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“”Son” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and thousands of

starfish?” “You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf.

Then, smiling at the man, he said…….

I made a difference for that one   (Loren Eiseley)

NEVER ALONE

by Anne R. C. Neale 

A lot of times we think we are alone,

But we are never alone at all you see,

No matter where you are or where you go,

You are always accompanied by God, the Almighty, 

Loneliness is a part of our life

We do have times when we feel we are alone,

But always stay focused that you are not,

God is with you wherever you roam. 

You are never alone, no matter where you may be,

God always accompanies you all night and all day,

God never ever leaves your side at all,

You are never alone, that is wonderful, hurray.

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It is hard for us to realize, but it is true that God can do far more with a broken man than with a man who seems strong in his own strength and power. And so He permits trouble to come upon HIS people, and even upon His chosen vessels, in order that they may be humble and broken in spirit before Him. (p. 27)

It is not like us to seek meekness; as a rule we are naturally so proud, we are so haughty, so wickedly conceited, so self-occupied. Because of these very things if God is going to use us in His service, He has to permit us to go through experiences which will humble and break us. (p. 28, II Corinthians by H.A. Ironside)

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Solomon once said that of the writing of books, there is no end. The sheer number of books available online today is overwhelming, and there’s nothing worse than wasting time or money on a terrible book. A helpful clue to reveal the quality of a book is whether or not it has stood the test of time. Another indicator, though not nearly as reliable, is how many have sold.

On both of these counts, the book “Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions” by my friend Greg Koukl, passes with flying colors. In fact, it’s sold so well for so long, “Tactics” is now available in an expanded and updated 10th-anniversary edition.

I have long regarded the original edition of “Tactics” as one of the best resources ever produced to equip Christians to engage in tough conversations with skeptics and unbelievers. While plenty of books tell us what to say on tough topics, this book is training on how to have the conversation. The title says it all: “Tactics.”

The expanded 10th-anniversary edition, with several new chapters and updated examples that take into account the ways our culture has changed since 2009, means that this edition supplants the old one as one of the best resources ever produced to equip Christian to engage in tough conversations with skeptics and unbelievers—and, by the way, even with fellow believers who might be fuzzy on the key teachings of our faith.

According to Koukl, “representing Christ in any era requires three skills.” First, we need a “basic knowledge necessary for the task.” This means knowing the central message of God’s kingdom and “knowing something about how to respond to the obstacles [believers will] encounter on their mission.”

By itself, however, knowledge isn’t enough. “Our knowledge must be tempered with the wisdom that makes our message clear and persuasive.” As Greg puts it, “we need tools of a diplomat, not the weapons of a warrior.”

Finally, we must not forget that this knowledge and wisdom “are packaged in a Person.” If we don’t embody the virtues of Christ, we will undermine our message and attempts to share it.

Koukl’s book is especially helpful on the second of these necessary skills: tactical wisdom, or the skills necessary in both how to speak about our faith and how to constructively and conversationally listen. This is the tactical game plan to “artfully manage the details of our dialogues with others.”

Let me be clear: This book doesn’t teach conversational manipulation, or how to “own” someone. It’s not even about how to “win” a debate, and it certainly won’t equip you to embarrass or humiliate anyone. None of these things properly represent the goal of Christian conversation and witness.

The goal, Koukl insists, is to find a way to expose “someone’s bad thinking for the purpose of guiding her to truth” in a “gracious and charitable” manner.

To do that, Koukl teaches what he calls “the Columbo tactic,” named after a famous 1970s TV detective. This involves asking a series of questions in order to gather information and define the terms of our discussion. For example, “What do you mean by that?” and, because Christians are not the only ones who need to give reasons for what we believe, “How did you come to that conclusion?” Koukl calls this strategy “reversing the burden of proof.” These kinds of leading questions can help the person we’re conversing with reach the appropriate conclusion on their own.

Perhaps the most helpful aspect of the book are the stories. When Koukl shares the real-life conversations he’s had and how he has employed the tactics, it makes you think, “Oh, I can do that, too.”

The kind of practical wisdom he offers is more vital today, ten years after he first offered the book “Tactics,” than ever before. We will send you a copy for your next gift of any amount to the Colson Center.

And, if you need more convincing, listen to my podcast interview with Greg Koukl. And remember, with any gift you make to BreakPoint and the Colson Center during the month of February, you’ll receive a copy of “Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions.” (BreakPoint)

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Leviticus 16
The Day of Atonement.

INSIGHT

In spite of God’s desire that we be holy, He is fully aware that we will not remain free from sin. But because God loves us and wants to be gracious to us, He provides a way for our sins to be forgiven.

In the Old Testament, the nation is cleansed from sin annually on the Day of Atonement. Since Christ has come, we may be cleansed moment by moment- whenever we ask for His cleansing mercy.  (Quiet Walk)

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THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALS THE WORK OF CHRIST

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 1 Corinthians 2:12
The Holy Spirit not only reveals the person—He also reveals the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The preaching of Christ, says Paul, is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks (1 Corinthians 1:23). These so-called wise men frequently stumble at the cross especially. You see, the preaching of the first disciples was not only that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, but that He came into the world in order to deal with the problem of sin. They taught that the meaning of His death upon the cross was not merely that He was arrested by the Romans at the instigation of the Pharisees and put to death by crucifixion. No; they taught also that God had made Him to be sin for us—it was a great transaction between the Father and the Son. To the philosophers this was nonsense. They did not understand because they did not receive the Holy Spirit. But “we,” says Paul again to the Corinthians, “have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; tha t we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (1 Corinthians 2:12).
I want to ask a simple question here: Have you understood this matter of the atonement? Are you clear about the work of Christ? Do you see and know that the Lord Jesus Christ has taken your sins upon Himself and has died for them on the tree? If you are in difficulty, it is because you have not been enlightened by the Holy Spirit. The only way you can come to know this is not to try to understand it intellectually, but to ask God to enlighten you by the Spirit and to enable you to see and receive this truth as the Spirit unfolds the work of Christ.
A Thought to Ponder: Ask God to enlighten you by the Spirit.          

     (From Saved in Eternity, pp. 89-90., by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones) 

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Lessons from the Rich Fool
“But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:20)
This sobering verse gives, in a nutshell, God’s evaluation of people whose dominating concern is the accumulation of material possessions. Such a person is, by the Lord’s own testimony, a fool.
But before the man in this parable became a covetous fool, he first became a self-centered clod, interested only in his own desires. In the verses comprising his monologue (Luke 12:17-19), he used the personal pronouns “I” and “my” no less than 11 times, and then even addressed himself using the pronoun “thou” or “thine” twice more.
“My” is the devil’s pronoun. It was Satan who first said “I.” “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: . . . I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). Lucifer’s primeval, self-seeking covetousness brought rebellion and sin into the angelic host, and then into the human family. Ever since his fall, he has used this deadly sin of self-centeredness to keep men away from God and to lead them into all kinds of other overpowering sins.
In the case of the rich man, his pampering of self had led him into a life of such greed and covetousness that he was still concerned only with his own personal comfort (“eating and drinking”) right up to the day of his death. He “thought within himself” (Luke 12:17), giving no thought whatever to God’s will or the fact that all his possessions really belonged to God. Multitudes over the ages have been overtaken by this same sin of self-centered covetousness, perhaps never more pervasively than in modern America, even among American Christians. To anyone of such covetous spirit, the day may soon come when the Lord will say: “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.”

                                    (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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True holiness “is the most beautiful ornament and the most magnificent beauty which can be found in man.” Behold it is Christ and become like him in glory (2 Cor. 3:18)

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God saved you to sanctify you. God is in the beautification business, washing away spots and smoothing out wrinkles. He will have a blameless bride. He promises to work in you; he also calls you to work out. “The beauty of holiness” is first of all the Lord’s (Ps. 29:2) But by his grace it can also be yours.

                            (p. 146,The Hole In Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung)

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