PAUL THE APOSTLE 7
PAUL THE APOSTLE 7
He then declares Christ's resurrection as an essential element of the gospel. It underlines the certainty of the resurrection of every believer in Christ, in view of which, Paul exhorts Christians to righteousness. He explains the method of their resurrection, the nature of resurrected bodies, and the necessity for a resurrection. He outlines the time and manner and urges Christians to abound in the work of the Lord until it happens (CP 1:1 - 16:24).
2 Corinthians. After relaying his and Timothy's greetings to the Corinthians, Paul explains the nature of his apostolic ministry defined in terms of his relations with them. He advises them to forgive the offending member of the church who he had instructed them to excommunicate in 1Cor for committing incest with his stepmother. He had repented, and if not restored to fellowship immediately, could be so overwhelmed by sorrow that he might never recover, and be lost to Christianity forever. Satan would have the advantage then. Paul highlights the glorious character of the New Covenant in contrast to the Old. He reveals that in God's eternal purpose the Old Covenant was being abolished even as Moses brought down the Ten Commandments from Mt Sinai. He wore a veil so that the Israelites could not see the fading glory of the Old Covenant reflected on his face.
Paul refers to the gospel entrusted to weak and fragile human beings as this treasure in earthen vessels, which teaches that by entrusting human beings with the gospel, God makes it clear that the power to save is from him, not men. Paul notes things he has had to contend with in his apostleship, but declares that if Christians are to minister life to others, they must be prepared to share the sufferings of Christ, and experience the working of death in their lives. The afflictions and persecutions he suffered only strengthened his faith in the future eternal glory he would experience at the resurrection. The Christian walk is a walk of faith. Christians do not have to personally see God to know what they believe. Every Christian is an ambassador for Christ. God has committed the responsibility to them to preach the gospel and win souls to Christ, who He has made the sin bearer for all mankind.
Paul warns the Corinthians against receiving the grace of God in vain. This is a warning to all Christians in all ages that they can forfeit their salvation if they abandon the faith and life of the gospel. After summarising his ministry, Paul exhorts believers not to be involved in any relationship with unbelievers that could compromise their Christian witness. He distinguishes between Godly sorrow and the sorrow of the world. Next, Paul centres on the collection for the Jerusalem church. He encourages Christians to give willingly, cheerfully, and liberally to the cause of others in need, but only out of what they have, not what they do not have. He explains how God's law of sowing and reaping is connected to giving - Christians who cheerfully and willingly give what they can to help others in need will always find that the grace of God furnishes a sufficiency for their own need and even more, in order that they may abound in good works to others.
In the course of vindicating his apostolic office and defending his ministry against the attacks of his enemies, Paul declares that although Christians live in human bodies, their war is spiritual, and they have spiritual weapons to fight with, which nothing can withstand. In vindicating his apostolic office Paul lists his sufferings for Christ, which again confirms his apostleship. These sufferings are the outworking of his thorn in the flesh, which we examined soon after this study commenced. Paul then speaks to all believers in Christ when he tells the Corinthians to constantly test the genuineness of their faith. In closing the epistle, Paul prayed a benediction over the church, witnessing to the three-in-one Godhead of Christianity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost (CP 1:1 - 13:14).
Galatians. The purpose of Paul's letter to the churches in Galatia was because the Galatians, who had begun their Christian walk by faith, were now attempting to complete the walk by works of the law. Paul sets forth the true character of salvation as justification by faith in Christ alone, not by works. Paul shows throughout the epistle that works of the law are not a condition of salvation. The law was only ever a schoolmaster to train those under it until Christ came, that they might be justified by faith. Once Christ came there was no longer any need for the law, and there is no longer any gulf between Jews and Gentiles, masters and slaves, and males and females. In spiritual terms they are all one in Christ. To distinguish between the law and grace Paul uses the two sons of Abraham as an analogy. The son of the bondwoman, Hagar, symbolises the law, and Isaac, the son of the freewoman - Sarah, Abraham's wife - symbolises grace. As the son of the bondwoman - Ishmael - had to give place to Isaac, the son of the freewoman, so too the law has to give place to grace. They cannot co-exist. This teaches that the Old Covenant has been fulfilled in Christ and completely abolished. Paul warns Christians against back-stabbing each other. He reminds them that they are to love one another. He lists both the works of the flesh, which will damn them to hell, and the fruit of the Spirit, which assures them of their place in Heaven. If Christians walk in the Spirit, they will not fulfil the lusts of the flesh (CP 1:1 - 6:18).