One-Ministry

The Book of II Corinthians

Lesson 52

 

The Book:

Paul gives more of his personal history and his own feelings in this letter than in any other of his writings.

 

The Central Message:

“The Comfort of God through Christ” (1:3; 13:11)

 

The Structure of the Book:

• The Comfort of God – Chapters 1 through 7

• Christian Giving – Chapters 8 and 9

• Paul’s Defense of his Apostleship – Chapters 10 through 13

 

The Comfort of God: – Chapters 1 through 7

 

Chapter One:

• Paul’s suffering in Ephesus (Asia) was serious. His condition was such that “we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God” (9).

 

• In verses 3-7 the words “comfort” and “consolation” are used 10 times in these five verses. It is the same word used for the Holy Spirit (The Comforter).

 

• Paul uses his own sufferings as a testimony to Corinth that God sustains and comforts so that he might comfort others (8-14).

 

• His desire and plan are to go to Corinth, but God changed his plans (15-24).

 

• The Holy Spirit “Establishes” the believer- v.21

 

• The Holy Spirit “Anoints” the believer – v.21

 

• The Holy Spirit “Seals” the believer – v. 22

 

• The Holy Spirit is the “Earnest”-  the “Pledge” of more to come – v.22

 

Chapter Two:

• A reference to a sinning person of I Corinthians 5 is in verses 5-13. Paul had commanded discipline. Now we find that the person has repented and now Paul urges them to restore him in the fellowship (v. 8). Refusal to forgive him would give Satan an advantage (v.11).

 

• The triumph Christian life is outlined (v. 14-17).

 

Chapters Three and Four:

• We see Old Covenant versus the New Covenant.

•  The Old Covenant was of the “letter”, while the New is that if the Spirit written in ”freshly tables in heart” (v.3 and v.6).

• The Old Covenant “killed”- the New “giveth life” (v.6).

• The Old Covenant was one of “condemnation”- the New “righteousness” (v.9).

• The Old Covenant though “done away, was glorious”- the New is “glorious that which remained” (v.11).

• The Old Covenant in the face of Moses- the New shines from the face of Jesus Christ (3:13 and 4:6).

• The symbol of the Old Covenant was a veil- the New is a mirror (3:13-18).

• We are mirrors to reflect the glory of the Lord (4:3-6).

• Look at 4:7-10:

• Troubled- not distressed

• Perplexed- not in despair

• Persecuted- not forsaken

• Cast down- not destroyed

 

Chapter Five:

• Physical death means the departure from the body (tabernacle).

• The bodies we have are temporary and they suffer (v.1-5).

• Death means we leave these bodies and are immediately in the presence of the Lord (v.8).

• The believer appears before the judgment seat of Christ to receive rewards or no rewards.

• Salvation was settled at the time one accepted Christ; this is not the judgment of sin but of works done for Christ.

• Men reconciled to God (v.14-21).

 

Chapter Six:

• Paul’s experiences in life ministry (v.1-10).

• Paul’s appeal to the Corinthians (v. 11-18).

 

Chapter Seven:

•   The comfort of God in the heart of Paul is found (v.4, 6, 7, and 13).

• “godly sorrow worketh repentance” (v.10)

 

Chapters Eight and Nine - Christian Giving:

• These chapters give us detailed instructions for Christian giving.

• Giving is a grace. God wants us before your gift (v.1-6).

• Principles of Christian giving (v.7-15).

• We should give proportionately (v.12-14).

• We should give bountifully (9:6).

• We should give cheerfully (9:7).

 

Chapters Ten through Thirteen – Paul’s Defense of his Apostleship:

• Paul’s boasting was in the Lord and not his own edification (10:8).

• God’s rule of measure (10:12)

• Paul paid his own way (11:9).

• His life is given in graphic detail (11:16-33).

Chapter Twelve:

• The thorn in Paul’s side, “my grace is sufficient for thee” (12:9)

 

Chapter Thirteen:

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith, prove yourselves”

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