2 Corinthians, 2:1-13

Alright, we're in 2 Corinthians. Today, Hal got us going a couple weeks ago, and then Jim last week, and Hal, you're back in the podium next week. So let's open up our Bibles and turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 2, and the title of today's lesson is His Life and Ministry are Characterized by Love and Forgiveness, and that's chapter 2. verses 1 through 13. Let's read that before we get into the study. And I'm reading from the King James Version.

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 maketh one glad, or maketh me glad? But the same who is made sorry by me. And I wrote the 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. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me. but in part that I may not burden you all. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted by the many, so that on the contrary 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. 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 anything, 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. 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 there into Macedonia.

All right. So I've divided today's lesson into kind of three aspects that we can pose in the way of questions. And they are in order, and you should have this in your handout. First of all, why is Paul grieving? And that's addressed in the first five verses. And also underneath that point is what is Paul's attitude in the setting of his grieving? The second thing we'll deal with is what or who needs to be forgiven. That's covered from verses 6 through 11. And related to that is what power does Satan have over us as believers? I mean that Paul deals with that here in, I believe, verse 9 or is it 10? It's verse 11. So we need to look at that in terms of our own lives.

And finally, what about expectations, which are really dealt with in terms of Paul's expectation to have Titus meet him in Troas, and then he doesn't make it. All right. So the first question before us, why is Paul grieving? Input. All right. So the first letter, what specifically, Jack? He wrote to the enforced Corinthians, and he does usually mix words, although he's very diplomatic. And I think that he's longing to see them again. Other thoughts? First of all, what does it mean to grieve?

Didn't Jim last week talk about how they were being harsh with him because he hadn't come to see them? because he had said in his first letter that he would come, and then he was unable to come because of circumstances. He still hadn't gotten there, had he? He still hadn't gotten there. Maybe, as Jack pointed out, that's really what he's grieving about, is that he hadn't been able to get there and see them. And he had said he would, and now they're being so critical of him, and that might be part of the grieving, too. Okay, that's possibly part of it. thoughts about why Paul would come in heaviness or grief.

Just for a brief transition to kind of the meaning of the term, the word grieve or heaviness in verse 1 is the same word Greek origin for sorry in verse 2. The concept is similar, although it's used in a different grammatical form. Lupe or lupio means to grieve or have a sense of heaviness. It's a pain of body or of mind a sense of sorrow, a sense of heaviness.

And by the way, this includes grieving the Spirit. What do you think of when we grieve the Spirit? Do you think of the grieving of the Spirit in the same way you think about the grief that we suffer as individuals? I wouldn't have thought about that the same way.

The heaviness we sense, is the same word that's applied to the grieving of the Spirit in Ephesians 4.30.

Let's turn to Ephesians 4.30 just for a second. This is kind of tangential, but I think worthy of our consideration for a few minutes here. Ann, do you have that? Could you read that please?

Ephesians 4.30?

What do you think about when you think about grieving the Spirit? Does the Spirit go in the corner and cry? Does the Spirit of God have the same kind of emotions that we carry as humans when we have a sense of sorrow or heaviness? Does the Spirit of God have emotions? Does he have emotions? I would have to say he does, doesn't he, if we in fact can grieve him. The term grieve is a very kind of emotional kind of aspect. Did the Lord Jesus Christ have emotions?

All right. Good. So just put that into context, that this grieving and heaviness that Paul is sensing, is the same kind of grieving. This could be entirely in the Lord. This is not just the old Adam hanging out in the corner weeping, right? I mean, this grief is really of a godly sort. His grief is really well-founded, potentially, in the will of God. This heaviness, this sense of pain of his mind that he's going through in this circumstance. Now, let's get back to the question. Why is he grieving? And I'm going to raise these three possibilities. There could be more.

One, is he still grieving about this sexual sin that's portrayed in 1 Corinthians 5. Let's turn 15, I'm sorry, let's turn back there a second because I think the evidence is reasonably strong that this is at least part of this grieving, but yet probably not the entire source. And this is again in verses 1 through 5 and then we'll wrap it up in 12 and 13. Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I also preach unto you, which also ye gave, whoops, chapter 5. Yep, sorry, it's not 15. I said it correctly the first time, I just printed it incorrectly. So make a correction in your handout.

It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. you are puffed up and have not rather mourned that he..." Remember, they hadn't mourned either. That's the other concept here. Not only is there this incest, but there's the lack of mourning over this incest. That potentially, the lack of repentance in the body is as much a part of this, if not more now, than the issue of the incest to begin with.

Verse 2, halfway through, "...that he hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I, verily as absent the body, but present the spirit, have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together in my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. go down to 12 and 13, for what have I to do to judge them also that are outside? Do not ye judge them that are within, but them that are outside God judges. Therefore put away from among yourself that wicked person.

So this, and I think the verses that follow here ultimately give us some reason to believe that this event was a significant one that Paul's dealing with. But I think he could potentially be dealing with other things that relate to the opposition to him.

Remember that first letter was a fairly critical letter, wasn't it? The Church at Corinth. And tying into what Margaret was saying, maybe his not being there, this very critical letter, and maybe he hadn't followed up on that. Maybe there's this sense of Paul that there's maybe a lack of acceptance of him, and maybe he's grieving partly over that. I'm being very theoretical here.

But I think, unequivocally, we have some support for the lack of the repentance in the body could be something that he could be grieving for. Let's go back to 2 Corinthians. Yeah. Absolutely. And how this is, I think, reasonably solid in support of that position. Doubtfully opposition to him per se. And if we turn to Galatians, which you don't have to, the verse is stated on the board in your handout, Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am, for I am as ye are, ye have not injured me at all.

So this idea of whenever we personally are in a position, thinking the darts are thrown at us, we have to question, should the darts be thrown at us? But when the cross offends, isn't that something we deal with every day, day in, day out? What's offending others?

Is it the cross or is it our old man? And I think Paul in Galatians, I think exemplifies the fact, not that Paul didn't have an old man too, he certainly has dealt with that repeatedly, his epistles. But the idea, if the cross offends, and you know, you're not injured by criticism. The opposition is to the Lord Jesus Christ. Let the cross offend, not us.

And so I think honestly this sense of Paul being out of God's will in terms of his dealing with the church at Corinth was probably not an appropriate conclusion about his source of heaviness here. I don't think he was personally feeling picked on here.

What a great message for us all, isn't it? This idea of who's offending if we are being offensive. If there's opposition to us, what is that opposition really directed towards? Is it directed towards the Lord Jesus Christ as lived out in the believer? Or perhaps, and I don't know about you, but often it's me who's offensive, not the Lord Jesus Christ. And I guess that's the work of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives to reveal the source of that offense within us.

Any comments or further thoughts about this? So I'd like to dismiss this idea to a large extent that this sense of heaviness or sorrow is really Paul acting in an introspective way, thinking personally that he's being opposed. Now they may have been opposing what Paul stood for, but he's never putting himself in this situation or position to take that personally. And that really is a tremendous message for us. thoughts, further comments on this? Now, what we're seeing here is what I've entitled this grief-the-gladness transition.

And this is really, this is kind of Romans 8.28 played out, isn't it?

For all things work together for the good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. The thought here is that your sorrow because rebuke gladdens me and I count of your repentance. So let's look at this particularly in verse 2. For if I made you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad but the same who is made sorry by me? So in other words, Paul's concern about the incest in the church at Corinth was responded to appropriately by those in the church, and now he is actually gladdened by the fact that appropriate action was taken against this individual. So the idea of ultimately this heaviness transitioned into happiness, if you will, or gladness is on the basis in this specific example of the repentance shown in the Church at Corinth.

And I just pointed out a couple of other examples, one from 1 Corinthians and the other from 2 Corinthians, and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it. or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. And the second text is, and lest when I come again, my God will humble me among you and that I shall be well many which have sinned already and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. So these are contrasting statements. The idea in the first example is when one suffers, we suffer with it.

The idea of Paul really looking at the church in Corinth and their response to this heinous act is one in which there's actually an identification with their position and then ultimately to be honored or made to be glad because of their response. And then the second one, those who have not repented obviously are put in a very different perspective and position in terms of their relationship to the church as a whole and the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyway, we see these contrasting related truths that deal with this concept of repentance in the body.

Now, the question that was a subtext underneath the other one was, what was Paul's attitude throughout all of this? Well, we're told that he wrote this to them with many tears. What would be the source of tears here? Do you get the sense that Paul is kind of an emotional guy? Well, we've got some examples of tears come to Paul in other places.

In Philippians 3.18, tears were brought to him by knowing that there were enemies of the cross.

Let's turn to that just a second, Philippians 3.18.

For many walk of whom I've told you often and now tell you even weeping that they're enemies of the cross of Christ. And the verse that precedes it, brethren, be followers together of me and mark them who walk even as ye have us, for an example. Again, whenever Paul talks about being followers of him, if you turn to 1 Corinthians 11, he's talking about as Christ is enacted in him. I mean, whenever Paul gives you that context, it's always to be interpreted that there's another God doing this walking, not Paul. Don't be like me, but as I am in Christ.

So here, tears were brought to Paul because of his concern about the enemies of the cross. Another time when here several occasions are mentioned within Acts 20 verses 19 through 31, we'll not turn there, is when Paul was concerned as he was departing from the elders at Ephesus about the many who were unsafe, particularly the Jewish sect in Ephesus that were really going to present a tremendous trial to him and those who remained in dealing with this group of unbelievers. So anyway, Paul is an emotional guy, and I think that what we're seeing here in 2 Corinthians 2 is this deep-seated heaviness manifested with many tears. And this affliction, presumably this specific affliction and anguish was the source of these tears.

Now, as we continue into verses four and five, we see, out of as much affliction and anguish, I wrote unto you with many tears, not that ye should be grieved. Now, Paul's concerned here, but his concern wasn't that they should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly for you or unto you. Because if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me." Again, keep in mind that Paul is disassociating him personally from this, but in part that I may not burden you all.

He's actually concerned about the message of the gospel, the extended gospel in terms of the church behavior that relates to this action. That they might know his love, Genoske, right? This isn't a head knowledge. factual knowledge. This is an experiential knowledge. He wants them, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to appreciate his deep-seated love.

And we can see later on in 2 Corinthians, two examples. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you. This idea of the admonition This isn't being driven by a lot of warm fuzzies. It's that basically our care in the sight of God might appear to you and that's His care. That's His source of truth and life and Paul lived out in this particular circumstance.

In 2nd Corinthians 12.15, and I will very gladly spend and be spent for you though the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved.

So if you will, tough love. tough love, huh? So Paul is actually putting himself into a position of being criticized, but yet he writes later that this tough love often is really what's necessary to really show that he really cares. Think about that in terms of your own lives, your home, about the body of believers we have here. I don't know, I think sometimes, and help me here, sometimes we're reluctant to say something to somebody because of this idea of being personally offended by this.

But tough love really is that love that transcends the experience. It really is motivated by the truth of the Word of God, is it not? The question you always are asking yourself is who's driving your ability to confront your brother? Is it in fact you or is it the Holy Spirit working through you? Thoughts? Paul wasn't afraid to take the risk, was he?

I mean, he didn't really put himself in a position of being concerned what they thought of him at all. But tough love is the fact that you confront people with the truth and you let the Spirit over time work out that truth in their lives. And sometimes that's plenty hard to do. We don't see that almost never anymore in churches for elders or to confront a brother or sister in the Lord. Yeah, and in a sense, I don't know this for a fact, but I was a member of one church at one time which I sensed that when it did take place it was kind of using a yardstick to measure people's performance kind of deal. So this can get very legal, right? I mean, but there are certain examples like that are portrayed in the church at Corinth that are addressed by Paul's first letter that really indicates something needs to be done here, right? But this isn't easy. I mean, it's like being a parent, isn't it, and raising children. You know, tough love often isn't warm and fuzzy. No other comments? How do we individually develop that kind of walk? Yeah, Wayne.

I can't help but keep thinking that Paul spent that intimate relationship for three years in the desert with the Lord. And yeah, we can have that same innocency if we spend that much time with the Lord, you know, constantly without anything else bothering us. It's kind of a crazy course, but it just shows you where His total being was at that time. That must have been impressive. Yes?

Who do you think were the people that kept Him accountable? Who kept him accountable? Timothy and Titus and lots of people surrounded Paul. Can anybody think of a specific example where one of his brothers confronted him with an issue that Paul was dealing with and corrected him? I don't know that I can think of an example of that. Can anybody think of an example where Paul was actually admonished by one of his fellow brothers in the Lord or sisters? I can't. Well, Paul wasn't perfect.

Well, we know that, and he's the first to admit that. But he was perfect in the sense of being complete, right? I mean, but in terms of the human walk, I'm sure, and we find out plenty about that. I mean, the Romans 7 experience is just one glimpse of his life in terms of what made the transition.

You know, in the first Timothy or second Timothy, the greatest among me is... I'm the greatest sinner of all, kind of paraphrased, but anyway, that was near the end of his ministry, wasn't it? Paul never sensed the lack of honest humility of who he was in himself. But I'm sure he was admonished. I just can't think of a specific example.

It's a good question. So in summary, these first five verses, Paul loves this church at Corinth. And the transition from a sorrow, a heaviness, which may have been multi-conceptual in terms of its origin, really is one in which the truth of the Word of God prevails. And we can call that tough love. And remember, the motivation for tough love has to be scripturally sound. We can't put ourselves in the middle of that.

We're simply vehicles. And that's what Paul, in a sense, experienced here, that he was the vehicle to the church at Corinth to provide instruction in the form of corrective behavior, but yet they needed to respond by an atmosphere of repentance. So anyway, I think all of this sets the stage for what follows here. And yet the transition, think about the first epistle to the Corinthian church, it's very, very different than the second epistle. There's a real transition going on, and I think some of it really relates to this issue. 2 Corinthians 2 really kind of sets the stage for a lot that follows. Remember, Paul began chapter 1, as Hal outlined, with this atmosphere of comfort and rest and peace, and that's very different than that first epistle. There'd been some time go by between the two, but supposedly Paul was writing to a much more mature group of believers in the second letter. Now let's just kind of, this was kind of fun for me, just some Old Testament related wisdom.

Psalm 141.5, let the righteous smite me. It shall be a kindness and let him reprove me. It shall be an excellent oil which shall not break my head for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities." And you know, just to bring that forward, how's that for the exchange life? I mean, if you think of the Lord Jesus Christ, let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me.

I mean, in a sense, to respond appropriately to criticism about our walk or when our lack of scriptural basis for the way we behave is brought to our attention by a loved one, a wife, a husband, sister, a brother, a child?" You know, what's her response to that? I mean, I don't know about you, but often a defensive response is where I find myself, but that's not what the Psalms say, and I don't think that that's what New Testament truth says. When the righteous smite me, it's a kindness, particularly if it's motivated by the truth of the Word of God, right?

It's not self-righteousness that's confronting me, it's what the Lord has to say, and I think that's what the Corinthian Church is growing through. this experience of the righteousness of the Word of God pointed out to them and their willingness to be reproved. And that's an excellent oil. And I like the term oil as you exemplify the Holy Spirit as a form of oil, right? The working of the Spirit in their life is the oil of truth and redemption. How about this one in the Proverbs? Faithful are the wounds of a friend. meaning the wounds inflicted by a friend, if you really read this correctly in the Hebrew, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Boy, how's that for profoundness?

In our flesh, don't we love to be puffed up by our friends and acquaintances? But boy, that has no merit, does it, if we're being puffed up for things that are not of the Lord Jesus Christ? Glory goes to Him, right? Not to us. So the idea of an enemy, someone who is not a member of the body of Christ, is really an enemy, are they not? They're an enemy of the cross. That brought weeping to Paul's experience. But yet, faithful are the wounds inflicted by a friend. And there, I think, in New Testament theology, is a member of the body of Christ. Okay, neat. Neat section, I think. Let's move on.

The second part of this today is what or who needs to be forgiven? Now I put in very small print down there, presumably the man of 1 Corinthians 5, I got it right here, has received his punishment. And if we kind of look at verses 4 through 5 which we just read and go on to 6, sufficient to such a man is his punishment which was inflicted by the many. You get the idea that the church at Corinth responded appropriately to this. And this has been dealt with.

This man was excommunicated from the body of believers. but yet now we're entering into a different atmosphere of forgiveness. Remember, tough love is the fact that the one who is loved, in fact, ultimately is put in a position of rest and understanding by our forgiving nature. So presumably, this punishment's been enacted and the church acted according to scriptural principles in dealing with this individual. What does forgiveness demonstrate?

Well, I listed three things on my little handout here. The first, I think, thing that's demonstrated by forgiveness is written right here in this text. It really relates to biblically-based agape love. So let's look at verses 7 and 8. So that on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive him comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love toward him." So unequivocally these verses point to love as the motivation for forgiveness.

And define agape love for me? How big is the crime? Does the size of the crime relate to our love? Or should I say Whose love, right? All right. Do we have the capacity to love our neighbors ourselves? How are you doing at that? That's what's so great about the love of God is that it certainly relates in no way to the condition or the severity of the crime.

Galatians 6, 1 and 2 says, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a thought, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens and fulfill the law of Christ. So what's the law of Christ? What is the law of Christ, Scott?

Love one another? Yeah, love your neighbors yourself, basically, right? you doing at that again? You're doing good at that. Alright, and that certainly wasn't conditional, was it? So this idea of loving your neighbors yourself and loving under all circumstances isn't anything we have the power to do.

You know, in the mainline church or even the evangelical church who doesn't identify the walk of the believer as the walk of the Lord Jesus Christ within the believer, empowered by the Spirit, really is constantly working at this through a legal perspective. Oh, I feel so badly today. I had a negative thought about my sister. I mean, you know, play that out in a thousand different ways. But that's not the love of Christ.

The love of Christ really is portrayed so beautifully in that His love is so unconditional and unending. And for us to really try to work on this, to improve our abilities, really is a mistaken identity with scriptural truth. The identity is with the Lord Jesus Christ. And that begins with grace, rest, and faith played out in our lives. What else does forgiveness demonstrate? Well, I honestly think that another thing came to my mind was that it's a proof of our salvation. If we, in fact, maintain our atmosphere of the lack of forgiveness against those who offend us or offend the Lord Jesus Christ in our body, then, in fact, we could start asking the question, was this person, am I ignorant? Or am I unfaithful?

Or am I really you know, living the Word of God as it needs to be lived. Verse 9, for to this end also did I write that I might know the proof of you, whether you be obedient in all things. What do you think about when you think about being obedient to all things? Well, you have to be in the Lord. I mean, the Lord has to be doing that, because there's no way we in the flesh can be obedient Why not? You got your refrigerator list up there? But I would contend that much of Christianity is trying to be obedient to all things with this concept of, I've got to get my act together, I just haven't read the Word enough, I haven't prayed enough. But the obedience to all things... What's the obedience to for the believer? The obedience is to the faith, is it not? All things relate to our faith. not our works.

So, in a sense, as Paul says in verse 9, that I might know the proof of you. Are you really saved? Is the Word of God living out in your life? And I provide a little bit more detail in the Robertson New Testament word picture note that says that I might know the proof of you.

How about this as a description of the Greek verb? Ingressive meaning aimed within, second, aorist, happened once, active, meaning ongoing, subjunctive, factual. How's that for a Greek verb tense? Ingressive, second, aorist, active, subjunctive, come to know, meaning this idea of this should be known because the truth of this principle has been accomplished once and for all. but yet this is a fact that needs to constantly be active in our lives to prove, quote, who we really are. Interesting tense of the verb in this particular context.

A couple of scriptural supports, 2 Corinthians 8, 24, wherefore show ye to them and before the churches the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf. Again, the proof of our love is often when we forgive. Boy, if that's not God-given, is it not? When we can't forgive, we're enacting in the flesh only.

And then secondly, 2 Corinthians 7.15, and his inward affection is more abundant towards you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him. So this idea, again, of extending the life of the Lord Jesus Christ to those that surround The third thing that I thought that forgiveness demonstrated, and this so importantly is something we've talked about already, is the source and basis of our obedience. And again, as we mentioned just a few minutes ago, our obedience is not to the law or to a list. The obedience is to the faith.

And so who does the forgiving here? Is it we or that other life within? And just a couple of things here that I thought might be worth looking at. If you think about John 15, 5, you often don't think about applying it in this situation of the forgiving nature that really is necessary as a response for the believer, but it really fits very nicely.

Christ said, I'm the vine, you're the branches. And if you abide in him and I in you, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. How are you doing it at forgiveness? I mean, boy, if we're not branches there, we're not going to get it done. Right? Because it's not our ability to forgive. The Adam nature is very unforgiving. He may, in fact, put something off and tell somebody they're forgiven. But down deep, that's not really biblically based forgiveness. McGill notes, for your sakes, forgave I it. He uses the past tense as it's already been done.

And 1 Corinthians 5.3, actually back in the original text, does indicate that he's judged already, and you can read on the rest of the Gil note. But anyway, this idea the forgiveness has already been accomplished, now by faith we need to allow that to really be exemplified in our response. All right, let's move on to very quickly the next three verses. Now, in verse 11 it says, You know, that we need to forgive, which is exemplary of our love, our proof of salvation, and our obedience to the faith.

And what's the circumstances if we don't? It says, unless Satan should get an advantage over us, for we're not ignorant of his devices. So the question I ask is, what power does Satan have over us as believers? Think about that. Is Satan involved in your life? Well, let's see what the scriptures say.

First of all, this is very pertinent to 1 Corinthians 5.5, in that it says there, to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh. This goes back to the original text of the incestuous relationship within the church of Corinth. And then it goes on to say that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I don't want to get into that today. That's an interesting discussion in its own right. But anyway, what value does the flesh have before God anyway. So in other words, if you're delivering someone unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, the question is so big deal. The flesh doesn't have any value anyway. So Satan can have the flesh all he wants. So when we think about this, what power does Satan have over us? Well, here's the scripture.

In 1 Corinthians 7.5 it says Satan can defraud one another in marriage. Again, I'm paraphrasing this, but in a sense, that's what that verse says, and you know that text, so we'll not go into it in detail here. In Ephesians, we're talking about putting on the whole armor of God, correct? And why?

Because Satan works through principalities, powers, rulers of darkness in this world, which really identifies that concept with Satan himself, and spiritual wickedness in higher places. So this all relates to the devil himself. The third example, and by the way there aren't too many, but this is the third, seeking whom he might devour, you know, he goes around like a what? Roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And the final is really in Revelation and the text that's written to the church, I forget which church, I think it's Thyatira, the doctrineless church, is where potentially Satan has influence.

So what do you make of all this? Are we influenced by Satan in our lives? Even looking at what Scripture has to say about it. Yay? Nay? Satan was dealt with at a cross in our position. And I think if we are in the flesh, obviously the world, all of those things do have something to do with it. But spiritually, we have nothing to do with it. What are those things in our lives that are antagonistic to the outworking of the Word of God? There you go.

And the devil's part of those triumvirate, right? Yeah, so the world system, cosmos, the flesh, the old man, himself, and Satan. So they're all part of the same domain, and Scripture does defend the fact that the believer can be impacted by the activities of Satan, but Satan's not working through the new man, is he? The new man is always triumphant.

And Hebrews 2.14 is one of the most unappreciated verses. I love this verse because it always takes me back to the fact that this guy's already been dealt with. So the believer, in fact, standing on solid foundation by all the scriptures that precede this, but let me read this for you.

Hebrews 2.14, for as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil.

So before God's eyes, Satan's out of the picture. It's only our lack of faith which allows us to fall within the domains of these scriptural supports that Satan can have any influence on us at all. Our position has no impact of Satan whatsoever. Before God's eyes, Satan is a done deal.

So when we're out of the working of the Spirit in our life and when we're relying on the defense of old man to live this life, yeah, I mean, that domain Satan's all part of. But can the believer be tempted by Satan only through enacting through the world system and the power of the flesh? Well, we need to live victoriously. Satan should have no power on the believer who believes and lives by faith to the Word of God. Okay, let's, in the next few minutes, kind of terminate here. Any comments, by the way, of Satan and his power in our lives? Absolutely. and how that's all tied up in Satan's domain, is it not? I mean, Satan and the world system and the old man all exist in similar niches.

But we, in fact, as we reflect on Hebrews 2.14, of course, Hebrews 2.14 is kind of, if you will, the epilogue. I mean, we knew that already, but now we see in that verse distinctly indicated that Satan has been crucified and his power has been eliminated for at least the body of believers, the church.

But we of little faith often fall back in that other domain, don't we, and in fact don't really live the life of there being therefore no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. Oh, wretched man that I am, but yet there's no condemnation. All right, let's in the next few minutes close with the final two verses of the chapter. What about expectations? And I think that this is kind of, if you will, reading between the lines a little bit, but I think this comes up.

Verse 12, Furthermore, when I came, meaning Paul, 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 Titus wasn't there. My brother wasn't there. By taking my leave of them, then I went on to Macedonia. So here's Paul, and what was supposed to happen?

By the way, Troas, its geographic location, I was trying to find a map. Anyway, we're going to scan one in, but I never got that done. But anyway, if you think of Ephesus, which is kind of on the coast of Turkey, Troas is just northwest of that, still on the coast. It's up at the northwestern tip of Turkey as it currently stands.

So Paul was there, and he was there presumably to preach the gospel, but also to meet Titus. And by the way, Titus would have been helpful to him, particularly with the church at Corinth, because Titus was a Greek. And you can think the fellowship that those two had, particularly Paul wasn't a Greek, meaning he was Roman, he was Jewish, but not Greek. And Titus, who was a Greek, I'm sure, was concerned about the church at Corinth, and probably this meeting in Troas really anticipated ultimately a visit to Corinth, or at least helping him work through this letter. So there were probably two purposes for the Troas mission.

So what door was opened? Do you think the door that was opened, that we're speaking about here in Scripture, was the preaching of the gospel? Or was it the door was open to go to Macedonia? And just to be honest with you, I don't know that I have the answer to that. Maybe both. What do you think as you look at verse 12 and 13? There are a bunch of commas in here. It's kind of like a continuous thought. I'm going to try to preach the gospel. The door is open. I had no rest in my spirit. Titus didn't show up. I'm on to Macedonia. I mean, it's kind of this continuous thought that has multiple points to make in two verses.

And to be honest with you, I'm not sure what the open door really means. I sense when we think of an open door, we're thinking about preaching the gospel, right? And if you look at opening the door in other aspects of the New Testament, you find that often it means sharing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. So when we think in our own experience of opening the door, we're thinking a door open spiritually to reach people with the Lord Jesus Christ.

So that could be one interpretation, but it's also possible that he went to Troy, Titus didn't show up, he was going there to preach the gospel. So maybe the door that was open was the door to go to Macedonia. Hard to say. Any thoughts about that? It looks like the door being opened is an explanation of why he went to Troas. It's a perfect passage which says that the word did it. He did it sometime in the past and so that's the reason why he went. So the word opened that door.

To Troas. Yeah, see, I didn't even give that any consideration. Interesting. So you think a third possibility, and maybe the more likely one, is that the door was open to go to Troyes. It looks like that. Because it was opened historically, you're thinking, really, maybe dates back? Yeah. Yeah. God's plan. OK. Well, write that as a third option under the door being open. and I'm not quite sure, but Hal may be right there.

What causes lack of rest? Well, I think it clearly relates at least in part to Titus' absence, doesn't it? I mean, that's scriptural, and we won't look at the verses. If you go on to chapter 7 of 2 Corinthians, you see that he and Titus ultimately met up. So they did ultimately get together. but not at the time that Paul had anticipated. And why did Paul move on to Macedonia?

Well, I think it relates to the lack of rest. I mean, he's there in Troas, and the question I might ask you is, why wouldn't there be a lack of rest preaching the gospel in Troas? Because he's preaching the gospel. The question is, was Paul in God's will to leave Troas and go to Macedonia, or had Paul had an expectation and he was disappointed in the flesh.

I mean, keep in mind, we don't know the answer to this. I sense, if you look at the commentators on this section, you get both opinions. That Paul's in God's will the whole way, going to trust, Titus doesn't show and he goes on to Macedonia. Then there's another view of this, is that Paul had an expectation that wasn't met and he was frustrated. And in that frustration, he said, Titus didn't show up, I'm on my way. you know, to do what I think is best, quote unquote, maybe not perfectly consistent with God's will. And I'll let you ponder on that. But I just wanted to raise these questions.

What about expectations in our own lives? Were Paul's expectations realistic? They may have been. And he was perfectly in God's will. Are our expectations realistic? Personally, I'll share with you that one of my big things is having expectations that aren't met and then being ultimately disappointed by that. But the problem was with not being disappointed as much, although that's a sin in its own right, but the expectations were unrealistic and unnecessary. What are expectations? That we're being conformed on a daily basis to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, right? That's the only expectation we should have. I mean, we really do get our security blankets down here.

And whether Paul really was out of the will of God here, and was he disappointed, frustrated, angry, and went on to Macedonia, whether this was perfectly in God's will, the Scripture doesn't clearly tell us. But I think we can identify with this. Of expectations we have of somebody meeting us, could even be for a godly purpose, and they don't show, or they're not prepared, or whatever else comes up. I mean, this, I think, has some personal applications.

Where Paul's expectations consist with those of the Lord, are our expectations consistent with God's will in our life? Or is our disappointment with the expectations not having been met because those expectations were not consistent with God's will? Not that God's going to write a letter to you to tell you perfectly what his will is, but we know through the power of the Spirit in our life, we can sense whether those expectations were appropriately founded. And what did Paul do when they weren't met? And what do we do when our expectations aren't met? What is our response? the issue of disappointment, to be disappointed with yourself is to have trusted in yourself, right?

Go to William R. Newell's principle of Romans chapter 6. And let's turn to Philippians 1, 20 and 21 briefly, because I think that this is really where expectation needs to lie. Let me start with 19. For I know that this shall that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Verse 20, according to my earnest expectations, or expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death, for to me to live as Christ and die as grain. There's our expectation. that everything would be magnified in our body to really make the Lord Jesus Christ known and for me to live as Christ and die as Cain. As I always say after that, either way you win.

Alright, so in 2 Corinthians 1-13 we found this concept of life and ministry as characterized by love and forgiveness is really part of the Christian experience and like I so often do at the end of these lessons, I'm going to share with you these important scriptural principles again that Miles Stanford so nicely outlined. To do this, to live in an atmosphere of love and forgiveness, these truths, I think, are important.

Live positionally, crucified, risen, seated. Live positively, fully persuaded. Live possessively, all things are yours. And live triumphantly, more than conquerors. Let's pray. Father, we're thankful for your word today, and I pray that the truth as best that can be exemplified has been made known, and that you'll work in our lives to bring about the personal Lord Jesus Christ experientially, increasingly by our faith in your great grace. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.