Tag: Devotion

2 Corinthians 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

The word “armour” means “tool or weapon”, in the plural, armour. The soldier in battle order will have a sword and a shield, both for offense and for defense. This speaks of weapons that promote righteousness. And righteousness speaks of “uprightness of conscience and holiness of life.”

Hendricksen observed well, “Engaged in spiritual warfare, the soldier in Christ’s army is armed with spiritual weapons to do battle against the forces of the evil one. Paul does not specify the kinds of weapons that are used, but there is no doubt that the sword or the spear is for the right hand and the shield for the left hand. A soldier is fully equipped to fight both offensively and defensively… Paul is upright in character and does not want to give anyone an opportunity to take offense (2 Cor. 6:3). But he is also on the defense against the attackers of the cause of Christ (11:13–14) and is on the offense by destroying their strongholds and capturing every thought for Christ (10:4–5). An upright soldier of Christ is flanked on the left and the right with weapons to defend and attack.”¹

2 Corinthians 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

The Apostle Paul’s ministry was a suffering ministry. He walked in the steps of Jesus. As it was in Jesus’ life, the power of God was expressly manifested in the Apostle Paul’s life to authenticate a divine ministry wherein God’s goodness came upon those who received the call to repentance and faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

The Apostle Paul expressed the Source of his strength when he said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” He was a man consecrated to Christ, therein Christ’s power was manifested in his life, testifying in Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Barnes said well, “That is, by making known the truths of the gospel. It was his object to make known the simple truth. He did not corrupt it by false mixtures of philosophy and human wisdom, but communicated it as it had been revealed to him. The object of the appointment of the Christian ministry is to make known the truth; and when that is done, it cannot but be that they will commend their office and work to the favourable regards of men.”

Thank God for the gift of the King James Bible to the church. There we find the most faithful translation available for our edification. It is with great confidence that we read “thus saith the Lord” or we preach “thus saith the Lord”. Not our eloquence rather our faithfulness to declare the truth in love (2 Cor. 6:6) for only the King James Bible cost the translates’ life blood, that does not attack the Son of God, or attack the blood of the Lamb, or undermine the faith which was once delivered unto the saints but Modern English versions do. [Dr SH Tow]

2 Corinthians 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

Unfeigned means “sincere, without hypocrisy, genuine”. The Apostle Paul speaks of God’s love manifested itself in his life. He served His Master with sincerity of heart, with a love that is unconditional, sacrificial, that will impact for eternity. This was how Jesus served in His earthly ministry.

Dorthy B. Gurney articulated such an eternal love and life very well in the hymn “O Perfect Love”:

O Perfect Love

O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
Humbling we come in prayer before Thy throne,

That theirs may be the love which knows no ending,

Whom Thou forevermore doest join in one.

2 Corinthians 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

How can we discern the leading of the Holy Spirit? The warning in Jude 3 to “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” was most pertinent for saints after Christ ascension at the founding of the first church (Acts 1:9-10), how much more pertinent it is today for Christians living in the last of the last days (1 Peter 1:20), two thousand years later, where the signs of the imminent return of Christ are manifested fully (Matthew 24), splashed in headline news daily to herald the His second coming, the greatest event in human history yet unfulfilled. Natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, famine and pestilences proliferating. Israel, God’s covenant nation is back in the Promised Land for the past 70 years and flourishing. The warning of false Christ and false prophets was sounded three times (Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 23-24). Making a survey of Christendom today, a Bible-believing Christian cannot but agree that there is a falling away (2 Thessalonians 2:3) from the fundamentals of the faith, with the rise of the Pentecostalism, Charismatism and the Ecumenical movement. How do Bible-believing churches today engage in missions and church growth that is not Pentecostal, Charismatic and Ecumenical?

2 Corinthians 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

“By the Holy Spirit” is the most profound words of what constitutes the transformed Christian life. The impact on society is tremendous! The cultivation begins with the reading of God’s written Word with prayer. We recall the Apostle Paul was an avid learner of the Old Testament before his conversion. Without the Holy Ghost, his study under Gamaliel seemed to be futile until his conversion. The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, began to indwell him and teach him the truth of God’s Word.

2 Corinthians 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

Kindness speaks of a gracious attitude undergirded by goodness. It is manifested by gentleness, of temper, and of spirit. By endeavouring to evince this spirit to all, whatever may be their treatment of us, and whatever may be our provocations. Paul felt that if a minister would do good, he must be kind and gentle to all. [Barnes]

Jesus taught His disciples “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This teaching of benevolence is the outworking of this character of kindness. How is it that when we give, we lose something that we have given away and yet we are more blessed? This truth has to be understood by faith. I believe this is true and therefore I do as instructed and experience God’s greater blessing. This is a perspective that is beyond the carnal mind. It can be understood only in the context of God’s supernatural love, as it were injected into our bloodstream, enabling us to give sacrificially and unconditionally. We are in our natural self, self-seeking and self-satisfying. This change is the power of the gospel experienced when the believer put to death the old man and put on the new man.

2 Corinthians 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

Longsuffering describes the state of emotional quietness in the face of unfavourable circumstances [Friberg Lexicon]. This word means forbearance, self-restraint before proceeding to action. The quality of a person who is able to avenge himself yet refrains from doing so. Here in this verse, it describes more wholesomeness constraint toward others, a state of emotional calm in the face of provocation or misfortune and without complaint or irritation. [Louw-Nida Lexicon]

2 Corinthians 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

The Apostle Paul’s preaching and teaching were divinely endowed, enabling him to pen the larger part of the New Testament Scriptures. He shared the Source of his knowledge when he revealed in 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 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. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. What privilege it is to be endowed with the wisdom of God that enabled him to understand the eternal things of God!