2 Corinthians 1

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Butler’s Comments

SECOND CORINTHIANS

BIBLE STUDY TEXTBOOK SERIES STUDIES IN

SECOND CORINTHIANS

by Paul T. Butler

… there would have been no ministry without her! and to Sara Ann Butler our princess-granddaughter

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever read someone else’s diary? My sister and I became privy to our mother’s daily diary recently, after the Lord called her home to heaven. It was a very emotional, intimate and strengthening experience. After reading Second Corinthians a man said he felt like a person would after rummaging in an old desk and discovering the daily diary of a preacher named Paul. He said he felt almost as if he should not have been reading the pages because they were so intimate and special. But he was captivated with the desire to learn as much as he could from this great servant of the Lord, so he was unable to put the book aside until he had read and reread it. You will feel something when you study Second Corinthians! You may say to yourself, Yes, Paul, I know how you felt about that because I have had the same experience! The letter may make you feel sympathy, disgust, shame, determination, and even anger. And it will not be only your emotions that are stirred. It will also attack your mind. You will have to think. A number of doctrines and spiritual principles for life will demand understanding and decision. It will build your faith and strengthen your capacity to live the sanctified life. This epistle should be required monthly reading for every preacher, missionary, and Sunday School teacher. It should be required study for all Bible college students. Elders and deacons would be more sympathetic toward preachers if this epistle was read once each month at board meetings. Don-’t just read itpartake of it! It is God’s Word, lived and learned by God’s greatest servant, to encourage all his other servants.

BACKGROUND

Authorship:

This epistle is so certainly from the pen of the apostle Paul Thiessen (in Introduction To The New Testament, Eerdmans, pg. 206-207) says, Both the external and the internal evidence for the genuineness of this Epistle are so strong that we really need not dwell on these points.. Polycarp (69-156 A.D., pupil of the apostle John) quotes 2 Corinthians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 8:21 in his Epistle to the Philippians; Irenaeus (130-200A.D.) frequently quotes from II Corinthians (e.g. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16); Tertullian (160-220 A.D.) cites 2 Corinthians 11:14 in his Treatise on the Soul; The Epistle is mentioned in the Muratorian Canon (170 A.D.) and is found in both the Old Syriac (ca. 150 A.D.) and the Old Latin (ca. 150 A.D.). The writer of the epistle twice calls himself, Paul 2 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 10:1); the subject matter parallels all we know of Paul the apostle historically and theologically. That the apostle Paul was its author is certainly established beyond any reasonable doubt.

Historical and Cultural Background:

The student is referred to introductory notes in First Corinthians, by Paul T. Butler, College Press, for background material on the city of Corinth and the establishment of the church there.

Occasion and Date:

Paul established the church in Corinth on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-28) about 50-51 A.D. After a year or more there he returned to Palestine (Acts 18:18-22); thence, eventually, to Ephesus (A.D. 54) on his third missionary journey (Acts 18:24 to Acts 19:41) where he stayed three years. During this time he wrote a first letter to Corinth (1 Corinthians 5:9) not preserved. Receiving word from the household of Chloe of the many problems in the Corinthian congregation, he then wrote First Corinthians. In spite of Paul’s strong condemnation and warning about division the party-spirit continued, agitated by Judaizing factions insisting on observance of the law of Moses and Jewish traditions (see 2 Corinthians 3:1-18; 2 Corinthians 10:7; 2 Corinthians 11:13). When this news reached

Paul at Ephesus, he made a short visit to Corinth to deal with it, but failed in the attempt (2 Corinthians 2:1; 2 Corinthians 12:14; 2 Corinthians 12:21; 2 Corinthians 13:1-2), and he returned to Ephesus.

Plummer, Barclay, Thiessen, etal. think Paul, soon after returning to Ephesus from his short, second visit, wrote a severe third letter sending it to Corinth by Titus (2 Corinthians 2:3-4; 2 Corinthians 7:8-12). Plummer thinks that the major portion of this severe, third letter is preserved in Chapter s 10 through 13 of what is now our extant Second Corinthians. That theory has been successfully disproved by Bernard.

While waiting for Titus to return with a report of the effect of his severe, third letter, trouble arose in Ephesus, and he left that city before he had planned to do so (Acts 20:1). Paul started to Macedonia, via Troas, to meet Titus returning from Corinth. The two met in Macedonia in the fall of A.D. 57 as Paul was visiting churches in the region of Philippi and Thessalonica. Titus-’ word was that the long letter we now call First Corinthians had accomplished much good (2 Corinthians 7:6), but at the same time, his short second visit and his severe, third letter had not solved the problem of party-spirit and division; he was told, in fact, that some false authorities at Corinth were attacking his motives, his integrity and his authority as an apostle of Christ. Against the background of this news and Paul’s deep concern, he determined to visit Corinth a third time and he wrote (from Macedonia) Second Corinthians, which appears to have been his fourth letter to the congregation there. He sent Second Corinthians on ahead to the church by the hand of Titus (2 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 8:17). A little later Paul reached Corinth, and spent the winter of A.D. 57 there (Acts 20:2-3), as he had planned (1 Corinthians 16:5-6). While in Corinth, he wrote his great Epistle to the Romans.

Purpose:

Second Corinthians is probably the least known of all Paul’s letters. It has even been called by some Paul’s unknown letter. That is a tragedy. Christians are much poorer because so few have had the motivation or self-discipline required to study a type of writing which demands personal involvement of mind and emotions. In Second Corinthians we are called upon to evaluate a person, not just a doctrine. Second Corinthians is the Jeremiah of the New Testament. It is a very personal letter from the heart of this mighty apostle, Here we see him dealing with the trials and joys of his ministry from a subjective and intimate perspective. Here we are exposed to the ministry of the gospel as it stabs the human heart, defeats and depresses. Here we are involved in the experience of the ministry as it is actually lived out in life, up close, and personal. Accepting the mission of Christ as a life-time calling will bring one a life fraught with personal adversaries and psychological turmoil. But its victories and rewards are beyond all comparison to its trials (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). In this letter the Holy Spirit bears witness with the spirit of Paul that a life devoted to the proclamation of the gospel is the most challenging, useful and fulfilled life ever! That is what Second Corinthians is all about!

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Novum Testamentum Graece (New Testament in Greek), Nestle text, pub. American Bible Society, New York.

The Septuagint Version of the Old Testament (with an English translation) pub. Zondervan Publishing House.

The Interlinear Hebrew, Greek, English, Four volumes, by Jay Green, pub. Associated Publishers and Authors, Inc.

The Greek-English New Testament, Zondervan Bible Publishers

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Arndt & Gingrich, pub. University of Chicago Press

Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, by W.E. Vine, pub. Revell

Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Brown, Driver, Briggs, pub. Oxford.

Analytical Greek Lexicon, pub. Harper/Bagster

Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, pub. Bagster

A Textual Commentary on The Greek New Testament, by Bruce M. Metzger, pub. United Bible Societies.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, pub. Eerdmans

Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, by Merrill C. Tenney, pub. Zondervan

Dictionary of Theology, pub. Baker

Halley’s Bible Handbook, H. H. Halley, pub. Zondervan

The New American Standard Version of the Bible, pub. Gospel Light

The Revised Standard Version of the Bible, pub. Oxford

The King James Version of the Bible, Thompson Chain Reference, pub. Kirkbride

The Berkely Version of the Bible, pub. Zondervan

The New Testament in Modern English, by J. B. Phillips, pub. Geoffrey Bles

The International Critical Commentary, I Corinthians, by Robertson & Plummer, pub. T. & T. Clark

The International Critical Commentary, II Corinthians, by Plummer, pub. T. & T. Clark

The Pulpit Commentary, I Corinthians, pub. Funk & Wagnalls

The Pulpit Commentary, II Corinthians, pub. Funk & Wagnalls

Studies in Corinthians, by T.R. Applebury, pub. College Press

Commentary on 1 & 2 Corinthians, by Fred Fisher, pub. Word Books

The Letters to the Corinthians, by William Barclay, pub. The Westminster Press

Expository Studies in 1 Corinthians, by Ray C. Stedman, pub. Word Books

Expository Studies in 2 Corinthians, by Ray C. Stedman, pub. Word Books

New Testament Times, by Merrill C. Tenney, pub. Eerdmans

Greece and Rome, Builders of Our World, pub. National Geographic Society

The Story of Civilization, Caesar and Christ, by Will Durant, pub. Simon and Schuster

Rome of the Caesars, by Leonardo B. Dal Maso, pub. Bonechi-Edizioni

The Twelve Caesars, by Suetonius, pub. Penguin Classics

The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus, William Whiston.

New Testament History, The Inter-Testament Period, by Fields and Wartick, pub. College Press.

Streams of Civilization, by Albert Hyma and Mary Stanton, pub. Creation-Life and Mott Media.

New Testament Survey, by Merrill C. Tenney, pub. Eerdmans

The Psychology of Speaking in Tongues, by John P. Kildahl, pub. Harper & Row

The Eternal Spirit, two volumes, by C.C. Crawford, pub. College Press

The Holy Spirit and The Christian, by James Bales, pub. G. Lambert Publications

Spiritual Gifts for Christians Today, by Knofel Staton, pub. College Press

New Testament History, Acts, by Gareth L. Reese, pub. College Press

Various college classroom notes by Paul T. Butler, unpublished.

Applebury’s Comments

STUDIES IN SECOND CORINTHIANS

BIBLE STUDY TEXTBOOK STUDIES IN SECOND CORINTHIANS

T. R. Applebury

Professor of New Testament Pacific Christian College Long Beach, California

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PREFACE

In these studies in the Corinthian letters and the Gospel of Luke, I have given particular attention to the Scriptural emphasis on the great doctrinal issues of the revealed Word of God. I have endeavored to bring other passages of Scripture to bear on these issues because the Bible is its own best commentary. I have written out the shorter quotations in full. I have cited many other references with the hope that those who use the studies may take the time to examine all the Scriptures that are given and also search for additional ones that may bear on the subject being studied. A wealth of doctrinal material is to be found in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians as well as in the whole Bible which was written for our admonition. This is true whether it be the carefully investigated truth about Our Lord which Luke has given in his gospel, or the teaching about the church which Paul presents in First Corinthians, or doctrinal issues such as the covenants, the atonement, heaven and other issues presented in Second Corinthians. The charts are given to enable the student to see the whole epistle or some particular section of it at a glance. They are the road maps to guide anyone following the path of Paul’s thoughts that range from sorrow to triumph, from expressions of great love to warnings of great danger. The outlines constitute a paraphrase of the text in outline form. The comments are intended to explain the meaning of words, phrases, and other problems of interpretation. They have been prepared from a careful consideration of the Greek text for light that may be given to the meaning of the message of the inspired Word. They have been presented without needless use of Greek forms that might serve only to confuse the English reader. Since I am a preacher of the gospel, I have not hesitated to preach in the comments wherever I have believed that it might do some good. The summaries and the questions at the close of each chapter are presented to help the student recall the content of the chapter and think through the meaning of the many concepts presented in it. The BIBLE STUDY TEXTBOOK series is the result of a dream of Don DeWelt who has sought to extend the teaching program of the church through the printed page. He had been editor, counselor, and friend to me in preparing three books in the series. I pray that the Lord may bless us as we seek to teach His Word through this medium.

Department of New Testament Pacific Christian College February, 1966

CHART OUTLINES OF SECOND CORINTHIANS

**Butler’s Commentary

Chapter One**

THE PROBLEM OF ADVERSITY

(2 Corinthians 1:1-24)

IDEAS TO INVESTIGATE:

Was this epistle addressed to any other than the Corinthians?

What is affliction? What purpose does it serve?

What is comfort? How does one know when he is receiving comfort?

What behavior toward the Corinthians is Paul defending?

Why is it wrong for preachers to vacillate?

Special Study BLESSING OF BEING SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

(Ephesians 1:13-14)

INTRODUCTION

CONTEXTUALLY

These two verses combine to form one of great spiritual blessings God has blessed us with in Christ

Paul lays two huge sentences on the Ephesian church in chapter one

The first sentence 2 Corinthians 1:3-14 is a catalog of all the ways in which God has blessed Christians in Christ

The second sentence 2 Corinthians 1:15-23 is Paul’s prayer that these Christians may know (understand and experience) those blessings.

Paul did not place all this breathtaking stress upon spiritual blessings without reason

Spiritual blessings are not contingent upon favorable physical circumstances and are available to all believers alike

Spiritual blessings thus have to do with the abiding realities, not the temporary trappings of the flesh.

Spiritual blessings supply man’s most desperate need to be remade into the person God intended him to be this will be the thrust of these two verses this morning.

II.

EXEGETICALLY

Reading these two verses in the Greek text is an interesting experience.

Literally it would read something like this:

In Him also, you, the ones having heard the word, that one of the truth, the gospel of your salvation, in Him also, you, the ones having believed, were sealed (passive) with Spirit, the promised one, the holy one, who is the down-payment of our inheritance until the redemption which will give complete possession unto the praise of His glory.

The Berkeley Version is also interesting here:

In Him you also, after listening to the message of the truth, the Gospel of our salvation, have as believers in Him been stamp marked with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge-deposit of our legacy for the releasing of our deed of purchase, and all to the praise of His glory.

III.

ETYMOLOGICALLY

Seal - literal sense: A device bearing a design, a name or some other words so made that it can impart an impression in relief upon a soft substance like clay or wax. When the clay or wax hardens, it permanently bears the impression of the seal.

Archaeologists find them being used 4000 B.C.

Originally they took the form of a cylinder, gradually superseded by the scarab (beetle-shaped)

Some carried on cords around neck like necklace; some cone-shaped in boxes; most in form of finger-rings

Seal - uses

As an authentication

As a mark of ratification of a covenant

As a means of protecting documents to seal against tampering

As a deputation of authority

As an official mark of ownership

IV.

APPLICABILITY - Three areas of blessing for the Christian in having been sealed with the promised holy Spirit.

He Etches the Image of God and His Son Upon our Being

He Gives Us the Earnest-Payment of Our Inheritance

He Empowers Us As Emissaries of our Great God

Discussion

ETCHES THE IMAGE OF GOD UPON OUR BEING

Authenticates our genuineness as belonging to Him

The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God. Romans 8:16.

Does not say that the Holy Spirit bears witness to our spirit but with our spiritsummarturei; the H.S. bears witnessand our own spirit bears witness.

If my spirit says I am a child of God, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit shows that I am not a child of God, then I am not a child no matter what my spirit says. The two witnesses must agree. My spirit must agree with the testimony of the Holy Spirit.

This co-witness of the Spirit of God with our spirit, whereby we are assured that we are children of God, is a very important and blessed reality. BUT IT HAS BEEN SO OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD AND MISINTERPRETED.

How does the Spirit bear witness with our spirit? A still small voice? A feeling? emotion? impulse? The Bible nowhere affirms such leadings! All people and religious denominations who claim such subjective witness of the Holy Spirit not only contradict one anotherthey contradict the Bible. The Bible claims to be the witness of the Spirit. The Spirit of God does not contradict Himself.

Since there are no inspired men living todayand those who claim to be such contradict the word of God in what is His witness about who are the children of Godthe only witness which we have of the Spirit to us is found in His written Word. No one knows the Spirit’s will on any subject unless he has learned it from the written Word. Anything that claims to be the Holy Spirit’s teaching must not contradict this!

The Spirit of God lays down the terms by which we become a child of God, and when we believe and obey these terms then both the Holy Spirit and our own spirits testify that we are the sons of God.

WHAT A BLESSING TO HAVE SUCH A SEAL PUT UPON OUR MINDS AND HEARTS. WE DO NOT HAVE TO DEPEND UPON FICKLE AND VACILLATING EMOTIONS

AND FEELINGS. NOR UPON THE WHIMS AND OPINIONS OF MEN BECAUSE OUR SALVATION IS AUTHENTICATED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF IN HIS UNCHANGING, ONCE-FOR-ALL WORD. NO GUESSING, NO ANXIETY.

These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God 1 John 5:13 THIS IS THE EMPHATIC WORD OF JOHN’S WRITINGS. THAT YE MAY KNOW..

Glorifies (The H.S. transfers some of the glory of God to our nature)

But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Alexander Campbell said it this way in his Christian System The work of redemption is a system of works, or deeds, on the part of God, which constitute the most splendid series of moral facts men or angel ever saw.. When these facts are understood or brought into immediate contact with the mind of man, as a moral seal, they delineate the image of God upon the human soul. All the means of grace are, therefore, only the means of impressing this seal upon the heart, of bringing these moral facts to make their full impression on the soul of man. The testimony of the Holy Spirit through the apostles and the faith of those who believe and obey this testimony are the channel through which these facts, or the hand of God, draws the image on the heart and character of man. He went on to say. all the moral facts which can form moral character after the divine model, or which can effect a moral or religious change in man, are found in the testimony of God.

What is this image of God. this glory of God which is impressed or sealed upon our being? The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self-control.

I submit these as characteristics of God which we can enjoy as blessings if we will allow the Holy Spirit to impress them upon our natures: honesty; goodness; creativeness; humor; appreciativeness; enjoyment; giving-ness

Carol King has a phrase in her song, Way Over Yonder, And the sweet-tasting good life is so easily found. way over yonder, that’s where I-’m bound. Let’s appropriate that here.

THE SWEET-TASTING GOOD LIFE OF GOD IS EASILY FOUND. IF WE JUST LET THE SPIRIT ETCH IT UPON OUR BEING BY KNOWING AND DOING WHERE THE SPIRIT LEADS IN THE SPIRITS WORD.

You see, this is the work of the Spirit. God the Father is the creative source of blessing; the Son is the revealer of the possibility of such blessedness and obtainer of it in the flesh; the Holy Spirit is the agent by which this blessing may be impressed or sealed upon the nature of man! HOW MIND STAGGERING! GOD CREATES THE BLESSING, THE SON WINS IT FOR US, THE HOLY SPIRIT TRANSFERS AND SEALS IT UPON THOSE WHO WILL ACCEPT IT BY FAITH!

Secures and protects us against being defrauded by the thief of souls

When we are sealed by the H.S. we can live confidently that there is no power in this world or the other capable of robbing us of our souls, our life, our being.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27-28

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:2-3

Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

We know that any one born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 1 John 5:18

The book of Revelation pictorializes a great host which no man can number sealed by Godprotected from the dragon and the beasts not able to be overcome by the great spiritual battle that rages between God and His enemies.

WHAT A TREMENDOUS BLESSING TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE HAD THE SEAL OF GOD PUT UPON US. NO MATTER THE WORLD WANTS TO ERADICATE US. NO MATTER THAT IT MAY APPEAR AS IF THE FORCES OF UNGODLINESS WILL WIN THE STRUGGLE. GOD KNOWS WHO HIS ARE, HE HAS THEM MARKED AND SEALED, AND THEY ARE SECURE!

II.

HE GIVES US AN EARNEST OF OUR INHERITANCE

Holiness

What is the legacy left us by that Son of man who came to earth, born in a stable, who had not where to lay his head?

He brought us word from our Father that holiness is our legacy. The most needful, most enjoyable treasure God could will to us is holiness

What is the deepest longing of the human soul? To be clean, to be good, to be pure, to be true, to be a beautiful-person.

This is what I want when I get to God. Bags full or banks full of gold and diamonds are not what my soul cries out for. Ivory palaces and mansions are not what I want for my eternal inheritance. I WANT, I NEED, I MUST HAVE HOLINESS!

I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 7:18 to Romans 8:1

Now God has taken care of my problem. He has provided me a cleansing, a goodness, a purity, a freedom from guilt, a holiness by the death of His Son. And when He comes for us this is what our great inheritance shall be we shall be like Him.

But when we are sealed by the Holy Spiritwhen His spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are a child of God, we have a down payment on this holiness already. WE CAN NOW ENJOY GOODNESS, FREEDOM FROM GUILT, PURITY, HOLINESSA TASTE OF WHAT THE FULL INHERITANCE WILL BE!

Neither the real nor the pseudo (alleged) baptism of the Holy Spirit has anything to do with the sealing of the H.S. The baptism of the H.S. fell upon Cornelius before the two spirits could witness with one another that he was a child of God. He had not yet been baptized in water for the remission of sins. In like manner the baptism of the H.S. had nothing to do with providing him with a down-payment on his inheritance for neither baptism in the H.S. nor spiritual gifts imparted holiness (Judas). SO WHY ALL THIS MAJORING IN THE MINORS? THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT ARE NOT WHERE IT’S AT! NEITHER REAL NOR ALLEGED!

Rest

Another aspect of the legacy left to us is rest. Jesus came and said, Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Matthew 11:28.

What makes work into labor? The frustration of seeing the fruits of one’s work dissipatedthe agony of knowing that one has spent himself laboring in something whose fruits are only temporary and ultimately useless. THIS IS WHAT MAKES WORK INTO TIRING, FRUSTRATING, DEADENING LABOR.

If the results of our work could find completion or perfectionif we could have confirmed to us that our work was eternally useful and abiding, that it wouldn-’t just disappear with timewe could find perfect rest. REST IS NOT JUST THE ABSENCE OF WORK!

God has laid up for us an inheritance of rest. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them Revelation 14:13.

But those sealed by the Holy Spirit may now have a down-payment, a taste of that rest. Paul wrote the Hebrew Christians and said, For we who are believing, are entering that rest. Hebrews 4:3.

Jesus said, Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal John 6:27.

Paul wrote the Corinthians, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain 1 Corinthians 15:58.

Friend, if you-’re sealed by the Holy Spirit, you-’ll never get weary. Bone-tired and muscle-weak yesbut soul-tired and spirit-weary, never!

Dominion

Man was made to have dominion. Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth Genesis 1:26.

God has promised that one day His saints shall reign with His Christ forever and ever. Revelation 22:5, etc.

But the blessing of being sealed by the Holy Spirit is that we may now enjoy a taste of that dominion.

The exciting second chapter of Hebrews asks, What is man that thou are mindful of him? and answers by showing that while man was created to have dominion, because of sin he does not now have it, but Christ came in flesh and blood and won back man’s dominion for him. HE DEFEATED THE INVADER, SATAN!

Christ, if we believe and trust Him, has set us free from being dominated by circumstances, by earthly things, by ego, by fears, by falsehoods, by others, by even Satan. IN FACT, IN CHRIST, WE HAVE DOMINION OVER CIRCUMSTANCES, OVER THINGS, OVER EVERYTHING AND MAY ENJOY AND USE EVERYTHING TO GLORIFY GOD! Mind you, I did not say we can selfishly take anything we want and use it in a way to bring shame upon God.

Whatever circumstances God sees fit to give us here, whatever talents, whatever worldly things, whatever associations, WE ARE RULERS-OVER TO GLORIFY GOD AND REJOICE IN..

For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future, all are yours; and you are Christ’S; and Christ is God’S. 1 Corinthians 3:21-22

… in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37

ALL THINGS ARE YOURSMORE THAN CONQUERORS! What blessednesswhat happiness what glory. Friend, if you-’ve been sealed with the imprint of God’s Holy Spirit, you have been certified and authorized to be a joint heir with His Son, and to have dominion with Him.

III.

EMPOWERS US AS EMISSARIES OF OUR GREAT GOD

Certifies us as authentic representatives of Almighty God

When the Spirit of the Holy God is etched upon our hearts. when we are sealed with the Spirit of Christ. it is an announcement to the world that we are on business for the King.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35

J.B. Phillips on 2 Corinthians 3:3 You are an open letter (epistle) about Christ which we ourselves have written, not with pen and ink but with the Spirit of the living God. Our message has been engraved not in stone, but in living men and women.

Many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1-6). The world desperately needs some authenticating mark upon the true prophets. That mark is the seal of the Holy Spirit. One who preaches the true apostolic message and one who lives the true apostolic message.

If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine John 8:31 IF YOU ARE SEALED BY HIS SPIRIT THROUGH HIS WORD, THEN YOU ARE A CERTIFIED DISCIPLE OF HIS, AND THE WHOLE WORLD WILL KNOW. YOU WILL BE HAPPY AND BLESSED AND SO WILL OTHERS!

Certifies the authority of our message

When the image of God is stamped upon us by the Holy Spirit, we will proclaim and live the truth and the power of His truth preached and lived will be vindicated in the world.

The work of the Holy Spirit is to convince the world of sin, righteousness and the judgment. The only agency by which the Spirit works in doing this is the written, preached and lived Word of God.

But in the midst of all the failures and inadequacies of men’s philosophical, political and ethical systems, THOSE SEALED BY THE SPIRIT ARE CONDUCTORS OF THE GREATEST POWER IN THE UNIVERSE.

The power to convert men and change their eternal destiny is more awesome than the power to create this universe!

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he had granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature 2 Peter 1:3-4.

For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take very thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.

WHAT A BLESSING TO KNOW THAT WE ARE SEALED BY HIS SPIRIT TO BECOME CHANNELS THROUGH WHICH THE AWESOME POWER OF HIS WORD WORKS. AND IT SHALL NEVER RETURN UNTO HIM VOID!

Certifies the power of His divine providence on our behalf

When the nature of God is etched upon our minds through the Holy Spirit’s agent, the Word of God, we know God as our beneficent, loving, acting, Father who is ready to use all His creation on our behalf.

We know that God works everything for good for those who love him, and are called according to his purpose Romans 8:28.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Ephesians 3:20.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17.

Even angels are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Hebrews 1:14.

The O.T. gives us a vivid account of god’s providential power being used for those with His mark upon them. Ezekiel ch. 9 pictures God’s faithful ones being marked with His seal upon them. Then the book of Daniel shows God using kings, kingdoms, circumstances and creation to provide exactly and abundantly what those marked by Him must have to fulfill His purpose in their lives.

He is the same God today to those with His seal upon them. THE BOOK OF REVELATION IS HIS MESSAGE THAT HE IS EVEN NOW USING KINGS AND KINGDOMS, CIRCUMSTANCES AND CREATION TO SERVE HIS SEALED ONES! WHAT POWER AND WHAT POWERS ARE OURS!

Conclusion

SO THE BLESSING OF BEING SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

Etches the Image of God Upon Our Being

Gives Us the Earnest-Payment of Our Inheritance

Empowers Us as Emissaries of our Great God

II.

A WARNING

You are either sealed by the Holy Spirit or marked with the mark of the beast.

The great division of mankind in the book of Revelation is between only two kinds of humanity. those with the mark of God upon their foreheads, and those with the mark of the beast.

Satan puts his mark upon all those not sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus told the Jews in John 8:1-59 who wanted to kill Him because He told them the truth, You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.

The seal or mark of Satan is the mark of the beast in Revelation and is given to those who worship the beast, political and military power; those who worship the false prophet, false religion and doctrine; those worship the harlot, worldliness, carnal-mindedness.

Satan can even counterfeit the seal of the Holy Spirit;

The beast and the false prophet are able to work signs (false signs) that will deceive men and women if they do not know what the true sealing of the Holy Spirit Isaiah 2.

Satan is able to change himself into an angel of light to deceive the ignorant

He will try to deceive us into thinking that the immature, temporary miracles of the Holy Spirit are the seal of God

He will try to deceive us into thinking that Pharisaic attitudes toward works and self-righteousness are the seal of God

III.

BUT WHAT IS THE SEAL?

How do we know we are sealed by the Holy Spirit?

How do we know others are sealed by the Holy Spirit?

As we said at the beginning, When the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirits

But what does the Holy Spirit witness?

Very simply, He bears witness in His Word that those Believing, Repenting and Obeying God are sealed by God as His

IV.

NOW WILL YOU JOIN ME IN THIS SONG AS A PRAYER TO GOD FOR HIS SEALING

Just the first stanza and chorus 175 O to be like Thee! Blessed Redeemer: This is my constant longing and prayer; Gladly I-’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear. O to be like Thee! O to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art; Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy full-ness; Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.