”The Temple of the Living God” Season Four/Episode Nine (2 Corinthians 6:3-7:3)

Episode Synopsis:

Paul continues his defense of his apostolic ministry and office.  In chapter 6, verses 3-10, he lays out an incredible catalog of those hardships which he has endured so as to preach the gospel, along with evidence of how God has sustained both Paul and his Gentile mission throughout each of these difficult trials.  He has been slandered and praised and has experienced just about every possible human emotion along the way.  He is not bragging as his opponents are doing, but pointing out the ways in which God has enabled him to conduct a ministry faithful to the gospel as centered in the cross of Christ and the message of the reconciliation of the holy God to sinners.  None of the false teachers and braggarts in Corinth have such a track record of faithfulness.

Paul lets the Corinthians know that he has no secret agenda, nor is he withholding anything from them as their father in the faith.  But he does regard them as children in need of instruction and warning.  He challenges them to consider what it means to be numbered among the people of God.  The Corinthians are to be careful not to ally themselves with those so-called Christians who claim to be believers, but whose conduct shows them to be otherwise.  Paul also reminds the Corinthians not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers since Christians compose the temple of the Lord as indwelt by his Spirit.  The Corinthians are to break all ties to paganism and separate themselves from it.

As the living temple of the Lord, Christians are to strive to demonstrate godliness and holiness of life which reflects their status before God.  As is his practice, Paul distinguishes between the imperative mood (what believers are in Christ) and the imperative (how their conduct should reflect the fact that they are the temple of the living God), and as such are to avoid the defilement of the body typical of Greco-Roman paganism–such as sexual immorality and idolatry.  Christians are to strive to bring holiness to completion–part of which is to embrace Paul as an apostle of Jesus Christ, just as he accepts them as those for whom he cares deeply.

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here: https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/