2 Corinthians 6

CHAPTER 6

 

Doing Good to All (6:1-10)

1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. Those who are spiritual are those who live by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25). We who are spiritual must take responsibility for our fellow believers in the church. When they fall into sin, we should first try to restore them gently, not rebuke them. We must never secretly rejoice when our brother falls. Rather we must restore him humbly, looking to ourselves—that is, keeping our own weaknesses in mind. Because the temptation that comes upon our brother today can come on us tomorrow. When we see a brother fall into sin, let us always remember that there but for God’s grace go I (see 1 Corinthians 10:12). Let us think: “How would I like to be treated if I were to fall into sin?” In that way, then, let us treat our brother.

2 Carry each other’s burdens. What are these burdens?

Some burdens are caused by one’s work and responsibilities. Perhaps our brother’s work is hard. He is tired. Therefore, we must help him carry his work burden.

Other burdens are things like anxiety, disappointment, sadness, weakness, sickness. These burdens can be both of body and of spirit.

The third kind of burden is sin. For our brother, his sin is a burden. Perhaps he has a temper. He knows it is a sin to lose his temper. Nevertheless, from time to time he gets angry. For him it is a great burden. How can we help him carry that burden?

We can help him carry his burden by forgiving him, advising him, restoring him gently, and accepting him lovingly—along with his sin. Let us never say: “Only after my brother’s bad temperament and bad habits are corrected will I accept him.” Remember, Christ did not say that to us. He accepted us with all our weaknesses and sins. Christ bore our burdens on the cross.

When our brother sins, shame and disgrace come upon him. But sometimes, because of his sin, shame and disgrace fall upon us also—upon the church. The church is dishonored. In this way our brother is also sinning against us. We receive trouble and grief as a result of his sin. Must we bear that, too?

Yes, we indeed must bear it. This is the deepest meaning of this verse. That is, we must not only bear our brother’s burden of sin, but we must also be prepared to suffer because of it. That is exactly what Christ did for us. Therefore, let us be ready to suffer for our brother’s sin. If we do, we shall fulfill the law of Christ. For Jesus said: “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

3 Compared with God, man is nothing (Psalm 8:4). Therefore, let us not think we are something when we are not. Let us not think we are good, worthy, important, or we shall deceive ourselves through pride.

Let us never compare ourselves with other people. If we do so, we shall always be striving to appear better than they. Rather, let us compare ourselves only with Jesus. If we do this, we shall remain more humble!

4 We are each responsible for our own actions, that is, our own behavior. We must test our actions. Just as the fruit is proof of the tree, so our actions, our behavior, is proof of our faith. If a person’s work and actions are good, he will be able to take pride in himself, Paul says. Paul does not mean here that we should put pride in ourselves, because we know that all our good works are done only through God’s grace (1 Corinthians 15:10). Paul simply means that we must not compare ourselves with others. We cannot take pride in the fact that our brother is weaker or more sinful than we are. Rather, we can take pride—that is, rejoice—only if our work and actions are pleasing to God (2 Corinthians 10:17-18).

Let us compare ourselves only with Christ. When we compare ourselves with Christ, then we shall be able to see how weak and sinful we really are; and, as a result, we shall not be so quick to look down on others.

5 In verse 2, Paul says: Carry each other’s burdens. Here he says: Each one should carry his own load. Is Paul contradicting himself? No. The load mentioned here in verse 5 is different from the burden mentioned in verse 2. Here in verse 5, load means duty or responsibility. We each must do our own duty, whatever it is. We each must fulfill the responsibility which God has given to us. Each of us alone will have to give an account to God of what we have done on this earth (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).

6 Preachers or pastors or others who teach the word of God may be poor. They may fall into physical need. If that should happen, we who have been blessed by their instruction should be ready and eager to help them, and to share all good things with them (see Romans 15:26-27; 2 Corinthians 9:11-12).

7 A man reaps what he sows. This rule is established both in the natural world and in the spiritual world. This rule applies to all men. We cannot fool God: He knows what we have sown.

As much as we give to others, that much we shall receive again from God. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed (Proverbs 11:25; 2 Corinthians 9:6).

8 He who sows to please his sinful nature—that is, he who serves his sinful nature—will receive the sinful nature’s reward: destruction (death). He who sows to please the Spirit will receive the Spirit’s reward: ETERNAL LIFE (see Romans 6:2123; 1 John 2:17).

If one wants to reap spiritual fruit, one must do spiritual work. If one wants to reap the sinful nature’s fruit, which is death, then let him do the acts of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:19-21). God is always just. God rewards us according to our work. He will always give us what we have worked for!

9 Many Christians begin their Christian lives with eagerness and enthusiasm. But then they slowly become weary Some even stop running altogether (Galatians 5:7).

Are there any among us who are weary? Let them call upon the Lord, who gives strength to the weary (Isaiah 40:29-31). Let them fix their eyes upon Jesus, that they might not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:3). Let them remember their reward, preserved for them in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-4). If they do not become weary, they will reap a harvest of righteousness in this world, and in the world to come, life eternal (see 2 Timothy 4:7-8).

10 In verse 9, Paul says: Let us not become weary in doing good. “Doing good” means to do good to all people; in other words, it means loving our neighbor as our-self (Galatians 5:14).

We must do good to all people as we have opportunity. That does not mean at our convenience. How many opportunities for doing good have we lost today? May God forgive us!

We must do good to all people, but especially to those who belong to the family of believers—that is, the family of God, the church (see John 13:34-35).

Not Circumcision but a New Creation (6:11-18)

11 From here on, Paul has written the rest of this letter in his own hand (see 1 Corinthians 16:21; 2 Thessalonians 3:17).

12 The false teachers who had come from Jerusalem (Galatians 2:4,12) were trying to make a good impression outwardly on the Jews who lived in Galatia. They were trying to gain their favor and approval, because they wanted to avoid being persecuted by them. For this reason these teachers taught the Galatian Gentiles that they should be circumcised in order to be saved. The Jews believed that only by being circumcised and obeying the law could a man be saved. But according to the preaching of the cross of Christ, man is saved only through faith in the crucified Jesus. Therefore, the cross was an offense to the Jews, and they persecuted all who preached it (see Galatians 5:11).

13 The false Jewish teachers—that is, those who are circumcised—did not

obey the Jewish law themselves. They persuaded the Galatian Gentiles to be circumcised not out of respect for the law, but only in order to boast that they had made the Galatians like Jews. These teachers were hypocrites. By teaching that circumcision was necessary for salvation, they were in fact stopping the Galatians from obtaining true salvation by grace (see Matthew 23:13; Luke 11:46).

14 The Jews boasted in circumcision and the works of the law. Paul, however, boasts only in the cross of Christ—that is, in Christ’s work, in His sacrifice.

Let us think about the cross. In the eyes of the Roman world, the cross represented all that was shameful, contemptible. The cross was a sign of weakness, defeat, death. Nevertheless, it is this same cross that Paul boasts in! Because only through Jesus’ death on the cross can men and women obtain salvation.

For Paul, the world has been crucified—that is, for him all worldly thoughts and desires have died. Paul places no confidence in the world nor anything in it. He puts his faith only in the cross (see 1 Corinthians 1:18; Philippians 3:7-8).

Not only has the world been crucified to Paul, but Paul has also been crucified … to the world. By this, Paul means that his old self has died on the cross with Christ (Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20).

15 In Galatians 5:6, Paul says that the only thing that counts for obtaining salvation is faith (see Galatians 5:6 and comment). Here, in different words, Paul says the same thing. Through faith in Christ, we become a new creation—that is, we become a new spiritual person, a child of God (see 2 Corinthians 5:17 and comment). We are born again (John 3:5). Salvation means becoming a new creation; that is all that counts.

16 All who follow this rule are all those who obey the teaching of this letter. What Paul has written is the true Gospel of Christ. Those who walk by this rule are the true Israel²⁹ of God—that is, they are the true family of God. The true Israel are not those who have descended from Abraham according to the flesh, but rather those who have put faith in Christ.

17 Finally, let no one cause me trouble, writes Paul. Paul bears on his body the marks of Jesus, that is, the scars from the whippings and beatings he has received for Christ’s sake (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). Anyone who troubles Paul also troubles Christ. Therefore, let the Galatians stop opposing Paul. Let them turn from the false teachers, and follow once again the true Gospel.

18  Even though Paul has severely rebuked the Galatians in this letter, in this last verse Paul calls them brothers. They are like sheep who have gone astray. They have followed after false shepherds. But Paul loves them still. And he prays that they may receive the highest blessing of all—the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

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¹ The Holy Spirit always agrees with the Bible, because the Bible was written through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration in the first place. For further discussion, see General Article: How We Got Our Bible

² Judaism is the religion and way of life of the Jewish people. About two thousand years before Christ, God called Abraham to be the father of the Jewish people. God chose the Jews to be His own special people. He gave th on His law—th e Jewish law—to obey. The Scriptures of the Jewish people are contained in the Old Testament. The Old Testament describes the history of the Jews; and it contains the Jewish law, as well as the writings of the Jewish prophets (see General Article: Summary of Old Testament).

³ In place of the words in me, some translations of the Bible say “to me.” However, in the Greek language, the words mean in me. This is what Paul actually wrote.

⁴ Damascus is the capital of the Middle Eastern country of Syria.

⁵ Jerusalem was the capital of the province of Judea, the southern province of Israel. Jerusalem was the chief city of the Jews; it was their holy city, the center of their religious life And it remains so for the Jews up to this present day. Today Jerusalem is an important city in the modern nation of Israel.

⁶ In place of the name Peter, some translations of the Bible say “Cephalics.” Cephalics is the Greek word for Peter.

⁷ Cilicia was a Roman province north of Syria (now southern Turkey).

⁸ Some Bible scholars, however, do not agree with thi sopinion. They say that the journey mentioned in this verse is the same as the one described in Acts 11:29-30.

⁹ ircumcision is a minor surgical procedure in which the excess skin at the aid of the penis is cut away. All Jewish males are required to be circumcised on the eighth day of life (Genesis 17:9-14). In Paul’s time, circumcision was the chief outward sign of being a Jew. For further discussion, see Word List: Circumcision.

¹⁰ The Greeks were the inhabitants of the southern European country of Greece. In New Testament times, Greece was part of the Roman Empire. ‘The Greeks were Gentiles—that is, non-Jews. The Greeks were a highly cultured people. In Paul’s time, most of the educated people throughout the Middle East spoke Greek. The New Testament was original}‘ written in the Greek language.

¹¹ In place of the word Jews, some translations of the Bible say “circumcised,” which is the actual word used in the original Greek text The meaning, of course, is the same.

¹² Here also, instead of Gentiles, the actual word in the Greek text is “uncircumcised.” The meaning Is the same.

¹³ The shaking of one another’s right hand is a sign of fellowship among many people of the world. It was also so in Paul’s day.

¹⁴ Antioch is an important city in northern Syria. The establishment of the church at Antioch is described in Acts 11:19-26.

¹⁵ In place of the word body, some translations of the Bible say “flesh.” Here the meaning is the physical body. In other verses in the New Testament, the word “flesh” is used to mean man’s sinful nature (Romans 8:3-13; Galatians 5:16-19); but th at is not the meaning here. For further discussion, see Word List: Flesh.

¹⁶ In place of the words trying to attain your goal by human effort, some versions of the Bible say, “ending in the flesh,” which is the literal translation of the Greek text. The meaning is the same In this verse, the Greek word for flesh” means our sinful nature. For further discussion, see footnote to comment on Galatians 2:20; Word List: Flesh.

¹⁷ In the time of the Roman Empire (that is, Christ’s time), criminals were executed by hanging them on a cross.

¹⁸ Moses was one of the greatest leaders of the Jews. He was horn about four hundred years after Abraham’s time. He received the law from God on top of Mount Sinai, and passed it on to the Jewish people. It was through Moses, Thai, that the Jews received the law. This is why Moses is called a mediator.

¹⁹ In 1 Timothy 2:5, Paul writes: For there is … one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ But remember, Jesus Christ was not only a man; He is also God Himself. Therefore, God Himself is the “mediator‘’ of the promise of salvation given to men. No other mediator is necessary.

²⁰ Abba was an informal Aramaic expression meaning “my father.” Aramaic was the language spoken by most of the common people in the Middle East during New Testament times; it was the language spoken by Jesus and His disciples (see Mark 14:36).

²¹ This is a common saying in countries of the Middle East. It means that one would do anything for another person.

²² The first five books of the Old Testament are often called the Law, or the Law of Moses.

²³ Abraham took Hagar to be his second “wife” when Sarah had no children (Genesis l6:l-4). Therefore. Sarah became like one “without a husband,” while ho- slave Hagar became like one who has a husband.

²⁴ In most cases, when a person becomes a follower of Christ, he must completely turn from his old religion. However, there is an exception to this rule. Jews who become Christians do not have to “turn from” Judaism. Paul and the other apostles all remained “Jews.” Christ Himself was a Jew. The thing a believing Jew must turn from is his reliance on the works of the law as a means of salvation; he must put his entire trust in Christ.

There is a second possible exception: Islam. Some Christians believe that a Muslim does not haw to give up all Islamic practices when he becomes a follower of Christ. But the Muslim (like the Jew) must change his belief about Christ. To be a true Christian one must believe that Jesus is God incarnate, the one and only Savior of mankind.

²⁵ In place of the words sin fill nature, some versions of the Bible say “flesh,” which is the literal translation of the original Greek text 1he meaning is the same. In this chapter, the Greek word for “flesh” is translated sinful nature, as it is also in Romans Chapt a- 8. For further discussion, see Word List: Flesh.

²⁶ However, it’s true that when we are dishonored, Christ is dishonored also. Therefore, for Christ’s sake (not ours) we should try to avoid bringing dishonor upon ourselves.

²⁷ The Spirit’s work is to make us humble. Our work is to humble ourselves (1 Peter 5:5-6).

²⁸ The New Testament speaks of two kinds of crucifixion for the believer: active and passive In Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20, our old self is crucified through faith in Christ: this is our “passive crucifixion.” But in addition, according to Mark 8:34, Romans 8:13, and here in Galatians 5:24, there is also an “active crucifixion” of our sinful nature, which we ourselves must carry out daily.

²⁹ Israel is the name of the Jewish nation. But now, believers in Christ are called the “true Israel,” because it is they who are truly the people of God.