3 Keys To Growing In Life

There was a boy who never uttered a single word growing up.

Then, one day, at age 5, while sitting at breakfast, he looked up from his plate and said in perfect English - 'The toast is burnt'...to which the family were amazed at. 'You can speak, that's amazing, why have you never spoken until now?'

He replied: 'There was nothing wrong until now'

Historical/Cultural Context -

Sometime afterward (c. A.D. 55), Paul left Ephesus, traveling north to Troas (a port city). There he had arranged to meet Titus and hear how the Corinthians had responded to the severe letter (2:12). Not finding Titus there, Paul crossed over to Macedonia to await him in that location. Eventually Titus arrived, reporting the Corinthians’ response to the recent letter and bringing news of other developments in Corinth (7:5–7). The book of 2 Corinthians (actually his fourth letter to that church) was Paul’s response to the news brought by Titus.

Biblical Text -

2 Corinthians 6:11–7:1 NKJV

O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - To Grow, We Must Open Ourselves To God’s Word, Not “Yoke” Ourselves To Unbelievers, & Continually Strive To Look Like Jesus In Our Inner-Self.

Life Point- Open Yourself Completely To God’s Word

Exegetical -

2 Corinthians 6:11–13 BSB

We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians. Our hearts are open wide. It is not our affection, but yours, that is restrained. As a fair exchange, I ask you as my children: Open wide your hearts also.

Homiletical -

When Paul had dealt with the Corinthian church before we found that they had turned from him to false teachers.

He addressed this before and was received, but I would imagine not by everyone and certainly not by the false teachers themselves.

So I am sure there are some who would rather not take Paul at face value anymore. This happens a lot today in differing churches and denominations.

Paul states that as the founder and father of the church in Corinth, so to speak, that he has spoken openly with them and has not hidden anything from them.

Why would he?

Luke 12:1–3 BSB

In the meantime, a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling one another. Jesus began to speak first to His disciples: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. What you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the housetops.

Have you ever had someone, even in church, say one thing to your face and then go around behind your back and say another?

yeah I think we all have and I think some of us here today have been the person doing the gossiping.

Leviticus 19:16 BSB

You must not go about spreading slander among your people. You must not endanger the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD.

Could gossip and slander endanger another person’s life?

Depending on the information, yes. Yes it could.

So God just says “don’t do it.” You know why? “I am the Lord.” That statement should be good enough for all of us.

James 4:11 BSB

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it.

Ephesians 4:29 BSB

Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.

What should a Christian do when there is strife in the church?

Follow Matthew 18

Matthew 18:15–17 NKJV

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.

If there is one thing that I wish Christians could get way down in their soul, way down in their inner man for Christian Living, it is this selection of verses. This tells us what to do, and how to handle two Christians that are having disagreements with each other.

Paul doesn’t stop there he continues forward. So now what Paul is asking the people in the Corinthian Church to do is to be open and honest with their own hearts and lives, especially in what Paul is about to write to them.

We are commanded several times in scripture to exam our lives to make sure it lines up with the Word of God. Here is a couple:

Philippians 2:12–15 BSB

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world

1 Corinthians 11:31–32 BSB

Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.

Illustration -

“A true genius admits that he/she knows nothing.” ― Albert Einstein

“For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst and to provide for it.” ― Patrick Henry

Life Point - Yoke Yourself With Believers Only

Exegetical -

2 Corinthians 6:14–16 BSB

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”

Homiletical -

For many years we Christians have used this verse when talking about marriage. You know what? We were right.

However, that is not all this applies to. What if 2 people are thinking of starting a business together?

The answer would be NO.

Why?

Because the heart of the Christian will not reflect the heart of the unbeliever.

What do you do when your partner wants to do something illegal or unethical?

As a Christian those kinds of solutions shouldn’t even enter your mind. So we don’t do them.

You and I are the temples of God. The dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Why would we join someone who worships Idols.?

Do you know what the largest idol in the world is right now?

Money.

1 Timothy 6:8–10 BSB

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

Matthew 6:24 BSB

No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Notice that it does not say those who have attained richness will have this problem. For sure, a bunch of rich people have problems and serve their money as their God. But so does a lot of poor people. They are constantly trying to get money. They have their schemes and it is always on their minds.

Whether rich or poor, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

So what is the Christian supposed to do?

Matthew 6:19–21 BSB

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So what happens when a Christian hooks up with someone in business, close friendship, or marriage who is worshipping at the alter of money? You will find major conflicts of interest.

That is person will do anything for money. If you got the right price, they will do it.

They will find ways to get it, even if it means breaking the law or doing something unethical.

This is why God says to not yoke yourself with an unbeliever. They will test your patients, morality, and ethics. They are like two oxen yoked together. One is going one way and the other another way. You know what happens? They are both frustrated with each other and no work gets done.

Life Point - Don’t Give Up On Becoming Like Jesus

Exegetical -

2 Corinthians 6:17–7:1 BSB

“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” Therefore, beloved, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that defiles body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Homiletical -

God calls all of us to a life of Holiness. To a life that looks like Jesus. To a life dedicated to Him first, then your family, then your job. When any of these priorities are out of order, so will your life be.

You cannot walk in His Sanctification (Cleaning Up Process) without having Him first in all things.

You cannot carry out the command

1 Peter 1:13–16 BSB

Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Well what happens when or if I fail in this command.

You get right back up on the horse.

Proverbs 24:16 BSB

For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

1 John 1:7–10 BSB

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.

Can a sin that just keeps hanging on, day-in and day-out; year-in and year-out frustrate us and make us want to give up? Yes, yes it can.

But as Peter said:

John 6:68 BSB

Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.

Besides when you don’t repent on your own then God has to do what every parent has to do from time-to-time, discipline his children.

Hebrews 12:3–10 BSB

Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you. For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live? Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.

Life Principle– To Grow, We Must Open Ourselves To God’s Word, Not “Yoke” Ourselves To Unbelievers, & Continually Strive To Look Like Jesus In Our Inner-Self.

Call to Action – altar call….