Godly Decisions

Clear Conscience

Paul had opposition and they were making some egregious claims

Paul made decisions based on Godly wisdom and sincerity

Established the church, visited, wrote 1 Cor, then had to make a “painful visit” 2:1, there is where he said he would come again before going to Macedonia v15-16 instead he wrote a letter that brought some resolution but we don’t have 1:23, 2:4, he explains why he wrote this letter instead of coming in person.... crisis in Eph Acts 20:1

Acts 20:1 ESV

After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 1

our rejoicing—Greek, “our glorying.” Not that he glories in the testimony of his conscience, as something to boast of; nay, this testimony is itself the thing in which his glorying consists.

in simplicity—Most of the oldest manuscripts read, “in holiness.” English Version reading is perhaps a gloss from Eph 6:5 [ALFORD]. Some of the oldest manuscripts and versions, however, support it.

godly sincerity—literally, “sincerity of God”; that is, sincerity as in the presence of God (1 Co 5:8). We glory in this in spite of all our adversities. Sincerity in Greek implies the non-admixture of any foreign element. He had no sinister or selfish aims (as some insinuated) in failing to visit them as he had promised: such aims belonged to his adversaries, not to him (2 Co 2:17). “Fleshly wisdom” suggests tortuous and insincere courses; but the “grace of God,” which influenced him by God’s gifts (Ro 12:3; 15:15), suggests holy straightforwardness and sincere faithfulness to promises (2 Co 1:17–20), even as God is faithful to His promises. The prudence which subserves selfish interests, or employs unchristian means, or relies on human means more than on the Divine Spirit, is “fleshly wisdom.”

in the world—even in relation to the world at large, which is full of disingenuousness.

Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) All the Promises of God are Yes in Christ

every true believer is a person who prays. Prayer is the heartfelt expression of holy dissatisfaction. The more satisfied you are with yourself the way you are and with the world the way it is, the less you will pray. But the more you desire all the fullness of God, the more you desire to know the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ, the more you desire to be strengthened with the power of the Holy Spirit according to the riches of God’s glory, the more you desire to know the hope of your calling and the riches of the glory of your inheritance, and the more you desire to be holy and pure and compassionate and patient and kind and tenderhearted and bold and fruitful, the more you will pray and the more passionately you will pray. Little prayer signifies little desire for God.

Established and Sealed

threefold significance in the N.T. of the sealing of the Holy Spirit

to indicate ownership

to indicate genuineness

to preserve and keep safe Eph 4:30

Ephesians 4:30 ESV

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

This is the earnest of a true Christian Rom 8:8-9

Romans 8:8–9 ESV

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

Putting our souls on trial before Jesus

Is your yes a yes in Christ or in the flesh?