2 Corinthians Compassions and Encouragement

Review

2 Corinthians was Written in 56 A.D.

It Was In Response to Titus’ Report

Paul Begins to Address the Assembly as Their Apostle

The Father of Compassions, 2 Corinthians 1:3

God is the Father (the source) of Compassions and Encouragement, 2 Corinthians 1:3

2 Corinthians 1:3

Well-spoken (Εὐλογητὸς) of is the God even Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassions (οἰκτιρμῶν) and God of all encouragement (παρακλήσεως),

Well Spoken of

He speaks well of us concerning spiritual things in the heavens, Ephesians 1:3

Ephesians 1:3 NASB95

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

According to His great mercy we are born again, 1 Peter 1:3

1 Peter 1:3 NASB95

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

He is the One who is well spoke of into the ages, Romans 1:25

Romans 1:25 NASB95

For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Compassions - Having pity; Sympathetic sorrow for someone suffering or in distress

It is by the compassion (pity) of God that we are able to present our bodies as living sacrifices to Him, Romans 12:1

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I encourage you brethren through the compassions of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable religious service.

As the chosen of God we are to put on compassion (pity), Colossians 3:12

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, put on, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, affection of pity, kindness, humility, objectivity of mind, longsuffering,

Our Pity needs to be Based upon the Pity God Shows Us

Those who broke the Mosaic Law were shown no pity, Hebrews 10:28

Hebrews 10:28 NASB95

Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Not permitting Sin Among the Saints

That is not love, 1 Corinthians 5:1-2

1 Corinthians 5:1–2 NASB95

It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.

Removing those who continue to sin from among the saints, 1 Corinthians 5:6-7

1 Corinthians 5:6–7 NASB95

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.

Showing Grace to Those who Turn from Sin, 2 Corinthians 2:6-7

2 Corinthians 2:6–7 NASB95

Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

Encouragement - to comfort, encourage, exhort

It is a Gift from the Holy Spirit for the Church, Romans 12:8

Romans 12:8

whether the one exhorting, in the exhortation; the one giving in liberty; the one ruling in diligence; the one showing mercy in cheerfulness.

Not out from error or uncleanness or deceit, 1 Thessalonians 2:3

1 Thessalonians 2:3

For our exhortation is not out from error nor out from uncleaness nor in deceit

Exhorting is important alongside teaching, 1 Timothy 4:13

1 Timothy 4:13 NASB95

Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.

Discipline from the Lord is for our Encouragement, Hebrews 12:5

Hebrews 12:5 NASB95

and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;

There are times when we need to bear with a word of exhortation, Hebrews 13:22

Hebrews 13:22 NASB95

But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.

God Encourages Us in Our Tribulation, 2 Corinthians 1:4

2 Corinthians 1:4

the One encouraging us upon all our tribulation, resulting in our ability to encourage all the ones in tribulation through the encouragement which we ourselves are encouraged by the God,

Tribulation - a time of distress or suffering from oppression or persecution. To be put under pressure.

Works out patience, Romans 5:3-5

Romans 5:3–5

And not only, but also we boast in the tribulations, because we intuitively know the tribulation works out patience,

and patience [works out] proof, and proof [works out] hope,

and the hope does not put to shame, because the love from God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, the one given to us.

Tribulations in this life cannot separate us from Christ, Romans 8:34-35

Romans 8:34–35

Who is the one condemning? Christ, the one having died; rather, indeed having been raised, Who also is at the right hand of God, Who also intercedes on our behalf.

What will separate us from the love of the Christ? Tribulation or distress or persecution or hunger or nakedness or danger or a sword?

It was out of Tribulation and Anguish of Heart that Paul wrote the first Letter to the Corinthians Saints because of Their Carnality, 2 Corinthians 2:4

2 Corinthians 2:4

For out from much tribulation and anguish of heart I wrote to you through many tears, not in order that you should be grieved, but the love, in order that you know that which I have abundantly unto you.

The Comfort that Comes from the Faith of Others in the Midst of Tribulation, 1 Thessalonians 1:6

1 Thessalonians 1:6 NASB95

You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

The Sufferings of the Christ abound unto Us, 2 Corinthians 1:5

2 Corinthians 1:5

because just as the sufferings of the Christ abound unto us, thus through the Christ our encouragement also abounds.

Sufferings have to do what that which we are passionate about

While we were in the flesh, sinful passions were working out in our members, Romans 7:5

Romans 7:5 NASB95

For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires, Galatians 5:24

Galatians 5:24 NASB95

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Knowing the Fellowship of the sufferings of Christ, Philippians 3:10

Philippians 3:10 NASB95

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;

Through the suffering of death, Christ became the Author of our Salvation, Hebrews 2:9-10

Hebrews 2:9–10 NASB95

But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.

The suffering we face from Satan, 1 Peter 5:9

1 Peter 5:9 NASB95

But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

We suffer because we are willing to go through persecution, distress, and tribulation because of our passion for truth

Those who suffer have stopped sinning, 1 Peter 4:1

1 Peter 4:1 NASB95

Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

We suffer together as one body, 1 Corinthians 12:26

1 Corinthians 12:26 NASB95

And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Suffering for the Sake of Righteousness is the Only Way, 1 Peter 3:14

1 Peter 3:14 NASB95

But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled,

We are not to be ones who suffer because of unrighteousness, 1 Peter 3:17

1 Peter 3:17 NASB95

For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

Christ left us an example, suffering for us, 1 Peter 2:21

1 Peter 2:21 NASB95

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,

Conclusion

God is the source for all compassion and encouragement

Compassion is showing pity towards others

Encouragement involves comforting and exhorting

Encouragement is a Gift from the Holy Spirit for the edification of the Church

Our encouragement of others should never be to support error, uncleanness, or done in deceit

God encourages us in our tribulation so that we can encourage others

Tribulation is a time of distress or suffering from oppression or persecution in which we are put under pressure

We are encouraged by the faith of others in our times of tribulation

The Suffering of the Christ

Suffering because of what we are passionate for

Ceasing from Sin

Christ left us an example