THE ALTAR CALL FOR CHAPTER SIX
2 Corinthians 7:1-5 (KJV)
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
The passage for consideration this morning is verses 2-4.
Verse one completes the lesson of chapter 6:17-18 on the promises of separation.
Verse 5 begins a new train of thought.
Verses 2-4 offer the Apostle Paul’s “altar call” from the lessons of chapter 6.
I. RECEIVE US
2 Corinthians 7:2 (KJV)
Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
Takes us back to 2 Corinthians 6:11-12 (KJV)
O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.
Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
Remember what’s going on.
The church in Corinth has one schism in the church left – one group who will not accept the Apostle Paul’s message.
· Paul said that his heart was enlarge toward them. He loved them.
· Paul said that the thing causing pain in the church was this divisive group.
He said in 2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV)
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
And so here he concludes, “Receive us.”
Separate from them, God will receive and bless you for it, and then accept and receive us.
And he reminds them again
we have wronged no man,
We’ve done nothing to cause damage or injury
we have corrupted no man,
We have done nothing to morally ruin or deprave
we have defrauded no man
We have not taken advantage of anyone
A person might not have agreed with Paul, but the fact was, he had done nothing wrong.
And he should be accepted, received, held onto as an apostle and man of God.
Now notice how the Bible describes the heart and motivation of the preacher
II. OUR HEART FOR YOU
2 Corinthians 7:3 (KJV)
I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
The preacher doesn’t want to wrong, corrupt or defraud anyone.
Neither does he want to condemn anyone.
He’s not trying to judge.
You pastor’s heart, his desire, is to live and die with the people God has given him to shepherd.
He only wants their good.
He only wants them
· To know the Lord
· To grow in the Lord and
· To have peace with the Lord
If the message stings sometimes, it is not because he likes to sting people. It’s because the Word of God is designed to change people.
Receive him.
Accept him.
Let him do the work God has called him to do.
· Be faithful to him.
· Stay with him.
If you will let him, he will live the rest of his life living for God beside you.
Not only is the preacher’s desire to live with his congregation, his speech is all about his congregation
III. OUR GLORYING OF YOU
2 Corinthians 7:4 (KJV)
Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
As Paul traveled, he bragged on the people of Corinth.
It might be that he preached some stern messages to them, but when he saw others, he had great things to say about them.
· He found comfort in his thoughts and conversations about them
· He found joy in troublesome times by telling others about them
Preachers love their people.
We like to talk about you – and in all the good ways.
Sure, we might urge you to walk a pretty steep trail.
· But we plan to walk it with you and
· We are going to tell everyone we know how you did it.
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