King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Sunday, December 07, 2025
Chapters: II Corinthians 9-13
Message: II Corinthians: Christ’s Grace
Hello My Friend,
As we come to the end of the reading of II Corinthians we learn that every saved, born again Christians are going to face hardships and suffering. In fact, we are no different than the people of the world or religion, they suffer the same as we do. What makes us different from them is that we have Christ. I heard someone say that Jesus can say that He knows how we feel because He has experienced the same things that we do in the flesh. Granted, He did not face a stroke, heart attack, dementia, cancer, or some horrible insurable disease, but we all have our own cross to bear. This is where the grace of Christ comes in.
[2 Corinthians 12:8-10 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.]
Many people believe that the infirmity Paul had was an illness, but I never believed that, I believed it to be a bad leg or something as a reminder of where he was before he knew Christ as his Saviour. The infirmities that we face are not necessarily a punishment from God but rather keeps us accountable to our faith. We need to be reminded that all infirmities come from the devil, but God will allow him to place them in our lives for the purpose of revealing where our faith really lies.
[Job 23:8-11 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: 9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: 10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.]
Wow! I am in tears as I write this because I just realized what God has been doing. I may have been a complete mess the past couple of years, but through that mess God really has seen me through it all. I occurred to me that next year will be twenty years that I dedicated my life to Christ and publicly professed my faith in Him through believers baptism. It was in 2007 that I began doing these Bible studies as a way to learn the Bible myself and as Priscilla and Aquila did, show them the way to God more perfectly, [Acts 18:25-26 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.]
Guess what happens when you start making an impact in peoples lives for Christ? The devil starts all sorts of trouble in regards to your own faith. This is what Paul was addressing in this letter to the Corinthians. He found himself having to explain himself to some critics who where questioning whether or not he was true to his faith.
[2 Corinthians 9:1-4 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. 3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: 4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.]
[Superfluous; More than sufficient; unnecessary; useless; as a composition abounding with useless words.] In other words, if they have not truly improved in the year since the last letter he wrote them, then it would be useless to say anymore. There is a reason why the Bible tells us, [Proverbs 9:7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.]
Scorners, are those who make a mockery of sin and the judgments of God against sinners. There are people who will learn and grow in their faith, and there are people who stunt their growth by their refusal to change their ways. This is why God gave us His Word, so that we are prepared for what is to come. The greatest gift that we can give anyone is the Gospel and the greatest impact that we can have in sharing that gift is in our living the Gospel. If we are not living the Gospel then we too will be unprepared and not know what hit us when Jesus does return.
[2 Corinthians 9:5-7 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness. 6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.]
Some of our giving is in regards to tithes and offerings, sometimes we might need to go without in order to receive the greater blessings that God has waiting for us. Whatever we give though it needs to be heartfelt as God is the one who is really watching. This is what Paul is getting at.
[2 Corinthians 9:8-11 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.]
Do you see what it is that Paul is talking about? Giving help to the poor with both spiritual and physical bread. We do not give our time, talents, and tithe out of obligation or even requirement, we do so under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Last year I was doing so well that I sent money to a family to help their kids go to summer camp. I did not expect a return on that, but last month when I needed money for my mortgage I was given help. So I know how this works. The opposite can also happen if we give expecting some return on our investment.
[2 Corinthians 9:12-15 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.]
When we are bountiful in our giving we not only feed the one receiving it, but ourselves as well. Have you ever been pressed in your heart to just go up to someone to check in on them? Have you ever been pressed in your heart to buy a meal for someone? Have you ever been pressed in your heart to risk your own financial security in order to care for a loved one? These are all things that God takes notice of. There is a deeper message here. Paul, goes on to explain how we are at war.
[2 Corinthians 10:1-5 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;]
As bold as he was in his letters he was not so much face to face and there was a reason for that. Writing to them gave him time to think about what he was going to say as opposed to him being face to face with them. I learned the hard way of what happens when speaking out to someone boldly in their face as opposed to in a letter as our emotions can get the best of us. Did you know that Satan feeds off our emotions? All we need to do to ruin our testimony is say something when emotions are flared, [James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.]
We are in the middle of a war between God and Satan, and let me tell you, Satan, has pulled many on his side because very few are willing to glorify God through their infirmities. As for the faithful, it is often a misguided conception that if we are suffering then we must have some hidden sin that must be exposed. Satan’s biggest lie is to get us to doubt our faith by pinning us against each other. Paul, was a ruddy, homely looking man and this caused a lot of people to doubt his faith and warns them and us not to judge someone on their appearance.
[2 Corinthians 10:7-10,12 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ’s, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ’s, even so are we Christ’s. 8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. 10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.]
Faithful Christians, go through some of the greatest hardships, but we glory in those hardships as Christ gets us through them. This is not addressed to the unsaved, the unfaithful Christian, the bragger, or the one who thinks they have no need for improvement. This is addressed to the saved, born again, faithful Christian who messes up every day, because the flesh truly is weak, and humbly acknowledges they need Christ all day long.
[2 Corinthians 10:14-18 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand. 17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.]
This is exactly what I am talking about and why I continue my ministry even when I struggle. The life we live is not about saving our soul, rather leading others to Christ. Physical appearances are not what shows Christ in us, it is our actions and sadly, not everyone who says they are believers are. Satan, uses many false Christians to make one think they are believing in the true Christ, but what it all comes down to is the Gospel. Paul, explains how easy it is for someone to lose sight of the simplicity of the Gospel.
[2 Corinthians 11:1-5 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.]
Christ, stands in relation to the Church as a husband does his bride to be, those whom have received Him are seen as His bride. This is not about being male or female, this is about all souls who receive Him being written into the Lamb’s Book of Life, [Revelation 21:9,27 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.]
Paul, is referring to their zeal for God, their newfound faith was an encouragement to Paul, but if they were going to judge him based on his appearance then theirs would be questioned as well. The life we live is not about saving our soul, rather leading others to Christ. Anytime a church, pastor, evangelist, teacher, or anyone who ministers the Gospel of Christ does so in a way contrary to the Gospel itself they are giving false information and in fact, preaching another gospel all together. Paul, warns them of this.
[2 Corinthians 11:12-15 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.]
Satan, that horrible God wannabe, is sometimes the culprit behind us getting things that we desire. Think about it, if we believe that we received something from God and it goes south, who do we blame? Those who are weak in their faith automatically blame God and this is where many turn on Him. That is exactly what Satan hopes to achieve. Satan, is not after the one who just gets saved and continues in their sin, he is after God’s faithful because they are the ones with the greatest power, [James 2:18-19 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.]
See how this works? We who are faithful may not be all bubbly all the time, but we know that nothing can move us from our faith in Christ. We do not live the way we do to please others or because we think we are a better Christian, we do it for Christ. Paul, proceeds to explain that if it does appear that he seems more admirable, it was not himself, it was Christ who worked through Him. And if they were offended by him, then they are the ones with the problem and he was not about to change his ways unless it came from God.
[2 Corinthians 11:18-21,29-31 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also. 19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. 20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face. 21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.]
I have been known to come off kind of strong when teaching to both kids and adults, but I cannot and will not sugar coat things. Man or woman, if they are teaching something that is incorrect I will point them to the truth in God’s Word. That does not mean that I do not trip a time or two, but it does mean that I am repentant when I do. Paul, who called himself, the chiefest of sinners, proceeds to tell them of all the suffering he endured for the cause of Christ, and it was not in his own strength, rather his infirmities.
[2 Corinthians 12:1-5,7 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.]
It is only when we consider our own weaknesses that Christ can use us, in fact, those infirmities that we so greatly desire to be rid of are often what Christ uses to His advantage. While none of us want to suffer and especially see our loved ones suffer, we can find Christ’s strength through them by the amazing grace that we are given by Him. Paul, saw himself as a father figure to this church, which gave him the authority to rebuke them. However, many of them did not like the rebuke and made a complaint about him. Paul, felt that the more love he showed them the less he received.
[2 Corinthians 12:12-16 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. 13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong. 14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not your’s, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved. 16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.]
Is that not the truth? The more love we seem to give the less we receive. Nevertheless, think about the things you went through and what God has gotten you through when you thought you were all alone. As I look back at how God protected me even in my infirmities I cannot help, but be encouraged that He will help me through what I am going through now, [Romans 8:27-28 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.]
If they feel the need to falsely accuse you, and gossip about you, then they are the ones hiding something. People who have been around you for a while ought to know you and if they believe the lies then, they are the ones with the problem. As Paul closes out his letter, he tells them if they examine themselves instead of others, then there will be no issues.
[2 Corinthians 13:3-7 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. 4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. 7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.]
{Reprobate; Beyond the hope of salvation.] If we are honest with ourselves, at one point we all seen as beyond the hope of salvation, but thankfully God saw something in us that neither Satan or we saw and that is our true faith. There is something that we need to understand about Satan, he cannot read our minds and he cannot be in more than one place at a time. So while he may have visited us once since we got saved it is likely one of his minions afflicting us. And one very important thing, he can only go as far in afflicting us that God will allow. That is not to say that when God gives him and inch that he does not take the mile, but it does say that God will use it all for good, [Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.]
We are not perfect, none of us are, but every saved, born again Christian rests on the power of God who is within themselves and there is nothing that we cannot overcome through Christ, [1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.]
Today’s Prayer: God, There are not enough words to explain how thankful I am that You sent Your Son to take my place on the cross that I should be on. When I was drowning in my sin, You sacrificed Your life to save me. I know that nothing I can ever do or say can change the fact that I am saved only by believing in and receiving Your Son as my Saviour. I want to live my life in a way that not only glorifies You, but brings others to Your Son as well. Through my weakness, You have made me strong, but I know how weak my flesh is without You. Lord, give me Your power, strength, wisdom, and knowledge to be a witness of Your amazing grace, and let the life You have given me since I found out the truth in Your Word, be a testimony that. I am what I am in person and behind the scenes because Your Son lives in me. I ask this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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