2 Corinthians 10-13

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%2010-13&version=ESV

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ"


2 Corinthians 11:30 "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness."



2 Corinthians 12:9-10 "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."



2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"



2 Corinthians 13:11 "Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you."



2 Corinthians 10-13 is our reading today, and from it you can read the richness of Paul's writings.


I wanted to sample a few verses from each of the four chapters so that you could get a taste for them. DA Carson has written a book on these 4 chapters of 2 Corinthians titled, "A Model of Christian Maturity", and I think that is an excellent title for the contents of these chapters.

From destroying every argument raised up against the knowledge of God, to examining ourselves, to the last exhortation in 2 Corinthians 13 - to aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you, the qualities of a Gospel centered life abound.

Friends, as we enter the Christmas season and the New Year, reflect on these passages. Are you striving to live a mature Christian life?

You may be failing in this area, and to some extent, all of us are failing in this area, but by prayer and seeking fellowship with God, and renewing your mind with the truths of God Word, you can live a life of Christian maturity. A life that rests in Christ, is growing in Christ, is content with Christ, is in love with Christ, and is ready to die for Christ and live sacrificially for Christ and His Body, the Church.

I am far from this level of Maturity, but by the grace of God I would like to end with one of my favorite passages from the books of 1 and 2 Corinthians:

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain...." (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Soli Deo Gloria.

Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.