Who is Walking Among Us?

2 Corinthians 6
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living god; as God hath said, "I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 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 will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters?" saith the Lord Almighty.
2Corinthians 6:16-18


LET IT GLOW

Paul had a lot to say in this chapter. It's almost a mental over-load. Paul endured more than his share in order that the gospel was preached. It helped me as I read what Jerry Falwell had to say about the arrangements of phrases:

Liberty Bible Commentary:
There are 27 categories divided into 3 groups of 9 each. Here they are:
I.  Trials (verses 4-5)
     affliction (troubles), necessities (hardships), distresses (difficulties); stripes,  imprisonments, tumults;
     labors, watchings, fastings;

     NLT says,"We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been
     beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhausion, endured sleepless nights, and gone
     without food."

 II. Divine Provisions  (verses 6-7)
       purity (freedom from immorality), knowledge (insights to cope with difficult situations), long suffering,
       kindness, Holy Ghost, love unfeigned, the word of truth, the power of God, armor of righteousness;

       NLT says,"We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the
       Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God's power is working in
       us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense."

III. Victory Over Circumstances (verses 8-10)
        honor and dishonor, evil report and good report, deceivers, and yet true, unknown, yet well known,
        dying, live, chastened, not killed, sorrowful, rejoicing, poor, making many rich, having nothing,
        possessing all things.

       NLT says, "We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us.
       We are honost, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live
       close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts
       ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing,   
       yet we  have everything."

Falwell said,"Paul had learned to abound and be abased, he had learned to have much, and nothing. For he had learned, on a practical level, the lesson of our Lord in Luke 12:15 "...a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

I think it's all about endurance. Paul endured so much.
Endurance means a remaining  under. (from Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)
"Endurance refers to constant strength under difficuly. In modern terms it could be described as coping successfully with life," states Shepherd's Notes.

Oh, to have only a smiggen of Paul's endurance. It is too easy to run away from our problems, ignore them, or to just give up or give in.
 Psalm 18:2 tells me the Lord is my rock, fortress, delieverer, God, strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler, horn of salvation, and high tower.
Sounds like He is what I need.


LET IT GROW

Who is walking among us? Maybe the question is "With whom are we walking?" There was a time when I walked on a track with two Christian girlfriends. We would share events of our day, our feelings, problems, and concern for each other. Beneath the surface were our values.

Paul gives us instructions in verse 14a, KJV, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers."
Williams version says it this way, "Stop forming intimate and inconsistent relations with unbelievers," while the NLT states it this way,"Don't team up with those who are unbelievers."

It sounds like to me, that Paul wants believers to marry, have business associates, and friends that are also believers. Life is hard enough when those people in our life are Christians, much less the added pressures, differences, and focus when they are unbelievers.

In verse 16c, Paul is quoting Exodus 29:45 and Leviticus 29:11 when he says,"as God hath said,' I will dwell in them,and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.' "

Liberty Bible Commentary says "in" is best rendered "among."

I want God to walk among me and my associates. How about you?


LET IT GO

Have endurance and faith in God, Who is Sovereign.

Be particular with whom I am walking through life.