Read Ellen G. White, “The Message Heeded,” pp. 323–334, in The Acts of the Apostles.
Last week, we read the above cited passage in The Acts of the Apostles. It is worth rereading it. This time, dwell a little bit more on the parts referring to Paul’s severe letter, his feelings upon writing it, and his joy upon receiving the good news about the sincere repentance of the addressees. Then, reflect on what this tells us about the authenticity of Paul’s ministry and what lessons we can apply to our work for Christ.
Read 2 Corinthians 7. What are Paul’s feelings upon hearing that the Corinthians had repented?
How much love flows from the words “You are in our hearts” (2 Cor. 7:3, NKJV; see also 2 Cor. 6:11). In his deep desire to have his love reciprocated, Paul also says, “Make room in your hearts for us” (2 Cor. 7:2, ESV). While the phrase “in your hearts” is not in the Greek text, most English versions supply it, which is correct because the context supports it.
In 2 Corinthians 6:3–10, Paul keeps encouraging the Corinthians to be reconciled to God. He presents a long list of hardships and triumphs to show what it means to be a follower of Christ and a minister of God. In short, he lists difficult situations (2 Cor. 6:4, 5), virtues of character (2 Cor. 6:6), equipment for ministry (2 Cor. 6:7), and vicissitudes of ministry (2 Cor. 6:8–10).
