GraceinChrist

The Grace of God (8:1-8) – Sovereign Grace 
The Grace of Christ (8:9-15) – Sufficient Grace 
The Grace of Christian Love (8:16-24) 

Paul begins this chapter with the slightly impersonal: 

Grace of God (vs 1 to 8) 

A Grace Sovereign…

Sorrowing into Gods Wonderful Joy 

There is a bitter sweet sorrow which is the gateway into the joy of the Lord. 

This is the door opened by sorrow! 

Through this door the widow of Zarephath entered carrying her dead son …

2 Corinthians chapter 6 in some ways is Pauls Mt Carmel experience – the proving of the servant of God! 

Criticism abounded of the apostle 

Some looked at a life, lived wholly to the Glory of God; a life of…

3 Description of the Christian revealing Christ: 

Sweet Savour of Christ (2:15) 

'savour of His knowledge' (2:14) 

Living Letter (3:2-3) 

'known and read of all men' 

Earthen Vessel (4:7) 

'light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the…

An interlude in an epistle of suffering 

The subject of 'joy' 

This is joy restored by repentance 

The endurance of Gods gracious discipline in the life of His people is given not to crush or destroy but to restore joy! 

…

'Hidden things of dishonesty' 

Adam and Eve hid their disobedience in the garden and their embarrassment under fig leaves. 
Cain hid his guilt in an evasive answer: 'Am I my brothers keeper' 
Joseph's brothers hid their guilt in a blood…

2 Corinthians addresses the subject of suffering more thoroughly and systematically than any other NT epistle. 

Suffering and Spiritual Growth– chps 1 to 5 

Suffering and Salvation finding its conclusion in Sanctification – chp 6 

Suffering and Sorrow, repentance and…

'Living Letters' 

Surely one of the strangest descriptions of Christians? 

Many titles given to Christians in the NT: 

My sheep – John 10 
Little children – John 
Flock of God – Peter 
Saints Christians 
Followers of that way 

But here…