Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.
There is no narrowness or lack of affection in God and in His true ministers and messengers, but the restriction is in believers themselves, in their own hearts and affections. The lack is removed only by turning to God with full purpose of heart in diligent repentance and humbling of heart without delay, with self crucified so that Christ takes full possession of the soul. The verse belongs to God's call for His people to come out from unbelievers and the world and be separate in spirit and practice, having no fellowship of righteousness with unrighteousness and no communion of light with darkness. Those who so separate and cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit are the temple of the living God in whom He dwells, and He will receive them and be a Father to them as sons and daughters. For one who works together with God this means putting away his own ideas to unite with the brethren in love, working cheerfully and patiently and hopefully while wearing Christ's yoke in meekness.
Straitness in Own Heart
There is no straitening or restriction of affection in Paul and his fellow workers and companions, and no lack or narrowness in God or in His ministers and messengers, but the straitening is in the believers themselves, in their own hearts and bowels and affections. The limitation lies in their own hearts rather than in those laboring for them, and the narrowness is in the people's own hearts rather than in God. The straitening that leads a brother to suppose that no one can work with a worker who works together with God is not in them but in his own heart.
Complaining against others proves that the complainer's own heart is not in unity with the Spirit of God. Complaints about others arise because hearts are not in unity with God's Spirit.
The straitening in one's own selfish affections is self made the center and circumference of the life. It is like a whirlwind drawing in everything within reach and grasping every advantage to cling to and retain, with selfishness reigning and heart and spirit and soul and flesh and bones spiritually deceived.
The lack is removed only by turning to God with full purpose of heart, with diligent repentance and work of repentance and the sanctification of the Spirit. The heart must be humbled before God without deferring, falling on the Rock and being broken, and surrendering whole heart and soul and strength and mind to undo what was done. When self is crucified, Christ takes possession of the soul and of the soul-temple. There is yet hope for the one who so surrenders, even though such a course puts the Saviour to shame while Jesus offers blessing.
Narrow, contracted spiritual planning and feeling cause dearth of soul.
Call to Separate Holiness
The text stands in God's call for His people to come out from among unbelievers and from the world and to be separate in spirit and in practice. There is to be no fellowship of righteousness with unrighteousness, no communion of light with darkness, no concord of Christ with Belial, no part of a believer with an infidel, and no agreement of the temple of God with idols. That separation means leaving the company of unbelievers, touching not the unclean thing, and cleansing oneself from sin to pursue holiness in reverence for God.
The call carries large and comprehensive promises that God's people are the temple of the living God, in whom He dwells and walks, and that He will be their God and will receive them and be a Father to them as sons and daughters. The promise is fulfilled for those who come out, are separate, touch not the unclean thing, and cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear and reverence of God.
The apostle's exhortation is more appropriate now than ever, because the Lord is soon to come and perilous times are before us, and compliance with its conditions is how sinners become sons and daughters of God. It belongs to the Laodicean message applicable to the people of God in their present spiritual condition, calling them for Christ's sake to open their eyes to discern spiritual things.
Obeying the call requires entering the strait gate and traveling the narrow path prepared for the ransomed. In that way are found obstacles and tribulations, bruising of spirit, hard speeches, ridicule and persecutions, and demands to conform to laws and customs that would make one disloyal to God, yet the cross is found in the way to life. Obedience means keeping all of God's requirements, including the sacred Sabbath of the fourth commandment as the sign between God and His people brought to view in the third angel's message, and being united to Christ to withstand the strong downward current.
The conditions set forth in 2 Corinthians 6:1-18 bind every soul who takes the name of Christian. As workers together with God and His chosen representatives to an apostate world, Christians are obligated to reveal Christ's character in works and to answer the exalted possibility of excellence in humanity, not receiving the grace of God in vain. Obedience belongs to now, because now is ever the eternal now and no tomorrow belongs to anyone, and these principles are of great importance that in no case should be neglected.
Practice in Daily Work
The verse directs refusal to link up with the world by not setting up in business for oneself and not uniting with unbelievers in medical work, but by placing oneself where one can work in connection with believing physicians. This is receiving the grace of Christ the great Medical Missionary and learning daily of Him, wearing His yoke in meekness and lowliness and standing shoulder to shoulder with brethren. For one who works together with God, the ability to work with brethren must be in his own heart, by believing that God is working with him, putting away his own ideas, and uniting with them all he possibly can. The call of 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 is to express love to God, and to do his best cheerfully and lovingly and patiently and hopefully.
When tired he is to stop work and go apart and rest awhile, instead of working on till strength becomes sickly and he is full of care and worry and self-pity. He is not to stand in his own light but to hide himself in Jesus, so that God can make him His mouthpiece to speak through him to others. He is to give courage and hope to souls, and not worry himself out of the arms of Jesus. The principles laid down in the sixth chapter of Second Corinthians constitute the higher education, and there is no education higher than that contained in those principles. There is no higher education than that given to the early disciples and given through the Word, and nothing in all the world in the line of education so exalted as that instruction.
Students must therefore study diligently to comprehend it, advance just as far as the Word will take them, and work intelligently for this higher education, rather than getting in line with the world and studying what the world studies. Righteousness is the sign of understanding of the will of God committed through His chosen messengers. Paul and his fellow workers have not restricted their affection toward the believers, for the limitation lies in the believers' own hearts. The chapter's instruction is to be put into practice, and its encouragement and warnings when heeded can safeguard families and churches from error.
There is no narrowness or lack of affection in God and in His true ministers and messengers, but the restriction is in believers themselves, in their own hearts and affections. The lack is removed only by turning to God with full purpose of heart in diligent repentance and humbling of heart without delay, with self crucified so that Christ takes full possession of the soul. The verse belongs to God's call for His people to come out from unbelievers and the world and be separate in spirit and practice, having no fellowship of righteousness with unrighteousness and no communion of light with darkness. Those who so separate and cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit are the temple of the living God in whom He dwells, and He will receive them and be a Father to them as sons and daughters. For one who works together with God this means putting away his own ideas to unite with the brethren in love, working cheerfully and patiently and hopefully while wearing Christ's yoke in meekness.
Straitness in Own Heart
There is no straitening or restriction of affection in Paul and his fellow workers and companions, and no lack or narrowness in God or in His ministers and messengers, but the straitening is in the believers themselves, in their own hearts and bowels and affections. The limitation lies in their own hearts rather than in those laboring for them, and the narrowness is in the people's own hearts rather than in God. The straitening that leads a brother to suppose that no one can work with a worker who works together with God is not in them but in his own heart.
Complaining against others proves that the complainer's own heart is not in unity with the Spirit of God. Complaints about others arise because hearts are not in unity with God's Spirit.
The straitening in one's own selfish affections is self made the center and circumference of the life. It is like a whirlwind drawing in everything within reach and grasping every advantage to cling to and retain, with selfishness reigning and heart and spirit and soul and flesh and bones spiritually deceived.
The lack is removed only by turning to God with full purpose of heart, with diligent repentance and work of repentance and the sanctification of the Spirit. The heart must be humbled before God without deferring, falling on the Rock and being broken, and surrendering whole heart and soul and strength and mind to undo what was done. When self is crucified, Christ takes possession of the soul and of the soul-temple. There is yet hope for the one who so surrenders, even though such a course puts the Saviour to shame while Jesus offers blessing.
Narrow, contracted spiritual planning and feeling cause dearth of soul.
Call to Separate Holiness
The text stands in God's call for His people to come out from among unbelievers and from the world and to be separate in spirit and in practice. There is to be no fellowship of righteousness with unrighteousness, no communion of light with darkness, no concord of Christ with Belial, no part of a believer with an infidel, and no agreement of the temple of God with idols. That separation means leaving the company of unbelievers, touching not the unclean thing, and cleansing oneself from sin to pursue holiness in reverence for God.
The call carries large and comprehensive promises that God's people are the temple of the living God, in whom He dwells and walks, and that He will be their God and will receive them and be a Father to them as sons and daughters. The promise is fulfilled for those who come out, are separate, touch not the unclean thing, and cleanse themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear and reverence of God.
The apostle's exhortation is more appropriate now than ever, because the Lord is soon to come and perilous times are before us, and compliance with its conditions is how sinners become sons and daughters of God. It belongs to the Laodicean message applicable to the people of God in their present spiritual condition, calling them for Christ's sake to open their eyes to discern spiritual things.
Obeying the call requires entering the strait gate and traveling the narrow path prepared for the ransomed. In that way are found obstacles and tribulations, bruising of spirit, hard speeches, ridicule and persecutions, and demands to conform to laws and customs that would make one disloyal to God, yet the cross is found in the way to life. Obedience means keeping all of God's requirements, including the sacred Sabbath of the fourth commandment as the sign between God and His people brought to view in the third angel's message, and being united to Christ to withstand the strong downward current.
The conditions set forth in 2 Corinthians 6:1-18 bind every soul who takes the name of Christian. As workers together with God and His chosen representatives to an apostate world, Christians are obligated to reveal Christ's character in works and to answer the exalted possibility of excellence in humanity, not receiving the grace of God in vain. Obedience belongs to now, because now is ever the eternal now and no tomorrow belongs to anyone, and these principles are of great importance that in no case should be neglected.
Practice in Daily Work
The verse directs refusal to link up with the world by not setting up in business for oneself and not uniting with unbelievers in medical work, but by placing oneself where one can work in connection with believing physicians. This is receiving the grace of Christ the great Medical Missionary and learning daily of Him, wearing His yoke in meekness and lowliness and standing shoulder to shoulder with brethren. For one who works together with God, the ability to work with brethren must be in his own heart, by believing that God is working with him, putting away his own ideas, and uniting with them all he possibly can. The call of 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 is to express love to God, and to do his best cheerfully and lovingly and patiently and hopefully.
When tired he is to stop work and go apart and rest awhile, instead of working on till strength becomes sickly and he is full of care and worry and self-pity. He is not to stand in his own light but to hide himself in Jesus, so that God can make him His mouthpiece to speak through him to others. He is to give courage and hope to souls, and not worry himself out of the arms of Jesus. The principles laid down in the sixth chapter of Second Corinthians constitute the higher education, and there is no education higher than that contained in those principles. There is no higher education than that given to the early disciples and given through the Word, and nothing in all the world in the line of education so exalted as that instruction.
Students must therefore study diligently to comprehend it, advance just as far as the Word will take them, and work intelligently for this higher education, rather than getting in line with the world and studying what the world studies. Righteousness is the sign of understanding of the will of God committed through His chosen messengers. Paul and his fellow workers have not restricted their affection toward the believers, for the limitation lies in the believers' own hearts. The chapter's instruction is to be put into practice, and its encouragement and warnings when heeded can safeguard families and churches from error.