Series: 2 Corinthians
Title: Because By Faith Ye Stand
Text: 2 Corinthians 1: 23-24
Date: March 30, 2017
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
2 Corinthians 1: 23: Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. 24: Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
The reason Paul did not come to Corinth was that he might spare them the rod of rebuke and chastening. (1 Cor 4: 21) He wanted to give them time to correct the things he told them to correct in his first epistle so that he did not have to do so in person.
Then he said, “Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.” Christ’s true preachers are given by Christ to help his people have the joy of believing because we stand by faith in Christ alone. Notice in verse 24 the word “for” means “because.” We “are helpers of your joy”—the joy of believing—“because by faith ye stand.”
NO DOMINION
Christ’s true preachers do not have dominion, lordship, over any believer’s faith. The apostle Paul said, “Not for that we have dominion over your faith…”
Where you find preachers not preaching Christ, you find preachers who themselves do not believe on Christ. Therefore, you also find preachers lording over the people. The Pharisee teachers did not believe on Christ themselves therefore they did not preach Christ.
Therefore, rather than submit to Christ’s dominion, produced something that appeared like obedience to God, by lording over men. As Christ declared, the result was that they made men appear obedient outwardly but inwardly they were dead, rebels against God. (Mt 23: 27)
Brethren, the same thing goes on in our day. Most preachers do not preach Christ. They preach do and don’t, touch not and taste. They discipline the people into an outward form obedience. It is what the majority of the people think true Christianity consists of.
But the only one who has dominion over true believer’s faith is the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Revelation 1: 5…Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him—that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6: And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father—unto him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Jesus Christ is God’s faithful witness. In Christ dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily. When we behold Christ by faith and we behold God. On the cross, Christ bore witness to God’s holiness. Christ our Substitute bore the sins of his people so that God might satisfy his justice and honor his law. At the same time, Christ bore witness to God’s mercy. By bearing God’s holy wrath in place of his people, Christ declared God the Justifier of each one for whom Christ died.
Therefore, because Christ fulfilled God’s will by his obedience in place of his people, the GodMan, Christ Jesus is “the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.”
Ephesians 1: 21…[The Father of glory] raised [Christ Jesus] from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21: Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23: Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Therefore, in time, Christ sends the gospel and God the Holy Spirit regenerates each one for whom Christ died. Christ takes dominion in the heart so that by faith we stand on Christ the Solid Rock and glory only in the LORD declaring, “Unto him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Having redeemed his people from the bondage of the law into the liberty of his free grace, our Lord Jesus forbids his redeemed to be brought back under bondage to anyone. He teaches us sweetly, effectually in our hearts,
Matthew 23: 8: be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9: And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10: Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11: But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
That means more than forbidding us to give ourselves ecclesiastical titles. It means since Christ has dominion over our faith he rules our hearts so as not to allow his own to come into bondage or to bring our brethren into bondage.
HELPERS OF YOUR JOY
Rather than having dominion over your faith, Christ sends his pastor to be a “helper of your joy.”
God gives us joy by giving us faith in Christ.
Romans 15: 13: Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Christ came to give his redeemed joy in the place of mourning.
Isaiah 61: 1: The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2: To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn in Zion 3: To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
From God’s right hand, through the Holy Spirit, Christ spoke effectually into our heart declaring liberty to us captives and gave us the joy of believing like he did his disciples when he walked this earth. He said,
John 15: 11: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Instead of mourning over our sins, God gave us faith to believe and joy that Christ has put our sins away forever. Instead of having the spirit of heaviness (sorrow) because we could not make ourselves righteous by the law, God gave us faith to believe on Christ and joy that Christ has made us trees of righteousness the planting of the LORD and delivered us from the law.
Romans 14: 17: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
By experiencing this work of irresistible grace wherein Christ gave Paul his joy, the apostle Paul knew that Christ gives his joy by making us stand by faith in Christ alone, apart from any works of our own. So the apostle Paul was a faithful helper of our joy, first and foremost, by preaching the good news of redemption accomplished by Christ and him crucified. He told the Corinthians when he came the first time,
1 Corinthians 2: 2: I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Christ’s faithful preacher knows by experience that the joy of faith is grown in the grace and knowledge of Christ by hearing Christ preached over and over and over. Hearing the message of Christ’s accomplished redemption is how God brought us to obey and submit to Christ in the first hour. And Christ’s helpers know it is the same message by which God makes his child obey and submit to Christ in every other hour. So Christ’s helpers preach one message, the triumphant Redeemer in whom all his people are complete.
Also, Christ’s helpers declare that your faith does not stand in any sinner’s power but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2: 4: And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
When it comes to the “grace of faith” none of Christ’s ministers can give a sinner faith. Faith is the gift of God. (Eph 2: 8) So Christ’s helpers preach Christ and wait on the power of God to give faith to his people by grace. Knowing no man can grow another in faith—we preach Christ who is “the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” (Col 2: 19) Knowing no preacher can effectually rule in the heart of another sinner, we declare that God the Holy Spirit has dominion over the sinful flesh “so that ye cannot do the things that [your sinful flesh] would.” (Gal 5: 17)
When it comes to the object of faith, meaning the word of God and the doctrine of Christ according to the scriptures—Christ’s minister is taught that no man has authority to make any new articles of faith, so we obey the word of God which says, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.” (1 Pet 4: 11) This is how Christ’s preachers are instruments in Christ’s hand to be “helpers of your joy.”
Another way Christ makes his pastor a helper is not nearly as pleasant to the pastor. Paul also helped by rebuking and correcting the Corinthians as we saw in the first letter. Now, to those without discernment, rebuke and correction sounds like a preacher “having dominion over your faith.”
Yet, there is a big difference between lording over God’s people and “having the rule over you.” Lording over God’s people is to disobey the word of God. God said through the apostle Peter,
1 Peter 5: 1: The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3: Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
“Having the rule over you” means Christ has puts his minister in authority to lead his people to Christ! We see the difference in Hebrews 13.
Hebrews 13:7: Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God:
There is the difference: Christ’s minister speaks to you, not their word, but God’s word.
Hebrews 13: 7…whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever
There is the difference: Christ works in his minister so that they set an example to fellow to those they serve in that they obey and submit to Christ’s word themselves. Their constraint and end-motive is the glory of Christ Jesus our Lord
Hebrews 13: 17: Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:…
Obey them, not simply by obeying them, but by obeying Christ’s word which they have spoken to you and submit yourselves by submitting yourselves to Christ.
Hebrews 13: 17:…for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account,…
There is the difference: Christ’s minister watches, not for their own personal profit, but for the good of your souls.
Hebrews 13: 17:… that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Paul wanted to joy in the Corinthian brethren due to their obedience and submission to Christ. The reason he said that he did not come again to Corinth was because he did not want to come to rebuke and cause heaviness (grief and sorrow). He had already rebuked them heavily by letter. So Paul waited that when he came he could joy with them in their obedience to Christ rather than coming with a rod and grief. He said,
2 Corinthians 2: 1: But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2: For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3: And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4: For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
BECAUSE BY FAITH YE STAND
Why does Christ make his minister’s faithful helpers to turn his redeemed from error to Christ alone? “for by faith ye stand.” Christ is the object of our faith. It is by the faith of Christ working in us that we stand by faith.
Scripture says of the believer “we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor 5: 7) So when one of us falls into the error of trying to walk by sight we need to be turned. Therefore, Christ gives the message he would have spoken to one of his ministers. As he preaches Christ’s word, the Holy Spirit turn us and strengthens our faith to trust Christ so that “we walk by faith, not by sight.”
God’s word says to us Gentile believer that “because of unbelief the [natural sons of Abraham] were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.” (Rom 11: 20) So when our old fleshly nature causes a believer to become puffed up, Christ gives his minister the word Christ would have us to preach and Christ brings his child low. He will do so in our conscience but if need be he will also do so in providence. The effectual result will be that Christ causes his child to “stand by faith.”
Scripture says, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand.” (1 Cor 15: 1) If we foolishly begin to lean on the arm of our flesh or look to some work we have done, Christ strengthens us in faith giving us fresh ears to hear of Christ’s perfect obedience by which we are made the righteousness of God. He makes his child to stand by faith in Christ alone by making the word alive as Christ declares in our hearts, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Gal 5: 1)
God says in his word teaches us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” (1 Pet 5: 8). When we become drunk with this world’s cares, Christ sends a word of rebuke and causes us to “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” (Eph 6: 14)
So brethren here is the point of the whole message. The reason Christ does not allow men to have dominion over your faith is “because ye stand by faith.” We do so only by the faith of Christ having dominion over our hearts, not men. The reason Christ sends his preachers to be “helpers of your joy” is because Christ gets all the glory as he speaks through his ambassadors and turns his child from whatever comes between you and him. He does it “because ye stand by faith.”
Therefore, after speaking Christ’s word of rebuke to the brethren at Corinth in his first letter, Paul did not come to visit yet because he was waiting on Christ to make the word effectual. He waited on Christ to make them willingly correct their errors. He did it so that Paul and his brethren at Corinth could once again rejoice together in faith as they beheld another instance of the faithfulness of Christ by whom we stand.
Oh, what a wise and merciful Lord and Savior we have! Let us seek to honor him in all things!
Amen!