"Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace … The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen" (2 Cor. 13:11-14).
As we have studied 1 and 2 Corinthians this year, we have learned what it would have been like to be under the ministry of an apostle of Christ. As we tried to glean lessons that pertain to our specific circumstances, as we have tried to submit our hearts and minds to the eternal truths of God’s Word, we have glimpsed into the heart of a minister who loved his people because he loved his Lord. These letters are filled with passion, with manifestations of fierce devotion and an almost parental concern for the flock of Christ. Paul loved the Corinthians, who were his children in the faith. He longed for them to know the joy and peace that come from living by faith and submitting to God’s will, and he summed up his expectations and hopes for the Corinthians in 13:11 when he urged them to “Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
Even though Paul was writing to the Corinthians, his words are the revelation of God to all believers. This exhortation, therefore, is directed to you. Christ Himself is exhorting you through the words of Paul to be complete in your faith, to grow up in holiness, and to correct the evils that prevail in your heart.
He is also urging you to be of good comfort, which means to exhort one another to love and good deeds. Do not only focus on yourself and your own sanctification, but be concerned about the growth of others. Encourage fellow believers in the church. Confront them when necessary, but above all love them by encouraging them and serving them.
Lastly, Christ calls us to live with one another in peace by being of one mind. If you are united in the faith with others and conform your thinking and your life to the Scriptures, you will be of one mind in the church and peace will be the result. It is only when we turn our eyes from God, who is the source of peace and love, that we fall into conflict and divisions. Let each one of us, therefore, do our part, to grow in grace, to encourage others, and to let the Word of God dwell in us richly so that we will live in peace with one another.
Paul closes his letter to the Corinthians reminding them, and us, of all the benefits of redemption. First, we have the forgiveness of sins through our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul uses this designation for our Savior to emphasize His divinity—in the use of “Lord”—and his humanity—in calling him “Jesus.” He is our God and King, the God-man, the Messiah who takes away the sins of His people and transfers them to Himself. He bestows upon us eternal life not because of anything we have done but because of the good pleasure of His will. Through Him and His work, our salvation is secured. If we had to do one thing to earn our salvation, we would be in constant jeopardy of losing it. But Christ has done it all to the praise of His glorious grace.
The second great benefit of redemption is the reception of God’s love. God the Father manifested His love in giving His Son for us, but His love is also conditioned on the work of Christ. That is, the manifestation of God’s love flows from Christ’s atoning death on the cross. Unless we are united to His Son, we are not adopted in God’s family. We remain outside the covenant and all the blessings of eternal life. But in Christ, we are called the children of God and we partake of the manifold and myriad blessings of the covenant. We are reconciled to the Father by the death of His Son on the cross. Therefore, Paul puts the grace of Christ before the love of God because justification by faith is a necessary condition of God’s love for His children.
The third benefit of redemption is the “communion of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law that we might receive the promise of the Spirit (Gal. 3:13–14). Through the Holy Spirit we are sanctified, made holy, united to Him, and spiritually joined with one another. Through the Spirit, therefore, we have all the benefits of redemption applied to us, and we have communion of the saints.
As you close out this year, may you consider and rejoice in the blessings of redemption as they come to you through each member of the Trinity: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.
I look forward to new studies in the new year, Lord willing. Thank you for reading with me each day, dear saint.
P.S. Just by way of introduction, we will begin a new study of the Gospel of John, Lord willing, tomorrow.
