II Corinthians 2:14

II Corinthians 1:1

“By the Will of God”

Many of the books of the New Testament begin in a similar way: by mentioning grace and peace. The most importance teaching of The Bible is the teaching that peace comes from God and grace comes from God. True peace is found when peace with God is found by repentance of sin to Christ. Salvation, eternal life, is by grace through faith and not of works. Perhaps this is why so many of the books of the New Testament mention these truths at the very beginning of the books.

2 Corinthians 1:1-2 says, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achai: Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the LORD Jesus Christ.” The Bible is the living Word. In just these these two verses there are many important truths to learn about living by faith. There is in fact so much to learn in just these two verses of the Bible that if you learned all there is to learn in just these two verses, the very first two verses of the book of 2 Corinthians, you will know enough to have a strong faith in Christ and to be able to live for Christ in this world. There is nothing more powerful than the Word of God.

In these two verses the gospel of Christ is taught. And in these two verses some very important things are taught about how to follow the will of God. 2 Corinthians 1:1-2 says, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achai: Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the LORD Jesus Christ.”

Just imagine what would happen in this world today if every Christian correctly understood the gospel of Jesus Christ and how to follow the will of God. Just in studying these two verses this could be accomplished. 2 Corinthians 1:1 says, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia.”

In many ways the city of Corinth in the days of the Apostle Paul was very similar to most cities in our modern world. Corinth was a city filled with idolatry, false teachings, great immorality and all the other crimes and sins that are connected to great immorality including violence, rape, slavery, drugs and murder. These characteristics of Corinth describe most cities of the world today. Because most everywhere you go in the world today is like the city of Corinth was in the days of the apostle Paul, it is very important as a Christian to understand how to follow the will of God.

2 Corinthians 1:1 says, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achai:” Paul was an apostle. The Word Apostle means, ‘one who is sent.’ There were only 12 apostles. Apostle was not an office but a spiritual gift. Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”

The 12 apostles had the gift of apostles. This gift was only given to the 12 apostles. No one else in the world has been given this spiritual gift. Paul was an apostle because He was called by the will of God. The apostles had a unique authority. They were men who had actually spent time with Christ when Christ was on this earth. They had an understanding and knowledge of the Word of God other Christians did not have and most do not have today. They also had a special burden from the LORD for the preaching of the gospel and the building up of the faith of the believers. In addition to this the apostles suffered like Christ suffered. They suffered and were persecuted much more than most Christians have been. This was part of their calling as apostles, to suffer for Christ. No glory for them and all glory to Christ in heaven.

Anyone who has turned from their sins to Jesus is sent by Jesus do something in this world for the gospel of Christ and for the faith of other believers. But it is important to understand there were only 12 Apostles. There are no apostles in today’ age. The false teaching where some call themselves apostles when they are not is a lie. The danger of such a false teaching is that it leads a person into thinking they have an authority that they do not have. Paul was an apostle. You are not an apostle. Paul could cast out demons. You cannot. Jesus still casts out demons. But the power that was given to the apostles in the days of Christ was given to the apostles only. When a person is misled by such a false teaching as to think they are an apostle when they are not what happens is not only does it make that person think they have authority they do not have but it also will cause that person to be misled from following the will of God. If you are calling yourself an apostle then you are wrong. What you should be saying in your heart is that you want to suffer for the glory of Christ and for the Gospel of Christ. Are you willing to suffer, to labour, and to sacrifice the way the Apostle Paul did?

2 Corinthians 1:1 says, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achai:” Paul was an Apostle by the will of God. He was sent: sent to preach the gospel, sent to the Christians of the Roman Empire. He went where God told him to go, suffered what God told him to suffer, and labored with all humility to help spread the message of the forgiveness of sins in Christ and to help build up the faith of other Christians.

One who is sent by the will of God. There is no greater calling in life than to turn from your sins and turn to Jesus and become one who is sent by the will God. You will never be an apostle. But you can become one sent by the will of God. If you learn to follow the will of God in this life then you will go where God wants you to go, work where God wants you to work, suffer when God wants to suffer. Endure your sufferings. And as you grow in the knowledge of the Word of God you can do more to help spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and to build up the faith of other believers.

Learn what the will of God is for your life. Learn how to follow the will of God for your life and you will be one who is sent. Learn how to emphasis grace and peace through the cross of Christ so that you can do your part in the spread of gospel of Jesus Christ and the edification of the children of God. This was the burden of the 12 apostles. And it should be the burden of all Christians. Ephesians 2:15-20 says, “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the LORD Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.”

By the will of God. Seek the will of God. Turn from your sins and turn to Christ for eternal life. God gives all those that become a Christian a spiritual gift or gifts. Learn what your spiritual gifts are. Learn how to use your spiritual gift for the glory of the name of Christ. This is the beginning of how to learn to follow the will of God in your life. When a person does something they do not have the authority to do, when a person does something they do not have the spiritual gift to do, that person is not following the will of God and is doing a great deal of damage to this world. In other words such a person is opposing the work of God in this world. There were only 12 apostles. They were called to suffer for the gospel. Paul was sent by the will of God. Christ was sent by the will of God to the cross to die for your sins and mine. Turn from your sins and turn to Christ and you will be sent too to do the work of God.

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