Sabbath, June 28 – 2 Corinthians 6, 7

1. How do the challenges and characteristics listed in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10 help define what faithful ministry and discipleship should look like today?

2. What does it mean for us, practically and spiritually, to be “separate” in a world that pulls us in every direction? (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

3. How can we distinguish between worldly and godly sorrow? What fruit does true repentance bear in our lives?

Here are some key themes in today’s reading:
The Call to a Life of Integrity and Endurance (2 Corinthians 6:1-10): Paul urges believers not to receive God’s grace in vain. He presents a portrait of a true servant of God, marked not by ease but by hardship, perseverance, and purity. “In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God” (v. 4, NLT). Ellen White affirms, “The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian” (Ministry of Healing, p. 470).

A Clear Call to Holiness and Separation (2 Corinthians 6:14-18): Paul gives one of the clearest appeals in Scripture for spiritual separation from the values of the world. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” is more than marriage counsel; it calls believers to maintain distinct loyalty to Christ. God’s promise is powerful: “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters” (v. 18, NKJV). “Holiness is not rapture; it is an entire surrender of the will to God” (The Desire of Ages, p. 556).

Godly Sorrow Leads to Lasting Repentance (2 Corinthians 7:8-11): Paul rejoices not in their pain but that their sorrow led to genuine repentance. Godly sorrow, unlike worldly guilt, produces change. “What diligence it produced in you,” Paul writes (v. 11). Ellen White notes, “True repentance is more than sorrow for sin. It is a resolute turning away from evil” (Steps to Christ, p. 23).

Joy in Reconciliation and Growth (2 Corinthians 7:5-16): Paul shares how deeply encouraged he was by the Corinthians’ repentance and their renewed affection. Titus brings good news of their transformation, and Paul rejoices that his confidence in them was not misplaced. The gospel brings not only conviction but restoration and renewed joy.

In 2 Corinthians 6-7, Paul continues his passionate appeal to the believers in Corinth to live lives worthy of their calling. He opens with an urgent plea: “Now is the day of salvation.” There’s no time to waste in responding to God’s grace with wholehearted devotion.

Paul’s testimony of ministry is one of paradox: he is poor, yet makes many rich; dying, yet lives on; sorrowful, yet rejoicing (6:9-10). The Christian life, especially that of leadership, often carries with it these tensions. Faithfulness is not proven by comfort but by trial endurance and character consistency. For the believer, hardship is not a sign of God’s absence but often the context where His grace is most clearly seen.

The powerful call to be set apart (6:14-18) is rooted in the believer’s identity. Paul weaves together Old Testament promises, reminding the Corinthians that they are the temple of the living God. Separation is not about isolation; it’s about loyalty. God’s people are not called to withdraw from the world but to resist being conformed to it.

Chapter 7 offers a model of healthy confrontation and restoration. Paul’s earlier letter caused sorrow, but it was a sorrow that led to life. Godly sorrow differs from shame or regret; it leads to confession, change, and joy. Paul is overjoyed when he hears from Titus that the church has responded in repentance and love.

These chapters remind us that holiness, endurance, and restoration are marks of a maturing believer. We are invited not only to accept grace but to respond to it with transformed lives, separated in loyalty to God but always driven by His love.

My prayer for today: Gracious Father, thank You for calling us to be Yours. Teach us to live lives of purity, courage, and grace in a world that often distracts and divides. May our sorrow for sin lead to genuine transformation, and may we walk faithfully with You, set apart by Your promises and filled with Your Spirit. Amen.