Larry Shaffer

Be Free 

Be Free
2 Corinthians 3

To compare and contrast is a common means of understanding that we use to understand concepts. Paul uses contrast to make his point and drive home understanding of the glory of the New Covenant. Specifically, the work of Jesus through the power of the Spirit. Once again, it is not mysticism but it is an internal change of the heart that abides throughout a believer's life.  Read more

by Larry Shaffer

Paul's Credentials! 

Nate and Ryker in Bulgaria. They've got a lot of street cred :)

Paul's Credentials!  

2 Corinthians 3 

Over the years, this has been a favorite chapter of mine. Very rich. It speaks of the glory of the New Covenant and the amazing work of the Spirit in the lives of those who are saved. The false teachers who infiltrated Corinth were accusing Paul of being an Illegitimate minister. They would say that he didn't have the right credentials, documentation, or letters of commendation. Paul responded with the following:  Read more

by Larry Shaffer

Someone Special 

This is deep in the heart of the Texas hill country.  Welfare, Texas.

Someone Special 

2 Corinthians 2 continued 

There’s a wonderful couple verses here where Paul takes leave of the narrative (discussing the issues and challenges in Corinth) and recounts a special " open door" of the gospel the Lord gave him while in Troas, v12. He pauses to thank and praise God;  Read more

by Larry Shaffer

To Forgive or not Forgive 

I was happy with this tee shot :)

To Forgive or not Forgive
2 Corinthians 2 

There's an important section on forgiveness in this chapter. Apparently, there was a man in the church who was willfully sinning. Perhaps it was the man in I Corinthians 5 whom Paul told the church they must deal with rather than overlooking his sin. I Cor 5:1,2 says "It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has His father's wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst." That was then...from I Corinthians. Read more

by Larry Shaffer

Let’s Play Jeopardy

Let’s Play Jeopardy
2 Corinthians 1

If you haven't read the background to 2 Corinthians that I wrote in the post, “The Four Letters,” please do so. Just when things seemed somewhat settled in the church at Corinth, false teachers made their way into the church and began to plant doubts about Paul's character, intentions and teachings. As the false teachers gained some listeners, their verbal attacks become louder and bolder. 2 Corinthians is Paul's response to these attacks. In some ways, this book of Paul is like the game show Jeopardy. Read more

by Larry Shaffer

But Why?

We found this notice in a Small Texas Hill country town in an old post office dating back to the early 1900's

2 Corinthians 1

But Why?

In chapter 1, immediately after the brief greeting, Paul writes about comfort.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ." Read more

by Larry Shaffer

Four Different Letters

Warning, this post is a little longer than most!

2 Corinthians

Four Different Letters

Little known fact: Paul actually wrote four letters to the Corinthians. Two of them are lost. But the lost letters are referred to in the writings that we do have in our New Testament books of 1 and 2 Corinthians. Paul spent 18 months ministering in Corinth on his second missionary journey. After leaving Corinth, he heard of immorality among the members. He wrote a letter to confront this issue. This letter is since lost but referred to in I Corinthians 5:9.Read more

by Larry Shaffer

Sin City

Sin City

2 Corinthians

We are going to dig into 2 Corinthians and ask God how we should live out these scriptures daily. But before we do, we should understand a little about its background and about the first letter by Paul to the Corinthian church found in 1 Corinthians.  Historically, I Corinthians is my least favorite book in the New Testament. The young church in Corinth had a lot of issues. They struggled immensely with sin even though Paul spent more time there than any of the other cities on his missionary journeys. Thus, the first letter by Paul to the Corinthian church was instructive and even scolding at times.Read more

by Larry Shaffer