2nd Corinthians 1:12-24 | How to Live with Simplicity and Godly Sincerity
We’re in 2nd Corinthians and we just started going through this book verse by verse last week. Last week we started by going through the first 11 verses. There was a subject in the first 11 verses that was about trouble and why God allows trouble and tribulations and trials into our lives and the God of all comfort. We will pick up where we left off in verse 12. I want you to notice that in the remainder of this chapter there is another theme that I’d like to just point out to you by way of introduction. If you look at verse 12, the Bible says this “12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”.
So I want you to notice that in verse 12 he says “for our rejoicing”. If you look down at verse number 14 he says this “14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our’s in the day of the Lord Jesus.”. If you skip down to verse 24 he says “24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.”. So I want you that the first part of 2nd Corinthians 1 has a theme of trouble and comfort, the God of all comfort. Then the 2nd part has a theme of rejoicing and joy. What’s really interesting to me, is that we just finished a Job which is about suffering and Philippians which is about rejoicing. Now we have this chapter focusing on both of those things. He talks about rejoicing in the second part of the chapter and he gives us different reasons why we should rejoice. He gives us 4 reasons why we should rejoice. We may only be able to cover 3 of those 4 reasons tonight.
Verse number 12 “12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”. Now if you see the word conversation there, that’s a word we’ve been talking a lot about as well. The word “conversation” means lifestyle in our King James Bible. In the first part of the Chapter, he talks about how they were pressed out of measure and despaired even of life. But then he says that they can rejoice even through trials and tribulations and hard times.
How is it that Paul can rejoice? Paul says “12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience,…”. How can I rejoice as a Christian? Number 1 – You should rejoice in your conscience. You should rejoice in the fact that you have a clear conscience before God and the fact that you’re right with God. You should rejoice that you’re not hiding sin, you don’t have a secret life of sin but you have a clean conscience.
Paul says that they have had all sorts of problems and troubles but he says that he can rejoice because he has a clear testimony before God. We spent 42 weeks studying Job and the constant thing is that Job went through troubles and trials. He was going through all sorts of bad things in his life. The Bible says that he held on to his righteousness. He had a clear conscience. He had a conscience that was clear and clean before God. And as Christians, we should strive to have a clear conscience. We should strive to be able to rejoice in our conscience. You’ve heard me say this before “The emergency room is not where you want to be getting right with God. You don’t want to be getting right with God on your way to the emergency room.”. Paul said that he had a lot of problems and issues but can rejoice that it isn’t the wrath of God in his life. He rejoices in having a clear conscience.
How can we live with a clean and clear conscience because obviously we’re sinners? Notice what Paul says “12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”. Our lives should be described as simply and with godly sincerity. For a young lady, you should strive to be meek and quiet. As men also, we should strive to have simplicity and godly scenario. What does that mean?
The word simple in our King James Bible means to be without knowledge or to be ignorant. Oftentimes it’s used in our King James Bible in a negative way and I’m not going to take the time to run through all the verses. When used in a negative way, it is likened unto someone who is not smart. Sometimes it’s used in reference to children or babies because of course children are ignorant of things and they need somebody to help them and protect them. But sometimes it’s used about foolish people or adults that are ignorant about things. The Bible says that the law, that the word of God is able to make wise the simple. It can give wisdom to the simple. The Bible says “the simple believeth every word”. See, usually the word simple or simplicity is used in a negative way. It means to be ignorant or without knowledge. But here the Apostle Paul says he wants them to live a life of simplicity. He doesn’t mean that he wants them to be dumb.
1st Corinthians 2:2 helps explain what he meant “2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”. He is saying he wants them to be simple or ignorant about the things of the world. Romans 16:19 “19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.”. He says that he wants them to be ignorant or dumb or stupid in regards to the things of this world. The Christian life ought to be lived in a way where we are dumb or ignorant when it comes to worldliness. We should live with simplicity when it comes to evil.
For some of you, you may be thinking that when you started coming to this Church, you became ignorant of what was going on in the world. That’s a good thing. It’s good if you don’t know the famous musicians or actors or athletes. Paul said that he wants us to live a simple or ignorant life. 1st Corinthians 2:2 ‘2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”. You ought to be an expert on the things of God and ignorant of the things of the world. I get up and preach against alcohol, drugs, worldly entertainment. However, I’m not an expert at those topics. I preach what the Bible says because I haven’t watched those movies. I am simple concerning the world.
Why should we want to live in simplicity? Sin complicates your life. 2nd Corinthians 11:3 “3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”. See, the truth is that the Word of God can make you wise, make you smart. You don’t have to be smart to follow God. In fact, the Bible says that you can be a babe in Christ. Even a child can come to Christ. Living for God is not that complicated. It’s pretty simple. It’s simplicity. People look at us and say “You guys are pretty simple. You guys are not that smart.”. Look, there are some things that we are to be simple to and not have knowledge about.
You know what is complicated? What’s complicated is having all sorts of different kids with all sorts of different people and having to deal with all sorts of different problems. The simple one man marries one woman, has those children, raises them for God in their home. That’s simple. But things like alimony and adultery and having a secret life and hiding it from your spouse is complicated. You know it’s simple loving your wife, going home to your wife, caring for your children. That’s simple. Paul says that if you want to live the Christian life, you need to have a clear conscience and live with simplicity and not a complicated life.
2nd Corinthians 1:12 “12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”. I hope the young people growing up in our Church are simple to the things of the world. You have a lot of parents who let their kids do whatever they want, watch whatever they want and listen to whatever they want. Then those parents want to judge us for being too strict with our kids. Why are we strict with our children? We want them to be simple to the things of this world.
He said to live in simplicity but also in godly sincerity. Let me give you a definition of the word sincere. Sincere means free from pretense or deceit, not dishonest, not hypocritical. It means to be honest or pure. If you’re going to live a Christian life, you ought to live a life of honesty. If you want to have a clear conscience before God, live in simplicity and godly sincerity. 2nd Corinthians 8:21 “21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”. As Christians, we have to live a life of sincerity. What does that mean? It means lack of pretense, lack of deceit. We’re not deceiving people. We’re not dishonest with people. We’re not hypocritical. We provide for honest things not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of all men. That means that we are honest even when it doesn’t benefit us. We tell the truth. We live in simplicity and godly sincerity. Stay away from sin and try not to be knowledgeable about the things of this world and live a life of honesty, live a life of purity live a life.
1st Peter 2:11 “11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”. The Bible says we ought to live with sincerity. We have to provide things honest. We should have our conversation among the Gentiles. It should be honest. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles as a Christian. Look, the Bible says that we’re followers of Jesus Christ. Did you know that? When you’re a Christian, you’re supposed to be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus said “6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”. The Bible says “ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”. Here’s all I’m telling you. In our lives, we ought not be living lives of deception. We should not be living lives of deceit. We should not be lying to our spouses, or our boss and different areas of our lives. The Bible says “21 Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”. Having an honest conversation, a lifestyle of conduct among the Gentiles.
I remember when I was growing up and when my wife first got saved. She started going to Church with us. The name of the Pastor was Pastor Nichols. He would always bring up this illustration and sometimes change it a bit. When we were at the Church, we used to laugh at the illustration because we didn’t think anybody actually did this. But now my wife and I realize that people actually do this. Pastor Nichols would say that it is dishonest for women to go to a fancy store to purchase a dress they can’t afford for 1 event and then return it.
Let me tell you that Pastor Nichols was right. It’s wrong to lie and steal. It would also be dishonest to go to Home Depot and purchase a tool that you can’t afford to do repairs on your house and then return it the next day. That’s dishonest. That’s not being pure. I’m not talking about when a tool breaks that you bought and you get refunded but when you buy it with the intention to return it. That’s deceptive. That’s not being a good Christian. That’s lying.
When you tell your boss you start it at nine and you actually start at 9:15, you’re lying. And you put it on the time card and get paid for it, you’re lying. When you put it on the time card that you took a 30-minute break and you actually took a 45-minute break, you’re lying. It’s not true. We ought to live a life of honesty. Paul says that we ought to have a clear conscience. How can you have that? Here’s how. You have a clear conscience when you live with simplicity and godly sincerity and you’re pure and honest, when you don’t try to lie to people and scam people and be deceptive.
Some of you might be thinking that the whole world does it. The world tells you to lie and steal and cheat. The world tells you at work to talk bad about co-workers behind their backs so that they won’t get the promotion that you want. They will say “It’s a dog-eat-dog world. If you want to climb the corporate ladder then you need to step on people.”. Those things are not to be so with Christians. The Lord is able to give you much more than this. And you know you the Bible is full of illustrations of people who just did right and got promoted. Look at Mordecai. He did right even though they did him wrong. He did right and God promoted him and God blessed him. You find Joseph who did right. People lied about him. People did him wrong and he just continued to do right and God promoted him and God blessed him. You quit worrying about what everybody else is doing and you worry about what God thinks.
“12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom,…”. See, that’s the problem. The world’s wisdom. Our fleshly wisdom. “…but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”. Proverbs 3:5-6 “5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”. Look, in every area of life, in everything I do, I ought to acknowledge God. If you go to a grocery store and they give you too much change back and you keep it, that’s stealing. Just because it was their mistake and just because the world does it doesn’t mean it is ok. Paul says you ought to rejoice in this living a life of simplicity and godly sincerity.
Verse 12 “12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”. What does that mean? Here’s what means. Paul says I’ve lived honestly, in purity and honesty before the world. But he says that more important than having a testimony to the world is having a testimony before other believers. Look, we should care what the world thinks about us. If they hate us for what we believe and what we stand for then it is what it is. But if you googled my name and they hate me because I stole from this Church or I used to pastor and then I dissolved that and started this other Church and stole a bunch of money, well that’s a different story. That’s not simplicity and godly sincerity. That’s fleshly wisdom. If they hate you because you love God and for the word of God then praise the Lord. Paul said that he had a good testimony in the world but more important is before believers.
I heard somebody say this one time and I wrote it down. I thought it was a great quote. “You should be respected the most by the people who know you the best.”. It’s easy to have people respect you that don’t know anything about you. They will think that you are a great husband and great father. But your goal ought to be respected the most by the people who know you the best. I personally want to have a good testimony before all of you but even more important to me is before my wife and kids. They go home and see me all day long. We should have a goal like Paul had of a good testimony before those who knew him the best.
It’s called hypocrisy when people who don’t know you very well respect you and your wife’s rolling her eyes and your kids are rolling their eyes and thinking “You don’t know him very well.”. Our goal should be to be respected the most by the people who know us the best. Paul says as a Christian you should rejoice in your conscience. How do we do that? By living with simplicity and godly sincerity.
Then in verse 13 he tells us we should rejoice in our converts. “13 For we write none other things unto you, that what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; 14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our’s in the day of the Lord Jesus. “. Let me tell you something. The day of the Lord Jesus Christ is referring to the day of the rapture, the day that we go up to be with the Lord. Let me just explain something to you. When you go to heaven, the only thing that will matter is what you did to get people into heaven. That’s it. What you did with your life to reach others with the gospel. Now that’s soul winning. But also you can be serving in Church and helping a Church to be able to fulfill the great commission. That of course can also be giving towards the work of God and missions and all those things.
The Apostle Paul said this in Philippians 4:1 “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.”. The Book of Psalms talks about “Bringing in the Sheaves”. 1st Thessalonians 2:19 talks about “our crown of rejoicing.”. The most important thing you do with your life is reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. And as a Christian, you can rejoice in that. Nobody can take that from you. Nobody can take from you the work that you’ve done to reach others with the gospel of Jesus Christ. So Paul says we ought to rejoice in our conscience and we ought to rejoice in our converts.
Then he says this in 1st Corinthians 1:15 that we ought to rejoice in our confidence. “15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;”. Paul had this personal confidence to come unto them. What does he mean by the 2nd benefit? He is talking about that he knew that if he came he would be a benefit. He had already come once and he had been a benefit to them. He knew that if he came a second time he would be a benefit to them like the first time.
Now some people might look at that statement and say Paul is arrogant. Let me just explain this to you. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogancy. And obviously we want to be careful not to be arrogant or be perceived as proud. But we should be confident in the Lord. And you know, the Apostle Paul says that if he came then he would be a benefit. But the reason why he could say that is because he is bringing the word of God to them. He would bring the teachings of the word of God, the revelation of the word of God. That’s why it would be a benefit.
Let me just be very honest with you. Why is it that you should show up on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights and Wednesday nights to hear the word of God preached? Because it is a benefit to you. You might think that is arrogant and I just want you guys to hear me speak. Let me just help explain. Sometimes reading a verse is not the same as somebody yelling and preaching about that verse. It’s a benefit for us to hear that preached and applied. There is a benefit to somebody standing and telling you not to do certain things. That’s a benefit. That’s why the Bible says “Despise not prophesying.”. That’s why you should show up to Church on Sunday morning. That’s why you should show up to Church on Sunday night. That’s why you should show up to Church on Wednesday night. You say why? Because it helps you. It’s a benefit to you. All scripture is a benefit. It doesn’t matter if it is Ezekiel or Joe or 2nd Corinthians or Philippians. When the word of God is opened, it’s a benefit. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. It’ll help you in life if you learn it, if you receive it, if you apply it.
If you leave here angry at something you heard but you admit that you needed to hear it then that is a benefit to you. I’m mature enough that I’m ok if you get mad at me and do what the Bible says. But if you get mad at me and don’t do what the Bible says then that is the problem. It’s a benefit to you when the word of God is preached. It’s a benefit when the word of God is opened. We ought not despise prophesying because the word of God is profitable. So Paul says there in verse 15 that he wanted to come and give a 2nd benefit. Not because of Paul though. Paul is a very humble man. But because of the ministry that he would bring, the ministry of the word.
And by the way, we’re about to get into it in chapter two in a couple of weeks. We’re going to get into it and Paul’s correcting them. I don’t know if you remember but the whole book of 1st Corinthians is just correcting them. He is telling them everything they are doing wrong. He has a lot of problems to deal with. Notice verse 16 “16 And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.”. He’s talking about the things that he was minded to do or planning on doing.
Verse 17 “17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?”. When he says lightness, what he is saying is that he didn’t take the work flippantly or casually but very seriously. It wasn’t just like “Maybe I will visit Corinth”. He said that he was planning and purposing on this. Verse 23 “23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.”. He says that he was planning on coming earlier but then he realized that it was better that he hadn’t come. Why is that? 2nd Corinthians 2:1 “But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.”. He said that the last time he wrote, he had a lot of things that he had to correct. He realized that there were still things that needed to be corrected which is why he wrote the book of 2nd Corinthians. Instead he decided to write this epistle that we are studying. Let’s go back to Chapter 1, verse 17.
“17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?”. Paul was talking about coming and he didn’t and there were probably people disappointed that he just wrote a letter. Then people attacked Paul and accused him of being wishy washy. They are saying that he will just say yes one day and no the next. He explains that he didn’t come because he didn’t want to come in heaviness. There were still things that needed to be corrected. That’s why he is writing the Book of 2nd Corinthians. But he’s addressing accusations some have of him being wishy washy or a liar. He’s explaining that he is not that type of person and defending himself.
2nd Corinthians 1:18 “18 But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.”. What he’s saying is that maybe they don’t trust him but they can trust God. If you don’t trust his promises, you can at least realize that God is true. “19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.”. He is admitting that he said he was coming and he changed his mind. He is sorry about that. He did it for certain reasons. He didn’t want to come in heaviness. And he’s telling them that men will let us down sometime but God never will. Even the Apostle Paul might let you down sometimes.
Please know this. Pastor Jimenez will let you down. Just know that sometimes people think that the Pastor and the Pastor’s wife are supposed to be these perfect people. Well we forget things too. And we say things we shouldn’t say sometimes. And we get in the flesh sometimes. And we mess up. And it’s interesting that people always want to judge harshly as if they have never messed up. But how about we all take the beam out of our own eyes first. Paul explained that he has tried to live his life in simplicity and godly sincerity but he wasn’t perfect about it either. Verse 20 “20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”. He says, you know what, I’ve let you down. God will never let you down. All of his promises are sure.
We like to sing that song “Standing on the Promises of God”. The truth is that you can’t stand on the promises of man. Pastors fail. I hope you husbands strive to be the best possible but husbands fail. Love your wives, lead them, be loyal, learn your wives, provide but you will fail sometimes. Did you realize that wives also fail sometimes? Sometimes your kids will fail you. Your parents are going to fail you. Maybe your parents promise something but they change their mind or something comes up. But we have a God who will never fail us.
In closing, let me just give you some promises that God has given you just to remind us. John 10:27-29 “27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”. There is a promise that your salvation can’t be lost. God is not a liar. God is not a man that he should lie. Eternal Life is something that we can stand on.
What’s interesting to me is that we trust on the Lord Jesus Christ and God and the Bible for our eternal destines but then often don’t trust him with other things. One example is with our wallets. Matthew 6:33 “33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”. In context he talks about how food, our clothes and basic physical needs. Verse 33 promises that if we put God first then God will provide those things. That’s a promise from the Word of God. The Bible says “I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging bread.”. Some people use that passage and say that a saved person would never be begging for food but remember the story of Lazarus and the rich man? I’m not preaching a prosperity gospel but I do believe that God will provide your needs.
Here’s another promise. Romans 8:28 “28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”. So the key to this promise is that you have to pass the love test. How do you know if you love God? Jesus said “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”. You can measure your love for God by how well you keep his commandments. So if you say you love God and break all of his commandments then you don’t really love him. This is a promise you can stand on when things are not going well in life. Maybe your health is failing, your finances are failing, your relationships aren’t going well. But you can stand on the fact that things will work together for good if you love God.
Philippians 4:19 “19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”. That is a promise from God. That’s not a blanket statement to everybody. If you study the context, it is if you are giving to support the work of God. Paul said sometimes life is tough. Maybe we are pressed out of measure. Sometimes we despair even of life. Sometimes there’s trials, tribulations, heartache and problems. But even if we are in the ER, we can rejoice that we have a clear conscience, we can rejoice we have lived with simplicity and godly sincerity, we can rejoice in our converts, we can rejoice in our confidence in God. Sometimes with men it is yea and nay but all of God’s promises are yea.
Here’s a question I have for you. What do you rejoice in? Can you rejoice in a clear conscience? Maybe you should get one. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Can you rejoice in your converts? Maybe you should get one. Can you rejoice in the promises of God? Maybe you should get a hold of a promise of God. “My God shall supply all my needs according to his riches and glory”. God can work all things together for good. Maybe you should get a promise and hold on to it and rejoice in it when things are hard and tough and say with God it’s always yea.
Let’s pray.