2 Corinthians 6

Living with Conviction: Insights from 2 Corinthians 6

We’re stepping into the thick of the Apostle Paul’s ministry—an ongoing journey of challenge, perseverance, and deep conviction. Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians has been anything but smooth, marked by both love and misunderstanding. Some in the church doubted Paul’s credibility, questioning his ability as a preacher and his authenticity. Despite these challenges, Paul responds with grace, offering the Corinthians not just theological truths but his very life as an example of steadfastness in the faith.

In verses 4-10, Paul essentially gives us his “resume,” not of accolades and achievements, but of struggles and sacrifices. He recounts sleepless nights, beatings, imprisonments, and countless hardships. These weren’t just random events in his life—these were opportunities for Paul to show that the Gospel he preached wasn’t just words, but a reality that had transformed him from the inside out. Paul’s life was a testimony of enduring hardships with hope, joy, and unwavering faith in the resurrected Christ.

For us today, it's easy to feel disconnected from Paul's experiences. Most of us don’t face shipwrecks, snakebites, or beatings for our faith (at least, not yet). But in many ways, we are also being asked to live out our faith in a world that can be hostile, indifferent, or downright difficult. Whether it’s navigating family disagreements, standing firm in our beliefs at work or school, or simply dealing with the everyday challenges that come with following Christ, we too must decide if we’re willing to endure hardship with the same hope and joy that Paul exemplified.

Having It Settled: The Foundation for Endurance

The key to enduring hardships is having “it settled”—as we heard from the story about my cousin Kirk’s unexpected passing. My uncle Kevin, in the midst of their grief, reminded us all that we need to have it settled in our hearts who God is before life’s storms hit. If we wait until everything falls apart to figure out what we believe, it’s often too late. But if we’ve already settled the truth about who God is—His love, His sovereignty, His presence in our lives—then when the difficult times come, we can hold on to that truth.

Paul’s entire ministry was built on this settled conviction that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and resurrected for him—and for us. It wasn’t just an abstract belief. It was personal, transformative. His hardships were the proving grounds for the deep, unwavering conviction that God was with him through it all. And this is the kind of conviction we’re called to today.

Doubts and Questions: A Healthy Part of the Journey

One of the things that often gets misunderstood in the church is the place of doubt and questioning in our faith journey. We’re often told that doubts are signs of weakness, and that real Christians have it all together, never questioning their faith. But nothing could be further from the truth.

As we journey in our relationship with God, we will undoubtedly have questions. We will face moments where we wonder why things are happening the way they are, or even if God is really present in the midst of our suffering. And you know what? That’s okay. In fact, doubts are a healthy part of growing in faith. Just like antibodies fight off infections to keep our bodies healthy, asking questions and wrestling with doubts can help keep our faith strong. They force us to search deeper for answers, to examine what we truly believe, and to grow closer to God.

God’s Presence: Our Anchor in Hardship

As Paul closes this chapter, he reminds us of the foundational truth that anchors us through every trial: God is with us. This is the truth that Paul clung to as he faced persecution and hardship. In verse 16, God promises to dwell among His people: “I will be with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” This promise, first given to the Israelites in the Old Testament, is now ours through Christ. God isn’t distant or uninvolved in our pain; He is right there with us, walking beside us through every storm.

When we know this truth—deep in our bones—that God is with us, it changes everything. Even in the midst of loneliness, confusion, and pain, we can hold onto the truth that we are not alone. God’s presence is not a distant theological concept; it is a present, tangible reality. And this reality is what gives us the strength to endure.

The Call to Separate: Living as People of Conviction

The call to “come out from them and be separate” in verse 17 can sometimes be misinterpreted as a call to disengage from the world entirely. But Paul isn’t advocating for withdrawal from society; he’s urging us to make Jesus our first allegiance. It’s a call to be in the world but not of it, to live differently because of the truth we’ve settled in our hearts. When we live as people who are deeply rooted in the conviction that Jesus Christ is Lord, it will inevitably set us apart. We’ll begin to respond to hardships with joy, hope, and peace—things that don’t make sense apart from the Gospel.

Living with Conviction Today

So how does this play out in our day-to-day lives? It means having a settled conviction in who God is. It means holding on to the truth of the Gospel, even when life doesn’t make sense. It means asking hard questions and wrestling with doubts, not as a sign of weakness, but as a step towards greater strength in our faith. And it means trusting in the reality of God’s presence with us, knowing that He is always with us, even in our darkest moments.

This doesn’t mean we won’t face challenges or hardships. In fact, it’s likely that as we grow in our faith, we’ll encounter more opposition and difficulty. But just as Paul did, we can endure with joy, knowing that the One who is with us is greater than anything we face in this world. And as we endure, we become living testimonies of the truth of the Gospel—people who, like Paul, can say with confidence, “I have hope, I have joy, I have peace, because Jesus Christ really died and He really resurrected.”

So today, let’s reflect on our own lives. Where have we seen God’s fingerprints at work? How has He shown up in moments of doubt or hardship? And most importantly, are we willing to settle it in our hearts—no matter what comes—that God is with us, He is for us, and He will never leave us?

As we do this, we grow in conviction, and our lives become a living testimony of the power of the Gospel. Let’s walk boldly in that truth today.