2 Corinthians 6:11-13 

¹¹We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. ¹²We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. ¹³As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.

Soulmate

Someone asks, “How do you know when a person is your soulmate? How do you identify the right partner for you?” You’re looking for a soulmate or you’re looking for intimate lifetime partner. Observe their sincerity. If they honestly share their private life with you, if they open wide their heart, they offer an opportunity for you to accept them or reject them for who they are.

Soulmate should be a confidant. Right partner in life should protect your dignity. And private matters are not supposed to be broadcasted.

An article published a family attending church. Accordingly, the wife did not know the secrets of her husband. One day, police officers knock at their door. The husband was charged with kidnapping and illegal detention. This sad reality happened to a so-called Christian family somewhere.

The media readily broadcast senseless mistakes. Religious or not, anyone can be tempted to commit sin. No one is exempted. But we can intentionally pray that the Lord inspires us to behave righteously so that our adventurous behavior may practically testify on how Christ transformed us.

How should we interpret what it stated in Acts 1:6-8? ⁶They gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The disciples were curious of the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. Probably, they’re suppressed by the Roman government at that time. And they wanted that Jesus should govern them. Christ declared that what God won’t reveal is not for us to know. We should testify for him instead.

Like the disciples, we asked question out curiosity. Asking question is useful but we prioritize our mandate to witness for Christ. We share why we are curious about Christ, and how he transformed our behavior to explore the will of God even more. Have you discovered the will of God yet?

It’s God’s will to testify for Christ. Have you freely spoken about him?

1.  Freely

          ¹¹We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. 

They have freely spoken. They have no hesitation. They kept nothing in secret. They opened wide their heart to anyone. They taught the gospel of Christ, and they also announced their personal adventures after Christ transformed them. They did not hold back but openly rebuked mistakes.

Apostle Paul exemplified how we freely speak without apprehension of possible negative reactions from listeners. When his Holy Spirit inspires us, we freely talk about personal experiences with Christ. And we desire loved ones to know that following Jesus Christ is amazingly adventurous.

First, we testify and follow up if they listen. As follow up lesson for spiritual growth, we teach what the Lord commanded us. When we share our practical experiences with Christ, it triggers more interest to listen.

Samaritan Woman

Together, let us reflect on what happened in John 4:28-30; 39-42,

            ²⁸The woman went back to the town and said to the people, ²⁹“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” ³⁰They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

            ³⁹Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” ⁴⁰So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. ⁴¹And because of his words many more became believers. ⁴²They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

The Samaritan woman testified that Christ told her everything she ever did. She may have openly told them that Christ told her about her private affairs. She did not need theological expertise to convince them. They were curious how Jesus knew the secrets of the woman. Then they heard the teachings of Christ, and their faith grew stronger even more.

What made you curious to follow Christ? Your practical experiences with Christ is your testimony. Pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and you will freely talk about your adventurous life with Christ. If you still hesitate to talk about Christ, keep praying until you sense the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and you’ll be enthusiastic to speak about him spontaneously.

When Christ commanded us to make disciples and teach what he commanded, he has already prepared for possible challenges. We can be anxious that someone may ask biblical questions that we may not know how to answer. So, we should pray to be empowered by his Holy Spirit.

Reflect on John 16:13-14, ¹³When the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.

Christ is the truth. The Spirit of Truth is the Spirit of Christ. Truth that we need to know about Christ is provided by the Holy Spirit. And when you sense urgency to talk about Christ, don’t rush. First, pray for empowerment of the Holy Spirit until you sense enthusiasm to testify frankly for Christ.

2.  Frankly

       ¹²We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. 

Apostle Paul and his mission team frankly expressed their affection to the Corinthians. They did not withhold anything. In contrast, the Corinthians hesitated. They withheld their feeling. They were not frank. They did not open wide their hearts toward Paul and his mission team. Why?

Why did the Corinthians hesitate to expressed their feelings toward Paul? Was it because of their preferences for leadership? The church in Corinth was divided. Let’s reflect on what it says in 1 Corinthians 1:11-12. ¹¹Some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹²What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

Preference of leaders caused division among them. They hesitated and not freely talked about their affection toward Paul and his team. Why? They did not want to be accused of betrayal toward their group. Division that causes hesitation is also a reality among church attendees anywhere.

We can be tactful. If we are not careful, aggressive groups might be confused. We don’t want to offend anyone, especially, potential believers.

Hair Accessories

A trader invited, “Come and buy hair accessories we made with our own hand.” Another trader also shouted, “Come and buy factory made hair accessories at cheaper price.” Then a seemingly rich lady customer came. She examined the handmade products and the factory made products.

The other trader said, “These hair accessories are factory made. They are cheaper than those handmade products. You can buy many at a cheap price and use the rest of your money for other needs of your family.”

Surprisingly, the rich lady bought handmade accessories. And she also told her other friends where she bought her handmade accessories.

Why did the rich lady buy handmade products instead of cheaper factory made products? The rich lady can afford it. The price didn’t impress her. The uniqueness of handmade products convinced her, and she wanted that nobody has the same kind of hair accessories that she owned.

Anyone may read theology online, but God reveals himself to each of us uniquely. Our personal experience with Christ is designed only for us individually. My personal experience with Christ is very different from yours. Why? It only proves that God is forever source of wonderful experiences. And we will forever be amazed by the Lord in his heaven. Do you agree?

How do you explain to children what Christ declared in Luke 11:28?

         ²⁸Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.

Blessings and obeying God are inseparable twins. God blesses us when we obey him. It’s useful to read and study the word of God. By God’s grace, we obey him gladly. Obeying God is the key to unlock the door of his overflowing blessings. Do you want God’s blessing? Prayerfully obey him!

It’s a practice of faith to obey God faithfully. Certainly, God is gracious to all of us, but his blessings is fairly inclusive with his instructions. Anyone may complain, “God is not fair.” How should we respond? How do we clarify what it proclaims in Romans 2:11? ¹¹God does not show favoritism.

God does not change. He is not affected by praise or wickedness. He is not affected whether we obey him or not. Obeying God won’t make him more gracious. Disregarding his command won’t make him love us lesser.

He loved us no matter what we do. But he already decreed blessings for obedience, and punishment for sin. He gave commands for us to know how to receive his blessings if we follow him. Isn’t that fairly enough?

3.  Fairly

      ¹³As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.

Speaking of fair exchange, Apostle Paul and his team opened wide their hearts, and he encouraged the Corinthians to open wide their hearts also. Paul considered them as his children. He became their spiritual father when he helped them believe in Jesus Christ. Parents, think about this:

Do you prefer your children to be secretive about their needs? Won’t you give more privileges to your children, if they open wide their hearts?

If parents know our need, if they know it’s necessity, they will do their best to provide for sure. Similarly when we are praying, we’re encouraged to be more specific. Specific prayers imply that we know what we want from God. We know that God granted our prayer item when we pray specifically.

Jephthah

Praying in general without particularity can be disastrous. Let’s learn from Jephthah in Judges 11:30-35, ³⁰Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, ³¹whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” ³²Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands. ³³He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon. ³⁴When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of timbrels! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. ³⁵When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, “Oh no, my daughter! You have brought me down and I am devastated. I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break.”

Why did God allow the daughter of Jephthah came out of the house to meet her father? Bird, mouse or cockroach could have come out first. Yet God allowed this tragedy, why? It teaches that we should be mindful of our vow to God when we pray. God cannot be mocked or taken for granted.

We can be devotedly sincere to our vow like Jephthah, but we could not take the Lord lightly. God is serious about specific details. God warned in Exodus 20:7, ⁷You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Sadly, many Christians take his warning for granted. Do you exclaim, “Oh my God!” when friends surprise you with gifts? Do you shout, “OMG!” when your cellphone or toothbrush fall into the toilet bowl? What do you think? Is it a misuse of the name of the Lord to blurt out the name of God out of the blue? You can say, “O myself! O my eyes! Or, O my foot!”

Well, when we open up and share our concerns with fellow believers, we can pray for one another. But prayerfully discern which listeners is trustworthy to share your burden with. We should open wide our heart and not be secretive or hesitant when we pray for inspiration of the Holy Spirit, then we enthusiastically testify of our transformative adventure with Christ.

It is far beneficial for us to obey the word of God with open heart.

><))’> ><))’> tmec\ltsii\2026 <‘((>< <‘((><