Paul says he and his ministry companions have been approved through all they have been through and through all they do and through all they display of God’s character.

They have been in tribulations and distresses and have been in need. They have labored and been without sleep. They fast often and are often spoken evil of. They show themselves pure, patient, kind, and loving sincerely. They, by the power of the Holy Spirit, bring knowledge and the word of truth.

They see themselves as having nothing but having all things in Christ. They know the Lord has disciplined them, but they also know He has preserved them through it all. They are sorrowful, but at the same time they are always rejoicing.

Things are hard. Things are very hard. But they rejoice. They always rejoice. There’s always cause for rejoicing because God is always God and always worthy of praise. He’s always perfect and good and loving. There is reason to rejoice.

Paul pleads with the Corinthians what God has always said to His people, “Come out from among them and be separate.”

We see this admonition in other places in Scripture, to not touch the unclean thing so you don’t join in their sin.

God promises to be with us. We need to choose to be joined to Him and not choose to be joined to the world.

What communion has light and darkness? Light and darkness cannot coexist. Where light is, by definition there can be no darkness. They can’t mix. You can’t take idols and put them in the temple of God. They can’t coexist. You worship one or the other. You can’t truly worship God if there are any other gods you are worshiping. You are denying Him as God when you add in something else.

You are God’s temple. You are made to worship God and Him alone.

Clean out the rubbish from the temple. Repent, humble yourself, and surrender all over to God and today will be the day of salvation.