Become Complete…

 

Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.  Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the saints greet you.  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.—2 Corinthians 13:11-14

You could say that the Second letter to the Corinthian church must have been pretty unpleasant at times for the Corinthians to read.  Paul spoke directly and honestly about the things in the church that needed correction from exposing false teachers to defending his own apostolic authority.  His ending, however, is a heartwarming call for unity.  I can almost hear Paul reminding himself and his readers here to wrap themselves in love which was the glue that would hold them together as they sought each other’s highest good. In his words I hear the melody of one of my favorite passages from Colossians, Chapter 3.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Below are some verses that also came to mind as I read Paul’s string of exhortations in verse 11.

Become Complete…the amplified says “to be what you should be”

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him,—Colossians 2:10

I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.—John 17:23

Be Comforted…

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 tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.—2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Be of one mind…

Have the mind of Christ…

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.—Philippians 2:1-4

Live in Peace…

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.—Romans 12:17

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:—Hebrews 12:14

Beloved…Aim for perfection, be comforted, be likeminded with Christ, live peaceably with one another seeking each other’s highest good.  And as you do, the God of love and peace [the source of lovingkindness] will be with you

May each of us in our own lives take heed to Paul’s warnings and exhortations throughout this Epistle. Through the power of His Spirit may we obey them by depending on the grace that our God supplies according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 

Paul ends by invoking the blessing of the triune God. 

Father may this blessing be ours as well!  May the grace of Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be experienced in our hearts and in our lives and may we share it with those You have sovereignly placed around us.