This letter of Paul’s is the most autobiographical
we have. It is written, says Sidlow
Baxter, with a quill ‘dipped in tears’.
In Chapters 1-7 he speaks of
the Sincerity of the Ministry.
In Chapters 8-9 he speaks of
the Believer’s Stewardship.
In Chapters 10-13 he
silences the False Teachers.
* * * * * * * * * *
What a wonderful God we have – he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more he will shower us with his comfort and encouragement… (1:3-4).
The key to the opening chapters is the description
of God in verse 3 … He is the God of all Comfort (A.V.).
And Paul was proving the reality of that truth day
after day.
The Greek word for ‘comfort’ is the same word used
of the Holy Spirit (John 15:26), and of the Lord Jesus (I John 2:1 –
“Advocate”). All members of the Trinity
are in the business of comforting the saints!
1. PAUL’S
COMFORT
(a) The
apostle suffered some physical infirmity. God did not answer his prayer for healing …
I will say this: because these experiences I had were so
tremendous, God was afraid I might be puffed up by them; so I was given a physical condition which
has been a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to hurt and bother me, and
prick my pride. Three different times I
begged God to make me well again. Each
time he said, “No…” (12:7-9).
But God did comfort him by giving him grace to
accept this infirmity …
“…But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.” Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite happy about “the thorn,” and about insults and hardships, persecutions and difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am strong – the less I have, the more I depend on him (12:9-10).
Better to be afflicted, and know His presence,
than vice-versa.
(b) Unfriendly
Critics
… are assailing Paul before his converts at Corinth. His appearance and preaching style are under attack …
“Don’t bother about his letters,” some say. “He sounds big, but it’s all noise. When he gets here you will see that there is nothing great about him, and you have never heard a worse preacher!” (10:10).
… and his motive for being in the ministry is
money! (11:7-9). So they say!!
Did I do wrong and cheapen myself and make you look down on me because I preached God’s Good News to you without charging you anything? Instead I ‘robbed’ other churches by taking what they sent me, and using it up while I was with you, so that I could serve you without cost. And when that was gone and I was getting hungry I still didn’t ask you for anything, for the Christians from Macedonia brought me another gift. I have never yet asked you for one cent, and I never will.
… and his message is all wrong (something Paul will
take up in chapter 3), and he’s not a proper apostle anyway … II Corinthians
3:1:
Are we beginning to be like those false teachers of yours who must tell you all about themselves and bring long letters of recommendation with them? I think you hardly need someone’s letter to tell you about us, do you?
(c) Deadly
Persecutors … his life is constantly in danger …
I think you ought to know, dear brothers, about the hard time we went through in Asia. We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead. And he did help us, and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect him to do it again and again. But you must help us too, by praying for us. For much thanks and praise will go to God from you who see his wonderful answers to your prayers for our safety! (1:8-11).
Despite all this Paul knew the reality of “the God
of all Comfort” (1:3).
(d) Lonely
Anxiety
… where was Titus whom he had sent to Corinth?
Had his converts turned against him or responded to his previous
letter??
Oh, how I hated to write that letter! It almost broke my heart and I tell you honestly that I cried over it. I didn’t want to hurt you, but I had to show you how very much I loved you and cared about what was happening to you (2:4).
Paul tells us that he was so depressed at Troas … he
couldn’t even preach!!
Well, when I got as far as the city of Troas, the Lord gave me tremendous opportunities to preach the Gospel. But Titus, my dear brother, wasn’t there to meet me and I couldn’t rest, wondering where he was and what had happened to him. So I said good-bye and went right on to Macedonia to try to find him (2:12-13).
Eventually, in Philippi, Titus arrived with good
news (7:13-16) :
“In addition to the encouragement you gave us by your love, we were made happier still by Titus’ joy when you gave him such a fine welcome and set his mind at ease. I told him how it would be – told him before he left me of my pride in you – and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true! He loves you more than ever when he remembers the way you listened to him so willingly and received him so anxiously and with such deep concern. How happy this makes me, now that I am sure all is well between us again. Once again I can have perfect confidence in you.
… and God had ‘comforted’ him again.
========================================================
WHEN PAUL
CHANGED HIS MIND!!
And the critics of Paul at Corinth have something
else to attack him about.
He had written and said that he planned to come and
visit them … and then he didn’t come!
“He said he’d come,” say these trouble-makers, “but all the time he
meant not to do so!”
So the apostle takes up this matter … answers his
foes … and teaches us a lesson or two.
* * * * * * * * * *
1. AN
EXPLANATION OF HIS APPARENT FICKLENESS
He explains that ‘second thoughts’ concerning his
proposed visit had caused him to change his plans.
And it was for their good that he did so.
When he had written he had felt sure of the ‘trust’
of the Corinthian church (vs. 15-16).
But then had come the news that things were not as well as they should
have been – and Paul’s visit would have caused heartache.
Then why, you may be asking,
did I change my plan? Hadn’t I really
made up my mind yet? Or am I like a
man of the world who says “yes” when he really means “no”? Never!
As surely as God is true, I am not that sort of person. My “yes” means “yes.”
I call upon this God to witness against me if I am not telling the absolute truth: the reason I haven’t come to visit you yet is that I don’t want to sadden you with a severe rebuke. When I come, although I can’t do much to help your faith, for it is strong already, I want to be able to do something about your joy: I want to make you happy, not sad. “No,” I said to myself, “I won’t do it. I’ll not make them unhappy with another painful visit.” (1:17-18, 23-2:1.)
2. AN
AFFIRMATION OF HIS SAVIOUR’S FAITHFULNESS
But thanks be to God! For through what Christ has done, he has triumphed over us so that now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the gospel like a sweet perfume. As far as God is concerned there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us, an aroma to both the saved and the unsaved all around us. To those who are not being saved, we seem a fearful smell of death and doom, while to those who know Christ we are a life-giving perfume. But who is adequate for such a task as this? Only those who, like ourselves, are men of integrity, sent by God, speaking with Christ’s power, with God’s eye upon us. We are not like those hucksters – and there are many of them – whose idea in getting out the gospel is to make a good living out of it (2:14-17).
The illustration comes from a triumphal procession …
the commander-in-chief of the Roman legion on his white horse … his centurions
and their men … the priests waving their censers of incense … and the prisoners
… doomed to fight the wild beasts in the arena for the gratification of the
mob.
Paul likens himself to the incense. To the victors in the battle it is a
pleasing odour signifying thankfulness to their gods. To the captives it is a reminder of their imminent death.
To some – who belong to Heaven’s Commander-in-chief
– Paul and his gospel is a pleasing fragrance … to the enemies of God Paul and
his gospel are a stench of death!! What
is the gospel to you?
===========================================================
Study
3 … Chapters 1 and 2
Paul was not one to turn a blind eye to sin in the
church … or false teachers who were disrupting the faith of his converts.
These false teachers at Corinth accused Paul of
fickleness … saying one thing and doing another. Had he not written in a previous letter (not our I Corinthians,
but in a letter which we do not now have), that he was coming to visit them …
and he didn’t!
How, they added, can you trust the word (and the
preaching) of a man like that?
* * * * * * * * * *
1. PAUL’S
CONSCIENCE
It is true he changed his plans … because he realised
it would be a ‘sad’ visit. And he did
not want to cause them grief. But such
a change of plan was done in all sincerity.
He has never been untruthful to them (1:12-13).
After all, he is the servant of the Lord, who is
Truth incarnate. He does not say “Yes”
if He means “No”!! (1:18-19).
Paul’s Comfort was supplied by God the Father (1:3) … His
Conscience was sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, even to the
extent that it meant changing his plans (1:23) … and His Conquest is
shared with God the Son.
But thanks be to God! For through what Christ has done, he has triumphed over us so that now wherever we go he uses us to tell others about the Lord and to spread the gospel like a sweet perfume. As far as God is concerned there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us, an aroma to both the saved and the unsaved all around us. To those who are not being saved, we seem a fearful smell of death and doom, while to those who know Christ we are a life-giving perfume. But who is adequate for such a task as this? Only those who, like ourselves, are men of integrity, sent by God, speaking with Christ’s power, with God’s eye upon us. We are not like those hucksters – and there are many of them – whose idea in getting out the gospel is to make a good living out of it (2:14-17).
2. PAUL’S
CONQUEST
Commentators seem agreed that the illustration Paul
uses is that of a Roman Triumphal procession.
The victorious Commander in his golden chariot … the
crowd-lined streets … the priests with their incense … the captives trudging
along behind on their way to the Circus Maximus, where some awful death awaited
them.
So, says the apostle, our Jesus has won the battle!
And we are like the incense … a sweet-smelling
fragrance to the victors … and a stench of death to the vanquished…
Only men of integrity, those who serve with pure
motives – are sufficient for such a ministry (2:17). And that does not include the false teachers at Corinth!!
Paul’s first visit to Corinth is recorded in Acts 18 (AD 50-51). He then went to Ephesus … and wrote to Corinth (I Corinthians 5:9-13). This letter is now lost.
Hearing bad reports from Corinth (1:11), and
receiving a letter from them (I Corinthians 7:1), he pens I Corinthians to them
(it is really his second letter to Corinth … the first one we do not
have). It is now about AD 55 and Paul is on his third missionary journey.
From Ephesus Paul pays Corinth a “painful”
visit. This is not mentioned in Acts
but alluded to in II Corinthians 2:1;
12:14; 13:1. The reference to a future ‘third’ visit
(13:1) presupposes that he has already been there twice.
A third, and severe, letter is sent to
Corinth with Titus … a letter we no longer have (II Corinthians 2:3-9; 7:8-12).
Paul moves on to Philippi. Titus rejoins him with good news (II
Corinthians 7:6-16). II Corinthians is
written (AD 56??) and Paul visits Corinth again a few months later (Acts
19:21).
===========================================================
Study
4 … Chapters 4:1 – 5:10
Paul continues to give us an account of his ministry
… and his attitude towards it.
There are many characteristics needed to be the kind
of Christian with whom God is well pleased … kindness, helpfulness, love – here
the apostle introduces us to that virtue:
“stickability”.
Three times in chapter 4 he tells us that he “never
gives up!” See verses 1, 8 and 16 (in
The Living Bible).
* * * * * * * * * *
And there are three reasons as to why he does not give
up …
1. HIS
DIVINE CALLING
He is not his own, he is bought with a price. When the Master commands it is up to the
servant to obey (4:1-2, 5).
Not only does Paul persevere amid incredible trials
(see Study No. 1) … but he does not alter the message committed unto him so as
to win more converts (v. 2).
Nor does he preach ‘himself’ … Christ Jesus is the
theme of his message (v. 5). And this
is in contrast to the false teachers!! (10:12).
2. HIS
INNER STRENGTH
This is the second reason given as to why he “never
gives up”.
We are frail vessels, says Paul – but He who called
also enables.
The light of the gospel message shines through us
(v. 7).
But this precious treasure – this light and power that now shines within us – is held in a perishable container, that is, in our weak bodies. Everyone can see that the glorious power within must be from God and is not our own.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed and broken. We are perplexed because we don’t know why things happen as they do, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going. These bodies of ours are constantly facing death just as Jesus did; so it is clear to all that it is only the living Christ within [who keeps us safe] (4:7-10).
The translator has added the words in brackets (v.
10). One wonders if it should have
read: It is the living Christ within
(who strengthens us and enables us to never give up!)
Those who reject the light of the gospel have
allowed Satan to blind their eyes (Matthew 13:14) – (“Their eyes, they
have closed).
God who commanded the light to dispel the darkness
at the original Creation (v. 6) is able to open sin-blinded eyes … on the
condition of faith … in Christ! (v. 6, 3-4).
3. HIS
FUTURE HOPE
This is another reason as to why Paul “never gives
up”.
There is glory bye and bye … and the sufferings
endured here will make Glory all the more glorious! (v. 14-18).
One day these old bodies will be discarded … and we
will wing our way to worlds anew (5:1, 18).
Resurrection Day is coming! (v. 14).
And on that Day we will hear (at least Paul
will: what about you … and me??) –
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
And all the trials and problems of this life will be
as nothing.
It will be worth it all,
when we see Jesus!
Life’s trials will seem so
small when we see Him!
* * * * * * * * * *
You tell me I am
getting old, but that’s not really so;
The house I live
in may be worn - and that, of course, I know.
It’s been in use
a good long while and weathered many a gale;
I’m therefore not
surprised to find it’s getting somewhat frail.
(Continued…)
You tell me I am
getting old, you mix my house with me;
You’re looking at
the outside – that’s all that most folks see.
The dweller in
the little house is young and bright and gay,
Just starting on
a life that lasts through long, eternal day.
The colour
changing of the roof, the windows looking dim,
The wall’s a bit
transparent and getting rather thin,
The foundation’s
not so steady as once it used to be,
And that is all
that you observe, but that’s not really me.
These few short
years can’t make me old; I feel I’m in
my youth.
Eternity lies
just ahead, full life and joy and truth.
We shall not fret
to see this house grow shabby day by day,
But look ahead to
our new home, which never will decay.
========================================================
Study
5 … Chapters 5:10-6:18
Paul continues to list for us some of those reasons
as to why he “never gives up”!
1. RIGHTEOUS
CONSTERNATION
A holy fear that he will not hear the “Well Done!”
at the end of the course.
This may not be the highest motive for service … but
it is a motive … (5:10-11).
It is interesting that the apostle uses the word
“Bema” (“judgement seat”, A.V., verse 10).
This is the word used of the place in Corinth where Paul found himself
on trial (Acts 18:12).
Because we will be judged one day, says Paul, we
need to be sure our methods are acceptable to Him, our motives
are pure (5:11b), and our message is unaltered. All of which is in contrast to the false
teachers (5:12).
2. LOVING
CONSTRAINT
“The love of Christ constraineth us …” (5:14).
The Living Bible seems to imply it is our love for
Him … but the reverse is probably the better way to see it. It is what He did for us … even the death of
the Cross! (5:14-15).
The Cross is the supreme motivation for our service.
3. DIVINE
COMMISSION
Paul mentioned this earlier (4:1). He was an ambassador … in a foreign kingdom
(Satan’s), beseeching folk to be reconciled to God (5:18-6:2).
The message Paul proclaims is that sinful man might
be brought into fellowship with his God (5:18).
Sin has been atoned for at Calvary.
The offer of salvation is to all men (5:18).
The opportunity of receiving it is NOW (6:2).
I
am a stranger here, within a foreign land,
My
home is far away, upon a golden strand;
Ambassador
to be of realms beyond the sea;
I’m
here on business for my King.
A
message angels fain would sing:
“Oh,
be ye reconciled!”
Thus
saith my Lord and King,
“Oh,
be ye reconciled to God!”
I
come to tell of One who gave His precious life,
That
He might offer peace, and end the sinful strife;
This
message I repeat, ’tis God who doth entreat,
And
that’s my business for my King.
This
is the King’s command, that all men everywhere
Repent
and turn away from sin’s seductive snare;
That
all who will obey with Him shall reign for aye;
And
that’s my business for my King.
4. A
CLEAR CONSCIENCE
Unlike the false teachers, Paul had nothing to hide
(6:3-4, 8).
Others may slander him, but Paul knows that the God
who sees the heart is well-pleased. And
that’s the main thing.
5. A
FILIAL CONCERN
He bids them to separate themselves from the false
teachers (6:11-13) … and the passage that follows can have a wider application.
Whilst there is a Doctrine of UNITY in Scripture,
there is also a Doctrine of SEPARATION.
Not just in church affairs, but in marriage, in
business partnerships, in the Lodge room … we are to be careful not to join
forces with those who do not love the Lord Jesus (6:14-18).
* What
would Paul say if he were to witness the syncretism of today’s World Council of
Churches leaders?
And
even in the Charismatic circle there are those who believe the old-time gospel
joining forces with Roman Catholics and Jews and even some Anti-Trinitarians…
==========================================================
Study
6 … Chapters 8:10-9:15
Chapters 8 and 9 dealt with the subject of Christian
Stewardship. I Corinthians 16 was also
devoted to this theme.
It was the Corinthian Church a year previously that
had made the suggestion, “set the ball rolling”, that an offering should be
forwarded to the poor saints in Jerusalem.
Now they needed to be stimulated about the need that still exists in
that area (8:10-11, The Living Bible).
Then follows a number of motivations for giving :
BECAUSE OF THE EXAMPLE OF THE LORD JESUS
The believers in Macedonia responded to our Lord’s
sacrifice by yielding themselves … and their possessions … to Him (8:9, 5).
These Macedonian Christians gave …
(a) Joyfully! Despite the fact that they had little of this world’s goods
anyway! (8:1-2).
(b) Enthusiastically! They begged Paul to take an offering, not for himself, but for
the saints in Jerusalem (8:2).
(c) Willingly! They did not need letters appealing for money week after week …
as some TV ‘evangelists’ delight to send (8:3).
(d) Carefully! We need to be careful WHERE we give. Not every appel is worthy of our support.
And we need to be careful in our handling of the
Lord’s money lest the world accuse of dishonesty. Paul sent two disciples with the money … not just one! (8:16-21).
Not only the Lord’s example should motivate us to
give … joyfully and enthusiastically and willingly and carefully …
But in chapter 9 there are five more motivations for
giving!!
1. IT
STIMULATES OTHERS TO GIVE
Paul uses the example of the Macedonians (9:1-4) to
encourage the Corinthian believers … just as their example had encouraged the
Macedonian Christians a year previous (8:10).
2. IT
BLESSES THE GIVER
As long as the giver is giving from the proper
motive … and not to get something in return!
It is the ‘cheerful’ giver, not the ‘covetous’ giver whom God rewards
(9:6-8).
3. IT
MEETS THE NEEDS OF GOD’S POOR PEOPLE
and
4. IT
BRINGS GLORY TO GOD
So, two good things happen as a result of your gifts – those in need are helped, and they overflow with thanks to God. Those you help will be glad not only because of your generous gifts to themselves and to others, but they will praise God for this proof that your deeds are as good as your doctrine (9:12-13).
5. IT WILL CAUSE THE SAINTS IN JERUSALEM TO PRAY FOR YOU!
And they will pray for you
with deep fervour and feeling because of the wonderful grace of God shown
through you. THANK GOD FOR HIS SON –
HIS GIFT TOO WONDERFUL FOR WORDS
(9:14-15).
===================================================================
Study
7 … Chapters 10:1-11:6
Some folk love to tell us how wonderful they are …
they never say an unkind word about anyone else … because they are always
talking about themselves.
Lamech was the great boaster of Genesis 4:23 … and
Nebuchadnezzar boasted of his accomplishments (Daniel 4:30).
But we don’t expect a child of God to start sounding
off in this manner … do we? Yet in
these closing four chapters Paul will tell us just what he has done … and he
even refers to it as “boasting” … as a matter of fact, he uses the word some 20
times.
Mind you, Paul agrees with Solomon (Proverbs 27:2)
that one should not praise one’s-self … but he does it anyway.
As the Scriptures say, “If anyone is going to boast, let him boast about what the Lord has done and not about himself. When someone boasts about himself and how well he has done, it doesn’t count for much. But when the Lord commends him, that’s different (10:17-18).
Before we tackle the reason for Paul’s boasting …
let’s look at another problem…
1. PAUL’S
CHANGE OF TONE
In chapter 7:5-7 he was telling the Corinthian
Christians how pleased he was that the rift was healed between them.
The arrival of Titus and the news he brought had
filled him with joy!
But now, in chapters 10-13, there is a stern
threatening tone. The “flood-gates of
his wrath” (as one says), pour out!
(10:10-11; 12:19; 13:1-2).
Various solutions are offered by commentators for
these outbursts … suffice to say that after dictating chapters 1-9 (which
probably took some time!) fresh news reached Paul that all was not as sweet on
the Corinthian front as he first thought.
New developments had arisen since Titus had left Corinth.
The false teachers were attacking his apostleship,
upsetting his converts and perverting his gospel.
Paul is on the warpath … … …
2. PAUL’S
FOES
It would well be that they were the “Christ” party mentioned in I Corinthians 1:12.
Certainly they were Jews (II Corinthians 11:22) who
added Law-keeping to Faith in Christ as needful for salvation (Acts 15:1).
Their message was a “false gospel” … they preached
“another Jesus” (i.e. One who ALONE could not save).
And they masquerade as apostles (downgrading Paul to
exalt themselves) – they are, says Paul, “apostles of Satan” (11:15).
Their methods are arrogant and deceitful. Even to the extent of physical abuse!
Satan still has his ministers posing as “angels of
light” … a spirit of discernment and a knowledge of God’s Word is vital today
(11:4-5; 13-15).
3. PAUL’S
MEASURE
These false prophets measure themselves by their own
standards. No wonder they make
themselves sound good.
Paul says we need to measure ourselves by God’s
standard … whether we are obedient to the task He has given us (11:12-13).
4. PAUL’S
WEAPONS
In this spiritual war, the apostle uses spiritual
weapons: Prayer; Humility (10:1); Word of God (11:6); Love
(11:11); Power of Holy Spirit.
He does not use guile or deceptive methods. He does not manipulate his audience in the
power of the flesh! (I Corinthians
2:1-5).
It is Holy Ghost power … and the faithful preaching
of the Word! (10:3-6).
========================================================
Study
8 … Chapters 11:17-12:21
Paul continues his “boasting” to combat the claims
of the Judaizers who are distorting his gospel, upsetting his converts and
attacking his apostleship.
After listing the manifold trials he has endured
(11:23-29), he gives a humiliating example of how it was needful to escape for
his life in a very undignified manner! (11:30-32).
But not only could he “boast” about such treatment
at the hands of wicked men (could be Judaizers??) … but he also could brag
about the revelations God had granted him (12:1-6).
1. HEAVENWARD
BORNE
(a) The
Probable Place. It may well have been at
Lystra about 14 years earlier when Paul was stoned … and was apparently dead
(Acts 14:19-20). Was that when he was
given a glimpse of Glory??
(b) The
Patent (evident) Purpose. This vision
would sustain the apostle through dangers galore. At the outset of his ministry this revelation of Heaven’s joys
took his mind off the sufferings of this present age (Romans 8:18). It equipped Paul to stand fast when the
opposition hotted up.
(c) The
Problematical Pride. Soon as God gives a vision or
a victory, the old Devil is out to puff up the recipient of it. So the Lord counteracts the danger by
allowing Satan to afflict the apostle (12:7-10).
2. SATAN’S
THORN
(a) The
Problem Identified ... verse 7.
Commentators go wild trying to guess what the
“thorn” is.
Many say Paul suffered from eye trouble; Calvin suggested it was a “spiritual
temptation” (pride??); another suggests
epilepsy (see Barclay’s Commentary, page 288);
migraine headaches was the view of Tertullian and Jerome; probably malaria says Barclay … and so it
goes.
Vernon McGee is probably nearest the truth when he
writes “I don’t know!” (page 133).
(There is no truth in the rumour that the “thorn in
the flesh” was Paul’s wife!)
The very ambiguity of the reference enables each
believer to appropriate the lesson that follows for his or her own personal
thorn.
(b) The
Prayer Unanswered ... verse 8.
Well, not exactly unanswered. Sometimes God responds to prayer with the
request met. Sometimes He says “Wait” …
and, as in this instance, sometimes He says “No!”
Those healing evangelists who aver that it is always
God’s will to heal, and who blame the afflicted one for lack of faith when the
healing does not come are flying in the face of Scripture.
(c) The
Purpose Revealed ... verses 9-10.
Had Paul been a fine physical specimen with charisma
and eloquence, the results achieved by his ministry may have been attributed to
him.
But his very
“weakness” and the “thorn” meant that if anything was accomplished for God and
His Kingdom, it would have to be God who did it!
He was not angry about the Thorn, but even grateful
for it!!
For it meant God’s power rested upon him.
He was able to prove the sufficiency of Christ’s
grace … not only to save in the first place (Ephesians 2:8) … but to sustain
and strengthen day by day.
“I am with you; that is all you need!” - II Corinthians 12:9, The
Living Bible.
==========================================================
Study
9 … Chapter 13
Paul closes his letter with the announcement of his
intention to visit Corinth again in the near future (12:14; 13:1).
To prepare them for this visit he gives …
1. A DESCRIPTION OF SUB-STANDARD
SPIRITUALITY
… 12:20-21
The thing to remember is that this is the church
that had all the gifts of the Spirit operating in their meetings (I
Corinthians 12-14!!).
Yet there were dissensions and immorality …
IT IS NO GOOD HAVING THE GIFTS OF THE
SPIRIT … IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT (Galatians
5:22).
Incidentally …
Believers received a gift (maybe two or
three), and these gifts were temporary to get the church on its feet.
But the believer receives all the Fruit (even
though he may not always display them as he should!), and this Fruit is to be permanent
(I Corinthians 13:8-13).
It is the FRUIT of the Spirit that demonstrates our
spiritual maturity … the GIFTS may be counterfeited by the Devil. See Revelation 16:4; 13:13. Matthew 24:24.
A sub-standard spirituality puts the emphasis upon
the gifts rather than the Graces of the Holy Spirit.
2. A PLEA
FOR SPIRITUAL MATURITY … 12:14-18
When I come, says the apostle, it will not be to
burden you financially (as the false teachers say), but to build you
up in the Faith!
Even Paul’s co-workers … Titus and “the brother”
(Luke??) had been accused of shady motives … (12:18).
In I Corinthians he described the Corinthian
believers as “babes in Christ” … and that was about 5 years ago. They are still acting like babies … and
Paul’s burning desire is to help them grow (13:7-9).
3. A
WARNING OF SEVERE PUNISHMENT … 13:1-4
Paul says firmly that he hopes drastic measures will
not be needful when he comes … but he is ready to display “God’s power” (13:4),
if he still finds them in their rebellious state.
The reference is probably more than “scolding” them
verbally … it may well mean a display of “signs and wonders” (12:12) such as
took place on Cyprus when Paul smote the opposer of the gospel with blindness!
(Acts 13:9-14; see also Acts 5:9.)
4. A CALL
TO SOBER SELF-EXAMINATION … 13:5-6
“Examine yourselves” he says! Are you really Christians … or
counterfeits??
(Matthew 7:21).
The early Methodists and Puritans often met to ask
one another set questions concerning their
spiritual walk.
** Benediction
:
Paul closes with some basic advice … be united. Be joyful.
Be loving …
I close my letter with these
last words:
Be happy.
Grow in Christ.
Pay attention to what I have
said.
Live in harmony and peace.
And may the God of love and
peace be with you.
Greet each other warmly in
the Lord.
All the Christians here send
you their best regards.
May the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ be with you all.
May God’s love and the Holy
Spirit’s friendship be yours. Paul.
==========================================================