LESSONS FROM 2ND CORINTHIANS

Local assemblies of believers are not exempt from the difficulties that different personalities and different doctrinal opinions can cause between Christians. Inner strife in a church needs to be addressed so that unity among the believers can be maintained. Emotions are part of our psyche which has to be kept under control in order to maintain unity between people. In the assembly at Corinth, there was dissension within the church regarding false teaching, church leadership, and living as a child of God in an ungodly world. Financial responsibility and the support of poor people are issues that need to be planned out in view of being stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

To address these issues and more, Paul wrote four different letters and even paid a visit to Corinth to seek to teach and show the believers there, why being in the kingdom of God and in a scripturally gathered assembly calls for careful consideration and awareness of our responsibility to God. It seems like he paid a visit there [2:1-4] that had been unpleasant and then wrote another letter to them that was carried by Titus and another brother [8:16]. The false teachers were still there and were setting the believers against Paul and his apostolic authority.

Their claim was that Paul was not a qualified apostle in their view and he was unimpressive in his speech and appearance as well as arrogant and fickle. Social status is unimportant to God; on the other hand, faithfulness to God and His word are important. The Holy Spirit enabled Paul to speak with authority and spiritual wisdom to correct these errors that plagued the Corinthian assembly. He was wanting to promote reconciliation rather than confrontation so that the saints would be “complete” in Christ.

Paul writes to tell them he is planning to come again and was gratified that at least some of what he had taught had been paid attention to and they were starting to get back to where they could be effective again. He had the ears of some who acknowledged his leadership authority and consequently, much of this letter is affirming his authority and the need to exercise it. Some parts of this epistle are very personal because he wanted them to see the depth of his relationship with them and the hardship he went through on their behalf. His faith was focused to the extent he was willing to endure anything to further the work of the Lord.

The first seven chapters are a look back to their refusal to acknowledge his authority and the fact that they didn’t deal with open flagrant immorality. What joy and relief he had when that issue was resolved by their obedience and the offender’s repentance. In that vein of thought, he appealed to them to be reconciled to him as the Lord’s servant. Chapters eight and nine were to motivate them to be financially generous and to send an offering to meet the needs of suffering believers in Jerusalem. In chapters ten through thirteen he addressed the problem with those who challenged his apostolic authority by declaring what God had done through him. His apostleship was obviously effective in the foundation of the churches of God. There is a lot of emotion in this letter because of a spiritual father’s concern for the welfare of his spiritual children.

He wanted them to know of the comfort and joy Titus’ report brought as a response to his painful letter. He wanted them to know about his troubles in Asia. He wanted them to know why he changed his travel plans. He wanted them to forgive the repentant person who responded in the right way to assembly discipline. He wanted them to not be “yoked together” with unbelievers. He wanted them to know the joys, sufferings, and rewards of being a minister of the Gospel. He wanted to teach them the blessing and grace of giving and receiving to meet the needs of others. He wanted to deal with the opposition of false teachers and to know he was coming, and to be prepared for what he would teach them.

We can learn from this epistle that in trials, God is faithful and His grace is sufficient; in discipline, there is the goal of restoration when sin is confronted and the problem is dealt with. Another theme is there is hope no matter what we face. We endure because we know the future. In giving, a blessing is received by the needy, thanks are given to God, and joy is in the hearts of those who give. In sound doctrine, love for Christ, His people, and God’s word are the objectives.

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