THE IMPERATIVE OF PAUL
2 Corinthians 1:11-18 (KJV)
Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;
And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.
When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
The second epistle to the church of Corinth is certainly off to a different start than the first one.
In the first, Paul barely gets finished with his greeting before he confronts them with the news that he had heard there were divisions in the church.
In the second epistle, Paul’s first topic was comfort and, notice in the second, we find the word rejoicing, not once but twice.
The context of this passage carries on from the first section concerning comfort, but that is in connection with something we found in 1 Corinthians 16:1-7 (KJV)
Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.
And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.
Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.
And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.
For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.
Paul said:
· That he was going to come to see them
· That he would receive a collection for the saints at Jerusalem from them and
· That they could select certain people to travel with him and the offering
He did say that was his plan “if the Lord permit.”
Apparently, the Lord did not permit it.
Verses 3-18 offer and explanation, and most importantly a defense of Paul’s testimony.
He says several times that he was minded to come.
I think the implication is that, though he wanted to come, he did not make it.
With that in mind, let’s read, 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (KJV)
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
It sounds to me:
· Like some life threatening event took place that prevented Paul from coming to Corinth when he would have and
· That Paul credited their prayers for saving his life and the collection his team had gathered to up to then.
With that as a background, I want to show you want I call The Imperative of Paul; a defense of his testimony.
Notice first
*I. A REASON TO REJOICE
2 Corinthians 1:12-14 (KJV)
For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Notice in this passage that there is a reason Paul rejoices and a reason the Corinthians rejoice.
Paul’s rejoicing
A. The testimony of his conscience
Our modern concept of conscience could easily cloud our understanding of this phrase.
I just did a simple google search for the definition of the word.
Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “the sense of moral goodness of blameworthiness.”
Oxford Dictionary gives this, “an inner feeling or voice acting as a guide to right or wrong.”
But the Greek word is much more basic.
It derives from:
· The prefix con, meaning with and
· The word science, meaning knowledge or sight
One of the definitions Thayer’s Greek dictionary gives is “seeing with another.”
In other words, Paul said that, even though he wasn’t able to make the trip he planned, he can still rejoice because he had witnesses[1]he had made those plans with eyes wide open.
He had done everything he could to keep his word and make the trip.
Their rejoicing
*B. The simplicity and godly sincerity of Paul
He had witnesses.
He had had every intention of being in Corinth, but he was hindered by circumstances out of his control.
There is a huge lesson in verses 13-14.
Paul said that the Corinthians knew him to be a man of simple and plain words.
He wrote what he meant.
He wasn’t political.
From the first day they met him to his final communication to them on this earth, they had known him:
· Not to speak with fleshly wisdom
· To be honest and truthful and to live by the grace of God
· To tell the truth from the beginning (part) to the end
Secondly, he addresses his
*II. CONFIDENCE TO COME TO THEM
2 Corinthians 1:15-16 (KJV)
And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that ye might have a second benefit;
And to pass by you into Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to be brought on my way toward Judaea.
· Knowing that he was a man of his word and
· Knowing that they knew him to be so
Paul had every confidence that he would be well received if he came to Corinth and, even planned two trips:
· From Ephesus
· Through Corinth on his way to Macedonia (Philippi?)
· Back from Philippi, to Corinth on his way to Judaea[2]
*(Map)
He had every confidence that this plan would “fly.” And had therefore told them his intentions.
Thirdly he addresses what I think is the application
III. A PURPOSE FOR MY PLANS
2 Corinthians 1:17-18 (KJV)
When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?
But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
And the application I think he makes from it.
A. Rhetorical questions
A rhetorical question is once asked for effect rather than an answer.
When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness?
Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh?
The obvious answer to each is, “No.”
No, he did not flippantly or shoddily say he was coming to Corinth.
He had planned it, he even had witnesses that he had planned it.
No, this wasn’t a whim of his flesh
You understand that sometimes God will impress a person to do a thing and they will fail in doing it.
It’s one thing if a guy goes to plant a church and, after a few months, gives up because it was never the will of God for him to plant the church but just an impulse of his will.
It is entirely different when God places a burden on a man, but the work struggles anyway.
Paul insisted he had sought the Lord about coming and that he had even planned carefully his coming.
B. The reason all of this is imperative, according to Paul is because he wanted them to know
· His yea was yea and
· His nay was nay
You could count on him.
He was good for his word.
One final thing and I am done.
He was not concerned about his reputation and testimony for his own sake.
His testimony and reputation were connected to the preaching of the Gospel and to the promises of God
But that’s for next time.
[1]The phrase implies that he had witnesses to his thought out plans for the trip.
[2]A piece of helpful information – Judaea is not the same as Judah. Judah was the Southern Kingdom after the nation split up. Judaea was a Roman Province. While the origin of the term Jews is often associated with Judah, it is more likely related to the Roman Province.
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