O YE CORINTHIANS

O YE CORINTHIANS

2 Corinthians 6:11-13 (KJV)

O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged

“O ye Corinthians….”

That’s quite the statement, isn’t it?

It carries with it a degree of compassion.

But it also has an element of frustration/passion.

·   1 Corinthians addresses so many errors that happen in a church.

·   2 Corinthians addresses the relationship between a preacher and a church.

At issue in 2 Corinthians is Paul’s ministry. Certain persons in the church there weren’t as committed to Apostle Paul. He goes chapter after chapter defending his ministry and, by contrast, pulling the other down.

“O ye Corinthians….”

I notice that he is not really addressing those who oppose him, but the church as a whole, especially those who can feel his plea.

One of those things that I have learned over the years is that when someone is confrontational, 

·   They almost never hear messages, except to twist them to their own advantage and

·   They almost never are persuaded by affection.

Not that long ago someone got upset with me. When I said that their attitude broke my heart, they chided me for making this “all about me.”

·   A person who loves you is swayed by your feelings.

·   A person who is opposed to you, tends to use those feelings against you.

After expressing what he had endured and was willing to endure, “that the ministry be not blamed” Paul turns to the Corinthians with an emotional appeal, “O ye Corinthians…”

He knew that his ministry was honest, Biblical and of God.

In verse eleven he turns to the Corinthians and in what John Gill calls, “a very pathetic manner” asks for some kindness on their part.

I want to address these three verses by noting first of all, 

*I. PAUL’S HEART

2 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV)

O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

There are two distinct phrases 

A. Our mouth is open unto you

This is a Hebrew metaphor simply meaning, he was honest and open with them.

Consider in the Scriptures:

He was open with them about doctrine

The books of Romans and Ephesians are especially doctrinal.

He was open with them about rebuke

That’s what 1 Corinthians was about. While 2 Corinthians isn’t as confrontational, neither is it shy about the false teachers.

He was open with them about instruction, for the church and for pastors

Ephesians and 1 and 2 Timothy are filled with instructions to churches and pastors.

He was open with them about finances

First Corinthians 16 and then 2 Corinthians 8-9 are all about that.

He was open with them about sending and using his team

Throughout his books you see him sending this man here and telling this man to stay there.

He was open with them about his disappointments

When he came to Corinth, he was discouraged and was honest about it.

He was open about his plans; both those he was able to accomplish and those he was not.

He had wanted to go to Rome and preach in the regions beyond. He said that he was “let hitherto.” In others word, up until then he wasn’t able.

*B. Our heart is enlarged

Another Hebraism simply meaning that he loved them, cared for their wellbeing, especially spiritually.

1 Thessalonians 2:6-9 (KJV)

Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

Paul loved souls. 

He opened his heart to them.

Note secondly

*II. THEIR PROBLEM

2 Corinthians 6:12 (KJV)

Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.

Notice that the word is straitened, not straightened.

It’s a word that means 

·   restricted, 

·   narrow, 

·   difficult.

What he means here is that he was not the one making things difficult for them.

He had been honest and open.

They just had some people in the church who didn’t like the direction Paul was taking them.

Frankly, this group who opposed Paul would eventually appear to get the victory.

Paul would be imprisoned and later executed, precisely because of his opposition to their doctrines, contrary to the teachings of Paul.

Does that make them right?

No, not at all.

Nor did they win the true battle.

Paul might have lost his life, but the Gospel he preached has continued to turn the world upside down one person at a time.

Those who opposed Paul were the ones in the wrong.

Note finally

*III. HIS REQUEST

2 Corinthians 6:13 (KJV)

Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged.

His appeal was simply this, “As I have showed care and affection for you, do the same toward me.”

There is nothing wrong with a man of God appealing to the people of his congregation on the basis of affection.

The person who doesn’t respond to it, is the one who has the problem.

·   If your pastor has been faithful, has been open about his ministry and transparent about his vision and direction for the ministry.

·   If your pastor has demonstrated patience and grace and has sacrificed for the ministry.

·   If your pastor has boldly preached the Word of God to you and your family

Then the least you can do is

·   Be faithful to the house of God

·   Be supportive of the church and

·   Be positive toward his ministry