Thursday, February 17, 2011 (top)
The Price of Love
(2 Corinthians 12:14-13:14)
"And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved." -2 Corinthians 12:15
As you read Paul's closing words, it is impossible not to feel the emotional pain he felt in his relationship with the Corinthian church. He had paid a great personal price to continue in a ministry relationship with them. It was a price they obviously did not understand. His experience with them had been very one-sided. He felt that the more love he showed them, the less they appreciated the cost he paid for that love (12:15). As he prepared to return to Corinth, Paul was gripped by fear. He feared that they might still have serious questions about his credibility, and likewise he might feel the same toward them. After all he had done for them to start the church and provide for all his own personal finances, he feared he would find them still in a swirl of contention, jealousy, and anger (12:20).
This type of situation is not uncommon for anyone who finds himself in the role of parent or spiritual leader. In situations such as this, we must come to a place where we are genuinely able to serve with the complete selfless love of Christ, the love of Christ that can say, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," as Christ said as He hung on the cross. His love birthed within us the ability to do the things that love demands, even if the ones we love see us as nothing and our efforts as unneeded and unappreciated. In Paul's life, we discover one of the greatest examples of Christ-like love. We, too, can live out this example when we allow God's grace to do in us what it did in Paul.
NKJV Bible Text
2 Corinthians 12:14-13:14
Love for the Church
14 Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.
16 But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! 17 Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?
| Love For The Church v. 14 The Third Time – The first time is recorded in Acts. 18. The second time seems to refer to his proposed visit, which he felt was too painful to follow through with (2 Cor. 2:1). Not Be A Burden – Paul felt he needed to maintain his policy of not receiving support from them because it had become such a distracting issue. Parents For Children – Paul saw himself as their spiritual parent. Just as young children do not provide for their parents, so Paul did not expect these believers who were still struggling with spiritual immaturity to feel responsible for meeting his needs. | v. 15 Be Spent – Paul followed the example of Jesus in laying down his entire life for others. Less I Am Loved – Paul's ministry to them did not decrease because of their lack of gratitude. His love was rooted in the nature of God. God's love is extended to a Christ-rejecting world even though the more they hear of His love many increasingly love Him less. v. 16 Caught You By Cunning – Evidently Paul's accusers had circulated rumors that he had collected the money for the Jerusalem believers simply as a cover to take some of the money for himself. I Sent To You – Paul asked them to accept the fact that there was no evidence to substantiate unethical behavior by any of those sent to collect the offering for the poor in Jerusalem. |
19 Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. 20 For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; 21 lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.
| v. 19 Excuse Ourselves To You – Paul pointed out here that even though he was seeking to clear up their misunderstanding of him, he did not see them as his judge. Only God, whom he served, was his judge (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 4:3-5). Your Edification – Paul's goal was to get past these misunderstandings and be free to bring spiritual enrichment to their lives. | v. 20 I Fear – Paul referred here and in v. 21 to the many problems he had addressed in 1 and 2 Corinthians. v. 21 God Will Humble Me – Paul warned them that if they did not repent and straighten up, he would not let the questions they had about his authority stop him from exerting spiritual discipline. He saw this as humbling because he had hoped for better results from this church he had started. |
2 Corinthians 13
Coming with Authority
1 This will be the third time I am coming to you. "By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." 2 I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare— 3 since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. 4 For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
| Chapter 13 Coming With Authority v. 1 Third Time – The book of Acts only recorded Paul's first visit. It is not clear when the second visit occurred between the writing of the first and second letters. Two Or Three Witnesses – The quotation referred to here can be found in Numbers 35:30 and Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15. Jesus stated this principle in Matthew 18:16 and John 8:17. Paul seemed to be referring to his repeated visits, when he testified against their ungodly practices as sufficient evidence of their wrongdoing. v. 2 I Will Not Spare – Paul referred to his sense of responsibility as an apostle to exercise his authority to exert whatever discipline was needed to correct the theological and moral problems of this church. v. 3 Seek a Proof – Paul had already given several proofs of his authority as an apostle in this letter. He added one more here: his authority as Christ's ambassador to exert discipline upon those in this church who are in willful rebellion to Christ. Mighty In You – Paul referred to the power of Christ as the resource to confirm and resolve the problems that needed to be addressed. v. 4 Crucified In Weakness – Paul referred to the "weakness" in the limits Christ placed upon Himself in coming in the form of a man. His crucifixion was the evidence of that weakness (Phil. 2:5-9). | Lives By the Power – The resurrection proved the reality of God's power that overruled the weakness of the humanity of Christ. That same resurrection power is the ongoing proof of the power of God in Christ (Eph. 1:19-23). For We Also – Paul made it clear to those at Corinth that, though there were weaknesses in his life and theirs, he would come to Corinth in the resurrection power that is Christ's and that can overcome those weaknesses. v. 5 Examine Yourselves – Rather than giving so much effort to questioning the legitimacy of his authority, Paul asked them to direct that energy toward themselves. They should step back and see if their actions and attitudes were the fruit of a new life in Christ. Jesus Christ Is In – This points to the personal relationship that a true believer has with Jesus within his own spirit. Disqualified – Paul said here that the only reason they would not be assured of Christ's indwelling was if their self-examination revealed that they had no evidence of being born again through faith in Jesus Christ. v. 6 We Are Not Disqualified – Paul was confident that any test they used on themselves to evaluate their spiritual condition could be used to reveal his own genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. |
Paul Prefers Gentleness
7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. 10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.
| Paul Prefers Gentleness v. 7 Do What Is Honorable – Paul's primary concern was for their spiritual well being. He was not motivated by being proven right in his treatment of the problems at Corinth. v. 8 For The Truth – This reveals the limits of authority over other believers. It must be within the boundaries of truth. Paul did not give himself any authority beyond the truth of scripture. v. 9 Weak And You Are Strong – Paul declared that if the results of this intense struggle with them resulted in their spiritual formation and strength, it was joy enough. The reference to his own weakness seemed to refer to this perception they had of him. | Made Complete – This word for "complete" in Greek is "katartizo." It carries the idea of coming to a "proper or perfect union," or the "bringing together of disordered elements." It was used in Mark 1:19 for "mending nets." Paul's hope as God's servant was that regardless of how difficult and painful things had been between him and these Corinthians, if it resulted in their spiritual maturity it was all worth it. v. 10 Use Sharpness – Paul restated his goal. He did not want to be forced to exercise his God-given authority to further discipline this church when he came to visit them. He longed to be able to enjoy sharing in a mutual love and pursuit of God's best for their lives. |
Greetings and Benediction
11 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.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
13 All the saints greet you.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.
| Greetings And Benediction v. 11 Become Complete – This refers to the usage of this same word in v. 9. Be Of Good Comfort – Paul closed by referring to the comfort of God that he had made mention of at the beginning of this letter (2 Cor. 1:3-7). He hoped that much of the conflict that had been going on between the people would be replaced with a sincere effort to encourage and comfort each other. Be Of One Mind – Paul called them away from their divisive attitudes and party spirit (1 Cor. 1:10-12) to lifting their sights to a place where oneness can be realized in their common relationship in Jesus Christ. This call to unity was an often-repeated concern of Paul's (Phil. 2:2, 1 Peter 3:8, 1 Cor. 1:10, Rom. 12:16-18). Live In Peace – As Paul said to the Romans, "Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify one another" (Rom. 14:19), he also asked of the Corinthians. God Of Love and Peace – We see here the balance in how God works in the life of His people. His love and peace is manifested where He finds those who have a sincere desire to live out lives that impart love and peace to others. v. 12 Holy Kiss – A kiss was a common form of greeting. Paul's call for this common social expression took on deeper meaning as something expressing the character of God. | v. 13 The Saints – In biblical usage, a saint is a reference to all believers as those set apart to God. It was not used as a reference to exceptional or special believers. v. 14 The Grace Of The Lord Jesus Christ – This closing statement referred to the complete Godhead. Referring to Jesus, we see grace is one of the distinctive aspects of His revelation to humanity. Grace is the unwarranted, unearned provision and blessing of God to unworthy sinners. As Lord, Jesus shares in the ultimate sovereign authority of God over all things. The name "Jesus" itself means Savior, or deliverer. "Christ," the Greek word for Messiah, means "anointed one." Christ Jesus is the anointed, chosen, and gifted Savior promised throughout the Old Testament. Love Of God – The scriptures declare that one of the main aspects of God's essence is love (1 John 4:8). The word in Greek is "agape," which conveys an idea of selfless love sourced within the one who loves rather than a love based on the "lovableness" of the person loved. This love is seen perfectly in God the Father, giving His Son as a Savior for all humanity through His sacrificial death on the cross. Communion Of The Holy Spirit – "Communion" is "koinonia" in Greek and speaks of a shared fellowship and oneness that is the result of the ministry of the Holy Spirit within genuine believers. |
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