Paul speaks to them as their Spiritual Father Part 2
2 Corinthians 12:16-21 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile. Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you? I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps? Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. KJV
Paul continues his appeal to them as their spiritual
Father, but he now speaks with words of irony by using his detractor’s
declaration of him being a man of deceit and deception. Paul knew that there
was no guile in his heart toward them and their resources, but he wants to make
the point to them clearly and emphatically how absurd the accusation against
him in this matter was because even the men Paul sent to them (on his behalf)
did not take anything from them, except the offering for the persecuted
believers in Jerusalem. He asked them to recall (in their own minds) if Titus
or the other brothers took money from them to live while they stayed in their
city and Church fellowship. Paul knew that if they were honest with themselves
they would have to know how wrong they were to believe that he would ever steal
from them to pad his own wallet, and the irony or implication of his words here
are that this was actually and exactly what these Judiazers were doing to them.
The very thing they had accused Paul’s motives to be was the actual thing being done to them by these false apostles, all while they claimed to come in the authority and approval of the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth was that Titus and the other brother Paul sent to them acted and lived by the very same spirit as Paul, in that they provided for their own living and took no money at all from this new Church in Corinth. Perhaps Paul wanted to do this in the midst of this Church because of the history of such deep pagan worship in the city for centuries or just because he felt it would be a greater witness to them of his genuine love for them and not for what they had as he just declared was his intent in verse 14 of this same Chapter. Paul wants them to know without ambiguity that everything he has done was for their edification and not their harm and this is why he was careful to send men who believed as he did and who would walk and live just as he did when he was with them for 18 months (Acts 18:11).
Paul knows that God knows the motives or the reason for the actions of all men (whether they be good or evil) and it is before Him that he writes these words to them declaring the truth. Paul had already declared to them in his first letter that by virtue of his office as an Apostle of Christ that he was entitled to or qualified for by right according to law (God’s Law) to live from the preaching or declaration of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:8-18). It is probable that part pf Paul’s reason for writing his first letter and addressing all the divisions within their congregation was because he wanted them to have a clear view of the truth and he sent Titus and others to them first to give them time to repent of all the factions, sects, and dissenting cliques that had formed among them that caused strife and jealousy in their midst.
Paul was reluctant to use the authority of his Apostolic office to dispense judgment on the offenders same as the Prophet Isaiah declared of God the Father with these words when he spoke to the tribe of Judah, “For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act.” (Isaiah 28:21). It is not the will of God that any human souls perish because of unwillingness to repent and turn to Him (2 Peter 3:9) because hell was not prepared for human souls, but for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41) and with all of this word in Paul’s heart and mind he wanted to give them time to repent of their sin and rebellion against God the Father being more disposed to show mercy rather than judgement. Paul had the heart and mind of Christ on this matter and was unwilling to us his rod and this is what brought about his fear and made him grieve, that they would force his hand on the matter because they refused to repent of all the things he wrote to them in his first letter in (1 Corinthians 5 and 1 Corinthians 6).
My own Personal Note: Paul knew completely and understood completely his role and responsibility as an Apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, he knew it was the members of Christ Body that were responsible to dispense discipline on sinning members of the Body that did not repent of their sexual sins before God the Father and the members of the Body, even removing said person or persons from the fellowship as he declared with these words to them in his first letter, “But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.” (1 Corinthians 5:11-13).
“Paul felt that his paternal relation to this church gave him the right to rebuke them, as a father rebukes his children. But he realized that they did not reciprocate his love, probably because they permitted the evil things enumerated in the closing verses. Often moral obliquity accounts for the decline and failure of love. Among other things, they had even accused him of getting money, if not directly, yet through Titus. But there were worse things still that needed to be dealt with, (2 Corinthians 12:20-21). Would that we were more often humbled to the dust by the sins of our brethren! F. B. Meyer
If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…
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