Christ in 2 Corinthians -- Our Hope

Last week we saw in the book of 1 Corinthians how Paul was reprimanding the church in Corinth for many issues that were causing divisions within the church.  Apparently that letter did not bring about the result that Paul had hoped, so he followed it up with what he called “a painful visit” to the church:

So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit (2 Corinthians 2:1).

Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you (2 Corinthians 12:14a).

Even that “painful visit” did not accomplish what he had hoped, so he followed up with a harsh letter – a letter referred to in 2 Corinthians, but one that has been lost to us.  We can only imagine by what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians and his follow-up letter of 2 Corinthians that he was again warning the church about all the actions and attitudes that were causing division within the church:

That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you (2 Corinthians 2:3-4).

This painful letter was delivered by Titus.  Apparently, the letter, though harsh, caused a change in the church.  The person who was stirring up trouble had been reprimanded by the church leaders and had been punished.  As a result, we read in 2 Corinthians that Paul was now encouraging the church to extend grace and mercy to that person, since he had repented:

I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me. Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough. Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement. So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him (2 Corinthians 2:5-8).

In the letter we know as 2 Corinthians, Paul poured his heart out to the church.  It is the most personal of all of Paul’s letters.  If you will read it all in one sitting, especially if you read a newer translation (I am using the New Living Translation here), you will see how Paul’s heart was broken for this immature church.  They were being swayed by false teachers, causing them to doubt Paul’s authority and what he was teaching.  They tried to convince the church that Paul was wishy-washy in his devotion to them, since he had cancelled a visit he had planned and which they were anxiously expecting.  But Paul’s love for them was like that of a father of a rebellious child.  His heart was aching for them.  He used plain language, along with sound logic, to show this young, undisciplined church that he was telling them the truth.  He was not asking for their financial support as some of the false teachers were.  He was not trying to trick them or give them false promises.  He compared himself to a simple clay pot, rather than a fancy vessel.  He didn’t try to make himself look better by bragging about his qualifications, but simply and honestly preached the Good News of Jesus Christ:

You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves (2 Corinthians 4:5-7).

It seems as if the false teachers of Paul’s day were no different from those false teachers we see today – those who would try to convince people that if they will give so much money to their church, all will be rosy -- no more sickness, no more poverty, and no more sadness.  This is called “Prosperity Gospel” and is not biblical.  God is not a magic genie or a fairy godmother, obligated to grant our every wish!  Paul, probably the greatest preacher of the gospel who ever lived, tells us in this letter that if we are following Christ, especially if we are sharing the gospel with others, we will all suffer, just as he suffered.  But no matter how bad it gets, even if our suffering leads to death, we have a hope in Jesus Christ that is far better than anything we could dream of.  God will never leave us, and we will spend eternity with Him:

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands (2 Corinthians 5:1).

So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

Christ’s love controls us.  Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20-21).

I hope that you have come back to God.  I hope that you have accepted His offering for your sin, and that you have been made right with God through Christ.  If you have not, please don’t delay.  Not one of us is promised a tomorrow.  Tomorrow may be too late.  I hope that you will come to Him today, because without Him you have no hope:

For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

My prayer for you and for me this week is from the closing verses of this book, 2 Corinthians 13:11, 14:

(Heavenly Father, Cause us to) be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with (us). . . May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with (us) all.