2 Corinthians 12 - Strengthen Each Other

I’m thankful that God gave us the ability to think.  Each of us is a free person; we are free-thinking people.  May God give us the ability to use that faculty well today.

        We hear Peter telling the church to think clearly and exercise self-control; let’s do that (1 Peter 1:13).  Each Christian is supposed to grow.  The church is supposed to grow (and indeed it is!).  We will not grow if we turn back to our old life and our old ways and our old sins.

        Let’s strengthen each other and help each other grow into the full experience of salvation that God designed for us.  That’s the plea in this chapter.  Paul wants the church to think clearly.  And to grow in holiness.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we are born again, yet still a work in progress - a step forward, one back, and two forward.  Let’s advance today - two steps at least.

I’m mindful today that it’s easy to place hope and desire in worldly things.  The Bible makes clear that God is our refuge - our strong fortified city (Psalm 48:19).  Yet for the rich and many in our affluent society their wealth is their defense, their high wall of safety (Proverbs 18:11).  It was incredibly important to Paul to think about these things and to keep from becoming proud (12:7).  It is equally important for you and me.

Paul was a super apostle, perhaps “the” super apostle.  Yet he claimed he was nothing.  That was his mindset.  Like a sacrificing parent, he was prepared to do whatever it takes to strengthen the church.  Without fanfare or bragging, Paul patiently did many signs and wonders and miracles (not to mention, used by Jesus to write much of the New Testament).  Paul mentored many young servants of Christ and grew Christ’s church.  Yet Paul’s attitude was that of a servant, a nothing, a slave.

        We know we are made in God’s image and His prized possession (James 1:18).  We are everything to God because of His great love for us.  But we must think clearly about how to keep from becoming boastful and fat-minded, lazy, and haughty.

Paul did not want the Corninthian’s money or possessions.  He was not fixated on a capital campaign or a new sanctuary so that someone could boost their ego and their revenue-generating platform.  His vision was not for himself.  His vision was that in his weakness he knew that Christ’s strength would prove true and be shown to be powerful as the church grew in number and holiness.  Paul viewed himself as a parent lovingly caring for a child, with the sole goal of the child’s eternal welfare.  Paul wanted to win the Corinthians for Jesus Christ.  He wanted them to understand that he had no interest in taking advantage of them.  Everything Paul and his brothers in Christ did was to strengthen God’s people.

Paul wanted strong Christians.  Mature Christians.  Christians with pure and undivided devotion to Jesus Christ.

He was greatly concerned about symptoms of corruption and non-Christian living: quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior.  He was concerned that many people had not given up their old sins - they had either not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure or they had fallen back into those sins.  Either way a disaster and failure for church growth.  

        Paul gave a clear warning to stop sinning, to think clearly, and act holy.  Father God, please help us to follow Paul’s lead and put away our old ways and grow in the good ways of Jesus today.  Amen.

Kari's mom with the crew.