哥林多后书

Meditative Reflection
Suffering

“So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you." (2 Co. 4:12)

One of the often overlooked motifs of 2 Corinthians is suffering. Paul repeatedly mentions and even recounts his past experience of sufferings in the letter, and it is quite clear that it is not that he welcomes sufferings, but that he does not avoid them, for he knows the “value” of sufferings as a Christian.

In the passage that we considered today in our Scripture reflection (2 Co. 4:8-12), Paul mentions at least two values for his suffering:

(1) “(S)o that His life may be revealed in our mortal body” (4:11)

It is true that we can reveal the life of Christ in us even in prosperity and success, but it is equally true that His life is more fully revealed in us in our sufferings, because in sufferings, we are truly following His steps (1 Pet. 2:21).

(2) “So then death is at work in us, but life is at work in you." (4:12)

I find this “value” pretty amazing in that Paul sees his suffering which he carries around in him as the “death of Jesus” (4:10). By that he means the crucifying of his flesh, the dying to his self that causes him to reveal more of the life of Christ and the effect of which is the imparting of life to the Corinthian believers. In other words, our own suffering often leads to the conversion and strengthening of other Christians.

Hermann Bezzel (1861–1917) is right when he says the following concerning discipleship and suffering:

“The ship of our life needs ballast; it must have some stones in it or it will sink into the abyss. As the ship of one’s life cannot be without ballast, so also the picture of one’s life cannot be without wounds, and no day of one’s life without tears…

"Suffering is the highest action of Christian obedience and I call blessed, not those who have worked, but all who have suffered. Suffering is the greatest work in the discipleship of Jesus.”

Meditative Reflection
What is Unseen is Eternal!

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Co. 4:17)

In urging us to fix our eyes like him, not on the seen but on the unseen, Paul does seem to allude to the seen as well, as an encouragement to him and his companions, because he does say that

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed, perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted, but not abandoned, stuck own, but not destroyed;” (1 Co. 4:8-9)

In other words, he is not “super-spiritual” to the point that he does not need deliverance from the Lord (who is the treasure in his jar of clay) even in temporal situations. It is the very fact that he is not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned and not destroyed that gives him confidence to carry on his ministry of the gospel.

However, he does recognize that ultimately, it is not the deliverance from these temporal situations that gives him the courage not to lose heart (4:1,16), because, as we know eventually he would be totally abandoned—“at my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me” (2 Tim. 4:16); and he did die a martyr’s death at the hand of Emperor Nero. Ultimately, it is the eternal glory that comes with the return of the Lord Jesus, and he knows that he will be raised together with the Corinthian believers (4:14). It is this glorious hope that outweighs all his troubles which he considers as “light and momentary” (2 Co. 4:17).

The Lord knows how much we can take, and He always provides a way out so that we can stand up under our trial (1 Co. 10:13), but ultimately, like Paul, the basis of our confidence in Christ, the reason for us not to lose heart rests in our eternal hope in Christ Jesus. O therwise, as Paul says in his earlier letter, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” (1 Co. 15:19)

Meditative Reflection
Good or Worthless?

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Co. 5:10)

The “bema” is the seat of judgment for the governor in the time of the Romans, and it is believed that Paul was arraigned before Gallio’s bema in Acts 18:12-17 which seems to have provided him with the imagery for the above statement.

The question often raised by Paul’s statement above is whether it contradicts the concept of salvation by grace (Eph. 2:8-9). I think, as far as this statement itself is concerned, we should take note of the facts:

(1) The “we” used here, is likely referring to Paul and the Corinthian believers, as it is a letter addressed specifically to them and “all the saints” (1:1). In Murray Harris’ words, “In this context, however, Paul is thinking primarily, if not exclusively, of the Christian’s obligation…” (EBC, 2 Corinthians, 349).

(2) In talking about “good or bad”, Paul actually uses the term which can be translated more literally as “worthless” instead of “bad”. This usage tends to echo what happens to the believers on the “Day” in 1 Corinthians 3:13 in that if the “work” of the believers is that of wood, hay or straw that cannot survive the test of fire, “he will suffer loss, he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flame.” (1 Co. 3:15)

So, the focus here is not the resurrection of all the dead (Rev. 20), but the “judgment” in terms of reward or shame for the believers. And so, as believers, we are to examine ourselves to see if what we do, as disciples of Jesus Christ, is “worthless” to His kingdom.

Food for thought!

Meditative Reflection
A Clean Slate

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.” (2 Co. 5:17)

It is a pity that Paul, one who founded the church of Corinth, has to defend not only his apostleship but himself. He also  defended his integrity as a servant of the Lord to the flock who owed him the debt of the gospel. As we read his two extant letters to that church, we have come to understand that the Corinthian believers have been swayed by teachers from the outside who “take pride in what is seen rather in what is in the heart” (2 Co. 5:12). In other words, the Corinthian believers are judging Paul based on a worldly point of view (which, in the original, is the word for flesh)—probably his less than impressive look, his speech and his past (2 Co. 10:10).

In urging the Corinthian believers not to do so, Paul uses his painful experience in the past as a warning in that he once regarded Christ this way. Judging Him as a blasphemer and a false Messiah, he was determined to exterminate all those who followed Him (Acts 9:1-2; 26:9ff). He now knows how wrong he was, and urges them not to follow his footsteps in judging other believers based on what is on the surface and especially what was in the past. It is with this thought that he says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Co. 5:17). Paul knows this truth too well. He was a murderer, and now he is an apostle.

Throughout history, we have found many “Pauls” as well: Augustine of Hippo, the adulterer who became a bishop and one the greatest theologians of Christendom; and John Newton, the drunkard and slave-trader, who became a pastor and wrote one of the most famous hymns, Amazing Grace— just to name a few.

The Corinthian believers should know this truth quite well too, because Paul writes in his earlier letter, mentioning all kinds of horrible sins and sinners: Of the sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexual offenders, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers, he says, “that is what some of you were” (1 Co. 6:9-11). And yet, I still find believers in the church of God who look down upon others or hold grudges against others based on who they were, as if the work of Christ on the cross is somehow inadequate to make them a new creation!

Meditative Reflection
Not a Ministry of Hindrance

“We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.” (2 Co. 6:3)

As much as Paul urges the Corinthian believers not to judge him by the cover, he also understands that perception is everything as well. As a result, he is determined to conduct his ministry (and thus his life) in such a manner that it will not become a stumbling block in anyone’s path, lest his ministry will be discredited. In sharing in the most transparent manner with the Corinthian believers, Paul commends himself to them in a long list of credentials, starting with his toil and sufferings, highlighting his impeccable integrity in ministry, ending with a triumphal outlook amidst setbacks and adversities.

While we cannot impose suffering on ourselves, we can emulate Paul’s life of integrity in ministry which is an area that most often can become a stumbling block to others. I invite you to look at the flip side of Paul’s list in this respect, to see how today’s ministry in the church has become a stumbling block to the spread of the gospel:

- The opposite of purity is impurity: If you have access to the computers of many church leaders and pastors, you will be alarmed at what they are watching in secret.

- The opposite of understanding in ministry is a secular mindset: Understanding and knowledge, as we know, begins with the fear of the Lord of which a secular mindset is incapable.

- The opposite of patience is, of course, impatience: The mark of impatience is often an absence of prayer and waiting.

- The opposite of kindness is unkindness: This is often manifested in our treating people as projects, as ministries, as means or as tools!

- The opposite of being in the Holy Spirit is carnality: How often can we say of our ministry that “Oh, it is unmistakably the work of the Holy Spirit”?

- The opposite of sincerity is insincerity: How often do we speak to the “less important” brothers and sisters in haste as we are eager to tackle some other “more important” matters?

- The opposite of love is without love: The truth of the matter is that people know if we love them or not!

- The opposite of truthfulness in speech is lying or deception. Passing rumors is bad enough, but what about “winging it” as we preach or teach!

- The opposite of being in the power of God is being in our own power: When is last time you sensed the empowering of God in your ministry?

As I reflect on the above list, the most haunting realization is that just one of the above may become such a stumbling block to the point that our entire ministry can be destroyed.

Meditative Reflection
UnequallyYoked

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.” (2 Co. 6:14)

Although we might be frustrated by Paul for not highlighting any examples to explain what exactly he has in mind in urging us not to be yoked together with unbelievers, I think Paul does it purposely, so that we do not become legalistic, but be wise in following the principle of his teaching. The specific instances he might have in mind may not be relevant to us today, but the principle is.

One thing for sure though, Paul is not asking us not to befriend unbelievers because he has already said, “I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters. In that case, you would have to leave the world" (1 Co. 5:9-10). He knows too well that it is by befriending the unbelievers that we can bring them to Christ.

However, in urging us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, Paul does highlight five types of “yoking”. They are: to have in common (a share), to fellowship, to be in harmony (or agreement) with, to have in common (or a part), and be in agreement (or in union) with something.

Yoking, in the Old Testament, refers to the joining of two animals and in Deuteronomy 22:10, the yoking of an ox and a donkey for plowing is prohibited. And the words Paul uses here point to a “yoking” of either of the mind or life itself.

Therefore, as those who have been made righteous in Christ, we cannot have a share in the lawless act or activity of the wicked (the original word for “wickedness” is “lawlessness) who have no regards to the law or principle of God. This of course, echoes loudly the teaching of Psalm 1:1.

As those who have come out of darkness into light, we cannot share our life in common with those who still belong to the darkness (and thus a valid principle can be applied to marriages between a believer and an unbeliever).

As those who belong to and worship Christ, we cannot join in any worship of any other gods or deities (and what a serious indictment of our participation in so-called inter-faith services, even for a good cause).

As those who have faith (in Christ), we certainly do not share the same body (of Christ) with the unbelievers. We are not different parts of the same body, but parts of a different body (and thus we are not so much alienating ourselves from the world, but imploring them to have faith in Christ, in order that they can be part of this body).

And we who are the very temple of God cannot and will not have any association with idols and thus we simply cannot participate in any functions or services that are devoted to their worship.

If we are still in doubt as to how to apply this teaching of the Apostle Paul, he gives us one further guideline and that is, whatever we do with the unbelievers that will “contaminate” our body and spirit, it will be an “equal yoke” (7:1).

We have to bear in mind that it is not our compromise, but our distinction from the world that draws them to pursue knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Meditative Reflection
Room for All Believers in Christ

“Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one.” (2 Co. 7:2)

I have had the opportunities from time to time to talk to would-be minsters of the gospel who are considering their calling into full-time ministry. Invariably, I would warn them that this is a path of suffering. If following Christ’s footsteps of suffering is for all Christians, it is more so for those full-time ministers of the gospel.

Over the years, my warning has come true as I witness how, even new ministers of the gospel have been immersed in the fire of baptism in the local church shortly after (and for some, even before) they began their ministry.

It should come as no surprise if we care to read how Paul describes his own experience as an apostle.

In chapter 6 of 2 Corinthians, he shares transparently his experience. He says he has gone “through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known yet regarded as unknown; dying and yet we live on; beaten and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” (2 Co. 6:8-10)

Can you imagine that this powerful, famous minister of the gospel is openly insulted, bad-mouthed, regarded as an imposter and treated as if he is not known (Paul who?), and his life is marked by almost dying, being beaten, sorrowful, poor and having nothing?

Now, we understand that many of these incidents happened to him at the hands of his enemies, but some came from even those who owed him the debt to the gospel, like the Corinthian believers. As a result, Paul had to bare his soul and confront them by saying, "We have wronged no one...we have exploited no one" (7:2).

But instead of harboring resentment, hurt and frustration, Paul tells the Corinthian believers that, “you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you.” (7:3)

I read from one commentary (and I have forgotten which one), where the author is right on when he says that before his conversion, Paul made only the distinction between Jews and Gentiles, but after his conversion, there was only the distinction—between believers and unbelievers. And that is a reflection of the heart of God.