Misunderstood by those you ministered to

2 Corinthians 1:15-24

Have you ever been misunderstood by those you care for, those who you have ministered to, and watched them grow in grace and faith?  If so, you have a picture of what the apostle Paul is going through with the churches of Corinth.  Not many things hurt us more than the loss of trust from someone we have poured our life into, and yet Jesus had warned us about what can happen to a body of believers when false teachers come into the body in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”  And the apostle Peter gives this insight in 2 Peter 2:1-3, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them, the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed, they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

Jesus was very clear in John 10:10 that the thief has one goal, to kill, to steal and to destroy, and so be on guard!   The apostle Paul came to understand it would require more healing before he returned to Corinth.  His plans had been changed twice, once he planned to come on his way to Macedonia and the second time on his way to Judea.  It seems that some of the believers said Paul was not reliable, that he would say yes one minute and no the next time. 

No one likes to be called unreliable, and Paul addresses the problem with these verses.  “I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”   (2Corinthians 1:16-22)

When the Amen to God is used it means; “so be it” or “this is true.”  Paul goes on to share with the Corinthian churches that the moment they enter into Christ He enters into them and they were sealed by the Holy Spirit, we find that teaching in Ephesians 1:13-14, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

In verses 23, we find Paul fully grasps the need for healing on both sides, for emotion healing and spiritual healing, and in verse 24 he addresses the relationship between the minister and the body of believers.  It is a clear message to the man who believes he is the CEO of his church; a​ minister does not lord it over others, but works gently with them, to always show the same grace and love they have received.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice