2Cor 1:14 | KingComments | STEP | After the apostle in the previous verses opened his heart to the believers and shared the great distress in which he has been, he must now clear a misunderstanding that has arisen. This misunderstanding arose because he changed his plan to visit to them. His original plan was to visit them and he even told them that he would do so. But later he changed this plan (cf. ). Now this was the chance for the nitpickers to charge that Paul was unstable in his decisions. Therefore Paul takes up his defense. It is not self-defense, but a defense of his ministry of which the Corinthian believers themselves are the fruit. It is a defense of Christ’s work in the hearts of the Corinthians. This work would be at stake if he does not take a firm stand against the false accusations circulating among the believers. This is not uncommon even today and it is present in the churches and in the world. When the gossip mill is in full swing a warlike situation can arise in the shortest possible time. Peace can vanish. Here the good relationship between Paul and the Corinthians is at stake. . Paul must neutralize the threat. He begins pointing to the testimony of his conscience. If he harbored anything in his conscience he could not be as simple and sincere as he is. God never would permit that kind of behavior. Someone who has insincere intentions falls through at some point. Paul did not resort to all sorts of clever gambits to get his message across the Corinthians. He didn’t use unfair practices to win souls. He used no fleshly wisdom, no political methods as in election time where much is promised and only very little made true. He was conscious of the grace of God. That means that he thinks nothing of himself, does not hold his own name in high regard, but on the contrary wants to show what God worked in him. That’s the way he behaved in the world and among the believers. We must always be conscious of the fact that both the world and the believers are watching us. When it is evident in your life that you have understood something of the grace of God no one will be able to bring any valid accusations against you. Then you will not be known as the one who is well versed in the trick of the trade. You are an open book for everyone. . Paul could point out that he wrote nothing else but what they already knew of him and what they saw in him. They moved closely with him and therefore they knew him as a straight forward man. He hoped that they did not give themselves up to people who sowed distrust and resorted to misguide them to doubt his sincere intentions. Believers who watch or listen to each other with distrust will fall into a precipice that slides down to destruction. Each word and each act is misinterpreted and the relationship sours till they reach a point beyond rectification. If you come across such unsound tendency in your heart, you must nip it in the bud. When things are said about people and you are doubtful about the veracity of what is spoken of them pray about it and then talk to the person in question. You can easily think something evil of a person, but when you speak to the person in question you will see how much your assuming was wrong. . Paul refers to the day of the Lord Jesus. On this day Paul and the Corinthians will stand together before the judgment seat of Christ. Then Paul will be able to boast of them and vice versa by pointing at them and saying to Christ: ‘They have listened and obeyed all what I said to them on Your behalf.’ All ambiguities and uncertainties have no place there. What is important is that you already live now in view of the judgment seat of Christ. Paul did that. That’s why he could tell them without any qualms that he had plans to come to them. He did not have to excuse himself as if he had made a mistake. . How he granted them this second blessing! The first blessing was that he was with them for the first time and preached the gospel to them. That blessing they had experienced. By his second visit he wanted to teach them further about this blessing. His heart yearned for them; they were his children in the faith. . He further believed that they would give him what he needed so that he could continue his journey. This is not a self-seeking exercise. It is just beautiful to count on the support of brethren being conscious of the fact that we are connected with one another for the same Lord. Here the suspicion that he was only after his own advantage at the cost of the Corinthians is ruled out. . He had already prepared his itinerary. From the way he invited them to listen to his plans it is clear that his plan was not made lightly nor planned haphazardly. He also had not sat down and planned on the basis of calculations that would support his own advantages the most. No, he was guided by God and by the love to Christ and His own. As people falsely suggested he was not a capricious man. Indeed we know of people who make all kinds of promises, but of whom you know they are not keeping any of them. Such people are not trustworthy. It is unbecoming of a believer not to fulfill promises. The Lord Jesus says that our yes must be yes and our no should mean really no ( ; ). Do people know you so? Then it is also not necessary that you underscore your promises with all kinds of pious and solemn assurances. Put simply, you must be reliable. If Paul were someone who said ‘Yes’ which meant ‘No’ then how could people trust him? How could he lead others? Such a person lacks authority. People cannot trust anyone who is wobbly. If people are not sure that someone is speaking the truth everything he says will be called into question. Now read 2 Corinthians 1:12-17 again. Reflection: Can people count on you? How do you react to a false accusation?

‏ 2 Corinthians 1:14

Postponement of Paul’s Visit

After the apostle in the previous verses opened his heart to the believers and shared the great distress in which he has been, he must now clear a misunderstanding that has arisen. This misunderstanding arose because he changed his plan to visit to them. His original plan was to visit them and he even told them that he would do so. But later he changed this plan (cf. 2Cor 1:23). Now this was the chance for the nitpickers to charge that Paul was unstable in his decisions. Therefore Paul takes up his defense.

It is not self-defense, but a defense of his ministry of which the Corinthian believers themselves are the fruit. It is a defense of Christ’s work in the hearts of the Corinthians. This work would be at stake if he does not take a firm stand against the false accusations circulating among the believers. This is not uncommon even today and it is present in the churches and in the world. When the gossip mill is in full swing a warlike situation can arise in the shortest possible time. Peace can vanish. Here the good relationship between Paul and the Corinthians is at stake.

2Cor 1:12. Paul must neutralize the threat. He begins pointing to the testimony of his conscience. If he harbored anything in his conscience he could not be as simple and sincere as he is. God never would permit that kind of behavior. Someone who has insincere intentions falls through at some point.

Paul did not resort to all sorts of clever gambits to get his message across the Corinthians. He didn’t use unfair practices to win souls. He used no fleshly wisdom, no political methods as in election time where much is promised and only very little made true.

He was conscious of the grace of God. That means that he thinks nothing of himself, does not hold his own name in high regard, but on the contrary wants to show what God worked in him. That’s the way he behaved in the world and among the believers.

We must always be conscious of the fact that both the world and the believers are watching us. When it is evident in your life that you have understood something of the grace of God no one will be able to bring any valid accusations against you. Then you will not be known as the one who is well versed in the trick of the trade. You are an open book for everyone.

2Cor 1:13. Paul could point out that he wrote nothing else but what they already knew of him and what they saw in him. They moved closely with him and therefore they knew him as a straight forward man. He hoped that they did not give themselves up to people who sowed distrust and resorted to misguide them to doubt his sincere intentions.

Believers who watch or listen to each other with distrust will fall into a precipice that slides down to destruction. Each word and each act is misinterpreted and the relationship sours till they reach a point beyond rectification. If you come across such unsound tendency in your heart, you must nip it in the bud. When things are said about people and you are doubtful about the veracity of what is spoken of them pray about it and then talk to the person in question. You can easily think something evil of a person, but when you speak to the person in question you will see how much your assuming was wrong.

2Cor 1:14. Paul refers to the day of the Lord Jesus. On this day Paul and the Corinthians will stand together before the judgment seat of Christ. Then Paul will be able to boast of them and vice versa by pointing at them and saying to Christ: ‘They have listened and obeyed all what I said to them on Your behalf.’ All ambiguities and uncertainties have no place there.

What is important is that you already live now in view of the judgment seat of Christ. Paul did that. That’s why he could tell them without any qualms that he had plans to come to them. He did not have to excuse himself as if he had made a mistake.

2Cor 1:15. How he granted them this second blessing! The first blessing was that he was with them for the first time and preached the gospel to them. That blessing they had experienced. By his second visit he wanted to teach them further about this blessing. His heart yearned for them; they were his children in the faith.

2Cor 1:16. He further believed that they would give him what he needed so that he could continue his journey. This is not a self-seeking exercise. It is just beautiful to count on the support of brethren being conscious of the fact that we are connected with one another for the same Lord. Here the suspicion that he was only after his own advantage at the cost of the Corinthians is ruled out.

2Cor 1:17. He had already prepared his itinerary. From the way he invited them to listen to his plans it is clear that his plan was not made lightly nor planned haphazardly. He also had not sat down and planned on the basis of calculations that would support his own advantages the most. No, he was guided by God and by the love to Christ and His own.

As people falsely suggested he was not a capricious man. Indeed we know of people who make all kinds of promises, but of whom you know they are not keeping any of them. Such people are not trustworthy. It is unbecoming of a believer not to fulfill promises.

The Lord Jesus says that our yes must be yes and our no should mean really no (Mt 5:37; Jam 5:12). Do people know you so? Then it is also not necessary that you underscore your promises with all kinds of pious and solemn assurances. Put simply, you must be reliable.

If Paul were someone who said ‘Yes’ which meant ‘No’ then how could people trust him? How could he lead others? Such a person lacks authority. People cannot trust anyone who is wobbly. If people are not sure that someone is speaking the truth everything he says will be called into question.

Now read 2 Corinthians 1:12-17 again.

Reflection: Can people count on you? How do you react to a false accusation?