Calvary Road Baptist Church
“PAUL’S WAY”
Second Corinthians 7.12-16
Let me tell you how it might have occurred in Corinth.
There was a Greek family of three. There was dad, his only son who he greatly loved and who loved him, and a precious mother. One day God brought the mother home to be with Him in heaven, and dad and his son grieved. They delighted in the assurance of mother’s place in heaven, but they greatly mourned the loss of this precious woman who had been dad’s partner in life and had tenderly nurtured their son.
With time, dad became very lonely. Having been happily married to a sweet Christian woman for years, he seemed somewhat adrift as a single man, so when he met a woman much younger than he, they married. Tragically, this young and lovely wife was not born again and soon became dissatisfied with her marriage to a much older Christian man. As her wandering eye surveyed the field of candidates who might satisfy her longing for sin, her eyes rested upon her husband’s son.
She was aware that her “stepson” found her beautiful to look upon and she tempted and enticed him until finally, she wooed him away from his father’s love and pretense of Christianity. The young man with a false hope who seemed to have loved the Lord and who had loved his father betrayed them both in an adulterous relationship with his father’s wife.
When he went to others in the Church and asked their opinion of his adulterous affair, they told him that everything was okay and that if they really loved each other, it would be okay in the sight of God. “God understands,” they assured him. But there was one hitch in all this: It wasn’t okay in the sight of God. It isn’t okay in the sight of God. Sex with someone you are not married to is just plain wrong, even if you supposedly love each other.
A few people in the Church knew the difference between right and wrong. They went to the young man and pleaded with him to repent of his sin again and again, but he refused. In time, news of the affair was commonly reported even in Ephesus, where the Apostle Paul heard of it.[1]
We know Paul dealt with the issue squarely. We know he boldly declared that the congregation was remiss in failing to deal with the young man, failing to be good custodians of their testimony in the community, and failing to properly represent God because of their ridiculous attempts at appearing fair-minded in the eyes of others.
Time passed. Paul’s coworker Titus, the man he sent his first Corinthian letter with to deal with the sin problem in the Church, returned with good news. The members had repented and were of a mind to hear what the Word of God said. The Church, per Paul’s instructions, had ejected the young man.[2] After a time of reveling in his sin, the onslaught of Satan had begun, and now the young man was filled with sorrow for having sinned against God, for having sinned against his father, for having sinned against the Church he was identified with, and for having done so much damage to his personal life. His false hope revealed by the depths of his sins, he repented and turned to Christ for genuine forgiveness and cleansing.[3]
Now Paul writes the second letter to the Corinthians. He has already instructed the congregation to allow the young man to return to the Church fellowship, having repented toward God. Those who stray are always to be welcomed if they want to return. But as he brings this first main section of Second Corinthians to a close, in our text for today, Paul shows them his way.
When one attempts to deal with a sin problem, there are many ways to do it. But only one way is the right way. That way is Paul’s way, which is God’s way. As we examine Second Corinthians 7.12-16, ask yourself if this is the way you try to address sin problems:
12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.
Three aspects of Paul’s involvement in the Corinthian’s lives illustrate Paul’s way of dealing with sin:
First, THE CAUSE OF PAUL’S FIRST LETTER
In verse 12, Paul reveals why he involved himself in their problem. This ought to be why you involve yourself in someone’s problem, realizing, of course, that unless you have Scriptural authority to involve yourself in another person’s problem you are not going to help the matter one bit.
First, we see Paul rejected the wrong motives. Why did Paul write the letter to the Corinthian Church? Why did he send Titus with the letter to be his man on the scene? Was he just another do-gooder Christian trying to be Dudley Do-Right? Though that is the reason why many Christians, especially baby Christians, do what they do and end up getting burned in the process, that is not why Paul did what he did. I want you to notice, first, that Paul did not jump into that mess with a mind toward getting revenge against the sinful young man:
“I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong.”
How many Christians get themselves into trouble because they fancy themselves knights of King Arthur’s roundtable who ride around on white chargers trying to do good deeds? Though it is rarely recognized as such, Christians who do this type of thing have a pride problem. Who do we think we are to try and solve problems God has not authorized us to deal with? Besides not attempting to exact retribution from the wrongdoer, Paul was also not seeking revenge for the wronged. This is sometimes a temptation with a mom or a dad with respect to an adult child. Well-intentioned parents rush to the defense of their adult children, effectively stunting their growth into adulthood by interfering with God-imposed learning opportunities. How in the world does it help that individual who has been sinned against for you to get back at the person who sinned against him or her? It doesn’t help him or her at all, does it? Of course not. That’s why Paul rejected that motive for involving himself in the Corinthian Church problems.
After informing us that the wrong motives were rejected, Paul rehearsed the right motives for dealing with sin problems:
“but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.”
Paul did not write that letter or send Titus to get even with the wrongdoer. And he didn’t write the letter or send Titus to seek revenge for the person who was sinned against, the young man’s father. Or the congregation that was sinned against! Paul involved himself in the matter because it was the right thing to do. Is it right, or is it meddling? Is it right, or is it an ego trip? Is it right, or am I trying to show how smart I am? Only if it is right is it the right thing to do.
Paul wrote the letter and sent Titus to set an example of spiritual leadership so that they might see the proper role that a spiritual leader is supposed to play in the lives of God’s people. In short, Paul did what he did because it was the right thing to do, as determined by the infallible Word of God.
Second, THE CONSEQUENCE OF PAUL’S FIRST LETTER
What happened because of that first Corinthian letter and Titus' carrying that letter to Corinth and dealing with those people personally? What can the consequences be of doing right because it’s right?
First, the consequence of blessing, verse 13:
“Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.”
There are four ways in which the blessings of God can be seen to be a direct result of Paul doing what was quite simply the right thing to do:
First, Paul and Timothy were comforted. I don’t know whether you know how great it is and how necessary it is, sometimes, for a spiritual leader to himself be comforted, but take it from me that it is needed.
Second, the Corinthians were comforted. Paul and Timothy were comforted by the Corinthian’s comfort. Right? But who do you think comforted the Corinthians? Probably Titus on a human level. But on a spiritual level, we know that both the Corinthians and Paul and Timothy were quite low because that’s where you are to need comfort in your life. So, Paul and Timothy became extremely discouraged when they found out how the Church people had tolerated such sin. And the congregation became extremely discouraged when they discovered how wrong they were and how grieved both God and His men were over their behavior. But when the Corinthians responded correctly to Paul’s letter and Titus’ personal ministry, Titus comforted them, and their obedience comforted Paul and Timothy.
Third, Paul and Timothy rejoiced, and, fourth, Titus was refreshed. What a thrill Titus experienced as a result of their response to God’s Word. And when he came back to Paul and Timothy on a spiritual high, their spirits were lifted to the mountain tops. Do you see how God uses the obedience of others to thrill our souls? And do you see how the sins of others can discourage any believer, especially when handled improperly?
The second consequence we see is boasting, verse 14:
“For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.”
Please notice the balance that is implied here. No doubt, Paul warned Titus about the stiff opposition that he would certainly meet from some of the Corinthians. But the implication here is that Paul also informed Titus of their strengths and spiritual assets.
Though they were in sin, there were things about them that were praiseworthy, and about those things Paul boasted, with his boasting being the right kind of boasting, which is bragging on God’s work in someone’s life. And what benefit derived from such a balance as Paul, no doubt, employed? God worked a work in their lives so that the spiritual strengths of those people, their Christian assets, as it were, came through by the grace of God and prevailed. Those things that Paul told Titus were true, both the good and the bad of them. And much to Paul’s delight, the truth that he spoke about them was found to be true.
Do we see another indication of Paul’s way in doing things here? I think so. First, we saw that Paul did right because it was right. And here, we see that Paul’s primary concern is with truth. Are you tempted to help the truth along just a little bit when seeking a solution, or are you willing to use the bare and unbiased truth? Paul’s way is to give both the positive and the negative facts that bear on the issue. Paul’s way is to rely on truth setting men free and to so use the pure truth.
The final consequence we see is bowels, verse 15. I use the term “bowels” because “inward affection” actually means your bowels, in verse 15. This is where your emotions are. Notice what we see about the preacher’s emotions. Preachers do have feelings, by the way. Let’s read:
“And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.”
Here Paul informed the Corinthians of the emotions of Titus toward them.
No doubt, as Titus traveled to Corinth, he got himself emotionally ready to engage in the fierce spiritual struggle he anticipated. And there might well have been an intense spiritual battle when he arrived there. But, eventually, they repented of their sins and did right. Notice how this affected Titus’ emotions toward them. His feelings toward them was related to their response to both him and the truth which he trafficked in. “... whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all....”
It is naive to think that preachers are so disconnected from their feelings that their emotions will not reflect how those they minister to respond to the truth. Do you think it doesn’t affect a spiritual leader when you fail to attend Church regularly? Do you think it doesn’t affect a pastor when someone fails to lead a family as a spiritual leader? Do you think it doesn’t affect a preacher when Christian women aren’t spiritual? Although I still like and love people regardless, it tears me up when folks do wrong. And when folks do right, it affects me in an opposite way. This is only reasonable.
As well, Titus was emotionally affected by how the Corinthians received him personally. “... how with fear and trembling ye received him.” Titus was affected by the Corinthian’s appreciation that when he arrived, he was there to do the Master’s business. He wasn’t there to read the water meter. He wasn’t there to collected the taxes. He was there to attend to the King’s business.
When a congregation realizes that about a spiritual leader, it affects the way in which they receive him, which, in turn, affects him emotionally. Being a human being, Titus found it much easier to like the Corinthians after they had obeyed the Word he carried to them and after they had honored him as a messenger doing God’s business.
Blessing, boasting, bowels. These are the consequences Paul notes for us due to his proper involvement in their sin problem. “Pastor, can you assure me that such things will always happen when we properly involve ourselves in dealing with sin as it ought to be dealt with?” No, but I can assure you that these consequences will not occur if you do not. You’ve nothing to lose by doing right.
Finally, WE COME TO THE CONCLUSION REGARDING PAUL’S FIRST LETTER
Though this is not the conclusion to Second Corinthians, 7.16 is Paul’s concluding remark about his comments in First Corinthians. Essentially, he will spend very little space in the remaining portions of Second Corinthians addressing any of the sin problems he dealt with in First Corinthians:
“I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.”
Paul rejoiced because things turned out the way he thought they would turn out. He rejoiced because things turned out the way he wanted them to turn out. He rejoiced because things turned out the way he had, no doubt, prayed they would turn out.
But the question has been raised, “Pastor, how can Paul properly say that he had confidence in the Corinthians? Did he have confidence in them? Was it proper for him to have confidence in them and not God?”
The answer to that question is “No” and “Yes.” The word translated “confidence” in Second Corinthians 7.16, qarrá½³w is not the word for “confidence” that Paul characteristically used when he referred to God. Neither is it the word he used to express his confidence in Philemon’s response to his appeal in Philemon 21.[4]
The word we find here is not so strong as words that express unwavering confidence in God or in another mature Christian. This word more nearly resembles the idea of being optimistic. Paul was not positive the Corinthians would respond properly, but he was optimistic that they would. So, when they did respond correctly he rejoiced.
Isn’t that the final aspect of Paul’s way that we see in this text? He chose to think the best of people. He chose to look on the brighter side whenever possible. He decided to expect people to respond in the right way when confronted with the truth of God’s Word.
Some people have a negative view of Christians because they never get around to dealing with them in a spiritual, in a Biblical, way. Of course, someone will disappoint you if you pull up short of dealing with their sins in a proper manner. How can we expect otherwise?
My, what we see in the closing remarks of this first major section of Second Corinthians. What insight into the way in which spiritual leaders function. What lessons we learn about the way the Apostle Paul did things and the way in which every Christian ought to just do things. We learn three things about the way Paul conducted himself.
First, we learn that you are doing things Paul’s way when you do right for no other reason than because it’s right. Another person might have done the same thing Paul did, but for different reasons. We must remember, however, that it’s only Paul’s way when the reasons are the right reasons.
Second, we learn that Paul trafficked only in truth. When you deal with truth, the unmitigated truth, you do things Paul’s way. He could have exaggerated the fact to Titus about the Corinthians and painted a terribly bleak picture of them. Instead he chose to give Titus a balanced and truthful view of them and their problems ... of them and their virtues.
Finally, Paul’s way was the way that was confident the way that was optimistic about the outcome. When you do things Paul’s way, you are going to be optimistic.
Do you see a problem you are wondering about involving yourself in? Three components related to dealing with the problem Paul’s way. #1, is involvement the right thing to do? #2, is your involvement a truth and only the truth enterprise? No gossip. No exaggeration. And, #3, are you confident God will bless your efforts to minister to that individual, rather than pulling up short and relishing your disappointment in them?
__________
[1] 1 Corinthians 5.1-6
[2] 1 Corinthians 5.3-5
[3] This is suggested by the tense of the verb swzw in 1 Corinthians 5.5, aorist subjunctive passive, referring to an objectively possible future deliverance. Such would be the case if the young man was not a believer but might become one in the future.
[4] peá½·qw
Question? Comment?
Would you like to contact Dr. Waldrip about this sermon? Fill out the form below to send him an email. Thank you.