ll CORINTHIANS LESSON 3

 
     We will begin this lesson in II Corinthians 2:1 "But I determined
this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness."

     Paul, in this lesson, is continuing to explain why he did not
come directly from Ephesus to them. We learned, in the previous
lesson, that he did not want to come to them while he was upset. He
thought some of the members might quit the church, because of what he
might say.

     II Corinthians 2:2 "For if I make you sorry, who is he then that
maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?"

     Paul had been gladdened at the fact that this church had begun in
Corinth. It thrilled him in his heart that he had been somewhat
responsible for the church's beginning. If he went to Corinth and said
what he needed to say, they would probably be very sorrowful.  These
people were not deliberately doing wrong. They had not been schooled
long enough in the ways of God, and they had strayed to some extent in
ignorance. Paul is just saying, that he would not hurt these baby
Christians at Corinth for anything.

     II Corinthians 2:3 "And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I
came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice;
having confidence in you all, that my joy is [the joy] of you all."

     Paul is saying, in a sense, that the letter would be better than
a personal visit, to keep down hard feelings. Paul wants to be friends
with the church people in Corinth. He feels like a parent who has had
to scold the children, but still loves them, and wants them to love
him. Paul's love for this church has not diminished at all. A letter
is sometimes taken better than an open rebuke.

     II Corinthians 2:4 "For out of much affliction and anguish of
heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved,
but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto
you."

     Paul is trying to explain, that he prayed and thought about what
he had to write to them. It was painful for Paul to have to write
anything negative to them at all. He wrote the letter with tears in
his eyes. We see a bit of an apology in this chapter from Paul. He is
saying, perhaps, I acted hastily in the punishment of the sinner.
Paul's love for these people is very much like the parent for a child.

     II Corinthians 2:5 "But if any have caused grief, he hath not
grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all."

     In this, we see that Paul is not angry with the whole church for
what this one man, who had sinned, had done. Paul is also saying, you
can not let it affect the daily functions of the church. You must get
past this moment of problem and go on. Paul's heart was broken about
the man committing this sin, but he was not overwhelmed by grief with
it. This is the only time in the New Testament that "overcharge" was
used. It means to be heavy upon, to be expensive to, and to be severe
towards. Paul is saying, in this, that he will not be hard on all of
them for what one had done.

     II Corinthians 2:6 "Sufficient to such a man [is] this
punishment, which [was inflicted] of many."

     Paul now feels that the humiliation that the man had endured from
him and the whole church, had been sufficient punishment.

     II Corinthians 2:7 "So that contrariwise ye [ought] rather to
forgive [him], and comfort [him], lest perhaps such a one should be
swallowed up with overmuch sorrow."

     Now, Paul is saying, if he desires to be forgiven, forgive him.
Take him back into the church, and treat him again as a brother. If
they will not take him back, he might never get back in right standing
with God. He has grieved enough.

     II Corinthians 2:8 "Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm
[your] love toward him."

     Paul is saying in this, forgive him, and forget the incident.
Restore him and love him as a brother.

     II Corinthians 2:9 "For to this end also did I write, that I
might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things."

     Paul was a watchman over their souls. He had given them
instruction on how to handle the situation, and was anxious to know
whether they would take his instruction and do it.

     II Corinthians 2:10 "To whom ye forgive any thing, I [forgive]
also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave [it], for your
sakes [forgave I it] in the person of Christ;"

     This is actually instruction on how they can forgive the man.
Paul is saying, in yourself you cannot. When you remember what Christ
forgave you, then Christ within you can forgive the man. Paul is
saying it is the power of Christ within him that gives him the power
to forgive. If we have something in our life that is hard to forgive,
we should remember this and allow Christ within us to forgive.

     II Corinthians 2:11 "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us:
for we are not ignorant of his devices."

     It would really please Satan for these Christians not to forgive.
If you do not forgive, you cannot be forgiven. It would please Satan
greatly, if we could not be forgiven.

     II Corinthians 2:12 "Furthermore, when I came to Troas to
[preach] Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,"

     Paul had been in Troas to minister, when he had the vision and
the Lord sent him to Macedonia. If God does not send you and open the
door for you to minister, you can forget being successful in your
journey.  Go where God sends you. Enter in at each door He opens. The
success that really counts is the success in God's eyes.

     II Corinthians 2:13 "I had no rest in my spirit, because I found
not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence
into Macedonia."

     Notice here, that Titus was more than just another brother in
Christ. Paul calls him, my brother. This indicates that Titus and Paul
were very close. Paul had wanted to wait until Titus brought
information on how his letter to the Corinthians had been accepted,
but he went on to Macedonia where God the Holy Spirit had opened a
door of utterance for him.

     II Corinthians 2:14 "Now thanks [be] unto God, which always
causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his
knowledge by us in every place."

     Jesus Christ won the victory on the cross. The victory is ours
for the claiming. The best way to taste victory is to stay in the
perfect will of God. This is just saying, that the knowledge that
Paul, or any of us, has is in Christ. We are to take no thought for
what we shall say. If we are ministering in the fashion the Lord would
have us to, the words that come from our mouth will not be from our
accumulated learning {knowledge}, but will be as an oracle of God. God
will speak through us the message He wants given.

     II Corinthians 2:15 "For we are unto God a sweet savour of
Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:"

     Anything that made a sweet savour to God had been totally
dedicated to God. If we are totally dedicated to God, it is not our
responsibility whether the message is accepted or rejected. God
appreciates us just as much for bringing His message to those who will
not accept it, as He does to those who do accept it. Either way, we
have pleased God.

     II Corinthians 2:16 "To the one [we are] the savour of death unto
death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who [is]
sufficient for these things?"

     If they reject the message that God has spoken through us, they
are lost. The great thing is, if we gave the message, we are not
responsible for their souls. Had we not given the message to them,
then we would have been responsible for their souls. If they are
determined to die, and we have brought God's redemption message to
them, God is pleased with us. Those who receive the message that God
has given through us, will receive life everlasting. Our reward is the
same, because we obeyed God. It is the person's choice to receive
life, or death. Our responsibility is to bring the message to the best
of our ability in Him.

     II Corinthians 2:17 "For we are not as many, which corrupt the
word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God
speak we in Christ."

     There are even more ministers today who corrupt the Word of God,
than when Paul wrote this. The Word of God is true. We must not change
the Word of God. It is alright to explain what you believe the meaning
of the Word to be. It is not alright to add to, or take away from the
Word of God. Paul is saying, that he was sincere in the message he
brought. Paul is saying, that his message is really God's message that
was put in Paul's mouth. Paul spoke under the anointing of the Holy
Spirit of God. Paul is saying, Christ in me is bringing you this
message. He also says, God is my witness, it is Christ speaking in me.







































                     ll Corinthians 3 Questions


1.  In verse 1, Paul had determined what?
2.  Why had Paul not come directly to Corinth?
3.  What gave Paul joy about Corinth?
4.  They had strayed in ___________.
5.  Why would the letter be better than a personal visit?
6.  How had Paul written this letter to them?
7.  Paul's love for these Corinthians was very much like a ______ for
    a ______.
8.  The sinner had grieved Paul in _____.
9.  What does "overcharge", in verse 5, mean?
10. Who had inflicted punishment on the man who sinned?
11. Should they continue to punish him?
12. Why is it so important to forgive?
13. They were to love him as a ________.
14. Paul was a watchman over their ______.
15. Paul's forgiveness was in ________.
16. If they did not forgive, whose advantage would it be to?
17. What was verse 12 saying about ministering?
18. Why had Paul had no rest in his spirit?
19. Where had Paul gone?
20. Who won the victory?
21. The victory is ours for the __________.
22. What is knowledge?
23. Anything that made a sweet savour to God was totally _________ to
    God.
24. How can we be not responsible for the lost?
25. Paul was not as many who __________ the Word.
26. You must not add, or take away from, the Word of God, but is it
    alright to explain what you believe each Scripture to mean?