Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20100523.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
2 Corinthians: God's Pattern For Victory Over Severe Ministry Opposition
Part X: Responding Victoriously To Severely Opposed Godly Ministries, 2 Corinthians 6:11-7:16
2. Choosing To Be Direct In Evaluating Godly Ministries
(2 Corinthians 7:2-16)
  1. Introduction
    1. When even godly ministries are severely opposed, it is difficult for well-meaning onlookers to know how to respond as both the ones making the charges and those being charged with error can seem suspect.
    2. Paul and his team faced this problem with the Corinthian believers, so one step Paul took in seeking to clarify reality was both to be and to urge his readers to become direct in facing and clarifying the facts:
  2. Choosing To Be Direct In Evaluating Godly Ministries, 2 Corinthians 7:2-16.
    1. Having called his Corinthian readers to part company with the false teachers who were slandering Paul and his team (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 with 2:17 et al.), the Apostle resorted to frank or direct discussion, what he himself called "boldness" in conversing with his readers, 2 Corinthians 7:4a KJV, ESV.
    2. Accordingly, he urged his readers to make room in their hearts to accept his fellowship, for he and his team had not wronged, corrupted or taken advantage of anyone, 2 Corinthians 7:2.
    3. In being thus direct, Paul did not mean to imply his readers were guilty of rejecting him, and thus that he was indirectly admonishing them in a disciplinary way; he was actually very committed to them (2 Cor. 7:3). Yet, Paul was using direct language (2 Cor. 7:4a) to reveal his commitment to them, 2 Cor. 7:4b,c,d.
    4. To illustrate this commitment, Paul candidly related the restlessness he and his team had known over what possible negative reaction the Corinthians may have had to his severe letter he had written until they had met Titus who reported back from the Church their acceptance of Paul's discipline, 2 Corinthians 7:5-7.
    5. Paul added that though he had experienced temporary pain upon admonishing them with his severe epistle (2 Corinthians 7:8), he was glad in the long-term for having written it due to the resulting repentance that had occurred in the Church, 2 Corinthians 7:9a.
    6. Indeed, though there was temporary grief due to Paul's severe letter (2 Cor. 7:9b), it was a godly grief that had led to a repentance from sin without regret unlike a worldly grief that produces death, 2 Cor. 7:10.
    7. Evidence of this true repentance that had come with Paul's severe ministry was abundant as he candidly clarified in 2 Corinthians 7:11 as follows (Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, p. 572:
      1. This godly grief had produced "a concerted effort to make amends," an earnestness, Ibid.
      2. This godly grief had produced "an eagerness to vindicate themselves," Ibid.
      3. This godly grief had produced "indignation against Paul's opponent," Ibid.
      4. This godly grief had produced "alarm at their own passivity and its injurious effects (2:1-4)," Ibid.
      5. This godly grief had produced "longing and concern for Paul," Ibid.
      6. This godly grief had produced "readiness to see justice done," Ibid.
    8. Essentially, Paul candidly noted he had written his severe letter not primarily for the one who had done the wrong, nor for the one (himself) who had suffered the wrong, but because the spiritual welfare of Paul's readers was bound up in their acceptance of him in that such acceptance was coupled with their acceptance of the truth that Paul and his team taught versus the error of false teachers, 2 Cor. 7:12; Ibid.
    9. Paul reported he was thus comforted in hearing the Corinthians' response as well as seeing the effect this response had produced for Titus, the messenger of the good news of their response, 2 Corinthians 7:13.
    10. Paul was thus glad that his expressed confidence in the reality of the faith of the Corinthians to Titus had proved to be true to him (2 Cor. 7:14), and Titus' affection of these folk was also edified (2 Cor. 7:15), all making Paul rejoice as it confirmed the confidence he had in the reality of his readers' faith, 2 Cor. 7:16.
Lesson: When battling the effects of false teachers who strongly opposed Paul's ministry of the truth to his Corinthian readers, he resorted to boldness, to direct speech, an approach that opened up his heart in all of its emotions, battles and stresses that he might be "read" more easily by his readers.

Application: If facing conflicts in our ministries or in viewing the conflicts of other ministries, may we resort to being transparent, that questioning people may more easily "read" the FACTS for their good!