Paul notes this letter precedes shortly his third visit to Corinth. With each visit, he has fully and honestly testified God's truth. Thus, each visit constitutes a lawful testimony in the presence of God. Because the third will be consistent with the other two, it will establish the facts so clearly there can be no dispute. No more Mister Nice Guy. God's judgment has already been pronounced, the sentence will follow shortly. Sin must be judged.
All this nagging about proof, as if Paul had somehow pulled up short of being fully honest with them, will be answered with finality. Yet we must bear in mind, the whole of Paul's authority is in the Spirit. He's not coming to Corinth as he did with Damascus, with writs, swords and chains, but in the authority of the Risen Christ. In every church, one would always find some who do not notice much because their spirits are dead. So it would have been in Corinth. But a significant portion of the membership, particularly the leaders, were spiritual men, and when Paul comes with a divine commission to manifest God's power, you can be sure whatever miracle of grace is needed to correct, that will happen. Their minds may be confused about things, but their spirits will not let them continue in sin. The tormenting conviction of sin is a power no man can define, nor defy.
So they had best examine themselves, as they could surely do if they chose. They should examine by the Spirit whether they are on the right track, which would surely include recognizing the spiritual authority of Paul. Modern Western churches today share much with Corinth of that day, in that people rely on reason, education, emotion -- anything except the real Presence of God Almighty and how He works. While the power of the Spirit may well include those other things, He is by no means dependent on such.
Thus, Paul counsels them to avoid evil, not so he can make himself look good, but that they should manifest truth regardless how Paul might appear in the eyes of the flesh. When he comes, those in the truth will stand unscathed. He would rather be mild among them, and focus on their strength against evil. Paul's only real concern is they find that hard narrow path and see it as the road home, that they be fully equipped to discern what matters in the Spirit. As long as they are clinging to the ways of the flesh, they can't use that equipment, and such a state would require Paul to be even more harsh in person than in his letters.
So Paul closes this letter with a few final reminders. Each is but a slender suggestion of things he has taught from the beginning. They should keep striving to pull themselves together as a single force against evil, reaching out to each other for support in the spiritual struggle, learning to adapt themselves to the spiritual mind, not that of the flesh. This guarantees the power and presence of God Himself, so keep seeking that sense of peace only He can give.
The few final verses are the standard goodbye. Of all the churches for which we have letters, this one church sounds a warning about reliance on human intellect as the path to truth. Paul's forceful repudiation of Western intellectual culture is something often missed in modern times.
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By Ed Hurst
18 September 2010
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