Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Previously looking at 2 Corinthians and took a break
  • We last looked at 11:2 in a Communion Service
  • Then looking at Marriage and the Family
  • Now returning to 2 Corinthians
• Paul had tremendous love for God's people
  • Many would have walked away from the Corinthian church
  • He was a true under-shepherd
    • Jesus was the ultimate/true Shepherd
• Paul's first visit for 18 months
  • A tremendous promise - the salvation of "much people"
  • Despite opposition he continued to minister (free of charge)
  • He did all he did to relieve them of burdens
• Through the passage of time, infiltrators had come into the church
  • Paul begins to counteract these false teachers
  • He begins confronting deception in the Church
• His first letter was a corrective letter
  • His second letter was severe but is missing from Scripture - the people had repented of their sins but they were still under danger
    • Are we alert to such dangers?
• Overview
  • Paul's concern for the church (v1-4)
  • Paul unmasking false apostles (v5-15)

Paul's concern for the church (v1-4)

• Is often not overcome by logical reason/argument
  • There needs to be much prayer
• Paul is very impassioned (v2)
  • He fears for the people (v3)
  • He is worried they may put up with false teaching (v4)
  • He is seeking to wake up the Corinthians
• Paul says the behaviour of the Corinthians (10:18) in comparing preachers is folly
  • He has to come down to their level (v1)
  • He needs to counteract what they are saying
  • He needs to remind them he worked for free
  • He need to remind them of his credentials - weakness and suffering
• Godly jealously (v2)
  • As the church planter - he feels a responsibility towards them
  • He does not want them to be corrupted or polluted
  • He wants to see the church presented as a perfect bride
  • Example
  • He says things delicately but boldly
  • He is very clear (v13)
• Possible deception (v3)
  • Satan twisted God's word and deceived Eve
  • False teachers seek to deceive and twist God's word - examples
  • There is simplicity in Christ - in faith
    • We must not go off on tangents
    • The gospel of Christ must be our focus
  • These deceivers are over complicating things
    • Things are not to be added to the truth of the gospel
• Paul has a deep concern for the Corinthians
  • We must have a deep concern for the truth of the gospel of Christ - faith in Christ alone
    • Works are fruits of faith
    • We must not mix up law and grace
  • Be careful with those who add and take away from the gospel
    • Those who tone down sin
• We must hold to the whole counsel of God
  • We must pray for pastors, preachers, evangelists and elders
  • We must pray for each other

Paul unmasking false apostles (v5-15)

• He does this by first speaking about himself - light exposes darkness
  • He is not inferior (v5)
    • He is not double minded
  • He is not untrained (v6)
    • He is not trained in speech but is in knowledge
    • The truth of his situation was evidence amongst them
    • Paul's epistles are weighty
  • An example of self-sacrificial service (v7-10)
    • Paul never took any renumeration during church planting (only once established)
    • He was prepared to work with his own hands - a menial job
    • He did not want to be a burden in any way
    • Other churches trusted so much in Paul - they sent him financial gifts
      • Why should the Corinthians distrust him?
      • They should be thanking him for his self-sacrifice
      • A false idea that a free message has no value, that avoiding payments means he wants no attachment to them
    • Paul did it for love (v11)
  • Application:
    • How much do we love the Church of Jesus Christ?
    • The danger of listening to Evangelical gossip
    • We need to test all things
• He begins to speak about the false teachers (v12ff)
  • He does not want them to have opportunity
  • He is clear - they are false teachers
    • Jesus said 'do not be deceived', 'beware of false prophets'
    • Example of the fruits of false teachers - Jude, 2 Peter
  • They are not apostles - they are false
  • They are workers - but deceitful
  • They come across as light - but they are darkness
    • Never has there been a time when Christians could be more deceived
    • We must be careful what we hear and read
  • They come across as ministers of righteousness but are ministers of unrighteousness
• We are to be ministers of Christ
  • We must not move from the primary issues - though we may disagree over secondary issues
  • We must preserve gospel truth
  • We must talk about concerns and have balance
• Closing:
  • Reading 1 John 2:18-21
  • We know the truth - let us stick to it