AM July 22nd 2 Cor 4

July 22nd

16: Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 17: For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church. 18: Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. 19: But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. 20: For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21: What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

Paul concludes by appealing to the Corinthians to follow his example. This is not in a tone of arrogance by in deep humility. He says copy me. Live like l live; believe the things l believe and do the things l do. How many ministers of the Gospel can say this? Most say don’t do as l do but do as l say. This is a measure of Paul’s sincerity. Paul was a man of God through and through and if the Corinthian believers do copy him they will be doing alright. Then Paul says to this end l have sent Timothy to you to bring everything that l have taught you to your memory. Timothy didn’t come with some new truth but he came to remind them of what they might have forgotten. And what he will bring is the same teaching that is taught by Paul in all the churches. Paul did not cut his message to suit the people he was with at the time. Many ministers have views which they do not talk about because they know that they do not suit everybody in every place. Paul was much too sincere than to do that. If Paul came to preach you had the lot. Paul says some have said Paul won’t come here meaning we will sort him out. But l will come very soon God willing and then we will know not the talk but the walk. The kingdom of God is not all talk it is the power of the Holy Spirit operating in the lives of believers. So how would you like me to come to you? Will l need to come with a rod to discipline you or in love to bless you and in a spirit of meekness? This was Paul using his apostolic authority to the fullest extent. They were his converts and he would bring the full discipline of God upon them if they are unwilling to deal with matters in the church. In the next chapter he outlines his teaching on matters to be dealt with.