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.
- Why does Paul say to the corinthians live like me?
- Isnt this a contradiction to the previous passage where he speaks about the cult of personality?
- How does Paul give them here a warning and encouragement?
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