2 Corinthians Lesson 8

Introduction by narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Spreading the soul-saving message of Jesus. And now, Timothy Sparks and Ben Bailey.

Ben Bailey:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). I’m Ben Bailey.

Timothy Sparks:

And I’m Timothy Sparks. Welcome to our study of 2 Corinthians 12 and 13. This lesson is brought to you by individuals and congregations of the churches of Christ. We hope you will visit the churches of Christ in your area and let them know how much you appreciate their support of this broadcast. If you have a Bible question or a spiritual concern, they would be happy to assist you with it. If you would like a Bible study, they also would be glad to help you with that. We, too, would like to be of service if we can. Visit us on our website at www.thegospelofchrist.com, where we have streaming audio and video lessons of our broadcasts. You may download these and use them to assist you in your study of God’s Word. We also are making available CDs of these broadcasts, as well as VHS and DVDs. We will be glad to send any of these to you completely free of charge. We want to do whatever we can to help you in your study of God’s Word.

As Paul begins 2 Corinthians 12, he says, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago —whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows —such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” Paul then discusses his “thorn in the flesh,” and how he had petitioned God that it might be removed.

Ben Bailey:

We do not know what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was. Paul had petitioned God three times to remove the thorn, but God’s response was always: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). There are numerous possibilities. For example, it may that Paul had poor eyesight, since we know from certain of his epistles that he had to write “with large letters.” Some have suggested that perhaps during his missionary journeys, Paul had contracted malaria, and wanted God to heal him of that dreaded disease. Others have suggested that Paul’s thorn was merely his deep and abiding concern for the churches he had established—churches that were undergoing severe persecution in some cases. The issue really isn’t what the specific nature of Paul’s thorn in the flesh was. The issue is that he had some problem that affected him on a daily basis, and that he asked God to take away. Yet God refused to do so, that His grace might be made manifest in Paul’s life.

Timothy Sparks:

This point is important for us today, too. God’s grace is abundant. It also is sufficient. Whatever trials and tribulations we experience, we will be able to endure through God’s grace. We, however, must be people who are willing to accept this fact. Paul had to come to grips with this. He had begged the Lord three times to take away his thorn in the flesh. But God did not remove it. Instead, He wanted Paul to understand that this constant affliction—whatever it might have been—should serve to remind the apostle of God’s grace. Paul’s response, recorded in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, was: “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” God’s strength and grace work most effectively when we come to realize that we, on our own, cannot deal effectively with sin and the trials of this life. As we learn from 1 Peter 5:7, we must cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us. While Paul might have been tempted to deal with his thorn in the flesh on his own terms, he would eventually come to realize that he simply couldn’t cope with it. Paul finally came to realize that God’s grace reaches completion in our weakness. As Jesus put it in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:3). Spiritually, on our own and without God we are paupers; we are spiritually bankrupt. We have to learn to depend completely and wholly on God for all of our spiritual nourishment. God had a plan for the apostle Paul. And He has a plan for each of us. Sometimes, however, it seems that we have to be “taken down a notch” in order for God to work through us. There is a grain of truth to the old saying, “You cannot truly stand, until you learn how to kneel.” James 4:10 teaches us, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Peter taught that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:5-6). We, therefore must learn to consistently clothe ourselves with humility, because as long as we are proud, God will oppose us.

Ben Bailey:

God’s grace certainly helps us to deal with life’s trials and tribulations. Practically speaking, that grace can help us deal with trials related to our health, our families, and even our spiritual problems. When we come to realize that as a result of God’s grace, we will eventually be able to go to Heaven, it should help us be able to deal with whatever problems come our way. Paul alludes to this in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 when he says that “in my infirmities, the power of Christ rests upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Our weaknesses are not the worst thing that can happen to us. Far from it, in fact. Those weaknesses can be turned to our advantage, and can make us better than we might have been before. The Bible speaks a lot about the “refining” nature of God’s Word. It’s like refining metal. When you apply the heat, the flaws are exposed and can be expunged—resulting in a better, stronger, more valuable metal. Now, apply that same concept to the Christian life. When we have to “endure the heat,” so to speak, when we are “being refined” by the problems of this life, we learn to deal with our flaws, so that, in the end, we are better than we were before. Our trials and temptations help us see who we really are. Don’t think that because you have a set of problems, God doesn’t love you or care for you. It may be exactly the opposite, in fact. Romans 8:28 reminds us that “all things work together for good to them that love the Lord.” We need to learn not to let our trials hinder us, but instead, help us.

Timothy Sparks:

The obstacles we experience in this life can be turned into “stepping stones to glory.” As long as this world exists, God’s people will suffer trials and tribulations. We will have problems. Christ suffered. He was tried. He was tempted. Yet because He was able to overcome all those things, He has empowered us with the ability to do likewise. When we are weak, then we can become strong—through Christ. We do have help in this regard. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:15, “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.” Everything we do needs to be done with eternity in view, and for the sake of saving souls. Paul mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11 how he had been beaten, shipwrecked, and even left for dead—all for the sake of the Gospel. He even said that he would take pleasure in persecution, if it would help him save others. Whatever we are called upon to sacrifice—physically or financially—for the sake of spreading the Gospel of Christ, we should be willing to sacrifice. Whatever it costs us, we will be repaid spiritually in this life—and in the next. As Paul put it in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” So as we look at Paul’s comments that he would gladly “spend and be spent” on behalf of the Gospel, we need to look for applications that we today can make.

Ben Bailey:

We must learn to put others before ourselves. In 2 Corinthians 12:19, Paul said that everything he did was for the edification of others. Too many times we are so self-centered that we aren’t really as concerned about others as we need to be. Paul said that the things he did were accomplished out of concern for the Corinthian Christians. How concerned are we today about others—about the problems they face on a daily basis? We need to make room in our lives for concern for others—family, friends, and those with whom we come in contact from time to time. Of course, the greatest concern we could ever show is to share with someone the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is how Paul expressed his love for the Corinthians—by teaching them the Gospel, by writing letters to encourage them, by visiting them. He did everything he could to make sure that those people in Corinth had as many opportunities as possible to obey the Gospel. The same needs to be true of us. We need to look for as many opportunities as possible to help others obey the Gospel. Maybe you could drop someone a card. Maybe you could set up a Bible study. Maybe you could make a phone call. Whatever we do, we need to find ways to help others be exposed to the Gospel. In Paul’s case, we have a clear instance of someone who was willing to put others first.

Timothy Sparks:

The idea is: God first, Jesus second, others third, and self last. If we don’t put things into proper perspective, then we won’t be able to get our priorities straight. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “Seek you first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.” If we seek God first, He will provide our food, clothing, shelter, and other needs. In 2 Corinthians 13:4, Paul says of Christ, “For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.” Paul’s point was that we must always put Christ first—even (especially!) when we are weak. Christ, at the time of His trial, crucifixion, and death, was made weak. But through the power of God as displayed at His resurrection, He triumped. We also may endure times when we are “made weak.” But, as a result of Christ’s triumph through His resurrection, we, too, have the promise of an ultimate triumph through our resurrection (1 Cor. 15). In 2 Corinthians 13, Paul urges us as Christians to test ourselves, to ensure that we are worthy of being disciples of Christ.

Ben Bailey:

Apparently, some in Corinth had made false accusations against Paul, and as a result, had sinned. Paul offers a strong rebuke, and in 2 Corinthians 13:5, says, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” Paul’s point was that some in Corinth were not “in the faith”—meaning they were not remaining faithful to God’s Word because of the things they were saying and doing. Paul was urging those people to carry out some serious introspection, in order to be sure that they were what they were supposed to be. We, today, during our Christian walk, should keep 2 Corinthians 13:5 near and dear to our hearts. We should examine ourselves daily, to be sure that we are living as God wants us to live. This passage contains two important teachings. First, it shows us that we can fall away. Second, it teaches us that we need to constantly examine ourselves, to be sure that we do not fall away. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:21, we are to “prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good.” This is good advice. Sometimes, we deceive ourselves into thinking that we are doing what we ought to be doing, when, in reality, we aren’t living correctly. This is a very practical lesson that we all need to learn. We need to make sure we don’t have sin in our lives. Examine yourself right now. If you had to account for everything you’ve done in this life, would you be pleasing to God? Or, is there some sin that besets you—that might keep you from living with God throughout eternity? We need to be sure that we live properly in God’s sight. Salvation has two parts. First, God does all He can. God has done that. He gave us the gift of salvation through the gift of His Son Who died for our sins. That’s God’s part. The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men (Tit. 2:11-13). Salvation is here; it is available, and can be accessed. But then comes our part. Once we have received and obeyed the Gospel, we must be faithful. Grace and faith both play an important part in salvation, as Paul made clear in Ephesians 2:8 when he wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” God is going to make us do something against our will —something that we don’t want to do. God will encourage us. He wants us to remain faithful “unto death” so that He can give us a crown of life. He won’t do it all for us, however. We must do our part.

Timothy Sparks:

Sometimes, people seem to think that prayer is a “fix-all” for every problem. Yet we see that in the Old Testament, there were times when God told His prophets to stop praying for the people. Yes, prayer is important, as James 5:14-16 makes clear. But there comes a time when faith must act. God has a plan. And it is something we must do. Would the people in Acts have been acceptable to God if they had simply prayed, rather than going out to preach the Gospel (Acts 8:4)? Would it have been all right if they had failed to communicate and distribute the Word of God? We must, like Jesus, “be about our Father’s business” (Lk. 2:49). In 2 Corinthians 13:8, Paul said that “we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” James made the same point when he said that we need to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jas. 1:22). If we are living our lives in opposition to the truth, that won’t accomplish God’s purpose for salvation. Jesus came “to seek and save the lost” (Lk. 19:10). Paul wrote, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15). Everything we do should be “for the truth,” and not against it. Everything we do should be in accordance with the will of God, and intended to help spread the truth. In court, people are asked to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. When we teach the Gospel, we are teaching the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But when we teach the doctrines of men, then we are stepping outside the bounds of what God wants us to teach. Make sure that you test, or prove, what you hear by comparing it to the Word of God. And, examine your own life to ensure that you are “in the faith.” Be sure that you have obeyed from the heart the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because it is only that Gospel that can save our souls. Paul’s message here to the Corinthians should help us understand the importance of faithful compliance to the Word of God.

Ben Bailey:

In 2 Corinthians 13:9,11, Paul said that he wanted the church in Corinth to be “complete.” Sadly, the Corinthian church was not complete. There was division. There was carnality. There was immorality. There were people trusting more in the preacher than in the message. There were people who were suing one another. There was confusion over the subject of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. There was confusion over the issue of the Lord’s Supper. Some claimed that Paul was not a real apostle. And so on. It’s evident, as you read the two books of First and Second Corinthians, that the church in Corinth was not “complete.” But Paul’s prayer for these people was that they be complete and whole. Can you honestly say that your own life is as complete as it should be? Do you pray as much as you should? Do you do as much as you can to spread the Gospel? Do you read your Bible as much as you should? Perhaps right now, some of us in the church aren’t as complete as we need to be. One of the lessons we need to draw from the last few verses of Second Corinthians is that while we have time and opportunity, we need to make ourselves complete in God’s site. We need to study the fruits of the Spirit as enumerated in Galatians 5:19. Let’s see if we really do have the joy, longsuffering, and peace that we need to have. Let’s look at passages such as 1 Peter 1 and 2 Peter 1, to see if we’re growing properly in brotherly love, godliness, and the other virtues of which Peter speaks. Let’s make sure that these things are in our lives, but that the devil is not! One of the things that is evident in First and Second Corinthians is that Satan can get into our lives and make us incomplete. To be complete, we have to become a child of God. What does the Bible say that a person has to do to become complete and accept God’s salvation?

Timothy Sparks:

As Paul brings Second Corinthians to a close, he writes: “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you…and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Cor. 13:11-14). In order for us to be of one mind, and to live in peace and communion with God, there are several things we must do. In John 8:24, Jesus said, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” We must believe that Jesus is Lord of our lives, and is the risen Savior Who died for our sins. We must believe that so much that we are willing to change. Jesus demands that when I become His child, I change from the world to Him. In Luke 13:3, Jesus said, “Unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish.” So, we must believe. And we must repent. Plus, we must make the good confession that Jesus is the Son of God (Romans 10:9-10), and then we must be baptized for the remission of our sins. Jesus said, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). In 1 Corinthians 12:13, we read, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” How important is baptism? Without baptism, you cannot be a member of Christ’s body.

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Narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:

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STUDY QUESTIONS FOR 2 corinthians lesson 8

1. In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Paul said he “knew a man” who had been “caught up to the third heaven” and who had been able to visit “Paradise.” Who was that man? What was Paul’s point in this discussion?

2. Paul said he had a “thorn in the flesh.” What was it?

3. Paul commented in 2 Corinthians 9:10 that “when I am weak, then I am strong.” That sounds like a paradox. Explain the apostle’s statement in light of the teaching in 1 Peter 5:7.

4. In 2 Timothy 3:12, Paul wrote, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” In Romans 8:28, he said, ““All things work together for good to them that love the Lord.” Explain the importance of these two passages when considered together.

5. While he was writing to the Corinthians, Paul told them that he would “gladly spend and be spent” on their behalf” (2 Cor. 12:15). What was his point?

6. Paul said in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Explain his meaning (incorporate into your answer Revelation 2:10).

7. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mt. 6:33). In 2 Corinthians 13:4, Paul wrote, “For we also are weak in Him [Christ], but we shall live with Him [Christ] by the power of God.” Discuss these two passages as they relate to one another.

8. Paul wanted the Christians in Corinth to know that everything he did was for their “edification” (2 Cor. 12:19). What does that mean? How does the principle apply to us today?

9. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul told the Corinthians, “Test yourselves.” Why?

10. Paul said that some of the Corinthian Christians were no longer “in the faith.” What did he mean by that?

11. Can a person, once he or she has been saved, be lost? In your answer, discuss Galatians 5:4 and 2 Corinthians 13:5.

12. There are two parts to salvation. What are they? Who is involved in them?

13. Jesus said that He had to “be about His Father’s business” (Lk. 2:49). Does that same principle apply to us? If so, how? What is the implication of such a concept?

14. In 2 Corinthians 13:8, Paul urged Christians not to do anything “against the truth.” Explain his statement.

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