Epistles – 2 Corinthians 9-10

In today’s passages, Paul continues to admonish about generosity in sharing and an appeal to be truthful to our belonging to Christ.

Bible Passage:  2 Corinthians 9-10

Do we actually know the importance of sharing and be generous in our sharing? Have we ever thought that in sharing, the ones benefiting will not only be the receivers, but we who give generously will also be benefited? This fact is clearly revealed in 2Cor 9:6,

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

This verse is a promise to those who sow bountifully, for they shall reap bountifully.

The promises of God to His children never fail and we, who are His children, must on the one hand understand this fact, and on the other hand, must bring ourselves to do His will. For if we are able to look at the big picture, we can see that God is in control of all things, He sees everything and He can feel all our hearts’ intents.

So whoever give with a heart of love and cheerfulness, He sees and He will surely bless us according to our deeds and love.

Have we ever looked down on someone just because that person does not appear wise or knowledgeable?

Well, I believe you and I have committed such wrong of judging others by their physical appearances or by their mannerisms. In chapter 10, the oppositions of Paul criticized Paul’s person is unimpressive and his words amounts to nothing.

Due to these oppositions’ criticisms, Paul again has to defend his ministry. Sometimes I wonder why he must do this so often. But as I read and ponder over what Paul defended himself in his epistles to the Corinthians collectively, I realized that it is a need to do so, a need that is not only vital to Paul’s ministry, but also to the faith of the believers.

Firstly, because Paul was truly a chosen apostle of our Lord, and He had entrusted the Word of Life to him so that he could preach this salvation grace to the lost. So Paul had this responsibility to take care of those who listened and received this salvation through his preaching, for Paul hoped to present them blameless before God; this was the burden that Paul had willing taken up.

Secondly, those who rejected his apostleship were the ones that could influence the sheep of God to doubt him and to reject him as an apostle. So if these oppositions were to be successful in thwarting Paul from guiding the sheep of God, the consequence would be disastrous as it would have allowed foothold for the devil to work mightily.

Therefore with these worries on the shoulders of Paul, how could he not constantly explain and defend his ministry as one that was genuinely and divinely commissioned?

Paul mentions of the weapons that he uses for the warfare. So what are these weapons? What does he mean when he says, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God”?

These weapons are to destroy the strongholds of our adversary the devil, strongholds of pride that so hinder the penetration of God’s grace and love into the hearts of man.

So what are these weapons that are so powerful?

These weapons are the doctrines of God and the discipline of the Church. Why do I say so? Because these weapons come from God, invisible and invincible, for there is power in the Word of God that sets man free from the bondage of sins, and the steadfast faith from the Holy Spirit that dwells in the children of God. Can you recall in which other epistle that Paul mentions about the armor of God that can withstand the wiles of the devil?

Finally, as children of God, we have to deeply realize our belonging in the Lord. We have been bought with the precious Blood of Jesus, whatever we do, do it all to the glory of God and not asking for any commendation from man. Paul’s quotation from Jeremiah 9:24 is very apt a reminder to us,

2Co 10:17 “But “he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”