2 Corinthians 1 - Be Careful Not To Over Promise and Under Deliver! Let Your "Yes be Yes" and Your "No Be No"!

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Background on Paul's second letter to the Corinthians (Adapted from Insight for Living)

Paul wrote this letter at a vulnerable time in his life, when he was facing persecution and also personal struggles. He calls this personal struggle the "thorn in his flesh". Though this is his second letter we have recorded in the bible, apparently Paul wrote another to express his sorrow. See 2 Corinthians 2:1-11. 

Paul wrote this letter around 56 A.D., only about 30 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus, which makes it a very early letter. The closer the book of the bible is to the events in history, the more reliable they are. This fact always reminds us of the authenticity of the bible, especially as comparted to other religions' sacred texts. Paul wrote this letter most likely from Philippi, where he was collecting money for the sake of the overall church. 

Themes:

1. Divisions and quarrels at Corinth.

2. Defense of his apostleship.

3. He had received punishment for his faith and also profound visions and revelations from the Lord. 

4. Forgiveness and restoration for those who had fallen away. 

Applications for Us:

1. What ways do you struggle to forgive others and/or follow godly leaders?

2. Do we in the church extend grace and mercy for those who have fallen and make a diligent effort to restore them IF they are willing to repent of bad behavior unbecoming of a Christian? 

Look out for those trying to cause dissension in your church and disunity by criticizing your pastor or other key leaders!

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

As usual Paul begins his letter with a salutation to the believers in Corinth, but it is also written to people throughout the surrounding region of Achaia.

Praise to the God of All Comfort

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

Since Paul and the Corinthians were going through persecution and trials, Paul starts with words of comfort. Note God is the "God of all comfort".  God comforts us in our trials so we can comfort others in their trials. This is the rhythm in the body of Christ. Sometimes we need comfort and sometimes we comfort others. 

We all need comfort in suffering. The Christian life is not always easy and often brings suffering of various types. As we walk through suffering with the help of other believers, it produces endurance. Note this only happens when we suffer. Suffering teaches us to hold on and in the end it strengthens our faith, as we see God providing us what we need. Most importantly we are not alone. I pity those who have to suffer alone. 

Even though Paul was not always with them, they could share in his sufferings, and he could share in theirs. It reminds us to pray for believers all over the world who are suffering. Many in the world suffer much worse persecution than us. At this very moment some are at risk of dying for their faith. 

8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

The troubles Paul faced with others (Timothy) in Asia (notably Galatia) seemed to be far beyond what they could endure. Note in the moment suffering feels like something we can't get through. Paul says the suffering was so bad they even "despaired of their lives". 

I have various kinds of suffering but nothing near this magnitude. Paul and the others believers had their lives on the line. 

This extreme suffering caused them to rely on God even more. God would deliver them and their prayers were the key to this. Remember when we pray for others in their suffering, we play a key role in delivering them from their suffering. We can't necessarily see it, but it is happening in the spiritual world. This process will produce many thanks and be a great witness for the gospel. 

Paul’s Change of Plans

12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

These verses were again in relationship to Paul's defense of his apostleship, which was being questioned in the church. Paul points to his example of integrity in all of his dealings with them. Paul wrote to them clearly so as not to come across in the wrong way. In the end all their work would be revealed on the day of Christ Jesus. Paul's hope would be that they could boast in each other's work. 

This was not boasting in a prideful sense, but a sense of pride in other's work for the Lord. 

Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to know he had no “hidden meanings” in his letters. His meaning was right out on top for all to see. - Guzik

i. A cynical heart always thinks, “You say this, but you really mean that. You aren’t telling the truth.” Paul assured the Corinthian Christians that he really told the truth and he didn’t communicate with manipulative hidden meanings. - Guzik

ii. “In Paul’s life there were no hidden actions, no hidden motives and no hidden meanings.” (Barclay)

15 Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you first so that you might benefit twice. 16 I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. 17 Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”? 18 But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas[c] and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

This is where we get the saying, "Let your "yes be yes" and your "no be no"!" Another way of saying it is, "Don't over-promise and under-deliver." 

Many times it is easy, especially for those of us who have a tendency to be "people pleasers", to say "yes" without truly considering if we can do what we say we can do. It is better to say, "Let me think and pray about it!" We often overcommit ourselves by saying "yes" to everything, because we think as a Christian we should always say "yes" to everything everyone asks of us. This is especially true of pastors, which why many pastors get burned out. 

Sometimes we are being more obedient when we say "no" to something, because we know the Lord might have a more important work for us to do. We need to always need to be equipping others believers, like Paul did with Timothy, Titus, and Apollos. If we try to do everything, we can severely limit the range and scope of what the Lord can do through the church.

Finally, many of our families pay the price for our overcommitting. They see themselves as a second or third priority, which can create resentment which is not good for anybody. My example as a husband, a father, and son is very important for my congregation to see. Actions speak louder than words! 

Where are you doing too much? Where do you need to say "no" for the bigger "yes" God wants you to be working on?