Lesson 3 – 2 Corinthians Chapter 1:18-24 & Chapter 2:1-5

Last week Paul got personal by sharing his experience of just doing ministry, and the cost that can come when serving God. We know from reading the Scriptures that Paul went through so many trials and tribulations, and many troubles that were life-threatening. Through it all, he was never shaken because his full trust and confidence was in God.

Verse 9: “In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.”

Paul’s life is a profound testimony to the sustaining power of God’s grace, and his unshakable foundation of faith. He didn’t just endure suffering, he embraced it as a means of deeper communion with Christ, thus having a greater impact on those around him.

Paul also talked about himself having a clear conscience, that meant he lived his life guilt free because he knew he was saved by grace, and that it is grace alone that saves.

What a powerful and often overlooked aspect of Paul’s spiritual maturity. His strength in having a clear conscience wasn’t self-righteousness, it was the fruit of being fully convinced that he stood in God’s grace alone, not in guilt.

Eph. 2:8:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”

Grace is something with which many Christians unknowingly battle. One of the reasons for this is satan is always whispering doubtful things to us, and this ushers thoughts of guilt and shame about our past, which denies the sufficiency of God’s grace.

Lastly, we got a glimpse of the factions that were warring against Paul, the fact that false teachers had infiltrated into the Corinthian church trying to fill the believer’s heads with poisonous accusations against Paul, directly challenging his character.

The opposition wasn’t just external persecution, it was internal sabotage. They were agents of satan, masquerading as servants of righteousness.

We begin with a simple defense…

2 Cor. 1:18:
“But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no.”

In other words, Paul is saying, “We did not speak to you out of both sides of our mouths.”

Paul’s point is that God is truthful, and he, as God’s representative, is also truthful. No matter how his plans changed, Paul remained both loyal and honest. Paul’s integrity wasn’t measured by a flawless execution of plans, but by his unwavering loyalty to the truth of God’s Word.

2 Cor. 1:19:
“For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us… by me and Silvanus and Timothy… was not yes and no, but is yes in Him.”

When Paul says but is yes in Him… this is a declaration that they were saying yes to God’s truth in Jesus Christ. At the heart of Paul’s message was the person Jesus Christ, who completely affirms all of God’s promises to the people.

In Christ, the New Covenant finds its fulfillment, not partially, not conditionally, but fully and faithfully.

The context shows Paul defending his own reliability, but he doesn’t appeal to personal credibility alone, he points to Christ, whose unwavering “yes” is the foundation of his message. Paul’s ministry is trustworthy because it reflects the character of the One he proclaims… Jesus Christ!

There is no yes and no about Jesus Christ. He is God’s “eternal yes” to those who trust in Him.

2 Cor. 1:20:
“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.”

The promises of God in this text have to do with salvation. With the promise of salvation we find peace, joy, goodness, fellowship with Christ and other believers, forgiveness, strength, and the hope of eternal life with God.

Romans 5:1:
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

John 15:11:
“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

Eph. 1:7:
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”

1 John 5:11:
“And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.”

Every covenant, every prophecy, every hope… all culminates in Christ. Jesus is not just the messenger of God’s promises, He is the incarnation and fulfillment of them all. Our response to this truth should be worship and faithfulness, saying with Paul, “Amen to the glory of God through us.”

When Paul, Silas, and Timothy preached the gospel, their full focus was all about Christ, who by His glorious work on the cross brings to pass all of salvations’ realities.

Their message wasn’t diluted by any cultural trends or philosophical distractions. It was always Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered, and eternally significant to those who would listen.

Gal. 6:14:
“As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.”

The cross is where God’s covenantal promises of redemption, reconciliation, and new creation all are secured.

Paul boasts in the cross because it’s the place where God’s faithfulness is most vividly displayed. Through Christ’s sacrifice, the promises made to Abraham are extended to all who believe.

2 Cor. 1:21-22:
“Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”

The word established (beb-aioō) is a business term and refers to the guarantee of the fulfilling of a contract. It was the assurance that the seller gave to the buyer that the product was as advertised, or that the service would be rendered as promised.

We have a contract with God, it’s referred to as the New Covenant, and the sealing of this covenant is done through the Holy Spirit… who guarantees our inheritance and marks us as belonging to God. It’s nice to know that we are established and sealed at the same time.

Luke 22:20:
“This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Jesus inaugurates the New Covenant through His sacrificial death and resurrection, securing our forgiveness and eternal life. Jesus will call us to Himself at just the right time. He will take us to a place that no mind can conceive, and our human imagination is incapable of envisioning… a place unlike any other. Believers are established in Christ!

Romans 8:1:
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Here Paul gives us the finer details that come with Christ’s covenant… “No condemnation” means:

• No guilt before God, no eternal punishment, no separation from His love, and no shame that can override His grace.

This isn’t just a future promise from God, it’s a present reality: Paul says, “now no condemnation.” The verdict has already been rendered, and the Spirit has sealed it.

All believers have been anointed by God! The word anointed (khree’-o), means to anoint someone, it is to commission them for service.

1 Sam. 15:1:
“Then Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord.”

All believers are anointed, not just leaders or prophets. The anointing is God’s act, not ours… it’s tied to our identity in Christ.

John echoes this in his epistle:

1 John 2:20:
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”

The question for believers then becomes, are they taking their anointing seriously, or ignoring it? Following through on our anointing will bring joy, peace, and treasures in heaven.

1 John 2:27 (NKJV):
“But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”

This anointing is ongoing, internal, and instructive… it’s the Spirit’s presence guiding us into truth and empowering us for service.

God gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge…

Romans 5:5:
“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

The Holy Spirit is not only the anointing and seal that gives us assurance, but He is also the down payment or guarantee of all believer’s eternal inheritance.

Eph. 1:13-14:
“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation… having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

The Spirit is the foretaste of our inheritance… He is present now, affirming our future glory with Christ.

1 Peter 1:3-5 (NLT):
“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance… an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.”

John MacArthur said, “God set both Paul and all believers on the unshakeable and eternal promise of salvation in Christ. God has guaranteed that promise of eternal inheritance through the indwelling Holy Spirit. How foolish it was, in light of Paul’s preaching those glorious, eternal divine realities, to question his legitimacy as an apostle because of a minor change in his travel plans.”

Paul’s defense wasn’t just about his reputation, it was about protecting the integrity of the gospel. For the false teachers to undermine the messenger was to risk distorting the message, but obviously they could care less about the truth, and more about their own financial gains.

2 Cor. 1:23:
“But I call God as witness to my soul, that to spare you I did not come again to Corinth.”

A paraphrase to this text could be; “It was a good thing that the Lord closed the doors and changed my plans, because had I come as soon as I wanted, I probably would have been too harsh with you.”

This would be similar to when a parent tells their child who did something wrong and needed discipline, to go in their bedroom and wait for them. This gives the parent time to cool down so they don’t overdo it with the discipline that needs to be given.

For Paul it was about restraint, reflection, and relational integrity. It mirrors something deeper: the tension between justice and mercy, between righteous correction, and loving restoration. This change in plans gave Paul time to make sure before he got there that whatever he said or did had love in the mix.

In this time frame, the apostle was also hoping for a good report from Titus about the Corinthians’ repenting and rejecting the false teachers in favor of him before visiting them.

2 Cor. 1:24:
“Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.”

(NLT) “But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.”

Paul never wanted to abuse or manipulate the authority he had as an apostle to gain any kind of stature or power over the Corinthians, or any other church for that matter.

Paul’s stance toward authority is one of the most striking characteristics of his ministry. He had every right, apostolically speaking, to assert himself, yet he consistently chose the path of gentleness, and servant-hearted leadership, even when correction was necessary. That’s godly wisdom in action.

Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy…

Paul knew at the end of the day, after disciplining the unruly Corinthians, the end result would be that joy would return into their lives. Paul was setting them on the right path of holiness.

His goal in confronting the Corinthians was always restoration, not humiliation; holiness, not dominance; and ultimately, joy that was rooted in a renewed fellowship with God.

When fellowship with God is restored, it’s as if the heart reawakens to the light for which it was made. Thus joy returns, not because our circumstances change, but because there’s a fresh awareness of God’s presence in our life.

For in your faith you are standing firm.

When Paul uses the word faith here, he’s speaking of the Corinthians salvation, and in their salvation, they were standing firm.

Here, faith isn’t just a belief, it’s the whole reality of their salvation, their trust in Christ, and their union with Him. Paul isn’t talking about wishful thinking or having a general spirituality, he’s pointing to the Corinthians’ rootedness in the gospel, meaning their position in Christ.

Romans 5:1-2 [speaks of our position in Christ]:
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”

The Corinthians were facing affliction, confusion, and even internal conflict under the guidance of these false teachers, yet here Paul affirms to them: You’re still standing.

Nobody has authority over our faith, our faith is a private matter between us and God, and when it came to the Corinthian’s faith, Paul wasn’t trying to wield his authority over them.

Saving faith is deeply personal, having a sense of an intimate relationship with God. It’s not merely a head-level belief or some kind of cultural affiliation; it has to come from the heart… it’s the soul’s surrender to the living God.

Romans 10:10:
“For with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

A firm faith is one that wholeheartedly trusts that Jesus’ death and resurrection has fully satisfied God’s righteous judgment against sin.

This faith is not built on feelings, nor is it sustained by circumstances. It is anchored in the historical reality of the cross and the empty tomb. It looks back to Calvary and sees justice satisfied, mercy was poured out, and love displayed in its most costly form.

To believe this is to rest… to believe this is to be free… to believe this is to stand firm… not in our own righteousness, but in Christ alone.

CHAPTER 2

2 Cor. 2:1:
“But I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again.”

This verse has to do with Paul’s mindset; he didn’t want to be any kind of burden to the Corinthian believers. Rather, his desire was to be a blessing to them. This is why Paul said previously, at the end of chapter 1, “We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.”

That I would not come to you in sorrow again…

This had to do with a prior visit with the Corinthians that didn’t go well at all. When Paul found out about the false prophets stirring up trouble in Corinth, he left Ephesus immediately and made his way to Corinth as fast as he could.

When he arrived, accusations and insults were hurled toward Paul, and not one Corinthian defended him. I talked earlier about the “severe letter” that Paul wrote… this was the situation that spurred the writing of the letter.

Paul didn’t want to cause them any kind of grief, so he backed off and gave them time to consider the error of their ways, in hopes they would repent. This is why Paul had the change of plans, and that’s what the false prophets tried to cash in on, by saying Paul was indecisive and unreliable.

2 Cor. 2:2:
“For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful?”

It’s kind of obvious that Paul is showing great patience and being sensitive to their needs, but discipline would come if they failed to repent. Paul had tremendous passion when it came to the purity of the church, and it made him willing to cause them sorrow, if that is what it would take.

The only thing that would make Paul glad, would be the repentance of the Corinthians… who made him sorrowful by their actions.

2 Cor. 2:3:
“This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all.”

This reveals the depth of Paul’s pastoral heart and his hope for restored fellowship. The key was for the Corinthians to get to the place of repentance; there needed to be a change in their hearts. I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice… it was the Corinthians giving Paul sorrow and not the other way around.

A change on their part would definitely make Paul rejoice. With this in mind, Paul in no way would compromise truth and holiness over church unity… sadly, far too many churches today are willing to make concessions, just to keep their numbers up.

Deep in Paul’s heart, he was hoping the content of his letters would have a holy effect on these wayward saints…

Then his joy would be the joy of them all; they could not have mutual joy as long as the Corinthians wanted to continue in sin. This reflects the truth, that joy in Christ is communal, and that sin fractures any kind of communion. Paul’s joy wasn’t a private emotion, it was bound up in their holiness.

Paul could have exercised his apostolic authority and commanded the people to respect and obey him, but we all know the moment you lay down the law so to speak, our flesh rears its ugly head and rebels.

Romans 7:8 says, “Sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness.”

Paul realized that external pressure can often provoke internal resistance. Paul also knew to reach them, it would come through love, patience, truth, and the Spirit’s work in the heart.

2 Cor. 2:4:
“For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears; not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you.”

(NLT) “I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.”

Talk about laying it all on the line… Paul is wearing his heart on his sleeve, showing his love for the Corinthians.

It’s heart wrenching when a pastor has to harshly correct or discipline those within his congregation, but it comes with the job.

When Paul wrote that “severe letter,” I’m sure it caused him much affliction and anguish of heart and many tears.

I remember one time when I was counseling a married couple who I had been working with for quite a while. In one meeting they were going at each other so badly, holding nothing back, yelling and screaming at each other and telling lies. I tried to give them good biblical advice and prayed with them. After they left, I was reduced to tears.

There is an emotional cost of spiritual leadership, and you can feel the ache in Paul’s words, the tension between love and truth, between tenderness and firmness.

Paul knew that speaking hard truths might alienate the very people he loved. That’s the heartbreak of shepherding… loving people enough to risk their anger.

He didn’t rebuke to shame them, but to restore them. “Out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears,” Discipline wasn’t a power move on his part, it was a plea for reconciliation.

Not so that you would be made sorrowful, but that you might know the love which I have especially for you…

Paul’s goal wasn’t to make them sorrowful, but to guide them to a place of repentance. This is where his love and patience were exposed to the light, for all to see. He wasn’t wielding guilt as a weapon; he was shepherding hearts toward healing. In doing so, his love wasn’t just spoken, it was proven.

Proverbs 27:6 (NLT):
“Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.”

2 Cor. 2:5:
“But if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree… in order not to say too much… to all of you.”

The NLT words it a little better; “I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me.”

There are two schools of thought about this man who caused trouble; The first one is that he was the one in the congregation that insulted Paul publicly, and compounding this was the fact that no one defended Paul. That’s why Paul uses the phrase; ( he has caused sorrow) “but in some degree” (NLT, the trouble hurt all of you) …this meant this incident had an effect on some in the congregation.

The second point of view is this man was the one who was having an affair with his own step-mother, the wife of his father. So, we can also use the same phrase (he has caused sorrow) “but in some degree” because the congregation chose to ignore this immoral sin, and in doing so, it hurt them spiritually.

As far as Paul was concerned about this person (the one who insulted him), he had already forgiven him in his heart; Paul says, he has caused sorrow not to me. He refused to take what happened personally. Paul had an attitude of forgiveness.

The church’s earlier tolerance (1 Corinthians 5:1–2) wasn’t just a moral failure, it was a spiritual vulnerability. Their pride in being “tolerant” had dulled their discernment, and left them spiritually deficient.

Whichever offence we’re talking about, Paul rose above it. Paul was able to forgive the offender, and he wasn’t going to allow himself to be labeled as a victim here. The moment we allow ourselves to be a victim in a similar circumstance, is when pride or bitter resentment can set in.

God’s command to forgive is not just a moral suggestion, it’s a divine imperative rooted in His own character and the gospel itself. Forgiveness is central to the Christian life because it reflects the very heart of God.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:15:
“But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

This isn’t about us earning forgiveness, it’s about expressing the grace we’ve received.

Let’s close tonight with forgiveness…

Matthew 18:21-22:
“Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

Jesus doesn’t want us to get calculators out and start counting, He wants us to always to be ready to forgive. I’m sure when Paul was out in the desert being discipled, Jesus gave him that lesson on forgiveness as well.

Paul had nothing but love and forgiveness in his heart toward the person who had wronged him. He wasn’t about to let that individual steal his joy, impair his usefulness in his ministry, or even come close to becoming an overshadowing issue within the Corinthian church.

Our take-away is to examine our own lives. Is there someone in your life who has slandered or hurt you in some way. Is there perhaps a person in your family that communication has totally evaporated, and you don’t talk anymore? The point from God’s Word tonight is, if we need to forgive someone, it’s time to stop putting it off and act on it… Paul would and most importantly… Jesus would!