Defend Yourself – 2 Corinthians 1:12-22

Is it ethically and biblically right to defend yourself against attack, whether physical or reputational? It is, I believe, and you’ll find an able defense of defending yourself in Christian Ethics by Wayne Grudem. But what if you are defending yourself in order to defend the gospel? That is what Paul is doing with the Corinthians.

For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you. For we are not writing to you anything other than what you read and understand and I hope you will fully understand—just as you did partially understand us—that on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you.

Because I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first, so that you might have a second experience of grace. I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. (2 Corinthians 1:12–22, ESV)

It was Paul who first brought the gospel to Corinth. The Corinthians who had responded to the gospel were Paul’s boast, and on the day of judgment, the Day of the Lord Jesus, he believed that he would be the Corinthians’ boast. But right now they were at odds with him, because, we will see, some false teachers have gained influence in the congregation and are vilifying Paul to boost themselves.

Because Paul had mentioned coming to them on his way to visit Macedonia (where the churches of Berea, Thessalonica and Philippi were), and then coming back to Corinth on his way to Judea to take the offering he had collected from all these churches, and then had not come as planned, Paul was being accused of being unreliable and fleshly. But he assures them that he was acting in the will of God. He represents the Son of God, Jesus the Messiah, in whom all the promises of God are realized.

It was this same Jesus Christ who anointed Paul for this ministry, put his seal on that ministry by working miracles through Paul and bringing many to faith, and who gave him His Spirit as the guarantee of future redemption. All believers are indwelt by this Holy Spirit who is like a down payment on the glory of the kingdom and is the source of their unity in Christ. Can that unity be maintained?

Paul is fighting for that unity to be restored. He loves this church and their relationship to the gospel is at stake. Unity with Paul means unity with the truth, with the gospel. He is fighting for their spiritual lives.

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

1. What sort of impression do you feel you give to others?
2. When was your impression of someone corrected and how?
3. What is your comfort level with Paul defending himself to the Corinthians?
4. When it comes to unity with fellow believers, why should we care?
5. In what way are you letting your impression of another believer affect your unity with them?
6. How can you overcome this impression and take a step toward unity with your brother or sister in Christ?