Not So Great Leaders – 2 Corinthians 10

In Jim Collins landmark book Good to Great, he chronicles 11 companies that “began on par with the prevailing market and became great by achieving major increases of at least three times that of the market average across a fifteen-year period.” He transparently remarks that he did not want to find that what made these companies great was a great leader, and indeed he found other qualities, but at the top he found these companies had in common leaders who were humble and yet doggedly determined to make their companies succeed.

Paul had found that the church in Corinth was suffering from leaders who were anything but humble and who were more about themselves than about Jesus Christ.

I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!—I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. (2 Corinthians 10 ESV)

Leaders among the Corinthians have accused Paul of being powerful in letters and in his absence but humble and weak in person.  They boast of their accomplishments to the Corinthians, measuring these accomplishments against one another.

But Paul assures them that his power is from God and will be just as strong when he is with them as when he is away.  His weapons are spiritual and include the truth of God which will destroy worldly arguments and render captive disobedient thoughts, and his authority in Christ will enable him to punish every disobedience among the Corinthians.  His is the authority borne of being the one who brought the gospel to Corinth, the authority to build them up, not destroy them, and an authority to take the gospel beyond Corinth to those who like them had never heard before.  The Lord has commended him and his boast is entirely in the Lord.

Paul says he will punish every disobedience when the Corinthians’ obedience is complete. That is, he will come and punish the false leaders when the Corinthians have dealt with them as false leaders should be. He is appealing for a corporate response of discipline toward these teachers who represent a worldly, and we shall see, a heretical perspective. This is the mature, godly action to take.

Some may criticize us and say we’re one way here and another there, but our lives must be the evidence of, and our God the upholder of, our reputation. And our power must not be used to tear anyone down, but only to build up. Corporately, we must also be loving and pure enough to apply discipline to purveyors of falsehood in our midst.

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

1. Why are you glad to be a part of this group?
2. If one member of this group was using your time together to push a view of Scripture that made you uncomfortable, how would you feel and what might be done?
3. Why do you think we are so easily influenced by someone who comes on strong about their beliefs?
4. According to Paul, how does his ministry and demeanor compare with the ministry of these teachers who are against him?
5. What is your responsibility for dealing with leaders who are arrogant and mislead?
6. What do you need to do to become more adept at discerning error and facing up to those who sow error and discord in your congregation?