AUGUST 16 READING…2 CORINTHIANS 13
As Paul concludes II Corinthians, he assures them that the truth is going to come out. He warns them that he’s going to take strong disciplinary action. Paul responds to their seeking proof that he was a genuine apostle with the promise that Christ will prove Himself mighty and they will see the power of God alive in Him. Paul proceeds to admonish them that it is not Christ nor Paul who should be put to the test, but rather they should be looking inwardly to examine themselves as to whether or not they are truly born again. Paul emphasizes that they should clearly recognize that Paul indeed is born again.
Paul expresses indifference as to whether they doubt him or not, but earnestly wants them to do the right thing in living Godly lives reminding them that he is constrained by the truth. Echoing II Corinthians 12:19, Paul hope for the Corinthians is that they be made complete in Christ. Paul then summarizes his reason for writing this letter, specifically, that they would respond and correct their un-Christ like behavior, so that he is not forced to deal with them severely.
He closes with some exhortations that apply both to the church, corporately, as well as to the members, individually. He tells them to rejoice, grow up, be comforted by God, have the mind of Christ and live in peace with both God and man. He then tells them to follow through so that they will indeed experience the peace and love of God. A “holy kiss” would be a handshake in our Western world, still in use my many in the Mideast. Paul wanted to be sure that the Corinthians did not lose sight of the fact that they were part of a larger family. He was not only concerned with unity within the Corinthian church, but also with unity within the church as a whole. We see grace, love and fellowship with the Trinity in Paul’s closing benediction. May our Lord richly bless you all.
Please share your thoughts from today’s reading. I hope you have enjoyed the fantastic writings that Dan Peña has given us over the last week and a half.
TOMORROW’S READING…GALATIANS 1
Devotional written by Dan Peña