Daily Devotions
2 Corinthians
"Open your hearts to us."
Text: 2 Corinthians 7:2
FOUNDING OF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH
Paul was the founder of the Corinthian Church. The ministry in Corinth had been difficult right from the start (Acts 18).
1. Paul ministered in Corinth with Silas and Timothy (Acts 18:5).
2. The Spirit of God was there to move and to guide Paul (Acts 18:5).
3. The Lord Jesus ministered to Paul in a vision. Assuring him of His personal presence (Acts 18:9-10).
THE DETERIORATION OF RELATIONSHIP
After Paul left Corinth to return to the home Church in Antioch, Syria (Acts 18:18), there was a lapse of some time. The Corinthian church was infiltrated by false teachers. Paul had to write stern warning letters to the church (1 and 2 Corinthians, and a missing epistle).
AN APPEAL TO A RESTORED RELATIONSHIP
Paul was conscious that he had a ministry of reconciliation. Thus, he made this appeal to the Church.
“Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one,
we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one.
I do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that
you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together.”
2 Corinthians 7:2-3
1. “Open your hearts to us”
a) Paul could not coerce the Corinthians.
b) He sought to appeal to them instead.
2. Three strong statements that needed to be declared
These were self-explanatory statements: