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"Fellow workers for your joy..."

Text: 2 Corinthians 1:24

A FINAL WORD OF EXPLANATION

Paul gave a final word of explanation as to why he did not return to Corinth as he had planned.

“Moreover I call God as witness against my soul,
that to spare you I came no more to Corinth.
Not that we have dominion over your faith,
but are fellow workers for your joy;
for by faith you stand.”
2 Corinthians 1:23-24

1. “I call God as witness against my soul”

a) This was Paul’s way of making a very solemn and true statement.

b) This statement was like an oath!

c) If this statement was a lie God would be the Divine witness against him.

d) Paul feared and loved the Lord and he would never say anything false.

2. “That to spare you I came no more to Corinth”

a) This was the final decision Paul made.

b) He thought through many things.

c) He must have sought the Lord’s leading and will.

d) He finally decided that he should go to Corinth no more.

e) There was an additional personal reason added.

i) He wanted to spare the Corinthians.

ii) He would have to be very firm with them because of the numerous sins in the church.

iii) He did not want to go there as an angry apostle.

3. “Not that we have dominion over your faith”

a) Paul could have been easily misunderstood had he gone.

b) He could have been misread as one who sought to dominate the Church.

c) No one has dominion over anyone’s faith.

d) Not even an apostle.

e) Paul did not want to risk having the Corinthians think that he had dominion over their faith.

4. “Fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand”

a) Paul and his team were fellow workers.

b) Their focus was to help people find joy in their faith in the Lord.

c) Paul sought only to help the Corinthians to stand on their faith in Christ Jesus the Lord.