Daily Devotions
2 Corinthians
"Lest there be contentions..."
Text: 2 Corinthians 12:20
A DIFFICULT CHURCH
Of all the churches Paul founded, the one that gave him the greatest heartache must be the one in the city of Corinth. Paul had written two strong epistles to help the Corinthian church to deal with the sin problems that had plagued the church. He expressed his fears about his next planned visit to the Corinthian Church.
“For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish,
and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish;
lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath,
selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults.”
2 Corinthians 12:20
1. “For I fear lest, when I come”
a) Paul was expressing deep concern.
b) He feared that the intended visit would not turn out well.
2. “I shall not find you such as I wish”
a) What was Paul’s wish?
b) This was a wish for all the churches.
c) That they would be seeking to perfect holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1).
d) That they would have their hearts open to Paul and his fellow-workers (2 Corinthians 7:2).
e) He feared that the Corinthian church would not be as he wished for them.
3. “And that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish”
a) The Corinthians would find that Paul could be very firm and strong in the power of the Lord
b) There would certainly be very uncomfortable and awkward situations in Paul’s next visit!
4. A whole list of sin-problems that needed close attention
a) Contentions
b) Jealousies
c) Outbursts of wrath
d) Selfish ambitions
e) Backbitings
f) Whisperings
g) Conceits
h) Tumults
ONLY ONE WAY TO DEAL WITH SIN
The Corinthians would have to seek the Lord in humble repentance. They would need to seek cleansing from the Lord! They would need to be revived spiritually.
The Lord would have to prune them as a faithful Vinedresser or they would never bear fruit! Paul’s plea to the Corinthian church must be heeded! A faithful church can become very carnal and worldly!