"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." (NKJV)
As the founding pastor of the church at Corinth, Paul had a certain familiarity and authority in the church, the kind of authority that comes from being a teacher and mentor. But after he left to continue establishing other churches, problems came to the Corinthian church, problems that Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians and in perhaps other letters written between the two epistles.
When writing 2 Corinthians, Paul understood that people often process issues differently and on different time tables. Not everyone is convinced overnight nor does behavioral change occur quickly. Think of it. Some of the ways we view the world are deeply ingrained from when we were young; it’s difficult to change those overnight, even when we have the power of the Holy Spirit living within us. Even when we are confronted by the spiritual truth. Paul recognized this characteristic of the human condition and wanted to give the believers in the Corinthian church sufficient time to change so that his next visit didn’t have to be another stern lecture to them about their sin.
Yes, we embrace sin. Often we justify it, even continue to practice it under the guise of "doing God’s will." And when we are confronted by a loving brother or sister in Christ, we often stubbornly refuse to even consider that what we are doing is sin. This was the very situation Paul was addressing. So rather than go to visit the Corinthians while they were still working through the situation, Paul held back his visit in order to give them time to work through things.
Over the past two years, I’ve had some rather devastating changes in my life. These changes, like many in our lives, didn’t just touch me personally but also touched those around me. One important thing I’ve learned through this situation is that people process the pain of life differently. They deal with it in different ways and on different time tables. As mature believers, we need to give people time to process . . . to emotionally and cognitively deal with change. We cannot demand that they go through a difficult situation in the same way or at the same pace that we are. Rather, we need to lovingly and patiently support them, both in prayer and in care, while they deal with it.
Paul also reiterates that he doesn’t have the kind of authority that gives him dominion over them. This Greek word is kyrieuo and is the word for "lord." Regardless of the relationship that we have with another believer, we don’t have the right to demand that they do what we say simply because of our position in the church or in their lives. Paul even wrote that going to someone about their sin (having an intervention of sorts) didn’t give anyone the right to lord it over them:
"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself." (Galatians 6:1-3 NKJV).
We are, rather than lording, commanded to bear each other’s burdens and to live humbly with each other.
Paul ends this section with the phrase "for by faith you stand." Ultimately, our lives and our faith in Christ is the commonality that both binds us together and allows us to persevere for the Kingdom. If we forget our purpose, which is to serve and glorify Christ, we become nothing. If we live for our purpose, then everyday we become less so that He can become more in us. We "stand" because of our faith, for our faith, and in our faith. Without our faith in God, we are nothing.
© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.
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