A Study in II Corinthians Week 13

II Corinthians 12:1-21

Experience does not prove the ways of God. We can have many experiences, good and bad, many of which have nothing to do with God’s way of doing things. If our experience does not conform to the Word of God, it is not the way of God, whether it is successful or unsuccessful.

1-6 Paul relates an experience here and he cannot tell us whether it is an actual experience or a vision. A man is caught up into the “third heaven.” (The 1st Heaven is the atmosphere. The 2nd Heaven is space. The 3rd Heaven is where God the Father resides.) This one returns to earth and is not allowed to give us a report of what the 3rd Heaven is like.

Three people have ascended into heaven: Jesus; John, in the book of the Revelation, and this one here. None of them has given us a full report of what it is like. We have only bits and pieces. But we will know just when we need to.

If it had been only his own reputation at stake, it would have mattered little. But it was the gospel itself that was in jeopardy.

7-10 Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” has been the topic of many theological discussions. What was it? Here is the definitive answer: we don’t know. Anybody who tells you they do know, watch out for them…they’ll lie to you about other things, too.

God’s grace is sufficient for every circumstance. His power is shown forth in our weakness. We should delight in our weaknesses.

11-18 This is the second time in these chapters Paul has avowed that he is in no way inferior to the "super-apostles," who claim to have the power of the Spirit at their disposal (11:4; 12:12) and extraordinary visions and revelations to their credit (12:1).

Paul is drawing the Corinthians' attention to the fact that this will be his third visit. His first visit was an eighteen-month stay that saw the establishment of the Corinthian church (Acts 18:1-18). The second visit was a painful one for Paul. While he was there, someone in the congregation
publicly insulted him and challenged his authority, demanding proof that Christ was speaking through him (13:3).

19-21 Paul asserts that he has the best interests of the church at Corinth in his heart.

He fears, though, that when he gets there, he will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.

Do we find any or all of those in our churches today?

So what do we do about them?

The answer is that we submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ…the one whose birth we celebrate in this glorious season!

The Spirit of Christmas is not shopping or giving, it is God’s Holy Spirit reminding us of why He came…to die for our sins.

Thought for the day: Works don’t lead us to Heaven; they follow us to Heaven. Dr. Adrian Rogers.