The time of this letter was a time of great affliction for Paul but, in the affliction, he had received comfort from the Lord. The sufferings of Christ were “abundant” for him but so was the comfort “abundant” through Christ (v5). Paul was so convinced that he would die in Asia that his only hope was to rely on God who raises the dead (v9). The prayers of God’s people were definitely helping him (v11) in his time of trouble and notice that Paul’s love for them was also “abundant”(2v4).

This letter to the church in Corinth was written soon after the first one and we have a conclusion to the sad episode of the Christian who had to be excluded from the fellowship because of sexual sin. Happily, the man had seen the error of his ways and Paul urged them to accept him back and (2v7,8) re-affirm their love for him.

WE ARE THE FRAGRANCE OF CHRIST
In chapter 2 14-16 we read that there is a victory in Christ, a triumphal procession, and we have a fragrance through knowing him. That aroma of Christ goes out to both those who are being saved and also those who are perishing but not all receive the fragrance of life. Paul saw himself as a person sent from God and standing in His presence(v17).

THE GLORY OF THE LIFE OF THE SPIRIT
The work of God in a person’s life is the work of the Spirit of the living God on their hearts (3v3). God had given them the ability to be ministers of a new covenant where the Spirit gives life (v6). The old ten commandments brought a glow of glory to the face of Moses (v7) but they just told us how bad we were (condemnation v9), whereas the ministry of justification abounds in glory. There is freedom in the presence of the Spirit (v17) and, by seeing the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed by his Spirit into his image, from one degree of glory to another (v18).

TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS
We do not have to add any spin onto our message, just speak the truth, and it is as if we have a treasure in the plain clay jars of our body (4v7). This makes clear that “this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.”  Somehow the death of the old life makes the life of Jesus more visible in us (v11). Our outer nature is wasting away (v16) but our inner nature is being renewed day by day and one day Jesus will take us into His presence, eternal glory beyond all measure (v17). In fact, we groan a bit in our earthly tent for we would much rather live in our heavenly dwelling (5v2). Meanwhile we have the Spirit as a guarantee of our future (v5) and, in faith, we just seek to please Christ (v9) because one day we will stand before His judgement seat (v10).

URGED ON BY CHRIST’S LOVE
The love of Christ urged Paul on and, just as He died and rose for us, so we can die to our old life (v14) and live for Christ (v15) and in Christ, a new creation (v17). We are ambassadors for Christ (v20) and we take his message of reconciliation, that God no longer counts our sins against us. Jesus took this sin on himself that we should be rid of it and become righteous (v21).

The commitment of Paul to his ministry led to much hardship (chapter 6) but he was full of love and the fruit of the Spirit (v6), powerful and sacrificial. There was no restriction in Paul’s affections for the Corinthians (ch 6v11,12).

WE SHOULD BE SEPARATE IN HOLINESS
There is an important passage in Chapter 6 (v14 onwards) which makes clear that we should separate ourselves and not have partnerships with unbelievers. We are God’s temple (v16) and He wants his presence among us and, just like the old testament house of God, we should touch nothing unclean (v17). Our lives are important (7v1), we need to cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and Spirit, making holiness perfect in the fear of God. In Chapter 7 we find that it was Titus (v6) who brought Paul the good message that their godly grief had led to repentance (v 9,10).

A GIVING LIFE
In chapters 8 and 9 Paul encourages the Corinthian church to contribute to his fund for helping the church in Jerusalem, which had been suffering famine. He pointed to the example of the Macedonian church who, though in extreme poverty, had “abundant” joy which overflowed with generosity (8v2). They had voluntarily given according to their means and even beyond it. Paul was anxious that the Corinthians should also excel in giving and remember that Jesus became poor that they might be rich (v9). I think it is implied in verse 13 that the Corinthians were relatively wealthy and Paul refers to the manna in the desert where there was no advantage to hoarding it (v15). He felt that a Christian’s “abundance” should flow to the need of another. In chapter 9 we see some of the clearest teaching about giving:

“The one who sows sparingly (v6) will also reap sparingly and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” The gift should be given cheerfully (v7) and not reluctantly and God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance (v8) so that you have more to share in every good work. It is interesting that a verse from Psalm 112 is referred to here (v9) for it is a psalm full of the blessings received by those who obey the Lord and how they bless others through their righteous, giving lives. God will multiply your seed for sowing and thereby increase your harvest of righteousness (v10). “You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity” (v11). All in the context of God’s indescribable gift (v15).

DON’T JUDGE EACH OTHER BY HUMAN STANDARDS
Paul had the sadness to be misunderstood by those he had brought the Gospel to, because they judged him by human standards. This was where they were wrong because the divine war we wage is not merely human but has divine power to destroy strongholds (10v4). This power can destroy arguments and everything that is raised up against God, including peoples bad thinking (v5). The authority that Paul had was to build them up and God had given him a job to do, a field within which he should do his work (v13), a sphere of action (v16). We have to be careful that we don’t follow those who boast and commend themselves, rather we must look for those who the Lord commends (v18).

Paul had a real heart of love for the Corinthians and was heartbroken when he thought that other leaders were taking them away from (11v3) a “sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” Maybe some looked elsewhere to trained speakers (v6), people who looked more professional because they wanted to be paid for their work (v7). In fact, still worse, some boasting leaders were disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness but were in fact agents of Satan (v13,14). Paul explained how God’s way had not been glamorous for him, despite his good pedigree, and in verses 24 to 28 he lists many of the severe beatings he received, his stoning and shipwrecks, his hunger, hardship and anxieties.

POWER MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS
Paul had had some amazing spiritual experiences but the problem with great revelations is that they can make you proud as a Christian. That is why Paul had to have his thorn in the flesh (12v7) to stop him becoming too elated. This would always prove a reminder to Paul from the Lord (v9) that His grace was sufficient for him and power was made perfect in weakness. Paul learnt the hard way that we are strong when we are weak and that the power of Christ can dwell in us, only, when we are humble and recognise our need.

FELLOWSHIP IN UNITY AND LOVE
Paul felt a responsibility for the quality of Corinthian church life where he feared there might be all kinds of problems (12v20) that can divide any fellowship, like quarrelling, jealousy and gossip Any matters, for him to deal with, should be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses (13v1). In his weakness he would help them by the power of Christ’s life. Paul encouraged them to examine themselves to check they were living in the faith and that Christ was in them (v5). His heart was that they should be a fellowship living in a unity of love (v11), in which God could be present with His love and peace. Perhaps his heart for them can be summarised by what we know as the grace to be found in the last verse of the book:

“the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you”. They should live in the love that the Godhead had for them.