“Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?”
Paul was very unappreciated by the church of Corinth. Some of them believed that Paul was not a legitimate apostle due to his lack of eloquence of speech.
In verses 14-18 he highlights his love for the Corinthians. How does he do this? Through Paul’s parental care, abundant love and pious partners.
Paul didn’t want anything to get in the way of them hearing the Gospel so he made sure to not be a financial burden, refraining from charging them for his preaching and teaching. The false apostles tried to use this to manipulate the Corinthians into thinking that he was a false teacher for working for free.
Paul’s approach was to be a living sacrifice for the people whose souls he labored for. He wanted to see them grow in holiness for the apostles labored for the salvation of the people of God.
Faithful servants give.
False shepherds are in it for glory or personal gain instead of the furthering of God’s kingdom and the laying down of one’s life for the people of God.
Jesus’ mindset was to betroth the saints to Christ.
Parents make sacrifices for their children’s needs as Paul does for the people in Corinth; he approaches them with a parental care as he would most gladly spend himself for them.
Paul’s love for the Corinthians is a product of an overflowing of joy in Christ. We ought to be the same with our time and attitude towards others.
Do I gladly serve others and share the gospel or do I grumble and hold back?
Paul was willing to sacrifice himself for their souls - for the advancement of others.
2 Timothy 2:10 (everything for the sake of the elect and the furthering of the Gospel.)
Spiritual maturity is operating for the sake of the advancement of the Gospel and the souls of the elect despite our comforts and selfishness.
This is the heart of ministry. We are to love others and spend ourselves as Christ did.
Paul knows the importance and eternity of souls, that one will either commune with Christ in glory or burn in hell. We stand before God either in Christ our outside of Christ. Don’t gamble on your soul and assume that things will just magically work out in the end.
All sufficient merit - it is done it is finished no more debt I owe.
Romans 8:1 ‼️‼️‼️
If you are in Christ, Christ is in you.
Matthew 10 - they can kill one’s body but they cannot kill one’s soul.
Do I understand the great value of a soul? Do I pray that God would save souls? Do I go out of my way to get the gospel to souls? Do I go out of my comfort zone for the sake of souls? (Holy conviction)
We go out of our way for what we value. (BARS.)
If we value our soul as a believer than we should feed it well with reading, prayer and meditation on Christ.
God’s love never diminishes for us. WHAT A GIFTTTTT. He doesn’t have “degrees” of love for HE IS love. Amen.
The false teachers are calling Paul crafty and cunning which is ironic for that’s what THEY were.
“It’s customary for the wicked to accuse the sons of God of doing what they would do if they only had the power” -John Calvin (paraphrased haha)
We should have a desire that every soul would come to Christ.
What good do we do to another person if we don’t tell them that they have a great problem to which Christ is the great and only solution?
Every soul in the church needs to continue to grow; be an encouragement in the growth of your brothers and sisters.
Isaiah 53:10-12
Let us not forget how much Christ values our souls, let us not think lightly of the sacrifice that has been made for our souls.