Paul's Suffering and God's Righteousness

Paul Accused of Walking in the Flesh

Paul composed a letter to the church in Corinth and said that when he was with them, he was humble, but when he was away from them, he was bold. He was concerned about those who had been accusing him of walking in the flesh. He replied that he did walk in the flesh, but he did not attack according to the flesh. In fact, he had divine weapons against the flesh. He could destroy the arguments against him based on his knowledge of God. The apostles were the first to come to Corinth with the gospel of Christ. Paul wanted the faith of the Corinthians to increase, and as it did, the apostles' influence would become more significant. The apostles did not intend to boast about themselves but only to boast about Christ.

False Apostles

Paul noted that it was he who had introduced the Corinthians to Christ, and that made him jealous in a sense. He warned them about false teachers who would lie like Satan had lied to Eve in the Garden of Eden, taking them away from sincere devotion to Christ. He admitted that he might not be the best speaker, but he had superior knowledge of Christ. He had taken offerings from other churches to minister to them. He had not asked anything of them, even when he was in need, but had given the gospel freely. Some people claimed to be apostles, but they were like Satan, who pretended to be an angel of light. These false apostles would get what they deserved in the end.

Suffering as an Apostle

Paul stated that no one should think he was foolish. These other false apostles boasted in themselves but not in God. They claimed to be Hebrews and Israelites, descendants of Abraham, and servants of Christ. Paul told the Corinthians that he was all of these things as well as a better servant of Christ. He had suffered imprisonments and countless beatings in which he had come close to death. He had been brought before the Jews five times and whipped with thirty-nine lashes. (Forty lashes were said to kill a man.) He had been beaten with rods three times. He had even been stoned once. He had been shipwrecked and adrift at sea. He had barely escaped death by being lowered in a basket from a city wall. He had suffered all of these things, but when he was weak, he was strong, because God was with him.

Paul was worried about the church in Corinth. The true apostles had performed signs and miracles among them, and the church in Corinth had been treated equally with the other churches—the only difference was that Paul had not burdened them with his presence. He was ready to go to Corinth for a third time and would still make sure not to burden them. He contrasted parents saving up money for their children with children saving up money for their parents. It was the parents that were obligated, not the children. Paul was like a parent who would gladly spend for his children. Paul also pointed out that none of the apostles (such as Titus, for instance) that he had sent had taken advantage of the Corinthians. Titus had acted in the same spirit as he had. Paul feared what kind of reception he would get in Corinth.

Paul wrote that on his third time coming to Corinth, all charges against him must be confirmed by two or three witnesses. On his last visit, he had warned the sinners that they would not be spared. They wanted proof that it was God speaking through him, and they were about to receive it. Paul cautioned them to examine themselves to see if they lived in faith. He prayed that he did not have to use his authority severely; he preferred to build up and not tear down. He closed this letter by asking the Corinthians to live in peace with one another.

Romans

Paul also composed a letter to the church in Rome. He announced that he had been set apart to deliver the gospel of Christ. The prophets had foretold this gospel in the Old Testament. These prophets had said that Christ would come from the house of King David. Christ was declared the Son of God according to the Holy Spirit, as evidenced by His resurrection from the dead. The disciples had received grace and apostleship from their faith and obedience to Christ.

Paul spoke of his desire to go to Rome. He mentioned how he always prayed for the church in Rome, and by God's will, he would one day be allowed to travel there. He wanted to give the people there the spiritual gifts that he had to offer, and he hoped that they would use these gifts of the Spirit to encourage each other. He was obligated to share this gospel with the Greeks and the barbarians along with the wise and the foolish. He was eager to preach the gospel to the Romans as well.

Live by Faith

Paul proclaimed that the righteous should live by faith. He was proud of the gospel and its power to bring God's salvation to the Jews and the Greeks.

God's Wrath and Man's Foolishness

Paul talked about how God had revealed His wrath, which would come against ungodliness and unrighteousness. God had plainly shown what could be known about Him. His invisible attributes had been perceived since the world had been created. The people knew God but did not honor or thank Him because they had become foolish. Despite their foolishness (and because of it), they thought that they had become wise. They had worshipped false gods resembling men and animals. They had given up the Creator for the creature. They had abandoned the truth for a lie. The women had exchanged natural relations with unnatural relations. Men had done the same thing, exchanging natural relations for unnatural relations with other men and receiving the punishment for their actions. They had stopped acknowledging God, so He had allowed them to do wrong. They had become filled with unrighteousness and all manner of wrongdoing.

God's Judgment

People had no right to judge anyone else because they were guilty of the same sins as those that they judged. God's judgment would fall on those who practiced evil, and judgment could not be escaped through judging other sinners. Paul contemplated whether people relied upon God's patience and kindness without knowing that these qualities were meant to lead sinners to repent of their sins. Since people were not repentant, they were storing up God's wrath for the time when God, in His righteousness, would judge.

God would dole out this judgment based on the works of each individual. He would give eternal life to those who sought glory and honor by doing right. The unrighteous who did not obey the truth, however, would receive God's wrath. There would be trouble for everyone that did evil. The Jews and the Greeks alike would receive this punishment. Glory and honor would come to those who did good.

If people sinned under the law, they would be judged by the law. If they were not under the law, they would die without the law. It was not those who heard the law that were righteous, but those who obeyed it that were righteous. If a Gentile had never received the law but naturally followed it, the law was written within that person. If a person had the law as the Jews did, and preached against stealing yet stole anyway, then that person had blasphemed the name of God in front of the Gentiles. If what any person did was unrighteous, then it served to show the righteousness of God. The Jews were no better than the Gentiles because both were under sin.

Righteousness through Faith

The righteousness of God had been set apart from the law. Even the Law and the Prophets acknowledged this. The righteousness of God through Jesus Christ was available to those who placed their faith in Him, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24, ESV®). God was the God of the Jew and the Gentile. The law was not overthrown by this faith but rather upheld.

Summary

Paul was facing problems with the church in Corinth. They had been listening to false apostles. Paul had made many sacrifices during his missions to the Corinthians. He had not asked anything of them but had paid for his ministry through his work and donations from other churches. He let the church in Corinth know that he had suffered many physical trials and tribulations throughout his ministry. He wrote that he wanted to return to see the Corinthians.

Paul also wrote to Rome and spoke of the gospel of Christ. He explained that the righteous should live by faith. God's wrath would come against the unrighteous. The righteousness of God had been given through grace to those who believed in Christ.

Application and Reflection

Application

Paul wrote that all had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The grace of God saves us. There is nothing anyone can do to be saved other than have faith. Grace is given and not earned.

Reflection

Paul was having trouble with the church in Corinth. False apostles had come and caused dissent within the church. We should ensure that we stand guard against false apostles, even today. Would you be able to recognize a false apostle if you met one?