LifeWay Explore the Bible Series for August 8: Relationships: The faithfulness factor

It is shame the Apostle Paul did not have access to Amazon.com. Just a quick search could have rendered a list of self-help books that could have assisted Paul in his interactions with the church at Corinth.

Maybe he would have ordered: Coping with Difficult People, How to Solve Your People Problems or possibly The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Dealing with Difficult People. The plethora of titles available suggests all of us have difficult relationships either at home, at work or in our families.  

Paul’s relationship with the Christians at Corinth was rocky. He had grown accustomed to being criticized. He had acquired thick skin. Consequently, when people criticized him, he had learned to remain faithful to the call by remembering God’s standards are the only ones that really matter. Instead of seeking the approval of others, Paul focused on the fact that only God can validate his ministry.

These lesson passages are about Paul’s faithful service as an apostle despite several challenges, including that of his relationship with the Corinthians. The emphasis is on serving God faithfully amid Christian relationships that seem to be going nowhere. This lesson encourages adults to persevere in faithful service to God.

Letters of recommendation were an important part of life in the ancient world. In a world without Internet or phones, letters were the normal means of introducing Christian travelers to churches in other areas. Therefore, when Paul says, “… do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you,” he was basically asking the Corinthians, has our relationship gotten so bad that I need someone to write a letter and vouch for me (2 Corinthians 3:1)? The question is rhetorical, of course, because Paul answers for them.  

The Corinthians had experienced new life in Christ through Paul’s ministry which should be sufficient evidence that Paul was called of God. They were a living letter of reference. Surely, such a letter was far more effective than words scribbled on a piece of paper.  

Paul has been charged with being over confident, arrogant even. And even Paul admits in Philippians that he once placed confidence in his lineage and accomplishments. He says: “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless”  (Philippians 3:4-6).

But now, Paul has learned any confidence or sufficiency he has comes from God alone.

Outwardly, Paul is “wasting away” (2 Corinthians 4:16). The hardship he has faced has taken a toll on him mentally and physically. Perhaps some of the Corinthians looked at Paul, saw all the difficulty that he faced, and began to doubt God’s hand on him. They interpreted his afflictions as God’s judgment or dissatisfaction. Still today, it is not uncommon when hardship arises for people to wonder if they have done something to anger God.

Paul refused to even consider this line of thinking. Instead, he focused on the prize set before him and wrote, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Any hardship he might face was worth it for God’s kingdom.     

Twice in the passage Paul writes, “We do not lose heart” (2 Corinthians 3:12, 4:1). “Not losing heart” also can be translated “not being cowardly” or “not shrinking back.” Today, we might say, “Buck up,” or “Do not back down.”

When I read this passage, it sounds like Paul was trying to convince himself as much as the Corinthians. He was human, after all, and God had called him to a difficult task. He must have felt discouraged sometimes. But still, he refused to give up. He found the strength to endure. But his strength did not come from his own will or tenacity. He did not simply pull himself up by his boot straps. Instead, his resolve was the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in this life.

He understood what Tomas Merton once said, “We must occupy our hearts not with the thought of arduous and cold obligations which we do not fully understand, but with the presence and love of the Holy Spirit who enkindles in us the love of good and show us how to do all things in the name of Jesus Christ.”   

Paul saw his ministry as a gift.  With this gift came the responsibility to preach the gospel. The ministry Paul had been called to, his life in Christ, was worth any affliction that might come his way.

When dealing with difficult people, we would do well to think about what Walt Whitman said: “Have you learned the lessons only of those who admired you, and were tender with you, and stood aside for you? Have you not learned great lessons from those who braced themselves against you and disputed passage with you?”  

Without the fights within the church at Corinth, we would not have 1 and 2 Corinthians. Thankfully, their difficulty gave Paul the opportunity to articulate how to live out the gospel. I also am confident that Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians gave him the chance to grow as a Christian. They tried his patience and kindled his anger. Yet despite this difficult relationship, Paul refused to manipulate and play games. He did not work behind the scenes to bring about his own will. He just continued to preach the gospel. He was faith in the midst of a difficult relationship. God calls us to follow his example.