2 Corinthians – All About Unity

Sure, he had been beaten, thrown in prison, shipwrecked, and nearly killed multiple times. But Paul seemed invincible, a veritable man of steel…until we read his second letter to Corinth, the church he had started and labored to establish.

During his second visit to nurture them, Paul got burned. Worse than the floggings felt from persecutor’s hands was the pain his own people inflicted through their rejection and animosity. Though he didn’t provide details of who or exactly what happened, the painful interaction anguished his soul and augmented his concern for their spiritual wellbeing. Determined to steer them toward repentance and truth, Paul wrote again later hoping to right the wrongs. Even as he ministered in other cities building up other believers, his heart still bled for the Corinthian church and deeply longed for their full restoration.

Finally, the time drew near for Paul’s third visit to Corinth. Sending Titus ahead while Paul finished business in a few other cities, he was more than delighted to receive word that the Corinthians had indeed repented and turned whole-heartedly to the Lord. Paul then wrote 2 Corinthians, where he opened with overwhelming praise for God’s grace and goodness toward his people. Though he mentioned the painful exchange from his previous visit, he encouraged the church to fully forgive the offenders and to defeat Satan’s schemes by uniting firmly in Christ.

He furthered the encouragement by reiterating the Christians’ one main purpose: the ministry of reconciliation between God and people, and our relationships with each other. After a lengthy explanation of exactly what God’s love in the lives of believers should look like in practice, Paul followed with a warning about imposters who were trying to tear apart God’s people. Strong words ensued, rebuking those who posed as spiritual leaders but who truly intended to puff up their position, breaking rank under Christ as the head. Paul, himself, promised to come and set straight any remaining dissension among the believers.

2 Corinthians serves as a reminder: working with other believers will not always be easy. Our sin and theirs can cause heartache and pain. But Christ’s call to unity and community commands us to leave insecurities behind as we trust Him and boldly love others for His glory.

What was Paul’s purpose in writing 2 Corinthians?

What does Paul tell us in 2 Corinthians 2:7?

Do you need to forgive someone that has hurt you?

What does unity mean to you?

Are you bold in sharing your faith?