Rejoicing Toward the Church Members 2 Corinthians 1:12

As Paul the apostle continued to share with the church members in Corinth, he told them how they were,“helping together by prayer for” he and his companions. He also mentioned how “the gift bestowed upon” them “by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on” their “behalf”. In chapter one and verse twelve of Second Corinthians, Paul referred to how he and his companions were, “rejoicing” in his life toward the church members, where we read:

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

The verse begins, “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, ...” Paul began with the word, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “our rejoicing” or “Paul and his companions' act of glorying or boasting” “is this” which means “concerns what he is about to write”, “the testimony” or “the witness” “of our conscience” which means “of Paul and his companions' souls as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former and shun the latter while commending one and condemning the other”, “that in simplicity” or “which is in singleness, sincerity and mental honesty” “and godly” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “sincerity” or “purity, ingenuousness and clearness”. Paul referred to the manner in which he and his companions' “witness” pertained to “godly” “sincerity and ingenuousness”.

The verse continues, “ not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, ” Paul added the words, “not with fleshly” which means “having the nature of the flesh, human or animal nature which is not by the Spirit of God” “wisdom” or “broad or full intelligence”, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “by the grace” or “through that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness and unmerited favor” “of God” which refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”. Paul knew his “wisdom” or “knowledge of the way to live” was not according to the “natural, flesh nature” but was through God's “unmerited favor”.

Finally the verse says, “we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly toward you” Paul continued, “we have had” or “Paul and his companions had” “our conversation” which means “their abiding, living and behaving” “in the world” or “within the whole circle of earthly goods with it's endowments riches, advantages and pleasures”, “and more abundantly” which means “to a greater degree, more earnestly and exceedingly” “toward you” or “to the church members”. Paul and his companions “lived” in the earth in a manner that was “exceedingly more” toward the church members than themselves.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we note to whom he gives credit for his manner of living. God Almighty and His Spirit were the governing force of “wisdom” in Paul and his companion's lives, and as they received God's “wisdom”, while not relying upon their own, their attention was toward the church members of Corinth rather than themselves. Jesus Christ is interested in every person, and their “salvation eternally” is His objective. Without Jesus, people are condemned, “for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:17-18) We, like Paul and his companions, should be “rejoicing” toward other believers, and when people receive Jesus as their personal “Lord and Savior”, we should conduct ourselves in “wisdom” that follows the Holy Spirit of God.

Next time Paul declares, “we write none other things unto you, than what you read or acknowledge”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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