Pride Called Out - 2 Corinthians 10

In this closing out section of 2 Corinthians, Paul is circling back to the “Super Apostles” and bringing correction and clarity on this crucial topic. If you recall from earlier, there were the puffed up Christians in Corinth that were challenging Paul and bringing up his lack of speaking skills, polish and financial status. We are about to dive into Paul addressing this again.

What hit me this morning, listening to the audio version in NIV, the Anglicised version, you hear the tone the reader brings. It expresses the passion and correction Paul is bringing. I missed this just reading the text, so this brought it home.

If you are not aware, some versions we have multiple audio, you need to tap on the audio icon in the top right of the Bible app, a player will slide up at the bottom, and you will see the text Switch Audio Bible, this lets you choose your audio when we have multiple. For NIV, I am not a fan of the default but love the British, Anglicised reading. 

 Let’s get into it.

“By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away!” - ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What we read here, we need to have the full context. Paul is quoting what some of these Super Apostles have been saying, and when you listen to to the audio, you hear the frustration raise in the voice at the end of this statement. This is about to turn into a full-on verbal correction. 

“I beg you that when I come, I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.” - ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let’s look at this in another version. 

“Now I plead with you that when I come, don’t force me to take a hard line with you (which I’m willing to do) by daring to confront those who mistakenly believe that we are living by the standards of the world, not by the Spirit’s wisdom and power.” - ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:2‬ ‭TPT‬‬

I liked reading it this way; don’t force me to take a hard line! Paul is severe and calling them out and challenging them to check themselves. Reminding them that we are not leading and ministering under the standards of this world, we are called to a different standard. 

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” - ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:3-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

More reminding, and calling to our higher purpose and calling. But man, I loved the closing of this thought. We take captive every thought! Don’t miss this. We are at war with our minds, our thoughts, our self-talk. This war is a war in our mind, a war of our thoughts. Take that stuff captive and make it obedient to Christ. 

“You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.”- ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Oh, snap! Judging by appearances, who does that?! Ouch. Stop with the worldly judgments and looking at someone and making a call on their character or nature. Paul can go here because he was living this out. Paul wasn’t the best communicator; he was poor and didn’t have the polished look of these “Super Apostles,” but God called him. Paul on paper was beyond any of these with his skills and gifts, but he didn’t boast about his abilities, be boasted about God, and the authority that God gave him. 

“So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it.” - ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

And this just is the icing on the cake when Paul boasts of the authority from the Lord, and it's about building other up! You see, in the ministry and carrying the cause of Christ, our boasting should lead to building others up, not tearing anyone down. Does our ministry look like that, are we Kingdom builders, or Kingdom destroyers or dividers? We should read this and take this to heart. 

Such a great chapter! If you have not listened to this in the British Anglican version, do yourself a favor and do that now. Pride called out; that is what Paul did in this chapter. There is no room for boasting in our self; let us only boast in the Lord. 

“But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” - ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭10:17-18‬ ‭NIV‬‬