Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. 2 Corinthians 13:7-10
The first thing we notice here is Paul is praying for the Church. As Charles Spurgeon once said “A praying Church is a powerful Church” As Jesus demonstrated to us in John 17 , we must pray for one another. Even when we have disagreements or get on each other’s nerves, we need to pray for one another as a family. Alot of these people in the Church of Corinth hated Paul, yet he continued to pray for them
Paul has a great message for the Church “We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” This is a great message for the Church today also, we can’t go against the Word of God no matter how much the world wants us to. The Bible is the Word of God, which is our truth and authority, when we degrade the Bible, we lose our foundation of authority which is why we see so much compromising in the Churches today
I’m sure alot of those in the Church of Corinth was asking “Who does Paul think he is”? Remember Paul was an Apostle, as he says here “According to the power or authority which The Lord has given me” The Apostle Paul was acting under the authority of Christ, just as your Pastor is authorized by Christ himself also, the Church has order and structure. Another reason most Churches are disfunctional is because they don’t submit to the authority and order ordained by Christ himself
So what was Paul’s main goal for his teaching and shepherding of the Church, as Paul says its “to edification and not to destruction” Everything Paul was doing was for the benefit of their souls, this should be the same purpose for everything we do. We should strive for edification of the Church and not the destruction
Pray without ceasing for one another, read the Bible and lean upon its authority as the Word of God, edify the Church in all circumstances , Amen!