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2 Corinthians Chapter Ten

 
Chapter Ten General Review
 
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
 
1) To understand the nature of the war in which we are engaged, and to
 appreciate the weapons we have that are "mighty in God"
 
2) To see the folly of judging others by outward appearance, and in 
 comparing ourselves with others
 
SUMMARY
 
Having concluded his discussion on the collection for the saints, Paul
now returns to his own defense, especially as it pertains to his
conduct and authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He pleads with 
them in the meekness and gentleness of Christ, hoping that by so doing
it will not be necessary to use boldness in their presence against some
who think Paul conducts himself according to the flesh (1-2). While he
admits that he walks in the flesh, he does not war according to the
flesh since he has weapons that are mighty in God and effective for
winning arguments and bringing others to obey Christ (3-6).
 
He then responds directly in regards to his detractors. Some were 
evidently judging Paul on outward appearance, that while he sounded 
weighty and powerful in his writing, his physical presence was weak and
contemptible. But Paul's authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ was
real, and what he was in word when absent, he could be in deed when
present (7-11).
 
We can also infer that some of Paul's detractors took pride in 
comparing themselves with others. Such a practice was unwise, and Paul
was one who would boast only in those areas in which God had appointed 
him to serve. That would include the Corinthians themselves, for Paul 
would only go to areas where the gospel had not been preached and that 
is how they had come to believe. Reminding them of this, Paul had hope
that they would assist him in preaching the gospel in regions beyond 
them. He then admonishes them to boast only in the Lord, and to 
remember that not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the 
Lord commends (12-18).
 
OUTLINE
 
I. PAUL PROVIDES AN EXPLANATION FOR HIS CONDUCT (1-6)
 
 A. HE PLEADS WITH THEM IN MEEKNESS AND GENTLENESS (1-2)
 1. With great emphasis, he stresses that he himself is pleading
 with them by the meekness and gentleness of Christ (1a)
 2. It appears that some misread Paul's humility in person as 
 weakness, and that only in absence was he bold (1b)
 3. But he is hoping that it not be necessary for him to have the
 confident boldness he is prepared to use against those who 
 misread Paul (2)
 
 B. THE NATURE OF THE WARFARE, AND WEAPONS MIGHTY IN GOD (3-6)
 1. While walking in the flesh, he does not war according to flesh
 (3)
 2. For the weapons he uses are not carnal, but they are mighty in
 God (4a)
 3. Such weapons are capable of:
 a. Pulling down strongholds (4b)
 b. Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts
 itself against the knowledge of God (5a)
 c. Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of
 Christ (5b)
 d. Being ready to punish all disobedience when their obedience
 is fulfilled (6)
 
II. PAUL'S RESPONSE TO HIS DETRACTORS (7-18)
 
 A. TO THOSE WHO JUDGE ON OUTWARD APPEARANCE (7-11)
 1. No matter how it might look, rest assured that Paul is 
 Christ's (7)
 2. Even if it were necessary to boast about the authority the
 Lord gave him, Paul would not be ashamed (8)
 3. There were some who thought Paul hid behind his letters, while
 in person he was weak (9-10)
 4. Yet Paul was ready to be in person what he was in his letters
 (11)
 
 B. TO THOSE WHO BOAST OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS (12-18)
 1. Paul considered it unwise to compare himself with those who
 measured themselves by others around them (12)
 2. If Paul boasted, it would only be in that area God had chosen
 for him, which included the Corinthians themselves (13-14)
 3. He would not boast in other men's labors (15a)
 4. He had hope that the Corinthians would help him to preach the
 gospel where others had not gone (15b-16a)
 5. In that way he would not boast in another's man 
 accomplishments, but only in that which the Lord enabled him
 (16b-17)
 6. In the end, only the one whom the Lord commends is approved
 (18)
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
 
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
 - Paul provides an explanation for his conduct (1-6)
 - Paul's response to his detractors (7-18)
 
2) With what two qualities of Christ-like character does Paul plead 
 with the Corinthians? (1)
 - Meekness
 - Gentleness
 
3) What does Paul hope would not be necessary when he was with them in
 person? (2)
 - To act in a bold manner against some
 
4) Though Paul walks in the flesh, what does he not do? (3)
 - War according to the flesh
 
5) In what four ways are the weapons of our warfare "mighty in God"?
 (4-6)
 - Pulling down strongholds
 - Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself
 against the knowledge of God
 - Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ
 - Ready to punish all disobedience when one's obedience is fulfilled
 
6) Upon what basis were some people evidently evaluating Paul? (7)
 - His outward appearance
 
7) What accusations were being made against Paul? (10)
 - His letters are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is
 weak and his speech contemptible
 
8) What did Paul tell such people to consider? (11)
 - That what he was in letters when absent, so he will be in deed 
 when present
 
9) What did Paul say was an unwise practice? (12)
 - To measure one's self by others
 
10) In what area was Paul willing to boast? (13-16)
 - That in which God had appointed him (i.e., preaching the gospel
 where others had not gone), and not in other men's labors
 
11) In whom should we glory? (17)
 - The Lord
 
12) In the end, who is it that is approved? (18)
 - He whom the Lord commends

Weapons Mighty In God (10:3-5)
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. In our text, Paul writes of a "war" in which Christians are 
 engaged...
 a. A war where weapons are used that are "mighty in God"
 b. A war that has as its objective to:
 1) "pull down"
 2) "cast down"
 3) "bring into captivity"
 
2. Exactly what is this "war"? What "weapons" do we use?
 
3. Understanding the answers to these questions can help us be more 
 useful and productive "soldiers" in the "army" of God
 
[Let's begin our study by first identifying...]
 
I. THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE IN THIS TEXT
 
 A. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THAT FOUND ELSEWHERE...
 1. It is not quite the same war described in Ro 7:23 or 1 Pe 2:11
 2. In those passages, a different war is being discussed
 a. One in which there is a battle raging inside each one of us
 b. In those passages, the warfare is one that is INTERNAL
 
 B. THE WARFARE IN OUR TEXT IS EXTERNAL...
 1. In which we are engaged in battle with OTHERS
 a. The context of 2 Corinthians should make this clear
 b. For Paul is defending his apostleship and ministry against
 false teachers
 2. This "war" is one which involves:
 a. "arguments"
 b. "knowledge"
 c. "thoughts"
 -- Such is the "field of battle" in this war
 3. This is a war that is fought whenever we try to...
 a. Lead a brother out of error
 b. Convert someone to Christ
 4. The "objective" in this war as described by Paul:
 a. To defeat any argument or position which is "against the
 knowledge of God" (what He has revealed) - 2 Co 10:5a
 b. To bring a person who has held such thoughts...
 1) "into the captivity to the obedience of Christ" - 2 Co
 10:5b
 2) I.e., to become a "servant of Christ"
 
[Such is the "warfare" of this passage. You might not have thought of
it in this way, but every time we are trying to teach someone we are
engaged in a "battle" for Christ! How are we to "fight" this war?]
 
II. THE "WEAPONS" OF THIS WARFARE
 
 A. WHAT THEY ARE NOT: "CARNAL" OR "FLESHLY" (4)
 1. E.g., weapons that may be used "AGAINST" the flesh...
 a. Such as the sword, gun, bomb, etc.
 b. These weapons may take "people" captive, but not 
 necessarily their "thoughts"!
 c. Their "bodies" may be enslaved, but not their "minds"
 -- This was the flaw inherent in the Crusades
 2. E.g., weapons that are "OF" the flesh...
 a. E.g., hatred, contentions, outbursts of wrath, selfish 
 ambitions
 b. Such emotions are "works of the flesh" and are referred to
 in Ga 5:19-21
 c. Unfortunately, these "works of the flesh" are often used as
 "weapons" to win arguments
 1) At best all they can do is silence the opposition 
  (through intimidation)
 2) But at what cost?
 a) The opposition is not saved (which should be our 
 goal)
 b) And the Christian who uses such "weapons" falls under
 the condemnation of Ga 5:21
 -- So our weapons are not to be "carnal", either against the 
 flesh or of the flesh
 
 B. BUT WE DO HAVE WEAPONS, AND THEY ARE "MIGHTY IN GOD"!
 1. First and foremost, we have "the sword of the Spirit" - Ep 6:
  17
 a. Which is the Word of God
 b. Unless we use this Word, all our efforts will be in vain
 c. For it is the Word of God that is...
 1) Living and powerful - He 4:12
 2) Able to produce faith - Ro 10:17; Jn 20:30-31
 3) Able to save our souls - Ja 1:21
 4) Able to cause one to be born again - 1 Pe 1:23
 2. We must also "speak the truth in love" - cf. Ep 4:15
 a. I.e., presenting the Word with a Christ-like attitude
  b. This involves such qualities as:
 1) The "meekness and gentleness of Christ" (as used by Paul
 himself, 2 Co 10:1)
 2) Also "patience" and "humility" (as Paul taught in 2 Ti 
 2:24-26)
 c. These "qualities of character" are indeed powerful 
 "weapons"
 1) They can do wonders to diffuse volatile situations
 a) Notice Pr 15:1
 b) In contrast, consider Pr 26:21
 2) They can make it possible for people to:
 a) Discuss controversial issues without controversial
 behavior
 b) Disagree without being disagreeable
 c) Argue without being argumentative
 d) Contend without being contentious
 
 C. TO BE EFFECTIVE, WE NEED THE "WHOLE" ARMOR OF GOD
 1. As soldiers of Christ, we need...
 a. Not just the "sword" of the Spirit
 b. But also the "fruit" of the Spirit - cf. Ga 5:22-23
 -- Otherwise, we might do ourselves harm in mishandling the 
 Word of God!
 2. We need to "adorn" the truth of God with meekness, gentleness,
 patience and humility
 a. Do not think that we are going to persuade people by the
 "force" of our actions
 1) Such is likely only to intimidate them into silence or
 reluctant acquiescence
 2) Unless they come to "believe with all their heart", any
 obedience is futile - cf. Ac 8:36-37
  b. If they are teachable, they must be won over by the "truth"
 of our arguments, assisted by the "application" of that 
 truth in our own conduct
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. So the weapons that we have which are "mighty in God" include such
 graces as "meekness," "gentleness," "patience," and "humility"
 
2. Such "weapons" greatly enhance the opportunities for our greatest
 weapon (TRUTH) to do its job; and should be utilized whether it be 
 in:
 a. Our evangelistic efforts
 b. Our Bible classes
 c. Our church business meetings
 d. Our personal discussions
 e. Public debates in defense of the truth
 
3. This is not to suggest there is never a time for "righteous 
 indignation"; but I fear that what is often excused as righteous 
 indignation may really be:
 a. SELF-righteous indignation
 b. Our CARNAL nature
 ...getting in the way of the progress of truth!
 
May we be quick to use the "meekness and gentleness of Christ" in all
our efforts to win others to the truth, for they are truly "Weapons 
Mighty In God"!

－－《Executable Outlines》

The Authority of the Apostle

His Looks Is Unimpressive

His Speaking Amounts to Nothing

I. Make People Obedient to Christ

1. Bold to Fight

2. To Demolish Strongholds

3. Capture Every Thought

II. How to Exert Authority

1. To Build Up

2. Not to Pull Down

3. Exert Properly

III. The Ministry Assigned by God

1. The Commissioned Ministry

2. Marked Out by God’s Grace

3. Greatly Expand