Bible Study 2 Corinthians 1:12-24

You may remember last week we discovered that there can be power in pain. Paul shared that there is comfort and consolation we gain from the Lord, but from each other. Our greatest confidant’s and greatest cheerleaders and comforters can come from the house of the Lord. You comfort me and I comfort you in times of our duress and distress. Amen.

We had a testimony time last week where several of you shared how the church has ministered and strengthened you in your times of struggle.

Tonight we continue in this study.

Let’s read:

2 Corinthians 1:12–14 NKJV

12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. 13 For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end 14 (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Do you question or wonder if things can ever change? Will things ever change with in a given relationship?

Do you know the text that when two or three are gathered there is conflict? No. Lol. But it should be there shouldn’t it.

We know the story of Rebekah and her sons Esau and Jacob that they struggled together even inside the womb before birth. We recently read of the differences of Cain and Abel. Same families, different children, different mindsets and the opportunity for conflict.

Grade School-One day a child likes you and the next day they pick on you. You marry-whether before the honeymoon, on the honeymoon or after, there is two people in love, but two different people. The Bible states 1 plus 1 in marriage is equal 1. That is a lifetime to accomplish. There are struggles between two becoming one.

And I am so thankful there is never conflict in church, aren’t you? Again, lol.

Right? And dearly beloved, there is good and bad conflict within the church. Thank goodness of the works of Martin Luther in the Protestant Reformation that brought the church back to primary on the gospel. The Protestant Reformation was a good thing, it challenged the authority of the Pope, the selling of indulgences (forgiveness money) , and emphasized that salvation comes by grace through faith alone, not by works or church rituals. Martin Luther, John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli joined the cause and led in the reformation that affected worship, politics, education and paved the way of our modern day emphasis on the authority of Scripture alone and the priesthood of the believer. Oh dearly beloved, there are some conflicts that are good and handled in correct fashion can be beneficial.

Arguing over the color of the carpet or the paint, or over the types of music, etc. can be counter productive to the things of God.

Let’s assume tonight that like Paul, you have had your struggles winning over a certain people group. For whatever reason you can not seem to tear down a wall of separation with another individual, a group, or someone here at the church. I believe Paul provides great example in how to handle such a situation.

Find Delight in Engaging Others With Transparency and Integrity (VV. 12-14)

In verses 12-14 we see that Paul is still in a stance of defending his integrity with a faction in the church that did not either simply like Paul, or felt that he was not an authentic apostle, or still struggled with his style of leadership. Whatever this case, Paul knew that there was a wedge with a given sector or group within the church.

In the modern vernacular Paul is saying in verses 12-14, “I’m not playing any games or any head games with you. I’ve lived honestly and transparently before you and God. I do not have any ulterior motives. I’m not being manipulative or coercive or using any psychic to manipulate you in any way. We have not used any modern-day tools of persuasiveness, or charisma, but simply relied on God’s grace.

Notice what Paul does say-”not with fleshly wisdom.” Before Christ we were of the flesh, we were carnal. Not that we are not capable of sin, but we must look at all of our fellow Christians as in Christ and accept them in the manner that Paul is asking the church to accept Himself. “This is what you get. I am what you see.”

Do you take people for face value? Do you look with simplicity and godly sincerity in trusting that what someone says to you in the church is something they mean and there hearts are pure?

I wonder if so much of our struggles have to do with looking at our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ with much of the discernment, skepticism, the filters we use with the world? Or, do we still look at each other in our actions before we came to Christ?

“For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity...”

Boasting

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 2746. καύχησις

2746. καύχησις kauchēsis, kŏw´-khay-sis; from 2744; boasting (prop. the act; by impl. the object), in a good or a bad sense:—boasting, whereof I may glory, glorying, rejoicing.

I am glorying in, I am rejoicing in the fact that I have ministered to you and loved on you in the Lord with sincerity of heart and a simple God lead, God directed manner in approaching our relationship.

He mentioned that boasting in two directions. He had confidence that He was approaching the church in that fashion, but He had confidence that that group was as well attempting to offer their best in the grace of God towards him.

1 Corinthians 2:4 “4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,”

Conscience

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 4893. συνείδησις

συνείδησις sunĕidēsis, soon-i´-day-sis; from a prol. form of 4894; co-perception, i.e. moral consciousness:—conscience.

Conscience alone is not a sufficient tool as to your discretion as to whether you have been operating in simplicity and godly sincerity.

The conscience is the inner moral compass that God has implanted in every human being. It is not the voice of God, but it is a God-given faculty that either accuses or defends us (Romans 2:14–15).

Romans 2:14–15 “14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)”

Back to some of the struggles of moment between Gentiles and Jews for that matter.

Let’s pick something simple. A Gentile is raised all his life that Saturday is a work around the house day. A Jew has been raised that you “do no work on the Sabbath to make it holy.”

Nothing wrong with either’s conscience-their conscience has been formed by different upbringings, cultures, habits, and norms of life.”

Think of it as a warning system—like a smoke alarm. But smoke alarms only help if they’re functioning correctly and not disabled or overly sensitive.

“The conscience is like a compass—but a compass only helps if it's set to true north. Some people have grown up in darkness or deception, and their internal compass is broken or pointing the wrong way. That’s why we don’t blindly follow our conscience—we bring our conscience under the authority of God’s Word. When the Spirit of God enters a person’s life, He doesn’t replace the conscience—He redeems it, corrects it, and trains it. That’s how Paul could speak of a clear conscience—not because he trusted his feelings, but because his conscience was anchored to truth and grace.”

Approach each other with the fact they are operating with a clear conscience with the Grace of God. Assume their yes is yes and their no is no. Assume there are no ulterior motives or there is not something embedded or subliminal in what they are saying. We can delight, we can rejoice when we along with the other party are working in that fashion. Assuming that can give us joy in watching in God’s timing His work in the lives of two very different individuals or groups.

Delaying Confrontation can Be Wise-Not Weak (vv. 15-24)

2 Corinthians 1:15–24 NKJV

15 And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit—16 to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. 17 Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? 18 But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 23 Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. 24 Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.

Paul writes of a change of plans in his itinerary in coming to Corinth. His plans changed. It was not the fact that Paul was wishy washy or that he made decisions lightly or that he did not keep his obligations. But it comes out in the text that Paul changed his plans for a reason.

“I planned to visit you twice…but I changed my plans. Does that make me unreliable? Am I just saying ‘Yes, yes’ and ‘No, no’ and I’m just flaky?”

This particular group that had been following Apollos or Cephas or whichever group it was that Paul was not seemingly winning over and had hurt his feelings so badly were now taking these types of actions and running with them in a wrongful mindset. “If you were an apostle, you would know the future and you would keep to what God had called you to do-that’s if you were a real apostle.”

“Rather than coming just one time and staying at length, you are choosing to come more than once just to get more financial assistance from us to help the church at Jerusalem.” Dearly beloved, if we trust our conscience without bathed in God’s Word, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can think all forms of stinking thinking.

The Corinthians apparently accused Paul of being inconsistent or indecisive. Paul is responding: “My change in plans wasn’t because I don’t care—it was because I care deeply.”

What was the real reason that Paul did not come as he said he would at the time he said he would.

He was operating with simplicity and godly sincerity in seeking God and what He thought was the ideal timing.

Have you ever decided to delay a discussion because you thought feelings were a little too raw? Timing is everything in the resolving of conflict.

There is one side in that decision in that we do not want to appear that we do not care and the matter really doesn’t bother us and we come across as insensitive in such an important relationship. We do not want that to happen.

But the other side of that coin is that we want to be bathed in prayer, we want to seek God in helping us choose life words rather than words of destruction. We want to not be as emotional and more spirit filled. This is why Paul decided to delay in his visit.

2 Corinthians 1:23–24 “23 Moreover I call God as witness against my soul, that to spare you I came no more to Corinth. 24 Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.”

"My reason for not coming was out of kindness. I didn’t want another confrontation. I wanted to give you space so that my next visit would be joyful, not painful."

This connects to what happened in the first letter (1 Corinthians). Paul had to correct serious sins—division, immorality, lawsuits, abuse of the Lord’s Supper—and likely made a painful in-person visit afterward (the so-called “painful visit,” referenced later in 2 Corinthians 2:1). Tensions were still high. So rather than charge in, Paul backed off to give them time to respond to his corrections.

Make Jesus the Constancy and Consistency of Your Interactions (VV. 18-22)

2 Corinthians 1:18–22 NKJV

18 But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

"You may question me, but don’t question the gospel. God is faithful. Christ is the ultimate ‘Yes’—He fulfills all of God’s promises. The Spirit has sealed and established us in Him."

Paul’s point here is big: “Even if my plans change, God doesn’t. His promises are sure. And I’ve consistently pointed you to Him, not to myself.”

"Don’t let my change in travel plans make you question the message of Jesus. He is always faithful—even when people aren’t."

Don’t put ultimate trust in pastors, churches, denominations, or programs. Trust the One whose promises never change: Jesus Christ.

1 John 2:20 “20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.”

1 John 2:27 “27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.”

John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace, was once a brutal slave trader. His conscience was numb—seared by years of greed and cruelty. But when a storm at sea nearly killed him, he cried out to God. That moment awakened something deep within—a conscience long dead, pierced by the Spirit of God. Over time, Newton became not just a Christian, but a pastor and abolitionist. He wrote the hymn that would change the church: “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see.”

Paul says, "Our conscience testifies..." Newton could say the same—not because his past was clean, but because God's grace had recalibrated his heart. Like Paul, his changed life became a testimony—not to his consistency, but to Christ’s faithfulness.

Application: The conscience is a powerful tool when it's held captive to the grace of God. In the end, that’s what Paul wanted the Corinthians to see—not his itinerary, but his integrity. Not his plans, but his purpose. Not his pain, but Christ’s power at work through him.

Let’s pray