2 Corinthians 1-7

How many letters are there to the Corinthians? We're reading 2 Corinthians, and next lesson we're on to Galatians, so you'd be forgiven for saying "2" but it's actually widely believed there were four in total, and maybe even more. In 1 Corinthians 5:9 Paul references an earlier letter he wrote, and in 2 Corinthians 2:3-9 he talks about yet another letter, sometimes called the severe letter, or letter of tears, in which he harshly scolded the church at Corinth. Neither letter survives today.

What with the letter from Chloe about divisions in the church, and what appears in the severe letter to be the behaviour of one particular individual, plus the "super-apostles" mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:5, there were big problems in the church in Corinth. Paul's harsh "letter of tears" has damaged his relationship with this group of saints, and he writes 2 Corinthians in order to restore his good relationship with them, reassure them of his love, and reconcile with them. The theme of this lesson is "Be ye reconciled to God" and the book of 2 Corinthians has the theme of reconciliation, given through three angles - trials, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Trials

One theme of 2 Corinthians is that trials bring blessings. Remember the trials Paul himself suffered - nearly being scourged, several imprisonments, a couple of shipwrecks. If anyone can speak about trials, it's him. But how exactly do our trials help us, and what is the purpose of trials?

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 says that God  gives us comfort and consolation in times of trial, which in turn helps us to comfort others
• 2 Corinthians 4:6-10, 17-18 is about perspective. That "we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed … For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." However bad things may seem, in the long term we always have hope and strength in Christ
• 2 Corinthians 7:4-7 shows that in his own time of trial Paul  was borne up and supported by Titus and others among the Corinthian saints. Trials help us learn to lean on others.

In class Brother Aggrey was kind enough to share some trials he and his family went through while on holiday in Germany, and afterwards--trials so bad they still don't like to think about that time--and how they experienced these tender mercies, and more. Knowing they have come through that trial, they feel they are stronger to take on future challenges which may come.

In the next section, 2 Corinthians 8-13 which you’ll study at home, you’ll learn about Paul’s "thorn in the flesh" which he talks about in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. He's been battling with it for three years, and praying for it to be removed from him. We don’t know what this was; people have speculated that it was poor eyesight, some other illness, or some behaviour or sin he couldn’t conquer. A leading theory at the moment is that it was a person. Paul uses the pronoun “him” often and speaks of a “messenger of satan”. So Paul really did know about trials.

Forgiveness

2 Corinthians 2:5-11 lists four things should we do when someone has caused us offence or grief:

1. Accept that he has already been punished appropriately and so don't seek punishment (see verse 6)
2. Forgive him (7)
3. Comfort him (7)
4. Confirm your love for him (8)

No. 1 is difficult. Remember that in this context Paul is talking about a specific individual he has previously written to the Corinthian church about, so in this case that person had been punished by the church. But what if the person who has wronged you doesn't seem to have suffered any consequences or punishment? Lillian reminded us that "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19). We don't believe in karma in this church, but we do believe in justice however long it takes. Whatever the circumstances, we are not to enact punishment.

This passage also list four reasons why we should forgive in this way:

1. Lest he be overcome with sorrow (verse 7) - people who are unhappy and mortified by their sins may remove themselves from us, or worse. Don't let them be sad.
2. To show obedience - we have been commanded, many times, to forgive (9)
3. So that others will also forgive (10)
4. So that satan doesn’t get a foothold (11)

Reconciliation

In 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 the word "reconcile" is mentioned a lot. Paul wants to reconcile with the Corinthians, and also talks about how we are reconciled to God. "Reconcile" means to restore friendly relations, make harmonious, make peaceful, repair a relationship, or settle a quarrel. This chapter also talks a lot about repentance.

Both these words start with “re”. The prefix "re" in English means again, once more, afresh, anew, so it's not surprising that lots of words to do with repentance include this prefix. We had fun in class thinking of as many as we could, and here is our list.

In case you can't read it, it includes words such as remember, regret, remorse, resolve, redress, restitution, restore, and the most important one of all, repeat. We have to repent daily. In his talk in sacrament, Brother Aggrey reminded us that unlike other churches we don't believe that a single confession of faith is enough to guarantee our salvation forever. It's not that we believe we have to work for our ticket to the celestial kingdom (aside from ordinances such as baptism and confirmation) but that we have to continue in faith for life: endure to the end. That means we have to repent regularly, repeating as required.

No Sunday School for a whole month now - it's General Conference in October, hurrah!