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and regulation had to do with matters of discipline pertaining to their outward life and conduct (i. 24). Their faith and inward religious life was a matter between them and their Lord (i. 24; cf. Romans xiv. 4-12, 22). The apostle Could lead them into a larger j oy, however, by showing them a more excellent way o f living and serving Christ. What a lesson for the pastor in his rela tion to his people! He is not to lord it over them (cf, 1 Peter v. 2, 3; Ezekiel xxxiv. 4; Matthew xx. 25, 26; Mark x. 42, 43). How beautifully Paul exemplifies this spirit in his own life (cf. Philemon 8-14). O f course, in so far as the inspired utter ances o f the apostle were concerned, they set forth the nature, requirements, and objects o f faith; so even the faith o f the Corinthian believers was, to this extent, controlled by the teaching o f the apostles. Yet, outside o f this the apostles gloried in being helpers, not lords, over God’s her itage. Faith cannot be forced. The apos tle would bring about a present joy which is an earnest and foretaste o f the heavenly joy to come (cf. Ephesians i. 13, 14; Romans viii. 23). Positively : In this sparing the Corinth ians, Paul had a personal interest—it was for his own sake as well as theirs. He was in hopes that the letter he had written them, severe as it was in its nature, would so work upon them as to bring about in them that «change o f heart and life which would give joy to both him and them. In order that this letter might accomplish this desir able end, the apostle had postponed his visit. No sorrow will be greater to the true pastor than that which comes through the failure o f his flock to appreciate all that God has purposed for them, and no truer« joy than that which comes when his people are walking according to truth (cf. Heb rews xiii. 17; Romans xvi. 19). It is necessary' at times to cause grief in order that good may come. Apparently some former visit had been made amid grief and pain.
inthians iv. 21; vii. 28; 2 Corinthians xiii, 10). This he disliked to do. He would prefer to wait until their attitude changed, so that he could come to them in love. He would be among them as a helper, not as a master. No tyrannical, despotic lord would he be (cf. i. 24; 1 Corinthians vii. 35; 2 Corinthians x. 8 ; xii. 10),j- He would gladden, not sadden them. Fellow-laborers are the apostles. He would be “a helper of their faith”—that faith which has united both,him and them to the same-Christ (i. 21 ) and which therefore forbids anything like dissembling or fickleness (cf. i. 24). Such help from the apostle was needed to make full their joy and increase their faith (cf. Philippians i. 25; Romany xv. 13). So it would seem that joy is the end o f the Christian life. Christianity is per fect when it sings (cf. 1 John i. 4). Thus the apostle explains how he would be a helper o f their joy and could not very well come to them and cause them sorrow. He postponed his visit, therefore, in order to give them time to return to obedience, that he might come to them in joy and not sorrow. He could have come to them and severely reprimanded them, but this he would not do. The change in plans, there fore, was the result o f a “ determined pur pose,’’ and not the result o f levity or fickle ness. The whole matter had been prayer fully and carefully thought out and “ deter mined.” . ( b ) The Real Reason for the Postpone ment of the Visit (t. 23 -ii. 4 ). Negatively. Paul’s visit was deferred in order that he might spare the Corinthian believers. It was a feeling o f compassion for them in their infirmity and sin that led Paul to put off a visit which must have been necessarily characterized by severe rebuke because o f their conduct (i. 23; cf. 1 Corinthians iv. 21 —-“What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?” ). Such authority in matters o f discipline (although not in the matter o f their faith) Paul had and could exercise by virtue of his apostolic function and office. The rebuke
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