Corinthians II 10:7-18
In this text, Paul outlines precisely why a person’s ultimate reference helps or hinders their efforts in not only proclaiming, but living out the gospel as examples of Christ. His words reflect heavily on the interoperability of royal kingship in the kingdom of God, where effectively every citizen will operate with monarchial rights and obligations. If we are Lords unto ourselves, the universal royalty of God’s kingdom is compromised and the order falls apart. Apostleship is not about personal attention or personal power.
Rather, the gospel of Christ has to serve as the ultimate reference and source of authority for all members – eliminating the risk that by self-assurance, a leader will fall away from the kingdom and drag others with them.
Paul specifically warns against external shows of power – the temptation to assume that because a person is of greater stature or skill, they are somehow above another. Everyone, regardless of their strengths, skills or other forms of power is still under Christ – they must belong to Christ if they want to retain their place in the kingdom.
Paul daringly extends this into the realm of the apostleship. He doesn’t allow the apostles, who may easily boast of their power and seniority, to be above the people. In fact, they restrain much of the power given to them by Christ so as not to frighten neophytes away.
Paul ironically recalls words of his reputation – that his letters are weighty, yet his bodily presence is weak and his speech quite poor. Paul applies the principles of fair strength to their concern – what he says with strong words from afar he lives out boldly in their presence. He is not all talk, but the real deal according to his service to Christ.
He then lays out the argument for equal yoking under Christ, and this is a powerful and forward-thinking argument that really says something about Paul’s foreknowledge of the kingdom of God and how it operates.
If a person holds their own better judgment as a reference unto their own behavior – if they do what they believe is good and think everyone should too – they are neglecting the source of goodness which is always outside of themselves.
The apostles, Paul argues, wield their power differently. They do not extend their authority outside of the scope that the Lord has set in motion for their purpose on earth. The apostles look to the Lord as the ultimate reference for their actions, and in the case of service to those who desire to be members of God’s people, the sphere of influence includes them.
Another way of putting is this: if the people Paul spoke to were not interested in being a part of Christ’s body and living eternally in God’s kingdom, they would be outside of Paul’s sphere of influence. Paul cannot coerce them through force to join the kingdom – that is beyond the authority that he has been given.
On the other hand, it is the will of the people to follow Christ and obey the will of God that enables Paul’s authority. While they wish to follow Christ and rely on the message of the gospel for eternal life, Paul and the apostles wield authority over them simply because the apostles are talking the talk and walking the walk that God has given to them.
This is what Paul means when he says that the apostles do not overextend – they do not push beyond what they are empowered to teach. They share faith in Christ and as people grow to want Christ on their own, they approach and the ‘sphere’ of apostolic labor increases in size. Reading this carefully, it should be observed that there is no real place or need for human zeal – that is, the true application of apostleship is one of presence and reference. For those who seek Christ, they are present. And for those wish to follow Christ, the apostles provide all the references required to enter the kingdom pipeline directly.
The engagement is one that is approached with humble reflection – not aggressive tactics that try to win human beings under one’s personal authority.
Apostles are not gurus – they are not interested in followers or in competing with each other in terms of personal displays of prowess. They share what God has given them and allow the gift of God to serve as the limitation of their boast, accepting those who see the wonder of God as brothers and sisters and reorienting them toward Christ as the ultimate reference if they start to go astray. This is why Paul recalls that ‘He who glories must glory in the Lord.” Those who glory in themselves and their ability to lead do not meet the Lord’s approval. They tend to fragment the body and frustrate the effort of the apostles to keep the church together.
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© 2006 Jacob Gorny