Joy & Sorrow In the Mix of Ministry

A mixture of suffering, difficulty, and misunderstanding has thwarted the growth individually and corporately in the church at Corinth as Paul was writing. They had criticized Paul for not being reliable and acting with integrity toward them by not returning to visit them. Calling upon God as his witness Paul knows he has not come for the purpose of giving the time to repent and make the corrections for which he would have to discipline them if he came in their current spiritual condition. Paul's concern is not for his personal vindication but that the criticism could undermine their confidence in the Word of God. His desire is for them to make corrections necessary, doing the hard things so as to be pleasing to God and spiritually healthy so they will be growing and maturing.