Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20011007.htm

2 CORINTHIANS: OVERCOMING WHEN GOD'S SERVANT FACES RESISTANCE
Part XVIII: Discipling Above Popular Opinion Pressures
(2 Corinthians 12:14-13:4)
  1. Introduction
    1. One of the largest temptations to depart from God's will in service is found in errant popular opinion. Maybe it is a certain kind of sin to be exposed, or a Biblical idea to be promoted, but popular opinion even among believers actually contradicts the Bible's truth. The question then rises: "How is the discipler to keep witnessing or discipling when what God reveals he is to assert is so opposite strong popular opinion by people who errantly think they are right?!"
    2. Paul set an example for us in this very area in 2 Corinthians 12:14-13:4 as follows:
  2. Discipling Above Popular Opinion Pressures, 2 Corinthians 12:14-13:4.
    1. Though it would have made him appear more credible as a teacher to receive income from the Corinthian congregation, Paul refused such income to nullify criticism from false teachers that he had greedy motives behind his ministry, 2 Corinthians 12:13 with 11:7, 12.
    2. Indeed, the more Paul loved the carnal Corinthians, the more the seemed to reject him, 2 Cor. 12:15a,b.
    3. Paul implied in 2 Corinthians 12:17-18 the false teachers sought to charge Paul of secretly receiving payment through the Corinthian congregation's collections given to Timothy and Titus! However, Paul still refused to alter these collection practices or his refusal to receive income openly regardless of what others said or thought because he himself knew he was honest before the Lord, 2 Cor. 12:18.
    4. Regardless of their lack of respect for him, Paul warned the Corinthian believers to act righteously or he would use his apostolic power to discipline them severely upon his arrival, 2 Cor. 12:19-21 with 13:1-4.
    5. Paul then revealed the reason he could minister so courageously against popular opinion pressures that included slander: he drew his strength for ministry not from popular opinion, but from his positional standing in Christ, 2 Corinthians 13:4:
      1. Paul knew Christ had been crucified in human weakness at the hands of a hating, slanderous crowd in Jerusalem, but raised from the dead in spite of these actions by the power of God, 2 Cor. 13:4a.
      2. Taking his cue from that precedent, Paul claimed God would enable him to make discipling headway with the Corinthian believers regardless of his human opinion poll opposition from them, 2 Cor. 13:4b.
Lesson: The REAL power TRULY to disciple others in GODLINESS does NOT rotate around popular human opinion or viewpoint, but comes from Almighty God. As such, one who disciples in accord with God's will must opt to enslave himself to the will and power of God rather than serve popular opinion polls, cf. Galatians 1:10.

Application: Paul supplied some PRACTICAL suggestions on living and serving the Lord by His power opposite popular opinion pressures to the contrary: (1) The discipler needs to let Scripture be his SOLE authority of faith and practice, for then he is equipped for every good work even in spite of popular opinion pressures, 2 Timothy 3:16-17. (2) The discipler needs to keep in mind Christ's prediction in John 16:2 that some would persecute him unjustly though firmly believing they were serving God in the process! Hence, popular opinion can be a TRAP for ERROR, and one must not make popular opinion thus his rule of discerning reality! (3) 1 Timothy 1:19 informs us to keep a good conscience before the Lord. Hence, if popular opinion even among fellow CHRISTIANS rubs against our CONSCIENCE, we are obligated to side with that conscience and the Word of God to stay above error, cf. also 2 Timothy 3:12-13, 14-15. (4) If critics question our INTERPRETATION of Scripture, and we ourselves are either UNSURE of the true interpretation, we are to stay with the interpretation God allowed us to have BEFORE the challenge to our belief ever came up, 2 Tim. 3:14a, 13. There is a REASON God LET us come to that belief BEFORE it was challenged! (5) For encouragement to stand for the truth when all else fails, recall the testimony of Christ Himself before Pontius Pilate: He stood ALONE in the RIGHT, 1 Timothy 6:13.