2 Corinthians 12:20; For I Fear, Lest When I Come

2 Corinthians 12:20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

In prayer and writing the Apostle Paul’s thought for the well-being of the Corinthian church. He sought that they would be delivered from the enemies of the gospel. He had prayed that God’s protection and peace prevailed before his visit. It would saddened his heart to see strife, wrath – hatred, rivalry, evil speech – slander, gossipping – tale-bearing and whispering, arrogance, disorder. It was his prayer that his letter will awakened the Corinthian church to their perils and sought that they would be led by the Spirit to do the will of God.

Romans 8:1-12 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind isenmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ bein you, the body isdead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

There is much profit spending time in the study of God’s Word for doctrines that shows the principles for life, and reproof that points out where we have erred, and correction to show us how to change, and for instruction in righteousness for the transformed life to follow, that the man of God may be matured and prepared to be God’s good witnesses through many good works (2 Timothy 3:16-1). Amen.