Changing Plans for Love

We saw that some in Corinth doubted Paul’s intentions and love. Today, we will look into one particular reason: his changing travel plans (2 Cor. 1:15–2:4).

Paul had been in Corinth before. According to 1 Corinthians 16:5, 6, he planned to pass through Macedonia on his way back to Corinth and, perhaps, stay in Corinth for the winter. From Corinth, he would go to Judea with the offering collected for the poor in Jerusalem not only in Macedonia, but also in Achaia, Galatia, and Asia. However, he changed his plans because of a bad report brought by Timothy from Corinth (1 Cor. 4:17, 1 Cor. 16:10, 2 Cor. 1:1).

Paul intended to go straight from Ephesus to Corinth and there address the issues reported by Timothy. The new itinerary would be Ephesus—Corinth—Macedonia—Corinth—Judea (2 Cor. 1:15, 16). He went from Ephesus to Corinth, but then he returned to Ephesus. His plans changed. He didn’t go back to Corinth as planned, at least not immediately, because his latest visit did not go well. So, he returned to Ephesus and wrote to them instead. He would rather send a letter than risk worsening things with another visit (2 Cor. 2:1, 3).

Paul’s intentions on the last visit were misinterpreted. Some in Corinth said that he was unreliable and that he did not love them enough (2 Cor. 1:17). In his response to the accusations, he moved the Corinthians’ eyes to the gospel of Christ. He was faithful to his intentions to visit the Corinthians at the best opportunity, just as God had been faithful in fulfilling His promises to them through Christ (2 Cor. 1:18–22).

“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2 Cor. 1:20, NKJV).

Thus, his response was not a confusing mixture of “yes” or “no” dependent on the circumstances, as they said, but was “always Yes,” just as God’s work in Christ is “always Yes” (2 Cor. 1:19, ESV).

Therefore, the reason Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians instead of visiting them was his sincere love for them, not the opposite (2 Cor. 2:4). Another visit right after the painful visit would bring them further pain, not the joy he intended to cause with his presence (2 Cor. 1:24, 2 Cor. 2:3). How easily his good intentions were misinterpreted.

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Additional Reading: Selected Quotes from Ellen G. White

About this time there came to Ephesus members of the household of Chloe, a Christian family of high repute in Corinth. Paul asked them regarding the condition of things, and they told him that the church was rent by divisions. The dissensions that had prevailed at the time of Apollos’s visit had greatly increased. False teachers were leading the members to despise the instructions of Paul. The doctrines and ordinances of the gospel had been perverted. Pride, idolatry, and sensualism, were steadily increasing among those who had once been zealous in the Christian life.
As this picture was presented before him, Paul saw that his worst fears were more than realized. But he did not because of this give way to the thought that his work had been a failure. With “anguish of heart” and with “many tears” he sought counsel from God. Gladly would he have visited Corinth at once, had this been the wisest course to pursue. But he knew that in their present condition the believers would not profit by his labors, and therefore he sent Titus to prepare the way for a visit from himself later on. Then, putting aside all personal feelings over the course of those whose conduct revealed such strange perverseness, and keeping his soul stayed upon God, the apostle wrote to the church at Corinth one of the richest, most instructive, most powerful of all his letters.
With remarkable clearness he proceeded to answer the various questions brought forward by the church, and to lay down general principles, which, if heeded, would lead them to a higher spiritual plane. They were in peril, and he could not bear the thought of failing at this critical time to reach their hearts. Faithfully he warned them of their dangers and reproved them for their sins. He pointed them again to Christ and sought to kindle anew the fervor of their early devotion.
The apostle’s great love for the Corinthian believers was revealed in his tender greeting to the church. He referred to their experience in turning from idolatry to the worship and service of the true God. He reminded them of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which they had received, and showed that it was their privilege to make continual advancement in the Christian life until they should attain to the purity and holiness of Christ. “In everything ye are enriched by Him,” he wrote, “in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 300, 301.