4th September 2026

As the apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians there are factions in the Corinthian church, including an element that has both maligned his person and undermined his apostleship. And yet his love for all in that faith community is undiminished. Only after dealing with certain divisive issues: the immorality which had been allowed to go unchecked and the effects of false teachers who had penetrated this vulnerable flock, do Paul’s words climax, as this heartfelt epistle draws to a close.

In this church of many colours, relationships have become strained, as has the bond between some Corinthian believers and their apostolic pastor. He had pledged to come to them, but had been forced to change his travel plans, causing some to question his integrity. Lovingly, he explains that it was for their benefit, and not for any selfish reason, that he hadn’t come when originally promised (2 Corinthians 1:17-18; 23-24). Having addressed the divisions and moral issues that had disrupted faith (2 Corinthians 12:20-21), and neutralised the danger posed by the so-called ‘super apostles’ (2 Corinthians 11:5; 12:11), Paul gathers up the three threads with which he has woven his overall message, and knits them together in a blended summary and closing benediction: confidence in Christ (2 Corinthians 13:5-6); growth in grace and knowledge (vv.7-10), and the spirit of fellowship (vv.11-13). 

Confidence in Christ comes when we consider the quality of our Christian life, and see that God loves us with an everlasting love, and that Jesus is truly in us and we in him. If such assurance were not possible, then it would prove pointless to examine ourselves as the apostle directs (v.5). Yet how can we recognise that our lives are being shaped by the gospel? As we look to Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to form his love in us, we begin to see the fruit of that life expressed in the way we relate to God and to others. The apostles provide us with compelling examples of lives transformed by their participation in Christ’s life and ministry. As Paul reminds us, love “does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” (v. 6). Therefore, when we rejoice in what is good and true, love our brothers and sisters as those who belong to Christ, and seek to live graciously and peaceably with others, we are reflecting the love that has already been given to us in Christ. This is not a test by which we earn or prove our acceptance before God, but the Spirit-enabled fruit of sharing in Christ’s life and responding to the grace we have received. 

As we recognise all the ways in which God’s grace is active in our lives, we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour. Therefore, the apostle’s prayer for the Corinthian brethren is that they will learn from their error, disengage from false teachings, and progress in the faith – not for the advancement of his own prestige, but in spite of it. Paul’s deepening understanding, aligned with his own spiritual formation, as he treads Jesus’ footsteps, makes him an ideal example to follow (1 Corinthians 11:1). His integrity is clear, in that his whole motivation is truth-driven and gospel centred (2 Corinthians 13:8). His humility can be perceived in his desire for their completeness, that they may become strong, even if that were to expose his own weakness (v.9). His compassionate love is evident in that his authority is wielded in restraint, being exercised always for the edification of the brethren, and never for their destruction (v.10).

Gaining confidence in Christ and deepening our faith, as we keep in step with the Spirit, provides the impetus and oxygen that spurs and fuels genuine Christian fellowship. However, ‘to be of one mind’ (v.11) is not achieved through the power of dictate, as is the way of cults, but by having the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), confirmed in the overflowing of communal grace and love, the spiritual bonds of peace: ‘May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all’ (2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV).  

Local congregation:
Grace Communion Peterborough
Farcet Village Hall
Main Street
Farcet
Peterborough
PE7 3AN

Meeting time:
Sunday 11.00 am

Local congregational contact:
Richard Dempsey
Email:  richard.dempsey@btinternet.com
Local church website: GRACE COMMUNION CHURCH PETERBOROUGH – Landing Page

Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church