I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).

Who is this man that Paul has in mind that was caught up to the third heaven? Tradition and just about every commentary I know says that Paul is speaking of himself, albeit modestly. Yet, Paul refers to this "man" in the third person and makes a clear contrast with himself (2 Corinthians 12:5). Paul uses the illustration of this man to compare with similar revelations given to him; however, it would be fallacious to simply assume that Paul and the illustration are one and the same person. I imagine that commentators do this because they cannot assign this very remarkable event to anyone else.

Now, while the traditional Pauline chronology may exclude this possibility, there was a man that Paul knew about from his past that was caught up to the third heaven. It was Stephen. Paul was present at his stoning (Acts 7:58), and he heard Stephen interact with the Lord in heaven:

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55-56).

Many have written about Paul's enduring remorse over his support and approval of the killing of Stephen (Acts 8:1). He probably knew that Stephen was arrested on trumped-up charges (Acts 6:13-14), for while he was not a Christian at the time, he was, nevertheless, truly zealous for the Law. As others silently observed at the trial, Paul would also have recognized that Stephen was innocent (Acts 6:15). Even so, he approved of his stoning. 

Paul could boast about Stephen, but not about himself. In spite of being an apostle (2 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Corinthians 15:8-9), to the very end of his days he saw himself as "the chief of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15), for he had persecuted the Church of God (1 Corinthians 15:9).

But Stephen was pure and full of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5), full of God's grace and power (Acts 6:8). He saw the Lord in the third heaven. The Lord stood up from His throne to receive Stephen into heaven. Stephen interacted with the Lord and pleaded for Him to forgive those, including Paul, who were killing him (Acts 7:60). This was just like Jesus on the cross (Luke 23:34). Yet Paul killed him.

Paul knew that Stephen's experience was real, but he could not be sure because it was not his own experience. Paul never saw the Lord Jesus in heaven, as Stephen did, but He did hear Jesus' voice when He was called (Acts 9:3-4). No, Paul would not boast about anything except in his failings, for which He received God's grace and forgiveness (2 Corinthians 12:5).

Friends, it is in the awareness of the depth of our sins that we are kept from boasting. Even if we are given great privilege and blessings from the Lord, simply recalling the depravity from which we were saved should keep us always humble and grateful. I don't know whether Paul had Stephen in mind or someone else, but in Paul I see a man humbly driven by a painful awareness of his sinfulness and an enduring gratitude for God's grace and forgiveness. Is this not all of us? Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ our Lord!

But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds (2 Corinthians 11:12-14).

Paul contrasts his ministry with the ministry of false "apostles". He has authenticated his ministry by apostolic signs, wonders and miracles (2 Corinthians 12:12). His character has been proven through all that he suffered for the Gospel (2 Corinthians 11:23-29). His motives are blameless, for he has received no compensation, financial or otherwise, from the Corinthian church for his ministry to them (2 Corinthians 11:7-11). 

About two-and-a-half years ago I rebuked a pastor and some members for making and allowing false prophesies about a lady, who had stage-four lung cancer. They declared that God told them that she would be healed. At that time, I told some friends that even if these prophesies are shown to be false, people will forget they were ever made and just move on as if nothing happened. One of my friends said that he would confront these leaders for their irresponsible and false claims if this lady ended up dying. At the time, I asked, "To what end? Will they apologize to the congregation? Will they stop believing they have the gift of prophecy? Will they repent?" 

A couple of weeks ago I heard that this lady passed away. My heart goes out to the husband and kids, who may have entertained the hope given them that she would live another forty years. But as I suspected, no one seems to think anything of the false prophecies and assurances given just two to three years ago. As far as I know, the pastor and the leaders have not repented or apologized for anything.

Yet, I feel that somehow our Christian witness to the authenticity of the apostolic witness of Christ has been diminished a little by this event. This blog entry serves as a kind of documentation that these things happened. 

Friends, since we are the heralds of inerrant truth, the Word of God, let us not cling to false teaching or false prophets. I do not presume that those who teach falsely or make these kinds of false prophecies have evil motives, for even Paul once attacked Christians because he honestly believed he was serving God. Isaiah wrote that some would believe that God was punishing Jesus for His own sins rather than for ours (Isaiah 53:4). Jesus predicted that people would even kill Christians motivated by their service to God (John 16:2). Therefore, people can do wrong things even with "good" motives. God will judge the motives of people's hearts (1 Corinthians 4:5).

But let us be wary of those who make false claims. Let us boldly correct, rebuke, and instruct. Let us also humble ourselves and welcome rebuke, correction and instruction when we have spoken or done the wrong things. At least this much we ought to do, don't you think?

I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so. As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia (2 Corinthians 11:8-10).

But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:12-13).

Paul contrasts his ministry with the ministry of false apostles that have come among the Corinthian believers. One of the things he highlights is that he has not taken any money from them. Instead, he relied on the wages given by other churches (i.e. perhaps the churches in Philippi is in view, as these are the only ones Paul speaks of receiving any kind of material benefit). 

It is fascinating that he uses such a harsh word, namely, "robbed". The Philippians churches supported him voluntarily, but perhaps Paul says "robbed" because he took money from them to use in other ministries rather than to the Philippians. In other words, the Philippians got not immediate benefit from their gifts. The benefit went to the Corinthians. 

Paul says that he did not want to burden the Corinthian church. What is more, he says that he will continue this practice of not seeking support from them. As he said in 1 Corinthians 9, this preaching of the gospel for free was his one boast that he would not let go (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:15; 2 Corinthians 11:10). The reason for this was to demonstrate the sincerity of his ministry over against the false apostles (cf. above in 2 Corinthians 11:12-13), who were simply taking advantage of the Corinthian church and deceiving them with a false gospel. 

Friends, we live in a time when all sorts of people and groups make any number of claims to have the truth. They give themselves all kinds of authority to make extreme claims, asserting what they want to assert and denying what they want to deny without a shred of clear evidence. They conflate the truth of God's Word with myths, traditions and fables from other traditions, so that the absolute and authoritative truth of God's Word is lost in a mire of speculation, conjecture and sketchy histories and philosophies of men. 

How can we stand against such a tide of deception, which is likely fueled by Satan? Thanks be to God for His elective grace and His sovereign providence, for we know that nothing can happen outside of God's perfect will. When we defend the truth and seek to persuade others, we do so without panic and simply to please Him, for we know that Christ has already won the victory for us, and we are secure in Him. If the Gospel that we preach is veiled, we know it is veiled to those who are perishing, because the God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. 

Paul's method was to give the Gospel free of charge, so that he could never be charged with preaching the gospel for personal profit (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:17; 1 Corinthians 9:12). In fact, he kept this same policy for his ministry to the Ephesians (cf. Acts 20:33-35) and the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9). By using this tact, he had a strong testimony against any number of "false apostles," using their spiritual platform for personal gain. 

Friends, perhaps we ought to consider Paul's method, as well as his message. I wonder if the pure and unadulterated Gospel message we preach is not being tainted by the large sums of money being collected in our churches today. Am I being unrealistic to think that evangelical growth can happen without cathedral-like edifices, without state-of-the-art technology or without the most professionally-designed programs? Is the rapid progress of the gospel in certain Asian, African and Latin-American countries the result of these things or something else? It appears to me that church growth and genuine faith are being better fostered in the context of poverty than affluence. When people don't have shows to go to, don't they make more person-to-person connections? When they can't simply dump money into this or that production, aren't they more motivated to give their lives to one another?

I go to one of the most affluent churches in the world, and some people come forward to trust in Christ almost every week.  Yet, this still translates to about 1% conversion growth in our congregation per year, and mainly through the messages of this one man. We just completed a $45 million giving campaign. This followed just a couple years after a $135 million giving campaign. And that was on the heals of a previous $10 million giving campaign. That seems to me a staggering amount of money. I suppose if you think of it on the priceless value of a soul, then spending a million dollars to gain one convert to Christ is cheap. I praise God for even this. But I feel that we can be better stewards. 

My challenge to believers and ministers today is to consider Paul's method and the rationale he gives for his method. Is it possible for us to inspire outreach today without money? Could outreach be even greater and more genuine without it?

Paul writes about his lack of eloquence, maybe even coherence, but states that Gods power is shown through our weakness.

(2 Cor 12:7-10)

7 Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

One of the comforts I have found in the bible was that God often chose the week and flawed to do his work - I was in good company. Often new Christians or unbelievers focus on their limits or flaws, or past mistakes which can keep them from serving God. Its similar to the non believer who refuses to go to church until he becomes 'a better person'. While not realizing that God is the ultimate catalyst for change - our limits our no match for Gods strength. Our sin is no match for Gods grace.

One of our first steps to spiritual growth is to remain humble and depend on Gods strength and his promises. If we are willing to serve God - if we are willing to say yes when God calls, he can use us - period. And the more we trust in Him the more powerfully he can use us - its about our faith not our perceived ability.

So those of you flawed individuals (like me) that serve God with all your heart, celebrate your weakness - boast of it. Gods power is made perfect in our weakness!

Friends, as we come to the close of Corinthians, do you sense as I do that Paul has given the Corinthians, even in this second letter, a lashing of sorts, with threats of more to come when he visits them again? That is certainly the sense I get in these final chapters of 2 Corinthians. Perhaps he has such boldness because he is the founder of the church at Corinth. Nevertheless, he is unafraid to bring strong rebuke to a generally "carnal" and factious church. It is wise to keep this in mind if anyone has an inkling to follow any of the practices uniquely associated with this church.

A few points from a couple of passages. First, we read in 2 Corinthians 11:18-21,

Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

One literary device that I dislike the most is sarcasm. It is defined as "the use of irony to mock or convey contempt" (Google Dictionary). I try my best never to be saracastic with anyone, especially because I know how sensitive I am to it when it is used against me. I imagine Paul is pretty upset here to be speaking sarcastically to the Corinthian believers.

When he writes, "since you yourselves are wise," he is clearly using sarcasm. He is not commending their wisdom, by which they are gladly putting up with fools. Paul has found it necessary in these final chapters to defend himself against so-called "super apostles" (2 Corinthians 11:5 in the NIV). Unlike Paul and his group, these teachers have taken advantage of the Corinthians in taking money from them, treating them like their slaves, and even abusing them with harsh treatment. He writes, "To our shame I say that we were too weak for that!" (i.e. We're too "weak" to treat you harshly). Again, more sarcasm.

But Paul warns, these self-exalting apostles are "false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:13). Paul compares their deception to that of Satan: "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). Paul is warning them not to judge by false appearances.

In 2 Corinthians 12:11-13 Paul continues his defense:

I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Paul writes something interesting here. He refers to "the signs of an apostle." Were these just simply miracles and healings, or wonders unique to the apostles. In the Book of Acts, there were other Christians that performed miracles apart from the apostles (e.g. Phillip and Stephen in Acts 8, although these had direct contact and was conferred with authority by an apostle); however, an apostle was directly required for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues-speaking (see Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19). Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5,

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

It was this kind of power that Simon the converted magician tried to buy from Peter, and he received a scathing rebuke from Peter:

When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit. Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! " (Acts 8:18-20).

As far as the Book of Acts is concerned, only the apostles, and Paul, who was also called to be an apostle (1 Corinthians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 15:7-9, where Paul said that he is the least of the apostles, but was made so by God's will as one "abnormally born" to it.) could exercise this power. Now, I have argued elsewhere that this original baptism of the Holy Spirit by the apostles had a unique purpose that was fulfilled in the first century, namely, of bringing several disparate groups (Jews, Samaritans, Gentiles, "disciples of John the Baptist") into one body.

For what purpose do I mention these things? First, to argue against those that think they can confer the "baptism by the Holy Spirit" today as the apostles did in Acts. If anyone could be an apostle, even in Paul's day, he would not have much of a defense. If anyone could be an apostle, then people like Phillip were left out in the cold. No, dear friends, the apostles were a unique group given by God in the founding of the church (Ephesians 2:19-20). There are no more "apostles" today. Those that claim it would then need to be seen as false apostles, for they are conferring upon themselves something that God has not given.

Furthermore, the baptism of the Spirit has been accomplished by God, and we are all partakers of it when we are saved (1 Corinthians 12:13). And while I am still studying this point, I think the water baptism, which was practiced even alongside the Spirit baptism conferred by the apostles, may have been just the physical reflection of what was accomplished in the baptism by the Spirit (i.e. the incorporation of different groups into the Body of Christ), namely, the incorporation of the individual into the Body of Christ. Therefore, when we get baptized in water, we are giving testimony not only to our faith but to our inclusion into the one body of Christ.

Just as an aside, did you notice another of Paul's sarcastic remarks in 2 Corinthians 12;13?

For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Ouch! Not only was Paul not inferior to the so-called "super-apostles," the Corinthian church was not an inferior church because he ministered to them, except perhaps he chose not to burden them -- "Forgive me this wrong!" Can you see the dripping sarcasm? Forgive me for not taking your money. Forgive me for not making you serve me hand and foot. Forgive me for not putting you in your place. Forgive me for treating you well.

Dear friends, as I mentioned before, if you close your eyes to Paul's irony and sarcasm, which are everywhere in these letters, then you will be just as "ignorant" as the Corinthians and fail to understand Paul's point. I believe 500 million people, who claim the Name of Christ today, are blind or have been blinded to this truth.

Sadly, I was one of them for a good part of my Christian walk. Sometimes, when I pray, I ask the Lord, why does a person have to read the Bible for so long and study so hard before they can see this? Or should I have been able to see this from the start? Why were the majority of Jews, especially their leaders, who were so zealous for God, so blind to the truth of faith throughout the generations of their existence? Oh Lord, open blind eyes, and help us to see the truith in Your Word by your Holy Spirit.

Consider the sobering command in 2 Corinthians 13:5,

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?

Are you trusting in Christ alone for your salvation? Does your life focus reflect Christ as Lord? Have you repented of your sins, and have you been diligently seeking to live in keeping with the fruit of the Spirit (cf. 2 Peter 1:5-9; Galatians 5:22-25)? As Paul, so Peter also urges in 2 Peter 1:10,

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election.

Do you know that God has already given you everything you need to do what He desires?

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:3-4).

What is it that He has given us that is our all-sufficiency and, beyond everything else, most reliable? He has given us the Scriptures (cf. 2 Peter 1:12-21). It is most reliable because "no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things" (cf. 2 Peter 1:20). As Paul also writes,

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God’s people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Therefore, you don't need to go chase miracles, "spiritual" experiences, prophecies, revivals, etc. Just immerse yourself in the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit, who lives within you, will use God's Word to powerfully transform you from glory to glory into the image of Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:18).