INTRODUCTION

Apostle Paul wrote the second letter to the Corinthians about 56 A.D. It was very much a clarification to the way he has acted and his defense of apostleship. They were questioning his integrity in fulfilling his commitment to visit, their prey to false teachers and issues on giving.

In chapters 1-7, Paul describes the characteristics of an Apostle. He explained that his ministry was to preach Jesus Christ alone and not himself, For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as bondservants for Jesus sake (4:5)

In chapters 8-9, He urges the Corinthians regard to collection of support to the believers in Judea, as they had promised. He taught that if they gave generously, they would also reap generously (9:6).

Chapters 10-13 Paul defends his ministry and responds to attacks about his Apostleship. They had been questioning his authority and opposing him. Paul declares that if anyone preaches a different Gospel or a different Jesus, other than what Paul and the Apostles were preaching, they are false teachers and deceitful workers and should not be accepted.

In chapter 12 7-10, Paul explains a theology of his own suffering. He asks God to remove a suffering from His life but God refuses. God responds to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness". Paul understood that God is sovereign and in control over even his sufferings. Therefore, Paul embraces his suffering because God allows them into his life for a purpose regardless of how difficult they may be. In times of calamity, he understood that these were times when he depended on God's strength and mercy the most. Paul responds, "Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christs sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. Paul knew he was the strongest when he felt the weakest because he depended on God, the one who has infinite strength.

The last thing Apostle Paul teaches in II Corinthians is how to test yourself. If you want to know if you are a Christian, if you want to know if you are a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, then you must test yourself, to see if you are in the faith; examine yourself with Scripture (13:5)

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