Dual Panel1Now I am going to appeal to you personally, by the gentleness and kindness of Christ himself. Yes, I, Paul, the one who is "humble enough in our presence but outspoken when away from us",
2am begging you to make it unnecessary for me to be outspoken and stern in your presence. For I am afraid otherwise that I think I shall have to do some plain speaking to those of you who will persist in reckoning that our activities are on the purely human level.
3The truth is that, although we lead normal human lives, the battle we are fighting is on the spiritual level.
4The very weapons we use are not human but powerful in God's warfare for the destruction of the enemy's strongholds.
5Our battle is to break down every deceptive argument and every imposing defence that men erect against the true knowledge of God. We fight to capture every thought until it acknowledges the authority of Christ.
6Once we are sure of your obedience we are ready to punish every disobedience.
7Do look at things which stare you in the face! Soandso considers himself to belong to Christ. All right; but let him think again about himself, for we belong to Christ every bit as much as he.
8You may think that I have boasted unduly of my authority (which the Lord gave me, remember, to build you up not to break you down), but I don't think I have done anything which will make me ashamed.
9Yet I don't want you to think of me merely as the man who writes you terrifying letters.
10I know my critics say, "His letters are impressive and moving, but his actual presence is feeble and his speaking beneath contempt."
11Let them realize that we can be just as "impressive and moving" in person as we are in our letters.
12Of course we shouldn't dare include ourselves in the same class as those who write their own testimonials, or even to compare ourselves with them! All they are doing, of course, is to measure themselves by their own standards or by comparisons within their own circle, and that doesn't make for accurate estimation, you may be sure.
13No, we shall not make any wild claims, but simply judge ourselves by that line of duty which God has marked out for us, and that line includes our work on your behalf.
14We do not exceed our duty when we embrace your interests, for it was our preaching of the gospel which brought us into contact with you.
15Our pride is not in matters beyond our proper sphere nor in the labours of other men. No, our hope is that your growing faith will mean the expansion of our proper sphere of action,
16so that before long we shall be preaching the gospel in districts beyond you, instead of being proud of work that has already been done in someone else's province.
17But, He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord.
18It is not selfcommendation that matters, it is winning the approval of God.