After hearing from Timothy – Paul’s missionary companion – that some of the Corinthian Christians had questioned his authority to write his first letter of correction and exhortation – Paul wrote this second letter to them about AD 58.  This epistle would be the most personal of any he would write.  Through it, we see the heart of a man committed to the kingdom.   Paul starts off in Chapter 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia.”   It was vitally important that those reading Paul’s words knew he was an apostle of Jesus – by the will of God.  He wanted to make sure they understood he was called of God, trained by Christ, and not of other men.  Have you noticed the early church was referred to many different ways and with a variety of names?  In this epistle, Paul refers to it as “the church of God” or “the church of God which is at Corinth.”  There wasn’t an “official” name for the Church.  Believers in Christ were known by a number of titles: like, “the Way”, “Christians”, “Nazarenes”, “Church of Christ”, “Church of the Firstborn”.   All believers – no matter what city or region they were in – were part of the body of Christ.  They were all Christians.  Neither Jesus nor any of His apostles declared an official name – because it wasn’t about that.  It was all about a personal relationship with God.    2 Corinthians 1:4-5 “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, but the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.”  The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”  The point is: Jesus suffered for the world – The apostles suffered for the Saints in the early church and for us now – And so are we to suffer.  But we shall be comforted by God.  How much did Paul have to suffer?  2 Corinthians 1:8 “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life.”  Paul faced somethings that were beyond human survival and was extremely discouraging because it threatened to end his ministry.  Verses 9-10 “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:  Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” 

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Paul was so sure he was going to die for the gospel sake, that he pronounced the sentence of death upon himself.  His only hope was in God.  Verse 11 “Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”  Paul wanted them to know that he needed their prayers and those prayers were very beneficial.  Verses 21-22 “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.”  In these two verses, Paul describes how he, his coworkers – Timothy and Silas – and the Corinthian Saints themselves were all tied together.  They had all received the Holy Spirit – an indication they all belonged to God through Christ.      It was hard on Paul to be as direct and blunt with these believers in Corinth as he had to be, as seen in 1 Corinthians.  So, in this second letter – his deep tenderness emerges as he shows forth an increase of love towards his readers.  He says in 2 Corinthians 2:1 “But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again t