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Scripture Reading: 2 Cor. 1:12-14
In this message we shall consider just three verses, 1:12-14. In these verses there is something very deep, not in doctrine but in experience. If we have not had the experience described here, we shall not be able to understand what Paul is talking about in these verses. Apparently Paul’s word here is simple and easy to understand; actually Paul is referring to something deep and profound.
In verse 12 Paul says, “For our boasting is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in singleness and sincerity of God, not in fleshly wisdom, but in the grace of God, we conducted ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you.” Here Paul says that their boasting was the testimony of their conscience regarding the way they lived and behaved themselves. We need insight to understand what Paul means.
The Greek word rendered singleness in verse 12 can also be translated simplicity. Instead of singleness or simplicity, some manuscripts read holiness. The deep thought and rich experience found in verse 12 are mainly related to the Greek word that means singleness, sincerity. In the New Testament this word is used at least five times. Different translations adopt different renderings: singleness, simplicity, liberality, generosity, bounty. Without adequate experience, it would be difficult to decide which word to use in the translation here.
Verse 12 opens with the word “for,” indicating that this verse is to be an explanation of the preceding verses. Thus, in order to understand verse 12, we need to keep in mind what Paul has said in the foregoing verses. Paul has just pointed out to the Corinthian believers that he and his co-workers were in a death situation. In verse 10 he testified that God had delivered them “out of so great a death.” Every difficulty, problem, or hard situation can be changed by human power, strength, wisdom, or methods. The only exception is death. No human being has a way to handle a situation of death. Wealthy people can solve problems by writing a check for a large amount of money. There is a proverb which says, “Money goes everywhere.” This means that money can solve every problem. But not even the wealthiest person can handle a death situation. When death comes to a millionaire, no amount of money can enable him to avoid it. Before writing this Epistle, Paul was in a death situation. Humanly speaking, there was no way out of that situation. But for the apostle, and for those who believe in resurrection, there is a way out. The God of resurrection is the way.
The situation in which Paul found himself in Asia forced him to be single or simple in the way he dealt with it. Those who are rich, strong, or knowledgeable are not single in the way they deal with difficult situations. On the contrary, they apply their knowledge, their wisdom. If a certain method does not work, they turn to another method. Their mind is very complicated; they are far from being simple. Because they are knowledgeable and capable, they have many ways to deal with situations. A person who has many ways to deal with situations surely is not simple.
According to the preceding verses, Paul and his co-workers were in a situation that restricted them to such an extent that no human way was of any help. Only one way was available to them: the God of resurrection. They were not just in difficulty or afflictions, and they did not just have problems. They were in death. No matter how knowledgeable, capable, or wealthy we may be, there is nothing we can do about a death situation. For Paul and his co-workers, the only way of escape was the God of resurrection.
A dead person is always simple. A living person, however, is not simple. On the contrary, he always has a way to face a situation. We human beings are not simple. We all have many different ways. But blessed are they who are simple. What kind of person can be simple? Only a dead person. When Paul and his co-workers were suffering affliction in Asia, they were pressed to such an extent that they regarded themselves as dead. They had no way to deal with their situation. Their confidence was not in themselves; it was only in the God who raises the dead.
In verse 12 Paul refers to the testimony of the conscience. We must have a pure conscience (2 Tim. 1:3), a conscience without offense (Acts 24:16), to bear a testimony to what we are and do. Paul’s conscience testified that he was sincere, faithful, and honest. In particular, he had the testimony of his conscience that he was single. He did not use any human way to deal with situations. He did not exercise his knowledge, ability, strength, or wisdom. He did not use any policy, and he did not play politics. Rather, he was single, simple. His conscience bore testimony concerning this. This testimony was his boast. Thus, Paul could say, “We live, behave, act, and work only in God, not in any way that is of ourselves. Our unique way is the God of resurrection. The God who raises the dead is our only way. Therefore, we did not play politics, and we did not exercise our wisdom. We were absolutely simple, as simple as those who are dead. Our confidence is in nothing other than the living Person who is the God of resurrection. This is our boast, and this is the testimony borne by our conscience.”
Why did Paul speak to the Corinthians about singleness? It was because the Corinthians were very complicated. They had many different ways. This was the reason some preferred Apollos, and others preferred Cephas or Paul. Actually, 1 Corinthians is a book which deals with the complications of the believers at Corinth.
The source of confusion and division among Christians today is the complications that are within the believers. If all Christians became simple, there would be no problems among them. The problems in a local church always come from complications. If there is a problem in your locality, that problem comes from someone who is not simple, but who is complicated. For this reason, I always try to avoid being involved with a complicated person. Whenever you meet a complicated person, you should not try to argue with him or correct him. Any attempts at argument or correction will cause you to become trapped in complications.
In verse 12 Paul speaks of the singleness and sincerity of God. The sincerity of God is a divine virtue, a virtue of what God is. To conduct ourselves in such a virtue means to experience God Himself. Hence, it equals “in the grace of God” also mentioned in this verse.
God is wise and almighty. But in a sense He is also single; He is very simple. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, He was wise; yet He was also simple and single. I very much enjoy having contact with the Lord Jesus because of His singleness and simplicity. However, when you talk to certain brothers, you find that they are extremely complicated. But our God is simple. Whenever we talk to Him, we find that He is not full of complications. When He says yes, He means yes, and when He says no, He means no. Likewise, when He says white or black, He means white or black, not gray. No matter how God may feel about us at a particular time, He is always single. He may be unhappy with us or He may be happy, but He Himself is simple.
From experience we have learned that a person who is simple and single is also generous and full of liberality. Those who are simple are those who give freely. For example, suppose a brother approaches a person so single and tells him that he is short of money to pay his rent. Immediately the one who is simple will be willing to give that brother whatever he needs. This illustrates the fact that to be simple is to be generous. But those who are complicated are not generous. Instead of being willing to give freely, they may consider the matter in a complicated way and then give an amount that falls short of the need. Paul was single, simple, and generous.
Only a person so single is a generous person. If you lack singleness, you will never be generous or bountiful toward others. Our God is bountiful toward us because He is single. Imagine what would happen to us if God were not single and if He thought about us in a complicated way. Probably He would not care for us. Would you like God to consider your situation and examine you in detail? Would you like Him to look at you from head to toe and consider what you are inwardly and outwardly? None of us would be favored by God if He examined us in this way. But because of God’s singleness and generosity, we have received blessing from Him.
I would ask you to compare Paul to the Corinthians. Paul was like the simple God, but the Corinthians were extremely complicated. If Paul had not been single and simple, he probably would have forgotten about the Corinthians and would no longer have been willing to minister among them. Paul’s conscience testified that toward the Corinthians he and his co-workers conducted themselves in the singleness of God. Therefore, they could be generous toward the Corinthians and be willing to give them anything. Toward those believers, Paul and his co-workers were generous and full of bounty.
The Greek word rendered singleness is rich in meaning. The words singleness or simplicity are not an adequate translation. This word implies generosity, liberality, bounty, and willingness to give. If a married brother is simple, he will be very generous toward his wife, no matter what she does or how she treats him. However, if a brother is complicated, he will deal with his wife in a strict way.
Paul was one who conducted himself in the singleness of God. He was a true imitator of God and one who lived God. God is simple, and Paul also was simple. God is generous, and Paul also was generous. He behaved himself in the singleness of God.
When we have singleness and generosity, we shall also be sincere. It is a common practice to close a letter with the words “sincerely yours.” Actually, this usually means “politically yours,” or, at best, “politely yours.” A person may write a long letter full of complications, and then at the end say “sincerely yours.” That is not sincerity. Only when you treat others in a single way and with generosity can you truly say “sincerely yours.” Because Paul conducted himself in the singleness of God and because he was generous, he was truly sincere.
I certainly would not claim to be an absolute and faithful imitator of Paul. But I can testify that throughout the years, we have been trained, taught, and helped by the Lord’s mercy and grace to behave ourselves in simplicity, singleness, sincerity, and generosity. I can testify to you before the Lord that I do not play politics. Furthermore I can say before Him that I am a simple person. My yes is yes, and my no is no.
In verse 12 Paul refers to fleshly wisdom and the grace of God. Fleshly wisdom is human wisdom in the flesh. This equals ourselves, just as the grace of God equals God Himself. The grace of God is God for our enjoyment. The grace in verse 12 is the gift in verse 11, which the apostles received for the experience of resurrection in their sufferings.
Being simple and single is an aspect of the expression of the life in resurrection. Only when we live in resurrection and by the God of resurrection, not by ourselves, are we simple. It is when we live in resurrection that we are imitators of God. Although others may play politics with us, we shall not be political with them. The most we shall do is try to remove ourselves from the snare of complications. I want to follow Paul to conduct myself in the singleness and sincerity of God. This is an aspect of the manifestation of resurrection.
Only by living a life in the singleness and sincerity of God can we be constituted ministers of Christ and of grace. Those who are constituted in this way are needed in the church today. The elders and all the serving ones must be people of this kind. If you consider the history of the Lord’s recovery, you will see that those who play politics and who do not live in the singleness of God cause damage and loss to the Lord’s recovery and to themselves as well. Only those who truly live in the singleness of God have been a profit to the recovery. Regarding this, we have learned some important lessons. To live in resurrection is to live in the singleness of God. In 1:12-14 we see, as a continuation of 1 Corinthians, how to live in resurrection.
