Having Orders

 DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

HAVING ORDERS

2 Cor 12:11-13

11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. 12 The things that mark an apostle — signs, wonders and miracles — were done among you with great perseverance. 13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

NIV

Is Paul saying that he should have been a burden to the Corinthian church? Is he saying that because they did not support him during his stay with them that it made them inferior to the churches that did support Paul? He is asking them to forgive him for not taking any support from them, that it should have been their pleasure and his duty to allow them to give to his support? It's a Christian pleasure to give to the support of those who guide us in the faith. However, there is another truth that Paul is bringing out here regarding the difference between an apostle and those false apostles that were, in fact, taking money from as many churches as they could, while they spread their brand of discord against the gospel that Paul preached. Here is what marks a true apostle, sign, wonders and miracles. Those three sound all the same so we must check with the Greek to see if there is any difference. The word translated as sign is to indicate, to signify, which would mean that if someone is shown by God to be the one, he sent, it will be indicated, made clear. The Greek word translated as wonders, carries the meaning of potent, or power to perform miracles, while the word used as miracles is better translated as mighty deeds, or great strength, ability, power. What this might say is it may be that only those first apostles were the only apostles, and they are no more. Of course, we can say that many of those who are in ministry, such as pastors, evangelist, missionaries, and the like, if they have been called by God, then they have in that sense been sent, and should have that sign, or it is evident they are sent by Him. It might be possible to try to fake that, which seems to appear some are attempting to do. However, God will reveal the truth about each one he has sent. As far as being potent, or having power to perform miracles, we cannot be certain. However, again that may simply be a matter of faith. Maybe those who are sent by God should have faith or exercise their faith more so as to be performing some type of miracle, or maybe miracles are over, and it is all just the ordinary hum-drum business of preaching. This would also apply to having great strength, ability, and power. Maybe all of us have just accepted that God does not send anyone like he did with the first apostles. Maybe we have all accepted the normal human limitations in our ministry. Maybe we have entered ministry more as a profession, then a call from God, for if He has called us, would he not also empower us with the signs and wonders? Maybe he has and we just are not willing to accept them, and use them, for the word apostle simply means a delegate, messenger sent forth with orders. So, the question remains, have we been sent with orders, or are we just sending ourselves. Do we have orders?