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"We have spoken openly to you..."

Text: 2 Corinthians 6:11

CANDID SHARING

What Paul had written was candid sharing. He shared about problems and controversies that he and his fellow-workers experienced in their life.

“O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you,
our heart is wide open.
You are not restricted by us,
but you are restricted by your own affections.”
2 Corinthians 6:11-12

1. “O Corinthians”

a) This word was specifically addressed to the Corinthians.

b) The controversies existed only because there were certain people in the church who harboured negative feelings towards Paul and his fellow-workers.

2. “We have spoken openly to you”

a) Paul had written candidly.

b) He bared his heart to the Church.

3. “Our heart is wide open”

a) That Paul loved the Corinthians was certain.

b) Though there were some who attacked him, nevertheless he sought to minister to the church.

c) His heart was full of love and wide open to the Corinthians.

4. “You are not restricted by us”

a) Some of the detractors sought to nullify Paul’s ministry.

i) They cast aspersions on his character.

ii) The maligned him.

iii) They spread false information about him.

b) They must have felt that Paul was restricting them.

i) He was “too strict”.

ii) He was “too legalistic”.

iii) He was “too Biblical”.

5. “But you are restricted by your own affections”

a) Paul urged the Corinthians to check their “affections”.

b) Their hearts were not filled with the love of Christ but hatred instead.

c) Hence their actions were “restricted”- in fact far from the standard set by the Scriptures.