Gross immorality in the church (1 Cor 5:1) - forgive the offender.
Paul's discipline is administered with a spirit of forgiveness, grace and love. His desire is to work with the Corinthians, rather than against them in any way.
He does not want Satan to outwit them in any way.
Paul knows that to some, the Word of God will be the fragrance of life and to others, the smell of death. Paul knows that it is God who opens eyes that have been blinded to the light of the gospel.
The new covenant is superior to the old:
The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life
The letter on stone came with glory, the new covenant is even more glory and will not fade
It brings righteousness
The old covenant has no glory now, it fades away.
The new covenant lasts!
Paul's confidence in the effects of preaching is that God will do His work - He is the God who opens eyes. The god of this age has blinded people, but God is in the business of making light shine.
Paul is confident in the nature of the gospel - he will set it forth plainly, knowing we commend ourselves before God and to every man's conscience.
God has placed the treasure in a weak vessel - so that we see the joy of the treasure, not the vessel around it. Present afflictions in the eye of faith are just light and momentary. They will come to an end and be replaced with far greater glory!
Paul longs for the future, when he will be unburdened from the body we are in currently. Paul knows that we will one day appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and so he makes it his goal to please Him.
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