2 Corinthians 3:2 (KJV)
Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
Paul’s credibility as an apostle had been challenged, such that even those he had led to Christ had grown concerned.
- Perhaps he was called of God as an apostle
- Perhaps he did not have the authority they had once believed he had
- Perhaps his critics were correct
So they asked him for a letter of commendation. It may have been to shut the mouths of his critics, or it may have been to give them reassurance. Either way, Paul made it clear that no letter was coming.
I understand there is some debate surrounding the translation of this verse. Many believe it should have been translated, “Ye are our epistle written in your hearts.” I happen to believe that God superintended over the translators of the King James Version of the Bible and that, with as much care as they took in their work, they would not have made such a mistake. I believe they knowingly, willfully, and purposefully chose to write it exactly as it is.
And there is a great lesson to be learned. The work of the ministry is more about the confidence of the preacher than of the people. God uses the preacher to minister to the people. But if he is not confident of his call, there’s no telling how far he might drift away from the things of the Lord.
Consider: the church in Corinth, if they are his letter of commendation, had some glaring grammatical mistakes. The punctuation was off in a number of places.
No preacher is perfect, just as no church is perfect. We need to stop looking for the approval of men, open the Word of God, and seek only the commendation of the Lord.
#BiblicalTruth #FaithInChrist #ApostolicAuthority #KJVOnly #GodsWord
The Imperfect Church: God’s Commendation Over Man’s Approval
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