Bible Study - Sabbath School Podcast - Episode 2862 - Lesson 9 - Tuesday August 25 - Changing Plans for Love

Changing Plans for LoveWe saw that some in Corinth doubted Paul's intentions and love. Today, we will look into one particular reason: his changing travel plans (Corinthians 1:15-2:4" target="_self">2 Cor. 1:15-2:4).Read 1 Corinthians 16:5-7. What was Paul's original travel plan?Paul had been in Corinth before. According to 1 Corinthians 16:5-6, he planned to pass through Macedonia on his way back to Corinth and, perhaps, stay in Corinth for the winter. From Corinth, he would go to Judea with the offering collected for the poor in Jerusalem not only in Macedonia but also in Achaia, Galatia, and Asia. However, he changed his plans because of a bad report brought by Timothy from Corinth (1 Cor. 4:17, 1 Cor. 16:10, 2 Cor. 1:1).Paul intended to go straight from Ephesus to Corinth and there address the issues reported by Timothy. The new itinerary would be Ephesus--Corinth--Macedonia--Corinth--Judea (2 Cor. 1:15-16). He went from Ephesus to Corinth, but then he returned to Ephesus. His plans changed. He didn't go back to Corinth as planned, at least not immediately, because his latest visit did not go well. So, he returned to Ephesus and wrote to them instead. He would rather send a letter than risk worsening things with another visit (2 Cor. 2:1, 3).Paul's intentions on the last visit were misinterpreted. Some in Corinth said that he was unreliable and that he did not love them enough (2 Cor. 1:17). In his response to the accusations, he moved the Corinthians' eyes to the gospel of Christ. He was faithful to his intentions to visit the Corinthians at the best opportunity, just as God had been faithful in fulfilling His promises to them through Christ (2 Cor. 1:18-22)."For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us" (2 Cor. 1:20, NKJV).Thus, his response was not a confusing mixture of "yes" or "no" dependent on the circumstances, as they said, but was "always yes," just as God's work in Christ is "always Yes" (2 Cor. 1:19, ESV).Therefore, the reason Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians instead of visiting them was his sincere love for them, not the opposite (2 Cor. 2:4). Another visit right after the painful visit would bring them further pain, not the