2 Corinthians 4:13-15 – Enduring for the sake of others

In ministering to the Corinthians, Paul went through many trials described summarily in verses 8–11. But he saw all that as being beneficial to the Corinthians. The hardship he endured to minister to them was liken as handing his life over to death. But he would gladly do it for Jesus’ sake. As he endured all the hardship in his physical body and died to himself, the life in Christ manifested in him brought benefit to the Corinthians. It was in that sense that death worked in Paul and life worked in the people he was ministering to.

In verse 13, Paul maintained that whatever he had done he did them out of faith. Here he quoted from Psalm 116:10 to disarm his critics who felt that he had faint regard for the Old Covenant. He also did it to identify his faith with that of the believers of the Old Covenant. He argued that it was the Spirit of God that worked in both himself and them to produce the ability to believe. And it was this belief that led him to speak. And because he believed the Gospel to be of utmost importance, therefore it was natural for him to preach it passionately wherever he went. Had he not preached the Gospel, he would not have undergone all those predicament he had endured. It would also mean that the Corinthians would never have received the hope of being raised with Christ and be brought into the presence of Jesus with Paul. This hope in Christ has a certainty in the future. As Paul had found the life of Christ within him, he wanted the Corinthians also to know that they have this same certainty of their future presence with Christ.

So in verse 15 he again re-iterated that all those hardship he went through he endured it for the sake of ministering to them. What he did had resulted in the grace being proliferated to more and more people. Here what he said could mean the increasing number of people who believed in the Gospel and join the church. It could also mean that the people who believed were growing in the depth of the grace of God. But whichever he meant, we know that they would increase their thanksgiving to God. For God had always been the source of everything and the thanksgiving should be offered to His glory.

Whatever Paul went through in life as he ministered to the people, he did it to benefit them. He generously poured himself out so that the people might know Christ more and better. What about us? Can we also live our life in serving others, to help them know Christ better and embrace more of Him?