Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
The verse belongs to Paul's own relation of his experience in 2 Corinthians 11. It expresses his deep sympathy with those who are weak and his burning distress when anyone is led to stumble. That experience is to be studied and made to speak decidedly as the pattern for a deeper ministerial experience. Such ministry does not enter into controversy with any person nor seek to be original in odd notions, but carries the work forward in a dignified, elevated, and ennobling manner.
The verse stands within instruction that those who view matters with merely human sight make very grave mistakes. The mistake comes when they take up a work God has not appointed but has condemned, the work of criticizing others, climbing upon the judgment seat, and pronouncing sentence. Instead of that work, spiritual advancement is to be sought by looking well to one's own shortcomings and defects of character through watchful examination of one's own heart. That self-searching includes removing from oneself the beam of faultfinding, evil surmising, evil speaking, bearing false witness, hatred, and accusing of fellow believers.
The verse belongs to Paul's own relation of his experience in 2 Corinthians 11. It expresses his deep sympathy with those who are weak and his burning distress when anyone is led to stumble. That experience is to be studied and made to speak decidedly as the pattern for a deeper ministerial experience. Such ministry does not enter into controversy with any person nor seek to be original in odd notions, but carries the work forward in a dignified, elevated, and ennobling manner.
The verse stands within instruction that those who view matters with merely human sight make very grave mistakes. The mistake comes when they take up a work God has not appointed but has condemned, the work of criticizing others, climbing upon the judgment seat, and pronouncing sentence. Instead of that work, spiritual advancement is to be sought by looking well to one's own shortcomings and defects of character through watchful examination of one's own heart. That self-searching includes removing from oneself the beam of faultfinding, evil surmising, evil speaking, bearing false witness, hatred, and accusing of fellow believers.