2 Corinthians 10:7 - Meaning and Application

In these verses, the apostle Paul argues his case with the Corinthians against those who looked down on him, judged him, and spoke harshly about him. “Are you judging by outward appearance?” he asks (2 Corinthians 10:7). In other words, is that a fair way to measure people and decide between him and his opponents? By outward appearance, Paul seemed plain and unimpressive to some. He did not make a show of himself the way some of his rivals may have done. But outward appearance is a poor rule for judgment.

Some people boast loudly about themselves and put on a good show. Yet appearances can be misleading. A man may seem learned, while never really learning Christ. He may look upright, while having no true grace in his heart. Still, Paul says two important things about himself.

First, he speaks of his relation to Christ: “If anyone is sure that he belongs to Christ, so also do we” (2 Corinthians 10:7). It seems Paul’s opponents claimed to belong to Christ as his ministers and servants. Paul answers them by reason: even if we allow what they say to be true, they must also allow that we belong to Christ too. In fair argument, we should grant what can honestly be granted. We should not think it impossible that people who differ from us may still belong to Christ.

We should not make broad allowances for others and then exclude ourselves from Christ. There is room in Christ for many people, and those who differ from one another may still be one in him. It would help heal many of our differences if we remembered this. However sure we are that we belong to Christ, we should also admit that others who differ from us may belong to Christ too, and should be treated that way. We must not think that we alone are the whole people of God. Paul could say this for himself against those who judged and despised him: weak as he may have seemed, he belonged to Christ just as they did. They professed the same faith, walked by the same rule, built on the same foundation, and hoped for the same inheritance.

Second, Paul points to his authority from Christ as an apostle. He had already mentioned this (2 Corinthians 10:6), and now says he could speak of it again, even with some confidence, because it was true and given to him by the Lord. His opponents had no right to claim the same authority. He should not be ashamed of it (2 Corinthians 10:8).

Notice the nature of his authority. It was given for building up, not tearing down. That is the purpose of all right authority, whether in civil life or in the church. It was also the purpose of the special authority given to the apostles and of church discipline. Paul also speaks carefully about this authority. He says he did not mean to scare them with big words or with stern letters (2 Corinthians 10:9). That helps answer an objection against him (2 Corinthians 10:10).

He is saying that he did not intend to frighten those who were obedient. Nor did he write anything in his letters that he was not ready to carry out against the disobedient. He wanted his opponents to know this too (2 Corinthians 10:11), that when he used the apostolic power God had given him, it would prove to have real force.