7:13
Paul was greatly encouraged by the good news about Corinth. He was also delighted that Titus had been made so happy and refreshed by his visit there. Good pastoring delights in seeing others do well in Christ, it does not delight wrong and is pained when others are going down wrong paths. In fact it is like love as described in 1 Cor 13. It always hopes and perseveres. At times this will be a painful path to go down, but it is the only Christlike path.
7:14
Paul had told Titus that the Christians in Corinth were really good at heart. No doubt he had made him aware of some of the problems, but in a positive way, not in the sense that they were a lost cause! There was a risk in this, there is always a risk in hoping in people, in believing that God can turn them round. However, the Corinthians had not let Paul down.
7:15,16
Titus’s affection for the Corinthians had been increased by his visit. Paul finishes by declaring his complete confidence in the Corinthians. So we see that Paul has been very honest and direct about their shortcomings when he needed to, but is also full of praise when he is able to genuinely be so.
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