Signed, sealed, delivered

Wesley Wright

Lighthouse Bible Church

Sunday, December 14, 2025

 

Title: Signed, sealed, delivered

 

2CO 1:12-24

 

Paul (2CO 1:12) says he and others have done well in Corinth not by their own power, but instead the grace of God.

 

Paul wrote readers could be proud of the apostles in the same way that the apostles were proud of those at Corinth who were growing in their faith.

 

Paul called this group his “children” before, which denotes the closeness he felt with them:

1CO 4:11-16

 

What is the day of the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:14)? Don’t think of it as a literal 24-hour period.

 

1CO 1:3-8,

1CO 5:1-5

 

2CO 5:5-10

 

1TH 5:1-6

 

Paul evidently planned to visit Corinth on his way to Macedonia, then to visit Corinth on his way back from Macedonia to head to Judea, but he did not

(2CO 1:16-17).

 

He mentioned a trip before and did not make it:

 

1CO 16:5-7

 

His readers, then, wondered about Paul’s dependability. He ties His motives to God — God is faithful, and Paul says his word to the Corinth folks is too.

 

We see two rhetorical questions in 2CO 1:17-18. Evidently, the folks at Corinth thought that Paul was unreliable because he hadn’t followed his plans.

 

Paul is making the case that he is not unreliable, he just had a change of plans.

 

It happens: ACT 16:4-10

 

The promises of God are always Yes and Amen in Jesus Christ

(2CO 1:19-20).

 

Jesus Christ is The Amen: REV 3:14-18

 

Jesus Christ made it clear he fulfilled the promises of God: LUK 4:14-21

 

What is God’s seal in context

( 2CO 1:21-22 )? It’s the Spirit of God.

 

We have been sealed once and forever:

JOH 6:24-27 (Jesus Christ)

EPH 1:11-14

EPH 4:26-32

 

We by extension are delivered from what would otherwise by the just wrath of God:

 

 

Paul apparently thought it best not to come to Corinth at that particular time — and he was willing to use God as a witness to that, too ( 2 Co 1:23-24 ).

 

Remember how last week we covered Paul’s appeal to his apostleship. Those matters came up this week again, and this won’t be the last time.

 

In conclusion:

Paul appeals to Godly integrity

God is always faithful

We believers are sealed forever with the Spirit of Jesus Christ

 

We’ll read about Paul’s love for his readers, and how to respond gracefully to an offense next week in chapter 2.