“For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this.”
How could it be that Paul is present in spirit in Corinth, when his body is miles away? Surely his spirit is still in his body! It seems that Galatians 2 gives us the answer to this question- namely that Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles- he received this call from the Lord Jesus, it was affirmed by the apostles, through agreement with the gospel that the Corinthians heard and believed and came to Christ thru, and was affirmed by the apostles giving Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship. Paul was with the Corinthians in “spirit” because as long as they submitted to his teaching they were “under his authority” as the Lord’s apostle for them- it is as if he is there. So it is with us- as we read Paul’s letter to Corinth, as we act in faith as a church body lining our actions up with the words he wrote - understanding they are God’s Words coming to us thru Paul- then we too have Paul with us in spirit. What a fellowship! What a joy divine!
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