In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he spends considerable time defending his ministry. Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising that, at the end of his letter, we’re given this insight.

I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you (emphasis added).

2 Corinthians 13:2-3 (NIV)

There were outspoken Corinthians demanding proof that Paul was really an apostle of Christ, which begs the question, why? Why were there Corinthians who doubted Paul’s apostleship? 

The text provides plenty of potential “reasons” why the Corinthians doubted Paul. For example, look at what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:17.

Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?

2 Corinthians 1:17 (NIV)

 Initially, Paul wanted to revisit the Corinthians but changed his mind. 

So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.

2 Corinthians 2:1 (NIV)

Paul was criticized because he changed his mind, and some Corinthians thought he was fickle. Hence, Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 1:17. Another reason the Corinthians might have doubted Paul is because of the false teachers there who were more charismatic than Paul.  

I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”… And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:5,12-13 (NIV)

Furthermore, some suggested that Paul needed justification for preaching to them. Evident in 2 Corinthians 3:1.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

2 Corinthians 3:1 (NIV)

It’s not uncommon for someone to carry with them a letter of recommendation from a respected source verifying that they are who they say they are. Consider the concept of references when you’re looking for a job or applying to a school, club, etc. Often, we need references to confirm our character and skills. 

There are plenty of other examples throughout 2 Corinthians we could select as “evidence” for why the Corinthians doubted Paul, but as I was contemplating this question today, I was reminded of something Jesus said when the Jews didn’t believe he was God’s Messiah. 

“But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”

John 10:38 (NIV)

Paul said something similar when he spoke of letters of recommendation.

You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

2 Corinthians 3:2-3 (NIV)

In other words, Paul was urging them to examine the impact of his preaching. Indeed, these Corinthians demonstrated incredible gifts of the Spirit and had been born again, but still, they seemed to forget who preached Christ to them. 

As I pondered why the Corinthians doubted Paul, I thought about what Jesus said about believing in the works themselves as evidence of God’s hand, and I thought of something else Jesus said.

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

John 3:19 (NIV)

The Corinthians were fine with Paul until they started wandering from the gospel message, and Paul corrected them. Suddenly, what happened? Instead of everyone repenting, some questioned the veracity of Paul’s apostleship. Indeed, they turned away from the truth to embrace other “truths” taught by the “super-apostles,” who were nothing more than false teachers. 

Ten years after his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote his last letter to Timothy and gave Timothy this insight.

For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)

Thus, we can see in 2 Timothy 4:3 why the Corinthians doubted Paul. Their deeds were evil, so instead of turning from them and embracing the light, they preferred to be in the dark. Moreover, these Corinthians who doubted Paul liked the teachers who told them what they were doing was okay. 

I’m sure many of us are familiar with people like Paul described in 2 Timothy 4:3. Indeed, it’s easy to look around and point out this or that “church” teaching unbiblical things because that’s what those people want to hear. Additionally, we can see the fulfillment of what Paul said to Timothy, but something else I would like to shed light on is that Paul wasn’t talking about the future. At least, Paul’s “predictions” weren’t as far off as some might think. 

Consider the epistles of the New Testament. Few of the letters were written to tell the people they were doing a fantastic job of following Christ and to “keep up the good work.” No, most of the letters in the New Testament were written to correct false teachings and provide doctrinal correction. Even Revelation, the last book of the Bible, starts by highlighting seven churches, and five of those churches had fallen short. 

Therefore, we can see that Christians have been struggling with following the gospel message since the time of Christ, and what we go through today isn’t anything new. Not really. Thus, when we read these letters, we should remember that the Corinthians’ doubt and the mistakes people made are nothing new. I say these things because it’s dangerous to read the Bible and distance ourselves from the people in the text because when we do, it’s easy to think of them as “them” and us as “us” when the truth is, people don’t change and because people don’t change, every lesson in the Bible is appropriate for today.