2 Corinthians 10

In this part of his letter, Paul is going to write a little bit about the difference between being absent and writing a letter versus being present. 
==2 Corinthians 10:1-2==
1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: 2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
Paul is going to implore strongly, to ask in powerful terms for the church at Corinth to understand some things. He bases this on the meekness the meekness and gentleness of Christ which he wishes to reflect. The point of his statements here is that he is bold in this letter in the way he writes and in what he writes so that when he sees them next, he doesn't have to be.
His boldness is required because there are those in that congregation who are still thinking according to physical terms. This is a constant theme in Paul's letters, the war within an individual between physical and spiritual self, the lusts of the flesh versus the righteous drive of the spirit of man. Romans 7- 8 is the most comprehensive view of this. This conflict is one the Jews fought and lost. It was a conflict the church was embroiled in during its infancy and what Paul pressed hard against to win for the spiritual side of things.
==2 Corinthians 10:3-4==
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
A powerful verse in and of itself, but it must be understood in the broader context of the letter and of the New Testament. This goes back to the beginning of Paul's letter in 2 Corinthians 1:4-7 where he writes of the church enduring through the persecution at the hands of the Jews. The points relating to this are as follows:
# They live currently in physical bodies and interact with the physical world according to God's design.
# They are to understand that physical things are temporary and are not to be lured by that which was only temporary, but to set there minds on things eternal.
# The conflict therefore is not a simple physical war such as the nations of the world fought, it is a spiritual war for the minds, the souls of humans.
# Since the real conflict is a spiritual one, a conflict for the survival of the church, the Christians were not to engage in physical combat to spread the Kingdom of Christ.
# Since the real conflict is a spiritual one, a conflict for the survival of the church, the Christians were to use the proper weapons, the gear provided by God, which was right and proper and powerful for the waging of that conflict.
See, the Jews were only physically persecuting the church. They were fighting the wrong kind of battle which is why they lost before they every got started. By physically persecuting Christians, in large part all they showed was that the cause of Christ was worth dying for. Every martyr they made, every Christian who refused to engage in physical combat but instead preached the gospel until they were killed, showed the rest of the world that there was something very special about this Jesus Christ whom the Christians preached. By their preaching of the gospel, the strongholds of Judaism were brought down:
# Jerusalem, the capital and heart of the Jewish state.
# The Temple, the soul and spiritual center of the Jewish system.
# The Jewish traditions that in effect countermanded the law of Moses and represented the Jewish attempt to establish their own righteousness.
# Most importantly, the mental strongholds of the physical world and the Judaizing influences in their own minds.
Our principle today is to understand that we do not fight a physical war but a spiritual one as well. We do not conquer physical nations for Christ. This is grossly misunderstood by a host of people even within the church.
America is not, never was, and never could be a Christian nation because America is a physical nation. America has Christians who are citizens of that physical nation, but the nation itself is not "Christian". The Kingdom of Christ is the Christian nation, the only one that ever exists. Therefore, if we make decisions and take actions as a nation, as citizens of America, as voters or what have you that is based on the false premise that America is a Christian nation, our decisions are always going to be flawed. This is almost a constant in the history of this nation because so many don't understand this.
This is also something that the false religion of Islam does not get and is one of the reasons that it is shown to be a religion that is not from Jehovah. They convert through the crude mechanism of physical threat. Nations can be Islamic because Islam is a religion that focuses on the physical. Since there are things such as Islamic nations, and since America is a physical nation, then it is the purview of America to respond to the physical aggression of Islam. However, Islam is also a religion and therefore engages things in the spiritual realm. It is NOT the purview of America to engage Islam on this front, it is the church of Christ's job.
==2 Corinthians 10:5-6==
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
The Corinthian church, being engaged in spiritual warfare with spiritual implements, brings down these strongholds by these methods, or rather God does through them. Casting out the imaginations and desires of men and submitting to the will of Christ. Truly this is what Paul meant in Galatians 2:20 to say that it was no longer himself but Christ living in him. Christians do this by engrafting the words into their minds (James 1:21).
Verse 6 is understood properly in the context of the current tribulation (again 2 Cor. 1:4-7). God was ready then to exact revenge against all disobedience (Jews - Eph. 2:2; 5:6; Col. 3:6) not to exact it in some far future. That readiness indicates that the fulfillment of the obedience of the Christians at Corinth (and by extension of the whole church of that time) was immenent. This is not God waiting on the Christians to get perfect, or to perform some series of actions, this is talking about the fulfilling of prophecy, the bringing in of the maturity of the church through the delivery of the bulk of the New Testament teachings. Once the church was prepared (John 14:2-3) then vengeance against her enemies would come.
Remember, however, that the whole gospel was taught by Christ to the Apostles and they were just remembering it with the aid of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). The primary mission of the Apostles was to establish the church, which they did over 40 years. John and Jude wrote 4 post-establishment letters that did not contain any new information, but were parting inspired letters to a mature church.
==2 Corinthians 10:7==
7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
The rhetorical question is an emphasis against judging by physical standards, and specifically in judging Paul's words to the church at Corinth. They were to measure themselves and Paul's words against the spiritual standard of God's Word. If a man were to set himself up as judge of these things by thinking that he is Christ's, he needs to be reminded that so is Paul.
==2 Corinthians 10:8-11==
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: 9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. 10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. 11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
Paul then sets out the case to support his assertion that he is truly of Christ. He speaks of his apostolic authority, not as a matter of bragging or to destroy anyone but to show it to be a tool to build them up, to establish the church.
Some might claim that Paul was all talk when writing letters, but when he showed up, he'd have no action to back up the talk. Paul was assuring them that he was as steadfast far away as he would be when he came to them. Those who would try to get away with evil things based on this faulty thinking needed to think again.
==2 Corinthians 10:12==
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
Ultimately this just means that there were those who made themselves the standard by which judgments were made rather than the scriptures. What was worse, is that there was a group of trouble makers that was using themselves as the standard and were "peer reviewing" their judgments. It's a circular form of reasoning and its stupid.
We see this a LOT today. One example is the scientific community. The atheistic macroevolutionsists have set themselves up as the standard of what is right and so, of course, whenever anyone writes or says something that fits within their framework, they all pretend to scrutinize it for veracity when in truth they are scrutinizing it to see if it will better support their belief system. If it does, they hurrah that person's work and congratulate themselves. From the outside, its silly, and doesn't forward any thinking.
Another example is within religious circles, even our own, like those of the diocese mentality. Uninspired men, especially living ones, are touted as "great scholars" and quoted as if they have some spiritual authority. If you don't agree with them, then you are a heretic, whatever the Bible may say about something.
There was a group during the time Paul was writing that was famous for this, the Pharisees. Their sin was not legalism. Legalism is a strict adherence to a system of laws, which is not a sin. Jesus is the most legalistic person ever to exist. The sin of the Pharisees was making themselves the standard and judge and nullifying God's laws (Matthew 15).
What this thinking ultimately leads to is a culture of fear, even among those who do the comparing to themselves. Since a limited human standard constantly changes over time, then there is always the possibility that what you say or do won't match up and you'll be kicked out of the group. 
==2 Corinthians 10:13-15==
13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: 15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,
God's standard is eternal and doesn't change. conformity is therefore simpler and easily achieved and maintained. While we should have a healthy fear of God's wrath should we not live up to that standard, we do not have a culture of fear because conformity can be maintained. Instead we have peace.
Paul doesn't boast about or preach of himself. He only preaches that which God has given him to preach and therefore only boasts about God, glorifying God. If their faith is increased by the things of God through Paul and not according to the standards of men, then that is edifying enough for Paul. This gets back to Christ's teaching about those who would be first are last and last first, or those who would be lifted up are cast down and those who are humble would be lifted up. Let others brag about your well doing and lift you up, don't try to lift yourself up. Give God the glory and He will take care of you Providentially.
This idea of "without measure" is not about abundance but about going beyond the standard of measurement, the Bible.
==2 Corinthians 10:16-17==
16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. 17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.
Paul tells them not only not to lift themselves up for their own work, or by their own standards, but certainly not by claiming credit for another person's work. Give it all up to God and God will apportion that glory as is proper.
In Truth and Love.
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