“… but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.” (2 Corinthians 12:19b)

The translators added “we do.” It refers to the “we” in verse 18; having reference to Paul’s mention of Titus, a brother, and even of himself. In verse 19a, the Apostle Paul used the editorial “we” having reference to himself personally. The Apostle Paul was giving the Church at Corinth a defense of himself being an Apostle (2 Corinthians 12:11b-12); according to his having the “signs of an apostle… in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds” (verse 12); and according to his attitude and actions toward the Church:

1) He did not take money from them (verses 13b-14)

2) “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” (2 Corinthians 12:15)

3) Nor did he make “gain” of them; nor did Titus; “walked we not in the same steps?” (verses 17-18)

4) “Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.” (verse 19)

a) The What: “but we do all things.” Everything Paul did toward the Church at Corinth was to please God, and for their edification (or growth in Christ).

b) The Whom: “dearly beloved.” By using this phrase of his perception of them, Paul revealed to them that they were brothers in Christ to him.

c) The Why: “for your edifying” (or your building up). That is, giving them the Truth, the Wisdom of God; that they may grow up into their Head, Christ Jesus. See Ephesians 4:12-16:

“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” (Ephesians 4:12)

“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:” (Ephesians 4:13)

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” (Ephesians 4:14)

“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” (Ephesians 4:15)

“From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16)

The reason Paul wanted them to be built up in Christ was:

“For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:” (2 Corinthians 12:20)

“And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.” (2 Corinthians 12:21)

“I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:” (2 Corinthians 13:2)

“Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.” (2 Corinthians 13:10)

And that they not be destroyed.

Paul knew the only way to stop the “debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults… many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed” (2 Corinthians 12:20-21), was to speak the Truth of God’s Word to them. They needed to be exhorted, rebuked, and also edified; so Paul said, I write these words to you. Paul did not come to destroy them, but to edify them (13:10).

When a brother or sister in Christ gets off track and begins serving the flesh and not yielding their members unto righteousness, then you will need to come to them with the Truth of God’s Word. Sometimes, you have to use “sharpness according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction” (13:10b).

Paul put their minds to the test:

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5)

 1) “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.” Look within yourself and see if you have been Born of God (John 3:3-8; Romans 8:14-16).

2) “Prove your own selves.” By your works of Faith and your labor of love (1 Thessalonians 1:3a-b; James 2:14-26); and by the fruit being borne in your daily lives (Galatians 5:22-23).

3) “Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates (or unapproved)?” That is, by experience; by the internal witness of the Holy Spirit; by your works; and by your own stedfastness (or faithfulness).

Reader, if you profess to be a Child of God, born of the Spirit of God, then you know without a doubt if “Christ is in you.” Then, if He does dwell in you, you are a new creation and old things pass away:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Then see 2 Corinthians 6:9-20. (Also see Romans 6:1-22; 8:1-16.)

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Then Paul said:

“Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.” (2 Corinthians 13:7)

“For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” (2 Corinthians 13:8)

“For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.” (2 Corinthians 13:9)

“Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.” (2 Corinthians 13:10)

“Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.” (2 Corinthians 13:11)

“Greet one another with an holy kiss.” (2 Corinthians 13:12)

“All the saints salute you.” (2 Corinthians 13:13)

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. The second epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi, a city of Macedonia, by Titus and Lucas.” (2 Corinthians 13:14)

Paul showed the Church at Corinth, through his office of Apostleship, that everything he did for them was for their edification and not their destruction.

Also, they were to examine themselves, and prove, and know that they were “in Christ,” and not reprobates.

Part of what Paul did to edify them was to rebuke them and cause them to examine who they were. It is hard for a man of God, a pastor, to rebuke the sheep. But when he does rebuke the error of God’s sheep, it is part of his process of edifying the sheep. (See 2 Timothy 4:2-6; Psalm 141:5; Proverbs 9:7-10.)

“Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.” (Psalms 141:5)

“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” (Proverbs 9:8)

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” (Proverbs 9:9)