25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.
So Paul’s choice was to remain on the earth in this life, rather than to die and be with the Lord. The irony is that there was probably no one who wanted to be with the Lord more than Paul. He had personally met Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), and his life was radically and unalterably changed through that encounter. Consider also that he had had a glimpse of heaven already, “… I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago … was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man … was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak” (2 Cor 12:1-4 Paul refers to himself in the 3rd person in his defense to the Corinthians). He wrote of the “… the surpassing greatness of the revelations” given to him (2 Cor 12:7). He was constantly pressing on “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14).
So, Paul was highly motivated to be with the Lord. Yet, he was “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Jesus had taught that we should serve others in the way that He served us. So Paul was willing to set aside his own desires just like Christ did, for the sake of the Philippians “progress and joy in the faith.” He had a heart for the Lord’s people, who the Lord “purchased by His own blood” (Acts 20:28).
The apostle wanted them (as well as us present day readers) to have a proud confidence in him, and that such confidence would springboard into confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ. He was very aware that he was modeling Christlikeness for them. In this letter alone he twice instructed the Philippians to follow his example (see 3:17, 4:9). However, his modeling of Christian behavior was not designed to win accolades or rewards for himself, but was intended to help the Philippians join him in following Christ: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus …” (Phil 2:5). He said it succinctly, when he wrote, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). He was all about Christ, he looked forward to being with Christ for eternity, and he wanted others to join him in that great outlook in life. Therefore, he looked forward to another visit with the Philippians so that he might continue to help them along in becoming Christlike.
Lord, help me to grow in Christlikeness, so that I can be an example to others, and so help them become more like my Savior.
To assign the visions described by Paul (2 Cor. 12) to Paul himself is a popular interpretation — and one which the hyperdispensationalist love. It stems from a desire, as far as I can tell, to think highly of Paul. However, there is no honest handling of the text that would make such a reading anything other than an accusation of dishonesty on Paul’s part. He clearly says that this man is not him. And to make it him, is to distort Paul argument in situ.
The error is an ancient one which ignores the sovereignty of God in these things. Rather men prefer to think that God grants such experiences only to saints like Paul — as if the experience were earned. Paul was not granted this experience because his pride would not handle it; further he was granted a thorn in the flesh to counterbalance the visionary experiences that he did have.
Thank you for your interest in E-meds. As for your comments on 2 Cor 12, the interpretation I have adopted is shared across theological spectrum not just “hyperdispensationalists.” This is not an uncommon view even among non-dispensationalists. Paul is not being dishonest but is being modest, which is the whole point of the section which has to do with the impropriety of boasting. Paul himself doesn’t want to think too highly of himself, in contrast to the Corinthians who were guilty of that very thing. A further thought: if Paul was not referring to himself, then there are many problematic issues. What, for example, is the significance of including the section at all in his line of reasoning to the Corinthians? It only makes sense if it refers to him. On a final note, your statement that “He clearly says that this man was not him” is plainly not true. His wording is consistent with speaking about himself in the 3rd person (not uncommon in ancient Greek literature). To be sure he was uncertain about some of the particulars, but of other particulars he was quite certain. In fact, it is quite difficult to think of Paul being so certain about someone else’ experience!
Again, thanks for taking the time to interact with these emeds.