I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I intend to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. (vv. 2-6)

God knows that we need material things to live on earth. But this does not mean that Christians will never die of hunger. We all eventually die. Yet God provides what we need until our time on earth comes to an end.

Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. (vv. 26-33)

Jesus Christ established the church so that visible churches might teach, admonish, and help those in need. However, many visible churches have abandoned this duty. For financial and political gain, they have forsaken the truth and speak lies about God and Christ. They try to please the public so that they may be loved by them. But such love is false. Evil people rejoice when they hear lies about God. They are not God’s people. They pursue what does not truly exist until the day they die. They boast of their ranks and positions in society and in the church, yet they are not interested in the truth, nor do they respect those who speak it. They pretend to help others, but their hearts are not right. Therefore, their deeds are not regarded as offerings to God. Instead, their actions serve only to cover up their evil nature. Many people fall for their lies and follow them.

On the other hand, true Christians spend their time, money, and effort preaching the gospel without any hint of falsehood. They do it out of true love that is from God. They do so because they have the true Teacher, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit interprets and guides us as we read the Bible. Throughout history, there have been countless brothers and sisters in the faith. We also learn from them through the Three Ecumenical Creeds and the Three Forms of Unity. Yet even if someone does not know these core Christian doctrines, the Spirit still teaches them through the Word of God.

The attitude of true Christians is to preach the gospel without conditions. The gospel was given to us free of charge—it is the pure grace of God that does not depend on conditions. Therefore, there is nothing in us to boast about.

But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the domain which God assigned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other people’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our domain, enlarged even more by you, so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the domain of another. But the one who boasts is to boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself that is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. (vv. 13-18)