How To Handle Christian Conflict in the Church - 2 Corinthians 11-13

2 Corinthians 12:19-21 (ESV)

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved. For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

To even come close to understanding this passage from 2 Corinthians we have to understand the proceeding chapter.  In the church at Corinth false teachers have come in and are not just teaching false doctrine but also claiming Paul was a weak heretic.  

2 Corinthians 11:13 (ESV)

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

Paul is writing them to correct some of this before he returns a third time to them.   He wants them to wake up and not make his return a spectacle.    He is making his case for his authority and authenticity with boldness.  He is not being defensive, he is being demanding of their respect.   He wants them to know that he has demonstrated his apostleship to them many times and does not intend to back away from false teachers and their false claims.  His boldness is found in what God has done in him and with him.  Paul wants to avoid quarreling and strife over all this, he is never-the-less going to be bold concerning their understand.  He has written them before about sexual immorality.  He does not want to go there either.  He wants to find them walking in faith and not in flesh.  Note his last lines in the book:

2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (ESV)

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.

This is a perfect book about confrontation and how to handle Christian conflict.  Paul demonstrates love, faith, truth, grace and humility, with boldness.  But you can’t be bold without the first five.   These are the five markers that Christians, who differ from each other, must show in the midst of conflict.   With them we have resolution.  Without them we have more conflict.