II CORINTHIANS: Boasting or Being Humble in God; "For though I might desire to boast, I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me!"

It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. (II Corinthians 12:1)

Paul may have come across as boasting too much in the last few lessons, but he was proving his authority to the church in Corinth, His authority had been questioned and then doubted by some of the believers, after some Jewish religious leaders, Judaizers came in trying to sabotage the church as they had done in almost every other place Paul and the apostles had gone and started churches. Paul acknowledged that he may not look as pleasing to the eye nor his speech as eloquent as the false teachers,  But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends. (II Corinthians 10:17-18) 

Now he boasted in something that will quiet those false teachers and unbelievers.  He had previously said, For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things. ... But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. (II Corinthians 11:5-6, 12-15) Now he would share a true experience he had that is most boasting worthy.

Even though he used the phrase "a man", he was speaking about himself: I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man [Paul] in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. (II Corinthians 12:1-6)

WOW, what an experience God allowed Paul to have!  Remember when Christ Jesus was hanging on the cross, and He said to one of the criminals hanging beside Him who had repented and asked for forgiveness, And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43) Well God allowed Paul to see this real place, Paradise.  God also revealed Paradise to the apostle John. (Revelation 4-5, 7) Now we better understand what it means, ...to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (II Corinthians 5:8)

But where is this "third Heaven"?  During creation, Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. (Genesis 1:6-8) There's the sky we can see with our eyes, which God called Heaven.  That's the "first heaven".  Then there are things beyond the clouds that we can't easily see, but through telescopes we are able to see a lot of it.  Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light! Praise Him, you heavens of heavens, And you waters above the heavens! (Psalm 148:1-4) That's the "second heaven".

Paradise is the "third Heaven", where Jesus had prayed to the Father that He would return to, "I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." (John 17:4-5) And when God allowed John to see Paradise, After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”  Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. (Revelation 4:1-3)

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:1-5)

And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:6-8) THANK GOD FOR CHRIST JESUS, The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)  “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12)

Paul had the same boast as John, that God allowed him to see the third Heaven, Paradise, where Christ Jesus is and all who have died whose faith was in Him; This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. (II Timonthy 2:11) And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (II Corinthians 12:6-10)

God has a way of keeping us humble, and that's what God did with Paul, by putting a "thorn in the flesh".  Whatever the specific infirmity was doesn't matter.  The point is that God knows that sometimes the knowledge He gives us has the potential to cause us to get the "big head".  But Paul exemplifies perfectly how we are to respond to God's keeping us humble; Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong! (II Corinthians 12:11-13)

For all of us whom God has given much grace, we have got to remain humble.  We have got to have compassion for other, and never treat others as if they are inferior. For all that we think we know, we still don't know all there is to know. For the Lord says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Paul concludes by stating again  that he desired to return to Corinth. Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved. But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. (II Corinthians 12:14-19)

God blessed Paul and the other apostles and disciples to experience some of the most wonderful things and perform great miracles, not for them to become proud and boastful, although as Paul stated, they had every right to boast if anyone did.  But God also allowed them to suffer great tribulation to keep them humble.  They were our example, because all that God blesses us to experience, whether we consider it good or bad, we do all things, beloved, for your edification, to build up the church, the body of Christ, all believers in the faith. For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed (II Corinthians 10:8)! AMEN!