Paul covers a lot of ground with the church at Corinth through the letter we count as his second. But underlying it all is his contending for their affection, for “room” in their hearts (2Cor. 7:2a). And so, as Paul wraps up his letter he makes his final plea.

Though reluctant to be goaded into a battle of boasting by the super-apostles who sought to discredit him, Paul engages for the sake of a flock who have been tempted to fall in line behind self-proclaimed messengers of God rather than remain loyal to the divinely commissioned servant of Christ, the one who had been a faithful steward of the gospel (1Cor. 4:1-2). He engages not so he can maintain a following, but in order to present the bride he has betrothed as a “pure virgin to Christ” (2Cor. 11:1-2).

And it’s how Paul wraps up his “boasting” that’s got me thinking.

I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing.

(2Corinthians 12:11 ESV)

I was not at all inferior . . . I am nothing.

Okay, that doesn’t sound like it should go together. To my way of think “nothing” is always inferior to everything. Nothing is inferior in power, in influence, and certainly in rank to anything that can be identified as a thing and is not nothing.

Behold, on this side you have a single strand of wet noodle; on that side, nothing . . . which is inferior? Don’t know what you’re gonna do with a wet noodle, but whatever it is it’ll be more than what you can do with nothing. So how could Paul stand up to the trash-talk of these self-promoting celebrities and declare, “I was not at all inferior” and yet also declare, “I am nothing.”

As I chew on it, I think it’s because the reason he was not inferior was because he was, in fact, nothing. He had been crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20). And everyone knows that those who are dead and buried are essentially nothing. It was no longer he who lived, but Christ who lived in him and thus called the shots for all that was done by him. And so, because it was the risen Son of God now living in him and through him, though he was nothing, he also was certainly not at all inferior.

True of Paul, true of me, as well. Led by the Spirit, that’s what Paul says in another of his letters.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

(Colossians 3:3 ESV)

Who has died? I have died. Ergo, I am nothing.

What is hidden? My life is hidden. Logical conclusion? I am nothing.

Hidden how? Hidden in who? Hidden with Christ in God. Inferior then? Second rate? Not at all! Nope! Not in the least! Uh, uh! Not me!

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

(Romans 12:37 ESV)

We may not be super-apostles, or even super-disciples, but our union with Christ is our super power. While we might be counted low by the world’s estimation, because of the great love with which God loved us, we have been made alive together with Christ and been raised up with Him and seated in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:4-6). Because we are no longer our own. Because we are nothing. Because we are “in Christ Jesus”.

By His grace. For His glory.