The matter of a minister’s integrity is of great importance otherwise Paul would not have laboured as he did to answer those who slighted him by calling him fickle and unreliable. He responds at some length to the criticism that he used ‘lightness,’ verse 17. Lightness or casualness in dealing with the affairs of God’s kingdom should have no part in any Christians’ life, especially the minister’s. It was not out of any lack of confidence in their love for him, 14-15, that he did not come as first stated for he desired only that they may be blessed.

Paul responds to the criticisms by showing them what his plans for visiting them were, verses 15-16 and that he did not lightly enter upon such a course. It was not a lack of resolve to carry out his stated intentions that caused him to alter his plans. He declares himself to be under the discipline of the immutable message that he preached and therefore not given to fickleness or wavering in his beliefs or practices. 

The reason why he did not come to them when he planned was because he desire to give them time to react to his epistle rather than coming to them before they had time to obey and so be required to use discipline against, verse 23. He was able to call upon God as his witness in this. He qualifies his reference to sparing them by showing that he did not claim dominion over how they believed but he counted himself a helper (one who laboured with them) of their joy by seeking to strengthen them in the faith for it is by it we stand.

There are important lessons to be learned from this portion.

I. THE UNBREAKABLE LINK BETWEEN WHAT WE BELIEVE AND HOW WE ACT

We are what we believe. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, Matthew 12:34. Paul argues that he could not be fickle and preach the message of an unchanging God, 18-19. The Word he preached was not in contrast to the way he acted.

1. Our word should be our bond. Psalm 15:4. It was not his hurt but theirs that made Paul change his stated plans. 

2. Even in that most common of our dealings with men we should show Christ. Our words are the most common and the most cheap things that we exchange with others. We should care for the reputation of our words. 

3. There are few things more unseemly than a Christian speaking vain words. They who profess to follow and obey the TRUTH ought not to speak falsehoods of any kind. The false prophet is a person of lightness, Jeremiah 23:32, Zephaniah 3:4. They breed lightness and frivolity. The fickleness and dishonesty in public life has its roots in the influence of liars in the pulpits.