Throughout 2 Corinthians, Paul wears two hats. On the one hand, he is a teacher, trying to help these new believers become stronger Christians. On the other hand, Paul takes the broken relationship personally, as he deeply cares for these people and is hurt that many people have misunderstood and mischaracterized his motives and actions.
Paul understands that the only way to reconcile the relationship is to admit how it has been broken. Then, both sides need to approach each other with love -- a love that accepts each other for who they are, warts and all (rather than hoping for some idealized form of behavior), and a love that accepts each other for who they are, with gifts to offer the entire community in Christ's name. If they can truly love each other, they can restore and even strengthen their relationship. In Paul's eyes, this type of love is key for all Christian relationships.
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