If anything, this last consideration seems to have been uppermost in Paul’s mind as he wrote 2 Corinthians. In verse 16 there is a specific reference to the sheer inconsistency of Christians exposing themselves to idolatry. We saw in verses 11–13 that Paul was anxious that the Corinthians had become rather distant from him. He pleaded with them not to narrow their affections, but to get back onto the old footing. It is easy to see why his relationship with them was no longer as easy and fruitful