2 Corinthians 13:1-4 says,...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 13:1-4, which read,
v.1-3 - This is the third time I am coming to you. Every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses. I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that if I come again I will not spare anyone, since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.
This is the second time that Paul has mentioned that this would be his third visit. Something is going to be different about this visit because of the two or three witnesses. Paul has sent Titus and others to them and those two or three witnesses have brought back news that the Christians in the church in Corinth have been following the ways of the false teachers. They had been sinning and allowing that sin to linger and not addressing sin within the church to the detriment of others.
Paul is going to address this sin. He said it on his second visit and now is warning them of it again in this letter prior to the third visit by him. The false teachers had been saying that Paul was not an apostle of Jesus Christ for various reasons. Paul has been addressing these claims by continuing to point to the Scriptures and his actions which indicated his true motive of following Christ at all costs. Paul now will come in an authoritative position of an apostle of Jesus Christ to address the sin within the church and none will be spared.
Paul does not find pleasure in this. Actually he is hoping to find them repentant of the sin and back following Christ in a humbled, submitted state before Him. Paul also didn't find pleasure is boasting of what he went through for the sake of Christ and the gospel. He called it "foolishness" to boast like this but he gave the information for their benefit to see his devotion to share that gospel with the world, no matter what. Now he will come into the church and do something he does not want to do but will for the sake of the Christ and the gospel and their very lives rather than sit back and watch them take the wide road that leads to destruction.
v.4 - For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.
Paul is following suit of his Master and Savior Jesus Christ. Christ came and did the hard thing by being crucified for us and the result was a risen Savior and eternal life to those who believe. Now Paul comes in the name of Christ but also as a transformed soul who is weak compared to Christ but alive through Him. He is humble before Christ but also fueled, "the power," by God to come to them. It would be a sin for Paul not to come to them a third time with a task that would be very hard and something he wishes he would not have to do or say.
Tomorrow, Paul will give some more instruction and guidance for the Christians in Corinth to change in Christ before he comes. There is no joy in addressing sin. If you have joy in addressing sin then I would say that something is wrong. The old saying, "If you point a finger at another remember that there are three other fingers pointing back at you" comes to mind. If I need to address sin then there needs to be some serious examination of myself. Will we do that and then will we come in the name of Christ to address something that grieves Him? Paul is coming to the Christians in Corinth with a very necessary trip and talk but it has come after a lengthy discussion of looking at himself and his walk with the Lord.
"Lord, are we truly loving our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ if we don't at times speak of the sin that we see? Are we truly loving them if we see them walking down that wide road that leads to destruction and not get in their path? When You place us in that position, may we take the time to have You inspect our lives so that our motives will be driven completely by our love for You and others and not ourselves. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.1-3 - This is the third time I am coming to you. Every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses. I have previously said when present the second time, and though now absent I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest as well, that if I come again I will not spare anyone, since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.
This is the second time that Paul has mentioned that this would be his third visit. Something is going to be different about this visit because of the two or three witnesses. Paul has sent Titus and others to them and those two or three witnesses have brought back news that the Christians in the church in Corinth have been following the ways of the false teachers. They had been sinning and allowing that sin to linger and not addressing sin within the church to the detriment of others.
Paul is going to address this sin. He said it on his second visit and now is warning them of it again in this letter prior to the third visit by him. The false teachers had been saying that Paul was not an apostle of Jesus Christ for various reasons. Paul has been addressing these claims by continuing to point to the Scriptures and his actions which indicated his true motive of following Christ at all costs. Paul now will come in an authoritative position of an apostle of Jesus Christ to address the sin within the church and none will be spared.
Paul does not find pleasure in this. Actually he is hoping to find them repentant of the sin and back following Christ in a humbled, submitted state before Him. Paul also didn't find pleasure is boasting of what he went through for the sake of Christ and the gospel. He called it "foolishness" to boast like this but he gave the information for their benefit to see his devotion to share that gospel with the world, no matter what. Now he will come into the church and do something he does not want to do but will for the sake of the Christ and the gospel and their very lives rather than sit back and watch them take the wide road that leads to destruction.
v.4 - For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.
Paul is following suit of his Master and Savior Jesus Christ. Christ came and did the hard thing by being crucified for us and the result was a risen Savior and eternal life to those who believe. Now Paul comes in the name of Christ but also as a transformed soul who is weak compared to Christ but alive through Him. He is humble before Christ but also fueled, "the power," by God to come to them. It would be a sin for Paul not to come to them a third time with a task that would be very hard and something he wishes he would not have to do or say.
Tomorrow, Paul will give some more instruction and guidance for the Christians in Corinth to change in Christ before he comes. There is no joy in addressing sin. If you have joy in addressing sin then I would say that something is wrong. The old saying, "If you point a finger at another remember that there are three other fingers pointing back at you" comes to mind. If I need to address sin then there needs to be some serious examination of myself. Will we do that and then will we come in the name of Christ to address something that grieves Him? Paul is coming to the Christians in Corinth with a very necessary trip and talk but it has come after a lengthy discussion of looking at himself and his walk with the Lord.
"Lord, are we truly loving our brothers and sisters in the body of Christ if we don't at times speak of the sin that we see? Are we truly loving them if we see them walking down that wide road that leads to destruction and not get in their path? When You place us in that position, may we take the time to have You inspect our lives so that our motives will be driven completely by our love for You and others and not ourselves. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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