The Grace Of Our Lord Jesus Be With You

2 Corinthians 13

Verse 1.......On his upcoming visit.......Paul abruptly cites Deut 19:15 in a slightly abbreviated form: “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (see also Num 35:30; Deut 17:6). The assumption behind the law is that it is better for someone who is guilty to go unpunished because of a lack of the requisite number of witnesses than to harm an innocent person’s reputation with reckless charges.

Some believe this is the testimonies of letters or in-person reports by some in the church.

Others believe that his visit prior and if he finds them the same on the third visit will be the testimony that finds them guilty.

Verse 2.....Paul did not want to find the Corinthians in the same sorry spiritual condition as on his last visit. (The painful visit)......However, if he did find them this way, he would not let it go, he would bring it to light.

Verse 3.....Those Corinthians still seeking proof that Paul was a genuine apostle would have that proof that Paul was a genuine apostle.

Christ is not weak and they will see that proof when Christ in them when Paul comes!

Verse 4.........Everything we know about Jesus’ life in this life was seen in weakness, however, Jesus lives by the power of God....

Also, we are weak, Paul says, but we live as it Paul states in Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

Do not underestimate weakness in this earthly shell as not having power! Paul is not speaking about physical strength ( Although, I believe that physical strength can be manifested if it is needed!)

The power is in the revealing truth!

Verse 5.....With truth coming............Test or examine yourselves.....Nothing like the reality of being exposed or examined by the power of Christ, the truth of Christ........so, Paul states to them to go ahead and examine!

Psalm 119:59 “I thought on my ways, And turned my feet unto thy testimonies.”

Psalm 26:2 “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my reins and my heart.”

Psalm 139:23–24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart: Try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

Hebrews 12:15 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”

Revelation 3:2–3 “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”

James 2:14-26............Faith without works/fruit is dead......In other words, if there is no fruit/work then there is no faith.......We must examine ourselves.....

In James 2, James speaks about faith with works is made perfect or complete. Works proves the faith is genuine.

He mentions Abraham, that he believed God.......How do we know that Abraham believed God? He did what God said!

James also mentions Rahab the harlot, that helped the spies at Jericho, her faith was proven by her actions.

Works can be insincere but James is saying and Paul is instructing here that faith will produce something in you that can be examined or tested.

“Reprobate”...... “Failing the test”.......absence of genuine faith!

Verse 6..........Mark it, that Paul and those with him were genuine......

Verse 7.......Paul urges them to live Godly, this was his desire for them.........This was not a desire that would approve Paul, but that desire was for their good.

This is speaking more about just being genuine, even if Paul is still considered to fail the test.

Verse 8-9.......Here is the power, we can do nothing against the truth........in case, folks misunderstood verse 7, that Paul failed the test........

He cannot change his spots as a weak apostle and will not change his mode of working or preaching to please them. He also cannot adjust the truth to excuse the Corinthians’ sins and errors. This parenthetical statement makes clear that true apostles are controlled by the truth and not preoccupied with themselves.

....The Corinthians regard Paul as weak and boast of their own strength (see 1 Cor 4:10). Paul may be repeating in this verse a Corinthian slogan and bending it around the gospel so that it comes out meaning something quite different from what they intended. In 12:10 he reports the lesson he learned from the stake in the flesh: when I am weak, then I am powerful because God’s power is perfected in my weakness. In 13:4 he lays down the principle that Christ’s weakness in his death and resurrection by the power of God strengthens us. Here Paul draws out the implications of his weakness for the Corinthians, something he has already explained in 4:10–12. He rejoices when he is weak because that is how God’s power works in him most powerfully and has the most powerful effect on his converts. This verse therefore complements what Paul has said earlier: “Death is at work in us, but life is at work in you” (4:12).

Verse 10.......Examine yourselves and repent if needed, so that when he comes it will be a good visit rather than one that will be more about sharp rebuke that will build up rather than destroy!

Truth is meant to build up, not to destroy! It only destroys when it is responded to in anger!

The verse that is misused from time to time, Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”........Judging means to condemn, it does not speak to revealing truth, truth that will build us to eternal life!

Verse 11.......Paul is closing his letter.......Farewell.....the last communication before he would arrive.

Some believe that “farewell” means “rejoice” or “be glad”......it does has the idea of “Greetings!”

The Greek word “chairo”, is akin to the word in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice evermore.”

“Be perfect”........ “make adequate”.... “completely furnish”........How do we do that?

Build up in truth in Jesus Christ! That matures us!

“Be comforted”.......This evidence suggests that the word means “be comforted” and repeats the theme with which Paul opened the letter. It makes this an astonishing appeal. They have recently mutinied against him, and he suspects that they continue to engage in flagrant sin. He must trust that the living and merciful God who has comforted him so many times in the past will work in their midst to bring about the needed reformation and comfort them as well. Paul’s hope for the congregation is that as they share in his sufferings, so they will also share in his comfort.

“Be of one-mind” or “like-minded”.....Unity!

This is important.......this unity must be built on TRUTH, which is in Jesus Christ!

There is nothing to add to that, this does not mean to compromise to get along, it means to come together around the Truth which Christ is!

“Live in peace”..........Settle the disputes among you!........Unite around the Truth of Jesus and love one another as Jesus has called us into.......Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

I call this “hills to die on”......most folks will not settle if a certain situation is a hill that you will die on.....The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hill to die on!

Verse 12-13.......Just a salutation with affection for these Christians!

Verse 14.........All of the Godhead is presented here......Grace is only through Jesus Christ, Christ was given because God the Father so loved the world, and has given us, through our faith in Christ, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.....may all of of the power, love, grace, truth of all the Godhead be with you all!!!!!

The full force of the Creator is with us!