Testing in Progress

The apostle Paul took the purity and sanctification of the church very seriously. He was so distressed at the sin and impurity of the church in Corinth that led into a depression. As he closes his letter to them, he calls them to examine or test themselves to see if they were even of the faith. He asks them to do this before he comes and visits because if they don’t examine themselves, Paul will have to oversee his own examination of them.

We too should take the purity of our church as seriously as Paul did. We should constantly be testing ourselves to see if our spiritual walk matches our spiritual position in Christ Jesus.

Let explore 3 aspects of spiritual self evaluation.

1. Consequences of Failing the Test

2 Corinthians 13:1 NASB95

1 This is the third time I am coming to you. Every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

Quote from Deut. 19:15

also used by Jesus in Matthew.

Matthew 18:15–20 NASB95

15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. 17 “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

This is often overlooked in churches, but it is the first thing Jesus taught and it is the first act of the newly established church in Jerusalem in Acts.

Ananias and Sapphira

2 Corinthians 13:2 NASB95

2 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,

Paul has given time for those who have sinned to repent employing the first two steps of discipline.

“Have sinned” is in the perfect tense meaning they started sinning in the past and continue to do so now.

He has patiently confronted sin in the Corinthian church but next time he comes it will be time to take the final step and confront the sinning brethren publicly and finally.

“Not spare” - he will not forbare to afflict or punish them. How? Was he going to take a stick with him? no. His only authority is the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

God will sometimes directly discipline through the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12:5–6 NASB95

5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; 6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

Whether by God through the church or by God directly, Paul was not going to spare them. Those who were sinning were affecting the whole church, and for the sake of the godly ones in Corinth, this had to stop.

The second aspect of spiritual self evaluation is…

2. Power Behind the Test

2 Corinthians 13:3 NASB95

3 since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.

From what Paul writes in verse 3, we can assume that the false apostles of Corinth had demanded that Paul provide proof that he was a spokesman of Christ. Paul’s proof is the changed lives of the believers who believed the gospel that Paul preached.

They had radically changed

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 NASB95

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

2 Corinthians 13:4 NASB95

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.

Jesus allowed Himself to be physically weak and fragile to the point of dying on the cross, but this apparent weakness was only to allow for the power of God to be displayed in Christ’s resurrection. In a similar way, Paul was weak. Even in God, he was weak because he did not depend on his own strength or authority. His only strength came from the transforming power of God.

This is the same power at work in them!

3. Taking the Test

2 Corinthians 13:5 NASB95

5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

“Yourselves Test” “Yourselves Examine”! They were putting Paul to the test and questioning his character, his salvation, his apostleship, his integrity, and his gospel. He turns it on them and says, “You better test yourselves to see if you are truly followers of Christ!”

The challenge is often given to examine ourselves.

Psalm 26:2 NASB95

2 Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.

Psalm 139:23–24 NASB95

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

Lamentations 3:40 NASB95

40 Let us examine and probe our ways, And let us return to the Lord.

2 Corinthians 13:6 NASB95

6 But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.

2 Corinthians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Benefits of Genuine Faith

If they doubted Paul’s apostleship, they would have to doubt his message. But if they doubted his message, they would also have to doubt their own conversion. The most convincing proof of Paul’s apostleship was the Corinthians’ own transformed lives; if they were truly saved, then he had to be a true apostle. Paul knew the majority of the Corinthians were genuine believers and would therefore realize that he did not fail the test.

How then do we know that we have passed the test? Outline by John MacArthur

1. Do you mourn over the sin in your life?

1 John 1:7–10 “7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

2 Corinthians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Benefits of Genuine Faith

Arthur Pink notes,

One of the surest tests to apply to the professed conversion is the heart’s attitude towards sin. Where the principle of holiness has been planted, there will necessarily be a loathing of all that is unholy. If our hatred of evil be genuine, we are thankful when the Word reproves even the evil which we suspected not. (Profiting from the Word [Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1977], 13)

2. Are you attracted to the righteousness of God?

Matthew 5:6 “6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

3. Do you submit to God’s authority in your life?

Matthew 19:16–22 “16 And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 19 Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22 But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.”

4. Do you see obedience to God demonstrated in your life?

John 6:46 “46 “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.”

5. Do you have love for God and for other people?

Romans 8:28 “28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”