January 4, 2009
Evening Service

II Cor. 13

 

This morning we looked at verse one, and came up with a comparison of the law, and N.T. salvation.  This evening I would like to finish II Cor.

 

2Co 13:1-14  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.  (2)  I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: 

• Paul dealt with several different types of sins in his first letter, division, incest, rebellion, idolatry, etc.
• He is still addressing the issue of some in the church that do not believe he is an Apostle.
• I will not spare!!!  The issue is how God will punish those who are walking disorderly when he comes. 

(3)  Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. 

• Do you remember what Jesus told the religious rulers who were questioning Him concerning His authority?  He said, “it is an evil generation that seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given it but the sign of the Prophet Jonah.”

(4)  For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.  (5)  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 

• How is it that Jesus Christ lives in us??  Are you confident that He abides?  Again let us turn to the Word of God.
• Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
• Jesus said this;  Joh 14:15-31  If ye love me, keep my commandments.  (16)  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;  (17)  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  (18)  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.  (19)  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.  (20)  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.  (21)  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.  (22)  Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?  (23)  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  (24)  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.  (25)  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.  (26)  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  (27)  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  (28)  Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.  (29)  And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.  (30)  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.  (31)  But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
• Now notice how the Apostle Paul clears this up;  Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
• Paul tells the Colossian Church,  Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
• HOPEFULLY THIS BUILDS YOUR FAITH THAT CHRIST ABIDES WITHIN;  BELIEVE IT.

• Listen to Paul in the Roman letter;

Rom 8:5-25  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  (6)  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.  (7)  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  (8)  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  (9)  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.  (10)  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  (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.  (12)  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  (13)  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.  (14)  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  (15)  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.  (16)  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:  (17)  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.  (18)  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.  (19)  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.  (20)  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,  (21)  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  (22)  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.  (23)  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.  (24)  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  (25)  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

• That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
• BY FAITH;  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. 
• Paul expresses the same idea when he speaks of Hope.  ABOVE;  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  (25)  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

(6)  But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.  (7)  Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.  (8)  For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.  (9)  For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.  (10)  Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. 

• Paul explained when telling the brethren to separate from someone who was sinning that it was not for their destruction, but for them to repent and get back in a good relationship with God, and the Church.

(11)  Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 

• This is the formula for a happy Christian life.  Simple isn’t it?

(12)  Greet one another with a holy kiss.  (13)  All the saints salute you.  (14)  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

 

The next writings we have concerning the church at Corinth is from St. Clement, whom Paul mentions in the ending of the Roman letter.  The church had not gotten any better, and was on the verge of collapse because of rebellious people in the church.  It is good reading, and if you have time, we have the books.