Can You Pass The Test? 2 Corinthians 13:1-14

I never liked tests when I was in school. That’s probably because studying was not high on my priority list back in those days. It didn’t take me too long to figure out that life is full of tests. There are driving tests, college entrance exams, health check-ups, job performance reviews, situations that test our marriages and relationships, and personal tests like illness, broken dreams, moral temptations, peer pressure, and failure. In our Scripture for this morning Paul challenges the people in the church of Corinth to “test themselves to see if they are in the faith, if they are truly followers of Jesus. Let’s read our Scripture for this morning. 

1 This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." 2 I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him in our dealing with you. 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong-- not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority-- the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. 11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God's people here send their greetings. 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:1-14 NIV)

In verse 1, Paul let the people know that he is planning on visiting Corinth for the third time. His first visit, in 50 AD, happened when Paul began the church with new believers in Corinth. He stayed for 18 months before he left for Ephesus. Paul’s second visit took place in 54 AD when he received reports that there were big problems taking place in the church. Paul’s visit was brief, it went horribly wrong when someone in the church humiliated Paul in front of the congregation. Instead of causing a scene, Paul simply left and wrote a letter which was written between 1st and 2nd Corinthians. It is called the “sorrowful letter” and Paul mentions it in 2 Corinthians 2:1-4. Paul writes, 

3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you. (2 Corinthians 2:3-4 NIV)

In this opening verse of 2 Corinthians 13, Paul reminds the people that he had warned them when he was with them the second time. They needed to take care of the problems that were ongoing and would eventually destroy the church. From reading the verse it sounds like Paul is getting ready to hold court when he arrives in Corinth. He quotes from Deuteronomy 19:15 when he writes, “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” The actual verse from Deuteronomy says,

15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. (Deuteronomy 19:15 NIV)

Paul would not ride into town and arbitrarily convict those who were guilty of sexual immorality, causing factions, and continuing to worship idols while saying they were following Jesus. Paul would call witnesses. Who would be his witnesses? Well, we have to remember that there were those in Corinth who had repented of their sins and turned back to walking faithfully with the Lord. Even though Paul’s second visit had been brief, and humiliating, it made an impact on some of the brothers and sisters who heard what Paul had to say and had witnessed what had taken place. We know this from what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7. Let’s refresh our minds. Paul wrote,

5 For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn-- conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever. 8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it-- I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-- 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. (2 Corinthians 7:5-9 NIV)

Some who were causing problems in the church and shaming the name of Jesus had repented. Some, but not all so Paul penned the opening of the final paragraphs to the people in Corinth with strong language, he came on like a lion to get their attention in hopes that those who were in the wrong would repent, stop living like unbelievers in Corinth, and get back to being the people the Lord had called them to be. The last thing Paul wanted to have to do was to actually exert his authority once he arrived. He shows us his true desire when he writes, in verses 9-10,

9 We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority-- the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. (2 Corinthians 13:9-10 NIV)

Nothing would please Paul more than to arrive in Corinth and find the people, who to this point had been living like unbelievers and refusing to repent, living their lives with the goal of glorifying the Lord and working to build up their brothers and sisters in Christ. Like any good parent, Paul’s last resort would be to exert his authority, but if he had to, then he would have to.God has called us, as brothers and sisters in Christ, to glorify His name before those who don’t know Him in this world by the way we live our lives together as we walk in unity, harmony, and selfless service. There is nothing more beautiful than a church that is united in its desire to selflessly serve the Lord and His people–to let His light shine in this dark and broken world. All it takes is for a few people in the church to become selfish, to play favorites, to desire their way more than God’s will, to fail to pursue holiness–and the glory of God is tainted and the beauty of the Body becomes marred. If that happens, when that happens, God calls us to repent of our ways. Sometimes we need help in recognizing the error of our ways. Sometimes we need to be reminded of who we are in Christ. As brothers and sisters in Christ we are called to help one another when we get off track. Jesus gave us clear direction on how this is to work. Turn with me to Matthew 18:15-17.

15 "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17 NIV)

What Jesus has given us is a clear path on how to help one another when we get off track in our walk with the Lord. Now, I’m sure you noticed that Jesus said there are two potential responses when someone is confronted with the error of their ways. First, we can listen and prayerfully consider that the Lord may be speaking to us through our brother or sister. Second, we can bristle and bow up, raise our voice and tell them they don’t know what they are talking about as we turn and walk away. Or, some of us might even take it to the next level and respond by saying, “Who do you think you are? You are so self-righteous to try and point out what you think is wrong with my life! Why don’t you focus on your own life?” I meet with a group of guys every Wednesday morning for Bible study. It is really amazing how every aspect of life comes up as we just slowly work our way through a book of the Bible. I think one of the reasons why so many guys are willing to get up early and come to Bible study at 6:30 am is because they are learning how badly they need one another. Just this past week, as we were going through Philippians 3, I told the guys, “If you see something in my life that seems off to you, please don’t call me out before a crowd of people, but please do come and sit down and share what you are seeing or hearing. I know I have blindspots. I know I need the help of my brothers in Christ to keep me on track and passionate about my walk with the Lord.” I need accountability. We can read in God’s Word that God holds us accountable. We can even read where God calls His people to hold one another accountable, not to be some kind of spiritual police force, but to help one another. Talk like this in the modern-day American church causes people to cringe and squirm in their seats. We don’t want to be held accountable. We simply want to do whatever we want, whenever we want. Anyone who has ever played sports knows that accountability is not only a good thing, it is fundamental for the team’s success.  When our daughter Annie was a senior in college there was a girl on her tennis team that was a great player, but she was not a team player. Her attitude and behavior had a negative impact on the other girls. The coach talked to her. He told her what needed to change and he held her accountable. Nothing he tried to do to help her worked and she was dismissed from the team about midway through the season. That was a tough, tough decision for Coach Gyllenborg. No coach wants to discipline a player by dismissing them from the team, especially one of the best players. He had to do it. Once she was no longer on the court with the other girls things changed, dramatically changed. There was a unity and confidence that blossomed, which they hadn’t had before. When the season was over the girls had made it to the Elite 8 in the national championships and they had accomplished what no other women’s team in UMSL history had accomplished. Whether we are talking about a tennis coach, church leaders, or those responsible for businesses and organizations–good leaders, godly leaders, never want to use their position of leadership to discipline or dismiss people. We read in verse 10 where Paul said God gave him authority, but that authority was given to him “for building you up, not for tearing you down.” And yet, there are times when leaders must act. We read about one of those very troubling situations for Paul in 1 Corinthians 5. There was a man in the church who was sleeping with his father’s wife and everyone turned a blind eye to the situation. Paul wrote, in 1 Corinthians 5:1-2,

1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father's wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? (1 Corinthians 5:1-2 NIV)

Nobody wanted to get involved. Everyone knew what was going on, but they turned a blind eye because they didn’t want to get involved. What needed to happen was for the leaders of the church to meet with the man in hopes that he would see the error of his ways, repent, and be restored. Because the leaders refused to get involved the church was suffering and the church's witness in Corinth was being destroyed. The modern-day church in America has become the Church of The Blind Eye and because of that we are suffering, both individually and corporately. J. Carl Laney writes,

The church today is suffering from an infection which has been allowed to fester. As an untreated boil oozes germ-infested pus and contaminates the whole body, so the church has been contaminated by sin and moral compromise. As any infection weakens the body by destroying its defense mechanisms, so the church has been weakened by this ugly sore. The church has lost its power and effectiveness in serving as a vehicle for social, moral and spiritual change. This illness is due, at least in part, to a neglect of church discipline. (J. Carl Laney)

The church has lost its power and effectiveness because we have failed to understand that all of us will get off track and all of us desperately need one another, brothers and sisters in Christ, to help us get back on track in our walk with the Lord. The purpose of accountability and discipline is restoration not alienation. Jay Adams writes,

The purpose is not to be mean-spirited or to display a “holier than thou” attitude. Rather, the goal is the restoration of the individual to full fellowship with both God and other believers. It is to be done in love toward the individual, in obedience and honor to God, and in godly fear for the sake of others in the church. (Jay Adams)

The false teachers, the super-apostles as Paul calls them, they were scrutinizing everything Paul did. They weren’t working to build him up, they were tirelessly working to try and tear him down. In verse 3, Paul writes that some in the church were “demanding proof that Christ was speaking through me…” There is no doubt where that demand for proof was coming from, it was coming from the false teachers. Paul turned the tables on them and let them know that the important question was not whether Jesus was speaking through him, but whether Jesus was living in them. So, in verses 5-6, Paul writes,

5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-- unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. (2 Corinthians 13:5-6 NIV)

We love to play the comparison game don’t we? It is so much easier to see the faults of others than it is to see our own weaknesses and faults. Paul wanted the people to stop scrutinizing him and take a long look at themselves.“Examine yourselves…test yourselves.” It is a good thing for us to take stock of where we are in our walk with the Lord. In the book of Lamentations, the people of God had strayed so far from God, they had each turned to their own way and totally disregarded God’s call to love and trust Him alone. In Lamentations 3, Jeremiah urged the people,

40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD. (Lamentations 3:40 NIV)

The word Paul used in 2 Corinthians 13:5, which is translated “test” in the NIV, but “examine” in some other Bible translations, is the same word he used in 1 Corinthians 11:28-29 where Paul was giving the church instructions on how to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Each Sunday, when we stop in the middle of our service and share in the Lord’s Supper together, we aren't simply stopping for a snack or taking time to write notes or chat while we eat the bread and drink the juice. It is a holy moment where we are called to reflect on what Jesus has done for us on the cross in giving His life in order that we might have the opportunity to be restored, reconciled to God. Paul received word that some of the people in Corinth had turned the Lord’s Supper, which was a full meal in Paul’s day, into a drunken feast. Those who arrived early were eating all of the food and drinking all of the wine. Those who arrived late found there was nothing left of the fellowship meal. Paul wrote to correct the situation. He wrote,

28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. (1 Corinthians 11:28-29 NIV)

This bit of advice shared by Paul is still in effect today. Every week that we come to the Lord’s table it is so important that we examine ourselves in light of the great price that was paid for our salvation. It is amazing to me how week after week, as I bow my head and focus my thoughts on the cross, the Lord shows me those areas of my life He desires to work on, He reveals things that aren’t right, moves me to confess that I agree with Him, and He reminds me of His sweet, sweet grace that is more than capable of forgiving my sin. Just as Paul urged the people of Corinth to examine themselves, you and I must examine ourselves as well to see if we are in the faith, if we are faithfully walking with the Lord. You say, “Ok, I’m in, but where do I begin? How can I correctly assess my life to see if I’m faithfully walking with the Lord?” Those are great questions. First of all, I think it is very important to know that if we are His, if we have truly confessed our sin and our need for Jesus’ saving grace, then we are in the faith. We are not saved by our good works, but by His work accomplished through His death and resurrection on our behalf. At the same time, if we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior then He gives us His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, which takes up residence within us and begins His work of transforming our lives. As the Holy Spirit does His work within us we begin to see fruit that we are incapable of producing ourselves. Paul put it this way in Galatians 5:22-25.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25 NIV)

I must examine myself, stop what I’m doing and allow the Lord to reveal to me if indeed He is producing the fruit of the Spirit in my life. I need to pray for the Spirit to do His work in me and to give me the desire to water and nurture the fruit as it grows. Here’s another focal point as I ask the Lord to examine my heart: Do I hunger and thirst to spend time with Him in His Word? Peter wrote,

1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1-3 NIV)

I have learned this from my own life–the more time I spend in God’s Word the less interest I have in malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. The more time I spend with the Lord in His Word the more I want to know Him. I’ve met with so many men through the years who wanted to grow in their walk with the Lord. I’ve heard over and over again, “I just don’t delight in God’s Word.” I always tell them that it is a good thing that the Lord has revealed this to them, but the question is, “Do you want to delight in God’s Word?” If the answer is “yes” then I can help. Here’s the key. Set aside time every morning, before your house wakes up, to be alone with the Lord in His Word and in time you will notice something powerful taking place, something marvelous taking place, you will begin to delight in God’s Word. I want to invite you this morning to examine yourself. Are you really a follower of Jesus? Have you confessed to Him your sinful heart, asked for forgiveness, and committed your life to following Jesus above all else? Are you seeing the fruit of the Spirit characterize your life or are you still seeing the fruit of your desires leading and guiding you? In just a moment I’ll give you the opportunity to make a public profession of your faith if you have never received Jesus as your Savior before, but first I need to say one more thing.The church in Corinth was no different than the church in America today. Far too often we have allowed our culture to dictate and determine our course. We are enthralled by success and the successful instead of the faithful. We are all about growth, success, likes, and followers. It is so important that we keep our eyes on Jesus and not on our culture. It is so important that we allow Him to determine our course and seek to please Him instead of the crowd. Scott Hafemann writes,

The only antidote to the preoccupation with technology and technique that dominates the contemporary church is to return to the God-centeredness that runs throughout 2 Corinthians, from the opening word of praise for the comfort of God’s sovereignty in 1:3 to the closing benediction for God’s presence in 13:14. The hope of the church is not a new program but God’s invasion in our lives. Nothing else can save us from the health and wealth gospel that threatens so much of contemporary Christianity, just as it did the Corinthians of Paul’s day. The only cure for the cancer of modern materialism now growing in our hearts, with its insatiable desire for every-multiplying pleasures on earth, is the surpassing and profound pleasure of knowing the God of love and peace (13:11) (Hafemann, Scott. 2 Corinthians. pg. 508). 

The God of love and peace, of mercy and salvation, is inviting you this very morning to trust Him. Will you trust Him? Will you recognize your great need and turn to Him this morning? If so, I want to invite you to come forward and receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Mike HaysBritton Christian ChurchDecember 3, 2023