This will be the
third time I am coming to you.
"By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word
shall be established."
(Deuteronomy 19: 15).
I have told you
before, and foretell as if I were
present the second
time, and now being absent
I write to those who
have sinned before,
and to all the rest,
that if I come again
I will not spare --
since you seek a proof of Christ
speaking in me, who
is not weak toward you,
but the mighty and
you. For though He was
crucified in
weakness, yet He lives with Him
by the power of God
toward you.
2 Corinthians 13: 1
-- 4
As we now
come to the close of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians we find Paul
speaking of several things in the first is that he was going to deal with those
who were continuing to send even though having been given instructions on how
to live. How often is it that one hears
instructions, especially instructions from the Word of God, and then go about
as so they never heard, or as the saying goes "he goes in one ear and out
the other." So many were seeking
proof that Paul was an apostle chosen personally by God and that those words
spoken by him inspired by the Holy Spirit.
How often does it happen that people see your change of life and your
conversion to the Word of God, which means, your conversion to follow Jesus
Christ, only to question your life and your decision? Now, we must be reminded that we are not to boast of ourselves
and the fact that we have decided to follow Jesus because this is a sign of a
proud mine in the mark of folly. It is
the duty and the responsibility of the practice of Christians to humble and to
abase themselves in this in obedience to the command an example of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. This flies in the
face of the culture of this world whereby men and women, children, are taught
the very opposite and that they are to seek for grandeur and not allow
themselves to be abased for any reason, that they are the center of their
world. We also must remember though,
prudence must direct us in what circumstances it is needful to do that which we
may do lawfully, even our speaking of what God has done for us, in us, and by
us. We don't go running around touting
our Christianity and shouting that we are called by God to go into certain
things for Him. This will not bring
glory to our God and Savior even though we may have good reason to boast. Paul never glorified himself and his
infirmities, and our Savior Jesus Christ neither accepted glory or praise even
though he was the promised Messiah, a one for which the Jewish nation
sought. How is this possible for us to
carry out in our lives? Paul once again
tells us how: "Examine yourselves as
to whether you are in the faith. Test
yourselves. Do you not know yourselves,
that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless
indeed you are disqualified. But I
trust that you will know that we are not disqualified" (2 Corinthians 13:
5 -- 6). Sometimes it is very
important due to our English words not carrying the complete meaning that the
Greek words to examine those Greek words to get a deeper and four
understanding. The Greek word
"πειράζετε" means to test, to endeavor, to scrutinize, to discipline,
to prove, and to examine. It also
signifies testing whose intentions was to discover whether a person or thing
was good or evil or strong or weak if the outcome already was known to the
tester come to reveal the same to the one being tested. Sinners are said to tempt God, when they put
Him to the test by refusing to believe His word until he manifests His
power. This is a problem that I've had
to confront when speaking to those who have become so involved by attending
churches that teach special revelation or go to school such as the Supernatural
School of Redding, where they focus on the manifestation rather than on the Son
of God Jesus Christ. Furthermore, this
Greek word is present, active, indicative, or imperative, therefore, is not a
suggestion that the command in that command is that we had all kinds,
presently, in the present, and examine my testing our faith. Did not Paul write this to the
Thessalonians: "Test all things;
hold fast what is good" (2 Thessalonians 5:21)? The word forecast here is also a president
and Dick gave or imperative and also carries that we are to presently, and all
kinds test everything and then to hold to that which is good and it is only
good if it from the word of God and not from some man's presupposition that is
led into a false interpretation. Paul
then adds: "Now I pray to God that
you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what
is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.
For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth" (2
Corinthians 13: 7 -- 8). What more
can a Christian hope for then to be approved by God and called his faithful and
discreet slave? Or you may feel as
though you don't have the strength to be this kind of Christian but this is not
the truth: "For we are glad when we
are weak and you are strong. And this
also we pray, that you may be made complete" (2 Corinthians 13: 9). Jesus Christ remained strong as He
approached the cross to endure this most horrible type of death for He had
before Him a purpose for which He came to earth and held fast to the will of
God and by this He had strength. You
too may feel weak and without strength, but you are strong, your strength comes
knowing your purpose and that purpose is to live as a child of God and live in
His will. We allow no evil entertained;
rather we reject the culture of this world.
Our strength comes because the Holy Spirit lives in all of the children
of God. Lean upon the Holy Spirit and
you can face any circumstance that befalls you. Praise God!
Incline your ear and hear
the words of the wise,
and apply your heart to my knowledge.
For it is a
pleasant thing
if you keep them within you;
let them be
fixed upon your lips,
so that your trust may be in the LORD;
I have
instructed you today,
even you.
Proverbs 22:17 -- 19
Learn the ways of the Lord
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