2 Corinthians, 13:1-6

Alright, what I'd like you to do this morning is turn your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 13. And just to kind of set the stage for what's going to be happening here is over the next two weeks... Hi, Harry. Over the next two weeks, the intention is for me to work with you through the next 14 verses, actually, of chapter 13. finished chapter 13. And then we have this hiatus between the termination of the study of the 13 chapters of 2 Corinthians.

And I think what Hal and I were discussing, and I think Jim is now part of this plan, is that we're going to go back between then and I think October 1. Wayne, is October 1 kind of the new class schedule? Yeah, I'm not sure. October 1. So we've got this hiatus of about five weeks, six weeks on Sundays where in fact we weren't quite sure where the Lord was leading us. But I think the decision is we're going to go back and revisit chapters 3 and 4 with more of an open discussion with the class to really engage you more about what these two very relevant chapters in 2 Corinthians has meant to you personally and share some things about your own relationship to those two very important chapters. So I think that's the tentative plan and Jim and Hal and I will all share in that experience. We may go back and look at a few verses in more detail than we even did the first time, but nevertheless we're thinking about those five or six weeks spent in those two chapters to wrap things up.

And then there'll be a new class schedule the 1st of October. And at that time I know, I think for a fact at this point, that Jim, Hal, and I and Josiah will team teach Romans. Okay, so Romans will be the one, I think, study that will be a book as the topical topic. And then other classes will have other topics. Sue, do you know what classes are available then?

Have we announced those formally yet? I know what they are, but I forgot. Okay. Okay. Alright, well let's get about our business here today. We're in 2 Corinthians 13 and Beverly, I'm going to ask you to read those first six verses if you would please.

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

Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you is not weak, but is mighty in you. For though he was crucified through weaknesses, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him. So we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith. Prove your own selves, know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobate. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobate." Alright, good. We'll stop there and next week we'll be looking at the rest of the chapter.

Now I'm gonna provide what I think is, you know, a reasonable commentary and those of you who do study the Word and go to commentaries, you have to make an opinion as to whether what the commentator says is accurate in terms of Scripture, or whether it's partially accurate.

Sometimes it may not be correct, but let's look at the commentation by Gil on this book before we start the study of this last chapter of 2 Corinthians. Gil says, and I quote, in this chapter the Apostle continues his resolution to come to the Corinthians. and to threaten with severity the incorrigible among them, giving the reasons of it, prays to God that they might so behave that there might be no occasion for the exercise of it, and concludes the epistle with very useful exhortations and hearty wishes of good things to them. He intimates to them again that he intended this third time to come unto them when he would not spare them, as they might expect he would not, partly because they had such repeated warnings, reproofs, and admonitions from him." Now that, again, is an honest delivery of an opinion of Gill as to what 2 Corinthians 13 has to tell us.

Now my question to you, in terms of the first six verses that Beverly read this morning, Before examining the chapter in more detail, which we'll do today and next week, what's short-sighted about this commentary, just in the first six verses in which we've read? Again, this may be my opinion, but I trust that we'll discuss this momentarily and see what you think. What's missing here in terms of Gill's assessment? And the reason I'm starting off here today is I think it's just relevant to make sure that when we use Study Helps that we really examine what the word says.

Now, not that I have the final answer on this. It looks to me like he's exhorting these... He thinks that Paul is trying to get them to change their behavior. Okay. He doesn't say anything about, you know, This is going to be the life of Christ. Margaret's hit the nail on the head, and I did not prompt her, actually, to give us that response. You may think this is all a plant, but Margaret's never bashful about her opinion, and I am not really surprised that she's taken the step forward and spoke it up, and actually she's correct. We hang out together a little bit. Honey, why don't you just come on up here?

Jim, I was just pointing out that commentaries are wonderful, but let's make sure when we use them that we go back to the Word of God to really kind of reflect on what's really said there. In verses 3 through 6, you can't get away from the fact that we're proving ourselves of who Christ is in us.

Does Gil's commentary say anything about that? No, he talks about their behavior. Now maybe he's so comfortable and knowledgeable about the fact that when their behavior is quote, of the Lord, that it's Christ working in them. But if you read other things that Gil writes, he seems to miss that point often.

And I'm not being critical of him, I'm just being critical of the process of commentation in general. That we have to be, when we use helps, when we study the Word of God, we really need to go back and reflect on what does the Word really say. And so the idea that this behavior of the church at Corinth is not acceptable, in terms of what the quote standard is of Christian behavior, the power here remains on them, according to Gill's commentation.

Not on the Lord Jesus Christ, right? again, verses 3 through 6, and we'll examine this in more detail this morning, can leave you with no other conclusion. We prove who we are in Christ. So, okay. Anybody further comments about this? Now again, my purpose isn't to be critical of Gil. My purpose is to simply point out the fact that when we turn to others, we want to make sure we check that out ourselves. and make sure that we're in a position to accept and or reject the commentation. Now let's look at verse 1. I've chosen the Webster version that says this, implying is the third time I'm coming to you. By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

Now if you turn back to the last chapter, chapter 12, And Hal didn't spend a lot of time on this last week, because I think he did a masterful job of summarizing the second part of chapter 12 in one week. I know he would have liked three or four. But what Hal did is dissect it and kind of give you one, two, three, four in a very, very effective manner.

But in verse 14 in chapter 12, it says, Behold, the third time I'm ready to come to you, and I will not be burdensome to you, for I seek not yours, but you, for the children are not to lay up for their parents, but the parents for the children, all very gladly, da-da-da-da-da-da." So anyway, so Paul has already said in the previous chapter that this is the third time. Now, this is kind of interesting. This is a present tense indicative mood, meaning it's factual, it's of the time, and if you look at Scripture, this is kind of interesting, because Paul talks about three times coming to Corinth, but only two are documented in the Word of God, and one is implied.

So let's just briefly look at this. Paul had been there twice before. Once when he founded the church, presumably on his first journey. And then once while preaching at Ephesus, of which visit Acts gives no account. So if you go back to the book of Acts, which we'll not do now, but Acts 18.1 and 22 both look at separate visits to Corinth. At least 22 implies that he was in Greece and likely in Corinth. But this middle visit, and that's presumably the third time that he's referring to right now. But the second time really doesn't get documented per se in the Word of God, it's just implied.

And back in chapter 12, in verse 14, he says, and I will not be burdensome to you. And the term burdensome actually here is really translated, and we'll not go back and spend a lot of time there, but can be translated being a true burden, like you're kind of a nuisance, detrimental, meaning tending to pull you down or distract you. I like the term slothful here because there's no evidence, I think, when we look at this section in more detail that Paul, in fact, is apologizing for the boldness in which he's approaching the church at Corinth. So I think, honestly, even though it's translated, I will not be burdensome to you.

If I think about burdensome, describe a burden. If somebody were burdensome to you, what would be your impression of their behavior? What would you be sensing? Energy takers instead of energy givers. Okay. Other thoughts? Heavy load. Heavy load, okay. Is burdensome something that you have good feelings about? No. And maybe in the eyes of the Corinthian church at that time, maybe it really was burden. They're looking at him as a burden. But I think in setting and context about what Paul's all about as he's addressing these issues in the church at Corinth, I think sloth, I'm not going to be lazy about this. I'm really going to be convincing and bold and firm with you.

I like that as a better translation and context. Now, two or three witnesses, you know, well established in scripture, and I think just because we have other things to look at in more detail, this is an Old Testament principle that goes back to Deuteronomy chapter 19. It's also evident in the way Christ predicts the way the church should behave in terms of a major issue that's brought against a member of the body. Between two or three witnesses, ultimately this issue would be resolved, and I think we're seeing that here again. And to me that makes you sense the burden of the issue, not the burden of Paul, but the burden of the issue at the Church at Corinth. Okay, New American Standard Bible translation of verse 2.

I've 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 will not spare anyone." Again, slothful I think being a better interpretation than burdensome. I mean they again may have looked at his presence and his letter as burdensome because they don't want to hear it, but nevertheless he's not going to be sparing anyone. Now previously said I think reflects back into the 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 text, and here we can kind of look at I put verse 21, but let's go back to 20. For I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as you would not, lest there be debates, endings, wrath, strives, backbiting, whisperings, conceit, and disorders.

Verse 21 now. And lest when I come again my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many who have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed." Okay, so he's previously brought this up. He's continuing to bring it up before them.

What kind of sin are we talking about here? And though now I say in advance that those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest that if I come again, I'll not spare anyone. That sounds kind of threatening, but we'll finish that verse off in a second. So what kind of sin are we talking about? Let's go back to verse 20.

All sins. All kinds. Okay, are we talking about individual sins? I mean, is this... So you're saying, Doug, that these are the sins that are listed here, then? These specific sins? How about vanity and pride? So are we thinking kind of a life filled with the kinds of sins that are specifically mentioned here? Are we thinking about how you doing today in your own walk?

I mean what kind of yardstick are we putting on sin here? coming back under Judaism to a certain extent, which has absolutely no power against sin. True. And with that in mind, they're opening themselves up to a lifestyle that isn't Christ living in them. It's the old man with all of its lusts and desires. Is this outward appearance then only that we're talking about?

Things that people can recognize as sin, or do you think... Out of the heart come these sins. Alright. Do you think, again, the question is, do you think Paul's talking in general that, you know, as indicated in 1 John, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just for... I mean, are we talking about just human shortcomings, or are we talking about acts of obvious wrong intent that people really reflect a life that is not Christ-centered, or even Christ-indwelled. I get the idea we're talking about these kind of more heinous evidences of a lifestyle that reflects questionable Christianity, if Christianity at all, right? We're not talking about individual sins.

I mean, again, think of your own life on a day-to-day basis. My goodness, we may not be murdering and, you know, carrying out some, you know, being bald and fornication. I mean, the issue is By grace are we saved. It's an ongoing process, right? And we don't tend to put a yardstick to vanity and to pride and to covetousness and some of these things. I don't think that's what Paul's dealing with here. He's not talking about the human nature as it sins day in and day out without God's grace. He's talking about outward acts that are obvious.

And I do think you're correct, Jack. I think, or was it Doug that said this? I think Doug did. If we go back to verse 21 of chapter 12, I think we're giving examples, and verse 20 also, envying, strifes, backbiting, well, whisperings, that can be kind of subtle, can't it?

So these are kind of evidences of a lifestyle within the church at Corinth that are those that have occurred in the past that Paul's there to address. Everybody okay with that? We're talking about lifestyles now. We're talking about people whose, in fact, life is rooted in the ways of sin and flesh. And that's evident in their day-to-day activities. I'll not spare them. Before he was willing to spare them, let's go back to 2 Corinthians in chapter 1. Let's just turn there for a second. So maybe we'll start here a little bit before that.

Verse 20, for all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen, and to the glory of God by us. Now he who establishes us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God, who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. Moreover, I call God for a witness upon my soul that to spare you I came not as yet into Corinth, not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy, or by faith you stand."

So here Paul comes in an atmosphere to spare them. Spare them what? Well, I think perhaps using gentler methods initially. Showing a bit more compassion, and not to criticize Paul never being uncompassionate, but it's clear that this boldness he now puts on is really quite frank. it's this tough love, if you will, and now he's not going to spare the church any longer because he's observing their behavior and has heard too much about it.

Yeah, that may be more broadly I think that's right, Jim, and you'll not have to turn here, but if I go back to 1 Corinthians 4, again back in the early writings of Paul to Corinth, In verse 19 he says, but I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know not the speech of them who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. What will we say? Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love and in the spirit of meekness?

So I mean, the first part of the first epistle to Corinth really reflected this kind of love and grace and concern for the entire body. But Jim, I think, appropriately points out that this is maybe targeted. more so at a particular sect in the Corinthian church. Good point, Jack. Very much so. I think that's very consistent with other areas of the Word of God. All right, now, the meat of these six verses here today.

And here we have the King James verse, and since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which the U word is not weak, but is mighty in you. Now I put up another couple of translations here because this is a study of prepositions. The interlinear Greek says, since a proof of you seek in me speaking of Christ, and keep in mind the interlinear Greek does not, you know, read so clearly, but since a proof you seek in me speaking of Christ, who towards you, who is not as weak, is powerful in you. Complicated, but that's the interlinear grid literally provided for you here. And then the Amplified, which gives us a little bit more flexibility in the translation, since you desire and seek proof of Christ who speaks in and through me, for he, implied, is not weak and feeble in dealing with you, but is a mighty power within you. My question to the class today is, does in or of make any difference here? I mean, we look at the inner literature of Greek as perhaps being the best translation or the most accurate. But they're the prepositions of, not in.

Marilyn, what do you think? In, of, relevant here? Is that important or are we wordsmithing for no unnecessary? Okay, everybody hear back there what Roy said? Roy, a little louder please. I'm sorry. And the Amplified, it actually says both aspects of the preposition. The position in, or the location in, and also the means of, through me. So it brings out both significances that are possible in the preposition. Right. Okay. Other thoughts about this? That of, the out from? Of, out from. Okay.

Notice, too, in the Interlunar Greek, we have here, who not is weak is powerful in you, right? So, in a sense, the Interlunar Greek, in its complete translation of the entire verse, doesn't leave you with the idea that we just speak of Christ and, you know, kind of like, you know, walk in my shoes kind of thing. It's Him walking in ours. So, I think we could get bogged down here, but I don't really think that it's necessary. I think the implication of the verse is that we're talking about Christ being mighty in us. A point that, again, Gil missed in his commentary. You might also look at the intermediary moment where it says, speaking of Christ. Okay. That implies that he is speaking of Christ, whereas the other two translations put it the other way around, Christ speaking in me or through me. Interesting, isn't it? Yes.

The first part of the verse tends to be personalized in terms of Paul's experience, whereas the second half is a phrase that really projects into the life of the Corinthian church. Alright, now let's look at this weakness and might, this contrast that we have here. So Paul says that he seeks a proof of Christ speaking in me. He seeks in order to find.

And I just noted here that the Geneva Bible footnotes indicates while they despise the Apostles' admonitions, they tempt Christ's own patience. And also while they condemn him as wretched and miserable, They laid nothing against him which is not common to Paul with Christ, or I would say in Christ. Keep in mind, Paul's used to being criticized. This is nothing new for him.

And in a sense, I think that's why the Lord had him come in more boldness and not slothfully this time, and to some extent being a burden on them, because he's used to this. He's been seasoned now by plenty of experiences. Now Christ had already proven himself as might in them.

And if you look back in the last chapter of verse 12 again, it says, truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. And I think if you turn back to the first epistle and look at chapters 5, 3 through 5, and 3, 1 through 3, you see examples of the fact that Paul was exemplary of the truth of the Word of God in his life. to the church at Corinth. And before we look at this weakness and might, we have to make sure we understand that proof, or dokome, implies approval. So the idea of Paul really trying to pronounce the truth of the Word of God, or the proof of Christ speaking in me, actually is really their approval that this has really been exemplified in his life.

Now, the contrast between weakness and power. In verse 4 in the Interlunar Greek, and made a little bit more capable of being portrayed legibly, is, For indeed he was crucified out of weakness, but he lives by the power of God. For indeed we are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

So the pictures here all kind of portray depression, despair, however else you might want to summarize these individuals, but they all kind of reflect an atmosphere of lack of power, don't they? And we all reflect our weakness and earthly experiences in a wide variety of ways. It's interesting to try to put yourselves in each of these individual circumstances and try to think what's on their mind. But strength and power is anything, you know, out of this that you don't really come away with, right?

So we turned to Tetz then to kind of support what it means that he was crucified out of weakness. Let's just look at a few of these verses. Philippians 2, 7 and 8, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. So made himself of no reputation from a heavenly perspective is weakness, right? The second example is he took upon him the form of a servant, weakness.

We don't think of servants in strength. We think of them in weakness. and was made in the likeness of men. Weakness, not strength. And being found in the fashion of a man. Weakness, not strength. He humbled himself. Weakness, not strength. And became obedient unto death. Weakness. And even the death of the cross, even the shameful death of the cross.

I mean, look, in two verses in Philippians 2, we see about six examples of how the Lord Jesus Christ weakened himself or was made weak. It's amazing to me as I really reflected on that text and really studied that text there, to be so impressed that in two verses we can see weakness in our Savior, in the one we call our life. It's amazing that in those two verses we see that so well portrayed. Now keep in mind, we're being identified with him, so the idea of us taking on that similar view really implies our identification. Now remember, we were envisioned by the Lord before the foundation of the earth. So in a sense, as we identify with the Lord Jesus Christ, our weakness is in fact identified with his weakness. In fact, we were co-crucified.

And we live in an environment that is not of ourselves. This is not our home. Where's our citizenship? Right. Don't get too comfortable here. And weakness is part of that existence. And boy, talk about the importance of identification in terms of our day-to-day walk. We have to envision that we are weak by definition because we live in a foreign planet. We're identified with the one who is made weak. When you get cocky and strong, be prepared, because the Lord's not through quite yet, making you identify more with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, let's go back to Philippians 9 and 10 and then see the contrast here. Let's turn to that, if we could. So verse 8 again, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Verse 9, wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.

So what a transition here. This is power. But even a better example of God's power, I think, comes from Ephesians 1, 19-23, and it's all written here for you. Let's read this. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, now the identification of that power being translated to the Lord Jesus Christ, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, in every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And God hath put all things under his feet, and hath given him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who filleth all in all." And what I tried to bold there in the text is just Ares' exemplary of his power. In fact, I should have bolded the fullness of him who filleth all in all, too.

I mean, that's power. So, in effect, this entire section in Ephesians could be used to really exemplify God's tremendous power. And that power is linked to the Lord Jesus Christ, it's not separated from Him. Unbelievable. And I put wow with plenty of exclamation points after it. So that cross really takes us from the extreme of weakness, the Lord Jesus Christ, from the extreme of weakness. to ultimate culmination in the most mighty of power.

Position, condition. Don't get too reflective of your condition. Because in position we have that power working in us. And that's what Paul would like to see some proof of. He's seeking, back to our text of the day, he said initially, you're seeking a proof of Christ in me who towards you is not weak but mighty in you. So he goes on then in the next verse to expand that concept. I guess before we get there, let me reflect back on the last verse.

What does it mean that we are weak in him mean? Three definitions of weak in the Greek. The first is to be weak, feeble, and to be without strength and powerless. The second is to be weak in means, needy or poor. and the third is to be feeble and sick. What do you think is weakness here in terms of our being weak in Him?

We have no power except through Him. True. Not putting our full trust in the Lord every complication comes our way. Okay, so it's the human condition then, if you will, right? Other thoughts? What does it mean that we are weak in him? Maybe just in and of ourselves, that we have no strength to fight him. Okay. All right, there you go. Okay, let's look again at verse 4. For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also weaken him, but we shall live with him by the power of God towards you. So the weakness in him... Is it... Well, yeah, I think... Let me go back a couple... Weak in him is Interlinear Greek, which again is maybe not perfect for that, but in Interlinear Greek it's in.

So, weak in him, when we perceive Christ's weakness, how did God view Christ when he was at the time of his earthly walk? He looked at him as weak? Weak in what sense? But there were many miracles, right? Many healings. But what was the difference between Christ's weakness and our weakness?

Okay, so back to the verse here, when we're weak in Him, what is that? If we're weak in Him, but we don't look at Him as having the capability of sinning, then is that the same weakness? Well, it says we are weak in Him. It doesn't say He's weak. Okay, so take that on, Jack. What does that mean, to be weak in Him? He is our strength. but then why would it say weak in him?

I mean, the next part of the verse says, yes, that it's his strength by which we live, his power. Do you think that relates to the earthly existence of being here in the flesh, that we in fact are weak because he was weak, left his throne, and was made in the likeness of a man?

Or does this somehow reflect the sin nature? I honestly think that it's taking on more of the human condition, not necessarily the sin nature. Because if we're weak in him and our identifications with him, we have to recognize the weakness that he portrayed in the human flesh. That weakness is not the sin nature, but it's the fleshly nature.

The surgery, Beverly, you're going to be having is your weakness in the human body of having something you need to have corrected. You haven't sinned to produce it. Well, I guess illness comes out of sin ultimately if you take it all the way back, but I mean the issue is her surgery is not because she sinned in some way. Because I had trouble, I mean this may not be correct, I'm just trying to lead you into a discussion here. Being weak in him is not the sin nature.

It's the earthly existence. Of submission to God and submission to being a human being. There we go. I like that, Roy. Roy said he's kind of being in a position of needing to be submissive to God. We are weak in that we depend on Him for His strength and His power. And I like that in context better than thinking our weakness is of the Adam nature, meaning the sin nature. And also because it says, also, we also, which means in a like manner as Christ. Yeah. Okay, let's move on.

But it says, even though we're identified with Him in weakness, and again, I think that weakness relates to the earthly condition and the dependency on someone other than ourself. Keep in mind, when we are weak, we are dependent, right? You can depend on your friends and relatives, or you can depend on the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ in you and what God has promised to us in terms of his bonding with us and giving us grace and strength to move on. But it says here, we shall live with him by the power of God towards you.

Acts 3.16, I brought forth here, and his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong whom ye see and know. Yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of y'all." Boy, that says a lot, does it, in terms of the fact that although weak, we are made strong.

And let's look at some verses. Penny, is that correct? Would you look at Philippians 3.10, please?

And Harry, could you grab Galatians 2.20? That's one we probably all know. And Doug, how about Romans 6, 8 through 11? Can you get your Bible there open? Let's read those three verses because I think these all so nicely give us a description of the power in which we live. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of Okay, thank you, Penny.

I'm going to read that again only because the King James here, I think, speaks a little differently about this. I think the truth is still there in your version. What version are you reading, by the way? What translation? Okay. The King James says, a verse that I think many of us know from that version, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings. Can't miss that part, can we? Being made conformable unto his death. I mean, again, the power of his resurrection, that's his power, not ours. I mean, the power we have to live the Christian life doesn't come by us trying harder. It's having been buried with him with baptism unto death and then risen with him in newness of life.

Okay, how about Galatians 2.20, Harry? I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. In the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me. Amen. Thanks, Harry. And the Romans passage, Doug?

Romans 6, 8-11 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death hath no more dominion over him, for in that he died. He died unto sin once, but in that he liveth unto God. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed with sin, unto sin, but alive under God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Yeah, where's that might and power coming from, right? It's not ours. And this is an act of faith. You know, this is not an act of intellectualization. What does the word say so I can memorize that? I mean, the issue is believing it. I mean, our lives are not transformed by trying harder. It's by believing more. His power will be impotent in us if we, in fact, don't believe that it can be strong.

I mean, God's declared it to be so. Do we believe it? I think one of the neatest definitions of the word faith, and the most simplistic, but the most powerful, and we're going to look at faith here in just a second. The best definition of the word faith is believing what God has revealed.

That's trite, but very much to the point. Is it not in terms of the power of God in us? And this is not something that we get a yardstick out to measure. It's really a life that extends by grace through the positional truth of who we are in Christ. All right, verse 5, we're moving on. We've got a few minutes here to finish these two verses. New American Standard. Test yourselves if you're in the faith. Here's that faith, right? So Paul is... Again, do you believe what God's revealed? What's not evident from your life? I'm not seeing it. So he's challenging them. He's being bold. He's being burdensome, if you will.

Test yourselves if you're in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Christ is in you, unless indeed you fail the test? And in Interlinear Greek, I actually put the one-twos up there so you can see the way it was really translated, and then you kind of read it one to two. So test yourselves if you're in the faith. Prove yourselves. Do you not realize yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you unless you are unapproved?

So unless is first, and then you are unapproved. So how do you test and examine or prove yourselves? What kind of yardstick is this? Jim, how do you prove yourself as if you're in the faith? If the life of Christ is being manifested through me, through the Spirit, then I could be a measuring stick that I'm walking my faith.

But are you examining that? Is that kind of something you're saying, how am I doing God? I think yes. I mean, other people obviously do that. to me, and I think that we do that to each other. I don't think it's necessarily a wrong thing for us to look and see if we're walking by faith. And I know that's kind of, it can be a little bit self-focused and a little bit self-centered, and then that can lead to pride, but, you know, I'm in my home. Boy, I don't think it's a negative thing for me to say, well, am I walking by faith with my wife? Am I in faith now with my kids?

I mean, I don't think that's a bad thing. I don't know if that answers your question. It's really the Word of God. We are mystic, really, by studying the Scriptures and seeing what, you know, is. Beverly says by the Word of God, we reflect back on the Word of God. Do you have a point? Well, I see it more as a point of reliance.

I mean, I think Christ's weakness was he didn't rely on himself for anything. He relied only on the Lord. And that was his weakness in the fleshly world. Because that is when you rely on others. And particularly they'll rely on another that they'll not see.

And I think we test ourselves the same way. I see people sometimes that say things like, well, I don't think I can get married because I can't do that. When you test yourself by what you can do, you are not there. But if you say, I can do it with the Lord, or the Lord can do it with me, perhaps more accurately, then you're evidencing your reliance and your faith. And I think that's the test he's talking about. Okay, other thoughts about this, proving ourselves or testing ourselves? I have a number of verses there that you can reflect on when you go home in terms of how that relates. I do not think we develop a legal system by measuring our performance.

You know, as we reflect on the Lord Jesus Christ, like 2 Corinthians 3.18 indicates, we start to encompass His life, you know, live that in us increasingly, and that's not a yardstick.

I mean, I think Jim, the power of the Holy Spirit is wonderful in our lives because he never gives us rest when, in fact, we're not in the faith, right? I mean, the Holy Spirit is capable of many manifestations of the God standard, if you will, in our lives. He convicts us of sin, but he encourages us, he lifts us up, he exemplifies Christ in our life. And when our focus is the Lord Jesus Christ, this proving ourselves is, in fact, articulating that and having it be observed to others. the yardstick is not how I'm doing kind of thing, but it's actually, I think, the Spirit measuring our performance against the Lord Jesus Christ.

I often say that when we're too focused on our own performance, then it may be of a self-righteous manifestation, in fact, that we're living the Christian life, if you will. Yes, Wayne? Maybe more simply, are we resting in His provision? Totally, and maybe that's it. If we're trying to do too much, then we're certainly not resting in Him.

So examining ourselves would be, am I a believer? Do I believe what the Lord Jesus has said? And you say that's a question we can ask ourselves. But how would you know the answer? And I think Jim indicated, as you get back in the Word of God, right, and the answers are there, the only thing is, the question is, what type of mindset do we go about the Word in terms of finding those answers?

I mean, here's Gil, an astute theologian who, in fact, has provided a commentary that I think falls very far short of what the truth of this section is all about in terms of God's power through the Lord Jesus Christ in the life of the believer versus how you do it out there at Church of Corinth.

Get your act together. Yeah, Roy. The text itself is in a context of them criticizing him for not walking in the spirit but walking in the flesh. And it is in that context that he is saying, examine yourselves. Are you in the faith? Don't you know that Christ is in you? Unless you fail that test.

And the whole point of that, in this context, comes out to me anyway. Have I ever come to the point of examining myself, that I'm not a fool? Many times I have disagreed with the truth. And the Lord has brought that to my mind. And I fail to recognize that Christ is living in me. I mean, I'm blind to it. so much so that I think I'm unsaved. You can get to that despair in that cycle of self-examination. And so what he's doing is focusing us back on Christ. Isn't that something? That in this context, he says, don't you recognize that Christ is in you? Wow. So their focus, when they examine themselves, is to see that Christ is in them.

And Paul will make a case, as the chapter goes on, about the fact that he, in fact, has been in a position to exemplify this. They are, in fact, the fruit of his efforts. And he does not say this in a way that brings attention to himself. It's God's glory that's manifested.

OK, what I'd like the class to do between now and next week is think about this a little bit further. How do we test ourselves or prove ourselves that we're in the faith? Let's close in prayer. Father, we're thankful for the time together today. And your word is so rich and so true. approach it in a way of trusting you to work out the meaning and the truth as it applies to our lives each and every day that we have that wonderful opportunity to get to know the Lord Jesus Christ in your word. In his name we pray. Amen.