2 Corinthians 13

1. 2 Corinthians 13:1-4 say, “This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES. 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, since you are seeking for proof of the Christ who speaks in me, and who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. 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.” The Old Testament scripture reference used here by the Apostle Paul comes from Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15. The meaning concerns the ______concerning rebellious, public sinning in the body of Christ. The ______must be confirmed not just by one witness, but by two or three witnesses, to provide a much stronger credibility that such sinning actually was occurring without any conviction for repentance. This means of discipline for the sake of the offender as well as for the sake of the body of Christ must be ______. Paul wrote that when he would return this third time he would not spare (the rod of spiritual discipline) against those who were ______the spiritual integrity of the church of Corinthian believers. The reason for this is because “God is not mocked” (see :7-10). Our Lord longs for every believer to be filled with the grace of God’s Spirit through ______, just as died in the same humility of “weakness” and yet lives “because of the ______of God.”

2. 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 say, “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? But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.” These two verses are so very important for every believer. Every believer must ______with honest humility to seek the Lord about their saving and following faith in Him. Paul could not say that ______believer in the Corinthian church was passing the test of their saving faith. His written words from earlier indicate that he was very concerned about this problem of sinning that could cause some to fall away from their saving faith in the Lord. But Paul wanted to be sure that the Corinthian believers understood that they (Paul and his ministry team) were passing the test of salvation by their ______perseverance of faith in Jesus’ name!

3. 2 Corinthians 13:7-10 say, “Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete. For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not tearing down.” No matter how much the false prophets tried to make Paul and his ministry team seem ______by their evil influence over the Corinthian believers, Paul ______that they would live by faith unto the Lord and “do no wrong” and “do what is right.” He did not want to have to use his ______to be severe in discipline with them, but to “build them up” and “not tear them down.” But in everything spiritual in relationship with the Lord, all decisions would be based upon our Lord’s ______.

4. 2 Corinthians 13:11-14 say, “Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the , be with you all.” In closing this letter, Paul gave them the “______of obedient faith” unto the Lord, and what that should look like among those who claim themselves real Christians. A five-fold would include “rejoicing in the Lord,” being “made complete” (in maturity in Christ), being “comforted,” being “like-minded” and “living in peace.” These areas of Spirit-filled living would ______in Christian life that those so walking with God were indeed passing the test of examining themselves as to their saving faith. The last sentence is a trinitarian ______: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ (the second Person of the holy ), and the love of God (the first Person of the holy trinity), and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit (the third Person of the holy trinity), be with you all.”