2 Corinthians 13

44:1Paul asked the Corinthian believers to bear with him as he talked more “foolishness.” In other words, Paul felt foolish rehearsing his credentials as a preacher of the Good News (41:16-21). But he thought that he had to do this in order to silence the false teachers (11:13).

13:2When Paul arrived the third time in Corinth, he would not be lenient toward unrepentant sinners. His actions could include (1) confronting and publicly denouncing their behavior, (2) exercising church discipline by calling them before the church leaders, or (3) excommunicating them from the church.

41:4The Corinthian believers were falling for smooth talk and messages that sounded good and seemed to make sense. Today there are many false teachings that seem to make sense. Don't believe someone simply because he or she sounds like an authority or says words you like to hear. Search the Bible and check his or her teachings against God’s Word. The Bible should be your authoritative guide. The false teachers distorted the truth about Jesus and ended up preaching a different Jesus, a different spirit than the Holy Spirit, and a different way of salvation. Those who be misunderstood. There were many false teachers who hoped to make a good profit from preaching (2:17), and Paul might look like one of them. Paul separated himself completely from those false teachers in order to silence those who only claimed to do God’s work.

13:4That we “will be alive with him and will have God’s power” should be a comfort to all believers. Christians are not just playing church. We are not in this angry ocean of a world in a rubber raft with a plastic paddle. We are passengers on his Majesty's finest vessel, driven by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. We may be tempted to underestimate our ability to accomplish what Christ desires. We forget that Christ is on the bridge, directing the ship safely through the rough seas and finally into its eternal port.

13:5The Corinthians were called to examine and test themselves to see if they reafly were Christians. Just as we get physical checkups, Paul urges us to give ourselves spiritual checkups. We should look for a growing awareness of Christ's presence and power in our life. Then will we know if we are true Christians or merely impostors. If we're not actively seeking to grow closer to God, we are drawing farther away from him.

13:8,9Just as parents want their children to grow into mature adults, so Paul wanted the Corinthians to grow into mature believers. As we share the Good News, our goal should be not merely to see others profess faith or begin attending church but to see them become mature in their faith. Don’t set your sights too low.

13:10The authority Paul had received from the LORD was to strengthen the believers, not to tear them down. Paul gives good advice for our day. Fellow believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit. There is no room in the household of faith for the deprecation of a fellow worker. Before the week is over, write a note of encouragement to several people in your sphere of influence who probably aren’t being built up by others in the church. Remind them how much their presence and abilities are needed in your congregation. Express how much you appreciate them.

13:11Paul’s closing words—what he wanted the Corinthians to remember about the needs facing their church—are still fitting for the church today. When these qualities are not present, there are problems that must be dealt with. These traits do not come to a church by glossing over problems, conflicts, and difficulties. They are not produced by neglect, denial, withdrawal, or bitterness. They are the-by-products of the extremely hard work of solving problems. Just as Paut and the Corinthians had to hammer out difficulties to bring peace, so we must apply the principles of God’s Word and not just hear them.

13:13Paul's farewell blessing invokes all three members of the Trinity: Father (God), Son (LORD Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. Although the term Trinity is not explicitly used in Scripture, verses such as this one show that it was believed and experienced through knowing God’s grace, love, and fellowship. See Luke 1:35—the ange! Gabriel’s announcement of Jesus’ birth to Mary; Matthew 3:17—the Father’s voice was heard at the baptism of Jesus; and Matthew 28:19—Jesus’ commission to the disciples.

13:13Paul was dealing with an ongoing problem in the Corinthian church. He could have refused to communicate until they cleared up their situation, but he loved them and reached out to them again with the love of Christ. Love, however, means that sometimes we must confront those we care about. Both authority and personal concern are needed in dealing with people who are ruining their lives with sin. But there are several wrong approaches in confronting others, and these can further break relationships rather than heal them. We can be legalistic and blast people away with the laws they should be obeying. We can turn away from them because we don’t want to face the situation. We can isolate them by gossiping about their problem and turning others against them as well. Or, like Paul, we can seek to build relationships by taking a better approach—sharing, communicating, and caring. This is a difficult approach that can drain us emotionally, but it is the best way for other people, and it is the only Christlike way to deal with others’ sin.