2 Corinthians 13
Outline:
I. \\#2Corinthians 1:1-5:21\\ Paul’s Explanations
A. \\#2Corinthians 1:1-2\\ Paul’s Introduction
B. \\#2Corinthians 1:3-11\\ Paul’s Suffering
1. \\#1:3-7\\ Truths about All Suffering
2. \\#1:8-11\\ Truths about Paul’s Suffering
C. \\#2Corinthians 1:12-14\\ Paul’s Rejoicing
D. \\#2Corinthians 1:15-2:17\\ Paul’s Itinerary
1. \\#1:15-16\\ Paul’s Purpose
2. \\#2:17\\ The Corinthians’ Charge
3. \\#1:18-2:13\\ Paul’s Answers
4. \\#2:13-17\\ Paul’s Praise
E. \\#2Corinthians 3:1-5:21\\ Paul’s Ministry Facts
1. \\#3:1-5\\ Our Converts Are Our Credentials
2. \\#3:6-18\\ We Are Empowered through the Spirit
3. \\#4:1-18\\ We don’t quit.
4. \\#5:1-11\\ We have heavenly longings.
5. \\#5:12-21\\ We are driven by the love of Christ.
II. \\#2Corinthians 6:1-7:16\\ Paul’s Commands
A. \\#6:1-10\\ Don’t Waste God’s Grace
B. \\#6:11-18\\ Don’t Be Joined to the Lost
C. \\#7:1-16\\ Don’t Reject Us.
1. \\#1-3\\ We Do Right.
2. \\#4-12\\ We Care For You.
3. \\#13-16\\ We Are Blessed.
III. \\#2Corintihains 8:1-9:15\\ The Collection for the Saints
A. \\#8:1-15\\ Fulfill Your Pledge
B. \\#8:16-24\\ Trust the Laborers
C. \\#9:1-15\\ Take the Offering
IV. \\#2Corinthians 10:1-12:13\\ Weak in Presence, Bold in Absence
A. \\#1\\ Another Charge
B. \\#10:2-13:14\\ Paul’s Answers
1. \\#2Cor 10:2\\ They saw the gentleness of Christ.
2. \\#2Cor 10:3-6\\ The weapons of our warfare are
powerful spiritual.
3. \\#2Cor 10:7 - 2Cor 12:13\\ If you are going to judge,
look at my ministry.
(a) \\#2Cor 10:7-18\\ The Corinthians Forced Paul’s
Boasting
(b) \\2Cor 11:1-4\\ Paul’s Reason for Boasting
(c) \\#2Cor 11:5-15\\ Paul Boasted of His Apostleship
(d) \\#2Cor 11:16-21\\ Paul Reiterated His Reason for
Boasting
(e) \\#2Cor 11:22-12:10\\ Paul Boasted of His
Heritage and Sacrifice
(1) \\#2Cor 11:22\\ Paul’s Superior Birthright
(2) \\#2Cor 11:23-29\\ Paul’s Superior Ministry
(3) \\#2Cor 11:29-31\\ Paul’s Weak Frame
(4) \\#2Cor 11:32-12:10\\ Paul’s Weakest
Occasions and God’s Greatest Grace
i. \\#2Cor 11:32-33\\ Paul Was Hunted by
Aretas
ii. \\#2Cor 12:1-6\\ Paul Was Translated
into Heaven
iii. \\#2Cor 12:7-10\\ Paul Was Given A
Thorn in the Flesh
(f) \\#2Cor 12:11-13\\ Paul Reiterated His Reason for
Boasting
C. \\#2Cor 12:14-13:10\\ Bold In Presence
1. \\#2Cor 12:14-21\\ The third time I come, I will not
be a burden.
2. \\#2Cor 13:1-10\\ The third time I come, I will not be
weak.
V. \\#2Cor 13:11-14\\ Closing
I. \\#2Cor 12:14-13:10\\ Bold In Presence
A. \\#2Cor 12:14-21\\ The third time I come, I will not be a
burden.
B. \\#2Cor 13:1-10\\ The third time I come, I will not be weak.
1. \\#1\\ "This is the third time"
a. Paul repeated that his next coming would be his third
coming.
b. The first was in starting the church \\#Acts 18:1\\.
c. The second is not directly mentioned in Scripture, but
is alluded to in \\#2Cor 2:1-2\\.
d. Now he was nearing the city for his third visit.
2. "in the mouth of two or three witnesses"
a. This is a command from the Old Testament.
De 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a
man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin
that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses,
or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the
matter be established.
b. The fact that was quoting this means at least two
things:
(1) Paul, the principal advocate of grace in the New
Testament, still understood and practiced the
Old Testament in areas of conduct.
(2) Paul, when he arrived, was going to investigate
and locate those in the Corinthian church who
were rebelling against God’s leadership in the
church.
3. \\#2\\ Paul’s Warning
a. "I told you before, and foretell you" - Paul had
alluded to the people throughout this letter that
when he arrived, he would deal with the problems
within the church. \\#2Cor 1:23, 10:11, 12:21\\.
b. "I write to them which heretofore have sinned" - Paul
now spoke to those who continued to rebel.
c. "I will not spare" - When he arrived, he would do
whatever was necessary to deal with their sin.
4. \\#3-4\\ "Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me"
a. \\#3\\ This statement summarizes what the rebellious
Corinthians were saying. Whether such a "proof"
would change their minds about Paul or not is
questionable.
b. "not weak, but is mighty in you" - But they wanted a
miracle, one done in their presence, that was
unmistakably from God (mighty).
c. \\#4\\ "For though he was crucified" - By mentioning
Jesus, Paul must speak of Him for a moment.
(1) Jesus was crucified "through weakness." Jesus
allowed Himself to be placed in a weakened body
so that He could die.
(2) "yet he liveth by power" - But Jesus is not weak.
He is God and He is power as the resurrection
demonstrated.
d. "we shall live with him by the power of God TOWARD
YOU." - Paul stated that as Jesus is Power, so are
we, but he specifically added the phrase "toward you"
to indicate that when he came, he would use the
power of God to deal with the rebellious ones.
5. \\#5-8\\ "Examine yourselves… prove your own selves"
a. \\#5\\ This is the first reference Paul made
indicating that some at Corinth might not be saved.
Rather, Paul had boasted of the Corinthians and the
work he expected God to do among them.
2Co 7:14 For if I have boasted any thing to him
of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all
things to you in truth, even so our boasting,
which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
2Co 8:24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before
the churches, the proof of your love, and of our
boasting on your behalf.
2Co 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind,
for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia,
that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal
hath provoked very many.
b. But now Paul encouraged each believer to make sure of
their salvation.
Side note - Such a statement would be misleading of Calvinism was
true. The final step in a soul’s salvation is not God’s. It is the
individual’s.
c. "Jesus Christ is in you" - Jesus inhabits the
believers though the person of the Holy Ghost.
d. "except ye be reprobates"
(1) A reprobate is one who knows enough to be saved,
has declared himself to be saved, but then walks
away from Christ, usually by repudiating their
faith in Christ altogether.
(2) Paul was vouching for the first two steps in the
road to salvation for the Corinthians.
(a) He taught them so he knew they had the
knowledge necessary to be saved.
(b) He had been there when they had professed
salvation, although even an apostle could
not see the heart to know whether they
meant it or not.
(c) But Paul could not verify what had happened
to these people since he left. He was
wondering now if perhaps some had only made
shallow professions of faith and had not
come to be true possessors of faith.
(d) By narrowing the people down to only two
groups, Christians or reprobates, Paul was
indicating that he knew them well.
ii.
e. \\#6-8\\ "we are not reprobates"
(1) Having brought up the thought of reprobates, Paul
stated his hope that the rebellious Corinthians
would soon know that he was not a reprobate.
Apparently some thought Paul had walked away
from the truth, probably to promote himself.
(2) \\#7\\ "Now I pray… that ye do no evil"
(a) Paul had another thought on which he did not
elaborate; namely that he hoped the
rebellious Christians would not do anything
evil, that is anything that would cause
harm or be wicked.
(b) As Paul had experienced some of the evil man
could do to another, he must have thought
such behavior was possible at Corinth.
(c) "not that we should appear approved" Paul’s
concern in wanting the Corinthians to
behave righteously was not that it would
make him look good.
(d) "but that ye… do that which is honest"
Rather Paul desired they would do the
things that a Christian should do such as
practice honesty.
(e) "though we be as reprobates" - And Paul had
that desire for the people at Corinth even
if the people did consider him to be a
reprobate.
(3) \\#8\\ "we can do nothing against the truth"
Paul was explaining why he could not be a
reprobate. He and his team could not go against
the truth and so could never deny Jesus.
6. \\#9\\ Weakness
a. Paul returned to the topic of verses 3-4.
b. There the Corinthians were seeking for a mighty sign
that God worked in Paul.
c. Paul had turned the conversation to say that Christ
was not weak and that he would not be weak when he
arrived.
d. Here, Paul added that he preferred it when he was
weak and they were strong.
(1) The implication being that he would rather not
have to use the spiritual strength that God had
given to him to rebuke and set matters straight.
(2) Of course the Corinthians were not strong but
struggling in the Lord without even knowing it.
(3) But Paul’s desire for them was that they
would be strong and mature.
II. \\#2Cor 13:11-14\\ Closing
A. \\#11\\ "Finally" - Paul was wrapping up this letter with
some final thoughts.
1. "farewell"
2. "Be perfect" - Grow to completion.
3. "be of good comfort" - Have the comfort of God.
4. "be of one mind" - Let the mind of Christ be in you.
5. "lie in peace" - Get along.
6. If you do these things, God’s love and peace will be among
you.
B. \\#12\\ Give a kiss of salutations. It is like our handshake.
C. \\#13\\ All of the Christians send their love.
D. \\#14\\ God’s grace, God’s love, and God’s fellowship be with
all of you.
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