STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

CHAPTER 13

This is the third time I am coming to visit you.

In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.

          Paul was quoting Deuteronomy 19:15, which Jesus also quoted in Matthew 18:16: 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. So, if anyone still wanted to accuse Paul of any of the rumors that they had spread about him, they had better have some confirming evidence of it.

I told you before, and I tell you beforehand, again,

I write to them which up to this time have sinned,

and to all the rest, that, if I come again, I will not be lenient,

since you seek proof of Christ speaking in me,

which toward you is not weak,

but is powerful in you.

Because though He was crucified through weakness,

still He lives by the power of God.

For we also are weak with Him,

but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.
 

Well, you can’t argue with that. If people were looking for weakness in Paul to criticize him with, their plan just backfired, because as the Lord told him,

Take a look at yourselves and decide whether you are living by the Faith;

prove your own selves.

Don’t you know in your own minds,

how Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are reprobates?

(reprobates = condemned, evil, unworthy, rejected)

Now I pray to God that you do no evil;

not so that it looks like we’re acceptable to you,

but that you should do that which is honorable,

though we be as reprobates.

For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the TRUTH.

For we are glad, when we are weak, and you are strong:

and this also we wish, even your perfection.

Therefore I write these things being absent,

for fear that in person I might use sharpness,

according to the authority which the Lord has given me to edification,

and not to destruction.

How many of us would have the determination that Paul has? If we brought the Word of the Lord to someone, and they accepted Jesus in their heart, only to find that someone else, later on, had planted seeds of doubt in their mind, would we be angry, hurt, impatient, unforgiving? Or would we, like Paul, persevere, reinforce, prove, and persist for the sake of the betterment of the soul that had been led astray from the truth? Notice that he is always selfless in his concerns for people and his main purpose is to glorify God.

Finally, brethren, farewell.

Be complete, be of good comfort,

be of one mind, live in peace;

and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Greet one another with an holy kiss.

All the saints greet you.

The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Ghost,

be with you all.

Amen.

Congratulations on completing this study of The Second Letter of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians. Paul always gives us a plethora of wisdom to add to our lives and much needed encouragement to continually abide in faith with strength and courage and love. Don’t forget, there’s a fill in the blank quiz to go with this study to test yourself if you so choose, and after that, we’ll be opening another letter from Paul to study, this time, it’s addressed to the Galatians. You don’t want to miss it, right here at Daily Bread.