August 04, 2023 | Be On Mission
Faith that Stands the Test
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13(NIV)
1 This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” 2 I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.
Final Greetings
11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Devotional
When I was in college, God called me to be a pastor. That meant I would need to go to seminary to get a master’s degree. In essence, just about any bachelor’s degree would do. So I changed majors for the second time, and needed a few odd courses that fit my revised major in order to graduate and move on to my seminary education. One of those odd courses was a biology class.
What made it strange is that I was the only student in the class who was not a pre-med major. To say that the competition was fierce is an understatement. The class was going to be tough. I’ll never forget the professor’s speech the first day of class. She wished that students would be engaged with the coursework the entire semester as much as they were the first day of the semester. I guess even wannabe doctors can be slackers. She warned that the exams would be hard. She double warned that the final would be very hard.
In this final chapter of 2 Corinthians, Paul seemed to be echoing the same sentiments. The believers in Corinth had accepted Christ easily enough. But by now some time had passed. The cultural tug on their spiritual lives was strong. So Paul warned them: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (v. 5). Yes, the culture around us is a magnet, pulling us away from God. But Christ within us is an anchor, grounding us in Him.
Paul went on, “And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed” (v. 6-7). It’s as if Paul was saying that if he returned and found that they had flunked the test, it was he who would be the ultimate failure, not them. Any parent can relate. Any pastor can too.
Who is somebody that has been a spiritual mentor in your life? If they showed up today and asked you about your faithfulness to the gospel of Christ, would you pass the test? What needs to change? How do Paul’s final greetings impact your answer: “Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace” (v. 11).
Poem
Christ Stood The Test
Christ stood the test
Of mocking strikes
Of beating rods and whipping
He stood for me
He stood for you
In silence
Submission to
The Father’s
Will
Christ stood the test
Of nailing spikes
Of crown of thorns embedding
He bled for me
He bled for you
In humility--
Forgiving all--
The Father’s
Will
Christ stood the test
Of deep pierced heart
Of blood and water pouring
He died for me
He died for you
Surrender
Finished
The Father’s
Will
Christ stood the test
Of cold dark tomb
Of musty death breath’s circling
He stooped for me
He stooped for you
Sheol
Entombed
The Father’s
Will
Christ stood the test
Of stone rolled back
Of body glorifying
He rose for me
He rose for you
Alive
First born
The Father’s
Will
