Confronting Sin

2018-03-10

In the previous section, we saw how Paul sacrificially served the churches of Achaia without any support from them, showing his authentic love for them. Here, he also shows his love and concern for them in how he would rebuke sin when he would see them again. Sometimes to love someone the best is to tell them the truth and confront sin (Ephesians 4:15).

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: (21) And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed. (13:1) This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (2) I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: (3) Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. (4) For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. (5) Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (6) But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. (7) Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. (8) For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. (9) For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. (10) Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction. (2 Corinthians 12:20-21; 13:1-10)
  1. Paul was concerned he would find the church in sin despite his exhortation. We learned previously that the Corinthians were consumed with division (1 Corinthians 1:10-17) and sexually immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1-6). He is worried that, after his previous passionate letter and visits to them were in vain. 2 Corinthians 12:20
  2. Paul was grieved by their sin. The church in Thyatira, who had a woman preacher teaching immorality, was going to be judged by the Lord because of their wickedness (Revelation 2:18-29). The fate of the Corinthians would be the same if they did not change course. This caused great grief to Paul. 2 Corinthians 12:21
  3. Paul would rebuke their sin. Paul likened his third visit to a third witnessing of their sins (cf. Deuteronomy 17:6). The church discipline process requires two or three witnesses when the sinning brother would not hear the one he wronged (Matthew 18:16, 20). With a third visit, if he saw the same sins as they had committed before, Paul was going to openly rebuke them. We must be patient with people when confronting sin, but we also must be bold when gentleness is not effective. 2 Corinthians 13:1
  4. Paul would not spare the unrepentant sinner. Initial confrontation of sin requires gentleness. Unrepentant sin requires hard rebuke. 2 Corinthians 13:2
  5. The Corinthians thought Paul’s presence and speech were weak. They called his speech contemptible (2 Corinthians 10:10); they now would see the hard speech they wanted to see in him. 2 Corinthians 13:3
  6. Paul’s weakness was the power of God. Coming in the power of the risen Christ, Paul will rebuke in the full authority of Christ. This will likely either bring great repentance or hardening of the heart. 2 Corinthians 13:4
  7. Paul asked them if they were truly saved. Because of their stubbornness to remain in sin, entertaining false prophets, and questioning his authority (2 Corinthians 11:1-15), Paul asked them to examine themselves. If they were unsaved, he feared they were reprobates. 2 Corinthians 13:5
  8. Paul’s demonstration of his apostolic authority will show that he is not a reprobate. When he would return to Corinth to rebuke them, they would know that he is the real deal. 2 Corinthians 13:6
  9. The Corinthians must do what is right. Even if the Corinthians think Paul is a false apostle or reprobate, they must do what is right and shun evil. Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39:7-12), Daniel prayed regardless of a contrary decree (Daniel 6:10), and Amaziah dismissed the Israelite soldiers (2 Chronicles 25:5-10), all doing what was right regardless of the consequences. It would have been easier for these men to do what was wrong. Paul encouraged the Corinthians to not do evil regardless of their opinion of him.

    We must do everything in truth. Truth is the “really real” and the ultimate reality. The Bible tells us that God’s Word is truth (John 17:17), and we must conform to that truth. 2 Corinthians 13:7-8
  10. Paul’s weakness is the Corinthians’ strength. Paul previously said that his weakness is Christ’s strength (2 Corinthians 12:10). Paul also says here that his weakness is their strength. Paul invested in them for their perfection. This means their sanctification, that they would be complete, mature, Christlike and perfect. This includes getting passed the sins in which they continue. 2 Corinthians 13:9
  11. Paul’s goal is their edification. His love and rebuke, and anything else he might do for them, is for their edification. He wrote this letter to spare them of open rebuke upon his coming. His rebuke is not to tear them down, but to help them and build them up. Everything Paul did for them was by the Lord’s authority. 2 Corinthians 13:10