2nd Corinthians 13:1-14 | Except Ye Be Reprobates
We are in 2nd Corinthians 13 tonight. We will be finishing this book up tonight. As we’ve been looking through 2nd Corinthians, this letter has been very hostile. At the beginning of this chapter, we are going to say the same thing.
The first thing we see are what I would like to call “fighting words”. 2nd Corinthians 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.”. At first glance this might not seem too hostile to you but if you understand the context then you will realize that it is. These are words that are brought up in terms of judgment in the Bible and Church discipline. Let me prove to you from the context these are fighting words. 2nd Corinthians 13:2 “2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time;…”. He’s saying that he already told them and he will foretell or tell of ahead of time before he comes. 2nd Corinthians 13:2 “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:”. The word “spare” means to refrain from punishment. Paul is coming in to clean house and remove the problems in the Church of Corinth.
Later on in this chapter it says this in 2nd Corinthian 13:10 “10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness,…”. You can see that Paul has to be a bit sharp with them. We at Verity Baptist Church are a “Pastor led Church”. We don’t have a board of Deacons or an Elder Board. Some people look at a Church like ours and they accuse me of being a Dictator. Now of course that isn’t true because I have to submit myself under the authority of the Church. The Bible does teach though that the Pastor is to “rule over” the Church. I am not to lord over God’s heritage and run your personal like. However, I am supposed to run the operation of how we do things at our Church. When it comes to what I preach, the word of God we use, the songs we sing and how we do things, this is all run by a Pastor. This is what the Bible teaches. Some people think that I am being too rough or strict or controlling. However, you see the Apostle Paul talking about bringing sharpness and not sparing. He is going to come in and take charge. I am not a Dictator but the Bible does say that I am supposed to stand up for what is right. Sometimes I have to stand up and bring authority into this Church and clean house from the issues. Paul is being very hostile here.
Again if you look at verse 1, it says “out of the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses shall every word be established.”. He is invoking this idea of Church discipline. This is a reference back to what the Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18. I’m not preaching about Church discipline tonight but let me just say that Matthew 18 is not the only passage in the Bible about Church discipline. It is not the passage we have to go to every time that we have to deal with something. When we are talking about Church discipline, we are talking about the idea of kicking people out of Church. Matthew 18 is not the way you must be go about someone getting kicked out. It’s actually 1 of 5 reasons why someone might have to be kicked out of Church or have Church discipline put on them.
The first reason someone might get kicked out of Church is for unacceptable sin such as found in 1st Corinthians 5:9-13. We are all sinners but there are certain sins where if we are living in those sins and practicing them then it might leaven the whole lump as it says in 1st Corinthians. A 2nd reason is because they are bringing in unbiblical doctrines or heresies. This is found in Romans 16:17-18. The Bible says we are to kick people out for heresy. A 3rd reason to be kicked out is for unresolvable conflict such as in Matthew 18. It’s not necessarily a sin or doctrine but people that are having an unresolved conflict. You can also be kicked out for being an unproductive trouble maker. This is found in 2nd Thessalonians 3:10-12. The 5th reason such as found in Romans 1 is unnatural sin.
This is my point, if someone comes to our Church and is teaching heresy, I don’t have to go through the Matthew 18 process. The Bible already tells us that if anyone is bringing in heresy then we can kick them out. If someone is living in adultery then I don’t have to go through the Matthew 18 process. 1st Corinthians 5 tells me to kick them out. Matthew 18 is a general situation where there is an unresolved problem that must be addressed.
Matthew 18:15 “15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.”. This is when someone at Church has wronged you. The first thing you do is come and tell him alone. It doesn’t say to tell all of your faithful friends. The Bible tells us to tell him individually. If you go and tell other people then you are a gossip. If someone does you wrong or offends you, you are to go and tell that person alone.
Let me say this. When you have Matthew 18, this should not be a small situation. If somebody sits in your sit and you try to use Matthew 18 to have them kicked out of Church, that is ridiculous. We are talking about major situations where people get offended and there are problems. The Bible tells you to go to that person alone to tell them. This is a major situation where you can’t forgive and you have to confront them. If they say they are sorry and get it right then praise the Lord. You have gained your brother.
What is the next step? Matthew 18:16 “16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.”. This is what Paul is saying. He has already told them that they need to fix this situation and it hasn’t been so he is bringing witnesses to deal with it. By the way, at our Church you better come to me and my wife about a situation if you have a Matthew 18 situation.
What if you go to them and the situation doesn’t get resolved? Look at verse 17. Matthew 18:17 “17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.”. This is when there is a situation and you have come to leadership about it and had witnesses and the person who is wrong will not get things right. At the end of this process, if they are unwilling to make things right, the Bible says we should treat them as an unsaved person. Those people are excommunicated from the Church. It doesn’t mean they lose their salvation. However, they are taken out of the Church fellowship. The purpose of Church discipline is to win your brother back to the Lord. The goal is to restore such a one. This is what the Apostle Paul is referring back to. The advice I give to you is to try to resolve conflicts before it has to come before the Church. Obviously these situations are rare. This isn’t happening every week. However, we have had situations where we had to take things before the Church. This is what Paul is talking about.
Paul starts off with these fighting words in the first 2 words in 2nd Corinthians 13. 2nd Corinthians 13:3 “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.”. Remember some of them wanted a proof that Paul is the real deal which is what he is referring to in verse 3. As Paul is finishing this 2nd epistle, he talks about this idea of power through weakness. He is talking to them about things which he has already talked to them about and deal with in 1st Corinthians. Remember they said that Paul was weak. When Paul is speaking about power through weakness, this is a concept he already dealt with in 1st Corinthians 1. We are weak but God is strong. There is this idea of power through weakness.
1st Corinthians 1:26 “26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh,…”. He doesn’t say not any. He says not many. Paul is actually a very wise and educated man. However, Paul says “26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:”. In general those that God uses, not many are wise men after the flesh. There are few people that the world would look at and say they are wise and educated. God used fishers and carpenters and tax collectors. Now Paul was an intellectual so he doesn’t say not any.
He also says not many mighty. God uses the Davids to fight the Goliaths. He says not many mighty. Every once in a while he uses a Samson. Not many noble. Sometimes he uses a King but often times not someone who is noble. 1st Corinthians 1:27 “27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”. God chooses the things that people would consider foolish to confound the wise. This is the story of David and Goliath, Gideon and the 300 men. These are the stories you see all throughout the Bible.
Why is this a theme in scripture? 1st Corinthians 1:29 “29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.”. When these events happen, nobody looks at the 300 men of Gideon and think they are really tough. They look at the situation and say “To God be the glory.”. We might not be impressive or mighty in the things of the world. However, God is not using that which is strong. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. If you say that you don’t have the connections or ability or strength, you are exactly who God is looking for.
Firstly we see these fighting words. Then we see the idea of power through weakness. Thirdly we see the idea that you can know if you are saved. 2nd Corinthians 13:5 “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?”. We will look at that phrase “reprobates” in a little while. However, he is talking to them about examining themselves if they are saved. He is telling them that you can know that you are saved.
If you come out soulwinning with us, a lot of people say “Well nobody can know that.”. Sometimes they get really proud about it and say “You don’t know it.”. The Bible says that you can know. 1st John 5:13 “13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”. It’s not based on works that we can know. When you go back to 2nd Corinthians, he talks about examining yourselves to see if you be in the faith. He doesn’t say to examine yourself if you have done enough works or have repented enough. The only way we can know that we are saved is if salvation is a free gift. If we have to earn our way to heaven then we would never know if we have done enough. That is why people tell us that they don’t know. If you are here tonight and don’t know you are saved, please don’t leave here without letting somebody tell you how you can know for sure.
2nd Corinthians 13:5 “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?”. He brings up this idea fourthly of reprobates. The next few verses and this passage is often misunderstood and misinterpreted. It is confusing. Verse 6 “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.”.
The word reprobate simply means rejected. A reprobate is someone who has crossed a line with God where they can no longer be saved. Of course when people die unsaved, it is too late to get saved. However, the Bible teaches that people can cross that line before they die.
There are a few things that I want you to understand about a reprobate. Firstly, they were exposed to the truth. Romans 1:18 “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”. It says “revealed”. They have been exposed to the truth but not necessarily the gospel. There is enough truth without being exposed to the gospel where you reject that truth and become a reprobate. The reference to “heaven” is a reference to creation. Mankind is able to look up to the heavens and know there is a God that created the universe that we will all stand before that God and be judged.
To be saved, you need a saved person to preach the gospel. However, for someone to believe in God, nature is enough. It teaches that there is a God. Romans 1:18 “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”. Throughout history, mankind has believed in a deity. Wicked people throughout history have held the truth in unrighteousness.
Verse 19 “19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.”. The word “manifest” means that it is seen in them. I want you to notice that the Bible gives 2 ways that people know there is a God. One way is through creation and the other way is manifest in them. What is that referring to when it says “in them”? God has given every human being 2 ways of knowing there is a God. One of them is through creation and the other through conscience.
Romans 2:14 “14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:”. Societies who were not given the word of God or the 10 commandments, in general, most of mankind have known that it is wrong to murder and steal and lie and commit adultery. Where does that come from? Romans 2:15 “15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”. The Bible says that every human being has a conscience which tells them right and wrong.
Romans 1:20 “20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”. People think this is unfair to them but people have been shown in 2 ways that God is real. It’s not that they didn’t know.
Romans 1:22 “22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”. In some cultures they worship animal deities. In the United States, it is evolution that people are believing in. It says in verse 28 “28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”. They knew God but rejected God.
God rejects them. Verse 24 “24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:”.
God gave them up to vile affections. In verse 26, it references homosexuality. Romans 1:27 “27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”. The Bible says that when a reprobate is given over, their conscience is seared. They will give themselves over to sins that are not natural and people would not normally do. What is natural is for a man to be attracted to a woman. What is natural is for a man to be attracted to a child or to another man or to an animal. Romans 1:28 “28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”.
Jeremiah 6:30 “30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.”. A reprobate is someone whose conscience is seared as they have been rejected. They will eventually go down this road of unnatural sins. Even on Dictionary.com the definition of reprobate is:
#1 – a depraved, unprincipled, or wicked person.
#2 – a person rejected by God and beyond hope of salvation.
Most unsaved people are not reprobates. There is a huge difference between a normal unsaved person vs a person who is trying to attack and destroy Christianity.
A reprobate is someone who was exposed to the truth and they not only rejected it but then become angry toward it. They hate God. They are wicked, evil people who want to destroy God. Now we don’t know when that point is but the Bible says that there is a point where God will reject them and give them over to a reprobate mind.
2nd Corinthians 13:5 “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?”. Calvinists think that everyone is a reprobate and no one can be saved except them or the ones that God chooses. They will use this verse to say that everyone who is not saved is a reprobate. That is not what Paul is saying. He isn’t saying that if you aren’t in the faith you are a reprobate. What is he talking about? He is talking to the Church of Corinth. He is telling them at the Church that if they listen to what Paul is saying and they have heard this much truth that if they aren’t saved by now then they are a reprobate. We have visitors who come to Church and they might get saved or might not. However, if someone comes here for years but they aren’t saved then they are a reprobate. You can’t be exposed to that much truth without making a decision to accept or reject it.
People look at a Church like ours that has a lot of enemies and they don’t understand why we have so many reprobates and enemies. We are a soulwinning producing Church that wins people. However, we are also a reprobate producing Church. Why is that? Because we give so much truth that people will end up making a decision if they believe it or not. Paul is saying that he is worried about someone of them because they have heard so much truth and he thinks some have rejected the truth.
Verse 6 “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.”. What is Paul saying? He is saying that they are treating Paul the Apostle as if he is a reprobate. They are questioning whether Paul is the real deal. They are treating Paul like he is trash and a reprobate.
Verse 7 “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.”. Paul is saying that he wants them to do right but not in order to make him look good as the leader. My wife and I want our children to do right. However, it’s not because we want to look good. We want them to do right because it is the best thing for them. Verse 8 “8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.”. You can tell this is connected to reprobates because this is all about the truth. Reprobates fight against the truth. As Christians we should always be going in the direction of the truth.
2nd Corinthians 13:9 “9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.”. The word perfect or perfection in the Bible is referring to being complete. 2nd Corinthians 13:10 “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. 11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”.
He is giving them a farewell speech in verse 11. What does he want for them in his less words? He wants them to be perfect or complete. He also says to be of good comfort in verse 11. In 1st Corinthians, he talks about the comfort found in God. He talks about being of one mind. This was a Church that struggled with divisions.
2nd Corinthians 12:12 “12 Greet one another with an holy kiss. 13 All the saints salute you. 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”.
Let’s pray.