-12-
One … two … three ...
Chapter 12:14 – Chapter 13:14
In this second letter of Paul's to the Corinthians, he has accomplished a few things. The believers who made up the church in Corinth could be called churches (plural) actually, since they have spread all through the province of Achaia.
Mainly Paul has been defending his own character but:
1. He also explained that he had not 'lied' when he said he would visit them on his way to Macedonia … and then didn't.
2. He explained that church discipline … removing the young adulterous man from the congregation, was not to be permanent … he has repented .. so now take him back in.
3. He showed that unbelievers, Jews and Gentiles alike … just don't get it. They have a blindness … that can only be removed as they are confronted with the fact the Jesus is God.
4. He explained that true and genuine faith in who Jesus is will totally change a person. A genuine believer will take on the mind and attitude of Jesus Himself.
5. He taught them that they will have a new desire to be 'at home' with Jesus … but that to remain here in order to reach other souls for Jesus is an equally strong desire.
6. He taught them the importance of living 'separated' lives. We cannot be a lighthouse for Jesus if we link ourselves with unbelievers.
7. He encouraged the believers who had read and responded well to his first letter. He shared with them that he was absolutely over-joyed with their response and their love for the messenger he sent, Titus.
8. He reminded them of their pledge to help offset the famine that finally happened in Jerusalem. Paul wanted to pick up the collection of money … that they haven't even started putting aside yet.
9. He lovingly reminded them 'who was the boss'. Apostles were in charge … responsible for the entire church in the world at that time. And he reminded them that he is an apostle.
10. He compared himself to the 'Super Apostles' (who were not apostles at all) and expected them to evaluate this comparison and choose between him or them.
Paul now begins to wrap up this letter. He says,
2Co 12:14 Now I am all ready to visit you for the third time, and I am still not going to be a burden to you. It is you I want — not your money. Children don’t have to put by their savings for their parents; parents do that for their children.
Still not going to be a burden means that he is still not going to take any 'expense' money or livelihood money from them. But Paul and his group need to eat. Someone will have to support him. As we read earlier, the Christians up north in Macedonia were honored to take care of Paul's physical needs. It made them a part of his ministry. The same holds true today. When you share your your material blessings with a ministry, you are a part of that ministry. For this reason you will want to pray about and research the ministry that you support.
Paul takes the position that he is the parent and the Corinthians are the children. In his first letter he had said, Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. (I Corinthians 3:1) Even though many had responded well to his first letter, they still needed to grow up. But Paul considers many of them to be infants. This attitude means he doesn't blame them for all that is amiss in the Corinthian church, he blames the Judaizers.
So, because he considers many of them to be 'children' he adds, 2Co 12:15 Consequently I will most gladly spend and be spent for your good utterly. Does that mean that the more I love you the less you love me?
That is a good 'heart-searching' question that they would be considering. Why indeed be hard on Paul and critical of him as a minister who had nothing but their best interests at heart.
2Co 12:16 "All right then," I hear you say, "we agree that he himself had none of our money." But are you thinking that I nevertheless was rogue enough to catch you by some trick?
Mistrust is an issue here. The Judaizers (so–called Christians with Jewish backgrounds and leanings) have done their best to undermine Paul's credibility. They have caused the Corinthians to think, that even though Paul has not taken their money … he MUST be trying to manipulate them in some way.
To bring them back to reality, Paul asks them a series of questions.
2Co 12:17 Just think. Did I make any profit out of the messengers I sent you? (The implied answer they must give is … No.)
2Co 12:18 I asked Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. You don’t think Titus made anything out of you, do you? (No) Yet didn’t I act in the same spirit as he, and take the same line as he did? (Yes)
2Co 12:19 Are you thinking all this time that I am trying to justify myself in your eyes? (For saying I would visit you on my way to Macedonia … and then skipping past you? No)
… Actually I am speaking in Christ before God himself, and my only reason for so doing, my dear friends, is to help you in your spiritual life.
Paul has a very simple and pure motive. He wants only one thing, that the people he leads to Jesus will grow up.
Our motives can get mixed up at times. We need to maintain a constant check on ourselves as to why we do things. We become good at doing something as we serve the Lord … and we get recognition for it. That feels good. From that point on our motives can change. We may have to do what Paul is doing here … make it clear to ourselves and others that all we want is to see that our service to God in one way or another causes spiritual growth in ourselves and others.
At the beginning of this 'letter/book' Paul has mentioned his joy at the 'good news' from Titus. In 2Co 7:11 he said, You can look back now and see how the hand of God was in that sorrow. Look how seriously it made you think, how eager it made you to prove your innocence, how indignant it made you and how afraid! Look how it made you long for my presence, how it stirred up your keenness for the faith, how ready it made you to punish the offender! You have completely cleared yourselves in this matter.
And now we read the next two verses in chapter 12 ...
2Co 12:20 For I must confess that I am afraid that when I come I shall not perhaps find you as I should like to find you, and that you will not find me quite as you would like me to be. I am afraid of finding arguments, jealousy, ill-feeling, divided loyalties, slander, whispering, pride and disharmony.
21 When I come again, will God make me feel ashamed of you as I stand among you? Shall I have to grieve over many who have sinned already and are not yet sorry for the impurity, the immorality and the lustfulness of which they are guilty?
What a contrast between these verses in chapter 7 and in chapter 12. As I have been saying, the joy that Paul experienced at the 'good news' of their repentance resulting from the First Corinthians letter, must have been limited to those who had made the changes in their lives, but at the same time … there were others who still resented Paul and were following the Judaizers. It does seem a bit strange, though, that he would use the words “You have completely cleared yourselves in this matter.”
We may never know if there is more to this than meets the eye, so we simply accept it as we see it.
I hesitate to say what I will now say, because I do not want confuse or complicate things, but let me take a 'shot at it'.
There is a theory 'out there' that 2nd Corinthians is actually 2nd and 3rd Corinthians. The theory goes like this: This section that we are now reading was written first, then later on Paul wrote the first part in which he feels so relieved and happy. The division, according to this theory, would be after the chapters where Paul sounds so happy and the part where he begins to sound so sarcastic, at times, and concerned about a host of problems that he suspects are existing in the church.
I have thought about this theory, but at this point here is what I see.
Paul wrote First Corinthians because of bad news he had received plus a church letter with a number of questions they wanted answered. Even though the letter has been named, First Corinthians, Paul calls it his 'second' letter. Notice in First Corinthians the words, "In my previous letter I said, "Don’t mix with the immoral (people)." 1Co 5:9 ¶
He writes Second Corinthians, (really a third letter) to explain his behavior; his reason for not stopping in to see them as he was going from Ephesus to Macedonia was to 'spare them' in case they had not repented for their actions, ignoring First Corinthians entirely. He would be sparing them from his harshness that they would have felt. But he is able to express joy regarding those who received First Corinthians and obeyed its contents. But he expresses great disappointment for those who still need to repent and stop listening to the Judaizers.
So from this perspective, Paul has written while visiting Macedonia, a letter for Titus to take to Corinth. In chapter 13 verse one, Paul says,
2Co 13:1 ¶ This will be my third visit to you. Remember the ancient Law: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
(“Johnny! I told you to clean up your room and you still haven't done it! Do you want me to start counting?!! One …. two ….”. “No-o-o-o-o! Stop counting!!”)
Whether this 'third' visit is meaning three actual visits, three letters, or a combination of the two is not really important here. The 'weight' of Paul's remark refers back to Jewish law. Paul wants it to sound heavy. He does not want them to miss the gravity of the next visit.
2Co 13:2 My previous warning, given on my second visit, still stands and, though absent, I repeat it now as though I were present to those who had sinned before and to all the others, that my coming will not mean leniency.
Even though Paul is so happy for those who have repented, he is saying, 'When I get there, the fur is going to fly!”
He goes on, 2Co 13:3 That will be the proof you seek that I speak by the power of Christ. The Christ you have to deal with is not a weak person outside you, but a tremendous power inside you. 2Co 13:4 He was "weak" enough to be crucified, yes, but he lives now by the power of God.
Paul uses Jesus as an example. Just as Christ appeared weak and humble … he was anything but. In reality the meek and humble Christ was nothing less than God almighty.
And so Paul says that the same thing applies to himself. He says, "We are weak as he was weak, but we are strong enough to deal with you for we share his life by the power of God."
Now Paul turns the focus from him to them. The Judaizers have caused the Corinthians to question Paul and his authority as an Apostle, but now Paul turns and questions them (some of them anyway) and questions whether they are actually saved.
2Co 13:5 You should be looking at yourselves to make sure that you are really Christ’s. It is yourselves that you should be testing. You ought to know by this time that Christ Jesus is in you, unless you are not real Christians at all.
Paul does not give them the 'criteria' for testing themselves. We will look at that in a moment. But, whatever test they use, he expects they will use it on him as well. He implies that in the next verse:
2Co 13:6 And when you have applied your test, I am confident that you will find that I myself am a genuine Christian.
His next sentences are so revealing of his loving heart towards them.
2Co 13:7 ¶ I pray God that you may make no mistake, not because I have any need of your approval, but because I earnestly want you to find the right answer, even if that should make me no real Christian
Of course Paul knows that, as they take a good hard look at what it means to truly be born again, he too will fit the critera. He is not worried about it at all. But he says 'even if that should make me no real Christian'. He only says this because, as they are reading this, they will not yet have begun the test. This statement is to merely shut the mouths of any who are still criticizing Paul by saying, ' He's not a real Christian himself ...He's a good one to talk!'
So this is how he leaves it with them. He is saying, "I am just interested in God's truth. I work toward getting it out. So what if you think I am weak. I really don't care what you think of me".
.2Co 13:8 For we can make no progress against the truth; we can only work for it. 9 We are always quite happy to be weak if it means that you are strong. Our prayer for you is true Christian maturity
So ends Paul's struggle with the Corinthians. Or so he hopes. He adds:
2Co 13:10 Hence the tone of this letter, so that when I do come I shall not be obliged to use with severity that power which the Lord has given me — though even that is not meant to break you down but to build you up.
If the Christians pay heed to Paul's letter and make an about face – wonderful. If they don't, Paul will go there and use his authority. This could mean literally tossing the offenders out of the church.
But he doesn't want to do that.
So what 'test' were they to use to see if they are real Christians or not?
It is a 'fruit' test.
Paul has alluded to this throughout the letter. Jesus taught us about it.
Mt 7:20 So you may know the quality of men by what they produce.
Fruit inspection.
Paul has asked them to compare his life with the lives of the Judaizers.
Jesus said, ¶ "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. :2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1
I have underlined two words in the above verse. These words are based on the Greek word, Airo ( αἴρω ). In the Greek dictionaries/lexicons the primary translation is not 'takes away', it is 'Lifts up'. This fits better with Jesus' later statement, John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
In the first verse Jesus says that there is a problem … the branch is not bearing fruit. However, the vine is still 'abiding in Him.'
In verse 6 Jesus says there is a different problem … the branch does 'abide in Him'. This has a very bad result.
The Vinedresser, Jesus, approaches his vine lovingly. If a branch seems healthy but it is not bearing fruit, he lifts it up and fastens it where it can get better sunlight. Then He prunes the branches so that they will produce even more fruit.
The Corinthians should take a look at their lives … what kind of fruit are they producing?
The apostle Peter mentions a test as well.
2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
The New King James version uses these words: 2Pe 1:10 … be even more diligent to make your call and election sure.
How? By doing the things listed in the previous six verses. Peter lists a complete sequence of qualities that Christians need to be adding to their lives. For example:
Add to your faith … Virtue (goodness) … Knowledge … Self-control … Endurance (perseverance) ... Godliness (Thinking in terms of eternal values) … Brotherly kindness … Love (initiating caring actions)
This is given to us as a sequence, but it looks to me like we need to work on some of these simultaneously.
Peter said that if we don't add these things to our initial faith, we will get to the point that we forget we were ever saved. But if we do pay attention to these things, we will be confident of our 'election' (salvation).
What our 'test' must clearly include is that we first examine 'faith'. What have you believed and put your complete trust in? The apostle John gives this concise statement:
1John 5:1 ¶ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
Believing that 'Jesus is the Christ' requires some research on your part. You need to ask yourself questions, such as:
Is Jesus God? Did He come to earth by way of a 'virgin birth'? Did He live a sinless life? Did He die for the sins of the world? Does this mean He died for my sins? Have I confessed my sins and asked for forgiveness and salvation? Did Jesus rise from the dead? Is Jesus in heaven now? Is Jesus going to return to earth to take me and all believers to be with Him?
Believing that Jesus is the Christ includes things like the above. The words of John are encouraging and comforting as we read "has been born of God".
After the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians to test themselves, he closes this Corinthian letter with a very kind blessing to them.
2Co 13:11 ¶ Finally, then, my brothers, cheer up! Aim at perfection and accept my encouragement, agree with one another and live at peace. So shall the God of love and peace be ever with you.
12 A handshake all round, please!
13 All the Christians here send greeting.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship that is ours in the Holy Spirit be with you all!
Mainly Paul has been defending his own character but:
1. He also explained that he had not 'lied' when he said he would visit them on his way to Macedonia … and then didn't.
2. He explained that church discipline … removing the young adulterous man from the congregation, was not to be permanent … he has repented .. so now take him back in.
3. He showed that unbelievers, Jews and Gentiles alike … just don't get it. They have a blindness … that can only be removed as they are confronted with the fact the Jesus is God.
4. He explained that true and genuine faith in who Jesus is will totally change a person. A genuine believer will take on the mind and attitude of Jesus Himself.
5. He taught them that they will have a new desire to be 'at home' with Jesus … but that to remain here in order to reach other souls for Jesus is an equally strong desire.
6. He taught them the importance of living 'separated' lives. We cannot be a lighthouse for Jesus if we link ourselves with unbelievers.
7. He encouraged the believers who had read and responded well to his first letter. He shared with them that he was absolutely over-joyed with their response and their love for the messenger he sent, Titus.
8. He reminded them of their pledge to help offset the famine that finally happened in Jerusalem. Paul wanted to pick up the collection of money … that they haven't even started putting aside yet.
9. He lovingly reminded them 'who was the boss'. Apostles were in charge … responsible for the entire church in the world at that time. And he reminded them that he is an apostle.
10. He compared himself to the 'Super Apostles' (who were not apostles at all) and expected them to evaluate this comparison and choose between him or them.
Paul now begins to wrap up this letter. He says,
2Co 12:14 Now I am all ready to visit you for the third time, and I am still not going to be a burden to you. It is you I want — not your money. Children don’t have to put by their savings for their parents; parents do that for their children.
Still not going to be a burden means that he is still not going to take any 'expense' money or livelihood money from them. But Paul and his group need to eat. Someone will have to support him. As we read earlier, the Christians up north in Macedonia were honored to take care of Paul's physical needs. It made them a part of his ministry. The same holds true today. When you share your your material blessings with a ministry, you are a part of that ministry. For this reason you will want to pray about and research the ministry that you support.
Paul takes the position that he is the parent and the Corinthians are the children. In his first letter he had said, Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. (I Corinthians 3:1) Even though many had responded well to his first letter, they still needed to grow up. But Paul considers many of them to be infants. This attitude means he doesn't blame them for all that is amiss in the Corinthian church, he blames the Judaizers.
So, because he considers many of them to be 'children' he adds, 2Co 12:15 Consequently I will most gladly spend and be spent for your good utterly. Does that mean that the more I love you the less you love me?
That is a good 'heart-searching' question that they would be considering. Why indeed be hard on Paul and critical of him as a minister who had nothing but their best interests at heart.
2Co 12:16 "All right then," I hear you say, "we agree that he himself had none of our money." But are you thinking that I nevertheless was rogue enough to catch you by some trick?
Mistrust is an issue here. The Judaizers (so–called Christians with Jewish backgrounds and leanings) have done their best to undermine Paul's credibility. They have caused the Corinthians to think, that even though Paul has not taken their money … he MUST be trying to manipulate them in some way.
To bring them back to reality, Paul asks them a series of questions.
2Co 12:17 Just think. Did I make any profit out of the messengers I sent you? (The implied answer they must give is … No.)
2Co 12:18 I asked Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. You don’t think Titus made anything out of you, do you? (No) Yet didn’t I act in the same spirit as he, and take the same line as he did? (Yes)
2Co 12:19 Are you thinking all this time that I am trying to justify myself in your eyes? (For saying I would visit you on my way to Macedonia … and then skipping past you? No)
… Actually I am speaking in Christ before God himself, and my only reason for so doing, my dear friends, is to help you in your spiritual life.
Paul has a very simple and pure motive. He wants only one thing, that the people he leads to Jesus will grow up.
Our motives can get mixed up at times. We need to maintain a constant check on ourselves as to why we do things. We become good at doing something as we serve the Lord … and we get recognition for it. That feels good. From that point on our motives can change. We may have to do what Paul is doing here … make it clear to ourselves and others that all we want is to see that our service to God in one way or another causes spiritual growth in ourselves and others.
At the beginning of this 'letter/book' Paul has mentioned his joy at the 'good news' from Titus. In 2Co 7:11 he said, You can look back now and see how the hand of God was in that sorrow. Look how seriously it made you think, how eager it made you to prove your innocence, how indignant it made you and how afraid! Look how it made you long for my presence, how it stirred up your keenness for the faith, how ready it made you to punish the offender! You have completely cleared yourselves in this matter.
And now we read the next two verses in chapter 12 ...
2Co 12:20 For I must confess that I am afraid that when I come I shall not perhaps find you as I should like to find you, and that you will not find me quite as you would like me to be. I am afraid of finding arguments, jealousy, ill-feeling, divided loyalties, slander, whispering, pride and disharmony.
21 When I come again, will God make me feel ashamed of you as I stand among you? Shall I have to grieve over many who have sinned already and are not yet sorry for the impurity, the immorality and the lustfulness of which they are guilty?
What a contrast between these verses in chapter 7 and in chapter 12. As I have been saying, the joy that Paul experienced at the 'good news' of their repentance resulting from the First Corinthians letter, must have been limited to those who had made the changes in their lives, but at the same time … there were others who still resented Paul and were following the Judaizers. It does seem a bit strange, though, that he would use the words “You have completely cleared yourselves in this matter.”
We may never know if there is more to this than meets the eye, so we simply accept it as we see it.
I hesitate to say what I will now say, because I do not want confuse or complicate things, but let me take a 'shot at it'.
There is a theory 'out there' that 2nd Corinthians is actually 2nd and 3rd Corinthians. The theory goes like this: This section that we are now reading was written first, then later on Paul wrote the first part in which he feels so relieved and happy. The division, according to this theory, would be after the chapters where Paul sounds so happy and the part where he begins to sound so sarcastic, at times, and concerned about a host of problems that he suspects are existing in the church.
I have thought about this theory, but at this point here is what I see.
Paul wrote First Corinthians because of bad news he had received plus a church letter with a number of questions they wanted answered. Even though the letter has been named, First Corinthians, Paul calls it his 'second' letter. Notice in First Corinthians the words, "In my previous letter I said, "Don’t mix with the immoral (people)." 1Co 5:9 ¶
He writes Second Corinthians, (really a third letter) to explain his behavior; his reason for not stopping in to see them as he was going from Ephesus to Macedonia was to 'spare them' in case they had not repented for their actions, ignoring First Corinthians entirely. He would be sparing them from his harshness that they would have felt. But he is able to express joy regarding those who received First Corinthians and obeyed its contents. But he expresses great disappointment for those who still need to repent and stop listening to the Judaizers.
So from this perspective, Paul has written while visiting Macedonia, a letter for Titus to take to Corinth. In chapter 13 verse one, Paul says,
2Co 13:1 ¶ This will be my third visit to you. Remember the ancient Law: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."
(“Johnny! I told you to clean up your room and you still haven't done it! Do you want me to start counting?!! One …. two ….”. “No-o-o-o-o! Stop counting!!”)
Whether this 'third' visit is meaning three actual visits, three letters, or a combination of the two is not really important here. The 'weight' of Paul's remark refers back to Jewish law. Paul wants it to sound heavy. He does not want them to miss the gravity of the next visit.
2Co 13:2 My previous warning, given on my second visit, still stands and, though absent, I repeat it now as though I were present to those who had sinned before and to all the others, that my coming will not mean leniency.
Even though Paul is so happy for those who have repented, he is saying, 'When I get there, the fur is going to fly!”
He goes on, 2Co 13:3 That will be the proof you seek that I speak by the power of Christ. The Christ you have to deal with is not a weak person outside you, but a tremendous power inside you. 2Co 13:4 He was "weak" enough to be crucified, yes, but he lives now by the power of God.
Paul uses Jesus as an example. Just as Christ appeared weak and humble … he was anything but. In reality the meek and humble Christ was nothing less than God almighty.
And so Paul says that the same thing applies to himself. He says, "We are weak as he was weak, but we are strong enough to deal with you for we share his life by the power of God."
Now Paul turns the focus from him to them. The Judaizers have caused the Corinthians to question Paul and his authority as an Apostle, but now Paul turns and questions them (some of them anyway) and questions whether they are actually saved.
2Co 13:5 You should be looking at yourselves to make sure that you are really Christ’s. It is yourselves that you should be testing. You ought to know by this time that Christ Jesus is in you, unless you are not real Christians at all.
Paul does not give them the 'criteria' for testing themselves. We will look at that in a moment. But, whatever test they use, he expects they will use it on him as well. He implies that in the next verse:
2Co 13:6 And when you have applied your test, I am confident that you will find that I myself am a genuine Christian.
His next sentences are so revealing of his loving heart towards them.
2Co 13:7 ¶ I pray God that you may make no mistake, not because I have any need of your approval, but because I earnestly want you to find the right answer, even if that should make me no real Christian
Of course Paul knows that, as they take a good hard look at what it means to truly be born again, he too will fit the critera. He is not worried about it at all. But he says 'even if that should make me no real Christian'. He only says this because, as they are reading this, they will not yet have begun the test. This statement is to merely shut the mouths of any who are still criticizing Paul by saying, ' He's not a real Christian himself ...He's a good one to talk!'
So this is how he leaves it with them. He is saying, "I am just interested in God's truth. I work toward getting it out. So what if you think I am weak. I really don't care what you think of me".
.2Co 13:8 For we can make no progress against the truth; we can only work for it. 9 We are always quite happy to be weak if it means that you are strong. Our prayer for you is true Christian maturity
So ends Paul's struggle with the Corinthians. Or so he hopes. He adds:
2Co 13:10 Hence the tone of this letter, so that when I do come I shall not be obliged to use with severity that power which the Lord has given me — though even that is not meant to break you down but to build you up.
If the Christians pay heed to Paul's letter and make an about face – wonderful. If they don't, Paul will go there and use his authority. This could mean literally tossing the offenders out of the church.
But he doesn't want to do that.
So what 'test' were they to use to see if they are real Christians or not?
It is a 'fruit' test.
Paul has alluded to this throughout the letter. Jesus taught us about it.
Mt 7:20 So you may know the quality of men by what they produce.
Fruit inspection.
Paul has asked them to compare his life with the lives of the Judaizers.
Jesus said, ¶ "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. :2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1
I have underlined two words in the above verse. These words are based on the Greek word, Airo ( αἴρω ). In the Greek dictionaries/lexicons the primary translation is not 'takes away', it is 'Lifts up'. This fits better with Jesus' later statement, John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
In the first verse Jesus says that there is a problem … the branch is not bearing fruit. However, the vine is still 'abiding in Him.'
In verse 6 Jesus says there is a different problem … the branch does 'abide in Him'. This has a very bad result.
The Vinedresser, Jesus, approaches his vine lovingly. If a branch seems healthy but it is not bearing fruit, he lifts it up and fastens it where it can get better sunlight. Then He prunes the branches so that they will produce even more fruit.
The Corinthians should take a look at their lives … what kind of fruit are they producing?
The apostle Peter mentions a test as well.
2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
The New King James version uses these words: 2Pe 1:10 … be even more diligent to make your call and election sure.
How? By doing the things listed in the previous six verses. Peter lists a complete sequence of qualities that Christians need to be adding to their lives. For example:
Add to your faith … Virtue (goodness) … Knowledge … Self-control … Endurance (perseverance) ... Godliness (Thinking in terms of eternal values) … Brotherly kindness … Love (initiating caring actions)
This is given to us as a sequence, but it looks to me like we need to work on some of these simultaneously.
Peter said that if we don't add these things to our initial faith, we will get to the point that we forget we were ever saved. But if we do pay attention to these things, we will be confident of our 'election' (salvation).
What our 'test' must clearly include is that we first examine 'faith'. What have you believed and put your complete trust in? The apostle John gives this concise statement:
1John 5:1 ¶ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.
Believing that 'Jesus is the Christ' requires some research on your part. You need to ask yourself questions, such as:
Is Jesus God? Did He come to earth by way of a 'virgin birth'? Did He live a sinless life? Did He die for the sins of the world? Does this mean He died for my sins? Have I confessed my sins and asked for forgiveness and salvation? Did Jesus rise from the dead? Is Jesus in heaven now? Is Jesus going to return to earth to take me and all believers to be with Him?
Believing that Jesus is the Christ includes things like the above. The words of John are encouraging and comforting as we read "has been born of God".
After the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians to test themselves, he closes this Corinthian letter with a very kind blessing to them.
2Co 13:11 ¶ Finally, then, my brothers, cheer up! Aim at perfection and accept my encouragement, agree with one another and live at peace. So shall the God of love and peace be ever with you.
12 A handshake all round, please!
13 All the Christians here send greeting.
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship that is ours in the Holy Spirit be with you all!