REAL OR REPROBATES Introduction:
Paul was continuing to deal with sin in the Corinth church. As a founder and leader, the apostle Paul had reached a point that had become crucial. It was time to set things in order.
Notice the word REPROBATE in V.5 and V.6. The word reprobate means counter-fit or discredited after a test.
No doubt people who professed to be saved caused many of the problems in the church at Corinth, but they were people who had never repented and trusted Christ as their Savior. Churches across Philippines are filled with un-saved people today.
There are two classes of people that cause trouble in the church. One group is the carnal church members, and the other group is the lost church members.
Let us notice two main divisions in these verses.
I – The Stand that Is revealed by Paul
A. The Discipline that was involved in Paul’s stand – v.2
II Corinthians 13:2 “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:”
Paul said, if I come again, I will not spare you.
Paul was simply saying, I am going to set things in order.
A pastor has a responsibility to the church of the living God to set things in order when sin in ruining the testimony and fellowship of the Church!
The church without discipline is a church that does not use the Bible appropriately, is a church that has no difference from churches that know not the real God, is a church that is not serios in dealing with sin, is a church that God will not use to teach the ugliness of sin, is a church that is hard to grow, is a church that do not show the care and love for the brethren who are living in sin, is a church where the Spirit is grieved, is a church where the congregation are not happy for they do not fear God, is a church that is not recommended for our dear family to stay.
Paul basically applied church discipline to set things in order in Corinth church, to walk worthy before the Lord.
B. The Desire that was involved in Paul’s stand
II Corinthians 13:9-10 “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.”
In V.9, Paul uses the word perfection, which is really referring to their maturity. (This passage comes from Old Testament Scriptures about Israel separation from compromise with idolatry and paganism practices of other heathen nations- II Cor.6:18 “And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”; II Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” - Cleanse ourselves – perfecting (means maturing) holiness in the fear of God)
Paul also uses the word edification In V.10. Paul’s goal was to edify the church by helping these Christians mature in the faith.
A pastor that cares aim for the perfecting of the brethren in the church.
Each warning out of the pulpit or in the pulpit is a desire for the edification and maturity of all believers in Christ.
It doesn’t matter if people in the church have been hurt through the preaching of the Word but what important is that the Spirit through God’s Word speaks to listeners heart.
The preaching and teaching in the pulpit should be balance by giving the brethren both warning and feeding by them.
Most of the people most of the time thought the pastor is narrow in understanding the flocks and does not love and truly cares because he always gives them warning and show what things they should avoid. But a Pastor who unfolded the truth and show the Holy Word to the people are the leader who really loves and cares.
A Church cannot be a strong and growing church having problems from in-mature saints with un-confessed sin in their lives.
C. The Dynamic that was involved in Paul’s stand
II Corinthians 13:3-4, 10 “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. 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.”
Paul had super dynamic power which enabled him to confront and then do something about the situation.
Let’s listen to Paul’s word in V.3, 4 & V.10
Paul may have been weak in the flesh and may have seemed weak in the spirit because of his humility, but Paul was strong by depending on the Lord’s power.
No leader should take a stand in the energy of the flesh, but only after that he has prayed and has been energized by the power of the Holy Spirit.
If he is energized by the power of the Holy Spirit, it doesn’t matter how big the problem is, God will give the boldness and strength to stand. When one stands in the flesh, the problem will end up being greater.
Through the Power of Spirit and the Word of God is the only key, solution, that will fix up all the problems in the Church.
There are no problems in a church bigger and stronger than the impact and power of the Spirit, that is why the Pastor is facing the problems not by their own wisdom, ability, strength but only as he relied on the Spirit of God.
Not by experience, neither by bravery of the Pastor but by the power of God that any church problem would be solved.
Those God’s ministers who edifies the people of God has their own weaknesses.
II – The Sensor that is requested of Paul
Paul wanted this congregation to check up and see if they had been saved or not! Some were acting like lost people in the church.
This took Holy Ghost boldness!
A. Paul wanted them to examine their selves
II Corinthians 13:5a "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?"
They had examined Paul, now; Paul wanted them to examine their own selves.
A lot of people are good at examining others, but they are not so good at examining their selves.
Notice: This was to be a personal examination. We are all going to give a personal account to God for the way we have lived in this world.
What are some tests that a person can take to see if they are in the faith?
1. There is the test of the witness of the Spirit
Romans 8: 9 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”
Romans 8:16 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
The Spirit manifestation in the lives of a true children of God is an evident that a person was real not a reprobate.
John exhorts to test every spirit to know if it a really from God (I John 4:1), because there are many preachers that are not from God and had the spirit of antichrist, who doesn’t believe that Christ is God who manifests in the flesh (I John 4:2-3). If a person is real Christian and not a reprobate or counterfeit, he would not be expected to join, hear or attend to various groups of religious gatherings who had not the Spirit of God, that are not in accordance with Christ’s teaching and fundamental sound doctrines of the Bible. Thus, we can know the Spirit of God and the spirit of error (I John 4:5-6).
They the professed they know God but they don’t actually understand the spiritual things of God that is why they have no interest with the Word (I Corinthians 2:14), for they are not spiritually generated they are spiritually dead (Titus 3:5).
2. There is the test of loving your brother
I John 3:14-15 “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
I John 2:9-10 “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”
I John 4:20-21 “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.”
Although the Bible strongly, clearly commanded to separate from disobedient brethren (I Thessalonians 3:14-15; Romans 16:17; I Corinthians 5:9; I Thessalonians 3:14-15).
Roman 16:17 “Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them”
I Corinthians 5:9 “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators”
I Thessalonians 3:14-15 “if any man obey our word by this epistle, note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed”
However, if you love the erring brethren with sincerity, you must show that you don’t agree, don’t consent and have no accord with the unscriptural practices and wrong mentality, that is the right way to show your love to them in the Lord by having no compromise with these disobedient brethren.
The Apostle John shows in his whole book of I John, the love of the children of God toward one another because they are all forgiven by one blood the precious shed blood of Christ, they are in one family of God, they are nourished together by the Holy Word of God, they are all one in citizenship of heaven, they are residents of one heavenly home, they are all have one Saviour Jesus Christ and they are all have one salvation by grace through faith on Christ’s gospel.
If you are truly born again and say that you love God you must love those who are also born of God.
I John 5:1 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”
3. There is the test of overcoming the world
1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”
Believers of God are overcomers by faith on God and His Word but not defeated and compromisers of this world.
4. There is the test of practicing righteousness
1 John 2: 29 – If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1 John 3:9 – Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin’ (habitual…the word is in the continuance tense, COMMIT)
1 John 3:10 “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”
To sum up this test, we can look at 2 Corinthians 5:17 – The Bible declares- If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new!
Paul wanted them to examine their selves
B. Paul wanted them to exemplify their selves
II Corinthians 13:5b “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?
Paul was saying, that if you have passed the test after you examined yourselves, if you are real and not reprobates (failed the test), then you must realize that Jesus Christ dwells in you through His Spirit.
Paul was saying, that if you have passed the test, if you are real and not reprobates, then Paul asked them repeatedly the words “Know ye not”? (I Cor. 6:2,3,9, 15, 16,19,) Believers in Christ must know that Christ dwells in them through His Spirit.
Genuine Believers in Christ should know that since Christ dwells in them, they must never go back to practice their old way of living when they were not still unsaved but they must learn to do everything for the glory of God. For ye are both with a precious blood of Christ and therefore now forgiven. That is why Paul warning them about those unreal but reprobates in I Corinthians 6:9 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,”
The Implication Is – that they were to exemplify their Lord by the way that they lived in this walk of life.
To be called a Christian should be an honor, and we should live Christ like to exemplify Christ in our life.
Conclusion:
What is the Gospel according to you? Do you have the Gospel of Christ or have another?
Are real or being a reprobate.? We talked about the personal examination from the word of God to see if we have been saved or not. If we passed the test, then we are saved, if not, then we are a reprobate. (Counterfeit, discredited after the test)
Reminder of the test: There is the test of the witness of the spirit; there is the test of loving your brother; there is the test of overcoming the world, and lastly there is the test of practicing righteousness.
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