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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s Word on Bibleline. Everywhere, every time, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll-free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Take your Bible and turn to the book of 2 Corinthians 2 Corinthians and Chapter 13 chapter 13 There’s a portion of scripture here that I think It would help us if we kind of looked at it and studied it a little bit tonight. I Know you already know the answers to all of this, but you know, it’s just Repetitionous is the logical mucilage So maybe I’ll just kind of stir up your mind on things you already know. But look there in verse 1, chapter 13.

This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. I told you before and foretell you as if I were present the second time. And be an absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned. And to all others that, if I come again, I will not spare. Since ye seek a proof of Christ’s speaking in me, which toward you is not weak, but is mighty in you, for though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveeth 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. yourself, whether you be in the faith, prove your own cells. No, you not that your own cells, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates. But I trust that you shall know that we’re not reprobates. Now I pray to God that you do know evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates, for we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth.

For we are glad when we are weak and ye are strong. And this also we wish even your perfection or maturity. 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. 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. Great one another with a holy kiss, all the saints salute you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all, amen. Now isn’t it something that God can use a man to write a letter? Do you realize there’s 13 long chapters here? Did you know the book before this has also got a lot of chapter 16 chapters in it? And look how long these letters are. When’s the last time you wrote a letter this long? Well, anyway, the book of Corinthians is written to believers.

And a lot of things that happened in Corinth, it was a wicked city, even though they trusted the Lord, they were wicked people. It looks like they were still just as sinful after they got saved as they were before they got saved. Not much maturing going on here. They were pretty carnal, fleshly minded. Fourteen major problems with the church there at Corinth. And Paul says something very strange here in the thirteenth chapter. You’ll notice there in chapter 13. And look in verse 5, after every thing is said and done, two whole books that he’s wrote.

He says in verse 5, examine yourselves. you be in the faith. Prove your own cells. No, you’re not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be your reprobate. So I guess we’re gonna have to try to find out what is a reprobate. Well, he says, Christ in you except you be a reprobate. So Christ in you, you’d be a believer, a reprobate, maybe a questioning that they’re saved. Somebody who denies the truth, disqualified, set aside, rejected.

A person that’s abandoned to sin, one lost to virtue and the character of Christ, because they can’t have it without salvation. But I do believe he’s talking to those that are in Christ, but he made us a strange statement, examine yourselves to see whether or not you’re in the faith. Now, most Christians today are talking about the rapture because everybody’s watching this thing going on about Israel and the Middle East and the Arab nations and the United Nations and all these things that are going on.

So if the rapture took place, what is the rapture? All of those who know the Lord are supposed to be changed in a moment, the twinkling of our eye and caught up to meet the Lord in the air, taken out of here. So don’t you think that everybody ought to reexamine themselves, make sure you’re really saved? Is Paul questioning their salvation? I mean, what’s going on here? Does Paul doubt that they’re saved and saying you need to examine yourself because you may not really be saved?

Well, why would Paul say a thing like that? Is he going by what they were saying and doing? Now we know that they were some mighty wicked people here and they’d done a lot of bad things. and it names them, all kinds of things. They’d have the Lord’s Supper and they’d get drunk. That’s pretty bad, huh? Oh, one guy was sleeping with his mother. That’s pretty bad when you say that’s pretty bad. So whenever you look at these, and the Bible says, and they were popped up about it, like it was a badge of honor.

Hey, we’re all under grace. It doesn’t matter how you live because we’re all under grace without another law. We can do whatever we wanna do. They were some pretty bad folks and some bad things. So when Paul says, you need to examine yourself, see if you’re in the faith or not. So is he doubting that they’re saved? Well, if he’s doubting their salvation, it causes another problem. Why is he doubting their salvation? Because of their works, the way they were living?

Are we supposed to use the way a person lives to determine whether they’re really saved or not? And we become, you know, inspectors. So everybody needs to get a pair of magnifying glasses and check out everybody. But he is in here, examine yourself. Oh, I think I look all right to me. So you’re going to examine yourself. What are you going to look at? Are they going to look at the way they’re living? To see if whether or not they’re really saved?

And if I look at my works, well, I thought you weren’t saved by your works. Are they supposed to look? He didn’t say, do you really believe on Jesus Christ? He didn’t say, he just examined yourself, whether you’re in the faith. So there’s a lot of questions in this thing. And remember, the book was written to the saints at Corinth. So Paul is saying they’re saints, and he talks to them to the church at Corinth. The church is made up of believers.

Why would he say, examine yourself? Now, what if I came in here tonight and I said, now look, I want you to examine yourself and see that you’re really saved. What would be your steps? What would you look at? How often do you go to church? Because if you don’t go to church very often, you must not be saved, right? What do you study the Bible? You don’t study the Bible, I’ll go with that. It’s probably a sign you’re not really saved.

Do you support the church? Well, every once in a while, well, you’ve got reasons to doubt your salvation. And so if I gave you 10 reasons on how to know you’re saved, I just gave you 10 reasons on why you should doubt your salvation. Because what are you going to use as the criteria for finding out if you’re really saved or not? Well, of course, you and I know that all we have to do is find out, well, what are you trusting in to get you to heaven?

your works have nothing to do with it so you’re not supposed to look at your work because your works can’t save you. So if good works can’t give it to me then bad works can’t take it away. That just seems to make sense to me. I didn’t get it by being good, so why should I lose it by being bad? Because my works are of no value. Zero. You’re saved by grace, well then you have to stay saved by grace.

There is no way. You can’t get saved by grace and stay saved by works. So what are they supposed to examine? But don’t you believe that it’s important for every person to examine themselves to see if they’re really saved or not? Well, I think that you ought to be certain that you’re saved, but what are you going to use as a criteria? Well, one you and I would always judge, well, because I trusted Christ as my Savior. He said I was saved.

He said He would save me from hell, give me eternal life as a free gift. And so I’m basing my eternal destiny upon the sith, the Lord God’s Word said, that if I believed on Him, He would save me and give me eternal life. So I can’t examine my works. So what are they supposed to examine? So Do they have to examine their works? Does Paul doubt their salvation? It’s not really an issue about Paul doubting their salvation and It’s not really to examine their works.

Well, what in the world is it about? Well, it’s about a certain subject that had come up You see there in the book of 2 Corinthians in chapter 13, it makes the statement here in verse 2. He said, I told you before and foretell you as if I were present. The second time, and be an absent, now I write to them which heretofore have sinned into all other that if I come again, I will not spare.” Now, who are these that he’s talking about that is sinned?

Well, you usually try to check it out in the context and it’ll usually tell you. Now, remember the chapter divisions were written by man and the verses that are numbered were added by man. They’re not in divine Holy Scripture, so they’re not inspired of God, but they are very, very helpful in finding where we are. Look up there in verse 20 of chapter 12. For here he says, for I fear, lest when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, or I should say as I would like, and that I shall be found unto you such as you would not like to find me.

He says, but now if I come there, we’re going to have a showdown at sundown. And I’m gonna be wearing my guns and we’re gonna have it out. Now what was the real problem? You see the Apostle Paul was a missionary. He was an apostle. God had chosen him and says I’m gonna show you what great things you’re gonna suffer for my name. And buddy he did suffer and it ain’t over yet. So he would go to the various places when people to Christ and establish a church and then he was on to the next city.

Well, there were some of these legalistic Judaizers from Jerusalem. They always followed Paul around and they would get ahold of the people and stir them up. And they would say, look, Paul is not an apostle. They caused the people to question and doubt. Paul is a possalship, his sincerity, his love, his message. They said he preached everything, it was false. And so it caused the people not to believe Paul. And so it caused them to start going astray, caused a lot of problems.

Paul really had his hands for it. And so he says, when I come, I’m going to deal with you and I hate to, but I’m going to have to be kind of strong. Might even have to be a little on the hard side. So you see there in verse 20, he said, but I fear. When I come, I shall not find you as I would like. He says, and you’re not going to like what you see when I come because of the way that I’m going to be.

He said, lest there be such as you would not. their beat, get their debates, envying, rafts, stripes, back biting, whispering, swelling, tumult, all these problems, these works of the flesh, it’s going to be manifest, it’s going to come out and you’re going to get ugly. And you’re going to get ugly because Paul says, I’m going to get ugly and I’m not going to spare and I’m going to come to you with a rod. And you don’t believe that I’m an apostle, I’m going to show you that I’m an apostle.

Because when he came, he came with all the signs of an apostle. See there, he’d just gone through telling him how that God had dealt with him and how that God had given him visions and all these things. See there in verse 1 of chapter 12, he says, it is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. He said, I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I knew a man in Christ about 14 years ago, whether in the body or out of the body.

He said, I cannot tell. Such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man. I think he’s talking about himself. Whether in the body or out of the body. He said, I cannot tell. God knoweth, how that he was caught up into paradise. Heard unspeakable words which is not lawful for a man to utter. I’ll such a one while I glory. Yet of myself I will not glory, but in my infirmities, because living in a body you have infirmities, you have weaknesses, you’re subject to death, you’re gonna die.

And you have all kind of weaknesses and problems in the flesh. But he makes a statement in verse 6, “…For though I would desire to glory, or de-brag most, I shall not be a fool, for I will say the truth. But now I forbear, I hold back lest any man should think of me above that which he sith me to be, or that he hehered to me. In other words, he says, I am what I claim to be. I am an apostle.

You may not believe so, but I am.” And he says, and God has given me visions and revelations of God himself, and I have things to say, and I can do things because God gave him power that he could perform miracles and produce signs and wonders.” So he says in verse 7, “…unless I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations that was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.”

And maybe it was these fellows that legalistic Judaizers from Jerusalem that followed them everywhere and nothing but a constant pain in the side of him and the church always causing trouble. He had trouble after trouble after trouble. He lived constantly in trouble. And so he says, I asked the Lord to remove this and he didn’t do it. The Lord says, my grace is sufficient for you. there in verse nine. My grace is sufficient for the, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

God’s strength is made perfect in your weakness. Means you’re gonna have to depend upon the Lord. You’re gonna have to trust the Lord because there’s certain things you and I cannot do. There’s limitations that we have. There’s sufferings that we go through, misunderstandings that we have to go through. So he says, most gladly therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities at the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Now get this. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, reproaches in necessities, in persecution, and distresses for Christ’s sake.

But when I am weak, then am I strong. I am become a fool in glory, and he says, you have compelled me. Now he doesn’t want to brag a boast, but because of what they were doing and what they were saying, Paul had to defend himself. Paul doesn’t want to defend himself. He says, you ought to know. You ought to be commending me, not me having to commend myself to you, but he says you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended of you for in nothing am I behind the very cheapest apostle, though I be nothing.

And get verse 12, Truly, the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs and wonders, and mighty deeds when I came among you. I had all the evidences, the qualifications of a true apostle. There’s no reason for you to doubt that I’m an apostle. Turn over there to book of 1 Corinthians. Corinthians in chapter four. You see, there had been problems among the people and they were becoming divisive because that’s what Eira does. Eira causes you not to believe the truth.

When you don’t believe truth, it divides. It causes separation, causes carnality, people to live, I guess you could could say after the flesh. But look where he says in chapter four, he says in verse three, but with me, it’s a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man’s judgment. Yeah, I judged not my own self. For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified? No, I don’t know anything against myself because Paul said, I preached the gospel to every man.

He said, I’m free from the blood of all men. I’ve done the job and as you made the statements before he died, he said, I fought a good fight. I’ve kept the faith. There’s later for me a reward in heaven. And then he says here in verse 5, therefore judged nothing before the time until the Lord come, who bow would bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the heart. Then shall every man have praise of God.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollo’s for your sakes. Well, who would need to do that? Well, look over in chapter 3 and look in verse 5, chapter 3 verse 5, where he says, who then is Paul and who is Apollo’s? But ministers by whom ye believe, even as the Lord gave to every man. I planted, Apollo’s water, God gives the increase. He said, I’m only using this as an illustration. He said, but God uses all of us.

and God used the apostles to accomplish certain things. When he made the statement there in chapter 3 and verse 2, he says, you are carnal. See there are verses 3, for you are yet carnal. Where is there among you envying, strive, devasions? Are you not carnal? Walk as men? For one sayeth, I am a Paul, another I am of apollos. Are you not carnal? In other words, all of God’s people are important. And if you’re going to follow anybody, Paul says, If you’re going to do this, you ought to follow me.

Well, why should they follow him? Well, for this reason, look in verse 9 of chapter 4. He says, for I think that God has set forth us the apostles last. As it were appointed to death, for we are made a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you’re wise in Christ. We’re weak, but all be you’re so strong. You’re honorable and we’re despised. Even unto this present hour, we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place.

But see, they knew where they’re going to live. They knew what they had a house. You see, they didn’t have to worry like the apostles did as they traveled around the country. But see, they were the one that’s gloating in themselves and now trying to shame the apostle Paul. And why does it hurt Paul so much? Why is he taking it so hard? There’s a reason. But just look at this in verse 11. Even under this present hour, we both hunger and thirst and are naked and buffeted, have no certain dwelling place and labor working with our own hands, been reviled, we blessed, been persecuted, we suffered, been defamed, we entreat, we are made as the filth of the world.

And as the off scouring of all things under this day, I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons, so I believe he believes that they have believed on the Lord. In verse 15, for though you have 10,000 structures in Christ, yet have you not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. In other words, Paul said, I’m the one that came to you first. I’m the one that preached the gospel unto you.

I’m the one that convinced you because of the signs and the wonders and the miracles that God gave me that I could do for you. I gave you reasons why you should believe it. I had all the credentes of an apostle. The issue came down, Paul says, if I’m not an apostle, and I preach a false message, you need to examine yourself to see if you’re in the faith. Because you’re questioning my message in order to see whether or not if I’m wrong, you’re wrong.

Do you see what I’m saying? If Paul says, if I am not an apostle and I’m not who I claim to be and my message is not true, then how do you know you’re saved. But he is not questioning their salvation. They were doing the questioning, not Paul. They were questioning Paul and his authority and his apostleship. So he made the statement here. I’m the one in verse 15. For though you have 10,000 instructors in Christ, yet have you not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have been gotten you through the gospel.

Therefore, wherefore I beseech you be followers of me. Listen to what I’m saying. Look there in the book of 1 Corinthians in chapter 11. 1 Corinthians in chapter 11. And look in verse 17. Verse 17. See in verse 1 of chapter 11 he He said these words again, be followers of me. Follow me. Why? Well, you follow him because he’s the God that led you to the Lord. Listen to Paul instead of those who are knocking the apostle Paul.

Look what he says in verse 17. Now in this that I declare unto you, I praise you not. That you come together not for the better, but for the worse. And they were coming together and not for the better. It was for the worse. They were getting drunk. And all the things that they did was so bad. And you would think, well, they should have smartened up by then, but they hadn’t. Now turn over the second Corinthians. Second Corinthians.

And look now in verse one of 2 Corinthians, in chapter 11 here, looking verse 1, would to God, he could bear with me a little in my folly, and indeed bear with me. In the words, put up with me just for a moment. Remember, he’s talking to carnal Christians, worldly-minded Christians, babes in Christ. Now, if he was talking to a mature spiritual adult, He would talk totally different, but He’s having to rebuke babes in Christ. He has to rebuke rebellious children.

He says in verse 2, for I am jealous over you with Godly jealousy. For I haven’t, you know what jealousy is, I’ve told you this before, jealousy is the fear of being replaced. Ever heard God say God is a jealous God. I mean, God doesn’t want to be replaced. And so God doesn’t want you to put anybody in his place. What causes a girl to be jealous of another girl when that girl begins to like her boyfriend and she gets what?

Jealous. And isn’t jealousy an ugly sin? Jealous he can lead to murder. I mean man, when we get married and all of a sudden somebody starts hanky-panking with somebody else and next thing you know there’s a murder. And you think, well, something so wonderful is love. Yeah, but you’re gonna push this thing too far and you’re gonna get yourself in trouble. Second Corinthians in chapter 11 as we’re moving right along. Look there in verse two, for I am jealous over you with godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste for it’s into Christ.

But I fear, but I fear. Lest by any means as the serpent begal leave through his subtlety, So your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preaches another Jesus, so there’s somebody else coming along preaching something else. They’re preaching another Jesus that Paul says, I didn’t preach. And they’re preaching another spirit that I didn’t preach. They’re preaching another gospel that I didn’t preach. He says, they’re false. He said, but I want you to bear with me just for a little bit, because I want you to bear with me because I’m afraid you’re going to bear with them.

I want you to listen to me because I’m afraid you’re going to listen to them and it’s going to affect your whole life. This is why the church was all filled with problems because they no longer listen to what Paul taught them. They were listening to false teaching. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. Part two of this teaching will conclude with tomorrow’s broadcast.

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Our Sunday morning services begin at 1030 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. The live broadcasts of our services may be seen by clicking on the Calvary Community Church link at BibleLineMinistries.org. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound, and we will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believing that the Lord is coming soon, and just keep looking up.