Second Corinthians 12:21

 

 

 

In writing to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul was speaking of sins that these Christians should repent of, and he wrote in Second Corinthians 12:21, “And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.” These three sins that Paul mentions are sexual sins. Uncleanness refers to impurity. Sex was designed by God for the survival of the species and for the culmination of love in the union of a man and a woman in marriage. You should not have sex before you are married, and once you are married you should only have sex with your spouse. That is one of the things that is implied when the Bible says that “a man should leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife.” Anything less than that standard is called uncleanness: sexual impurity. 

 

Fornication is any sex outside of the marriage union. Adultery is a type of fornication. Homosexuality is a type of fornication. The word pornography comes from the Greek word that is here translated as “fornication.” Any kind of sexual pleasure or gratification outside of the marriage union is fornication. The naked body is a beautiful thing. God designed it. But there are certain things of the human body that should be viewed only by husband and wife. God put clothes on Adam and Eve once they left the Garden of Eden, even when they were the only people on the earth: probably preparing them for when others would be with them on the earth.

 

Uncleanness and fornication refer to the individual acts of sexual sin. “Lasciviousness” refers to an entire life-style of living in sexual lust: in wantonness, and profligacy, and loose living. There is nothing wrong with sexual desires. They are God-given, but they must be fulfilled only in marriage. That is one of the purposes of marriage for some people. The Bible says in First Corinthians 7:9, “But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.” Do not believe the lies of the world. Impurity, fornication, and lasciviousness will destroy you. Think about it. The world would be a much better place if more human beings followed God’s plan for relationships between men and women. The issue of abortion would practically disappear because there would be few unwanted pregnancies. There would be no venereal disease, and no one would have aids. Countless marriages have been ruined by infidelity. That would not happen if human beings avoided impurity, fornication, and lasciviousness.   

 

Why is it and how is that Christians could be involved in such sins? Of course, it can be a part of natural human selfishness. If you really care about someone, then you will want the best to happen to them, and committing adultery is far from the best. Unless Christians learn very well the principle of separation from the world and its human-centered philosophies, the Christians will become overly influenced by the pagan society around them. That certainly was the case of the Corinthians. Corinth was a city in Greece that had its share of open sexual immorality, which was very common and accepted in the first century Greco-roman society. That undoubtedly made it a greater temptation for the Christians living in Corinth.

 

The same thing is happening in our society today. Increased nudity and sexual license in Hollywood and in many parts of the entertainment industry is brainwashing people into thinking that sexual immorality is beneficial and desirable. Do not find out the hard way how big of a lie the entertainment industry often makes about the sanctity of marriage. If you have made a mistake in this area because of your own weakness, then there is one solution: repent. That is exactly what Paul said in this verse, and it is what the Apostle John wrote in First John 2:1, “And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.” You can be forgiven. You can be made as white as snow. You can be made as though you have never sinned in God’s eyes, if you turn to Jesus and find His forgiveness.

 

Paul wrote in Second Corinthians 13:1-3, “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 being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.” Paul continues to warn the Corinthians in a polite way, yet very clearly, that he will deal with those who have not repented. That is why he says here that he is writing to those who “heretofore have sinned.” And that is why Paul said, “if I come again, I will not spare.” In a way we could say that Paul was going to set up court and he was going to be the judge. His advice to the Corinthians was that they had better repent of their sins before he got there, or they would be facing something that they would not want to face.

 

It is interesting to note that Paul said, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” This is a good principle to remember if you ever have jury duty. One witness is not enough. There should at least be two or three. Some humans make mistakes, and they did not see what they thought they saw. Other humans are deceitful, and they will say that they saw something when they really did not. One thing that Paul was making clear: once the truth of a matter was established, he was going to deal with it.

 

The Bible says in Second Corinthians 13:4, “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives 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.” Paul returns once again to this theme of weakness, and how his weakness became the source of his strength. This time he compares it to Christ and His death by crucifixion. The Roman government and the Roman soldiers were strong. Those who got in their way were crushed. Those crucified on crosses were weak and defeated, or so it appeared. But Jesus rose from the dead. His life after death is what made the difference. We can manifest the power of the life of Christ, but only if we also suffer the death to self-will that Jesus suffered.

 

In Second Corinthians 13:5-7 Paul wrote, “Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be reprobates? But I trust that you shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God that you do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that you should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.” How do you know who is saved and who is not saved? How do you know who is a real Christian? That is the question that Paul is bringing up. The answer is that the only one you can be sure about is yourself. Each person should look into their own heart and find out if they are a true believer or not. That is why Paul said, “Examine yourselves,” “prove your own selves,” and “know your own selves

 

You either have Jesus Christ within you, or you are a reprobate. The word “reprobate” comes from the same word that is translated “prove” in these verses. A reprobate is someone who is not approved. In this context Paul is speaking of “approved” in regards to salvation. If you are in the faith, then you have Jesus Christ within you, and you are approved as far as salvation is concerned.

 

Once you are saved through faith and have Christ within you, the will of God is that you do the right thing from there on out. Do right until the stars fall. Some Christians have their eyes too much upon man: upon other believers that they respect or trust. Paul told these believers that they should do the right thing and the honest thing no matter even if he and others with him should appear “as reprobates.” It does not matter what other people do, and it does not matter what other people think. What matters is: what does God want you to do?

 

In Second Corinthians 13:8-13 the Bible says, “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak, and you are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord has 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. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints salute you.” Once you become saved, God wants you to do the right thing. That is what Paul was talking about when he said that he was concerned about their “perfection.” That is what he meant when he said, “Be perfect.” Concerning the age-old disagreements between Calvinists and Armenians, one thing is for sure: nowhere in the Bible is doing the wrong thing permitted. The will of God is that you get saved, and then you start doing the right thing. There is no middle ground. There is no other option. There is nothing else permitted for someone who calls himself a Christian. “Let those who name the name of Christ depart from iniquity

 

Christianity is the highest of all callings, and it gives the greatest of all standards. It is a great challenge to be a Christian. If and when you fail, yes, you can be forgiven. But there is no excuse for the failure. Do not ever say that you are only human and therefore it does not matter. Do not ever make excuses, and do not ever blame anyone for your failures. You ought to do the right thing. You ought to be complete and perfect. If you fail, then you have sinned; and you must repent of that sin and thus stay in fellowship with the Lord Jesus.

 

In several of the concluding remarks that Paul makes to the Corinthians he is emphasizing and encouraging Christian unity. When Paul said, “Be of one mind,” he was talking about Christian unity. When Paul said, “Live in peace,” he was talking primarily about the Christians being at peace with one another. There is very little unity in the world. That is why there is war and dissention and conflict everywhere. Of all the people in the world, the Christians should at least be at peace. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” And Jesus said to His believers, “My peace I give unto you.” The only way to find true peace and to be at peace with others is to get peace from God. Jesus is the Prince of Peace. The Bible says here in Second Corinthians 13:11, “The God of love and peace shall be with you.” Why are there not more people at peace: because they are not rightly related to God. If there would be more repentance of sin and more turning to Christ, then there would be more peace. “There is no peace, saith the Lord, to the wicked 

 

One of the great benedictions of the Bible is found in the last verse of Second Corinthians. If you want to wish the best for someone, do not wish them money or fame or power. Instead wish for them exactly what is said in Second Corinthians 13:14. It says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” All three persons of the trinity are mentioned here. When we think of the Lord Jesus Christ, we think of grace. Every human being whether they realize it or not is dependent upon the grace of God. How wonderful it is that we have a God of grace. If you have experienced the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, then your salvation is secure, and your eternal destiny of happiness awaits you. Grace comes through Christ because Christ paid it all on the cross of Calvary. Grace refers to God giving to you freely what you can in no way gain for yourself. If you have grace from Christ, you are saved from your sins. And then you have access to a great storehouse of grace for the rest of your life. Whatever God wants you to do, you can do by the grace of Christ. Whatever struggle you face, you can conquer by the grace of Christ. Whatever trial you face, you can endure by the grace of Christ. There is grace that is greater than your sin. There is grace that is greater than your weakness. With the grace of Christ you can fight any battle, conquer any foe, and rise above any circumstance.

 

One of the greatest needs of mankind is to know that one is loved. You need to be loved. You will never be satisfied with your life until you are assured that you are loved. No one will ever love you as much as God. “The love of Jesus, what it is, only His loved ones know.” If only you knew how much God loves you, your faith would be increased without limit, and a peace and strength would come over you that could not be explained. “God is love.” “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...” God loves you more than you will ever know. Spend time finding out more about the love of God. 

 

And spend time finding out more about the “communion of the Holy Spirit.” You need companionship. Loneliness is one of the great curses of the world. In a world where there are millions and millions of people, there are millions who are lonely. You can be lonely when there are people all around you. But if you know Jesus as Savior, you never have to be lonely again. God is with us in the person of His Spirit. Get to know the Spirit. He will comfort you, He will guide you, He will enlighten you. Through Christ we will be given eternity: we will reign with Him. But right now we are given the Spirit.          

     

 

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Copyright; 2003 by Charles F. (Rick) Creech
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