2 Coríntios 13
Albert Barnes · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Coríntios 13:5
Barnes - The particular reason why Paul calls on them to examine themselves was, that there was occasion to fear that many of them had been deceived. Such had been the irregularities and disorders in the church at Corinth; so ignorant had many of them shown themselves of the nature of the Christian religion, that it was important, in the highest degree, for them to institute a strict and impartial examination to ascertain whether they had not been altogether deceived. This examination, however, is never unimportant or useless for Christians; and an exhortation to do it is always in place. So important are the interests at stake, and so liable are the best to deceive themselves, that all Christians should be often induced to examine the foundation of their hope of eternal salvation. Whether ye be in the faith. Whether you are true Christians. Whether you have any true faith in the gospel. Faith in Jesus Christ, and in the promises of God through him, is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true Christian; and to ascertain whether we have any true faith, therefore, is to ascertain whether we are sincere Christians. For some reasons for such an examination, and some remarks on the mode of doing it, See [1Co 11:28]. (2 Corinthians 13 Commentary) As noted earlier Zane Hodges is one of the writers who feels that Paul is not referring to the test and examination as an allusion to whether one is a genuine believer… After twelve chapters in which Paul takes their Christianity for granted, can he only now be asking them to make sure they are born again? (Absolutely Free) John Witmer in his review of Hodges' book "The Gospel Under Siege: A Study on Faith and Works" writes that one very significant problem/omission in Hodges' book is his… failure to recognize that profession of faith can be less than saving faith. This fact is demonstrated in experience for one thing. Many Christians—perhaps even Hodges—were raised in godly Christian homes and “believed” the facts of the gospel long before they came to the point of saving faith in Christ. Certainly today many local congregations contain individuals who have “professed” to believe without ever exercising genuine saving faith in Jesus Christ and His redemptive death. This fact also is demonstrated in the Scriptures. The classic example is Judas Iscariot, who was numbered among the apostles and yet was identified by Jesus as “a devil” (Jn 6:70) and “the son of perdition” (Jn 17:12). Hodges himself refers to the “many antichrists” (1Jn 2:18) who are identified as “from the world” (1Jn 4:5). Yet they had at one time been associated with the apostles (1Jn 2:19) and had undoubtedly professed faith (Ed: cf the men in 2Pe 2:20, 21-note, 2Pe 2:22-note), which was subsequently shown to be not genuine. Paul challenged his readers, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith” (2Cor 13:5), a challenge which implies the possibility that some were not in the faith. (Ed: A "possibility" which Hodges dismisses in the preceding comment.) (Bibliotheca Sacra 140:557 Jan 83 p. 91) The revered evangelical scholar Lewis Sperry Chafer has applied the principles of 2 Cor 13:5 to the examination of the authenticity of one's faith writing for example… God is either supreme, with all that such a statement implies, or He is not; and those who doubt His supremacy may well examine themselves to see whether they be in the faith at all (2Cor 13:5)… 1Cor 15:1,2. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” The Apostle is not implying that some of the Corinthian believers were lost for want of faith; rather it is that their faith has never been sufficient for salvation (cf. 2Cor 13:5). (The Eternal Security of the Believer Part 2; see also Lewis Sperry Chafer The Eternal Security of the Believer, Part 1) (Bolding added) … It may be a problem whether an individual has entered into saving grace through Christ—and here there is need of a clear apprehension of the Biblical evidence of so great a change (cf. 2Co 13:5; 1Jn 5:13)—but there could be no problem involved with respect to the essential truth that, until perfectly saved by the infinite work of God, the soul is perfectly lost. (The Saving Work of the Triune God --BSac 105:420. Oct 48 p389 - see note above) (Bolding added) Willard Aldrich (past president of Multnomah School of the Bible) wrote… A doctrine of assurance that considers only the divine undertaking and promises for security to the neglect of the equally plain teaching concerning the changed life of the saved may lull the professing Christian to sleep, the sleep of death in a false security. Hence the solemn warning: 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? (2 Cor 13:5). No better illustration of the balance of truth between God’s affirmation of intention to keep His own and the human, practical proof that we are His own can be found than in John 10:27–28. The unequivocal statement of God’s purpose to keep His own is found in the words of Christ, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” But assurance that I am saved and shall be kept saved rests not only in faith in this statement of intention concerning His sheep but also in the realization that I am indeed one of His sheep. And here practical tests or characteristics of the sheep are cited: “My sheep,” the Good Shepherd says, “hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (Safekeeping: What the Bible Teaches about Final Salvation -- BSac 113:451. July 56 p249) (Bolding added) Gregory - To what this self-examination is directed: “Whether ye be in the faith.” Faith is the moral element, the spiritual atmosphere in and by which we have our being. When we say a man is in a rage, or in love, or in drink, we mean that rage, love, or drink has got possession of him. And so with a man “in the faith.” It means that his views are coloured by, and that all his affections and habits are under the mastery of, faith. Now, a man may entertain strong affection or resentment, and yet not be in a rage or in love; and so a man may have the faith in himself and yet not be in the faith; may have no doubt as to the historical verity which constitutes the faith, and yet not be in it. How sad it is that with all this preaching, and singing, and school-teaching, the faith has so little influence over us. That is what we must examine ourselves about. 2. There are two classes in the present day. IV. What is the test of being in the faith? 1. Is Christ in you? That will determine that matter. Is He now--2. But what is the terrible alternative? “Except ye be reprobate”--rejected and cast away. The idea of judgment is kept up all the way through. This is the subject of examination. Examination arises respecting the last decisive test. If when you come before the bar of God, and the secrets of your hearts are judged according to the gospel, Christ is not in you, you must be a wandering wreck for ever--cast into outer darkness, where is weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. (Reference) EXAMINE YOURSELVES!: hautous dokimazete (2PPAM): Dr Charles Ryrie - yourselves is emphatic; i.e., it is yourselves, not I, whom you should examine. fail the test. I.e., they failed to pass the test and were not members of the household of faith (also cf. 2 Cor 13:6). (Ryrie's interpretation is especially interesting as he is one who often sides with the Zane Hodges' position, but apparently not in this passage). John MacArthur emphasizing the application of 2 Cor 13:5 to our individual lives, notes that this test and examination of one's self… does not have to be a gloomy, morbid look inside yourself. Instead, it may simply consist of a series of questions you ask yourself, such as: Have I experienced the leading, encouraging, assuring work of the Holy Spirit in my life? Have I experienced any aspects of the fruit of the Spirit? Have I known and shown love for other members of the body of Christ? Has my heart longed to commune with God in prayer? Do I have a love for God’s Word and are its truths clear and compelling to me? If you can remember times when the answer to any of these questions was clearly yes, then you are most likely a Christian. (The Silent Shepherd) NLT Study Bible observes that there is… a play on words here: They were looking for “proof” of Paul’s apostolic authority, but Paul urges them, Test yourselves (or Prove yourselves). The lack of Christ’s presence would disprove their authenticity as Christians. But Paul himself has demonstrated that he has not failed the test of apostolic authority (literally not been disproved). A W Tozer observed that… The philosopher Socrates said, An unexamined life is not worth living. If a common philosopher could think that, how much more we Christians ought to listen to the Holy Spirit when He says, "Examine yourself." An unexamined Christian lies like an unattended garden. Let your garden go unattended for a few months, and you will not have roses and tomatoes but weeds. An unexamined Christian life is like an un-kempt house. Lock your house up as tight as you will and leave it long enough, and when you come back you will not believe the dirt that got in from somewhere. An unexamined Christian is like an untaught child. A child that is not taught will be a little savage. It takes examination, teaching, instruction, discipline, caring, tending, weeding and cultivating to keep the life right. Jonathan Graf… It is important that we continually take stock of our relationship with the Lord—not because we are worried about losing our salvation, but because a relationship that isn't growing is a stagnant relationship and a hindrance to the work of God. (The Pursuit of God Study Guide) C H
2 Coríntios 13:5
Barnes - "To be in Christ, or for Christ to be in us, is a common mode in the Scriptures of expressing the idea that we are Christians. It is language derived from the close union which subsists between the Redeemer and his people. See the phrase explained See [Ro 8:10-note]. Jamieson has an interesting insight paraphrasing Paul as saying "I need not speak much in proof of Christ being in me, your minister (2Co 13:3), for if ye try your own selves ye will see that Christ is also in you [Chrysostom], (Ro 8:10-note). Finding Christ dwelling in yourselves… ye may well believe that He speaks in me, by whose ministry ye have received this faith [Estius]. To doubt it would be the sin of Israel, who, after so many miracles and experimental proofs of God's presence, still cried (Ex 17:7), "Is the Lord among us or not?" (Compare Mk 8:11).