His Power

 DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

HIS POWER

2 Cor 13:1-4

13:1 This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."   2 I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, 3 since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. 4 For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you.

NIV

Do we require proof that Christ is speaking through someone? But first, we should deal with this matter that must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. The problem in understanding this correctly is there is no general agreement between the famous scholars of old. We will not regurgitate their opinions as we think because of the vast chasm of differences in their opinions, anything would be conjecture. However, what we do find interesting is how the Greek words are organized: "This third time I am coming to you in mouth of two or three witnesses shall be established every word." This is not the logos word, but every utterance type of word, that is whatever he says to them will be established as true because others will give witness to his words. This view, as we see it, carries the idea that he has warned them once, then twice and that warning must be about those false apostles, and that his words carry the power of God and not that of men. Therefore, we are back to the power of God being manifested in the speaking of men. Fortunately, God has also sent his Spirit whose gifts include that of discernment. Deep within our spirit as we listen to the Spirit, or live under His influence, we know when we hear the truth and when we hear the deception. If we were to see this in this matter, then we would have the witness of two of three concerning every matter. One, we have the logos, the very word of God, two, we have the Spirit dwelling within us, and three, if we could say that was a three, we would have Jesus, who is the word. However, we could also consider that we are the third. We know that all mankind was made in the image of God by God, and hence we have within us the knowledge of Him, whether some acknowledge or suppress that knowledge of Him could mean the difference of the three witnesses. Nevertheless, we still have the witness of the word, the witness of the Spirit, and perhaps the witness of our own inner man to determine that which is true and that which is false. This all comes down to knowing when we hear words that come from the power of God. This also carries the idea that words can be spoken by the intellectual power of man that has sound thought and seems right, but if they are not speaking with the power of God, they speak only as a man. This should also apply to us, in the sense that whenever we speak of the things of God, we need to assure we are not speaking as men, but knowing our weaknesses, and relying on the power of God to speak through us, so that we might encourage, exhort, and build up the community of faith. This is the work of God, the power of God, not of men.