Don't Fail the Test - 36

Well, as we have already learned in our study of second Corinthians. The apostle Paul is preparing for his third visit to the church at Corinth's first visit was when he established the church there. That was a long visit. That was 18 months long that he stayed in evangelizing and teaching, and in organizing that congregation longer in Corinth than any other location except for the city of Ephesus was a second visit where Paul came and warned sending believers who were in the congregation at Corinth that they needed to get their houses in order. They needed to acknowledge their sins and repent of them and put them out of their lives. And now, as Paul is announcing his third visit he is making it very clear when he comes, he will deal with those who have failed to deal with their sins.

Those who have refused to repent and refuse to abandon their sinful practices will receive the chastening rod that comes to them in the hands of the apostle Paul.

And so in spite of having his apostolic credentials questioned by the false teachers and by some of the members of the Corinthian church.

Paul is nevertheless determined to faithfully discharge his responsibilities as an apostle, he will do what he is commissioned to do whether other people like it or not, whether they approve or not, whether they supported or not better for them if they do. Paul is going to be faithful either way and he knows of Christ will support him as he brings correction to the church today we are going to look at verses one through seven and we can walk through these verses by hanging our thoughts on four words number one examination to explanation three exhortation and for expectation verses one through two and three. Paul tells us that when he comes. He's going to conduct an examination later he's going to talk about an examination which they need to conduct in their own hearts.

Paul is talking about an examination which you will conduct within the congregation of the Corinthian church, and he tells us three things about this upcoming examination number one it will be principled, number two, it will be painful, at least for some number three. It will be powerful. Paul assures the Corinthians in verse one that the upcoming examination will be principled. This will be the third time I am coming to you by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." From Deuteronomy chapter 19 verse 15, which is also quoted by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 18 verses 15 and 16 and is referred to three or four other places throughout the New Testament going back to the original statement in Deuteronomy 1915 we read these words. One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits by the mouth of two or three witnesses, the matter shall be established. What is Moses writing by the spirit of God telling the children of Israel is telling them that nobody can be convicted of wrongdoing and can be punished for their wrongdoing. Unless there are a minimum of two and preferably at least three witnesses one person accusing another of wrong is not sufficient to carry out a judgment of guilt and punishment against them justice principles that are employed by Lord Jesus Christ except the very same text and applies it to the activities of the church. In Matthew 18 when he says in verse 15 moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone if he hears you, you have gained your brother.

But if he will not hear you take with you one or two more, that hears the quotation from Deuteronomy by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established church activity church discipline church rules for conducting proper discipline. There are many things we can draw out of the Matthew passage, I would simply point out to that is number one. Our Lord makes it clear that affairs in the church are to be carried out in some respects, like legal matters in a court of law. The words in Deuteronomy applied to civil matters. Christ applies them to church matter.

Churches are to conduct their affairs in a principled way, and there are some aspects of what churches are to do that will resemble what is done in a court of law and examination must be made. Witnesses must be called, someone will not be declared guilty unless there are at least two or three credible witnesses which testify against them. But the other thing that strikes me about the Matthew 18 passage is that this is not like a court of law in that it begins by a very personal inter-Fellowship manner of addressing the problem. We don't start out in court.

We don't begin with calling the witnesses. How do we begin brother sins against you if there's a complaint then. First you individually personally go to him. See if you can straighten this out between you and him alone. This is the church. These are brothers and sisters in Christ. This should be carried out in a personal kind and loving way, but as we know sometimes because of stubbornness and send, and who knows what people do not respond to this and so there may come in the passing of time. The time when this must be brought to the church in two or three witnesses shall be called shall be carried out very similar to what you do in a court of law. So Paul quotes these verses in second Corinthians chapter 13 verse one, and he's talking about what's going to take place when he comes on his third visit to them and he says there will be an examination. There will be trials. We will get to the bottom of some of these reports and there are rules for determining guilt in a court setting. And Paul says I assure you that those rules that have been laid out by God in the book of Deuteronomy will be employed carefully and fairly. When I come to examine these matters in the Corinthian congregation. If anybody is going to be accused of guilt and judged accordingly. It's going to be done fairly. It's going to be done according to rules it's going to be done according to justice. It's going to be done according to witnesses, it will be a proper and thorough examination with evidence so they examination number one will be principled examination number two will be painful, at least for some that's verse two and I'm going to read a different translation because my new King James Bible does not does not translate verse two is clearly some of the others and I got it, find it. So here it is.

Sometimes I lose track of things. Here it is from the new American Standard Bible verse two I have previously said when present, the second time, though now absent. I say in advance to those who have sinned in the past and to all the rest as well that if I come again, I will not spare anyone.

Paul says when I was with you on the second visit I told you what you needed to do. I told you to deal with your sins. And I told you that if you don't when I come again I will deal with them in the course. It's going to be painful, at least for those who are guilty and have not repented. So for those who were previously warned on the second visit as well as others who may have not been known.

On Paul's second visit, or may have begun entering in to guilty sin. Since Paul's second visit.

That's the meaning of the all the rest were the others. Depending on what your translation says Paul says all of those those those that were known to be guilty as I identified you on my second visit and those who may be guilty. In addition to those identified on my second visit all those who have not repented will be punished. When I come again. I have been very long-suffering and patient with the time for patients is coming to an end will be painful. This examination will be principled, verse one, it will be painful first two and number three. It will be powerful, since he says you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you as we sing previously.

Paul's humble manner. He is meek and quiet spirit was mistaken by some for weakness, it wasn't.

It was actually Christ likeness, but nevertheless some mistook it for weakness because in their minds.

Paul failed to exercise that strong authority that Christ gave to his apostles Paul is saying on my third visit all present the proof that you demand you question whether I have this kind of authority that I am in fact an apostle of Jesus Christ, and that I do have God-given authority to deal with transgressors in a powerful way. Well, you will find out soon enough.

When I come on my third visit and deal with you. According to that power. Paul's third visit will furnish proof of his apostolic authority and power.

When I went to the Greek.

To find out what the word translated power was, I fully expected it was going to be exit seal, which basically means authority, but I was surprised to find out it is due to miss the word that means the exercise of power in a mighty way.

The miraculous way in a visible way doing them. It's where we get the word dynamite bus and when I come. I'm going to exercise authority and I'm going to exercise power. Now he doesn't tell us exactly what that is and how it will be exercised, but we have some hints in Scripture you question, says Paul that I have the same power as other apostles.

You remember the power that Peter exercised in next chapter 5 with Ananias and Sophia rent sitting unrepentant.

They fell dead. There's power you want to see my power you want to see my apostolic power. Paul had said in first Corinthians chapter 5 in dealing with the man living in immorality, he would not repent.

He said I have delivered them under Satan for what the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus. That's pretty sobering, but that power. Remember what Paul said in first Corinthians chapter 11 about those who were misusing the Lord's table. He said for this because some are weak and sickly among you, and somewhat sleep have died as apostolic power. Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me who is not weak toward you, but mighty mighty in you and I think that if they force of that last phrase Christ was mighty in due is to say you are demanding additional proof when you already have enough proof. Where is the evidence of my power your salvation is evidence of God's power mediated through me. Your conversion is evidence of the power the Christ is given to make the very fact that you have left your pagan idolatry to become followers of Jesus Christ can only be explained by divine power working in your lives and how did that power come to you. It came by God's design through May is not enough that in chapter 12. Positive second evidence of my power has been given to you member he said in verse 12 truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance and signs and wonders, and mighty deeds of number one, the evidence of God's power working in me has been seen in your lives in in your conversions.

You are my epistles, known and read of all men.

He said in first Corinthians. You're the evidence of Christ power in the Paul's evangelistic ministry was amazing everywhere. Not everywhere, but nearly everywhere. Paul preached he preached people were saved. I just for St. does work is saying didn't end a miraculous and great numbers. Any any conversion courses miraculous. But when you follow the apostle Paul, you just shake your head and wonder. Look at how people responded, look at how many people believe the gospel. Look at how many people are converted under the ministry. The apostle Paul and very frankly, we have a hard time finding other examples of that much spiritual renewal spiritual transformation in the ministry of anybody else in the first century or even on through the centuries once in a while in history we come across similar men who have a special measure of God's power upon them like say George Whitfield, the great evangelist to preached and thousands were converted or like Charles Spurgeon, the great evangelistic pastor who ministered so powerfully in London. Thousands were converted. That's rare that doesn't happen very often, and the men who were used of God in this way, never called attention to themselves and they never wanted anyone to think that this power was there power.

They were always careful to deflect that glory and give it all to God, but nevertheless it was evidence that God had singled them out and chosen to use them in a powerful way could anyone question the George Whitfield was a chosen servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Could anyone question Charles Spurgeon was a wonderfully chosen servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, that God decided to use in a powerful way could anyone question that Paul was a chosen vessel of God to be used in a powerful way. What is the matter with these Corinthians that there even questioning all of this, the existence of the Corinthian church is evidence of my power that is Christ power speaking through me. It's not me. The signs and the wonders, the miracles, the healings which were done in great numbers in Corinth, Paul says, is the second evidence of Christ, power in me.

But that's not good enough you're not satisfied with Thatcher still demanding more fluoride are I if that's really what you want. Third visit, you shall see another evidence of my power if that's what you want.

That's not what I want to do. That's not what I love to do. I love to evangelize and see people safe. I'm delighted when God gives me the power to heal. I'm not so delighted when I have to exercise my power in discipline, but I can do that too.

If you demand evidence of my God-given authority and power examination second word is explanation that in verse four Paul again and he's done this previously. Paul again gives an explanation of key is humility and weakness in meekness and seeming seeming lack of power, speaking of Christ in verse four he says were, though he was crucified in weakness. Yet he lives by the power of God.

For we also are we in him we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. The explanation is found in the paradox of Christ which has a parallel in the paradox of Paul himself, in the case of Christ is very simple. Christ though the eternal God of the universe in the form of a man inveigled his infinite power and walked in meekness and humility and weakness among men in this earth. It was a deliberate weakness was a voluntary withholding of power that he have the power course the ultimate evidence of his weakness was his crucifixion on the cross that was the culmination of it all. He allowed himself to be nailed to the cross and as a songwriter said he could have called 10,000 angels to destroy the world and set them free, but he didn't.

He didn't exercise that power. He continued to present himself in meekness and humility, which was mistaken by others for weakness.

They were wrong, and even when he was on the cross. They taunted him, didn't think you saved others and see if you can save yourself call calling for Elijah.

Let's see if Elijah will come in saving. Let's see how much power he has an there in a parent we see stayed didn't exercise his power. He stayed on the cross until he died, yielded his spirit up to his heavenly father apparent weakness and yet starting with his resurrection. Everything changed. The rose again in the power that is his and he lives and reigns by divine omnipotence upon the throne of the universe, in heaven, known by his people, but largely unknown by the world but it will be seen sooner or later he's power once veiled, is now being exercised, and it will be clearly unveiled for all the world to see. Upon his return so you got this paradox of Christ.

This apparent weakness, which actually is asking this incredible power, the Paul is not saying I'm exactly like Christ.

What he saying there's a there's a similarity here. There's a pattern here.

There's a parallel here.

Paul says I have ministered to you in apparent weakness. I have not flaunted my power. I have not tried to make it known.

I have not tried to impress you with it. Unlike others apparently who exercised their leadership in the authoritarian, overbearing, sort of like a lot of people just went gaga over that. Why aren't they great day. Powerful. Something will they not like Jesus. So what are they like something what something are they like because Paul didn't act this way.

Many mistook his meekness for weakness is Christlike humility for an absence of power.

But Paul is saying I possess the power that has been given to me as an apostle of Jesus Christ. It has been divinely granted to me.

I do have both authority and power and I will exercise it as needed.

But that's the explanation of why it hasn't been exercised yet. Thirdly, we come to an exhortation verse five examined your selves as to whether you are in the faith test your selves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you are disqualified. Now he turns the spotlight away from himself. They been examining him the false teachers were encouraging them to do this and they foolishly were following along instead of recognizing the evidence that it already been given to them instead of defending the apostle Paul when he was being criticized by others.

They were standing by passively, and in some cases actually entering in to the criticism and questions about Paul's authority but now Paul says the examination that you ought to be engaged in more than examination of me as to whether I'm really an apostle of Christ are not the examination that you really need to be paying most attention to is examine your cell to see whether you are in the faith. Test your selves to see if Christ is in you and the selves.

Your selves is emphatic in the original language. The most important object for your examination is not Paul or others were so good about judging and examining an critiquing everybody else we can we can look at that we can evaluate their lives. We can tell everybody what's right and wrong about what everybody else is doing and so often times are so blind our own failures and weaknesses and not taking care of our own lives and what we ought be doing and not doing the old mode of the eye problem boat mode and being in the eye problem. Jesus talked about. There is a place proper place a godly place at times to evaluate others, but first first examine yourself first get the demon the log the tree out of your own eye, then you can see clearly, biblically, righteously humbling, helpfully how to examine others, but you can't do that until you have first examined yourself, and taking care of things in your own life.

I have observed and you probably have two that those who are most critical of others are usually guilty of greater sins themselves are blind to the those who are the most nitpicky. The most critical are usually the ones you say can't they see.

Don't they realize what they're doing, why are they so busy criticizing everybody else why they taking care of business at home and that's what Paul is saying here examine yourselves. The most important object for our examination is ourselves and there's several things Shirley that we should be examining about ourselves. But the most important subject of our examination is what salvation examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith test yourself. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you are disqualified in the apostle Paul says it is possible he doesn't say likely. But he says it's certainly possible that some of you members of the Corinthian church who profess to be Christians are not even born again at all. You are counterfeits you are unconverted you do not have Jesus Christ in you, you cannot pass the test, you are not approved to this word that's translated qualified and disqualified as the idea being approved or disapproved aft proved after being tested in the most important subject of your examination is your own saving relationship of the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to be examining that very carefully to be sure the Jesus Christ is in you as he is in all true believers as he is in you, unless you are disqualified. Unless you are certain out to be unapproved unless you turn out to fail the test of this tells me the Christ presence and his people can be known, at least to the people themselves not always is clearly what to others. Note there should be some evidence there as well. And if Christ is not in you and again he can be detected. He can be deserved and can be identified as being in you are not Christ living in you or not and if he's not in you you not a true Christian. No matter how many miles you have walked no matter how many hands you have raised the matter how many prayers you have prayed, no matter how many decisions you have made. No matter how many times you have been baptized in water, no matter how many times someone has pronounced you a child of God. The test has nothing to do with any of those the test as to whether or not there's evidence that Christ is within you. If you are Christian then there's evidence of Christ within you. If you are.

If there's no evidence of Christ within you than you are. No Christian it's as simple as that which then forces us to ask the question what is the evidence of Christ within us because Paul doesn't. He tells us to test ourselves. Eddie tells us that it has to do with Christ within us, but he doesn't lay out 12344 what is the evidence of Christ within us so we have to think about the Scriptures and what we know about Christ and come up with with at least some reasonable answer to that question of what is the evidence of Christ present within us and let's see if we can come up with some things, but start number one with humility. That's a pretty big issue in this whole passage. Paul's Christlike humility.

In contrast with the absence of humility among the false teachers.

They were full of pride and self-centeredness and overbearing. This and had very little evidence of humility in their lives at all, but humility is one of the premier characteristics of Christ and it is the one that Paul is following the one the Paul is evidencing in his presence with them. That's what Paul told us about in Philippians chapter 2, he said, let this is a an exhortation. This is a an instruction let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

What mind is that humility will be in the form of God, that it not robbery to be equal with God made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant was made in the likeness of man and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath also highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father, a premier characteristic of Jesus Christ is his humility.

If Christ indeed is within you. There ought to be some humility is humility evident in your life and others say I see some real Christlike humility of that life. Test yourselves, examine yourself, see if Christ is in you, see if that humility of Christ has subdued at least some of your Adamic pride. What else love. What else would better characterize Jesus Christ and his love all, how he loved his people all how he loved his own loved us enough to go to the cross for us. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

The son so loved the world that he gave himself up as a sacrifice for our sins. You can't get better love than that greater love has no man than this to the man should lay down his life for his friends. Christ love for others is one of the premier characteristics of him, his love for the people of God as well as his love for the unconverted and that should be within us. If Christ is within us, then there should be a love for the people of God, and there should be a love for the world around us.

There should be a love for the brethren. There should be a desire to be with the people of God.

We should be looking for excuses that will make it possible for us to not be here and people will know that we had a reasonable justification, we should be longing to be together with the people of God, and we should be concerned about the unconverted and have a love for them to be reaching out to them several times here lately on some Saturday night. I have stumbled upon because I didn't remember to turn two of them going to be doing it more deliberately in the days to come. Stumbled upon the program with a master on total Christian television. There is much on TCT that I care for two things just mentioned just two things I really like on TCT. One is faith in history by William Fetter. Have any of you seen that comes on I don't if it comes out. Other times, but comes on at 630 in the morning and if I'm a little later than I want to be in my basement on the treadmill that I can watch most of that. Actually I started earlier than that it's usually over bike pert near over by the time I'm finishing up whatever little bit five minutes 10 minutes 15 minutes 20 minutes of that I can catch. I love it. Faith in history and shows you can listen to that for long and in all the evidence it against without just being 100 amp 1% absolute convinced of the strong Christian foundation, the Christian roots of American history. The evidence is overwhelming to amazing and he can just lay it out day after day after day half hour broadcast after half hour broadcast week after week, month after month, year after year.

He doesn't run out of material amazing faith in history. The only other thing so far that I found on that a program that network which I find mostly disappointing, but is way of the master on Saturday night. I left a half-hour program I guess. Have any of you seen that familiar with that that is one of the most encouraging programs on God centered biblically centered evangelism that you find any. These people are sound of Dr. and they are sovereign grace and they have a passion for souls a passion for evangelism and they tell us how they do it and it's really quite amazing and they show a video clips of interviews I've had with people. A lot of times dealing with atheists. It's really neat. I like it how they how they reason with atheists. You believe that nothing created everything, let them think about that little bit when they said last night was really good. The atheists and then enter into friendly, warm conversations with these people seventh of they have love for them and they asked this man, why are you an atheist, and he gave the standard answer that you hear so often well because there's so much wrong with the world and of God were really really a God of power and of love and grace he would let the world be like this so you because the world's whacked out of out of what it ought to be.

You come to the conclusion that there is no God who created right a lot of things you could go at that particular point. But here's the way they went.

They said when an airline fails and crashes. Do you conclude that nobody built that plane will be designed building just because it did didn't operate the way it was supposed thought of it that improve that it wasn't designed and created by someone at present, something went wrong somebody somebody did the wrong thing somebody made in their and they went on to explain the reason the world is not the way supposed to be is not because of God because of us were responsible condition that the world is in our sin beautiful and recommend that you tune it in Saturday night around Marty.

She could tell me I think she's in the nursery, but set in the night around 8 o'clock or so way the master we met a lot of the material from that organization out there in our track track. There out of your love for souls. If you want evidence of Christ within you should be humility there should be love for others. What else should be a word centeredness.

You can go through the ministry.

In the words of Jesus Christ without seeing how he keeps talking about going back to the word. The word of the father. The voting scriptures in the Old Testament praying to the father thy word is truth, and so forth Jesus when he was tempted what they do. He quoted Scripture. Jesus Christ was a man of the work. If Christ is in you should have a real love for the word of God that will be evidence what else the fruit of the spirit. What he think the fruit of the spirit is that nine full fruit of the spirit. That's a description of Christ to its completeness.

That is, Christ likeness to the to the perfect degree when I can to get to that degree but that's Christ likeness. Now examine yourself is Christ in you, you have a Christlike humility. Do you have a Christlike love.

Do you have a Christlike interest passionate interest in the word of God. Do you have a Christlike was the last thing I said to have the fruit of the spirit within.

Now when you moved to number four expectation verses six and seven pulses, but I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified himself.

I pray to God that you do no evil. Not that we should appear approved or qualified, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. What's he talking about, but here's an expectation that Paul states to the church and he expects that they will number one properly judge him.

Verse six and number two he expects that they will deal with their sins were seven that is expectation he expects first of all, that they will properly judge him. I trust verse six that you will know that we are not disqualified if they will examine Paul's claims to apostleship properly. They will confirm Paul's authenticity. The we hear is emphasized in the Greek examine your self's emphatic, I trust you will know that way, emphatic or not disqualified Paul as indicating that the Corinthians are capable of proper evaluation if they will evaluate according to the light that has been given to them. Paul is optimistic that they will examine him correctly, and when he says you will know that we are not close disqualified.

He's not talking about salvation. It might seem like it because he's been talking about their salvation. Examine yourselves to see if you're in the faith that in the last several chapters. The whole question has been his qualification as an apostle is he a qualified apostle are not as inauthentic apostle or not. Does he have the evidence in and the qualifications of a true apostle or not.

Paul says if you will examine me properly you'll know without a shadow of a doubt that I qualify as a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ, they need to know this and if they will evaluate evaluated properly, they will know this but the number two it is Paul's expectation that they will deal properly with their sins.

He says in verse seven.

I pray that you do no evil that is that you will act properly, not sinfully, but behave properly. Not he tells us for Paul's sake, not for his approval.

Though it makes him look good in the churches is looking good. After all, he found of the church, but it's for their sake that you may do what is honorable. It's work for your own welfare for your own relationship with God. Even though if you do get your house in order, repent of your sins clear and clean house abandon your sins start living the way you do if you do that that will a race this opportunity for Paul to display his apostolic power in disciplinary judgment.

But that's okay. That's what he saying in verse seven. I pray to God that you do no evil. Not that we should appear approved, but the that you should do what is honorable even though we may seem disqualified.

Even if by you're doing right then I can't come in there and demonstrate the power and authority that God has given me as an apostle to carry out disciplinary judgment that will be proven some of your demanding proof and if you don't repent.

You'll see that proof, but I really a whole lot rather that you do right. You do know evil that you get rid of this sin, so that when I come I can continue to be meek and quiet and humble and under bearing that overbearing, Christlike, but Christlike is and always meek.

Think of Jesus in the temple with the quick that's Christlike to. And Paul says if that's what's needed I can do that to you and that'll be evidence number three of my apostleship. Evidence number one are your your is your existence.

As Christians, your conversions powerful miraculous evidence. Number two is the healings them miraculous healings that were done in your midst and evidence.

Number three is when I come in and deal with the offenders.

After a careful examination but if the guilt is there in repentance is missing then you shall see evidence of my apostolic power, but I don't want to do that shape up even if that means that I may seem disqualified to some because I don't come in there and blow you all away with my apostolic power will quickly some lessons out of the passage in the first one deals with church discipline, something that is widely ignored in our day.

It is one of the reasons I'm convinced that there is so much spiritual weakness in the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ today. We realize the church discipline should be carried out of the very principled way, and similar to a legal trial. We also learned by studying this passage that patients must be exercised. It's amazing how long Paul waited before he said okay, finally it's time to lower the boom he didn't do it on day one.

He didn't do it on day two. He didn't do it on his second visit, even though there were offenders there. He waited till his third visit he gave them lots of time to get things right.

That's important to their two errors in their area of church discipline number one is not to do it all and that's the most common error. The other one is to be too harsh to overbearing to quick and sometimes those who are trying to obey the Bible. They never had a good example set before them because it is such a rare practice in our date, they may on that side of of doing it too quickly to harshly and we all need to learn from the example, the possible but in American society today is amazing. If you take if you pick pick up the subject of church discipline and asked the average American Christian's opinion of it. If it's done harshly. He sure that's a really really really really really bad thing never to be done. If it's not done with all election a big deal but it is one just as bad as the other just like in homes. What's worse in the home, overbearing discipline and no discipline be hard to make out the choice that you could defend their convulsing homes with her then virtually no discipline. And while that doesn't turn out well and then we seen other homes where the discipline has been way too harsh and while that doesn't usually turn out well either, so neither what is good in both of them are very damaging and that's why it's so important to carry out discipline in a Christlike way, but not to neglect it. Patients must be exercise complaints must be examined and validated forgiveness must be extended to the repentant punishment must be exercised toward the unrepentant.

The only other lesson I'll mention is the one on self-examination and we learn here that that should not be avoided, even though it's discouraged by many.

I know a lot of Christians today who tell people never doubt your salvation. He never once made a decision he ever once prayed the prayer your Savior secure you're going to have a never doubted that sound like Paul. He said this to people who've made that decision, but he says examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith really test yourselves see if Christ is really and you, it's possible to make a false profession. It's possible to pray a prayer not to be saved. Self-examination should not be avoided, but it must be based upon biblical standards just like church discipline must be based upon biblical standards not based upon feelings. I don't decide whether I'm in Christ right of Christ on by the way I feel and I feel discouraged. I think I'm pretty must be must, must be lost in the fun, feeling buoyant I feel I must, must be saved, which I think is a reason why some churches every time you go what they do basically have a have a music concert lot than more like a rock concert to get everybody jacked up so they go away feeling high, so they go away feeling safe feel good about themselves that is last very long. You gotta go back next week to get another dose because it never lasts wrong standard gotta be based upon biblical standards get along with God, get on your knees in prayer.

Open your Bible before you and say where are evidences of Christlike humility where evidence of Christlike love. Where are evidences of my love for the word of God. We are evidences of the fruit of the spirit of my life that can be difficult that can be intimidating, but it's good for us. We need it is good for spiritual health. It's ultimately encouraging. If you are truly a child of God. You may go through a period of doubt which will come out stronger.

Your your faith will be based upon a firmer foundation based upon the revelation of God based upon his word in a new and stronger way and if you are not a true Christian, you will come to understand your need house I had to go through life with a false profession thinking you're on your way to heaven. You die and open your eyes and Hell being in torment, so examine yourselves to see if you be in the faith. Let's pray father show a sideways teacher stipends. We pray, amen