Paul's Third Time to Corinth 2 Corinthians 13:1

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth he feared, “when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as you would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:”, and he added, “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.” In chapter thirteen and verse one of Second Corinthians, Paul told the church members, “this is the third time I am coming to you” where we read:

This is the third time I am coming to you.

In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

The verse begins, “This is the third time I am coming to you.” Paul began with the words, “this is the third time” or “this will be the third occasion”, “I am coming” which means “Paul would arrive, be present and appear another time”, “to you” which refers to “the church members”. Paul shared how his next visit with the church in Corinth was to be the “third time”.

The verse continues, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” Paul added the words, “in the mouth” which means “the orifice where the thoughts of a man's soul find verbal utterance, and the "heart" or "soul" which by that orifice are distinguished” “of two or three witnesses” or “two or three people who give testimony and record” “shall every word” which means “will each, all, the whole and everyone of the utterances, speeches and discourses” “be established” or “be caused to stand, made firm, fixed and established”. Paul referred to Deuteronomy chapter nineteen and verse fifteen as he declared, “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sins: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.”.

When we consider these words of Paul, we see how important it was to him to declare his “third” visit to the church in Corinth, and he desired there be “witnesses” to this fact. Paul loved the church members in Corinth, and his visits were meant for their advancement in their relationship with God. Jesus Christ desires that every person be “saved”, and when a person “believes and trusts” in Him as “Savior and Lord”, they become a part of the “church”. Jesus sends ministers like Paul to encourage, exhort, challenge and persuade them to be more and more like Jesus, and those who are wise shall not only receive the Lord Jesus, but also be excited when Him ministers are “coming to us”.

Next time Paul tells the church members, “being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned ”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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