Unwilling to spare anyone

Lighthouse Bible Church

Sunday, October 25, 2026

2CO 12:19-13:4

Title: Unwilling to spare anyone

What we’ll hear today:

Paul’s apolostolic authority

Two or three witnesses?

Christ was weak, and we are, but He will be vindicated

Paul’s fear

(2CO 12:19-20)

was that those at Corinth would show qualities that he did not want to see when he showed up. For someone in authority, that’s embarrassing.

Of particular concern to Paul were those among the church at Corinth who were in rampant sin and would not repent (2CO 12:21). In short, their behavior would require him to discipline them.

Recall that some in Corinth unfortunately reveled in their sin. A couple reminders:

1CO 1:11-17,

1CO 5:1-5

Paul mentions repentance, and those who sinned in the past and refused to repent for their sin. That should sound familiar given his concerns:

LUK 13:1-10

Paul brings up this point about two or three witnesses (2CO 13:1) because he wants to communicate that he would deal appropriately — biblically — with whatever sin abounded among the people.

There’s some precedent to that concept among those in ancient Israel: DEU 19:15-19, MAT 18:15-17, JOH 8:12-20, HEB 10:26-31

In verses 2-4, Paul declares
1) he won’t spare anyone who refuses to fall in line
2) the Christ in him would show. Remember how some called him weak and unremarkable in speech?
They’d see God’s power in him shortly.

Christ was crucified because of His weakness, and He will be vindicated. Similarly, God will confirm Paul is who he says he is to those at Corinth who are skeptical.

In 2CO 13:4, it’s true that Jesus Christ is alive because of the power of God (and we live because of Him). Remember who raised up Jesus Christ: ACT 4:1-12

Remember that we will be raised up too, having believed in that very Christ who rose from the dead: HOS 6:1-3, JOH 6:30-40,

2TI 2:8-11

Again, our God sees and knows all. There will be a day of reckoning and judgment coming, too: 2CO 5:6-10

Paul’s authority necessitated that he respond to sin in the Corinth camp appropriately. Pray that we are never cavalier about sin, even in the dark world we inhabit.

As an apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul was willing to address sin directly as it related to those at Corinth. Pray that leadership in any context does that in their churches, and that they do so biblically.

We’re weak, point blank period. Christ died that we might live, and even He was killed for his weakness. Consider how the power of God shows up even in our weakness, and thank God for the vindication of His Son.