Sermon Tone Analysis

*NEO** Church**Parkside    Julyne 285, 2009*

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*/2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.

Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

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*Paul’s Reason for Writing*

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*Why is Paul writing this second letter to the Corinthians*

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*Paul could see that the Corinthians were not living as if they were believers*

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*The book of First Corinthians reveals* some of the problems that were present in the Corinthian church.

There *were Divisions* in the church, There was *sexual immorality* in the church unlike even the heathen practiced *and the church was proud and boasted of their tolerance *

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*There were, arguments about Spiritual gifts.

marriage problems and lawsuits among believers to name just a few.*

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And there were many who opposed  Paul and his instructions to them

 

They attacked his authority as well as his teaching which leads Paul to say in 1 Cor 4:3

I car very little if I am judged by you or any human court….My conscience is clear

 

*They would not take his counsel*

*They were argumentative*

*They challenged his very authority as an Apostle*

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* *As we approach these verses in 2 Corinthians, we ought to note IN the beginning verses of  2 Cor Chapter 13, Paul explains that he has visited the Corinthian church twice and still  is receiving arguments from them regarding his instruction to them.

What were the problems?

While we don’t know specifically, but generally the problem was that the *Corinthian church did not want to do what Paul Instructed them to do.*

They probably said something to him like “Paul*, That’s just your opinion!*

But I see things differently.”

In their selfishness, they attack Paul’s authority and his message.

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*All of this while he was trying to Serve them.*

After two visits and two long letters, Paul finally warns the Corinthians to heed his instructions or to face the consequences of discipline from and Apostle.

He finally comes to the heart of the matter.

*It seems that the Corinthians were spending a great deal of time examining Paul; *

*And Paul now says that it was time they examined themselves.*

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Why this fairly harsh statement?

*/Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith, test yourselves?/*

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Because they were not living God honoring, humble lives that would give credence to their proclamation.

A true Christian experience will bear examination.

“Are you even in the faith?” asked Paul.

“Are you truly saved?”

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*In the King James this verse reads*

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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?

(KJV)

 

The word “reprobate” means “counterfeit

 

The word literally means “not passing the test.”

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*In Euguene Petersen’s  The Message, *

 

*/Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith.

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*/Don’t drift along taking everything for granted.

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*/Give yourselves regular checkups.

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*/You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you.

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*/Test it out./*

*/ If you fail the test, do something about it./*

\\  Remember the warnings in Matt.

7:15–29 and the startling truths of 2 Cor.

11:13–15.

Matt 7:13-14

*/"Enter through the narrow gate/**/.

For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.14

But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it./*

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2 Cor 11:12-*15 /And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.

13            For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.14And

no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.15It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness.

Their end will be what their actions deserve./*

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*In this day of satanic counterfeits, it is important that professing Christians know that they are saved.*

\\ 2 Cor 13:5 /Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.

Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

/

 

In this day and age, we at *NEO Chruch**Parkside* must also take this charge to heart.

*But what does it mean to be In the Faithis Biblical Faith?

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While some might teach that Faith is Totally Subjective.

That one must “take a leap of Faith”

 

* I submit to you that Biblical faith is *

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*Biblical Faith is Intellectual *

*Biblical Faith is Volitional  and *

*Biblical Faith is Observable*

 

 

 

Faith is Intellectual – ie Rational

Faith is Volitional – involving the will

Faith Observable – by a changed life

 

 

 

\\ *1.

Biblical Faith is Intellectual*

It is Rational

 

*Biblical Faith is based on Knowledge of the Truth about God*

 

When I say that it is Rational, I do not mean that one can come to know God through Rational thought alone

 

God has revealed Himself in what He has made.

*We call that General Revelation*

 

We can know that He exists, but we cannot know anything about Him without His Specific Revelation given to us in the Scriptures.

.. so Romans tells us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Rom 10:17

 

Faith presupposes that God has given us some knowledge of the Truth in His Word.

It presupposes a hearing of the word of God and an acceptance of what we hear

 

\\ We have heard what God’s Word has said;

,.

That God Is 

..

That God became incarnate in Christ

.. That He died for our sins

..That He rose again

..That Christ is able to save us

That Christ pleads with us to come to Him for Salvation

And That we are justified by faith in His name and in His sacrifice

 

*Faith, At The Most Basic Level Is To Believe That These Great Doctrines Are True!*

 

*Faith Is Rational But It Is Not Rationalistic.

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By that I mean that we cannot reason our way to the Gospel, but the gospel is Reasonable

 

*Faith is an act of reason.*

It always involves an act of the mind.

Biblical Faith is an assent to the Truth that we know about God from His Word

 

 (MacCloud)p 173

*/ First of all faith is belief or assent.

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*/ It is an intellectual commitment; the submission of the mind to the truth of the gospel./*

*/“Faith is more than assent, but it is never less than assent” –Sinclair Ferguson/*

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*Biblical Faith is first of all, Intellectual and secondly*

 

*2.

Faith is Volitional *