音频：

视频：

•¹这是我第三次要到你们那里去。“任何指控都要凭两个或三个证人的口述才能成立”。²对那些犯了罪的人和其余所有的人，正如我第二次见你们的时候曾说过，现在不在你们那里再次说：“我若再来，必不宽容。”³因为你们想求证基督是否藉着我说话。基督对你们并不是软弱的，而是在你们里面大有能力的。⁴他因软弱被钉在十字架上，却因　神的大能仍然活着。我们在他里面也成为软弱的，但对你们，我们将因　神的大能而与他一同活着。

我们不应该害怕去直接面对我们在彼此身上看到的罪。这似乎违背了我们的文化。每个人都做自己眼中认为正确的事，每个人都希望别人尊重他们的决定，无论对还是错。这也许能在一个混乱的文化中大行其道，因为这里没有绝对的真理。但是在教会不应该是这样。

我们应该愿意向彼此承认自己的罪，期待其他基督徒因为耶稣的缘故饶恕我们的罪。如果有人直接指出我们的错误时，我们应该心存感恩，并相信他们这样做是出于爱。从这个角度看，我们也不应该害怕直接面对我们的基督徒伙伴，充满爱心的向他们提出纠正和劝告。当我们这样做的时候，我们祷告他们能带着感恩的心接受，就好像是主耶稣亲自对他们说的一样。

保罗提醒哥林多人，他是基督的代表，他是奉耶稣的名向他们说话。保罗说，“基督在你们身上不是软弱的，在你们里面是有大能的，”。他软弱的死在十字架上，却又从死里复活，升入高天，来到上帝的宝座旁。他藉着他的话语，向我们大能的说话，是我们认识自己的罪，并藉着赦罪的福音叫我们复活。要听耶稣的话，也要听那些奉他的名到你这里来的基督徒同伴的话。

祷告：主耶稣，请赐给我一颗谦卑的心，能够接受来自你和基督徒伙伴的管教。与此同时，也请你将你的圣灵赐给我，让我能够既温和又刚强，使我在爱心中对那些主内的兄弟姐妹献上充满善意的管教和勉励。阿们。

2 Corinthians 13: 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 in our dealing with you.  (NIV)

We should not be afraid to confront one another with the sins that we see in each other. That goes against our culture. Everyone does what is right in their own eyes, and they expect everyone to respect their decisions, right or wrong. That may be what it takes to function in a chaotic culture where there are no absolutes. But in the church, it should be different.

We should be willing to confess our sins to each other, expecting that God’s people will forgive us for Jesus’ sake. We should also be thankful when someone confronts us with wrong-doing, trusting that they are doing it out of love. And in that light, we should not be afraid of offering loving correction and admonition to our fellow Christians.  When we do so, we pray that they will accept it graciously, as if the Lord himself were speaking to them.

Paul reminds the Corinthians that he is the Lord’s representative and that he will speak to them in Jesus’ name. “He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you,” Paul says. He died on the cross in weakness, but was raised from the dead and ascended to the throne of God. He speaks to us powerfully through his word, convicting us of our sins and raising us up again through the gospel of forgiveness. Listen to Jesus, and listen to your fellow Christians who come to you in his name.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, give me a humble heart that accepts correction that comes from you and through my fellow believers. At the same time give me your Spirit to make me gentle and strong at the same time when in love I offer correction and encouragement to my brothers and sisters in the faith.  Amen.