The Mirror on the Wall: Text: 2 Corinthians 13:5-10
Introduction: The Inescapable Test
We live in an age that despises final exams. Our therapeutic culture wants all the affirmations of graduation day without any of the rigorous testing that makes the diploma mean anything. We want the crown without the contest, the prize without the race. This sentiment has slithered into the church, where the very idea of examining one's faith is often met with suspicion. It is considered harsh, judgmental, or a fast track to a morbid introspection that kills joy. We are told to simply assume everything is fine, to "live our truth," and to not let anyone, not even an apostle, tell us otherwise.
But the Apostle Paul, writing to a Corinthian church that was shot through with arrogance, division, and moral compromise, will have none of it. They had been putting him to the test, demanding that he prove his apostolic credentials. They wanted to see his papers. And in this passage, with a sharp pastoral pivot, Paul turns the examination table right back on them. He tells them to stop scrutinizing him and start scrutinizing themselves. The issue is not whether Paul is a genuine apostle; the issue is whether they are genuine Christians.
This is not a call to navel-gazing. It is a call to objective self-assessment against a fixed standard: the truth of the gospel. It is a call to look in the mirror of God's Word and see if the reflection of Jesus Christ is actually there. This is a profoundly practical and necessary exercise for any church in any age, but it is particularly urgent for us. When a culture is drowning in subjectivity, the church must be an island of objective truth. When the world says, "follow your heart," the church must say, "examine your heart." Because the stakes are as high as they get: heaven and hell, authenticity and ruin, being approved by God or being found a counterfeit.
Paul's words here are not the words of a petty man defending his ego. They are the words of a spiritual father, willing to be seen as weak, as a failure, as "unapproved," so long as his children in the faith stand strong and do what is right. His authority is not for his own advancement, but for their edification. And this reveals the heart of all true Christian ministry: it is not about building an empire, but about building up the saints. It is not about tearing people down, but about restoring them in the truth.
The Text
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you fail the test? But I hope that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. Now we pray to God that you do no wrong, not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved. For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong. This we also pray for, that you be restored. For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
(2 Corinthians 13:5-10 LSB)
The Inward Turn (v. 5)
Paul begins with a direct, imperative command.
"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless indeed you fail the test?" (2 Corinthians 13:5)
The Corinthians had been challenging Paul, demanding proof that Christ was speaking through him. Paul turns it around and says, "You want proof? The proof is you. Look at yourselves." The command is twofold: test and examine. These are not synonyms for a vague feeling. They are legal and metallurgical terms. One means to test for authenticity, the other to scrutinize for the purpose of approval. Are you real? And are you sound?
The standard of the test is objective: "Are you in the faith?" Notice, he does not say, "Does faith reside in you?" as though it were a private, mystical experience. He asks if they are "in the faith," which refers to the body of apostolic doctrine, the Christian religion itself. Are you standing within the boundaries of the gospel truth that was delivered to you? This is not about feelings, but about facts. Do you believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for your sins and rose from the dead? Do you confess Him as Lord? Is your life oriented around this central reality?
The evidence for being "in the faith" is the indwelling Christ: "do you not recognize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?" This is the great mystery of the gospel. Christ is not just a historical figure; He is a living, present reality in the believer by His Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, and so on, is the empirical evidence of His presence. If you look at your life and see a growing hatred of your sin and a growing love for righteousness, if you see a desire to obey God's Word, then you have your proof. Christ is in you.
But there is a terrifying alternative: "unless indeed you fail the test." The Greek word is adokimos, which means "disqualified," "unapproved," or "reprobate." It's the word used for a counterfeit coin that is thrown out after being tested. Paul is saying it is entirely possible to be in the church, to talk the talk, and yet be a spiritual counterfeit. It is possible to have a form of godliness but deny its power. And the only way to know is to conduct the test. Don't assume. Examine.
A Pastor's True Hope (v. 6-7)
Paul then connects their self-examination to his own apostolic standing, but in a surprising, selfless way.
"But I hope that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. Now we pray to God that you do no wrong, not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved." (2 Corinthians 13:6-7 LSB)
Paul is confident that he and his team are not adokimos. They are the real deal. But his primary concern is not his own reputation. He hopes they will see his authenticity, not for his sake, but because his ministry is the means by which Christ came to dwell in them. If the sower is legitimate, the seed is good, and the crop should be healthy. Their spiritual health is the ultimate vindication of his ministry.
And this leads to a remarkable statement. He prays that they would do no wrong. Why? Not so that he can look like a successful church planter with a showcase congregation. He is not after gold stars for his resume. He prays for their righteousness for their own sake. He would rather they be holy and he be considered a failure, adokimos, the very word he used for them, than for him to be vindicated by their sin. This is the heart of a true shepherd. He doesn't use the sheep to build his own platform. He lays down his reputation for the good of the sheep. In a world of ministry celebrities and brand-building, this is a sharp and necessary rebuke. The goal of ministry is not the approval of men, but the righteousness of the people.
The Invincible Truth (v. 8)
Next, Paul gives the foundational reason for his selfless posture. It is all grounded in the objective reality of the truth.
"For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth." (2 Corinthians 13:8 LSB)
This is a magnificent motto for any Christian in any line of work. The truth is not a flimsy opinion that we must prop up. It is an immovable, objective reality. It is the granite coastline, and our opinions and actions are the waves. We can either crash against it to our own ruin or we can align with it and move with its power. Paul is saying that his apostolic authority, his ministry, his very life, is chained to the truth. He cannot act contrary to it. He cannot bless sin. He cannot call evil good. He cannot lower the standard to make himself look better or to make the Corinthians feel better.
If the Corinthians are walking in sin, the truth demands that he confront them. If they are walking in righteousness, the truth demands that he commend them. He is not a free agent who can manipulate reality for his own ends. He is a servant of the truth. This is why he can be so bold. He is not standing on his own authority, but on the authority of the truth of the gospel. And because of this, he can do nothing against it. To try to fight the truth is like trying to fight the sunrise. You will lose, every time.
The Goal is Restoration (v. 9-10)
Paul concludes this section by stating his ultimate desire for the Corinthians and the purpose of his apostolic authority.
"For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong. This we also pray for, that you be restored. For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down." (2 Corinthians 13:9-10 LSB)
Again, we see this radical, Christ-like inversion. Paul rejoices in his own weakness if it corresponds to their strength. What does he mean by weakness? He means the trials, the persecutions, the slanders he endures for the sake of the gospel. He is glad to be poured out like a drink offering if it results in their spiritual maturity. His joy is not tied to his own comfort, but to their health.
And his prayer for them is for their "restoration." The Greek word is katartisis, a medical term for setting a broken bone. It means to be made complete, to be mended, to be put back into proper alignment. This is the goal of all church discipline and pastoral correction. It is not punitive, but restorative. The Corinthians were out of joint, fractured by sin and arrogance. Paul's desire is to see them healed and made whole.
This is why he is writing this sharp letter. He is performing surgery from a distance so that when he arrives in person, he won't have to. He is giving them a chance to examine themselves, to repent, and to get their house in order. He wants the visit to be a joyful time of encouragement, not a grim court session.
And here he defines the nature of his authority. It is an authority "which the Lord gave me." It is delegated authority, not his own. And it has a specific purpose: "for building up and not for tearing down." All true authority in the church, whether of elders or pastors, is constructive, not destructive. It is for edification, not demolition. This does not mean it is never severe, setting a broken bone is a severe and painful process. But the severity is always aimed at healing. It tears down the edifice of sin and pride in order to build up the person in holiness and truth. Any use of authority that crushes, belittles, or destroys people for the sake of the leader's ego is a satanic abuse of a divine gift.
Conclusion: The Test We All Passed
So Paul leaves the Corinthians with this charge to examine themselves. But we must not leave it there. For if we are honest in our self-examination, we will all find that we fail the test. Left to ourselves, we are all adokimos. We are all counterfeit coins. Our righteousness is as filthy rags. Our hearts are deceitful above all things. If the test is, "Are you perfect?" then we all fail.
But that is not the ultimate test. The ultimate test was taken by another. Jesus Christ was tested in the wilderness for forty days, and He passed. He was examined by the Father His entire life, and the verdict was, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." He was put on trial by sinful men and found to have no fault in Him. And on the cross, He took our failing grade upon Himself. He became adokimos for us. He was cast out so that we might be brought in.
Therefore, the test of whether you are "in the faith" is not, "Are you flawless?" but rather, "Are you in Him?" Is your trust entirely in His perfect performance on your behalf? When you test yourself, you are not looking for your own righteousness. You are looking for evidence that you have abandoned your own righteousness and have been clothed in His. The evidence that Christ is in you is that you are no longer looking to you.
This is why Paul's authority is for building up. The gospel does not tear us down and leave us in a pile of rubble. It tears down our pride, our self-reliance, and our sin, and on that cleared ground, it builds a glorious temple for the Holy Spirit. It restores the broken bones. It makes us strong in Him. So let us take the apostle's command seriously. Examine yourselves. And in that examination, may you find that you have nothing in yourself, and everything in Christ. For He is the one who was tested and approved for you.