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Examined Doctrine
PASSAGE · BSB

2 Corinthians 13

5 positions in the corpus lean on this chapter. Cited verses are marked.

1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”

2I already warned you the second time I was with you. So now in my absence I warn those who sinned earlier and everyone else: If I return, I will not spare anyone,

3since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.

4For He was indeed crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s power. And though we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you.

5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can’t you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you actually fail the test?

6And I hope you will realize that we have not failed the test.

7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not that we will appear to have stood the test, but that you will do what is right, even if we appear to have failed.

8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

9In fact, we rejoice when we are weak but you are strong, and our prayer is for your perfection.

10This is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present I will not need to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.

11Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

12Greet one another with a holy kiss.

13All the saints send you greetings.

14The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

Who leans on it

Second London Baptist Confession on the trinityPRIMARY SOURCEAFFIRMS°Chapter 2.3 states three subsistences in one divine essence, of one substance, power and eternity, each having the whole essence undivided, distinguished only by relative properties — with the Son eternally begotten and …John MacArthur on the trinityPRIMARY SOURCEAFFIRMS°One essence, three coequal and consubstantial persons, each uncreated and distinct and each equally deserving worship. States eternal generation of the Son and, notably, double procession of the Spirit from both Father a…Philip Melanchthon on authority of scripturePRIMARY SOURCEAFFIRMS°Scripture stands over the church's teaching office: bishops may judge doctrine, but only by the Word, and a bishop who teaches against the Gospel is to be disobeyed by divine command. Melanchthon puts the argument as a l…Justin Peters on the trinityPRIMARY SOURCEAFFIRMS°One God in three co-eternal, co-equal Persons of one essence, with the Son consubstantial with the Father. The Spirit gets the longest of the section's four paragraphs, and an unusual share of it argues for His personhoo…Westminster Confession on the trinityPRIMARY SOURCEAFFIRMS°WCF 2.3 states the Nicene settlement in a single sentence and then adds the Western eternal-relations clause: the Father of none, the Son eternally begotten, the Spirit eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. T…