20060108
       It is often dangerous to take a single verse of the Bible out of its context, but 2 Corinthians 13:1b and its source of Deuteronomy 19:15 are verses that bear the scrutiny of standing on their own.
         In the case of 2 Corinthians, Paul warned the Corinthian church that his third visit would be enough to convince him of their faithfulness to the Gospel or not. Paul’s warning was not meant as a threat, rather as a pointed reminder to all he said to them in the previous twelve chapters and in his previous letter. The lives and actions of the Corinthians would speak for them.
         How well we should remember this command as well, that we are not to judge or make accusation unless the evidence is sufficient. This is the ultimate form of justice, because it is absolute. In our Christian lives, we will do well to take Paul’s warnings in his second letter to the church at Corinth to avoid the pitfalls that the Christians there faced and sometimes gave in to.
         Let us consider, however, that the evidence Paul describes is a double-edged sword. If we want to accuse someone of wrongdoing, it must be with one or two other witnesses, but if someone wants to accuse us of being a Christian, is there enough evidence? Indeed, Paul’s warning holds that promise as well, for whatever the activity, it must stand the scrutiny of those around us, either as an admonishment of wrongdoing or as a source of praise.
DLH
