Hear now the word of almighty God inspired by his spirit and profitable for us, 2 Corinthians 13 verse 10. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word. May the Lord bless us in the reading and hearing of it, and now in consideration of its teachings. Let's pray toward that end. Our Father in heaven, we thank you that you have given power among men to build up the saints, not to tear them down in their faith or holiness. And we pray that as we consider this power this day, that your powerful spirit might be at operation among us, that we may receive and believe your truth and be ready to listen to all things whatsoever you have commanded us. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. Please be seated. We're taking a brief hiatus related to Romans 10-15, the sending of ministers to preach the gospel, to look very hopefully shortly on a series on biblical Presbyterianism. This is our second part, the first part we looked at last week. The sending of ministers is necessary for lawful preaching. Ascending includes a delegation of authority with purpose and with commission, as we saw with our Lord Jesus Christ. He that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me, that official delegation and sending. We saw this illustrated by Paul and Barnabas and later by Silas, that they were sent by the Presbytery at Antioch and they were accountable to that same body after their mission was done. We saw that Timothy, the son of the Apostle Paul, the son of the prophet, so to speak. We saw his ordination by a Presbyterian, 1 Timothy 4, 18. It wasn't the laying on of Paul's hands. It wasn't one bishop who created him a minister. No, it was the hand of the Council of Elders, the Presbytery itself. They ordained him. We saw a rebuke. to the self-appointed or the self-ordained, not even Timothy or Paul or Barnabas were self-ordained. And the gifts and office of teaching, of rebuking and preaching those things given to Paul and also to Timothy were done by Presbyterial authority. We saw a duty to pray that the Lord would raise up faithful men whose feet would be beautiful as they preach good tidings of peace. Now then, 2 Corinthians 13 verse 10. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction. First then, therefore I write these things being absent. Now if you'll notice verse 9, he says right before this, For we are glad when we are weak, and ye are strong, and this also we wish even your perfection, that the church itself would grow up into the fullness of Christian perfection. This is not sinless perfection, mind you, this is Christian perfection, a maturity to reflect the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, he says, I write these things being absent. Because you need to be encouraged, as we find in Second Corinthians, because you need to be rebuked or corrected or warned or taught, even though I'm absent, I've written this letter toward your Christian perfection, toward your growth in grace and knowledge. Lest, he says, being present, I should use sharpness. The letter was intended to correct the faults that would require his sharpness were he to come in person. The letter goes before to prepare the way so that they can repent of their sins that he would have to use sharpness with. This is wise pastoral methodology on Paul's part. Now the word sharpness, as you would imagine perhaps, means severity, a cutting severity. Could be even translated abruptness, harshness, oh. He's too harsh. I want him to sound a little more like a woman. Well, there were times that the apostle Paul had to be abrupt. He had to be severe. There is a wholesome severity at times. And so here. If they didn't mend their ways, I'll have to show up and be severe with you. That's what he's saying. But I wrote to you beforehand, not being there present, so that when I do come, I don't have to use that tool in my toolbox. You see, faithful are the wounds of a friend. And when I come to be personally with you, he says, I hope I don't have to wound you. But notice, if he did have to use harshness or severity, it would be what? According to his own devices, according to his own self-appointed style, according to the psychology books where he read that at some times you should do this and other times you should do that, no. According to the power which the Lord hath given me, the severity he might have to use were it to become necessary would be perfectly lawful. It would be within the bounds of his Lord-granted or Lord-given power, the Lord being Jesus. Jesus is the head of the church. Jesus delegated authority to Paul, and he said, sometimes, Paul, you need to be a little more hard. Sometimes Paul, or even generally Paul, you need to be a little more meek and loving. But there are times that you must do this. This is the power which the Lord hath given me. Now this word for power is exousia in Greek. Exousia. Exousia. It means the right to control or govern over. the right to control or govern over, the authority to rule. Now let's look at some passages so we can get a flavor for how this word is used in the New Testament. Please open to Matthew chapter seven, if you would. Matthew chapter seven, page 968 of your pew Bibles. What does this word exousia mean? Verse 29 of Matthew 7. For He, that is our Lord Jesus Christ, He taught them as one having what? Authority. The right to control. The right to govern. Now the scribes and the Pharisees, as you can read in their wicked and godless Talmud, they didn't teach with authority. They taught, Rabbi so-and-so says this, Rabbi so-and-so says that, here it's written in Moses, this. You know, you better listen to us, but we have like 17 different interpretations on this passage, so we can get you, no matter what you do, you see. But here, our Lord taught them as one who had exousia. He had the right to govern. He had the right to control. Look on the same page, chapter 8, verse 9. For I am a man, this is the centurion, I am a man under what? authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this man, go, and he goeth, and to another, come, and he cometh, and to my servant, do this, and he doeth it. What's he saying? I have the right to control their actions and their persons. I have the power, and I myself am controlled by others. I can tell people what to do, and others can tell me what to do. This is the idea of authority, the right to control or to govern. And he's saying to Jesus, by the way, you have authority to heal without even coming into my house. I don't need you to come. All you have to do is say, and you can command healing for my servant or for my son. In any case, this is the illustration of authority. Matthew 28, verse 18, page 998. Who else? Jesus didn't just teach as one having authority. Notice here, Matthew 28 verse 18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All what power is given unto me, where? In heaven and in earth. I have the right to control. I have the authority to rule and govern. Where? Everywhere, he says. Universal. Absolute dominion. It's given to me. Please turn over to John chapter 19. John 19 verses 10 and 11. Page 1089 of your Pew Bibles. Jesus, our Lord, speaking with Pontius Pilate, the governor of Judea. Sent by the Romans to govern these unruly people. Verse 10. Then Pilate said unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? Remember, he's asking Jesus questions, and Jesus doesn't answer him a word. Speakest thou not unto me, knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Notice, Roman power. Jesus' universal power. Jesus teaching authority, power. The Roman military authority structure, power. Also Romans 13, one and following, you'll find the same word, exousia, the powers that be. Look over at Acts chapter one. Acts one, page 1093. Verse seven. And he said, that is our Lord to the disciples who ask, when will you restore the kingdom to Israel? He said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the father hath put in his own exousia, his own right to control, his right to govern, his authority to rule. It's in his power, sovereignly to determine the rise and fall of epochs and fulfillment of certain prophecies. Acts 5 verse 4, page 1098. Here we have the right over your goods, to control your goods. Acts 5 verse 4, whilst it remained, was it not thine own? And after it was sold, was it not in thine own, what? Power. You sold the land, it was yours. You got the proceeds. You could do with that whatever you want. It's yours to govern. This is an absolute ownership of assets. But you lied about it. You said you got this much and you got that much. You could have told us you didn't get the whole thing. You're just giving us a portion, that's fine. But they lied about it. But it was still theirs. It was still within their power, the ownership of the assets. Please turn over to Acts 26 verse 18. Acts 26 verse 18. The Apostle Paul was commissioned directly from our Lord Jesus Christ as well as what we saw from the Presbytery at Antioch. Acts 26 verse 18. To open their eyes, that is the Gentiles, to open the Gentiles' eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the what? Power, exousia, the power of Satan unto God. No, you have two parties who have kingdoms and power, don't you? Two governments, satanic government and divine government. I'm going to send you, Paul, to open their eyes so that they turn from the darkness of the kingdom of Satan, and now they will come to the kingdom of whom? God. From the power, the exousia of Satan, to the power and government of God himself. Now, I'll give you a couple more references concerning this. 1 Corinthians 7, 36 through 38. The father's government of his own will with respect to his virgin daughter. It's self-government, in other words. The rights of self-government under Christian liberty. 1 Corinthians 8, verse 9. on the same concept, the same word, exousia, with reference to liberty or a right to determine for yourself what you will eat or not eat, for example. Then Romans, or excuse me, 1 Corinthians 9 verses 4 through 6 and verse 12. This being the right of self-government, even for apostles and ministers to marry or not to marry. And if they marry, to lead about a believing wife. If they want to eat, they can eat. If they want to drink, they can drink. They have exousia, they have the right to control themselves in these matters. Please turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 10, if you would. Page 1170. 2 Corinthians 10, verse 8. For though I should boast somewhat more of our what? exousia, our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed. Here Paul is saying, if you wanted me to start boasting about what I've been given for your benefit, the authority that I have, the exousia I have, I wouldn't be ashamed to do that. I could tell you all about my powers and my authority, but the goal of my authority would be for your edification, to build you up, in other words. Now look back at 2 Corinthians 13, which we looked at originally. 2 Corinthians 13 10. Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction. Very much like our final reference, isn't it? The authority I have commissioned, Paul says, by Christ himself, so that I may build you up, that's edification, and I may not tear you down, that is destruction. Now this word edification Freiberg says in his lexicon means literally building or construction. See a piece of land has a big pile of dirt and some tractors on it, what do you tend to think? Well they're probably building something, construction, they're making something. First they have to excavate so they can have a solid foundation, hopefully on rock or some kind of cement, they'll put it on there. And then they will build up, up, right? Edify, they will build up, they will construct. He goes on and says, figuratively of spiritual encouragement, edifying, building up, or listen, making more able. That's the idea of edification, making more able. Know more, do more. Encouraged more, spirit doesn't flag as easily. That's the idea of edification. Now, destruction, you ever heard, maybe you've heard Casey say he's gonna demo something, or Uncle Mike, they talk about demo. What does that mean? Demolition. It means to tear apart something that used to be built, to take out the wires that used to be put in there. Somebody put them in there when they were building that house, or when they were fixing that house, but now they have to tear it out. Tearing down what was once built, that is destruction. Freiberg also points out that it means figuratively to weaken or cause to be less able. Please open to Hebrews 13 verse 7, page 1217. Here the idea is of edification through those that govern. Hebrews 13 verse 7. Remember them which have the rule over you. who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Here, notice. The ministers who you have listened to, he says. This is not just Paul now. This is to all Christian ministers. He's writing this to their congregants. Remember them, hold them in memory. They rule over you. They govern you. They have a power above you. Over means above. Democracy says there's no one over you. You're all equals. Is that what the Bible teaches? Democracy? No. Remember them, he says, which have the rule over you. How do they exercise that rule? Who have spoken unto you the word of God. There's one. Whose faith follow, there's the second. They are an example to you. Follow their faith. What do they believe? Believe what they do. considering the end of their conversation. What else do they have? A life that they lead. Follow that life. Follow the doctrine, follow the living. That's how they rule. They speak to you the word of God. These, he says, will edify you by their words and by their example, in their doctrine, in their doing. Remember, Timothy was told, beware and be careful of yourself and of your doctrine, for in so doing, you will not just save yourself, but them that hear you, you see. Follow Timothy. Why? Because he teaches the truth, because he lives according to it. This is edification, not destruction, but it is authoritative. It is a power. It is an exousia, in other words. I note then this doctrine. Christ has ordained a government in the church. Oh, that's a bad word. In a democratic society, or supposedly, allegedly, falsely called democratic. When they say, this is very unsafe for our democracy, what they mean is this. This is very unsafe for the cabal who tells you all what to think and do, and the bureaucracies that enforce their will. If it were unsafe for democracy, that means everybody would have an opinion and it would count. They wouldn't censor you and say, oh, you have the wrong opinion. We're deleting your post. You have the wrong opinion. We're shutting down your bank account. That's an oligarchy, not a democracy. But notice the Bible has a government in the church. Christ, in explanation of this, Christ has delegated a right to control. That's what exousia is, an authority to rule. And this delegated authority in the church is in a genus. That's a big class. It's a species of government, a little part of that genus. But it's in the same genus as what other kinds of government? God's providential government, the Roman military government, the Roman civil government, you see, Christ's universal dominion, the right of self-government over your own choices, the dominion of the devil over his kingdom, the dominion of God over his kingdom. They're all authorities. They are all forms of exousia. even the right over your own will, over your Christian freedom. That's a way of governing. It's a kind of governing. So there is a government in the church. There is a book I would highly recommend and is required reading for our elders and ministers in this denomination. It's called The Divine Right of Church Government. It was written while the Westminster Assembly was meeting by several ministers in the city of London. They had this to say, power or authority is general or in general is thus described by some as that whereby one may claim or challenge anything to oneself without the injury of another. I claim this power and if I claimed it unlawfully, I would be injuring someone else, taking away what's theirs in other words. Government exousia means someone can claim a power and it's within their right to have it. They can actually claim that, they can do that. It's theirs to take without wronging anyone else. That's what exousia is. They go on. This government can either be about things or actions or persons. Now in the things category is like Ananias and Sapphira. They had exousia over the proceeds of the sale of their land. They had power and government over it. Concerning actions, God has the right to command us what to do. He has absolute dominion. Jesus says, all authority is given to me, therefore what? Teach them all things whatsoever I've commanded you. I have right over actions, persons. God rules over all persons, does he not? He has right over all persons. And note that both in 2 Corinthians 13.10, our text, and in Hebrews 13.7, there are both the governed and them who govern. You see that? Paul's writing to the Corinthians, to the Achaean churches. He says, not that everybody's got power, but that he has power that Jesus gave to him. And when the Hebrews are told, remember them which have the rule over you. And guess what? You all rule over everybody, don't you? No, there are those who rule and those who are ruled. There are those who govern and those who are governed. There are those who are to obey and those who are to be obeyed. And this right, the New Testament vests in the elders of the church, this right of government, in other words. This stands then as a rebuke to all democratic theories of church government. By which, if there are such things as elders or church governors, they have no power unless the church says so. Unless the church ratifies everything that the elders do, which happens in Baptist churches, trust me. Congregationalist churches, they don't really have elders. They just say, we'll all come together and the elders will facilitate. But it's really about all the people, everybody gets a choice, everybody gets a say. Ask the apostles to write this command to a democracy. Remember them which have the rule over you. Well, Paul, nobody has rule over us. We're all equals. That's what democracy means, baby. We're all equal. Is the church a democracy? No, it is foolish to think so. There are others who might say, yeah, well, I can agree in theory that there should be others over me, but nobody better tell me what to do. I'm going to do my own thing. El lobo solo. I don't need a flock. I don't need a shepherd. I can do this all by myself. I can worship God out in the mountains. Hold on. Remember them which have the rule over you. Who is that? Like the birds up in the hills? The big tall trees? Are they the ones that rule you? Maybe the sky is your... Oh man, like I'm ruled by the sky, dude. No. Obey them that have the rule over you. There are real people, flesh and blood, ordained by Christ with real authority. Christians are not an island. There is a government that Christ has ordained in the church. In exhortation then, especially those that govern in the church, but all who govern in any capacity, with any power God has granted you, why has God given you that power? Let's turn back to 2 Corinthians. Let's see, what is the purpose that God delegates His power? Why does he do it? Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness according to the power which the Lord hath given me. Why? To edification and not to destruction. Pray that those who govern would govern according to God's holy truth. Look back at verse 8 of 2 Corinthians 13. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. What does Paul mean by edification? That I govern in the church for the sake of the truth. Some people say, well, it's not edifying, Paul, if you use sharpness. What does he say? No, there is a time to use sharpness. It edifies because it tears down falsehood and it tears down unrepentant sin so that it may build up the truth you see. This is not the rainbow fishianity of some. Edification means building up in the truth, in holiness, in love, in obedience to the Lord himself. God's purpose for all government is to build up what is good, what is true, what is holy. Husbands over wives, parents over children, church governors over their flocks, magistrates over their people, bosses and masters over their employees and slaves. Why? To build them up in holiness, in love, and in truth. We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. Let us exercise and seek to exercise our authority in any place, even over your own self, over your own goods, or magistrates with their civil powers, that we ought to do nothing against the truth, but for it. Root up the poisoned weeds, plant and cultivate the wholesome fruits of righteousness, and therefore the demolishing of strongholds is required, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God. Please turn over to 1 Corinthians chapter 4. There are two words for power in the New Testament. We've looked at one, exousia. The other is dunamis. Dunamis, where we get our English word dynamic from. First Corinthians chapter 4 verse 20. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in dunamis, in power. What will ye? Shall I come unto you with a rod or in love and in the spirit of meekness? First note here. The apostle Paul is writing concerning the kingdom of God. This is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some people like to conceive of the kingdom of God as something broader. And sometimes it is in the scriptures, a broader concept of God's dominion everywhere. But specifically, what kingdom is Paul talking about? Well, he's writing a letter to whom? What sort of people? to a church, right? He sent Timothy to that church, verse 17, he just told them this. There were some who puffed themselves up and thought, Paul's never coming to punish us, nanner, nanner, nanner. Where? In the church, in the kingdom of God. And he says that this kingdom of God is not about the empty chatter of those puffed up who think they'll never be punished for their sins. It is a kingdom of power, he says. And verse 21, he explains, what sort of power are you talking about, Paul? Well, it's a twofold power, isn't it? Depending on the audience and the circumstances and the condition of those people. This word dunamis refers to a power to affect certain ends. The former power, exousia that we looked at, refers to the rightful authority of one. This refers to the power to affect specific ends, the vim, the virtue, the might, the strength to accomplish specific things. You speak words, Paul says, but God's church and kingdom is not governed by your empty words. It's governed by an effectual power to accomplish the holiness and truth of God's people. Not in word, but in power, he says. Verse 21, what will ye? Here's one part of the power, by the way. Shall I come unto you with a rod? Or literally, what will ye? With a rod, emphatically, shall I come to you? Hrabdos is the Greek word. The rod of correction, of punishment, of chastisement, of ecclesiastical censures and corrections. I'm warning you, he says, I have a rod. And it's part of that power by which the kingdom of God accomplishes the ends that the master said. You, my servants, accomplish these ends. Here are your tools. Here's one. You have a rod. You have words, you have a rod, and you have your example before the saints. So he says, do you want me to come with the virtue of my office being one of correction and punishment of you? Is that what you desire? Take your pick, he says. What will ye? What is your desire? What is your choice? Shall I come to you with a rod The virtue and power of correction and chastisement. The power to punish you so that you become a holy people, so that you finally believe the truth and are built up in your most holy faith. These unrepentant faults you have, must I chastise you for them? Notice, it is a divine right. This is part of the kingdom of God. This is the power given to the apostle and to all ministers. Or he asks, shall I come to you in love and in the spirit of meekness? This is likewise one of the principal virtues or powers of church government. This power accomplishes the ends of holiness, truth, and edification. The church is built up by the power of the ministry in love and in holy example. Now, this word meekness is very interesting. It has to do with going down when you have strength to stand up. It's a reneging of your rights. All the members of the church are commanded to have meekness, Ephesians 4.2. In Galatians 5, it's listed as one of the fruits of the Spirit. In fact, if you go to your brother or sister who's overtaken in a fault, you're commanded to go them in a spirit of what? Meekness, Galatians 6. Pastors are to correct those in opposition in meekness, 1 Timothy 6, 11. James says, if you don't have meekness, you can't even receive the scriptures properly. James 1, verse 21. When the saints are called upon to defend their faith to unbelievers, they must do so with meekness. First Peter 3 15. The virtue or power of church government entails a holy example of love and meekness. This is the ordinary means. Like I was saying, sharpness, yes, occasionally, the sharpness, the severity, and the rod, as occasion requires. What is the general rule? Love and a spirit of meekness. Doctrine, teaching, instruction, and also correction when need require. I note then this doctrine. Christ's ordained government in the church has real powers to execute its ends. We looked at first there is an ordained power with the right to govern and control, but now we see it's not just an empty title. There are actual virtues vested with the Christian ministry in the eldership to accomplish these ends. The kingdom of God, it is governed not by empty words of those puffed up who think they will never be punished for their sins, but in the power, in the virtue to accomplish the holiness of God's church. Church government is no bare title, or I should say this, it ought not to be. It is not an empty office. It is not mere words. We say we are such and such a church, but we tell you right now, you don't have to repent of your sins. And we publish the pride of our wicked people right on the sign of our church. What does that say? That's an empty title. There's no church government that happens there. There's no power under edification. That's all destruction. That's all demolition of man's faith. Now, sometimes we use this phrase church discipline. Have you ever heard this? What do we usually think? Oh, somebody's in trouble. But church discipline is twofold. The first is the power to build up and edify with the knowledge of God. The example of the minister and elders to show the people this is how you ought to live your life. This is what you should believe. And this is the conversation you should conduct yourself in this way. Then there is what we call negative church discipline, where those faults that are not repented of and are worked with patiently and born with until it's too far. There must be some severity. There must be a rod. There must be correction. There must be some sharpness used. Church discipline is not just the negative side. The positive is also included. The building up and strengthening of the disciples is unto truth and holiness. And at times, as occasion and circumstances dictate, the tearing down of strongholds, the usage of the rod, the usage of a wholesome severity. This stands then as a rebuke. There are real powers to execute real ends in the kingdom of Christ, in the government of the church, This stands as a rebuke to those who believe that the church should just welcome everyone. And yes, we should to call them to repentance, not to say to them, you may stay in your sins. You don't have to repent. God will receive you just as you are. And you can stay that way. First part, correct. Second part, damnable. Do not be deceived. For these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Let no man deceive you with empty words, Paul says. Words, empty words. Empty titles, empty souls. The power of edification is not the toleration of error or lawlessness. The kingdom of God, the government of the church of Christ includes this power of sharpness. In exhortation then, receive the twofold discipline of God's kingdom. Receive the twofold discipline of God's kingdom. Be built up in your most holy faith. Follow the faith of those who have spoken the word to you. Remember them and submit yourselves to them. A second exhortation. Pray for your governors, for your governors in the church in particular. Pray for us that we may govern in love, in a spirit of meekness. but by God's help to have discernment of times and occasions when the exercise of the power of the rod and of the sharpness becomes necessary and to do so again for the edification, the tearing down of strongholds and the strengthening of the disciples in the fear of God. Thus far, the government of the Church of Christ in general Lord willing, next Sabbath, we'll consider the form that church government takes within the pages of the New Testament. Thus far, the exposition of God's holy word.