In verse 5 Paul says to the Corinthians, “Test yourselves whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves; or do you not recognize yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are disapproved?” To test is to determine our condition; to prove is to qualify our status. Here Paul tells the Corinthians to test themselves whether they are in the faith. This is the objective faith (Acts 6:7; 1 Tim. 1:19). If anyone is in the objective faith, he surely has the subjective faith, and believes in Christ and the entire content of God’s New Testament economy. This is what the apostle asks the Corinthians to test.
Paul specifically asked the Corinthians whether they recognized that Jesus Christ is in them. As long as a believer realizes that Jesus Christ is in him, he is qualified, approved, as a genuine member of Christ. In verse 5 the word disapproved means disqualified. Here Paul is saying, “Is Jesus Christ in you or not? If He is not in you, you are disapproved, and you cannot pass the test. But if He is in you, you are qualified.”
Based upon the facts implied in verse 5, Paul could prove to the Corinthians how far they had gone astray. On the one hand, they realized that Christ was in them. On the other hand, they doubted or questioned Paul’s ministry. Actually, they were the ones who were contradictory.
In verse 6 Paul goes on to say, “But I hope that you will know that we are not disapproved.” By this word the apostle turns to himself and the apostles, indicating that they, having Christ living and speaking in them, are fully qualified and not disapproved, especially among the troublesome Corinthians. The apostle earnestly hopes that they might recognize this and that they may have no further questions about him.
In verses 5 and 6 Paul seems to be telling the Corinthians, “You need to know that we are not disapproved. Some of you may be disapproved, but I am certain that we are not disapproved. We have Christ in us, and we have Him speaking in us. Now I am asking you to test yourselves whether you have Christ in you. This will determine whether you are qualified. I have proved myself, and I am assured that I have Christ in me and speaking in me. Hence, I can pass the test and have the approvedness of Christ truly speaking in me.”
Verse 7 says, “Now we pray to God that you do no evil, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do what is good, and we may be as disapproved.” This indicates that the believers’ doing good proves the qualification and teaching of the apostles. However, the apostle does not care for this as a standing to exercise his apostolic authority to discipline them. He cares for their doing good that they may be established and built up.
The word “evil” in verse 7 refers to the matters covered in 12:20 and 21. For the Corinthians to do no evil is for them not to be involved with the eleven sinful things listed in these verses. It was not for the purpose that the apostles would be approved that Paul prayed for the Corinthians to do no evil. Rather, he would have the believers do what is good and the apostles appear as if they were disapproved.
In verse 7 Paul is speaking ironically, not in a straightforward way. The fact that he must speak the way he does is rather shameful to the Corinthians. Suppose someone would say to you, “I pray to God that you would not do evil.” That would not be a pleasant word, would it? Such a word implies that what you are doing now is not good. Furthermore, suppose the same person also said, “My reason for praying that you not do evil is not that I may appear approved by God or that I may have a positive result from my work, but that you may do what is good.” To be sure, this way of speaking is not pleasant. But this is the way Paul addressed the Corinthians in this verse. He was encouraging the believers to be concerned about themselves, not about Paul’s situation.
In verse 8 Paul continues, “For we are not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth.” The word “for” at the beginning of this verse indicates that verse 8 is an explanation of what is mentioned in the preceding verse. What the apostle expects is that the Corinthian believers may do good, not that the apostles may appear approved. To edify the believers to do good is for the truth, but for the apostles to cause themselves to appear approved and to defend themselves to the believers (12:19) is against the truth. The Lord would not enable the apostles to do this. Hence, they are not able to do it.
In saying that the apostles were not able to do anything against the truth, but for the truth, Paul was telling the Corinthians that to be for the truth is to edify the believers to do good, and to be against the truth is to do something for ourselves to be approved. To defend ourselves is to be against the truth. The truth in verse 8 refers to the reality of the content of the faith. Self-vindication is contrary to the truth; it is not for the truth. For this reason, we must forget about defending ourselves and vindicating ourselves and care for the edification of the believers. This is for the truth.