Watch for motivation and application in this chapter. The false apostles were in Corinth and Paul was writing to the saints there warning of what was going on. Watch for hints of the motivation of these false teachers verses Paul's motivation. Watch how their faith is applied to their life verses Paul's life. You can tell a lot about a message by looking closer at the motivation and application of the people bringing it. Now, Paul had never made his message about him in any way. He didn't put himself in any kind of focus. You can't disregard the fact that Paul went to great lengths to bring this message to Corinth. He had suffered in many ways and he continued to do so for their benefit.
He was brought near death so that the death of Christ would be brought to Corinth. He saw this as the death of Christ working in him. Paul was sharing in the suffering of Jesus. That life of suffering gave credibility and authenticity to the gospel message Paul delivered. The message he delivered had been applied to his life. Paul spoke of his suffering and persecution and he noted that it was nothing compared to what was coming. He said we should be looking at the unseen things. We need to look beyond these things before our eyes.
Paul said don't lose heart; don't let this world exhaust you and wear you down to the place where you aren't sure about that coming glory. You can't conclude that the unseen things aren't really there or they are so distant we'll hold tightly to the things we can see. That's what it means to lose heart. It's giving up on faith in the unseen. Stay on the message, speak the truth, share the gospel; live it out in our lives in spite of all we see. What we see gives the appearance that we are losing. It appears that Christianity is losing, but it will change very soon. It might be today! That day is right before us. We need to just hold on and not get discouraged. While the outer man is wasting away and moving towards death, the inner man is growing in holiness and righteousness. The new man inside us is maturing and becoming Christlike in preparation of the coming time.
The prophets prophesied of a coming day when the Lord would exercise judgment. The prophets were put in stocks, mocked and ignored but they continued to preach their message because God's word burned in their heart. They knew it was true and right and everyone would one day understand. They warned of sin and the need to turn to God before it was too late. At the same time, the false prophets said God's not coming. Judgment's not coming, everything is fine. Don't worry about it, eat, drink and be merry. Enjoy life, you deserve it.
The message from the false teachers today isn't much different. Many say we should put down the bible and give up on this God that said he was coming back. They say we should pursue a more tolerant and acceptable god; one that loves us, accepts our sin; doesn't make us change and gives us all we desire. The problem is that's not the real God. That's not the true and Living God of the bible. That message is full of deceit and it's still delivered by men who lost their heart. They lost their ability to discern and deliver truth in spite of its acceptance.
The cross is an offense to a fallen world. So, the cross will bring persecution to those who claim it. But, Paul said, all the persecution the world can dish out is still just 'light affliction' compared to the eternal weight of glory. It will all be worth it. That's motivation, to be faithful, to not give up. This is just part of Paul's message about Motivation and his reasons for motivation continue.
As you begin to look at the text, we need to back up a little into 2 Corinthians 4:16 to grab the context. We see a 'therefore' based on our hope in the resurrection and that the same hope was available for all who would repent and trust in Christ. Because of the knowledge of this hope, there was never a reason to lose heart. The outward man is falling apart, broken down and seemingly has much for which to lose heart. But we don't live for the outward man. The inward man is being renewed. All this outward man is experiencing is just light affliction in comparison to the 'far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory' which awaits us. That's why our focus isn't on the seen but the unseen.
Paul's spirital contrast with the flesh:
Seen Unseen
Outward Inward
Perishing renewed
Momentary light affliction Far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory
And then added to the list:
Earthly home Heavenly home; Building from God
This body eternal body
Sight Faith
Clothed Further clothed
Mortal Immortal
All that is visible and seen and experienced in the first column is considered rubbish in contrast to what is in the second column.
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (NKJV; Philippians 3:8-11; 1982, Thomas Nelson)
All this becomes evidence supporting Paul's statement in 4:7 that we have an amazing treasure we carry in these clay vessels. The sign that it's true –
- The groaning; eternal longing in each of us.
- The presence of the Holy Spirit in us.
2 Corinthians 5:1
Wow, this is certainly different than the message of the false apostles had brought. The first thing we should note about this verse is Paul saying that 'we know.' This isn't something we hope for and want really bad. This is something that we know for sure will happen. We can stake our life on it.
Our bodies are just our earthly houses. Paul calls this body a tent. The tentmaker Paul understands tents and he is using an analogy that he understood well and everyone around him would understand. A tent was just a temporary shelter. Tents weren't made to last forever; they were weak and they weren't much to look at. One of these days that tent will be destroyed. The word for 'destroyed' here is the word to strike the tent or take the tent down.
When the tent is struck, it was moving time. We move from this tent to a more permanent home. That home is a building from God. This is a new body, one created by God to house us for eternity. Our new home will be secure and permanent.
2 Corinthians 5:2-4
The groaning Paul is talking about is not a physical groaning. It's that inner longing. It's that inconsolable longing, a deep longing for eternity. We were created as eternal creatures. Eternity is written on our hearts. That's the groaning Paul is talking about.
As this world wears you down, you get tired of the constant battles with the world and the things of the world. We seem to be under a constant barrage of spiritual and physical attacks that just wear us out; depression, oppression, affliction, money, family, health, marriage, kids. We are all worn down and we long for eternity.
Part of this longing and groaning is to be done with these sinful bodies. This body was not created the way it is now. Our bodies are infected with sin and that sin brings death. So these bodies won't do for eternity. We're ready to be clothed in a new body the Lord has prepared for us, that is suitable for eternity. The new body is a house from God it's not a temporary tent but a permanent home. The picture that goes with this word 'house' is the person coming home, no longer traveling abroad, no longer a sojourner. It's a house that is associated with the specific person.
The last half of verse 3 Paul said, we shall not be found naked. This is just reassurance that we will reside in a body. The Greeks didn't believe in any kind of resurrection. They taught men that their soul was held captive in their body and when they died it was set free. They taught when we die our soul floats around like a little cloud, free at last. Paul assured them that's not the case. We will be clothed in a new body.
So, in this tent, Paul says, we have an inconsolable longing and a groaning, not necessarily to dump this body but to be clothed in a new way. To get the upgrade. This just furthers the thought that we hold lightly to this world and firmly to the one coming. The things that are seen are passing away. The unseen things are forever. A day is coming when we will be done with these bodies. There will be no more death when these bodies are gone. Death will be swallowed up in life.
2 Corinthians 5:5-6
Each day in our walk with the Lord He is preparing us for this new body and this new place. Each of us is being formed and transformed. As a promise that God is still working on us and that one day we will receive that promise, He has given us the spirit as a guarantee.
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. (NKJV; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1982, Thomas Nelson)
This word for guarantee in the Greek is a legal word meaning that a partial payment was received as a pledge that a future payment would be made. The Holy Spirit was given to us as a down payment. What's really amazing about this Greek word 'arrabon' was that it meant 'guarantee' in that day, the same word today means there is a wonderful wedding coming.
The bible calls the church the bride of Christ and one day we ill all be taken home and attend the wedding feast of the lamb. At that time, Jesus Christ is joined with His church. The Holy Spirit present within each of us is the promise to us of this coming great day. Every believer has been blessed in one way or another by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes this comes through working out your gift or calling and being part of some work that God is doing. Sometimes we catch a glimpse of something so big we know its God thing in progress; its' the Holy Spirit working in the lives of God's people to accomplish His work for His glory. We see these things happening and sometimes it's just jaw dropping. Other times the move of the Holy Spirit is very private and personal. It might be presence of Peace when your life is full of chaos. It might be joy when there doesn't seem to be anything to be happy about. Sometimes it's just that presence of the Holy Spirit during worship or prayer. All these things and many more are great blessings. If the down payment is a great blessing, think how incredible and awesome the inheritance will be in its entirety!!
We have this great promise, Paul said, so we are always confident. When things get difficult, and they do for everyone, we have this confidence because we've seen the Holy Spirit work through us in our sinful, fleshly bodies. Think how infinitely greater the full inheritance of glory will be!! We can draw great confidence in that.
Our confidence is this, Paul said, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. This is a play on words in the original language. It's like saying," Know that while we are home, we're not home." Our confidence is that we aren't home. This is what allowed Paul to consider all of his suffering as light affliction. Because he was confident that while we are still here, we aren't home. The wedding hasn't happened yet, but its coming. The down payment has been made but the full payment is coming.
2 Corinthians 5:7
None of us have seen God yet we know he exists. There is evidence of Him all around us everyday. In fact, there is an abundance of God's handiwork all around us. From the evidence, we know our God, even though we haven't seen Him. Our walk with the Lord is by faith knowing that He is there. His Spirit is Holy and present and residing in us. We don't need to see Him. We know He is very real and that all these promises are good. That's what it means to walk by faith.
Walking is a simple thing. It comes natural and we often give it little thought unless we don't know where we are stepping. If we are taking a step into water and we don't know what lies beneath our steps are slow and careful. We don't have faith in there being anything there. To walk by sight is to never take a step without first believing that the step you are taking is solid.
Walking is the most basic of things. To walk by faith means that the simplest and most basic parts of our life are changed because of the full assurance of our salvation. There is something called The Cotton Patch Bible; and it praphrases this verse in an interesting way. It says, "Walking by faith is betting your life on the unseen realities." I like this, the point is clear. Faith is taking that next step when you're not sure where it will lead but also knowing that there is something there to stand on.
If our example of walking by sight is stepping carefully to find footing in the snow or water. Then walking by faith is walking right in, knowing that below the surface, out of sight there is something strong and foundational to hold us up as we step. Sometimes the next step looks painful. There are many times it looks uncomfortable; and we don't take that step because we enjoy pain or desire discomfort. We take the steps directed by the Lord because we trust in His ability to use them for His glory.
That's what Paul was doing. He had a spiritual confidence that doesn't come from what we see. Through all the persecution and suffering he endured he continued on with the full assurance that God had purpose in it. Like Paul, if we are redeemed by Jesus Christ then we can know in spite of what we see that God is directing our steps. He's not going to let us step off into the oblivion or stumble into a dark eternity. If you are soundly saved, you can have that assurance and you should let go of any doubts about that.
To be a Christian we don't have to see Christ face to face because we know a day is coming when we will. It's okay for us to be absent from home and absent from the Lord right now. The day is coming when we will be present at home and no longer traveling abroad. A day is coming when we will inherit that new body in that new life. In that day, we will no longer have to walk by faith. We will stand in His presence and our faith will be fulfilled in His presence.
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
(NKJV; Colossians 3:2: 1982, Thomas Nelson.
2 Corinthians 5:8
To be home in the body was to be absent from the Lord. That was the play on words, "While we are home, we're not home." This time Paul flips it around saying to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. This is another play on words, "To be absent, we are present."
This is the answer to an important question. Everyone wants to know what happens when we die. If we are absent from this body, we are present with the Lord. If we're not here, we are home. There is no soul sleep or purgatory. Those things are manmade doctrines that aren't found in the bible. When we die, our soul goes home. Paul is clear on that. In our walk of faith we can have that assurance. This isn't home, we're just passing through. Our home is with the Lord.
"In matters of faith every generation has to begin again." (Sören Kierkegaard)
2 Corinthians 5:9-10
Match this 'Therefore' with the one in verse 16 to see Paul's continued conclusion. He's presented a bunch of information, now he's going to draw the conclusion. Because we know we are one heartbeat away from standing before the Lord we want to be pleasing to Him. Our steps are taken in this world and this physical body yet the substance of our steps and our being is spiritual and directed by the Lord. We don't just blindly step hoping we are right. We step by faith but also in obedience with every effort to please God.
Paul is pretty confident in his approach here. He is sure that all this persecution and threat of death is nothing. The affliction is light and no big deal when weighed against the coming glory. All that he is doing, he is sure, will stand up in heaven. Each of us will appear before Jesus to receive what is due to us, either good or bad. We will come before the judgment seat of Christ and our lives will be examined. This is not the Great White Throne judgment, this is a judgment just for believers, nor is it a judgment of sin. This judgment is to reward us for what we did with what was given us. This reward is based on motivation and application: as if to weigh our works against the question, "Do your works reflect what you say you believe?"
2 Corinthians 5:11
Knowing, therefore, Here's another 'therefore.' Now that we know all the previous information, we can now understand what is coming.
This terror of the Lord is kind of frightening to think about. The Greek word for terror is 'phobos' very close to phobia. This is something that strikes fear in the heart of men. Paul said because he knew that terror, he worked to persuade men. The profound reverence for Christ moved Paul; drove him and enabled him to endure whatever came upon him in this life.
That's what Paul preached and he worked to persuade men of that gospel truth. He had a great fear and reverence for the Lord. He wanted everyone to know the Lord in that same way. He didn't need to persuade God; God knew Paul well. God knew what Paul's motivations were. This motivation set Paul apart from the false apostles. Paul wanted the people of Corinth to know that about him and be convinced of the truth and be done with these false apostles.
Imagine standing before the judgment seat and saying, "I don't have anything." Can you imagine spending your whole Christian life working to earn your way to heaven only to find out Christ paid your way and you didn't need to earn anything? That's what was going to happen to these men who listened to the false apostles and their false message. The believer saved by faith, by the shed blood of Jesus Christ, brings a life of obedience to Chirst's judgment seat. The terror of the Lord brought us to the cross. The reverence of the Lord brings us to obedience. By that obedience we work as if for the Lord. Not to earn anything or keep anything. We are motivated by our faith and live our life that way. These are the things that will be rewarded. Work done by Faith, not works for any other reason.
Our sin yesterday, today and the remaining days of our life had an affect on Jesus during His work on the cross. He endured that for us. As a response to such an amazing thing, we now endure ligh affliction; our lives are given over, living in the Spirit. Our work isn't done for a reward, but motivated by such a love and such a kindness as shown toward us. As our actions once caused Him sorrow and pain, they may now cause Him pleasure. What greater reward could one receive than to hear "well done" from the Christ and expereience the pleasure of His countenance?
2 Corinthians 5:12
If you remember back 2 chapters Paul is still answering the questions about the commendations. These false apostles had these letters of credibility and they were pointing to Paul and asking where his letters were. Remember Paul said his letter was written on the hearts of those born-again believers of Corinth. Paul is wrapping up his defense against these allegations of not having any kind of valid commendation. He said, we know the terror of the Lord; we work to persuade men to run from that terror to Jesus; and the people of Corinth should be able to see that since that is exactly what happened to them.
Paul said he wouldn't be commending themselves again to the people there. No letters, no working to convince them, no sales pitch, nothing. Instead, he would give them the opportunity to look at Paul and identify with him and the inspired message he brought to them.
We set that contrast up earlier. On one side these false apostles sat with a very religious appearance and sound. They had fancy letters from important sounding people. On the other side sat Paul; broken, pour, destitute, suffering but a bold servant for Christ.
If those in Corinth made the correct choice, they would boast in Paul in spite of appearance. That would give them an answer to those who boast in appearance and not in heart. They could say, we're proud of Paul. We're proud to be associated with Paul. He doesn't look like much, he's broke down and falling apart. He is oppressed, afflicted and hunted but he loves the Lord, he understands the terror of the Lord. And he is passionate to tell everyone so they also can flee to the incredible saving grace of Jesus Christ. That's a salvation message of hope and new life; freedom and liberty in Christ. This is completely different from what these other men were teaching.
2 Corinthians 5:13
Being beside yourself is to be crazy or out of your mind. Paul was probably accused of being totally nuts because he found contentment in the middle of this life of pain and persecution. If he was crazy, he was crazy for God's sake. If he was of sound mind, it was for them.
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
The love of Christ compels us. By the death of Jesus, those who believe and trust in him will be born again and will have new life. The new life isn't a life to do as we want, it's a new life to serve him; to seek after the one who saved us. Without him we would be lost and destined to hell. Without Him we would be hopeless. This is what moved Paul; knowing that Christ died for all; therefore, all died – all those who would trust in that work became a new creation. He died that all would agree and die to themselves and take on His life; resurrection life.
For God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten son. That kind of love compels us to love in return. He gave His life for us; we should respond by giving our lives back to Him.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17
This 'therefore' goes right along with 4:16 and 5:9 drawing conclusion from the treasure we have. When done, we should be three 'therefore' smarter than we were. With each, we learn something we can draw on, grasp and hold to.
Because Christ died for all, and because we all died of ourselves by identifying with Him, and because we are compelled by this love for us to act in certain ways, we therefore regard no one according to the flesh, because the flesh is nothing. We can't make any spiritual judgment by looking at the flesh. Some of the people of Corinth were being fooled. They were looking in the flesh at these false apostles. They judged by appearance and not by the heart.
We may not look like much but we are compelled by much in Christ. We walk by faith and not by sight. In Christ, we are a new creation, the old is gone. All the old things have passed away. Thank God for that. We don't have to worry about the old things any longer. There is no reason to dwell on the stuff we did before we believed. All things have become new. We are born again. When we come to Christ, we are not just forgiven, we are regenerated. We are given a new heart, with new desires and new motivations. Our whole life is new in Christ. Therefore, a new life ought to look much different thant the old one!
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Every religion is an attempt at reconciliation. Every religious thing men do is an attempt to appease God and be in good standing with him. Every false god and false religion has made their claim at how to appease God. All but one religion gives a list of works or things to do to earn your way to God. All the false apostles, false teachings, and false religions detail what you need to do to be good enough for heaven.
Deep down inside every man knows he can't please God. That's what these false religions and false teaching play on. That's how Satan gets people to do weird things. Men think they need to work their way back to God. That's what the false apostles were giving the people of Corinth, a set of works. Only one religion says you aren't good enough and you can never be good enough. Christianity is the one true religion and it is the only one that reconciles us to Him. Jesus came down as a man and paid the sin penalty he required, thereby reconciling men to Himself.
Since Paul's gospel was of the one true religion he had a ministry of reconciliation. The Judaizers in Corinth couldn't say that. They added laws that men couldn't keep. These things separated men from God. Paul's gospel message on the other hand said Jesus Christ died for your sins. Paul said God didn't impute your sins to you. This is an accounting term. Your sins weren't put on your account. In fact, your sins were put on the account of Jesus and His righteousness was put on our account. That's why we can have reconciliation because Christ made us look righteous in the eyes of God the Father.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21
There's not much commentary needed on this. Christ was made sin for us so we might be righteous before God. It is a gift, it is grace, it has nothing to do with us. You can't earn it, buy it or work your way to it. We are completely incapable of being good enough. That's Paul's plea before the people of this church for which he had a great love. It's my plea for you. And if you are a believer, it's your plea for others.
Paul said he was an ambassador, a representative for God, speaking for him. But also, God was pleading and speaking through him. That plea was for reconciliation. It's a deep desire in every man to be reconciled with his creator. There is only one way that can happen, by having faith in the way, the truth and the life, by trusting in Jesus Christ, by trusting that he was without sin but took your sin and that we got his righteousness. We die to ourselves and have new life in Him. He had done all the work to reconcile you to him. All we have to do is receive it. When you receive it, you are motivated by it and apply it to your life.
©2006, 2010, 2016, 2022 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater
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