Sunday, January 17, 2016

2 Corinthians 5:12-21

12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Commentary
Vs. 12 "For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart." 

Previously the Apostle stated that he was confident that his own proven character and conduct was well known to the Corinthians consciences (vs. 11). Therefore the Apostle Paul did not now feel the need to commend himself to them once again. Rather his stating as much now was so that the Corinthians might have opportunity to boast on his behalf (consider Prov 17:2), that they might have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart. For the Apostle Paul new that the false brethren, teachers, and prophets who were deprecating his person, and seeking to undermined his authority to the Corinthians, were all about outward appearances, and not about what is in a mans heart (consider 1 Samuel 16:7). And thus they not only promoted and praised and commended each other according to their own carnal standards (consider 2 Cor 10:12), but they also judged and deprecated Paul through the same, all which is contrary to Gospel (consider 1 Cor 1:26-31). Thus their boasting could only be said to be rooted in their own pride of life (consider 1 John 2:15-17). 
Whereas the Apostle Paul's boasting was always In Christ who by the Holy Spirit was not only working mighty works and deeds through his lowly person and life; but who is also transforming and renewing and regenerating and empowering every one of us who believe in Him to take on new challenges, and overcome the exceedingly great and overwhelming opposition and forces and circumstances that we will face when we step out in faith and follow Christ (consider Hebrews 11). And so it was just as they took great pleasure in deprecating the Apostle Paul's person because of his lowly person and stature (in this life), and the calamities which frequently befall him as he faithfully followed Christ. So the Apostle Paul now wants to give the Corinthians opportunity to boast on his behalf, and I suspect put to silence the ignorance of such foolish and ignorant men and women, who neither know Christ, nor the mighty works of God in his person and life, nor anyone elses. 

Vs. 13 "For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you." 

Therefore the Apostle Paul says if we are besides ourselves (lit. out of our minds) it is for the Lord, or if we are of a sound mind it is for you. Apparently the Apostle Paul's detractors had used Paul's intense devotion to the Lord, and His people, as a means to again slander him, basically saying only someone who was out of their mind would continue to willingly endure such things. And so here the Apostle Paul turns their deprecatory words into a personal declaration of his ongoing devotion to the Lord as well as the Corinthians spiritual welfare and well being. 

Vs. 14-15 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Thus it wasn't "insanity" that drove the Apostles' great devotion, it was the love of Christ (vs. 14). Love that was not only shown and given him by God, but love that flowed through him as well. Now the Apostle Paul specifically relates all this too the Lord Jesus Christ's Crucifixion death for us all. For that is the foundation upon which God's love is made known and has been manifest to one and to all (John 3:16). And so it is just as Christ died for us all who believe in Him, so we have also died with Him (see Rom 6); so that we should no longer live for ourselves, but for Him who died for us and rose again (vs. 15). For just as Christ died and rose again for us all, so we who believe in Him have now died and risen with Him to new and everlasting life. Thus the lives that each and every believer now lives must be marked by our own dedication and devotion to Lord and His will for us. That is what the Apostle Paul is pressing forth here, not just our reception of the Lord's salvation for us all, but each and every one of us must have our own heartfelt devotion to Lord Jesus Christ

Vs. 16 "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer." 

The Apostle Paul now returns to verse twelves rebuke of looking upon "outward appearances", to debunk the notion that anything of anyone can be known about us by our flesh. For the flesh reveals nothing about our person, nor our place and standing with Christ (consider John 3:6; 6:63). Thus if the Corinthians thought they could make a right assessment of the Apostles Paul's character and person by judging him according to the flesh, then they themselves were only being as carnal as the very people who were influencing them to do so. And so to make this point, the Apostle Paul compares His own experience with "knowing" the Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh, before his own encounter with Him and experiencing salvation from Him; and thus before the Apostle Paul came to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ he only knew of Jesus of Nazareth as just a mortal Man. For before salvation Paul "knew" Christ according to the flesh; that is he heard about Jesus, and the amazing things He was doing and did, and how many of his own people, the Jews were turning to Him, (which intensified after Jesus' Crucifixion and then Resurrection, all which culminated with the Holy Spirit's outpouring at Pentecost in Jerusalem) and so Paul (then Saul) who was then a young Pharisee, and the son of Pharisee, only saw Jesus as a threat to his own religious convictions, and thus sought to destroy the very faith that so many of his own people were turning too. This continued on until the day the Apostle Paul had his own encounter with Resurrected Christ while on the road to Damascus.
For it was there that the Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to Paul, and Paul was thereafter forever changed (see Acts 9:1-31; 26:1-23). Therefore the Apostle Paul here states that though he once "knew" Christ according to the flesh, he now knows Him thus no longer, that is not as just as a Man who works miracles, or a Great Teacher, or a Prophet, but as He is, and that is the Son of God and Savior of the world. Now there are many such testimonies of people who down through the ages, who once "knew" Christ according to flesh, but later came to truly know Him as their own Lord and Savior.

Vs. 17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

This is my life verse, the verse which the Lord Jesus Christ gave me the night before my baptism when I prayed over the Scriptures for a verse that would be most appropriate. Never has such a single verse of Scripture touched my heart and life, and continues to do so like that one (except John 3:16 and the innumerable others that I have underlined, copied, studied, recited, written out, for they all are so important and relevant). Each and every believer then must no longer see themselves, and other believers, according to what they once were, but who we now are!
Thus the Apostle Paul did not see the Corinthians according to the lives and lifestyles that God had drawn them out of, and Christ had saved them from. Instead Paul saw them all, just as Christ now sees us all who believe in Him, as His called and chosen, and thus His (and our) beloved people and friends (consider John 15:15; 1 Peter 2:9-10). 

Vs. 18-19 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

And so it is from our election, too our redemption and beyond, all things that pertain to our salvation is of God (Rom 8:28-30; 9:11; Eph. 1:5-6, 11-12; Heb 12:2 etc.), who has not only reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, but He has given us the ministry of reconciliation; "that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation." vs. 19 
Thus it is through the Gospel that the ministry reconciliation first comes to us, and then works through us all who believe In Christ; and thus the ministry of reconciliation is exceedingly superior too the ministry of condemnation (see 2 Cor 3:5-6, 9), which could neither save, nor transform, nor justify anyone (James 2:10). Therefore it is only through the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that God is reconciling sinful humanity back to Himself. Therefore it is this ministry of reconciliation that has also been committed to each and everyone of us who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ; to extend the same grace of God that we have received through it to one and to all; without prejudice or partiality; so that they too might repent and believe, and receive Jesus Christ for themselves. And thus though this world is inundated and overrun with sin, and sinners propagating the same, we are not to impute their sins against them; as if having sinned disqualifies anyone from salvation. Rather we are to point everyone to the Crucifixion death of Christ by which their and our sins find their finial judgment and ultimate end, and thus our persons and theirs reconciliation with God, and thus everlasting life the moment we believe in Christ (Eph. 1:13-15). For it is the word of reconciliation that is at the heart of Gospel (consider Matt 9:10-13; 1 Tim 1:15-17), and it is that Word of reconciliation that has been committed to us to preach, to teach, and to speak in every place, and through every means possible. 

Vs 20 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Therefore as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, you and I are ambassadors of Christ. Thus we are the redeemed people of God through whom God now pleads too others to be reconciled with Himself through Christ (vs. 20). Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and just about anyone we meet we are, and can be ambassadors of Christ too.
I implore you then on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God! For it is God who made His Son Jesus Christ who knew no sin, to be sin for us; that is Jesus Christ became the sacrificial Lamb of God that God placed all of our sins upon (John 1:29, 36), so that by His suffering Crucifixion death in our place we can have atonement for them all the moment we repent and believe in Christ. And so it is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for us we now have the righteousness of God imputed to us when we believe in Him. Therefore the ministry reconciliation says, I don't condemn you for your sins and transgressions (John 3:17), rather I have paid for all your sins and transgressions through the death and Resurrection of My Son Jesus Christ (John 3;16). Therefore be reconciled too Me through faith in My Son Jesus Christ and I will forever justify you (that is declare you righteous) when you place your faith in Me through My Son. Therefore I implore you, be reconciled to God today, and receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith so that He might not only save you from the judgment that is coming on this unbelieving and ungodly world, but He will forever justify you before God the Father through His Righteousness; that is through what He has done on the cross for you (Isaiah 53, vs.11). Therefore if your heart is open to the Lord Jesus Christ, receive Him into your heart and life to be your Lord and Savior, so that He will not only save you from your sins and transgressions, but He will also transform your person and life here and now. Therefore if you believe, please be reconciled to God here and now, invite Jesus Christ into your heart and life, to be your Lord and Savior, then confess Him as Lord. For He will come to you and bring everlasting life into you, but He will transform you with His life forever (John 11:25-26). Therefore be reconciled to God today!

Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.




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