2 Corinthians 5:11-15 says,...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 5:11-15, which says,
v.11-13 - Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
Paul gives us another "therefore" to go backwards before we go forward. The temporary earthly tent given to us by God that we call home for now will be replaced with a building prepared by God that will be our home forever. In light of this, the coin of the Christian life has two sides. One side is the here and now and the other side is the life to come in the presence of God. No matter what side of the coin is up in our lives, we are to live pleasing to the Lord with our words and deeds for we will stand before His judgment seat about the glory we have given to Him. Therefore...
Paul and his companions made themselves known to the Christians in the Corinthian church. The word he uses is "manifest." Paul and his companions came to persuade men about God and they used their words, deeds and life with them to be witness of Him. They came to them because they are on this side of the coin of here and now with the message of the new covenant to give glory to God that will in the future be recognized by God at the "bema" judgment seat.
The result are those who heard Paul and his companions and heeded the call of God through the gospel and followed after Him. The result is this pride in Paul and his companions for giving a thorough message through word and deed when the opposition comes in with another message that deals with appearance only and not a change of heart. This is not an outside issue with Paul but an inside one.
Paul and his companions were "beside" themselves, meaning out of their minds, to keep coming with the gospel even though they were heavily persecuted and they were of "sound mind" meaning that they had self control in that situation not to respond as they were being responded to. Paul and his companions kept going forward in the face of persecution but also kept their cool.
v.14, 15 - For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Something happened in the life of Paul and his companions. Something and someone died for a change to happen. Those who live for Christ do not live for themselves any longer. The reason they live is for the sole purpose of living for God rather than living for self. Paul comes to them because he recognized and had faith given by God to him to see Christ's death on the cross as for him out of love. Now his life is a life of love of Christ that controls his very words and actions.
Are our words and actions controlled by the fact that Christ died on the cross for our sins? Are we forever changed because of God making Himself known to us through this act of love that we would be included in the "all" that He died for? Even in the face of persecution and opposition to Christ, would we keep pushing forward with the message of the gospel while keeping our cool and not resorting to worldly measures and ways and keeping with God's commands? Paul did this and look at the results. Churches were started all over the known world and people were saying yes to Jesus from every walk of life. True transformation was happening in the presence of not ideal conditions because it was not about Paul anymore but about who Paul was talking and living for. Is your life about you or is it about Christ?
"Lord, control is a strong word but it is a necessary word when it comes to the transformation of our lives because of the cross of You. Continue to transform us to be less of us and more of You. Cause us to see when we are focusing more on our appearance rather than focusing on our heart. Convict us when we stumble and pick up the ways of the world rather than stand in the way of the Lord in the face of opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.11-13 - Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
Paul gives us another "therefore" to go backwards before we go forward. The temporary earthly tent given to us by God that we call home for now will be replaced with a building prepared by God that will be our home forever. In light of this, the coin of the Christian life has two sides. One side is the here and now and the other side is the life to come in the presence of God. No matter what side of the coin is up in our lives, we are to live pleasing to the Lord with our words and deeds for we will stand before His judgment seat about the glory we have given to Him. Therefore...
Paul and his companions made themselves known to the Christians in the Corinthian church. The word he uses is "manifest." Paul and his companions came to persuade men about God and they used their words, deeds and life with them to be witness of Him. They came to them because they are on this side of the coin of here and now with the message of the new covenant to give glory to God that will in the future be recognized by God at the "bema" judgment seat.
The result are those who heard Paul and his companions and heeded the call of God through the gospel and followed after Him. The result is this pride in Paul and his companions for giving a thorough message through word and deed when the opposition comes in with another message that deals with appearance only and not a change of heart. This is not an outside issue with Paul but an inside one.
Paul and his companions were "beside" themselves, meaning out of their minds, to keep coming with the gospel even though they were heavily persecuted and they were of "sound mind" meaning that they had self control in that situation not to respond as they were being responded to. Paul and his companions kept going forward in the face of persecution but also kept their cool.
v.14, 15 - For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Something happened in the life of Paul and his companions. Something and someone died for a change to happen. Those who live for Christ do not live for themselves any longer. The reason they live is for the sole purpose of living for God rather than living for self. Paul comes to them because he recognized and had faith given by God to him to see Christ's death on the cross as for him out of love. Now his life is a life of love of Christ that controls his very words and actions.
Are our words and actions controlled by the fact that Christ died on the cross for our sins? Are we forever changed because of God making Himself known to us through this act of love that we would be included in the "all" that He died for? Even in the face of persecution and opposition to Christ, would we keep pushing forward with the message of the gospel while keeping our cool and not resorting to worldly measures and ways and keeping with God's commands? Paul did this and look at the results. Churches were started all over the known world and people were saying yes to Jesus from every walk of life. True transformation was happening in the presence of not ideal conditions because it was not about Paul anymore but about who Paul was talking and living for. Is your life about you or is it about Christ?
"Lord, control is a strong word but it is a necessary word when it comes to the transformation of our lives because of the cross of You. Continue to transform us to be less of us and more of You. Cause us to see when we are focusing more on our appearance rather than focusing on our heart. Convict us when we stumble and pick up the ways of the world rather than stand in the way of the Lord in the face of opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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