“Therefore ‘Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty'” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).

Many public restrooms in the United States feature signs that encourage users to wash their hands before leaving the facility. These signs serve to remind us that the simple step of hand washing can help reduce the risks associated with anything that might be unclean. In a similar manner, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 serves to encourage God’s people to take the appropriate steps to avoid anything that might be spiritually unclean or impure.

One commentator provides us with a helpful clarification regarding these verses: “This passage is not teaching that God will be a Father and an individual will be His child if that person withdraws from unbelievers. It is saying that since you are a believer and therefore God dwells in you, act like His child and you will enter fully into the experience of God being your Father. He will take care of you.” ₍₁₎

Before we close our look at this chapter, we should also pause to address a question that sometimes arises in regard to this passage. You see, these verses feature several allusions to the writings of such prominent Old Testament authors as Moses (Leviticus 26:11-12), Isaiah (Isaiah 52:11) Jeremiah (Jeremiah 24:7) and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:26-27). However, none of those passages contain the exact quote that Paul the Apostle references within this portion of Scripture.

So what are we to make of a “quote” that comes from a passage that doesn’t exist? Well, here’s how one source addresses that concern…

“Many have spoken of the fact that Paul here combined the thought of several Old Testament passages, even adding some words of his own (i.e. daughters); but it seems best to view this passage not as a blundering effort of the apostle to quote the Old Testament, but as his own inspired words, which quite naturally, of course, used some of the terminology of previous holy writings…

… Paul was not ‘quoting scripture’ here; he was WRITING SCRIPTURE. The difference is apparent in the formula by which he introduced this paragraph. He did not say, ‘Thus it is written,’ but ‘Thus saith the Lord’ the magnificent formula used a thousand times by the holy prophets of the Old Testament, and here used by the blessed Paul, and for exactly the same purpose!” ₍₂₎

(1) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1503). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

(2) Coffman, James Burton. “Commentary on 1 Corinthians 2”. “Coffman Commentaries on the Old and New Testament”. <http://classic.studylight.org/com/bcc/view.cgi?book=2co&chapter=006>. Abilene Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

“What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people'” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15 ESV).

Satan, Lucifer, and Beelzebub are all names that are associated with the devil in the pages of the Scriptures- and this passage presents us with another designation for this malevolent spiritual entity. That name is Belial, a word that is identified with a wicked individual or someone who is worthless. Since the devil typifies those regrettable qualities, its easy to see how he acquired such a name.

Now before we continue, we should keep in mind that the context of this passage involves the propriety of a voluntary business or personal relationship between someone who is a Christian and someone who is not. So why would any member of God’s family seek to exclude an otherwise hardworking, honest, and respectable person from a dating or business relationship simply because he or she doesn’t share the same spiritual beliefs? Well, the answer is that the individuals in those relationships are traveling down very different life paths.

While there may be many people who exhibit the positive characteristics that one might look for in a potential marriage or business partner, its important to remember that a Christian’s first responsibility involves following Christ. A partner who rejects, ignores, or is apathetic towards Jesus is someone who is following the enemy along a different road that ultimately leads to destruction, even if he or she is unwilling to accept it. This serves to explain the Apostle Paul’s question: “How can there be any unity between Christ and the devil? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” (ERV).

Paul reinforced this idea by turning to an analogy he used in his earlier message to the Corinthians- the concept of God’s people as His temple or dwelling place…

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15 ESV).

To effectively communicate the idea of being “unequally yoked” to contemporary audiences, modern Biblical translations have sought to express this concept in a variety of ways…

“Do not keep company with those who have not faith…” (BBE).

“Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers…” (GW).

“Do not become partners with those who do not believe…” (NET).

“Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers…” (NLT).

“Do not be mismatched with unbelievers…” (HCSB).

This portion of Scripture has served as a definitive guide for dating and marriage relationships for untold numbers of God’s people- and those who disregard this prohibition do so at great risk.

You see, a Christian who is “yoked” together with an unbeliever cannot expect to receive much (if any) spiritual support from his or her spouse. At best, their relationship will never reach its full potential. At worst, the two partners may find themselves pulling in different directions in regard to the choices, decisions, and activities of daily life. As many will attest, two people who are yoked together in such a marriage may find that relationship to be unsustainable.

However, two sources expand this idea beyond its traditional application to marriage…

“Paul urges believers to not ‘team up,’ that is, form partnerships with unbelievers because this might weaken their Christian commitment, integrity, or standards. It would be a mismatch. Earlier, Paul had explained that this did not mean isolating oneself from unbelievers (see 1Co_5:9-10). Paul even urges Christians to stay with their unbelieving spouses (1Co_7:12-13). He wanted believers to be active in their witness for Christ to unbelievers but not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise their faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties.” ₍₁₎

“The prohibition against being yoked together with unbelievers must be considered in situations where significant control over one’s actions would be willingly yielded to an unbeliever through a voluntary partnership or association. Neither Paul nor the rest of the NT tells us to have no association at all with unbelievers (Mark 2:15–17; 1 Cor. 5:9, 10; 7:12–16; 1 Pet. 3:1–6). But we are told not to be “yoked together” with them in such a way that they significantly influence the direction and outcome of our moral decisions and spiritual activities.” ₍₂₎

(1) Life Application Study Bible, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved. Life Application® is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

(2) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2059). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? (2 Corinthians 6:14-15).

In addition to the possibilities we’ve already considered, Paul the Apostle may have suspected that the members of the Corinthian church were not more open and loving with him for another reason: they knew Paul would not approve of the relationships they had been forming with others. To address that issue, Paul will go on to illustrate the impropriety of certain relationships over the final verses of this chapter with five contrasting elements.

He began by using an illustration that would have been familiar to the first-century inhabitants of Corinth but might not be so easily understood by the modern-day residents of a non-farm economy: “Do not yoke yourselves together in a team with unbelievers” (CJB). For those who are unacquainted with the idea behind this illustration, a “yoke” describes a type of harness that is placed between two animals to unite them together in order to pull a wagon or a plow.

It was in the farmer’s best interest to place two or more of the same animals together to obtain the best result from this working arrangement. Doing so would help ensure that each animal shared the same physical ability and increased the likelihood that they would get along together. This not only made good sense but also formed the basis of a directive from the Old Testament Scriptures as well (see Deuteronomy 22:10).

One source expands on this illustration in regard to the members of the church at Corinth…

“As this relates to Corinth, history reveals that the Corinthians were notorious for their associationalism. They had guilds, societies, or associations for practically everything. Every society had its own idol or protective deity. To fail to do obeisance to this idol would be to anger the god and bring its wrath down on the guild. Thus, the Corinthians tried to go along with this idol even though they did not believe in it.” ₍₁₎

Much like the difficulties that were certain to arise from an attempt to use two mismatched animals to pull a wagon, Paul saw a similar issue arising from a Christian who was “harnessed” together with someone whose first priority was something other than Christ. We’ll look at the potential issues that might arise from such a relationship next.

(1) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1503). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

“You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections” (2 Corinthians 6:12).

Paul the Apostle used an unusual turn of phrase in the passage quoted above: “…you are restricted by your own affections.” This raises an interesting question: how did the Corinthians’ affections limit the relationship they enjoyed with Paul? Well, one answer to that question might involve the objects of their affections.

For instance, the members of the Corinthian church may have loved the society and culture of first-century Corinth to an unhealthy extent. Given the idolatrous nature of Corinthian society in the New Testament era, a person who was immersed in the pagan culture of the city would naturally tend to alienate anyone (like Paul, for instance) who sought to live a God-honoring life.

We can apply this idea in a modern-day sense as well. For example, a look at our financial expenditures, leisure activities, or social media posts will all help to gauge our internal affections- and what’s inside will eventually find its way outside in any number of ways.

We should also remember that people demonstrate their depth of love and affection for Christ by their choices. Jesus discussed this reality in the New Testament gospel of John…

“‘Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.’ Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, ‘Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large?’

Jesus replied, ‘All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me. And remember, my words are not my own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent me'” (John 14:21-24 NLT).

Finally, one commentator addresses this idea in terms of relationships: “Some of the Corinthians were not openhearted toward Paul, because they were doing things they knew he disapproved of. This evidently included maintaining inappropriate relationships with unbelievers.” ₍₁₎ This will lead into a subject that Paul will go on to discuss over the final verses of this chapter and serve as the focus of our next few studies.

(1) Thomas L. Constable, Notes on 2 Corinthians 2017 Edition [6:14-16a]. Copyright © 2017 Thomas L. Constable http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/2%20Corinthians/2Corinthians.htm

“We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange–I speak as to my children–open wide your hearts also” (2 Corinthians 6:11-13).

In a well-known passage from 1 Corinthians 13:7, Paul the Apostle identified an important characteristic of love: “(Love) always trusts” (NIV). This particular aspect of love is important for trust is something that largely determines the depth and quality of our relationships with others.

You see, 2 Corinthians 6:11-13 tells us that there were some within the Corinthian church who were reluctant to emotionally invest in Paul. One potential explanation for this reluctance involved the amount of trust they held in him. For example, most people are unwilling to invest in someone they do not trust, for trust places one in a position of vulnerability. Since an untrustworthy individual is likely to hurt a vulnerable person, he or she may be reluctant to open his or her heart in such a manner.

The well-known author C. S. Lewis once expressed this idea in his book The Four Loves…

“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.” ₍₁₎

Nevertheless, Paul was willing to work to establish a greater degree of trust and build a more loving relationship with the Corinthian Christians. As we’ll see in the following chapter, he was also ready to clear up any misunderstandings with the members of the Corinthian church by saying, “Open your hearts to us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one” (2 Corinthians 8:2). That provided an open invitation for anyone who felt differently to engage with Paul and work out any disagreements.

The problem with implementing this approach is that it may involve the uncomfortable work of addressing the issues that limit our ability to establish a more loving relationship with others. Such efforts may be painful and carry the potential to learn difficult truths about ourselves that we might prefer to leave uncovered. Yet Paul was willing to open his heart to the Corinthians to establish a deeper, more loving relationship with them and in doing so, he provides us with a good example to follow.

(1) Clive Staples Lewis, The Four Loves Copyright © 1960 See http://www.cslewis.com/tag/the-four-loves/

“by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things” (2 Corinthians 6:8-10).

Paul the Apostle continued with an assessment of his life and ministry 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 with the following self-description: as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. Although the ancient city of Corinth was known for its leadership position in the areas of culture, athletics, commerce, and education, it was also noted for its idolatry, immorality, and pagan spirituality as well. These kinds of societal and cultural elements distressed Paul, just as similar elements within 21st century society often distress God’s people today.

Yet despite these things, Paul could rejoice over what God had accomplished through the message of the gospel. For instance, lives that were once marked by a sense of futility and insignificance were given new meaning and purpose in Christ. The immoral, unethical, and abusive were empowered to change and lead God-honoring lives. The murderous, hateful, and greedy received the ability to start anew through the power of the Holy Spirit. That was cause for rejoicing, just as is true today.

The next two components are poor, yet making many rich. This built upon a foundation that Paul established in his earlier letter to the Corinthians: “Through Christ Jesus you have become rich in every way—in speech and knowledge of every kind” (1 Corinthians 1:5 GW). It will also reinforce something Paul will say later regarding Jesus: “…although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NET).

Finally, Paul made reference to having nothing, and yet possessing all things. In a sense, this was reflective of Jesus’ life in certain respects. For instance, Jesus’ birth took place in a rented manger. He later made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on an animal that was borrowed for that purpose. Following His death, He was laid to rest in another man’s burial chamber. In fact, Jesus once offered the following commentary on His life: “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:19-20).

Nevertheless as Paul earlier reminded the Corinthians, “all things are yours… the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).

“by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left” (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).

After compiling a list of ministerial challenges, the Apostle Paul followed with several positive characteristics that flowed as a result of God’s work in his life in 2 Corinthians 6:6-7. But unlike the list of external difficulties that Paul mentioned earlier, these positive internal qualities should serve as a source of encouragement for those who take the time to examine them.

First among these qualities is purity, a word that characterizes a person of moral excellence. This is followed by knowledge, an idea that is associated with a good understanding of the Christian faith, insight, and sensitivity to God’s will. ₍₁₎ Longsuffering or patience (HCSB) is next, a word that describes the qualities of endurance, constancy, perseverance, and slowness in seeking to avenge a wrong. ₍₂₎

Kindness is generally associated with the idea of compassion, benevolence, and good will. Paul then continued with a reference to the Holy Spirit. This prompted one commentator to remark, “Perhaps Paul used ‘the Holy Spirit’ here in the same sense that he did in Galatians 5:16. We should walk ‘in the Spirit,’ just as we walk in purity, knowledge, etc. The Spirit as a gift, rather than as a person, may be in view.” ₍₃₎

In the original language, the concept of sincere love finds its origin in the word agape’, a word that is associated with a commitment to love someone even if that love is not reciprocated. Here, “love” is coupled with the idea of sincerity. This brings to mind the message of Romans 10:9: “Let love be without hypocrisy…”

Next we have a reference to the word of truth. This phrase would be characteristic of someone who possesses a good working knowledge of the Scriptures (see 2 Timothy 2:15).

Paul’s catalog of virtues also includes the power of God. We can associate Paul’s use of this term with God’s demonstrated ability to change the lives of those who turn to Him in Christ. Finally, one source offers the following observation regarding the armor of righteousness: “The phrase ‘for the right hand and for the left’ possibly refers to a combination of an offensive weapon (a sword for the right hand) and a defensive weapon (a shield for the left).” ₍₄₎

(1) Thomas L. Constable, Notes on 2 Corinthians 2017 Edition [6:6-7a]. Copyright © 2017 Thomas L. Constable http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/2%20Corinthians/2Corinthians.htm

(2) G3115 makrothumia https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g3115

(3) Thomas L. Constable, Notes on 2 Corinthians 2017 Edition [6:6-7a]. Copyright © 2017 Thomas L. Constable http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/2%20Corinthians/2Corinthians.htm

(4) NET Bible Notes. Scripture and/or notes quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved. http://classic.net.bible.org/verse.php?book=2Co&chapter=6&verse=7&tab=commentaries

“We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed” (2 Corinthians 6:3).

An acquaintance of the late actor and comedian W. C. Fields once noticed a large Bible on a shelf in his extensive home library. Fields (who was an atheist and a person who regarded all religions with the suspicion of a seasoned con man), was asked to explain why he possessed a copy of the Scriptures. In his characteristic deadpan manner, Fields replied, “Looking for loopholes.” ₍₁₎

Much like W. C. Fields, there is no shortage of those who are seeking to uncover a loophole or two in the message of the gospel. Perhaps the most common means of avoiding that subject involves the moral failings of some who claim to represent Christ. That objection will be the subject of our look at this portion of Scripture.

Here in 2 Corinthians 6:3, Paul the Apostle will transition from a discussion of God’s grace and the need for salvation to some of the challenges he faced in ministry. In doing so, this passage will draw our attention to a sobering reality: for better or worse, people often judge Christ and the God of the Scriptures by those who claim to represent Him.

Paul understood this reality and addressed it by saying, “We try to live in such a way that no one will ever be offended or kept back from finding the Lord by the way we act, so that no one can find fault with us and blame it on the Lord” (TLB). In a similar manner, we should also seek to live the kind of life that does not provide the basis for a legitimate accusation or justifiable criticism against Jesus.

Of course, there will always be some who will seize upon an offense (real or imagined) in attempting to discredit the gospel or justify their personal inconsistencies. However, the mistakes, moral deficiencies, or hypocritical actions of others should not prevent us from prayerfully seeking God’s help in living the kind of life that honors Him. As Paul said in an earlier message to the Corinthians, “…if you eat or drink, or if you do anything, do it all for the glory of God. Never do anything that might hurt others—Jews, Greeks, or God’s church” (1 Corinthians 10:31-32 NCV).

Finally, we should remember that the conduct of others does not relieve us of our accountability before God for, “All of us must appear in front of Christ’s judgment seat. Then all people will receive what they deserve for the good or evil they have done while living in their bodies” (1 Corinthians 5:10 GNB).

(1) Stephen C. Jordan, Hollywood’s Original Rat Pack: The Bards of Bundy Drive [pp. 151-152]

“We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed” (2 Corinthians 6:3).

An acquaintance of the late actor and comedian W. C. Fields once noticed a large Bible on a shelf in his extensive home library. Fields (who was an atheist and a person who regarded all religions with the suspicion of a seasoned con man), was asked to explain why he possessed a copy of the Scriptures. In his characteristic deadpan manner, Fields replied, “Looking for loopholes.” ₍₁₎

Much like W. C. Fields, there is no shortage of those who are seeking to uncover a loophole or two in the message of the gospel. Perhaps the most common means of avoiding that subject involves the moral failings of some who claim to represent Christ. That objection will be the subject of our look at this portion of Scripture.

Here in 2 Corinthians 6:3, Paul the Apostle will transition from a discussion of God’s grace and the need for salvation to some of the challenges he faced in ministry. In doing so, this passage will draw our attention to a sobering reality: for better or worse, people often judge Christ and the God of the Scriptures by those who claim to represent Him.

Paul understood this reality and addressed it by saying, “We try to live in such a way that no one will ever be offended or kept back from finding the Lord by the way we act, so that no one can find fault with us and blame it on the Lord” (TLB). In a similar manner, we should also seek to live the kind of life that does not provide the basis for a legitimate accusation or justifiable criticism against Jesus.

Of course, there will always be some who will seize upon an offense (real or imagined) in attempting to discredit the gospel or justify their personal inconsistencies. However, the mistakes, moral deficiencies, or hypocritical actions of others should not prevent us from prayerfully seeking God’s help in living the kind of life that honors Him. As Paul said in an earlier message to the Corinthians, “…if you eat or drink, or if you do anything, do it all for the glory of God. Never do anything that might hurt others—Jews, Greeks, or God’s church” (1 Corinthians 10:31-32 NCV).

Finally, we should remember that the conduct of others does not relieve us of our accountability before God for, “All of us must appear in front of Christ’s judgment seat. Then all people will receive what they deserve for the good or evil they have done while living in their bodies” (1 Corinthians 5:10 GNB).

(1) Stephen C. Jordan, Hollywood’s Original Rat Pack: The Bards of Bundy Drive [pp. 151-152]

“Hear what God says: ‘When the time came for me to show you favor, I heard you; when the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you.’ Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s favor; today is the day to be saved!” (2 Corinthians 6:2 GNB).

When used in a spiritual sense, the word “salvation” means “deliverance.” It involves God’s liberation of human beings from their state of separation from Him. One key to understanding the need for salvation involves an examination of God’s righteous character.

You see, “righteousness” is a basic attribute of God. In other words, God always does what is true, honest, good, and right. For instance, God does not maintain a double standard or bend the rules to favor one person at the expense of another. Instead, He always does what is just (Psalm 11:7). Because of this, God cannot simply dismiss human wrongdoing. This means that anyone who fails to act in accordance with His righteousness (even in the smallest matter) is someone who has violated a basic tenet of God’s character.

Now it’s probably fair to say that most human beings prefer to think of themselves as “good people” who have done nothing wrong or offensive with respect to their Creator. The problem is that the Scriptures tell us, “…all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). This means that it’s not enough to be a good person; the standard is complete, 100% righteousness at all times.

Unfortunately, the truth is that everyone has fallen short of what they could and should be in this regard- and all have failed to live up to this righteous standard of perfection. But the reality is far more alarming for the New Testament book of James tells us, “…the person who keeps every law of God but makes one little slip is just as guilty as the person who has broken every law there is” (James 2:10 TLB).

This is why Jesus Christ -who was perfect- satisfied God’s righteous requirement for humanity through His atoning, sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus’ sacrifice means salvation (or deliverance) from an eternity of separation and punishment from the Creator for those who accept it. One paraphrase of John 3:17-18 summarizes this idea in the following manner…

“God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it. There is no eternal doom awaiting those who trust him to save them. But those who don’t trust him have already been tried and condemned for not believing in the only Son of God” (TLB).

“For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

“There is only one word on God’s clock: is is now. The devil’s time is always ‘tomorrow.’ God’s time is always ‘today,’ “NOW”! Now is the day to quit looking at things like the heathen. Now is the day to start seeing everything through the revealed word of God, from the divine perspective.” ₍₁₎

A Christian was once engaged in a conversation with another person on the subject of Christianity. In the course of that conversation, the second person dismissed the importance of making a decision for Christ by saying, “I don’t want to rush things. I have the rest of my life to decide, right?”

Unfortunately, that response underscored a dangerous misconception: while we may have the expectation of a long life ahead, there are no guarantees. Jesus once illustrated this stark reality by way of a parable…

“…The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, ”You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”‘

But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:16-21 NIV).

The man in this parable operated under the unfounded assumption that he had many years of leisure and prosperity ahead. Because of this, he was ill-prepared when his life ended unexpectedly. Unfortunately, this example is reminiscent of those who acknowledge their need to get right with God but do not feel compelled to act upon it. To such people, 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

For those who act upon their need for salvation by accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on their behalf, Christ makes this promise: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24).

(1) Paul T. Butler, The Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians (College Press) [p. 217] Copyright © 1985 College Press Publishing Company https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

“As God’s fellow-workers we also urge you not to receive his grace and then do nothing with it” (2 Corinthians 6:1 CJB).

The New Testament book of Acts records a meeting that took place among the first-century elders and Apostles in Jerusalem. During that conference, the Apostle Peter made the following statement: “…We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved…” (Acts 15:11). So what is “grace” and why is it important?

Well, grace can be defined rather easily in three words: “God’s unmerited favor.” The New Dictionary of Theology expands on this definition by telling us that the Hebrew and Greek words for grace “…indicate…an objective relation of undeserved favor by a superior to an inferior…” in the original languages of the Old and New Testaments.

The word “grace” appears 119 times in the New Testament ₍₁₎ and is often associated with God’s mercy, love, and compassion. Since grace involves God’s unmerited favor, we cannot earn it. In fact, there is nothing we can do to procure God’s grace because it is undeserved. In other words, grace represents God’s favor towards us without regard to our talents, capabilities, possessions, and/or social standing. If we were worthy to receive God’s favor, we wouldn’t need grace- and it is freely available to those who approach God through Christ.

Grace also represents one of the basic attributes of God’s character. For instance, Exodus 34:6 identifies God in the following manner: “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…” We also see Jesus as the embodiment of grace in the New Testament Gospel of John: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

A few verses later, John 1:17 continues by saying, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” So even though the Old Testament law revealed God’s grace, it was (and is) largely associated with the establishment of God’s righteous standards. However, Jesus’ atoning sacrifice not only reveals the depths of God’s grace but also provides access to it.

As the Apostle Paul will go on to say in a well-known portion of another Biblical epistle, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith– and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

(1) New King James version

“We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1).

In an earlier letter to the church at Corinth, Paul the Apostle offered the following illustration: “…we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Here now in 2 Corinthians chapter six, Paul will build upon that concept with a similar labor analogy: “We are workers together with God…” (ERV).

Paul was a fellow worker with God in the sense that he worked in cooperation with God to fulfill His agenda. This does not mean that God needed Paul to accomplish His purposes; instead, God was pleased to employ Paul as “…the agent I have chosen to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites” (Acts 9:15 CEV).

In a similar manner, we are also “…workers together with Him…” in the sense that God has graciously allowed us to partner with Him in the work He seeks to do. One source makes a connection between the role of God’s people as co-laborers with Him and our responsibility to serve as ambassadors for Christ…

“The picture of ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) is especially helpful in understanding the nature of being workers together with Him. An ambassador can rightly be described as working together with his king. Yet, the ambassador himself has no power or authority or agenda on his own – it is all bound up in his king. The king delegates power and authority to the ambassador and reveals his agenda to the ambassador, and then the king expects the ambassador to fulfill that agenda.” ₍₁₎

However, it is possible to squander the resources that God has made available to us in fulfilling this responsibility to serve as ambassadors and fellow workers together with Him. Thus, Paul encouraged the Corinthian Christians “…not to receive the grace of God in vain.” You see, there is a sense in which God’s grace towards us may become ineffectual to some extent if we fail to utilize the talents, skills, abilities, and opportunities He has given us in His service.

2 Corinthians 6:1 utilizes the word “vain” to express this idea. When used in this context, the word “vain” corresponds to something that is destitute of spiritual wealth or to those labors, endeavors, or actions that result in nothing of real value. ₍₂₎ We’ll talk more about the grace of God in order to illustrate the importance of acting upon it next.

(1) David Guzik 2 Corinthians 6 – Paul’s Resume’ © Copyright – Enduring Word https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-corinthians-6/

(2) G2756 kenos https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g2756

“We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God…” (2 Corinthians 6:3-4).

The sixth chapter of the book of 2 Corinthians only consists of eighteen verses- but those few verses can be separated into four easily definable portions.

Verses one and two open by encouraging us to receive the grace that God has given us in Christ. This brief portion of Scripture also implies that it is possible to waste the unmerited favor that God extends to us if we fail to act upon it. The next section begins in verse three and continues through verse ten. There, Paul the Apostle will talk about the challenges associated with his ministry and lay the groundwork for some of the difficult and confrontational truths he will share with the Corinthians near the end of this letter.

Paul will then go on to express the depth of his emotional investment in the Corinthians in verses ten to thirteen. As we’ve seen in other portions of 2 Corinthians, this passage will serve to highlight the extent of Paul’s emotional vulnerability towards the members of the Corinthian church. Finally, verses fourteen to eighteen will close this section of Paul’s letter with an examination of how our relationship with Christ should direct and influence our relationships with those who do not follow Him.

Its interesting to note that the core of this chapter involves Paul’s commentary on his life as he sought to fulfill God’s calling. Of course, this is not the first time Paul felt compelled to act as an advocate with regard to his ministry. In fact, it seems that Paul spent a considerable amount of time defending himself in his Biblical letters to the Corinthian church.

For example, Paul defended his clear conscience before the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4. Later in that chapter, Paul felt the need to issue a warning to those who thought he was all talk and no action (1 Corinthians 4:14-21). He then went on to contend for his rights as an apostle in 1 Corinthians chapter nine. Finally, Paul had to defend his decision to change his plans and forego a scheduled visit to Corinth in 2 Corinthians 1:13-24.

One commentator touches upon this unfortunate reality by observing…

“The disaffection in the Corinthian church against (Paul) must have been considerable (or) else he surely would not have devoted so much of this epistle to a defense of himself. In 14-18 he seems to blame the trouble, partly at least, on the heathen atmosphere in which they lived. Corinthians were very lax in morals.” ₍₁₎

(1) Henry H. Halley, Halley’s Bible Handbook, 1 Corinthians Chapter 4. Paul’s Sufferings Again [pg. 604] Copyright © 2000, 2007 by Halley’s Bible Handbook, Inc.

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

There are several potential theological pitfalls to avoid if we wish to continue on a sound Biblical course through the final verse of this chapter. We can begin with one theologian’s overall assessment of this passage…

“(This) verse explains how God imputed our sin to Christ. God as judge assigned the responsibility of our sin to Christ, making it possible for Him to justly receive the punishment that we deserve for that sin (Is. 53:6; 1 Pet. 2:24). The verse shows that Christ was our substitute, accepting the penalty of sin in our place…

Not only did God impute our sin to Christ, He also imputed Christ’s perfect righteousness to us (that is, He counted it as belonging to us; Phil. 3:9)… Every Christian possesses, legally, the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed by God, and received through faith alone.” ₍₁₎

While Jesus became sin for us, this does not mean that Jesus became a sinful person while on the cross. Another source tells us…

“Paul probably intended that we understand what he wrote about Jesus Christ becoming sin in three ways: First, God treated Jesus as if He were a sinner, when He poured out His wrath on Him, and He bore the guilt and penalty for all people’s sins. Jesus’ sinlessness is a clear revelation of Scripture (Isa. 53:9; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 1 Pet. 2:22; 1 John 3:5). Second, Jesus Christ became a sin-offering (Lev. 4:24; 5:12), the perfect and final one…. Third, Christ became the locus (central location; focus) of sin under the judgment of God, the place in time and space where God judged sin.” ₍₂₎

Finally, one Biblical scholar provides us with an important clarification…

“Paul asserts here that Jesus was ‘made to be sin.’ However, many other Scriptures insist that Jesus was ‘without sin’ (Heb. 4:15; cf. 1 Peter 3:18). But how could Jesus be without sin if He was made sin for us?

Solution: Jesus was always without sin actually, but He was made to be sin for us judicially. That is, by His death on the Cross, He paid the penalty for our sins and thereby cancelled the debt of sin against us. So, while Jesus never committed a sin personally, He was made to be sin for us substitutionally. The issue can be summarized as follows:

(1) Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2015). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) (p. 2057). Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust.

(2) Notes on 2 Corinthians 2017 Edition [5:17] Copyright 2017 Thomas L. Constable. http://www.soniclight.com/constable/notes/htm/NT/2%20Corinthians/2Corinthians.htm

(3) Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties (pp. 470–472). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

“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” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

In keeping with the ministry of reconciliation mentioned in verse nineteen, Paul the Apostle introduced a related concept here in 2 Corinthians 5:20: the idea of God’s people as ambassadors for Christ.

An ambassador is someone who represents another person or nation, or someone who communicates a message on behalf of someone else. While most people are probably familiar with the idea of someone who serves as an international ambassador, the reality is that everyone functions in the role of an ambassador within his or her sphere of influence. In other words, our beliefs and actions serve to represent something to those with whom we interact.

For instance, our circle of influence might include friends, co-workers, family members, business associates, online acquaintances, or others with whom we come into contact. That influence -however small- can influence and impact others in whatever way we choose. The question is, who (or what) do we represent to others?

Those who seek to act as ambassadors for Christ can find their commission within the following paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 5:18-21…

“All these new things are from God who brought us back to himself through what Christ Jesus did. God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into his favor and be reconciled to him. For God was in Christ, restoring the world to himself, no longer counting men’s sins against them but blotting them out. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. We are Christ’s ambassadors…” (TLB).

Contrary to those who view God as a cosmic dictator, the Scriptures tell us that God desires peace and reconciliation between Himself and humanity. In fact, God demonstrated the extent of His desire to establish a relationship of harmony and unity with His creation through Jesus’ death on the cross. The New Testament book of Romans lends further support to this idea when it says, “…since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1 NIV).

A person who fulfills the role of an ambassador for Christ and carries the message of peace with God through Jesus’ sacrificial death not only enjoys the privilege of representing Him but also receives the following assurance from Christ Himself: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:6 ASV).

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and 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” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

For some, the idea of “ministry” is something that takes place at a weekly church service, If any sort of ministry does take place outside the walls of a church building, it usually involves a spiritual leader who engages with others at a hospital, funeral service, or other such venue.

Nevertheless, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 encourages us to expand our thinking beyond the nominal use of the word “ministry.” You see, a minister is not just someone who stands behind a pulpit on Sunday morning, for every Christian serves as a minister of reconciliation.

This “ministry of reconciliation” is associated with the restoration of two parties who had previously been at odds. When it comes to the relationship between God (party number one) and humanity (party number two), the need for reconciliation extends back to the very first members of the human race.

When the first human couple made a conscious decision to disobey God, they severed the relationship they had previously enjoyed with Him. Things were no longer very good between the Creator and His creation and the effect of that decision has impacted every member of the human family since that time.

However, Jesus’ sacrificial work effectively reverses the consequences that were brought about by that act of disobedience. Paul the Apostle summarized this idea in the New Testament book of Romans when he wrote…

“…Adam’s sin brought punishment to all, but Christ’s righteousness makes men right with God, so that they can live. Adam caused many to be sinners because he disobeyed God, and Christ caused many to be made acceptable to God because he obeyed” (Romans 5:18-19 TLB).

This is the message of reconciliation that God’s people are privileged to minister to others. One commentator sums up the message behind these verses in the following manner..

“God accomplished three things: (1) he provided the means by which all people might be reconciled to himself; (2) he demonstrated his decision not to hold the sins of humanity against them; and (3) he entrusted to reconciled people the task of sharing this reconciling message. As an ambassador on behalf of Christ, Paul represents God’s interests, appealing for peace on his behalf (5:20).” ₍₁₎

(1) Lyons, George. “d. Responsibility and reconciliation (5:11-6:2)” In Asbury Bible Commentary. 1027. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1992.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

A person who is a new creation in Christ but struggles with the memories of past transgressions can find help in looking at the example of the person who authored the God-inspired passage quoted above- Paul the Apostle. Paul was someone who refused to allow the mistakes he made before he became a Christian to derail God’s plan for his life.

The subject of Paul’s pre-conversion lifestyle was probably not something that he enjoyed talking about. However, Paul opened up about that period of his life in a letter to a young pastor named Timothy…

“Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:13-14 NIV).

The New Testament book of Acts provides us with a brief account of Paul’s early life and tells us how he “…tried to destroy the church; going from house to house, he dragged out the believers, both men and women, and threw them into jail” (Acts 8:3 GNB). Following his encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road and his subsequent conversion to Christianity, Paul could have allowed the guilt of those past experiences to prevent him from fulfilling the important work that God had given him to do.

However, God also inspired Paul to record an important spiritual truth in his earlier letter to the Corinthian church when he said “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain…” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).

Like Paul, God’s grace towards us is not in vain because any shameful deed we may have committed prior to our conversion has been put to death with Christ.

Paul’s example shows us that we do not have to allow something from our past to prevent us from enjoying God’s best in the present- and 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us that we do not have to allow the mistakes, poor decisions, or shameful things from earlier in life to undermine God’s best for our future.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

An important Biblical principle regarding the sins of the past and our new relationship with God in Christ is found here in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “…anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (NLT). So what are some of those attitudes, behaviors, and characteristics of the “old life” that have passed away? Well, the following list from Galatians 5:19-21 offers some examples…

These examples represent a few of the things that are crucified to death with Christ whenever someone accepts Jesus’ substitionary death as payment for his or her sins. Nevertheless, we should recognize that the process of overcoming such behaviors may be progressive in nature.

We use the word “sanctification” to describe that process, a term that refers to “the act or process by which people or things are cleansed and dedicated to God…” ₍₁₎ As we prayerfully seek God’s help in overcoming inappropriate behaviors and thought patterns, we subsequently grow in holiness, or God-like character.

Of course, it may be easy to become frustrated or depressed during this spiritual growth process, especially during those periods where it doesn’t seem as if we are making much progress. If we should ever slip back into those old behavioral patterns that characterized our lives before we met Jesus, the New Testament book of 1 John tells us how we should respond: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 NIV).

Philippians 3:13-14 also provides us with some excellent counsel in this regard: “…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (NLT). This does not mean that we should deny, excuse, or ignore the mistakes of the past but it does mean that God has provided a way to permanently eradicate such things through Jesus’ sacrificial death. As we’re told in the Biblical book of Romans…

“We know that the person we used to be was crucified with him to put an end to sin in our bodies. Because of this we are no longer slaves to sin. The person who has died has been freed from sin” (Romans 6:6-7 GW).

(1) New Dictionary of Theology, (Leicester/ Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1988) pg. 613

“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” (2 Corinthians 5:16).

Prior to his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, it appears that Paul the Apostle regarded Jesus as just another human being- a deceptive human being who spread dangerous ideas to be sure, but certainly nothing more. However, that changed when Paul met the risen Lord. That ultimately led to an important shift in his perspective: “We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way” (CEV).

Like many today, it seems that Paul once evaluated others (including Jesus) on the basis of external standards like status, background, lineage, and/or appearance. But following his conversion, Paul adopted a mindset that was far more aligned with both the Old and New Testament teachings on this subject…

“Always judge your neighbors fairly, neither favoring the poor nor showing deference to the rich” (Leviticus 19:15 NLT).

“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24 NKJV).

So even though Paul once made use of these external standards to inform his judgments and opinions of others, his relationship with Christ brought him to the realization that human value is not exclusively limited to those external qualities that others feel are good or desirable. Instead, the concept of human value is (or should be) based upon the idea of inherent human worth.

Unlike the kind of standard that assigns value to others based on who they are or what they can do, the concept of inherent human worth is derived from an important Biblical principle: “(Jesus) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2 NIV). In other words, human value is inherited from the God who considered every human in the world to be important enough to sacrifice the life of His Son.

Any failure to recognize this concept of God-given inherent human worth is sure to lead to a number of serious ramifications…

“There are essentially only two viewpoints for man – human or divine. Man either sees everything from the limited, fallible, perspective of human wisdom, or from the infallible, revealed perspective of God in the Bible. The perspective of the unbeliever is limited to this world, by the limitations of this existence. He sees nothing beyond this existence. Everything is relative to this earthly experience. That is why human perspective alone leads to degradation, depravity and despair.” ₍₁₎

(1) The Bible Study Textbook Series, Studies In Second Corinthians (College Press) Paul T. Butler. [p. 164] Copyright © 1985 College Press Publishing Company https://archive.org/stream/BibleStudyTextbookSeriesSecondCorinthians/132Corinthians-Butler_djvu.txt

“For Christ’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 HCSB).

While “…the love of Christ compels us…” seems to be a relatively straightforward idea, it may be more difficult to grasp what follows: “If One died for all, then all died.”

First, we can say the “One” who “died for all” in this passage is an obvious reference to Jesus and His sacrificial death. But what are we to make of the subsequent conclusion: “If One died for all, then all died“? Well, its often been said that Scripture is the best commentary on itself. In light of this, we can turn to another of Paul the Apostle’s Biblical letters to gain insight on this question…

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

These passages tell us that those who receive Christ essentially “die” with Him. In this sense, those who accept Jesus’ atoning, substitionary death consent to the end of a self-interested life in exchange for a Christ-oriented life. As Paul will later go on to say within this chapter, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 HCSB).

One commentator offers a further observation on this passage…

“How did Jesus die for all? In the sense that His death is able to save all who will come to Him and is a demonstration of God’s love to all; but not in the sense that all are saved because Jesus died (which is the false doctrine of universalism). However, it is probable that in this context Paul means ‘all the saved’ when he says all.

There is no doubt that there is a sense in which Jesus died for the whole world: And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2). But the all Paul mentions here is probably ‘all the saved,’ because he also writes then all died. It can only be said that those who join themselves to Jesus by faith have spiritually died and risen again with Him (Romans 6:1-6).” ₍₁₎

(1) Guzik, Dave 2 Corinthians 5 – Ambassadors for Christ https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-corinthians-5/

“For Christ’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died. And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 HCSB).

While “…the love of Christ compels us…” seems to be a relatively straightforward idea, it may be more difficult to grasp what follows: “If One died for all, then all died.”

First, we can say the “One” who “died for all” in this passage is an obvious reference to Jesus and His sacrificial death. But what are we to make of the subsequent conclusion: “If One died for all, then all died“? Well, its often been said that Scripture is the best commentary on itself. In light of this, we can turn to another of Paul the Apostle’s Biblical letters to gain insight on this question…

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

These passages tell us that those who receive Christ essentially “die” with Him. In this sense, those who accept Jesus’ atoning, substitionary death consent to the end of a self-interested life in exchange for a Christ-oriented life. As Paul will later go on to say within this chapter, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 HCSB).

One commentator offers a further observation on this passage…

“How did Jesus die for all? In the sense that His death is able to save all who will come to Him and is a demonstration of God’s love to all; but not in the sense that all are saved because Jesus died (which is the false doctrine of universalism). However, it is probable that in this context Paul means ‘all the saved’ when he says all.

There is no doubt that there is a sense in which Jesus died for the whole world: And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2). But the all Paul mentions here is probably ‘all the saved,’ because he also writes then all died. It can only be said that those who join themselves to Jesus by faith have spiritually died and risen again with Him (Romans 6:1-6).” ₍₁₎

(1) Guzik, Dave 2 Corinthians 5 – Ambassadors for Christ https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/2-corinthians-5/

“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 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” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Its interesting to consider the motivational forces that drive others. For instance, some are compelled by anger or a quest for vindication. Others are motivated by a desire for recognition, validation, or popularity. Then there are those who are driven by the pursuit of financial wealth. But here in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, Paul the Apostle identifies the greatest motivational cause for action: “Christ’s love compels us” (HCSB),

This tells us that the defining qualities of Christ’s self-sacrificial love should govern the choices and decisions we make. Some of those qualities are expressed by the definition of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7…

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” (NLT).

Nevertheless, a closer inspection of Jesus’ life and ministry reveals several instances where He engaged in responses, characterizations, and behaviors that others may have perceived to be unloving. Perhaps the most famous example is found in John 2:13-17…

“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.

So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!’ His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me'” (NIV).

With these things in mind, we can say that “Christ’s love” is not simply limited to an emotional sentiment or the outward display of affection. Instead, it can be characterized by a mindset that seeks what is best from a Biblical perspective. If we are truly motivated by the kind of love that Jesus demonstrates for us, ₍₁₎ then our actions should follow accordingly.

(1) See Hebrews 10:5-10, John 6:38-40, and Philippians 2:5-8

“For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you” (2 Corinthians 5:13).

The expression “beside ourselves” is a phrase that literally means “out of one’s mind” or “insane.” ₍₁₎ Paul the Apostle was quite familiar with this allegation for this was a charge that was once leveled against him. That account is recorded in the New Testament book of Acts and involves Paul’s courtroom appearance before a Roman procurator named Porcius Festus and another ruler named Herod Agrippa II…

“Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!’ But he said, ‘I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.’

Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’ And Paul said, ‘I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains'” (Acts 26:24-29).

Of course, Paul was not the only Christian to stand accused of insanity for even Jesus withstood a similar charge (see Mark 3:21). On the other hand, Paul’s commitment to minister to a group of people who often seemed to have little appreciation for him (like the Corinthians) may have led a casual observer to conclude that he was crazy. The problem was that a person who held that opinion was someone who didn’t have all the facts.

You see, Paul’s commitment to ministry had its origin in God’s calling on his life. In a similar manner, others may question the wisdom of investing in a ministry that no seemingly right-minded person would ever undertake as we seek to fulfill God’s calling. However, a commitment to follow God’s clear direction is always the right choice no matter how foolish it may appear to others.

As one commentary explains…

“Would a sane person willingly face a riotous mob intent on destroying him? (Act_19:30; Act_21:35-40) Who would be crazy enough to walk back into a city in which he had just been stoned and dragged out? (Act_14:19-20) Only a person who was utterly devoted to God would show so little regard for himself. Such a man was Paul” ₍₂₎

(1) G1839 existemi https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?t=kjv&strongs=g1839

(2) John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck Bible Knowledge Commentary [p.567]

“Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences. 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” (2 Corinthians 5:11-12).

Paul the Apostle had no desire to gloat over his ministerial accomplishments. However, he did have a strong interest in providing the Corinthians with the means to properly evaluate his ministry and respond to those who assessed him on the basis of style rather than substance. ₍₁₎ To accomplish this, Paul returned to a recurring theme within this chapter: “What we are is plain to God…” (NIV). We can illustrate this idea by turning to a seemingly unconventional source: the Biblical book of Revelation.

The book of Revelation is famous for its description of the final triumph of good over evil. But what may be less well-known are the seven messages from Jesus to various first century churches that appear in Revelation chapters two and three. While each of those messages are different, there is one phrase that is common among them: “I know your works” or “I know everything you have done” (CEV) (Revelation 2:2, 2:9, 2:13, 2:19, 3:1, 3:8, 3:15).

There is an important connection between these apparently unrelated portions of Scripture. You see, its impossible to keep a secret from Someone who knows all things -and the realization that Jesus knows every private thought, every hidden motive, and everything we’ve ever done may be quite alarming. This can be especially true of those who have yet to have their sins forgiven by Him.

On the other hand, let’s consider a scenario where someone made a God-honoring decision but failed to receive credit for it. Perhaps there was a time when no one seemed to care about the fact that he or she acted in a just and righteous manner. Or maybe there was a situation where he or she might have retaliated against another person but avoided doing so in recognition of Jesus’ teaching on that subject (see Luke 6:31-36).

It may be easy to assume that no one is watching when we choose to do the right thing. It doesn’t take much effort to fall into the mistaken belief that no one really cares if we seek to follow a God-honoring course of action. But Someone is watching and Someone does care. No matter what the situation, Jesus knows everything we have done- and what we are is plain to God.

(1) Asbury Bible Commentary. 1026. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, © 1992.

“Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we seek to persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.

We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in the outward appearance rather than in the heart” (2 Corinthians 5:11-12 HCSB).

There is a seemingly inconsequential word within this passage that is more important than it may appear. That word is “therefore.”

You see, this transitional word alerts us to the fact that the author is about to summarize and apply the concepts he established within the preceding verses. In this instance, the knowledge that he would be held to account for his choices and decisions prompted the following response from Paul the Apostle: “We know what it means to fear the Lord, and so we try to persuade others” (GNB).

Today, the word “fear” is often associated with a feeling of apprehension or the state of being afraid. But lets consider Jesus’ use of this word within the New Testament Scriptures and see how it might influence our thinking regarding this verse…

“And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4-5).

We should note how Jesus separated the words “afraid” and “fear” within these verses: “…do not be afraid of those who kill the body…” but “…Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell…” This tells us that the word “fear” should be understood to refer to an attitude of reverence, honor, and respect when used in this context.

In light of this, we can say that “the fear of the Lord” signifies our responsibility to revere and honor God above all else. One source ties these two concepts together in the following manner…

“Therefore indicates that this verse is a conclusion drawn from the previous one. The terror of the Lord is the fear of standing before the Lord and having one’s life exposed and evaluated. The reality of giving an account to the Lord motivated Paul to persuade people, in this context meaning to convince the Corinthians of his sincerity and integrity.” ₍₁₎

(1) Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1500). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

“For all of us must appear before Christ, to be judged by him. We will each receive what we deserve, according to everything we have done, good or bad, in our bodily life” (2 Corinthians 5:10 GNB).

Knowing that God considers our thoughts and motivations to be important, it may be helpful to take an inventory of the things that initiate us to act. For example…

• Do we seek to honor ourselves or do we seek to honor God in the things we say and do? As we’re told in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, “…We didn’t speak to please people, but to please God who knows our motives” (CEV).
• Are there questionable motives hiding behind a veneer of spirituality?
• Do we seek to do the right thing in a given situation or do we generally seek to do the easy thing?
• Are we acting selfishly or unselfishly?
• Do we consider the needs of others or do we routinely prioritize our own needs?
• Are we doing good things as an outgrowth of our relationship with God or are we doing those things so others will see them and praise us for them?

As we close our look at this portion 2 Corinthians chapter five, one commentator leaves us with the following observation…

“There is a verse in Hebrews that tells us that, ‘without faith it is impossible to please God’ (Heb_11:6). Faith must be present in what we do, or whatever we do is not pleasing to him. Paul understands this, therefore he wants that moment before the judgment seat of Christ to be a moment of disclosure that will not be of shame to him, of facing things that he refused to face in life, but a moment of joy. The Lord will have the joy of showing him many things that he thought were failures that were really successes, and things that he did that no one heard anything about will be brought to light and vividly displayed before others.

…So it is a time of disclosure, but it is also a time of evaluation when we learn for the first time who was right and what attitudes we should have had or should not have had. It is a helpful time of seeing the truth about ourselves. If that frightens you, I want to tell you this: There is something you can do about it. It is found in First Corinthians 11 where Paul says, ‘If we judged ourselves truly, we should not be judged'” (1Co_11:31 RSV). ₍₁₎

(1) Excerpted with permission from What’s There to Live For?, © 1979, 1995 by Ray Stedman Ministries. All rights reserved. Visit www.RayStedman.org for the complete library of Ray Stedman material. Please direct any questions to [email protected].

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10 NET).

2 Corinthians 5:10 reminds us that God’s people will eventually be called to account for the lives they have built upon the foundation of Christ. But as difficult as it may be to consider, this passage tells us that the elements used to build upon that foundation may ultimately prove to be worthless (HCSB), bad (NASB), or evil (CSB).

So how can we explain this poor choice of building materials? Well, the answer may involve a question of value.

You see, our world generally assigns the greatest value to the things we possess or accumulate in life. This may include tangible assets like financial wealth, physical attractiveness, or athletic ability, or intangible qualities like social acceptance, peer recognition, or personal prestige. But 2 Corinthians 5:10 suggests that one potentially overlooked measure of value involves the motives that exist behind the things we say and do.

In large part, people are motivated by what they value most. A person who values God’s will above all else will likely be motivated to make choices that align with His character and standards. Those who hold other priorities will probably make different choices. A person who seeks to combine the two may pursue a compromise agenda that is undetectable to others but easily discerned by God. Unfortunately, these latter two value judgments may ultimately to lead to choices that are empty and meanigless in God’s sight.

One effective means of exposing our true motives (for better or worse) involves a commitment to reading God’s Word on a daily basis. As we’re told in the New Testament book of Hebrews, “…the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

As we’re also reminded in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15…

“For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10 HCSB).

Unlike an attorney who seeks to argue the facts of a case before a human court, there will be no need for such deliberations before the judgment seat of Christ. At that time, it will not be necessary to establish motives, reconstruct events, or work to create a sense of reasonable doubt regarding the circumstances and events of our lives. All such things are already known to an all-knowing God, and this judgment will reflect an accurate appraisal of our motives and actions.

In addition to this cautionary message from 2 Corinthians 5:10, consider the following portions of Scripture…

• “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13 NIV).
• “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14 NIV).
• “You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat” (Romans 14:10 NIV).
• “For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops” (Luke 12:2-3).
• “For God is closely watching you, and he weighs carefully everything you do” (Proverbs 5:21 TLB).

In the words of one theologian, “The immediate context is written to believers; even believers will stand before God (cf. Rom_14:10; 1Co_3:10-17). Apparently, we will be judged/rewarded for our motives, availability, and use of spiritual gifts. Sin and sins have been completely dealt with in Christ’s substitutionary death, but discipleship is an issue.” ₍₁₎

Of course, its easy to understand why some may be reluctant to examine their motives in advance of this judgment. Since our true intentions are often difficult to discern, it may take a great deal of effort to uncover the reasons behind our actions. There is also the possibility of discovering that our motives might be less noble and virtuous than we thought if we stopped to evaluate them.

Nevertheless, the knowledge that God will judge such things should prompt us to prayerfully examine our motives now to avoid the potential for unpleasant surprises later.

(1) Dr. Bob Utley, Free Bible Commentary 2 Corinthians [5:10] Copyright ©2014 by Bible Lessons International http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL06/VOL06B_05.html

“For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless” (2 Corinthians 5:10 HCSB).

Unlike the “Great White Throne Judgment” of the unrighteous dead (as detailed in Revelation 20:11-15), the future judgment of God’s people will follow a very different protocol. Consider Jesus’ quote from Revelation 3:5: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (see also John 6:37-39, John 10:27-28, Romans 8:33-39).

Because of this we can say with certainty that the future judgment of God’s people will not involve the question of salvation, for Jesus addressed the sentence against humanity through His sacrificial death. Those who accept Jesus’ substitutionary atonement by faith are not only freed from sin’s death penalty but are restored to a right relationship with God through His sacrifice.

However, 2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us that God’s people will be called to account for how they made use of the skills, talents, abilities, gifts, and opportunities He provided in this life. That assessment will take place before the “bema” (or judgment) seat of Christ, a phrase that was sure to evoke a familiar image in the minds of first-century readers.

You see, the bema seat was an elevated platform where Roman authorities gathered to render judicial decisions and issue various proclamations. A legal representative of Rome would often ascend the steps to this platform to address an assembly, administer justice, or honor those who excelled in athletic competition. Paul the Apostle was familiar with this place of judgment for we are told in Acts 18:12.“…when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat” (KJV).

2 Corinthians 5:10 indicates that every man or woman of God will undergo this evaluation process for we’re told, “…Christ will judge each of us for the good or the bad that we do while living in these bodies” (CEV). As one source observes, “The judgment seat of Christ will reveal our lives of service for Christ exactly as they have been. Not only the amount of our service, but also its quality, and even the very motives that prompted it will be brought into review.” ₍₁₎

Several Biblical passages serve to illustrate the exhaustive nature of this judicial review and we’ll consider a few of them next.

(1) William Macdonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary Edited by Arthur Farstad Thomas Nelson Publishers (2 Corinthians 5:10) p.1839

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV).

The Scriptures identify two different types of judgments that will take place in the future of every human being. One has come to be known as the “Great White Throne Judgment” of the unrighteous dead as described for us in Revelation 20:11-15…

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Its important to note that “…the dead, both small and great” will be assessed in this judicial process. This tells us that social prominence, world recognition, power, wealth, or status will have no influence upon this call to judgment. Conversely, the lack of such things will be irrelevant as well. You see, it will not matter who you were in this eternal court – its what you were that will be important then.

One commentator makes a disconcerting observation in this regard…

“It is sobering to realize that Scripture represents the state of unbelievers after death as a fixed state. There is no second chance (Ecclesiastes 11:3; Luke 16:19-31; John 8:21,24; 2 Peter 2:4,9; Jude 7,13). The Scriptures also reveal that the condemnation of unbelievers is determined by actions done during mortal life (especially the action of rejecting Christ), and that no good deed(s) done during the intermediate state can alter or soften this condemnation in any way.

Once a person has passed through the doorway of death, there are no further opportunities to repent and turn to Christ for salvation (Matthew 7:22-23; 10:32-33; 25:34-46). Woe unto those who reject Christ in this life.” ₍₁₎

(1) Ron Rhodes, Heaven: The Undiscovered Country: Exploring the Wonder of the Afterlife pg.47

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Its difficult to understand why others sometimes act in a destructive manner. Its hard to grasp why some choose to lie, cheat, or steal, even when there seems to be no compelling reason to do so. Its discomfiting to think there are many who feel free to act unethically, abuse their authority, or conduct themselves in a manner that seems designed to hurt others.

While there might be any number of reasons to explain these behaviors, there is one overriding answer that can account for each of these choices: such people really don’t believe they will eventually have to stand before God to give an account for the choices and decisions they make now.

For example, would it be reasonable to assume that those who engage in such behaviors would choose differently if they really believed that everyone will have to stand before a just and perfect Creator to account for their actions? In most instances, the answer to that question would probably be yes.

You see, our view of the eternal influences the direction of our lives now. For instance, God-honoring man or woman possesses two important incentives that govern his or her choices. The first incentive finds its origin in a love for God and a sincere desire to honor Him- or as 2 Corinthians 5:14 will later tell us, “…the love of Christ compels us.” The second incentive is rooted in the knowledge that we will eventually have to stand before God to give an account for our lives.

On the other hand, a person who does not anticipate eternal life holds a viewpoint that shapes and influences the direction of his or her life as well. While many seem to possess a vague idea concerning the existence of a “higher intelligence” or supernatural being, those beliefs often have little real influence on their day-to-day choices and decisions. So while many accept the existence of “God,” the unfortunate truth is that many also choose to live as if He didn’t exist and conduct themselves accordingly.

Nevertheless, the Scriptures tell us that everyone will eventually have to give an account to a Creator who sees not only sees our choices but the motivation behind them as well. We’ll consider the two different forms of that judgment over the next few studies.

“Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him” (2 Corinthians 5:5-9).

Paul the Apostle has already taken the time to discuss the resurrection body at length in his letters to the Corinthian church. The passage quoted above now provides us with an opportunity to explore the question of when we might acquire these glorified bodies.

The traditional answer to this question involves a doctrine known as the intermediate state. This belief teaches that the soul (the “you” inside your body) and/or spirit (the eternal part of every human being) goes immediately into God’s presence when a Christian passes from this physical life. While there, he or she lives in perfect holiness and fellowship with Christ while awaiting the final resurrection of the body.

Once this glorified physical body has been resurrected, he or she will then be united with it forever. Passages such as Luke 23:42-43, Ecclesiastes 12:7-8, Philippians 1:23, 1 Corinthians 15:22-23, and 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16 are often cited to support this idea.

Others see the idea of a temporarily disembodied state as something that is difficult to reconcile with Paul’s earlier message from 2 Corinthians 5:4: “These earthly bodies make us groan and sigh, but we wouldn’t like to think of dying and having no bodies at all. We want to slip into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will, as it were, be swallowed up by everlasting life” (TLB).

One way to address this concern is to remember that time is irrelevant in regard to the afterlife. Thus, God’s people will not need to wait for their resurrection bodies once they have entered the timeless “now” of eternity.

Regardless of which view one holds regarding this question, its important to note that the focus of this passage is upon Jesus and our relationship with Him. There is no doubt that we will be ushered into the immediate presence of the Lord in some respect when we pass from this life. Therefore, we should be able to say along with Paul the Apostle, “…our aim is to please him always in everything we do, whether we are here in this body or away from this body and with him in heaven” (TLB).