2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Q.1. On what was Paul’s fear of God based? Where was his focus in ministry? How did Paul explain this drive? What should we understand by the death and resurrection of Christ? – (2 Cor.5:11-15)
Paul had just written about the coming Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor.5:10). This Judgment Seat will be the day of reckoning and reward for Christians. It will be a time when believers will enter eternity with some form of recognition. Knowing this should fill us with holy fear. Paul’s ambition was to be pleasing to His Lord, and this he expressed by persuading others to respond to the Gospel (2 Cor.5:9 & 11). He wanted his example to prick the consciences of his readers. He explained that his drive to reach the lost was, because ‘the love of Christ gave him no choice’ (2 Cor.5:14 – J.B. Phillips). He reasoned that if – one died for all, then, all died with Him (2 Cor.5:14). He wanted the Corinthians to understand the implication, namely – 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 (2 Cor.5:15). Paul applied that truth rigorously to himself.
Q.2. How did Paul view people? What drove him in ministry? What did he tell us about reconciliation? How could God be in Christ reconciling the world to Himself? Are all saved? – (2 Cor.5:16-19)
The Gospel made Paul look at people differently. He saw them, not so much from an earthly, but from a spiritual perspective (2 Cor.5:16). Therefore, regardless of people’s circumstances, all those whom he met were either saved or lost. He longed for people to be saved, because – if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Cor.5:17). He went on to point out that these changes reflect on – God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ (2 Cor.5:18). He added that this implicates us in the ministry of reconciliation – namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation (2 Cor.5:19). In other words, we cannot escape the truth, that we have been saved to serve our Lord and Master. Paul also made the astounding claim that God was in Christ restoring the world to Himself. This truth underscores the unity of the Godhead in essence and purpose. It reminds us that Christ’s atoning sacrifice was sufficient to save all sinners of all ages. However, this salvation is granted to all who have been chosen (c.f. Eph.1:4).
Q.3. In what way are we ambassadors? What did Paul teach us about Christ’s sinlessness and the atonement? What is God’s goal in reconciling sinners to Himself? – (2 Cor.5:20-21)
God has given us a high calling – He has given us the lofty position of an ambassador. Though our citizenship is in heaven, we have been appointed as ambassadors in a ‘foreign land’. As such, we constantly make our appeal so as to reconcile the people of this world to God’s family. We desire that they might share our citizenship in Heaven (2 Cor.5:20 c.f. Phil.3:20-21). He added another Gospel insight when he wrote – He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor.5:21). This goes part way in explaining why the Father turned His face away from His Son on the cross when He cried – My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Mt.27:46). The cross revealed the extreme measure that our holy God took in order to restore rebel sinners to Himself. Jesus was even prepared to identify with sin, the thing that He hated most, so that He could seek and save the lost. God’s provision is so complete that He can raise the offender to be a child of God, with right standing before Him. Paul clearly presented Jesus as the sinless Saviour, and as the sinners’ sin-bearer and substitute. Though Jesus’ death restores us to God, His goal is to transform us and make us righteous before Him.