2 Corinthians
Chapter 5
Bible TextNotes and Thoughts
1 ¶ For we know that if our earthly house, this tabernacle, were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed about with our house which is from Heaven,
3 that, being so clothed, we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not because we would be unclothed, but clothed about, that mortality might be swallowed up by life.
5 Now He that hath wrought us for this selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the pledge of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord;
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
9 Therefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted by Him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
12 ¶ For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have something to answer those who glory in appearance and not in heart.
13 For if we be beside ourselves, it is for God; if we be sober minded, it is for your cause.
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if One died for all, then all were dead;
15 and that He died for all, that those who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them and rose again.
16 ¶ Therefore, henceforth know we no man according to the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now henceforth we know Him so no more.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were beseeching you by us: we pray you on Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For He hath made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
  Paul continues his thoughts from the previous chapter, "earthen vessels" but now turns to the coming new type of body, ready for the next life. Look at Paul’s earlier thoughts 1 Cor 15:35-34.
v1 "We know," how? It is given from a divine source, the Word of God tells us. Our "earthly house," the physical body, will be destroyed, but God has supplied a new body made by His hands ready for heaven, "A building of God,." John 14:19; Phil 1:20-25; 1 Thess 4:13-18.
v2 Those who love Jesus want to be with Him, they do not want to die physically, but believe that He will soon return for His children and so take them directly to heaven. "We groan," are praying for that time to come. God has plans for each of us, when our task is complete He will call us home to Him if it is before His Son’s return.
There are three states for each of God’s children.
alive, living in the ‘house.’
dead, naked , ‘unclothed’ not in the ‘house.’
clothed about, in a transformed body from heaven.
v4,5 Paul was hoping that he would be alive on the earth for the return of the Lord, he did not want to go through the experience of physical death. However, 1 Thess 4:13-18 indicates that Paul knew that many Christians would die before the Lord returned.
Death should not have any fear for those who believe, Paul calls it a departure, 2 Tim 4:6. We each have been ‘sealed’ by the Holy Spirit as proof of this. 2 Cor 1:21,22.
v6-8 We are full of confidence, God’s people are found in one of two places, on earth in their ‘earthly vessels,’ not with the Lord, or with the Lord away from the ‘body.’
v9,10 So whether we are alive on earth or have gone away from our body,dead, when the Lord returns, our aim must have always been to please him. All Christians will have to appear before the judgement seat of Christ to explain what they had done for the Lord with their life, 1 Cor 3:11-15; Eph 5:9-11; Heb 13:20-21; Rom 14:7,8. This is not the sin judgement Rev 20:11-15 as that has been dealt with by Jesus paying the price on the cross.
v11-21 Why Christians must do what they do?
The Judaizers had accused Paul of using the ministry for his own advantage, but it was the Judaizers who were misusing the ministry, they had turned it into a business.
What is the "ministry" of the Christian? To try to convince sinners to restore their relationship with God v11. We must not put pressure on people as we do this, we can take the message but it is the Holy Spirit which does the convicting.
v11 "Terror (Fear) of the Lord" Sadly Christians often do not have this attitude, often there is an absence of any reverence at meetings in churches. One of the main ways the world is able to see God is through the Christian, our behaviour, how we treat God’s Word and matters of God could make the unbeliever not take God’s Word seriously. Rom 12:1 Do you have reverence and honour God with your life? Rom 12:16-20. If God judges His own people, what will happen to the lost? 1 Peter 4:17-18. Has your life stopped a sinner finding the Lord’s salvation?
v12,13 Receiving the praise of men in place of giving glorify to God. The Corinthians were glorifying the Judaizers.
V14-17 "The Love of Christ."
v14 His love for each of us on the cross, 1 John 4:19; John 3:16; Eph 5:25; Gal 2:20.
"Then all were dead;" When we believed we died with Christ Gal 2:20.
v15 Our death with Christ gives us life with Him. Rom 6:4; Rom 7:4. We should now live for Him. 1 Thess 5:9,10.
v16,17 We share in His new creation, we have a different life now, we worship a glorified Saviour on His throne. We should look at others as Christ see’s them, ‘lost sinners’ not friends or enemies.
v18-21 Our Ministry.
v18 Reconciliation, man was the enemy of God, but through the cross and the sacrifice of Christ man can now be brought back to God if he wants. A man must come through Jesus, no other way of "religion" will allow a man be "reconciled" to God.
v19 "Imputation" a word used in the banking system, meaning "put into a persons account." When Christ died on the cross all of our sins were ‘imputed’ to His account.
v21 From God’s position it was Christ who had committed the sins, so Christ could take the punishment for them. The demands of God’s Holy law was met on the cross. Rom 4:7,8
v20 Because of this we are now ambassadors for Christ, we represent Christ in this world who is at war with God. John 20:21. If we are not rejecting the world we are really rejecting Christ.

Easy English Translation




Back to previous page Return to Home Page
The 2nd Letter to Corinthians
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3
Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6
Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
Chapter 13   Introduction page

Bible-thoughts.co.uk