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Dave Burnette's Commentary

2 Corinthians Chapter 5 

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Paul
Date Penned: (55-57 AD)
Overview: Paul Addresses the Church (c 1-13)
Theme: Paul Defends His Ministry (c 3-7)
Message: We are Ambassadors for Christ (v 1-21)

2 Corinthians 5 Commentary

(5:1-10) New Bodies - As a Christian evangelist in the first century, Paul was insulted, ridiculed, and taunted. For the cause of the gospel, he faced angry mobs, irate local officials, and conceited philosophers. He spent many anxious nights in prayer and long hours working to support himself and studying the Scriptures. He received no applause, no reward, no appreciation. Why did he do this? Paul answered this question for the Corinthians. He measured all of his troubles in the light of eternity. Paul knew that he would experience infinite happiness and unending joy in the next life. This confident hope was Paul’s motivation to never stop preaching the truth to all who would listen.

(5:11-21) We are God's Ambassadors - After reminding the Corinthians that everyone will appear before Christ’s judgment seat, Paul explained that he had evaluated his own motives and actions in light of this sobering fact. He knew—and reminded himself of the fact—that God saw his motivations. His life was an open book to God. Paul didn’t have to prove to God that he was sincere, for God already knew it. Paul hoped that the Corinthians, also, would understand that his actions were motivated by a healthy respect for God—not by greed or any other sinful motivation.

 


Dave Burnette's Life Application

Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the book of 2nd Corinthians with Chapter 5 and in our text we see Paul explains that our bodies are weak and we need to walk by faith and not site but being reconciled to God we can do all things as we are now ambassadors for Christ. In making application we see our dependence and power in the Lord. We never reach a point in our Christian lives where we fail to depend on the Lord. How about you? Do you see your need to depend on the Lord for everything in your life? Let us learn from our text today and Paul's reminders that as ambassadors of God we are to be totally dependent for every aspect of our life to our Lord as we are to walk by faith and not by sight.  

 

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2 Corinthians 5

2 Corinthians 5

 1For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

 3If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

 4For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

 5Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

 6Therefore 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:)

 8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

 9Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

 10For 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.

 11Knowing 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.

 12For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

 13For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

 14For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

 15And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

 16Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

 18And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

 19To 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.

 20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

 21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.