2 Corinthians 5:1-21

God shows his Power when we are Weak

2 Corinthians

Philip Smith

Chapter 5

v1 We know this. Our body is like an *earthly tent. If our *earthly tent falls down, we will have a permanent building. God has made it. Human hands did not make it. It is a house in heaven that will last for all time. v2 While we wait for this, we make a very sad sound. We very much want to have this house in heaven. And we shall possess it, like someone who puts on new clothes. v3 Then we shall not be without clothing. v4 Whilst we are in this tent (that is, our bodies), we make a very sad sound. We feel as if we are carrying a heavy weight. We do not wish to die, as nobody wants to be without clothes. We want to put on our new clothes. We want our permanent house in heaven. Then *eternal life will replace that life which only lasts for a short time. v5 God has made us with this plan. He has given us the Spirit as a certain promise that this will happen.

Paul uses two different descriptions at the same time in order to explain a Christian’s attitude to death:

• Death is like someone who leaves a tent in order to move into a permanent house.

• Or, it is like someone who puts on new clothes.

Paul made tents to earn money. Here he uses them as a picture of our bodies. When someone pulls our ‘tent’ down, we will have a house. God has made it. It will last for all time. After we die, we will rise again. Then we will have new bodies. They will not grow old or get weak. We shall be more completely alive in heaven than we are now. Until this happens, we will not be completely happy. We always desire to possess this new house, like someone who puts on new clothes.

Paul hoped that the *Lord would come before Paul died. Then he would not have to die (be without clothes). Instead, he would be able to put on his new clothes (his new body) immediately. He would like to put the new clothes on top of the old ones. He did not want to suffer the experience of death. The new house (which is our *eternal body) will replace the old body. God made us with the plan that we should have *eternal life. We have the Spirit of God as a promise that this will happen. The word ‘promise’ in the *Greek language today means a ring. A man gives this to a woman when he promises to marry her.

v6 We are always confident. We know this: While we are at home in the body we are away from the *Lord. v7 We live because we trust him. We do not see him. v8 I repeat, we are always confident. We would choose to be away from the body and at home with the *Lord. v9 So we have a strong desire to please him. This is whether we are at home in the body or away from it. v10 Christ will be the judge of us all. Each of us will receive what we deserve. This will be for the good or bad things that we did in our bodies.

Paul had hope for the future, so he was always confident. Now, he says, we are away from the *Lord. We trust him, although we do not see him. If we had the choice, we would choose to be away from our bodies. We want to be in heaven where the *Lord is. The Christian wants to please God in this life and in the next life. As our judge, Jesus will look at our lives. Our good works will not *save us. God has *saved us to do good works. We will not lose our *salvation in this judgement. God accepts us if we trust in Jesus. We will get a reward if we serve God loyally. We will lose a reward if we do not. God will reward us because of his grace (a free gift). 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 says this. The day of judgement will test the quality of each person’s work. If it passes the test, God will reward the person. If it does not pass the test, God will destroy the work. The reward may be the words of Jesus. ‘Well done, good and loyal servant. Receive the joy of your *Lord.’ (See Matthew 25:21.)

v11 We understand the fear of the *Lord. Therefore, we try to persuade people. God knows what we are like. I hope you do as well in your consciences. v12 We are not trying to praise ourselves. We are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us. Some people are proud about things that they can see. They are not proud about what someone is, deep inside himself. You can give them an answer. v13 If we seem mad, it is because we serve God. If we seem sensible, it is for your *spiritual benefit. v14 Christ’s love controls us. We are completely sure that Christ died for all. Therefore all have died. v15 He died for all. Therefore, those who live should not still live for themselves. Instead, they should live for him. He died for them and rose again.

Paul says that the thought of judgement caused him to understand the fear of God. One day he must answer God’s questions about what he had done in his life. As a result, he was making every effort to persuade people to believe in Jesus. He knew that God would be their judge. That would happen if they did not believe in Jesus. God knew that Paul was sincere about this. Paul hoped that the Christians at Corinth knew it as well. He was not trying to praise himself but to give them information. They could use it to answer those who opposed him. Perhaps when he spoke in *tongues people thought he was mad. This was for God’s *glory. If he acted in a serious way it was for their *spiritual benefit. Christ’s love for him directed all that he did. He was sure that Christ died for all. Because of that, all had died. Christ died for all. People trusted Christ and received *eternal life. They would no longer live for themselves. Instead, they would live for Jesus. He died for them and also rose again. Although Jesus died for all, he did not rescue everyone. His death made it possible for everyone to have his or her *sins forgiven. However, it only rescued from *sin those who believed. (These are people who trust him. As a result they receive *eternal life.) Those who did live would not live to please themselves. Instead, they would live to please the one who died for them.

v16 We no longer make an opinion about somebody’s value in the way that the world does. We used to think about Christ in that way. We do not do it any more. v17 If anybody is in Christ, he is a new person. The old life is over. The new life has already begun. v18 God has done all this. By Christ, he has changed us from his enemies into his friends. Our task is to make people into his friends. v19 God was bringing people back to friendship with himself by Christ. He did not keep a list of their *sins so that he could punish them. He has given us a message. The message tells them how he makes them his friends. v20 God has chosen us to speak for Christ. God is sending you his invitation by us. We ask you again as if Christ were speaking to you himself. ‘Let God change you from his enemies into his friends.’ v21 Christ did not do any *sins. But God made Christ become *sin instead of us. As a result, we can receive God’s goodness by him.

Paul used to estimate Christ’s value in the same way as everyone else. Jesus said that he came from God. However, people did not believe him. So they killed him.

After his experience on the road to Damascus, Paul changed his ideas. When a person trusts Christ, he is completely different. The old life is gone. The new life has begun. It is as if God begins to build their new house (verse 1)! God has removed everything on his side that separated him from people. The death of Christ satisfied the demands of God’s *justice. Jesus took the punishment for people’s *sin. The death of Jesus also took away the anger of God against *sin. After people trust Jesus, God does not still keep a list of their *sins. Now Paul’s task was to tell people how they can become friends with God again. He asks them again and again to let God change them. Paul speaks of an *exchange. Although Jesus did not do any *sins, he took our *sin. He gave us his goodness instead so that we could become friends with God.

earthly ~ about this world, not spiritual.
spiritual ~ about the spirit, not physical things.
eternal ~ without beginning or end.
Lord ~ a name that we call God or Jesus; we call God or Jesus Lord when we obey them.
Greek ~ a thing or a person from Greece; or the language that Greek people speak; or a person who is not a Jew.
Jews ~ people of the Hebrew people or religion.
Hebrew ~ a member of a group of families originally from Israel; or, the language of the Hebrew people.
save ~ when God frees a person from sin.
sin ~ an evil deed; or what is in us that causes us to do sins; to sin means to do evil deeds.
salvation ~ when God frees a person’s spirit from sin.
sin ~ an evil deed; or what is in us that causes us to do sins; to sin means to do evil deeds.
spiritual ~ about the spirit, not physical things.'tongues, to speak in ~ to talk in other languages that the speaker does not know.
glory ~ honour or greatness. Especially, God’s greatness. Or, a special cause for pride in something or someone.
sin ~ an evil deed; or what is in us that causes us to do sins; to sin means to do evil deeds.
justice ~ the quality of being fair and reasonable.
exchange ~ to take one thing and give something else instead.