2 Corinthians 5

The key theme of this section is repeated in 1 Corinthians 4: and 16: “We faint not!” Literally, Paul said, “We do not lose heart!” There were certainly plenty of reasons for discouragement in Paul’s situation, yet the great apostle did not quit. What was it that kept him from fainting in the conflicts of life? He knew what he possessed in Jesus Christ! Instead of complaining about what he did not have, Paul rejoiced in what he did have; and you and I can do the same thing.

A. Liberty, not bondage—5:1–12 B. The Spirit, not the flesh—5:13–26 C. Others, not self—6:1–10

D. God’s glory, not man’s praise—6:11–18

“We have this ministry.… We have this treasure.… We [have] the same spirit of faith.… We have a building of God” (2 Cor. 4:1, 7, 13; 5:1). What a testimony Paul gave to the reality of the Christian faith!

This “building of God” is not the believer’s heavenly home, promised in John 14:1–6. It is his glorified body. Paul was a tentmaker (Acts 18:1–3), and here he used a tent as a picture of our present earthly bodies. A tent is a weak, temporary structure, without much beauty; but the glorified body we shall receive will be eternal, beautiful, and never show signs of weakness or decay (see Phil. 3:20–21). Paul saw the human body as an earthen vessel (2 Cor. 4:7) and a temporary tent; but he knew that believers would one day receive a wonderful glorified body, suited to the glorious environment of heaven.

It is interesting to trace Paul’s testimony in this paragraph.

We know (v. 1). How do we know? Because we trust the Word of God. No Christian has to consult a fortune-teller, a Ouija board, a spiritist, or a deck of cards to find out what the future holds or what lies on the other side of death. God has told us all that we need to know in the pages of His Word. Paul’s “we know” connects with his “knowing” in 2 Corinthians 4:14, and this relates to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We know that He is alive; therefore, we know that death cannot claim us. “Because I live, ye shall live also” (John 14:19).

If our tent is “taken down” (“dissolved”), we need not fear. The body is only the house we live in. When a believer dies, the body goes to the grave, but the spirit goes to be with Christ (Phil. 1:20–25). When Jesus Christ returns for His own, He will raise the dead bodies in glory, and body and spirit shall be joined together for a glorious eternity in heaven (1 Cor. 15:35–58; 1 Thess. 4:13–18).

We groan (vv. 2–5). Paul was not expressing a morbid desire for death. In fact, his statement is just the opposite: he was eager for Jesus Christ to return so that he would be “clothed upon” with the glorified body. He presented three possibilities, using the image of the body as a tent: (1) alive—residing in the tent; (2) dead—unclothed, out of the tent, “naked”; (3) clothed upon—the transformation of the body at the return of Christ. Paul was hoping that he would be alive and on the earth at the return of Christ, so that he might not have to go through the experience of death. Paul used a similar picture in 1 Corinthians 15:51–58, and he used the idea of “groaning” in Romans 8:22–26.

The glorified body is called “a building of God, a house not made with hands” in 2 Corinthians 5:1, and “our house which is from heaven” in 2 Corinthians 5:2. This is in contrast to our mortal bodies, which came from the dust of the earth. “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Cor. 15:49). It is important to note that Paul was not groaning because he was in a human body, but because he longed to see Jesus Christ and receive a glorified body. He was groaning for glory!

This explains why death holds no terrors for the Christian. Paul called his death a “departure” (2 Tim. 4:6). One meaning of this Greek word is “to take down one’s tent and move on.” But how can we be sure that we shall one day have new bodies like the glorified body of our Savior? We can be sure because the Spirit lives within us. Paul mentioned the sealing and the earnest of the Spirit in 2 Corinthians 1: (see also Eph. 1:13–14). The Holy Spirit dwelling in the believer’s body is the “down payment” that guarantees the future inheritance, including a glorified body. In modern Greek, the word translated “earnest” means “engagement ring.” The church is engaged to Jesus Christ and is waiting for the Bridegroom to come to take her to the wedding.

We are always confident (vv. 6–8). The people of God can be found in one of two places: either in heaven or on earth (Eph. 3:15). None of them is in the grave, in hell, or in any “intermediate place” between earth and heaven. Believers on earth are “at home in the body,” while believers who have died are “absent from the body.” Believers on earth are “absent from the Lord,” while believers in heaven are “present with the Lord.”

Because he had this kind of confidence, Paul was not afraid of suffering and trials, or even of dangers. This is not to suggest that he tempted the Lord by taking unnecessary risks, but it does mean that he was willing to “lose his life” for the sake of Christ and the ministry of the gospel. He walked by faith and not by sight. He looked at the eternal unseen, not the temporal seen (2 Cor. 4:18). Heaven was not simply a destination for Paul: it was a motivation. Like the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, he looked for the heavenly city and governed his life by eternal values.

As we review this section of 2 Corinthians, we can see how Paul had courage for the conflict and would not lose heart. He had a glorious ministry that transformed lives. He had a valuable treasure in the earthen vessel of his body, and he wanted to share that treasure with a bankrupt world. He had a confident faith that conquered fear, and he had a future hope that was both a destination and a motivation.

No wonder Paul was “more than conqueror” (Rom. 8:37)!

Every believer in Jesus Christ has these same marvelous possessions and can find through them courage for the conflict.

“Knowing, therefore, the terror [fear] of the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:11). This kind of attitude is often lacking in ministry. The famous Bible scholar B. F. Westcott once wrote, “Every year makes me tremble at the daring with which people speak of spiritual things.” Phillips Brooks used to warn about “clerical jesters” whose jesting about the Bible robbed that inspired Book of some of its glory and power. Too often there is a sad absence of reverence in the public meetings of the church, so that it is no surprise that the younger generation is not taking the things of God seriously.

Paul explained this motive by sharing his own testimony in three powerful statements.

We labor (v. 9). This means “we are ambitious.” There is an ambition that is selfish and worldly, but there is also a holy ambition that honors the Lord. Paul’s great ambition was to be well pleasing to Jesus Christ. The Judaizers ministered to please men and enlisted them in their cause; but Paul ministered to please Jesus Christ alone (Gal. 1:10). A man-pleasing ministry is a carnal, compromising ministry; and God cannot bless it.

The word translated “accepted” (“well pleasing”) is used in several other places in the New Testament, and each of these references helps us better understand what it is that pleases the Lord. It is well pleasing to Him when we present our bodies to Him as living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1), and when we live so as to help others and avoid causing them to stumble (Rom. 14:18). God is well pleased when His children separate themselves from the evil around them (Eph. 5:10), as well as when they bring their offerings to Him (Phil. 4:18). He is pleased with children who submit to their parents (Col. 3:20), as well as with saints who permit Jesus Christ to work out His perfect will in their lives (Heb. 13:20–21).

There is nothing wrong with godly ambition. “Yea, so have I strived [been ambitious] to preach the gospel” was Paul’s testimony in Romans 15:20; it was this godly ambition that compelled him to take the message where it had never been heard. Paul commanded the Thessalonian believers to “study [be ambitious] to be quiet” (1 Thess. 4:11). If, led by the Spirit, believers would put as much drive into Christian living and service as they do athletics or business, the gospel would make a greater impact on the lost world. “I want to be as zealous for God as I was for the devil!” a new Christian told me, and his life was greatly used of God.

We must all appear (v. 10). Not every believer is ambitious for the Lord, but every believer is going to appear before the Lord; and now is the time to prepare. The judgment seat of Christ is that future event when God’s people will stand before the Savior as their works are judged and rewarded (see Rom. 14:8–10). Paul was ambitious for the Lord because he wanted to meet Him with confidence and not shame (1 John 2:28).

The term “judgment seat” comes from the Greek word bema, which was the platform in Greek towns where orations were made or decisions handed down by rulers (see Matt. 27:19; Acts 12:21; 18:12). It was also the place where the awards were given out to the winners in the annual Olympic Games. This “judgment seat” must not be confused with the Great White Throne from which Christ will judge the wicked (Rev. 20:11–15). Because of the gracious work of Christ on the cross, believers will not face their sins (John 5:24; Rom. 8:1); but we will have to give an account of our works and service for the Lord.

The judgment seat of Christ will be a place of revelation; for the word appear means “be revealed.” As we live and work here on earth, it is relatively easy for us to hide things and pretend; but the true character of our works will be exposed before the searching eyes of the Savior. He will reveal whether our works have been good or bad (“worthless”). The character of our service will be revealed (1 Cor. 3:13) as well as the motives that impelled us (1 Cor. 4:5).

It will also be a place of reckoning as we give an account of our ministries (Rom. 14:10–12). If we have been faithful it will be a place of reward and recognition (1 Cor. 3:10–15; 4:1–6). For those of us who have been faithful, it will be a time of rejoicing as we glorify the Lord by giving our rewards back to Him in worship and in praise.

Is the desire for reward a proper motive for service? The fact that God does promise rewards is proof that the motive is not a sinful one, even though it may not be the highest motive. Just as parents are happy when their children achieve recognition, so our Lord is pleased when His people are worthy of recognition and reward. The important thing is not the reward itself, but the joy of pleasing Christ and honoring Him.

We persuade men (vv. 11–13). If God judges His own people, then what will happen to the lost? “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Peter 4:18). The word terror does not mean fright, dread, or horror. After all, we are going to see our Savior—and He loves us. But Paul did not minimize the awesomeness of the occasion. We shall stand before Christ, “and there is no respect of persons” (Col. 3:23–25). Christ has commanded us to spread the gospel to all nations, and we must be obedient. Someone asked the Duke of Wellington what he thought of foreign missions, and his reply was “What are your marching orders?”

How can the Christian prepare for the judgment seat of Christ? To begin with, he must maintain a clear conscience (2 Cor. 5:11). No doubt some of the enemies at Corinth were saying, “Just wait until Paul stands before the Lord!” But Paul was not afraid, because he knew that his conscience was clear (see 2 Cor. 1:12). The truth about each one of us shall be revealed, and Jesus Christ will commend us for those things that have pleased Him.

Second, we must take care not to depend on the praise of men (2 Cor. 5:12). This verse relates to 2 Corinthians 3:1, where Paul referred to the “letters of commendation” that the Judaizers prized so highly. If we live only for the praise of men, we will not win the praise of God at the judgment seat of Christ. To live for man’s praise is to exalt reputation over character, and it is character that will count when we see Christ. Actually, the Corinthians should have commended Paul! Instead, they were “promoting” the Judaizers, who gloried in appearance (see 2 Cor. 11:18), but were unspiritual in heart.

Finally, we must ignore the criticisms of men (2 Cor. 5:13). Paul’s enemies said that he was crazy. Paul said that he was “mad” when he was persecuting the church (Acts 26:11), but his enemies said he was mad since he had become a believer himself (Acts 26:24). But people said that our Lord was mad, so Paul was in good company (see Mark 3:21). “If I am mad,” Paul was saying, “it is for your good and the glory of God— so that makes it worthwhile!”

When Dwight L. Moody was ministering at his large Sunday school and church in Chicago, people often called him “Crazy Moody.” In the eyes of the unsaved world, Moody was crazy to have given up a successful business career to become a Sunday school worker and evangelist; but time has proved his decision to be a wise one. Today, we don’t know the names of the people who laughed at him, but we do know—and honor—the name of D. L. Moody.

It behooves every Christian to examine his own life regularly to see if he is ready for the judgment seat of Christ. Wanting to give a good account before Christ is a worthy motive for Christian service.

What we believe and how we behave must always go together. Paul usually connected duty and doctrine, because what God has done for us must motivate us to do something for God. Phillips Brooks said, “Christianity knows no truth which is not the child of love and the parent of duty.”

“You would have preached a marvelous sermon,” a woman said to her pastor, “except for all those ‘therefores’ at the end!”

Paul would have agreed with the pastor, for he usually used “therefores” and “wherefores” liberally in his letters. In fact, you find them in this section of 2 Corinthians 5 in verses 9, 11, and 16–17. Paul moved from explanation to application, and his theme was motivation for ministry. His enemies had accused him of using the ministry of the gospel for his own selfish purposes, when in reality they were the ones who were “merchandising” the gospel (see 2 Cor. 2:17; 4:2).

What is the ministry of the Christian? To persuade sinners to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:11, 20). We must never force people to trust Christ, or coerce them by some devious approach. “Our message to you is true, our motives are pure, our conduct is absolutely aboveboard” (1 Thess. 2:3, Phillips). The Christian worker must have the right motive for ministry as well as the right message.

In this section, Paul stated three acceptable motives for ministry.

How can such opposite emotions as fear and love dwell in the same heart? Certainly they are found in the hearts of children who love their parents and yet respect them and their authority. “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Ps. 2:11).

The phrase “the love of Christ” means His love for us as seen in His sacrificial death. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). He loved us when we were unlovely; in fact, He loved us when we were ungodly, sinners, and enemies (see Rom. 5:6–10). When He died on the cross, Christ proved His love for the world (John 3:16), the church (Eph. 5:25), and individual sinners (Gal. 2:20). When you consider the reasons why Christ died, you cannot help but love Him.

He died that we might die (v. 14). The tense of the verb gives the meaning “then all died.” This truth is explained in detail in Romans 6, the believer’s identification with Christ. When Christ died, we died in Him and with Him. Therefore, the old life should have no hold on us today. “I am crucified with Christ” (Gal. 2:20).

He died that we might live (vv. 15–17). This is the positive aspect of our identification with Christ: we not only died with Him, but we also were raised with Him that we might “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Because we have died with Christ, we can overcome sin; and because we live with Christ, we can bear fruit for God’s glory (Rom. 7:4).

He died that we might live through Him: “God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9). This is our experience of salvation, eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. But He also died that we might live for Him, and not live unto ourselves (2 Cor. 5:15). This is our experience of service. It has well been said, “Christ died our death for us that we might live His life for Him.” If a lost sinner has been to the cross and been saved, how can he spend the rest of his life in selfishness?

In 1858, Frances Ridley Havergal visited Germany with her father, who was getting treatment for his afflicted eyes. While in a pastor’s home, she saw a picture of the crucifixion on the wall, with the words under it: “I did this for thee. What hast thou done for Me?” Quickly she took a piece of paper and wrote a poem based on that motto; but she was not satisfied with it, so she threw the paper into the fireplace. The paper came out unharmed! Later, her father encouraged her to publish it; and we sing it today to a tune composed by Philip P. Bliss. I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed, That thou might’st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead; I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou given for Me?

Christ died that we might live through Him and for Him, and that we might live with Him. “Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thess. 5:10). Because of Calvary, believers are going to heaven to live with Christ forever!

He died that we might die, and He died that we might live. But He also died that we might share in the new creation (2 Cor. 5:16–17). Our new relationship to Christ has brought about a new relationship to the world and the people around us. We no longer look at life the way we used to. To know Christ “after the flesh” means to evaluate Him from a human point of view. But “the days of his flesh” are ended (Heb. 5:7) because He has ascended to heaven and is now glorified at the Father’s right hand.

Adam was the head of the old creation, and Christ (the Last Adam, 1 Cor. 15:45) is the Head of the new creation. The old creation was plunged into sin and condemnation because of the disobedience of Adam. The new creation means righteousness and salvation because of the obedience of Jesus Christ. (See Rom. 5:12–21 for the explanation of the “two Adams.”) Because we are a part of the new creation, everything has become new.

For one thing, we have a new view of Christ. It is unfortunate that too great an emphasis is given in music and art on Christ “after the flesh.” The facts about the earthly life of Jesus are important, because the Christian message is grounded in history. But we must interpret the manger by the throne. We do not worship a Babe in a manger; we worship a glorified Savior on the throne.

Because “all things are become new,” we also have a new view of people around us. We see them as sinners for whom Christ died. We no longer see them as friends or enemies, customers or coworkers; we see them the way Christ sees them, as lost sheep who need a shepherd. When you are constrained by the love of Christ, you want to share His love with others.

During an especially controversial presidential election, a church officer came into a Sunday school class wearing a large pin that promoted one of the candidates. The pastor stopped him and advised him to take it off until he was out of church.

“Why take it off?” he argued. “He’s a perfectly good candidate!”

“But suppose the pin is seen by an unsaved man of the other party?” the pastor replied. “Will it upset him and maybe keep him from hearing the Word and getting saved?”

Sullenly, the man removed the pin; and then he smiled and said, “I guess I should remember that people aren’t Republicans or Democrats. They’re sinners who need a Savior—and that’s more important than winning an election.”

But we should also look at other Christians as a part of the new creation, and not evaluate them on the bases of education, race, finances, or position in society. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

The key idea in this paragraph is reconciliation. Because of his rebellion, man was the enemy of God and out of fellowship with Him. Through the work of the cross, Jesus Christ has brought man and God together again. God has been reconciled and has turned His face in love toward the lost world. The basic meaning of the word reconcile is “to change thoroughly.” It refers to a changed relationship between God and the lost world.

God does not have to be reconciled to man, because that was accomplished by Christ on the cross. It is sinful man who must be reconciled to God. “Religion” is man’s feeble effort to be reconciled to God, efforts that are bound to fail. The Person who reconciles us to God is Jesus Christ, and the place where He reconciles us is His cross.

Another key idea in this section is imputation. This is a word borrowed from banking; it simply means “to put to one’s account.” When you deposit money in the bank, the computer (or the clerk) puts that amount to your account, or to your credit. When Jesus died on the cross, all of our sins were imputed to Him—put to His account. He was treated by God as though He had actually committed those sins.

The result? All of those sins have been paid for, and God no longer holds them against us, because we have trusted Christ as our Savior. But even more: God has put to our account the very righteousness of Christ! “For he hath made him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

Reconciliation is based on imputation: because the demands of God’s holy law have been fully met on the cross, God can be reconciled to sinners. Those who believe on Jesus Christ as their Savior will never have their sins imputed against them again (Ps. 32:1–2; Rom. 4:1–8). As far as their records are concerned, they share the righteousness of Jesus Christ!

There is a lovely illustration of this truth in the little letter Paul wrote to his friend Philemon. Philemon’s slave, Onesimus, stole from his master and then fled to Rome. Because of his crimes, he could have been crucified. But in the providence of God, Onesimus met Paul and was converted. Paul wrote the Letter to Philemon to encourage his friend to forgive Onesimus and receive him home. “Receive him as myself,” wrote Paul (Philem. 17); “if he … oweth thee aught, put that on mine account” (Philem. 18). Paul was willing to pay the bill (imputation) so that Onesimus and Philemon could be reconciled.

How does this wonderful doctrine of reconciliation motivate us to serve Christ? We are ambassadors with a message. God has committed to us the ministry and the word of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18–19).

In the Roman Empire, there were two kinds of provinces: senatorial provinces and imperial provinces. The senatorial provinces were made up of people who were peaceful and not at war with Rome. They had surrendered and submitted. But the imperial provinces were not peaceful; they were dangerous because they would rebel against Rome if they could. It was necessary for Rome to send ambassadors to the imperial provinces to make sure that rebellion did not break out.

Since Christians in this world are the ambassadors of Christ, this means that the world is in rebellion against God. This world is an “imperial province” as far as God is concerned. He has sent His ambassadors into the world to declare peace, not war. “Be ye reconciled to God!” We represent Jesus Christ (John 20:21; 2 Cor. 4:5). If sinners reject us and our message, it is Jesus Christ who is actually rejected. What a great privilege it is to be heaven’s ambassadors to the rebellious sinners of this world!

When I was a young pastor, it used to embarrass me somewhat to make visits and confront people with the claims of Christ. Then it came to me that I was a privileged person, an ambassador of the King of Kings! There was nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, the people I visited should have been grateful that one of Christ’s ambassadors came to see them.

God has not declared war on the world; at the cross He declared peace. But one day, He will declare war; and then it will be too late for those who have rejected the Savior (2 Thess. 1:3–10). Satan is seeking to tear everything apart in this world, but Christ and His church are involved in the ministry of reconciliation, bringing things back together again, and back to God.

Ministry is not easy. If we are to succeed, we must be motivated by the fear of the Lord, the love of Christ, and the commission that He has given to us. What a privilege it is to serve Him!