2 Corinthians 5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Temporal and Eternal
5 For we know
that if [a]the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God,
a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from
heaven, 3 inasmuch as
we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do
not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a [b]pledge.
6 Therefore,
being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we
are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by [c]sight— 8 we are of
good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent,
to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that
each one may be recompensed for [d]his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good
or bad.
11 Therefore,
knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to
God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 12 We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that
you will have an answer for those who take pride in
appearance and not in heart. 13 For if we [e]are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is
for you. 14 For the love
of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and 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.
16 Therefore
from now on we recognize no one [f]according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ [g]according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this
way no longer. 17 Therefore if
anyone is in Christ, [h]he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold,
new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through
Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the
world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and [i]He has [j]committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore,
we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal
through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might
become the righteousness of God in Him.
The Bible Panorama
2 Corinthians 5
V 1–5: RESERVED! Our bodies, the earthly dwelling place for our souls, are
deteriorating. But Christians in Corinth then, or anywhere now, own the title
deeds to an eternal home to come! Furthermore, there will be a new resurrection
body to clothe us, in which we will enjoy our glorious privileges for ever. We
have been given the Holy Spirit now as a guarantee of this glorious future
blessing.
V 6–10: REWARDS Notwithstanding
the certainty of salvation in Christ through grace alone, and the fact of one
day being present with the Lord in heaven, Paul reminds the Corinthians that
they must appear before the ‘judgement seat of Christ’ where good or bad
stewardship will receive its just and appropriate rewards.
V 11–15: RATIONALE With that accountability in mind, Paul persuades men to turn
to Christ. Christ’s love compels him to do this, knowing that Christ ‘died for
all’ and ‘rose again’. These facts demand that lives be lived for Him.
V 16–21: RECONCILIATION Those reconciled to God, through Christ, have become completely
new people. Furthermore, they urge others to be reconciled to God. The basis of
that reconciliation is that the sinless and righteous Christ was made sin for
sinful and unrighteous sinners, who trust Him, so that they are counted as
sinless and righteous in Him.
Dictionary
of Bible Themes
6717
reconciliation, of the world to God
On
account of sin, people are alienated from God and cut off from fellowship with
him. Through Jesus Christ, God reconciles the world to himself, breaking down
the barriers of hostility and estrangement.
A
broken relationship through sin brings alienation from God
Isa
59:2 See also Ge 3:23-24 the expulsion from Eden; Ge 4:13-14 Cain’s alienation
from God; Isa 48:22; Isa 64:7; Jer 33:5; Lk 18:13 the tax collector’s prayer
for mercy; Ro 5:10; Ro 8:7; Eph 2:1-3,12; Eph 4:18; Col 1:21; Jas 4:4
God
takes the initiative in bringing about reconciliation
2Co
5:18-19 See also Ro 5:6-8; Gal 4:4-5; Eph 2:4-5; 1Jn 4:10
The
means of reconciliation is the death of Jesus Christ
Ro
5:6 See also 2Co 5:18-19,21; Eph 2:13,16; Col 1:20
The
results of reconciliation are both personal and universal
Peace
with God Ro 5:1 See also Ac 10:36-46; Eph 2:14-19; Col 1:21-22
Access
to God Ro 5:2 See also Eph 2:18; Eph 3:12; Heb 10:19-22
Adoption
as God’s children Ro 8:15-16; Gal 3:26; Gal 4:4-6; 1Jn 3:1-2
Peacemaking
throughout the universe Col 1:20 See also Ro 11:15; Eph 1:7-10,22-23
Believers
are to be the ambassadors of reconciliation
2Co
5:18-20
