Paul has written that God comforts us in our afflictions (1:4). He was burdened excessively beyond strength, despairing even of death, but he trusted in God who raises the dead (1:8-9). God is faithful (1:18) and all the promises of God are “Yes” in Jesus Christ (1:20).
The Christians in Corinth had disciplined the man who was living in sin and they needed to, now, forgive him and comfort him and reaffirm their love for him (2:7-8). The sweet aroma of the knowledge of Jesus Christ was evident in the Christians (2:14) as well as the fact that they were letters of Christ known and read by all men (3:2-3). This was made possible through the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the gospel message, which conformed the Christians into the image of Christ (3:18).
Then last week, you studied chapter 4, Paul stated that we do not lose heart in face of our afflictions because Jesus Christ gives us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God (4:6). We don’t get crushed; we don’t get despairing; we don’t feel forsaken; we aren’t destroyed. The life of Jesus is evident in our flesh as we reflect the gospel message in our lives (4:11). We anticipate a resurrection from the dead (4:14).
“Therefore,” (4:16), we do not lose heart. The outer man is decaying; the inner man is being renewed each day (4:16).
That brings us to chapter 5 where Paul begins…
Paul contrasts a life lived in a tent, our physical lives, with a life lived in a house, our eternal, spiritual lives (5:1). We know we have such a house in heaven, prepared by God. Paul uses the verb “to know” 16 times in these 13 chapters! We groan and sigh in this physical tent, longing to be clothed with something better and we will, one day, receive something better. When we are with the Lord! God prepared this for us and gave the Holy Spirit as a “pledge” that this promise will be fulfilled. The Corinthians could see the visible manifestations of the Spirit in the miracles Paul performed. You and I take it by faith (verse 7), based on our understanding of the word of God.
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Paul writes in the next paragraph that this promise gives us confidence. Either we will be in this physical life or we will be with the Lord. If we die in this physical life, we will be with the Lord. What is there to be concerned about (reread 4:16-18)? So, our ambition is to be with the Lord (ver. 9). But, we have to pass before the judgment seat of Christ first (ver. 10).
Knowing that we all have to stand before the judgment of Christ, we persuade men to be reconciled to God (ver. 11). The Corinthians knew that was Paul’s life and his ministry (ver. 12-13). It was their love for Christ and His love for them that compelled them to share the word of reconciliation (ver. 14). Christ died for us; we ought to live for Him (ver. 15).
We don’t judge people according to the flesh; we consider their spiritual lives (ver. 16). Spiritually, if one is “in Christ,” he is a new creature (ver. 17). That is the result of the ministry of reconciliation. God took the initiative to reconcile us to Himself, through His Son (ver. 18). The “definition” (at least theologically) of reconciliation is in verse 19: “God was not counting our trespasses against us.” That’s the “word of reconciliation”!
As ambassadors of Christ, we speak on behalf of Christ (compare 4:7) and we urge others: “Be reconciled to God!” Clearly the sinner has something to do to be saved! Why is the sacrifice of Christ so powerful? Because (ver. 21), God “made” Christ to be sin for us even though He “knew” no sin. When we are in Christ, then we are made righteous in the eyes of God! That’s what makes the initial promise in verses 1-5 so powerful!
Paul Holland
