Lesson 10 – 2 Corinthians Chapter 5:11-18
Last week we were blessed by taking a peek into our future. We didn’t use tarot cards or a Ouija board, we looked into God’s Word. More specifically, we were reminded not by Omar the tent maker, but by the apostle Paul (whose trade was making tents), that our human tents are wearing out, and that we’re not to worry, because God has something far better for us… our glorified bodies.
We are given hints as to what kind of bodies we will have just by looking at Jesus’ resurrected body. This transformation of our human bodies is part of the Christian hope: that death is not the end, and that our future bodies will be perfectly suited for eternal life with God, free from pain, decay, and sorrow.
John 11:25:
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die.”
Philippians 3:21:
“He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.”
Right now Christians face illness, grief, and hardship with the assurance that their eternal joy awaits them. Fear of death is replaced by peace and hope, knowing that life continues beyond the grave.
We were also given the assurance that when we stand before Jesus in our glorified bodies at His judgment seat, there will be no condemnation for us… only love.
In John Burke’s book “Imagine Heaven,” there are people who speak of their near-death experiences, and they talk about seeing Jesus, and that all they could sensed was an overwhelming feeling of being loved.
One account Burke highlights says:
“I felt more love than I’ve ever known. It was like being home for the first time.”
Another testimony describes:
“When I saw Him, I knew instantly it was Jesus. His presence was pure love… no judgment, no fear, just total acceptance.”
There’s no way of knowing if the experiences these people had are true, but there’s no harm in speculating. What is true is that every believer will stand before Jesus and give an account of what they did with their life on earth… whether good or bad.
2 Cor. 5:11:
“Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.”
(NLT) “Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.”
Whether we say the terror of the Lord or knowing the fear of the Lord, we should not take this at face value, meaning, that we shouldn’t be afraid of God, that He’s up in heaven with a baseball bat waiting to smash you the moment you do something wrong.
Instead, our verse refers to having a deep reverence, awe, and respect for God’s holiness, power, and love. Sadly, this kind of attitude is often lacking in church ministry.
Fear or terror (pha-boss) means to have reverence, awe, and respect.
The fear of the Lord… in its true biblical sense is meant to be the foundation of wisdom, humility, and worship. Yet in many ministries today, that reverent awe can be overshadowed by worldly performance, popularity, or even comfort.
Here, Paul connects the fear of the Lord with evangelism and integrity. He’s not afraid of God in a corrective sense, this is because he’s deeply aware of God’s holiness and His coming judgment, which drives Paul to live and preach faithfully the gospel of Christ.
Remember, he’s just talked to us about the judgment seat of Christ. Paul was definitely in awe of the fact that he would one day stand before Jesus… this is something we should all consider as well.
Pastor Jon Courson writes, “Paul wanted to spare anyone from saying, “Why did I waste my time on that hobby, spend my money on that insignificant trinket, squander my energy so foolishly? Why did I take so lightly that which Jesus did for me on the Cross of Calvary?”
I don’t think Jon is saying we can’t have hobbies, but that we should be continually heavenly minded, which is all about striking a balance, calling on believers to live with an eternal perspective.
Col. 3:1-2:
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Let’s remember, we live in this world, but we’re not of this world. Perhaps our biggest obstacle is dealing with our own flesh.
When it comes to “our fearful responsibility to the Lord,” our flesh and sinful nature often get in the way and derail us. The world influence, along with satan and his demons also war against us.
We’re to have a reverent awe that compels our obedience, not out of terror, but out of deep respect for God. It’s the sobering awareness that we’ve been entrusted with a sacred calling, and it’s God’s grace that enables us to fulfill it. Paul carried the gospel with a profound sense of responsibility before God, and we’re called to do the same.
2 Cor. 5:12:
“For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.”
(NLT) “Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart.”
For we do not commend ourselves again to you…
What this comes down to is a matter of credibility. It had to be pretty annoying for Paul to have to put up with the constant pressure and attacks that were coming from the false teachers, where they tried to undermine his authority and distort the gospel.
The false teachers unfairly claimed that Paul was just bragging about himself, trying to make himself look important, and pushing his own personal goals on the people. They spread those accusations while he wasn’t there, and probably even said these things during his difficult and emotional visit to Corinth.
1 Cor. 9:16 (NLT):
“Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!”
But give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart…
Paul was wise, and rather than trying to prove himself to his critics, he chose to equip his supporters to speak on his behalf. He understood that confronting the false teachers directly would be useless, since they would only manipulate whatever he said to serve their own corrupt agenda.
According to “Psychology Today,” manipulators often use a tactic called paradoxical defense. This involves flipping reality, accusing someone of the very wrongdoing they themselves are committing. For example:
• A dishonest person might accuse a truthful colleague of lying, or an abusive partner might provoke conflict, then accuse the victim of aggression.
This tactic is designed to confuse others and to shift blame, much like the false teachers who accused Paul of arrogance while they themselves were promoting a distorted gospel.
Funny how history repeats its self. Whether it’s Paul dealing with false teachers or people today facing manipulation and slander, the patterns are strikingly familiar. Power struggles, twisted truths, and the battle for integrity seem to echo across generations.
2 Cor. 5:13:
“For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you.”
For if we are beside ourselves… (ex-is’-tay-mee) which means to be out of one’s mind, beside one’s self, or insane. The NLT says, “If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit.”
We see an example of this in Mark 3:20-21:
“One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.”
Maybe we can label this as “spiritual craziness.” Years ago, my own family held the view that I was involved in some kind of cult. Maybe you’ve experienced this as well.
Paul had a fervent love for God and the gospel, and if having a passionate devotion to Jesus tags you as being a crazed lunatic, I’ll take crazy any day of the week.
Passionate devotion to God has always looked strange to a world that doesn’t understand it. Are you ready to be a fool for Christ?
Acts 26:24:
“Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!’”
We know that Paul was in his right mind. Would a sane person willingly face a riotous mob intent on destroying him? Or, who would be crazy enough to walk back into a city in which he had just been stoned and dragged out? Only a person who was utterly devoted to God would show little regard for himself… such a man was Paul.
Or if we are of sound mind, it is for you…
The Corinthians had been around Paul long enough to know that he was a man of godly purpose, and to be in full control.
Sound mind… (sōphroneō) it means to exercise self control.
2 Tim. 1:7:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (or self-control)
The false teachers were scheming to make Paul look outlandish and out of control, but Paul was unafraid to always speak the truth with boldness. His Corinthian friends knew him, and being of sound mind, Paul says, it is for you (the Corinthians).
2 Tim 4:2:
“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”
The Corinthians always got the genuine article with Paul.
2 Cor. 5:14:
“For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;”
Paul certainly loved Christ, but here Paul’s actions and motivations were because the love of Christ was in him. Paul was compelled to defend himself because of Christ’s generous, undeserved, and freely given love, it was that love that guided his actions, and gave him the strength to stand firm.
Speaking of the love of Christ…
Romans 8:35-39:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Every time I read these verses it lifts my spirit up, I hope it does for you as well.
Then Paul says (this love of Christ) well… it compels us… meaning to hold together, or we can say it controls us.
When we think about Christ’s love for us, it changes our motivation, we no longer live to please ourselves or to impress others. Instead, we’re driven by gratefulness for what Jesus has done; His sacrificial love becomes the “why” behind our choices. This held true for Paul as well.
John 15:13:
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Jesus defines love through His sacrifice, and when we grasp this, it compels us to love and serve others in return.
Gal. 2:20 (NIV):
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Paul shows us how Christ’s love reshapes a person’s identity and purpose. His love becomes the reason we live for Him and others.
that if One died for all, then all died…
Hebrews 10:14:
“For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”
This speaks to the truth of what is called “substitutionary atonement” …in other words, Jesus died in the place of all who put their faith in Him.
Gal. 3:13 (NLT):
“But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When He was hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’”
One died for all… now if this phrase stood alone, it could mean that Jesus died for everyone who ever lived, but Paul clarifies this by adding… “then all died.” The Bible teaches that Christ’s death was sufficient for all, but His death is effective only for those who believe in Him.
Romans 6:3-4:
“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
Our salvation is conditional upon our faith in Jesus. Yes, Christ’s death is enough to cover the sins of all humanity, but it only applies to those who receive it by faith.
Eph. 2:8:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,”
Just as everyone who shares in Adam’s humanity inherited sin through his disobedience, everyone who belongs to Christ, those who truly believe, receive righteousness through His perfect sacrifice.
2 Cor. 5:15:
“And He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”
Just prior to our salvation, there comes a point of reckoning within ourselves, where we finally understand that apart from Christ we are nothing, that we are lost in our sins. Then the Holy Spirit turns on the light of our soul, and we can see the offer of salvation standing right in front of us, and we say, “Yes Lord, you are the only way for me.” At that point, the miracle of salvation falls upon us, and we belong to Jesus.
Every person, once they’ve given their life to Christ, they need to make Him Lord of their life. What Paul is saying is now you must live for Christ! This is the spiritual awakening that changes everything for us.
A life lived for Christ is one that’s centered on Him, where your thoughts, actions, and purpose are shaped by His love, His teachings, and His example. It’s not just about believing in Jesus, it’s about letting that belief transform how you live every day.
Romans 12:2 (NLT):
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
When we give our life to Christ we experience not only death to sin, but we realize we’re also alive to His righteousness.
Romans 6:11:
“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
This brings us back to verse 14, “For the love of Christ compels us.” Paul’s motivation was “the love of Christ” … not his love for Christ, but Christ’s love for him; and guess what, we are loved by Christ in the same way.
With this in mind, why wouldn’t we want to live for Christ?
Some believe that because salvation is by grace, how they live doesn’t really matter. They cherry pick a verse like 1 Cor. 10:23 where it says; “All things are lawful for me,” and they run with it. This can lead to spiritual complacency. They ignore the rest of the verse, “but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.”
Our sinful nature is always looking for the easy way out.
Romans 6:1-2:
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?”
If we have truly died to sin, then we should always live for Christ, not just when we feel like it. Living for Christ isn’t based on what kind of mood you’re in, it’s a daily commitment rooted in the reality of what He’s done for us. Considering all He has done for us, is this too much to ask?
2 Cor. 5:16:
“Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.”
(NLT) “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!”
Therefore… This is a reflection of verses 14 and 15 which describe the gospel.
From now on, we regard no one according to the flesh… This means there’s been a change that has taken place. Has this happened to you? Do you now see people in a different light? Or do you still observe people based on external and worldly standards?
Paul looks back to the way he was in Acts 26:9-11:
“I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.” (NIV)
I’m sure when you look back on your own life you’ll find some regrets, some things that you would have done differently… Paul certainly did; but Jesus changed him, now his prejudices and hatred have given way to a love for all. This is what happens when God’s grace collides with a hardened heart.
Paul didn’t hide his past. He used it to magnify the grace and mercy of God.
Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh…
This is how we all were B.C., before Christ… we knew God according to the flesh… from a human point of view, but the good news is God doesn’t leave us that way (thank God)…
Yet now we know Him thus no longer…
Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV):
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
This is a powerful image of grace: God doesn’t just clean us up, He gives us a new heart entirely; He takes us from a stoney wicked heart to a heart of flesh that has the capacity to love. For those who are in Christ, we see God by faith in a whole new way.
2 Cor. 5:17:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
This is a promise from God that satan will try to steal away from you the moment you’re saved. He’ll whisper lies like, “You haven’t really changed.” “You’re still the same broken person.” “God can’t use someone like you.”
The real truth is the moment you said “yes” to Jesus, everything changed. You were reborn, washed clean, made new, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Don’t be surprised when the enemy tries to steal that truth from you. Satan knows he can’t undo your salvation, so he’ll try to make you doubt it. He’ll whisper lies, stir up old guilt, and tempt you to believe you’re still the same old person you were.
But you’re not. You’re a new creation. The old has passed.
Romans 6:23:
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The wages of sin have passed, the old has passed… it’s all gone through God’s gift of salvation. The new has come, and it’s something we can stand on, because Jesus is the One who did it. We don’t deserve it, we didn’t earn it, we couldn’t buy it… God blessed us with His salvation…
All things have become new… or new things have come… this phrase is grammatically in the perfect tense, which means it’s a past act with continuing results in the present; in other words, it’s not going to stop, it doesn’t have an expiration date. This is our re-birth that will never get old… yes, our bodies will grow old and die, but who we are in Christ will never die.
Three things to remember:
• The moment you surrendered to Jesus, you were made new. That transformation was real, decisive, and complete.
• You continue to live in that newness. The Spirit renews your mind, reshapes your desires, and empowers your walk daily.
• This new identity doesn’t expire. Though your body may age and fade, your spirit… reborn in Christ… will never die.
The new has come… Stand firm in that promise. Declare it. Live it, and protect it.
2 Cor. 5:18:
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,”
The phrase all things are of God is reminding us of what we have received… the radical change that happens at the moment of salvation… and this is initiated by God.
1 John 4:10:
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
Who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ…
The word reconciled is ka-ta-llassō; it means return to favor with, or to receive one into favor.
When sin entered the world, it drove a wedge between God and humanity, a vast chasm that no human effort could ever bridge. We lost our standing before God, no longer walking in His favor, and became estranged from the One who created us. The relationship was broken, and we needed to be reconciled back to God.
John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Love is who God is, He is a Savior by His nature!
Isaiah 43:3a:
“For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;”
John MacArthur writes, “From before the foundation of the world, God freely and apart from outside influence determined to save sinners in order to eternally display the glory of His grace. He chose those who He would rescue from His own wrath on sin, and wrote their names in the Book of Life.”
Romans 5:11:
“And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”
Col. 1:20-22 (NLT):
“And through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now He has reconciled you to Himself through the death of Christ in His physical body. As a result, He has brought you into His own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault.”
I’ll close with this…
Once we give our life to Jesus, there’s a profound change that takes place… we’ve been re-born in our spirit, and God gave us His Spirit. Jesus died and rose again from the grave so that we might have a new life in Him.
In a silly way, it’s like when we buy a new car, and we experience that “new car smell,” except that now that “new car smell” will never go away.
Are you a sweet smelling aroma to God? If you are, that newness will never go away. Have you fallen into sin, and now you’re kind of stinky? Confess your sin, because God is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You’ve been reconciled!!