2 Corinthians 5-8

 

2 Corinthians 5

Paul contrasts several aspects of the difference between the earthly and the eternal. It is not a checklist that they have to do all these things to be saved, but more of a description of what God is doing in their lives that they need to recognize and receive.

• 2 Corinthians 5:1-8 Naked mortality vs. being clothed with Holy Spirit. We will long for our heavenly abode as long as we are in this body, but the Holy Spirit is the deposit that God has made into our lives that we will one day arrive at our true home. (John 14:1-2,16-17) We need to recognize and welcome Him.
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 Walking by faith vs. walking by sight. Choosing to act in obedience to God’s calling and ways (both generic and specific to us) rather than what the world tells us to do. Trusting God to provide through our obedient labor for Him, rather than letting our hearts be focused on laying up earthly treasure.
• 2 Corinthians 5:8-10 Viewing death as the end vs. the appointed time to appear before Christ for judgment. In contrast to the judgment of the dead described by John (Revelation 20:7-10), believers will receive what is due them from God’s perspective based on what they did in the body, which will include both punishment and reward. 
• 2 Corinthians 5:11-13 Taking pride in what is seen in this world vs. confidence in what is in our heart. The worldly wise will say that this is crazy. They will say that Mother Teresa fed the poor but didn’t eliminate poverty or change the lives of the poor. But she trusted in God’s perspective and did what He called her to do.
• 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Living for self vs. living for Christ. Christ died and rose from the grave, so in order for us to similarly experience resurrection power, we must die to ourselves (not physically, but in our goals, ambitions, desires) and live for Him and His goals, ambitions, and desires for us.
• 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Judging others by worldly standards vs. seeing them as potential or actual new creations that are reconciled to Christ. Not to pass judgment on them based on what we see, but to be ambassadors carrying the King of king’s offer of a peace treaty to them, if they are not already reconciled to Him.

2 Corinthians 6

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 What would it look like to receive God’s grace in vain? Paul quotes Isaiah’s promise to the Jews of restoration after they had been exiled and repented. (Isaiah 49:8) Most likely, based on verse 2, by receive he means to experience the offer of God’s grace. The emphasis on ‘now’ implies a timing issue - we can only repent and accept God’s grace in this life. Now they see and recognize both their sin and God’s offer of salvation: He is making the offer but they must accept it, or else the offer is in vain. In the end, He has done all He can, but He can’t or won’t force them to accept Him as Lord. But Paul pleads with them to do so.

2 Corinthians 6:3-10 Paul describes all that he has done and been through, to illustrate the point that the trials of life both produce and reveal fruit. They must understand that although trials in this life are hard, God’s unseen eternal kingdom ultimately triumphs. Paul appears to be impoverished, but spiritually, God possesses all things. 

2 Corinthians 6:11-13 A plea for an exchange of mutual affection. Paul has opened his innermost heart to them, and asks them to do the same, which it appears they have not done. They have been guarded in their response to him. He requests a fair exchange.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Being yoked with unbelievers and/or idolators is not possible - it is one or the other. The one true God will not have anything in common with a worshipper of a pagan god, which is really a demonic imposter. God’s conditional promise is that He will be with and among His people, making them His temple. (Leviticus 26:12) He will walk among them and be their God (Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 37:27), as a Father (2 Samuel 7:14; John 14:21&23). The condition is that they separate themselves from idolatry, as the one with beautiful feet bringing good news promises. (Isaiah 52:11)

It is striking that the pagan idolatry of the ancient world was just as prevalent in ‘civilized’ Greece as it was in ancient Palestine. The demonic gods had different names and rituals, but the fundamental principle of the fallen angels seeking to have humans worshipping them through sinful rituals seems to be a norm of the unseen realm. So this appeal is able to cite Israel’s history and the sordid consequences of their idolatry as relevant to first century Greeks. The battle for men’s souls between God and Satan is universal. Even in our day, only the names have changed, as people now worship money or sex or power in place of God.

2 Corinthians 7

2 Corinthians 7:1 How hard is perfect holiness? On our own, impossible. With Holy Spirit anointing, it only needs cooperation with Him. We recognize this as a process towards a goal  which we will arrive at in Heaven, but we should never reject the work of God in this life, in our life here and now, towards holiness.

2 Corinthians 7:2-7 Paul had spoken honestly and openly because of his love for them. Everyone has troubles of some sort. Paul found joy in these troubles recognizing God’s handiwork.

2 Corinthians 7:8-12 We should welcome conviction that brings growth and healing, even though it is painful. Paul’s previous letter was to the point of helping the Corinthians see for themselves where they stand with God. Learning to recognize conviction from the Holy Spirit and respond appropriately is part of the Christian life. The discernment of shane and guilt vs, conviction is a key attribute of spiritual life.

2 Corinthians 7:13-16 Delight in shared faith in and shared obedience to Christ brings joy. 

2 Corinthians 8

2 Corinthians 8:1-7 Giving: Paul is not talking about tithing, nor is he talking about stewardship and responsible use of the resources God has blessed us with. Gifts are not tithing. He is not asking them to support his ministry. (He worked as a tentmaker to support himself.)  He is talking about the grace of giving ourselves, all that we are and all that we have, to the Lord. This is in the context of taking up a collection for the saints in Jerusalem. Whether their circumstances were do to economic hardship in that region (e.g., a drought), or due to persecution of Christians and inability to find jobs in that Jewish culture is not the point. He commends the Macedonians for their desire to give generously, and invites the Corinthians to join them. 

2 Corinthians 8:8-9 There is a difference between earthly riches and spiritual riches. Jesus was rich, not in any earthly sense, but in eternal values. By grace He left heaven, came to earth, and gave Himself to rescue us. 

2 Corinthians 8:10-12 Paul encourages them to follow through and give as they had promised.  If someone’s circumstances had gone bad and they were unable to give, they were not under compulsion, but each should gives as they were able. 

2 Corinthians 8:13-15 The goal is equality. Paul is not advocating socialism, this is not a tax. But as brothers and sisters in the Lord, they should care for each other, so that the equality would be of the sort recoded in the Old Testament when God gave the Israelites manna to eat. God’s provision was such that each had enough, and none had too much. (Exodus 16:18) They must avoid covetousness. (Exodus 20:17, 1 Timothy 6:10) When the Israelites tried to store up manna for another day, other than for the Sabbath, it went bad. (Exodus 16:19-20)

There have been countless Christian communes over the centuries.  People have attempted to hold all things in common like the book of Acts describes for the early church.. (Acts 2:44, 4:32) None of these has survived in the long term. Fifty years is considered a very long survival by historical standards. Socialist nations have not fared well either. In many of them, there is equality of starvation. We might infer different things from this, but Paul is not advocating common ownership, he is encouraging generous giving. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus cautioned about setting our hearts on earthly treasure.

 (Matthew 6:19-21) Generosity, not socialism, is the medicine.

2 Corinthians 8:16-24 Paul commends Titus to the Corinthians as a trustworthy envoy, not only to transport the gift, but also to administer it wisely.