see God

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

I've encouraged you to see people differently in the past couple of articles.  This week I encourage you to challenge your view of God. 

I recently saw a movie called Transformers.  It’s a film based on the Hasbro children’s toy in which a mechanical object (a car, for instance) is not what it appears to be.  It’s actually a robotic life-form from another planet.  These robot-machine-people are giant and very powerful, and there are two basic kinds, good guys and bad guys.  The bad guys want to destroy humans, and the good guys are protectors.  The lead in the movie is a high school boy (Sam) who gets his first car (an old Camaro) which turns out later to be a giant robot.  At first the boy is frightened of the machine, but later his fear changes to a kind of love as he realizes the car is his giant, powerful personal protector. 

The transition of Sam’s thinking reminded me of a boy from the bible – a shepherd boy who became king.  Like Sam in the movie, David had a fear of God … but also he saw God as a giant protector.  It was because David saw God as a super-powerful protector that he was able to appear so bold to his contemporaries.  David was a fine man in many ways, but his two strongest attributes were his love and his faith.  Both of these were a direct result of the way David “saw” God.  The only way David was able to fight the giant Goliath was because he saw it as a contest between the mighty Creator/God (Yahweh), and a trashy, relatively small pagan.  Because David saw the battle this way, it was a no-brainer.  This view was born of David’s fear of Yahweh – and his shock that others in Israel didn't share his awareness of the awesome power of God. 

When I was a child my parents taught me that God sees everything I do.  I can’t remember how they first taught me this, but I’ll never forget how it made me feel.  Like David, I was frightened of God.  But to me God was watching me to see if I would sin, and if I did, He would demolish me now, in eternity, or both.  God was like a a giant Santa Claus with an evil side that would reward or punish me for my behavior.  So I’d better be good, or I’d get creamed. 

When I was in college a professor cautioned us to be careful when representing God as a “Father,” because many we would meet would have had very awful dads, and if they heard God was a Father, they’d have bad feelings about God.  Though far from perfect, my dad was a pretty good dad so it wasn't much of a leap for me to see God as a perfect Father.  But this view limited God – even for me.  My dad was, for example, a brilliant man, a very big man, and a very good man.  And he expected those around him to also be good.  Now I understand that this helped form my image of God – for better or worse. 

One Christian I know is filled with a very publicly proclaimed self-loathing.  While she’s adept at presenting herself as a very “good” person, she is constantly “confessing” her sins.  When I see this kind of thing I marvel at what her view of God must be – or if she thinks much about Him at all.  Of course the truth is that she’s way more concerned with what other people think than she is about God.  That’s why we put on a show for others usually, isn't it?

When others hear us lamenting how awful we are in God’s eyes, what impression does that give them of our God?  This is why many people see God as terrible, judgmental, and mean. 

On the other end of the spectrum are those people who see God as a different version of my “Santa Claus” God.  He sees who’s naughty and nice, but always gives gifts anyway.  One gets the idea that they don’t believe in hell at all, or if they do – that the only ones there are Stalin, Hitler, atheists and Muslims. 

And of course one common view among evangelicals is the “Sovereign God,” the God of Calvinists.  This view of God holds that He is arbitrary and will choose who’s saved and who’s lost without regard for one’s behavior. 

Of course God always seems to look like the person who describes Him.  These days black people feel the need for a black God, Gentiles forget that Jesus and all his followers were Jews, and many think it’s cool to describe God as a female.  We all want to make God in our image – and forget that it’s the other way around.  As Clement famously quoted Xenophanes as saying:

“… if cattle and horses and lions had hands or could paint with their hands and create works such as men do, horses like horses and cattle like cattle also would depict the gods' shapes and make their bodies of such a sort as the form they themselves have…. 
Ethiopians say that their gods are snub–nosed and blackEthiopians say that their gods are snub–nosed and blackThracians that they are pale and red-hair”

Sadly, most of the “Christian” world knows more about their nation’s leader(s), celebrities, their church’s rules, and their workplace … than they do about God. 

Good grief – how many even know God’s Name?  (Hint: it’s not “God”)

your life - God’s reflection

Remember what Jesus taught us in the SOM:

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”               (Matthew 5:16)

People see us and the way we live, and it reflects God. 

If we live with fear, it communicates clearly that either God isn’t powerful enough to win battles for us or that He doesn’t love us enough to protect us. 

If we live with guilt, it shows people that God is judgmental and harsh

If we live with sin, it shows people that God isn’t just.  Rather, He’s just a big fluffy marshmallow man, and not to be feared. 

Jesus made it clear that when people saw him, or when they knew him, they also knew his Father (John 14.9, etc).  That’s because Jesus was a perfect reflection of God.  He was the exact human image of God (Hebrews 1.1-3). 

People will judge God by what they see in you.  None of us is perfect, so we all reflect God imperfectly.  But because we are imperfect, we also reflect something about God’s justice, His mercy and compassion.  

I've heard many lessons taught in which Jesus’ teaching, “enter in through the narrow gate” is used to demonstrate that God makes it hard to get into heaven, so you’d better be careful. 

Really? 

I thought we were saved by grace 

So how we reconcile these will be answered not by the way we analyze the “laws” or “rules” of God, but by how we understand His nature. 

Again, David served as a great example of this.  As we all do, he sinned.  In one case David murdered a foreigner in order to steal his wife, while the foreigner was fighting for Israel.  David was “busted” and rebuked privately by Nathan the prophet, and David repented.  He felt a great burden of guilt for a time.  This is reflected in Psalm 51, where David wrote:

“Be gracious to me, O God,
According to Your loving-kindness;
According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity & cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions….  against You - You only - I have sinned & done what is evil in Your sight….”  (Psalm 51:1-4)

Do you see that for David this was personal, and between he and God?  David understood that the real sin wasn't in the murder, adultery or neglect of his troops; but it was neglect of God! 

But this did not define the rest of his life, for he knew that God is not like men.  God is forgiving.  So when David’s time of suffering ended, he got up, bathed, ate, married Bathsheba and went on with his life, accepting God’s love and forgiveness (2 Samuel 12:20-25). 

This is what made David a man after God’s own heart.  He knew what Paul would write later to the church in Corinth:

“Godly sorrow produces repentance - without regret - leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”  (2 Corinthians 7:10)

David understood Godly sorrow because he understood God.  God wants us to repent, to change, to grow, but not to be buried in sin and guilt forever, for this reflects badly on God Himself!

Israel’s idolatry provoked Yahweh to destroy them, but Moses argued against this because it would have made God look bad to foreign nations (Exodus 32:11-14).   

We are servants of God.  When people in the world cry out to God for help, protection, relief or freedom, it is God’s servants who will show people what God is like by the way we respond (or don’t).  In the same way, if we respect truth – or not, if we love sinners – or not, if we are merciful – or not … each of these reflect on God Himself. 

challenge

Rather than telling you how I think you should see God, I’d like you to challenge yourself and your own view of God.  How do you “see” Him? 

This is tricky, because most of us don’t think much about God.  We think about how we look to others, or we think of our own religiosity (which we usually say is our spirituality).  We often think if others see us as good, faithful, and that we don’t sin much, or at least don’t do any super “bad” sins … then we are in good standing with God.  In fact, very few of us are willing to look bad to other people if that is what it takes to look good to God (like Jesus did). 

We rarely challenge ourselves to understand how God sees us.  The noise and chatter of this world is so loud, we are rarely alone and quiet and seeking a pure, vertical relationship with our Father: the Creator and Sustainer of all life, and the Savior of our souls. 

Challenge your view of God.  In your mind, is He powerful enough to do whatever He wants?  Will He do whatever He wants to do in your life?  And if so, what does He want to do?  Does He want to condemn you or forgive you?  Does God care about your every little “owee,” or does He even know you exist here among 7 billion souls now on earth?  Is God impressed with your singing, your ministry, your job, or your family?  What does He expect of you?  How do you know your answers to those questions are right?

Tip:

It’s hard for us to be honest with ourselves when we try this.  Here’s a trick to help you be honest in your search: look not into your mind for your thoughts, feelings and opinions, but look to your behavior! 

Over the past year, what does your behavior reveal about your view of God? 

How often do you talk to God (pray)?  

• What do you say or ask for when you talk to Him?  
• Do you speak with Him as often as you do your spouse, your boss, your kids or your best friend? 

How often do you listen to God?  

• Do you open the bible and read stories to learn about Him – from Him, or is the bible a rule book to you, or a mysterious comfort or problem-solver or source of lessons? 
• Or is your communication with God merely a “spiritual discipline” that you force yourself to do regularly because someone told you you’re “supposed to,” or because it’s “good for you”? 

When you are around other people – do you worry more about how they see you – or about how your behavior reflects on God?  Do you even think about how you reflect God? 

These behavioral tests will tell you the truth about yourself. 

The trick to finding God begins with one simple step: you must make a conscious effort to seek Him.  One thing is for sure: God (unlike Satan) does not have to bribe you.  He does not have to give you anything more than He has already done.  Seeking God is YOUR job.  Either you will take that seriously, or you will not. 

Along the way you’ll get distracted.  I guarantee this.  As early as the very first mention of Satan in the world, he was lying to Eve about God.  Satan does not want you to know the truth about God!  The devil will distract you.  He will weigh you down with guilt, responsibilities, and worries of this world; and he will attempt to fill your head with so much “noise” that you will not be able to distinguish the true God from all the chatter in your ears.  But if you really try, and persist, and never quit, God will give you success, even over Satan’s noise:

“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
(Jeremiah 29:13)

This will happen when you search for God, personally.  Don’t search for His rules, His commands, His religion or any of that … rather, seek HIM.

• What does He like? 
• Does He ever laugh? 
• Does He always listen when you talk to Him, or are there times He is sick of you? 

And when you “feel” things about God, how accurate are those feelings? 

• Do you imagine He is disgusted with you when really He is not? 
• Do you imagine He is far from you when really He is near? 
• Do you imagine He doesn't care for you when really He cares a great deal? 

Seeking God is a lifelong pursuit.  But the best humans who have ever lived made this their number one goal.  They put God first.  From Moses to David to Esther to Jesus and Paul – those who put the knowledge and fear of Yahweh as their top goal are always the best people they can be, and by far more faithful and more loving than any of their peers. 

Because of this, we should encourage each other to pursue God always, and regularly.  We must brush our teeth, exercise, and pay our bills … in the same way the wise person will seek God every single day. 

I’ll sign off with David’s vision of God.  Remember that above all, David was a shepherd.  He fed and watched over his sheep.  He led them to water, and he protected them – even when he fought lions and bears as a boy! 

Here is how David saw God:

Yahweh is my shepherd, I shall not want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters –

He restores my soul

He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You’re with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies 

You have anointed my head with oil - My cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I’ll dwell in Yahweh’s house forever. 

- Psalm 23 -

perspective 3

Continuing the theme of perspective (point of view)…. 

This is a continuation of the last lesson on 2 Corinthians 5.  You may want to review that article before beginning here. 

The goal of this study is simple: to change your perspective.  How you see people matters.  If you see a person as young or old, male or female, gay or straight, black or white; all of these images provoke within us a certain feeling that tempts us to treat them a certain way.  As disciples and disciple-makers (Matthew 28.19-20), we are interested in the way Paul and his team saw those with whom he worked, and this chapter gives us a great insight. 

We will begin where we left off.  Here’s the text:

a lost person

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh (even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him in this way no longer).
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he’s a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  Now all things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
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.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:1-21

“Therefore” is the first word of this section.  Usually that word is important in Paul’s letters, because he is drawing a conclusion based on what came before.  For example I might say, “I want to keep my teeth, THEREFORE I brush them regularly.”  What comes before the “therefore” is the explanation for ‘why’ he does what he does, then after it comes the “what” he is going to do.  In this case, Paul is saying that because he has a Christ-love compulsion he no longer sees people the way he used to, before he was a disciple of the Lord Jesus.  This is an automatic result, it's not something you have to "do."  If you have Christ-love in you, the compulsion will automatically result in you seeing people differently.  

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh (even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him in this way no longer).

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he’s a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  

Do you see that dramatic change in the way he sees people?  When we look at others “according to the flesh,” that’s speaking of them as physical beings we can see.  So, those eyes see people as girls or black or old white men, or silly or Muslims or whatever.  Those are the eyes most of us have (sadly), even within churches.  But when we see people as spiritual beings, we see them as eternal – people who right now are “naked” living in this temporary “tent” until we are resurrected (review earlier in the chapter). 

But then something happens to us.  After we are baptized we are “born again,” and we actually become a “new creature.”  We are still caged in this temporary tent, but now our nature has changed.  Like the caterpillar that becomes a butterfly, we are transformed when we are baptized. 

Check these out from another letter Paul wrote:

Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.  (Romans 6:3-4) I urge you … to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God: your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and teleios.  (Romans 12:1-2)

So Paul believes that when we are born again we are supposed to change our very nature, and to see the world differently.  From now on our body (or tent or building) is just a container that we use in service to God (worship).  We grow in this to spiritual maturity (teleios). 

A Disciple

What do you see when someone is baptized?  Catholics see a baby who they believe is now safe from hell.  Others see it as a mere “outward sign” of something else.  Others think baptism is a necessary thing to get one’s sins forgiven – a kind of spiritual bath. 

But Paul saw it very differently!  For him it’s a major transformation, after which you’re clean, but so much more – you are a completely different critter!  You no longer crawl, now you fly.  You’re no longer an ugly worm gorging yourself on leaves, but now you are a beautiful Monarch butterfly – migrating thousands of miles to selflessly keep the species alive. 

A Reborn Disciple ... with a job to do

Paul did what we should do, too: see a newly baptized disciple as someone who is a baby, now ready to grow in this new body and live in this world.  That’s seeing people according to the Spirit instead of seeing them according to the flesh. 

Now all things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

I put the references to God in all caps above, so you could see the relationship between God, Christ and “us,” Paul and his people. 

As you know, sin separated us from God.  But just as the prodigal son came home and begged his father to be a servant in the house, so we “came home,” and that’s when were reconciled to God.  He welcomed us back into HIS house (temple), where now we live and work. This reconciliation was possible because Jesus died on the cross. 

And what is our work?  “He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”  It’s our job to help others to “come home” and also be reconciled to God. 

That is what Paul did when the church in Corinth was established.  He gave the word of reconciliation.  The word of reconciliation is another way to describe evangelism.  It’s what Jesus meant when he said, “Go, make disciples, baptize them, teach them to obey.” (Matthew 28.19-20)  It’s also what Jesus described in Luke 15 when the shepherd leaves the 99 to reconcile the one lost sheep. 

This is important to understand because …  

First 

We have to “go” to find the lost one.  You and I (if we see people the way God does) are like the slaves who invite people into God’s great banquet (Matt 22:2–14). 

Or to put it in our modern context, leaving the 99 to go after the one means we are like Jesus leaving heaven to come to earth searching for us.  Or like Jesus who left his own family to do his ministry, we must also be prepared to leave our churches, our friends our families … whatever it takes.  The lost people aren't (presumably) in church every Sunday.  They’re on the street, or dealing with a hangover or waking up in a strange bed. “Go” means “leave here and GO.” 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it."  (Matthew 13:44-46)

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for my name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life."  (Matthew 19:29)

(Note – this isn't leaving because you’re unhappy – it’s leaving specifically because you are concerned with doing God’s work.  And I’m not at all suggesting that you immediately abandon everything right now.  Rather, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to get God’s job done.  Sometimes that will include giving your life, other times it’s giving up relationships.  But it’s always a sacrifice!)

Second

This is important because having a ministry of “reconciliation” is a lot different than most people see evangelism.  It’s not preaching.  It’s not condemning.  Yelling at the lost, calling them names, scaring them, mistreating them … even a moron knows that won’t work.  That lost lamb out on the ledge is in danger.  He is frightened.  He is alone and scared, and doesn't know who to trust.  He doesn't need to be charged by a “Christian” and yelled at. 

Reconciliation

To coax a frightened, scared, humiliated creature into salvation and reconciliation is done with great care!  Remember that Paul didn't see people “according to the flesh!”  According to the flesh, that woman may seem to be a sleazy party girl.  That guy may look like a fierce gang member.  To Saul’s army, Goliath looked like a gigantic, terrifying warrior.  But David saw him as a scummy little flea compared to God.  And Paul went to dirty, unwashed Gentiles and ate with them.  He fellowshipped the scummiest of people.  Not because he trusted them, or was himself super-brave; but because he walked by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5.6-9).

When you come to understand that your evangelism isn't about preaching or yelling, but it’s about rescuing the lost, then you’ll want to start seeing your coworkers differently.  He’s not merely your boss, she’s not “merely” your colleague, but rather they are people who are lost or rescued.  They are dedicated disciples who have been born again, or they are “Christian” in name, but their devotion is very little.  And when you see people as in need of reconciliation instead of having to be “fixed” or learn how to behave themselves, then your approach will automatically change for the better. 

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. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

This last section begins with another “therefore.”  Our work or ministry of reconciliation makes us essentially “ambassadors.” 

Before telephones and rapid transit, ambassadors were important, because they spoke for their king.  When a queen of England sent an ambassador to Spain, that man spoke for his queen.  He could not say what he wanted to say, or act how he wanted to act.  If he were a good ambassador, he spoke exactly as the queen would have him speak and behaved as he should.  When the Spanish king summoned him, he came.  And when the Spanish king asked him questions, he answered.  He was a kind of slave on loan to another monarch. 

That’s what our life on earth is like.  God is our king.  He has put us here to do HIS work, not ours.  He has put us here to say HIS words, not ours.  And we are here to do His bidding.  So when we have opportunity, we speak on his behalf.  That means when the lost of the world hear us speak, they are actually hearing the voice of God.  Are you up for such a task? 

Operating as God’s ambassador is not the way typical Christians see themselves these days.  We love to say we’re not perfect, as if to remove from ourselves the responsibility – and then we can lie and cheat and be mean like everyone else.  “After all,” we tell ourselves, “We’re not Jesus or the Apostles or prophets!” 

Paul would disagree with this attitude.  Paul says that it was GOD who gave us this ministry.  That means we don’t get to choose it.  Here’s the way Paul described it in his letter to the church in Ephesus:

We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.  (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Paul said that our ministry is one of “reconciliation.”   

But Jesus would call our work “disciple-making” in the great commission.  In the Sermon On the Mount (SOM) Jesus called us “peacemakers.”  Building a bridge between God and man – this is the work of a minister of reconciliation, of an Ambassador for God. 

If you remember the SOM, you’ll perhaps recognize that the beatitudes are actually a job description of this work.  I’ll sign off with this (your) job description, and pray that you’ll accept it.  I’ll pray that you also experience and share Christ-love, and that you’ll devote yourself to no longer see people “according to the flesh,” but rather see them as eternal beings, temporarily living in tents as we wander through the desert of this life. 

And I’ll pray that this Christ-love will also compel you to do the work of a minister of reconciliation and a faithful ambassador of God. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers [you reconcilers], for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

You are the light of the world.

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp-stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

(Matthew 5:3-16)

perspective 2 – Paul’s team

  

Continuing the theme of perspective (point of view), let’s examine how we “see” ourselves, God, and other people in the world.  If you “see” people the way God sees them, it can make a huge difference in the way you interact with others and the world.  Here I want us to take a close look at the way Paul and his ministry team “saw” the world – their point of view.

Most of this article is excerpted from a letter Paul wrote to a church he started in Corinth.  He has been away for a while, and new preachers are making false claims about themselves and Paul and his team.  So when Paul wrote the church, he was explaining his team’s view of things – and also trying to make them an example for the church to follow.  So when you read this, be aware that the “we” in this section isn't his way of saying “all us Christians,” but rather – this “we” refers to Paul and his team as opposed to the other guys or the church in general.  So in that sense, this is a model for the way “we” who are determined, deliberate servants of God ought to view ourselves and the world. 

The section of the letter is here for your review.  Read it over first, and then I’ll repeat the same text, but insert some comments of my own that will hopefully help you understand it better.  This is like the three column thing, except I’m going to help you with the first two columns. 

For we know that if 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. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 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. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by sight) we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

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. We are not again commending ourselves to you but 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. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 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.

Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh (even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him in this way no longer).

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he’s a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

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. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

(2 Corinthians 5:1-21)

Commentary

Now I’ll try to explain some of this.  Even if you already understand some of it, please stick with me here and see if you can understand this passage so well that you can then start trying to make it real in your life.  Stop and pray occasionally, and ask God to speak to YOU through this study, so that you’re really understanding what God wants you to know as a result of Paul’s letter. 

We know that if 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. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 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.

Remember the “we” is Paul and his team. 

The “earthly house” or “tent” he is referring to is his physical body.  Paul is saying that as long as he’s alive in this body on earth, he’s really only naked – exposed – to danger and cold.  But when he dies and is raised in his new body in heaven, he’ll be in a permanent, eternal body that will never hurt, never be destroyed.  But as long as he’s on this earth (like we are all now), he is groaning, feeling burdened, and he wants to go to eternity.

In other words, Paul wishes he were dead.  Not because he hates his life, but because he knows there’s a better one in the next world.  His moaning, burdened body isn't merely stress.  It’s not about his job or family or bills … his burden is (as we will see later) a result of his desire to rescue the lost.  His burden is to save as many as possible (1 Cor. 9.22-27).  

That’s why he can say that “what is mortal” (his current body) will be swallowed up by life!  He actually sees death as resurrection, and so he looks forward to it!

Challenge for you:

Ask yourself if you feel this way.  Do you live for eternity, or for tomorrow?  What do you most want – happiness now, relationships, money, ‘success’ now – or do you live for your mansion in paradise?  If you live for different reasons than Paul and his team … don’t be surprised that you will have different results in your ministry.  To paraphrase JFK: “ask not what God can do for you, but what you can do for His kingdom.”

Now continuing on ... 

Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord (for we walk by faith, not by sight) we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Here Paul says it was God who did this, for his own reasons.  He “prepared us for this purpose,” to serve God temporarily in this weird, fragile human body.  And since God knows what He is doing, Paul can always be courageous!  He knows God is with him because God gave him the Holy Spirit “as a pledge.”  This is true of all who are properly baptized – we have our sins washed away, and receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2.38), Who comes to live inside our body (or tent, or building from God, as above).  That’s why elsewhere Paul would call our body the “temple” of the Holy Spirit, because He lives inside us:

Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you’re not your own?  For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

So now Paul has made it clear that our life on this earth is just a temporary thing where we live in shabby camping tents (our body) and wander in the desert of life waiting to cross the Jordan (die) and enter the Promised Land (heaven) – just like the Israelites after they left Egypt.  But just like them, we have a purpose.  God is using us for His will … if we will submit and obey.  Because this is true, Paul wrote about why he and his team do what they do:

Therefore we also have as our ambition (whether at home or absent) to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  

Because we are here in this condition because of God, and because we know we will be judged; we do our best.  But it’s not only “we” (Paul’s team), but it’s everyone who will be judged.  That’s why he must also do this:

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. We are not again commending ourselves to you but 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. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.

So his team made every effort to “persuade men.”  That is Paul’s way of seeking first the kingdom of God – his teaching and preaching and all his efforts were centered there.  But then again, remember the other preachers there in Corinth now?  They surely would make the same claim!  So then Paul says .  “Made manifest” means “revealed.”  It’s like saying God knows what’s in their hearts.  And then he also hopes the Corinth church of Christ will also be confident that Paul and his team are what they say they are. 

But then … people (even ministers) who put no confidence in this life – sometimes seem kind of crazy. 

...We don’t care so much what others think, because we care SO much about what God thinks. 

...We don’t care so much about our current body or life – because we care SO much about our eternal life. 

...We don’t cry so hard over a fellow disciple who dies, because we know he really is better off! 

This can look crazy and cold to people who are mostly invested in this world.  So Paul goes on to explain:

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 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.

“The love of Christ controls us” 

This expression needs some explanation, and you need to make this one of the most important things you’ll ever learn as a disciple, if you have ears to hear. 

The love of Christ … can be translated as Christ’s love for us or our love for Christ.  Commentators debate this, and usually arrive at a conclusion that’s consistent with their religious views.  I believe the answer is “both.”  I believe that Paul deliberately wrote it this way because there’s such a thing as “Christ-love.” 

“Christ-love” is a kind of love – a type of love. It’s merciful and compassionate, but it’s also urgent and forceful.  It’s warm and interventionist at the same time.  It’s wild and it’s calm – and to those who receive it, it’s eternal life. To those who are upset by it, it’s the smell of death. As Paul wrote earlier in this same letter:

Thanks be to God, who … manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing - to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.  (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)

• It’s the kind of love that provoked God’s son to leave heaven, live, die and raise again to save us.  But it’s also the kind of love that makes us take up our cross daily to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. 
• It’s something that burns inside one’s heart when he considers how recklessly other “Christians” live, or when you contemplate someone you care about perishing in hell forever. 
• And it’s the kind of love that provokes you to care about people that you wouldn't otherwise care about at all.  If you saw video of 9/11 or the Boston bombings, you saw strangers immediately race into danger to rescue someone they didn't even know.  

This is Christ-love  

The selfish “rich man” after he died was very concerned to warn his relatives of the horror of eternal punishment:

 “I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father’s house (for I have five brothers) in order that he may warn them, so that they won’t also come to this place of torment.”  (Luke 16:27-28)

This realization came too late for the rich man.  But Paul and his team felt it every moment of every day – they understood that our days are like the days before Noah finished the ark.  Destruction is coming, and everyone who will surrender to God will be saved – but most will perish:  

 “And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.”  (Luke 17:26-30)

That word for “control” is sometimes translated “compels” or “constrains us.”  There isn't a good English word for the Greek there.  But as you can hopefully see … there’s a sense of urgency and danger in “Christ-love” that forces us to be willing to look crazy, to be so motivated or so compelled that it’s like we’re owned by it.  It’s like being possessed.  It’s an almost involuntary compulsion.  If you believe in heaven, hell, judgment and eternity … is there anyone you despise so much you wouldn't lift a finger to rescue? 

Having been guaranteed salvation for ourselves, how can we not now feel compelled to risk our lives to save others? 

This phrase: “‘Christ-love’ compels us” is a natural thing to those who believe what Paul did.  If you live for eternity and believe everyone else is destined to be resurrected to bliss or torment – there’s really no escaping this compulsion. 

Challenge yourself with that

This article is already too long, and there’s enough for you to work on for this week.  I’ll save the rest for next week. 

I pray you’ll take this seriously and personally.  By that I mean that I hope you’ll seek to understand how this truth should affect YOU.  Not others, but you.  Spend some time in prayer and thought.

Consider how your life should be different, and then make a commitment to change (aka ‘repent’). 

Do you TRULY believe in God, His son and the bible?  You say you do, but then: How can you walk past people every day without telling them that they may be destined to perish if they don’t change? 

Or again:

If you've tried to “persuade men” and they aren't listening, have you considered changing your style, your message, your method … to be more effective? 

Or again:

If you've tried to change your methods … have you considered that maybe YOU need to change yourself?  Maybe your manner, attitude, or lifestyle is a barrier that makes it harder for others to accept your message. 

This is for sure:

If you have Paul’s attitude, and if you submit yourself, you will succeed in God’s eyes.  You will be “manifest to God.”  Noah managed to save no one but his family, and even 1/3 of his sons was awful.  But that was God’s plan. 

Paul saved many, but even some of his churches were awful in a very short time.  Our fruit isn't always clear to us.  But it’s always “made manifest to God,” so if we live to please Him … we can soon shed this frustrating skin and bones and be clothed in Christ in an eternal dwelling!