To go along with watering down the Gospel, to dilute it so much as to make it utterly powerless, there is another severe problem with modern evangelicalism, especially in the apologetics realm. I won’t forget watching a clip of William Lane Craig, the man who is often deemed the “face” of Christian apologetics, openly declaring to his audience that his purpose is to lower the bar so as many people can accept Christianity as possible. He seeks to lower the standards necessary to become a Christian. I knew this was going on, but for him to so openly declare that is what he was doing just floored me. My response was: “Heresy! You have no right to do that!” Many, both believers and unbelievers alike, were stunned at this statement, but surprisingly, I did not hear about it till just recently.
With the approach that so many take regarding the Gospel, to water it down and reduce it to sets of doctrines and lower the bar so as many “get in” as possible, we have seen the results: one Scottish minister said, “You Americans! Your doctrine is 3000 miles wide and six inches deep.” A Chinese man came to the US and said, “When I look at a Buddhist monk and I see his practice and his devotion and his study, I think, ‘holy man.’ When I look at a US preacher, I think, ‘businessman.’” These guys would only be wrong if they were under-representing the case, not exaggerating.
What has happened is not only pathetic, but it has literally redefined what it means to be a Christian. People are no longer capable of recognizing that what much of what they are hearing today is totally un-Christian. The sting of the Gospel has been taken away. The focus of the Gospel has been taken away. The standards for Christian living have been removed and therefore anyone and everyone can proclaim to be a Christian; yet only 6% of them, according to recent polls, can even get the basic doctrines right. The church is so full of goats and wolves that the tiny group of genuine sheep who are left are being starved to death. Only one thing can happen when God looks at this: judgment.
Rob Bell opens his book Velvet Elvis complaining about doctrines and how they are “brick walls” that “keep people out.” He instead suggests that these doctrines should be treated more like springs to a trampoline that will stretch and mold according to the weight of the person jumping. What is he saying? He is saying that doctrine has no place to divide people and if people want to come and play Christianity, let them come play. And he mocks those who stand for truth and calls it “Brickianity.” Like William Lane Craig, the goal here is to lower the bar so anyone who wants to get in can get in.
I see this mindset in origins debates, too. The way that those who believe in millions of years approach young earth Creationists is much akin to one on the outside asking the gatekeepers to get in. The whole thing is “open-door policy,” “let everyone in,” all the while seeking to get the benefits of heaven and of God for nothing without surrendering self in the process.
What did Jesus say and do about such things? He didn’t lower the bar, knowing not a single person could carry out the Ten Commandments. He raised the bar. It wasn’t enough to not physically murder someone; just hating them in your heart and wishing them dead was enough to count as the deed. It wasn’t enough to restrain self from engaging in sex outside of marriage to break the commandment on adultery; just looking at someone else with lust and longing for such a person counts as doing the full deed. When it comes to Christianity, the bar is set so high that literally no human being can meet it. That is the point of needing a Savior. You can’t do it, and you don’t cut it.
But that offends people. Tough. We accept it in sports to some extent. Every sport has cuts. There are cuts to make the team, and there are cuts for playoffs. But now we don’t offer championship trophies; we offer participation trophies. And when the boys simply can’t compete with other boys, they just need to declare themselves a girl and play at the girl level and suddenly they can win. There is so much worry about hurting someone’s “self-esteem” that they don’t know how to handle loss or a defeat, and that is why they throw fits as adults when they don’t get their way.
In Christianity, we have actually LED the culture in this insanity because we have stopped preaching the Gospel and catered to feelings long before the culture did. The culture saw the church catering to feelings, so they took that green light and what we have seen is the full fruit of that sin.
But let’s face reality here. The church in each culture and age does not determine what reality is; God determines what reality is. The church is sent to proclaim that reality, and we have chosen to conspire against God and proclaim a message God did not say. There is nothing wrong with wanting to see people saved, but when the message changes and the standards are lowered, no one is getting saved. The standard for getting into heaven is absolute perfection just as God is the standard of absolute perfection. And yes, NO ONE can do that. But that’s the standard.
So how can God hold us accountable to a standard that none of us can meet? How is that fair? Who said being able to meet the standard is necessary to be fair? In baseball, a pitcher has to be able to throw a ball over a 19 square inch home plate. Those who cannot do that will not last long as pitchers. So what do we do? Do we change the plate size so those who can’t throw the ball accurately can play? No. They simply don’t have the talent to be a pitcher. They don’t get to make the cut and they don’t get to play. It’s tough, but those are the rules. And they are fair rules because they apply to everyone the same way.
But in Christianity, God did something that makes the objection to fairness null and void. He sent Jesus to be perfection for us. Not only did He pay the penalty for our sin, but He imputes His own righteousness onto us. Going back to baseball, this is like having a ringer. Instead of us, who cannot throw a ball or hit a ball, we get the absolute best player ever to not merely play for us but to play with us, and His score counts as our score. It is like Jesus taking our hand and carrying us through the motion of pitch or gripping His hands around ours on the bat and swinging with us. He does all the work, but the stats go to our name. THAT is not fair, but it is allowed in the rules. God wrote the rules, and it was His plan for this to be the agenda all along.
We need to stop trying to change the rules on God. God set the rules, and we have no right whatsoever to change them or play with them. We are to proclaim them as they were given – nothing more, nothing less. And then we need to play by those rules. But one thing I have noticed in sports is that when one knows the rules and plays by them appropriately, it is a fun game, even if I lose. There is strength in order and structure that enables you to do above and beyond what you could do otherwise. Don’t try to lower the bar. You can’t do it and God will not honor any “contract” which was not authorized to do such things. No one will be able to stand on Judgment Day and say, “I wasn’t told.” And when God deals with those who do lower the bar, it is not going to be a time of rejoicing. Don’t do it. Just preach what God said as God said it or get out of the way.
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Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are.
- 2 Corinthians 7:8-12
Previously in 2 Corinthians, Paul had talked about his “severe letter” that he wrote to them. This is not referring to 1 Corinthians but rather another letter that we no longer have. It was evidently written after 1 Corinthians and delivered to them by Titus. Paul brings up that letter again here to explain it a bit more.
In verse 8, Paul acknowledges the pain his words caused but clarifies that this pain was temporary and necessary. His initial regret reflects his pastoral heart; he does not enjoy causing pain. However, he recognizes that sometimes, correction is needed for growth. This tension between regret and recognition of the necessity of rebuke is a common experience for pastors and Christian leaders, and it should be common for all who disciple others. Paul's approach teaches us the importance of addressing issues directly, even when it may cause discomfort.
Paul expresses his joy in verse 9 – not in the sorrow itself, but in the result it produced. The Corinthians' sorrow led to repentance, which is the ultimate goal of Godly correction. This distinction between sorrow and repentance is crucial. Sorrow alone can lead to despair, but godly sorrow leads to repentance and life transformation. Paul emphasizes that this sorrow was "as God intended." This implies that their pain was part of God's redemptive plan. When we face correction or discipline, it can be comforting to remember that God uses these moments for our growth and to make us more like Him.
Paul contrasts godly sorrow with worldly sorrow in verse 10. Godly sorrow brings repentance, leading to salvation and leaving no regret. This kind of sorrow is productive and life-giving. It motivates us to change and align ourselves more closely with God's will. In contrast, worldly sorrow brings death. This type of sorrow is destructive, often characterized by regret, shame, and hopelessness. It doesn't lead to positive change but drags us deeper into despair. Understanding this distinction helps us evaluate our responses to correction and strive for a godly perspective.
In verse 11, Paul lists the positive outcomes of godly sorrow in the Corinthians. Their repentance was evident through their actions and attitudes:
- Earnestness: They were sincere and diligent in addressing their wrongs.
- Eagerness to clear themselves: They wanted to make things right and restore their integrity.
- Indignation: They felt a righteous anger toward their sin.
- Alarm: They were disturbed by their behavior and its consequences.
- Longing: They had a deep desire for reconciliation and righteousness.
- Concern: They showed genuine care for those affected by their actions.
- Readiness to see justice done: They were committed to making amends and ensuring justice.
Paul affirms that in every aspect, the Corinthians proved their repentance was genuine. This comprehensive list serves as a model for true repentance, showing that it involves both internal transformation and external actions.
In verse 12, Paul clarifies his purpose in writing the previously-mentioned severe letter. It wasn't solely about addressing the wrongdoer or comforting the injured party, though those were important. Instead, his primary goal was to reveal the Corinthians' devotion and integrity before God. This reveals a key aspect of Paul's ministry: his focus on the spiritual health and maturity of the believers. He wanted the Corinthians to see their growth and dedication to God and their leaders. By addressing the issues head-on, Paul helped the Corinthians strengthen their faith and community.
This passage helps us today live as followers of Jesus Christ. Like the Corinthians, we should be open to correction, recognizing that it is a tool for our growth and maturity. When we receive rebuke or discipline, we should seek to understand and learn from it rather than become defensive. We should pursue genuine repentance, which involves both an internal change of heart and external actions. We should strive to exhibit the qualities Paul lists—earnestness, eagerness, indignation, alarm, longing, concern, and readiness to see justice done.
We should prioritize our spiritual health and the health of our communities. Addressing issues directly and lovingly can lead to deeper relationships and stronger faith, even when it may cause short-term pain or sorrow. But then when we see transformation in ourselves or others, we should celebrate it. Paul's joy in the Corinthians' repentance reminds us to find joy in the process of growth and change.
By embracing correction, pursuing genuine repentance, focusing on spiritual health, and rejoicing in transformation, we can grow in our faith and live out the gospel more fully.
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The Gospel has been watered down to at most 4-5 doctrines and at the least, “Jesus loves you and you are going to heaven.” In the best-case scenario, this is not the Gospel. It is a summary of the Gospel. The seven posts I wrote to open this series were not the Gospel; they were a more detailed summary of the Gospel. The plan of salvation is not the Gospel. It is a central, key part, but it is just a part of it. The moral lifestyle that is expected out of believers is not the Gospel; it is supposed to be fruit of the Gospel having done and doing its work. Yet today, the most people can give are the four major parts of the Gospel: creation, original sin, Jesus and the cross, and the consummation of all things. There is nothing wrong with that, as long that is not the limit of your understanding of the Gospel.
The Gospel is so big and so deep that it can never be exhausted in a lifetime of preaching or writing, let alone in the span of a single sermon or book. But we have to be able to preach it in order to fulfill one of the key commandments given to believers: to go and make disciples. But most have lost sight of that and confused it with “make converts.” To make a disciple is to teach someone how to follow Jesus on their own. To make a convert merely gets someone to agree to some teachings. The whole world is about making converts, whether it be Islam, Hinduism, Communism, Evolution, Science, or whatnot. These false teachings only want a few disciples because the deeper you go into a false teaching, the more blatantly wrong it shows itself to be. They want the masses to know just enough to believe it, but only the most dedicated to be full disciples. But few are making disciples, teaching people how to pursue and go after Jesus. One reason why is because we stopped preaching the Gospel and instead started preaching doctrines instead. And instead of making disciples who follow and pursue Christ, we seek to lower the bar to bring in as many people as possible.
It's not just the reducing the Gospel to a bare bones structure with no substance to it and no relation to reality that is a problem. It’s a literal changing of the message that is even worse. Instead of a message that calls for “repent and believe” that we see throughout the New Testament, we get a message of “Jesus loves you and want to help you accomplish your sinful, selfish dreams.” Instead of a message of denial of self and taking up of Christ in our place, we are giving a message of adding Jesus as final accessory to complete our lives.
The drive in all this is to take the sting out of the Gospel. Yes, the Gospel has a sting, and to wear the name Christian (as it is supposed to be worn) gives us a stigma in our culture that we are not like them, we are not of their kind, and we bring a message to this culture that it will burn in judgment. That’s not a popular message. Newsflash: the United States is not heaven. It may be, or was, the closest we could have gone on this sin-cursed earth, but the US is going to burn in ashes, along with every other nation and ideology. It will all be destroyed. All that will remain is what God allows to remain. So why are we, who are supposed to be looking forward to true paradise, so concerned with what God-hating sinners think about us? We are no longer part of their world. Or are we? I think that’s one of the real factors going on here.
Most who proclaim Christianity have not died to self, have not died to the lusts and desires of this world, and simply want a free ride ticket to heaven where they can enjoy utopia without God. Take notice of that statement. Most professing evangelicals today will talk about heaven as a glorious paradise but God, if there at all, is just a secondary character that lets us all in. Listen to all those who boast about having been to heaven and come back. How are they talking about God? And how are they talking about actually how to get to heaven? It’s nearly absent from their presentations. They only talk about the perks of heaven and God is just a “figure” that opens the door. He’s not their focal attention and any attention given is extremely casual and nearly if not actually irreverent. And that’s not the heaven that the Bible describes where heaven is about God and about the worship and loving and enjoying God forever. Our purpose, as mankind, is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Due to the fear of man, evangelists, apologists, and pastors will do anything they can to keep their congregations happy, and they may never preach a real word from God as a result. For fear of offending certain congregants who could easily rally the “troops” to remove the pastor, many messages are watered down, the tone made easy, and the message soft-peddled. Fortunately, there are still a few pastors who are not concerned about that and have surrounded themselves with sound elders who know their job is to protect the sheep.
The church never had permission to lighten up the message of the Gospel. Paul, when he is absolutely livid about what happened in Galatia, tells this church that for him to seek the praise of man he would cease being a servant of Christ. That’s a serious point that need to be emphasized more. Those who are seeking the praise of men are not serving Christ. It’s one or the other. We are commanded to give the message that God gave and not something that will make the people happier. If the message is judgment, then it is judgment. If the message includes mercy, then it includes mercy. But it must be the message God gives as He gave it. It is not unfair to call giving something less than that to be cowardice. It is also not unfair to call giving something more to be presumptuous. In both cases, God treats them as grievous sins.,
God has a fierce judgment for those who speak for the Lord and say what the Lord does not say. That is why those who preach have to take that pulpit very seriously. Don’t ever water down the Gospel. You may get more people liking you, but if you give them the wrong Gospel, you have done them no favors and have reserved condemnation upon yourself in the process.
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Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn —conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
- 2 Corinthians 7:2-7
In this passage, Paul returns to the thought he started earlier in chapter 6, after taking a diversion from that in the previous section. Paul is again appealing that the Corinthians strengthen their relationship with him and the other apostles, explaining how his actions encourage this.
Paul starts out in verse 2 by appealing to the Corinthians to accept him and his companions. This plea comes from a place of vulnerability and honesty. Paul insists that he and his fellow workers have conducted themselves with integrity. This verse sets the tone for the following verses, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect and openness in Christian relationships. Paul's defense of his integrity highlights a fundamental aspect of Christian ministry: the need for trust and transparency. Leaders in the church must be above reproach, ensuring their actions do not harm others. This verse also encourages believers to be discerning and to make room in their hearts for those who have demonstrated genuine Christ-like character.
Paul reassures the Corinthians in verse 3 that his previous words were not meant to condemn them but to express his deep love and commitment. He reiterates the strong bond he shares with them, indicating that he and his companions are willing to face any circumstance, even death, alongside the Corinthians. This verse teaches us about the depth of Christian fellowship. It is a call to deep, sacrificial love for one another, reflecting the unity that should characterize the body of Christ. Paul’s willingness to "live or die" with the Corinthians serves as a model for the type of unwavering commitment believers should have towards each other.
Paul’s relationship with the Corinthians is marked by honesty and pride as he shares in verse 4. Despite the challenges and troubles he faces, he finds immense joy and encouragement in his relationship with them. The honesty that Paul emphasizes here is crucial for healthy relationships within the church. Speaking the truth in love is essential for growth and maturity in Christ. Paul’s ability to find joy amidst trials is a testament to the strength that comes from supportive Christian relationships.
There is a bit of a transition in verse 5, where Paul goes back to explaining about their travels that he had previously discussed in chapter 2. Paul shares the struggles he faced upon arriving in Macedonia. He describes a time of unrest and external conflicts, coupled with internal fears. This transparent confession of his struggles provides a backdrop for the comfort and encouragement he later receives. Paul's openness about his difficulties serves as a reminder that even the most devoted servants of God face challenges. It encourages believers to be honest about their struggles and to seek support within the Christian community. This verse also highlights the importance of resilience and faith in the face of adversity.
In the midst of his struggles, Paul experienced God's comfort through the arrival of Titus (verse 6). God often uses people to provide comfort and encouragement. The presence of a trusted friend or fellow believer can be a powerful source of support during difficult times. God is attentive to our needs and often works through others to meet them. This encourages believers to be available and willing to be used by God to provide comfort to those who are struggling. The role of community in God's plan for our comfort and support is emphasized here.
Titus not only brought comfort by his presence but also shared the encouraging news of the Corinthians' affection and concern for Paul (verse 7). Their longing, sorrow, and concern deeply moved Paul, bringing him immense joy. It is important to express love and concern within the Christian community. The Corinthians' genuine care for Paul significantly impacted his well-being and joy. It serves as a reminder that our expressions of love and concern can profoundly affect others, providing encouragement and strengthening relationships.
In this passage, Paul opens his heart to the Corinthian church, expressing his integrity, commitment, and the mutual joy and comfort found in their relationship. This passage shows us the importance of integrity in our relationships with one another, deep commitment to the faith, joy in the midst of trials, being honest about our struggles, allowing God to use us to comfort others, and expressing love and concern for one another. Our Christian relationships and communities should be marked by these qualities, and we should all strive to live these out in our daily lives. This not only builds relationships with one another but strengthens our faith and relationship with Jesus Christ.
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One of the heresies that has deeply infiltrated the church is the notion of “just get saved and everything else is a secondary issue.” It comes in different flavors, but the form I see the most is: “Is believing that particular doctrine necessary to be saved?” It’s a very nasty question because it puts those who stand on Scripture in a tight position. I deal with origins often, and this is an excellent topic for this issue. If believing what Genesis says as written is necessary to be saved, then that means believing a 6-day creation and a recent creation (roughly 6000 years ago for the 21st century) is a doctrine that must be believed to be a born-again Christian. I don’t know of anyone who would truly say that is the case. But when they say, “No, it is not necessary,” the immediate follow up is: “So why draw a line on this point? I can believe what I want on that topic and still get into heaven.”
We must be careful here because this is a trick of the enemy. It’s a very sly tactic and my response is, “That’s the wrong question to ask.” It is the wrong question to be asking if this doctrine or that doctrine is necessary to be saved. Anyone who is asking this does not understand the Gospel as well as they think they do. How can I say that? Because those who are asking this are treating the Gospel as a set of statements to believe, not a PERSON to believe. And they are trying to pin the doctrinal claims on those standing for sound doctrine to let themselves off the hook.
My other response to this is: “The BELIEF in a 6-day creation is not necessary for one to be saved, as one can be wrong on many things and still be saved. However, the FACT of a 6-day creation is necessary for salvation to even be possible. Because unless God created in 6 days as Genesis records, then the status and nature of the creation is not what it was for Adam and Eve. If Adam and Eve’s sin did not affect and curse the world as Genesis describes, then there is no salvation to be had because there is nothing to be saved from.”
The issue can expand to many different things, not just origins. What about infant baptism? What about divorce? Homosexual relationships? The role of science and/or politics? The style of worship? The list goes on and on. Some of these can very well be primary issues. Some of them should not even be on the debate list. But behind all of it is a fundamental mishandling of Scripture and the Gospel. The entire approach with all these questions boils down to: “Can I believe what I want to believe and still be considered a Christian?” Or “What I can get away with and still be considered a Christian?” It is like those who ask for what the minimal requirements are to be saved. Those who are taking that line are completely missing the point.
The Gospel is not about a set of doctrines, though we absolutely do need those doctrines to set up concrete markers to what we are and what we are not. There are doctrines that absolutely draw a line as to who is in the faith and who is not. But there is more than that. The Gospel is about a person; it is about Jesus. Here is the other problem. Many people agree with that, but then treat Jesus as some ethereal, out-there figure. Or more realistically, they have made a “false Jesus” that fits their personality, their preferences, and their likings. Their “Jesus” is themselves. Man has been doing this since the beginning – putting ourselves in the God position, thinking we can make God do what we would have Him do.
In Biblical Christianity, we are not given space for our opinions or our preferences. In Biblical Christianity, the first thing that is dealt with is self. Self must be denied. So let me spell it out: “IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!” The Gospel is not about you. It’s not about me. While we are involved, we are not the focal point. Jesus is. So when dealing with these kinds of questions about which statements are necessary to believe or not, the real question is: Are we following Jesus or following our own ideals?
Most people who ask these questions KNOW that their position is wrong, otherwise they would not be asking for permission to keep it. I have never once heard someone who believes in a six-day creation ask if they could believe that and get into heaven. I only hear that from old-earth creationists and theistic evolutionists. Why is that? Because we do not need permission to believe something the Bible explicitly teaches and still call yourself a Christian. That is supposed to be automatic. It’s simply amazing and astonishing that Christians gape at other Christians for actually believing what their book says. I’m reminded of those who see people praying and getting answers, and they tell that person to stop praying because they are making the mediocre look like mediocre. What happened to actually believing the Bible in Christianity today? And we wonder what happened to our strength and power to influence culture.
The Gospel has been watered down and reduced to where you only need to focus on four or five verses and the rest don’t matter. Who thought that was even thinkable? If we are Christians, we are to believe the ENTIRE Bible, cover to cover. Not interpretations of it. Not broken down into primary and secondary categories, but the whole thing. Because the whole thing is about Jesus, the whole thing is primary. While it may not be necessary to believe certain things to be saved, if one IS saved, they eventually will come around and believe the whole thing. You will not find an authentic, born-again believer openly questioning the clarity or the intention of the text. You will find false believers and satanic plants seeking to sow discord doing so. But the born-again believer is going to eventually stand on the holistic Word of God and not be swept aside by the winds and waves of our culture. But the compromised will, and we’ll see what that looks like over the next few weeks.
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Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
- 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
One of the most common tools Paul uses in his writing is contrast. He often compares two opposites to show his readers the stark differences between the ways of God and the ways of this world. Paul employs multiple contrasts in this passage, showing the Corinthians and us how to live out our faith and the things that can easily distract us from that.
Paul begins here in verse 14 with a powerful metaphor, urging believers not to be "yoked together with unbelievers." The imagery of a yoke, which is a wooden beam used to join two animals for plowing, implies a partnership or close relationship. Paul warns against forming such bonds with those who do not share the Christian faith, as it can lead to conflicts and compromises in values and beliefs.
The rhetorical questions that follow emphasize the stark contrast between the values of believers and unbelievers. Righteousness and wickedness, light and darkness, represent opposing forces. Paul’s use of these opposites underscores the inherent incompatibility between the ways of God and the ways of the world. The underlying message is clear: believers are called to live in a way that reflects their faith and should be cautious about relationships that might hinder their spiritual growth.
Paul continues his list of contrasts in verse 15 by presenting another pair of contrasts: Christ and Belial. "Belial" is a term that signifies worthlessness and is often associated with Satan or evil. The implication is that just as there is no harmony between Christ and Satan, there can be no true spiritual harmony between believers and unbelievers. The repetition of these contrasts serves to reinforce Paul’s point. The relationships and partnerships that believers form should reflect their commitment to Christ. By aligning closely with those who do not share their faith, believers risk compromising their own values and being led astray. This is not at all saying that believers should not associate with unbelievers, but that we should be careful how closely we align with them.
In verse 16, Paul invokes the imagery of the temple to highlight the sacredness of believers' relationship with God. The temple of God represents a place of worship, holiness, and God’s presence. Idols, on the other hand, represent false gods and impurity. This contrast emphasizes the incompatibility of worshiping God while engaging in practices or relationships that do not honor Him.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that they themselves are the temple of the living God. This statement draws from the Old Testament – Leviticus 26:12, Jeremiah 32:38, and Ezekiel 37:27, The implication is that believers are not just individuals; we collectively form the dwelling place of God. This divine presence requires a commitment to holiness and separation from anything that would defile it.
Loosely quoting from Isaiah 52:11, Paul calls for separation from impurity in verse 17. While the direct prophecy in Isaiah was for Israel to leave Babylon and its corrupt influences, now it represents distancing ourselves from practices, relationships, and environments that lead to spiritual compromise. The phrase "touch no unclean thing" emphasizes the need for purity. It is a call to avoid not just overt sin but also any association with practices that can lead to impurity. The promise that follows—"I will receive you"—offers assurance of God’s acceptance and presence when believers commit to living according to His standards.
In verse 18, Paul wraps up his section of contrasts with a comforting promise, quoting from 2 Samuel 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6. God’s assurance of a familial relationship—He is the Father, and believers will be His sons and daughters—highlights the depth of His love and commitment. This relationship is not based on mere observance of rules but on a deep, personal connection with God as a loving Father. The title "Lord Almighty" underscores God’s power and authority. It serves as a reminder that the call to holiness and separation is not a burdensome command but an invitation to a relationship with the all-powerful and loving God who desires the best for His children.
The first verse of chapter 7 could either be a conclusion to the end of chapter 6 or the beginning of a new thought. It provides a call to action based on the previous points he has made. Because believers have the promises of God’s presence, acceptance, and fatherly love, they are motivated to pursue purity. The encouragement to "purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit" encompasses both physical and spiritual aspects of life. It is a comprehensive call to holiness, urging believers to examine their lives and remove anything that hinders their relationship with God.
This passage offers a powerful message about the importance of spiritual purity and separation from influences that can lead believers astray. Paul’s exhortations, grounded in the promises of God’s presence and love, call believers to a life of holiness. This passage challenges us to evaluate our relationships, commitments, and practices, ensuring they reflect our faith and draw us closer to God. As we strive to live out these principles, we can find assurance in the promise that God is with us, guiding and strengthening us in our journey toward holiness.
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When we preach the Gospel, we need to understand that while it is great good news for the salvation of man, it is also a grave scandal. Many people trip over the Gospel, and they DO understand the scandal. They know they are sinners, but for Jesus to die for them is unfathomable. And it’s not merely Jesus dying out of love for us that trips them, it is more specifically Jesus taking on the wrath of the Father for sin upon Himself that trips them. If it was merely Satan carrying out the execution, some may not object, but the actual executioner of holy judgment is by God the Father.
This gives rise the argument of “Cosmic Child Abuse.” Dad got mad at his kid and took it out on the dog. That’s what some have said. How can God be called good and kind and loving if He takes out His anger on His own Son? The Gospel is a scandal. In order to save mankind, there had to be a substitute who had no sin Himself, because the righteous justice of God has to be met. God is not going to let any evil go by without dealing with it. And that is what many objectors to Christianity do not like; they know their deeds are evil, and the mere mention of a righteous and holy God offends them because it means that their judgment day is approaching.
This message is very unpopular. Emile Ramos, James White, and Paul Washer did a 30-minute joint video titled “Unpopular” emphasizing that the Gospel message is not going to please many audiences, because the core of the Gospel message is that man is sick, depraved, and completely helpless. And after salvation, man is still useless, weak, frail, and completely and wholly dependent upon Christ. People mock Christianity because we “use Jesus like a crutch.” I correct them: “No, it’s not like a crutch. It’s more like life-support.” The Gospel is because we are dead without Jesus. That’s not going to win over many crowds.
Paul was given an opportunity to speak to the intellectual of intellectuals at Mars Hill in Athens. If he were interested in winning a crowd over and getting people on his side, there was no better opportunity. He had just been driven out of two consecutive towns in Thessalonica and Berea for preaching the Gospel and was sent ahead to Athens to try to cool down and let the people cool down. And Paul, alone, waiting for his team to come join him, got provoked. He saw the idolatry in the streets, and he could not wait for backup. He began preaching. When he gave his famous defense at Mars Hill, Paul did the last thing he could have done to win the crowd over. While he did reference the religious idolatry of Athens, he basically went in and said, “You are doing everything wrong and don’t even know who you are worshiping or why. Here is the true God and how His worship should be done.” Paul had to sweep the rug from under them and plant a new foundation so he could go to his destination: Jesus and the cross. And the audience lost it the moment Paul spoke of the resurrection. Most mocked, some wanted to hear more, and only a few individuals believed.
The Gospel is not going to be well-liked. If you want approval, praise, and the rapport with men, that may be all you will ever get, and you will have renounced Christ in doing so. Most won’t like the Gospel message delivered correctly. Our job is to preach the Word, even if no one receives it. As Christians, our job is to share the faith, even if no one will hear it. And the church took a major turn off the main road when they decided that their numbers were not good enough and so they decided to pursue “seekers” instead of pursuing God. Instead of giving the unpopular message that God gave us to give, they chose to go for popularity and the approval of sinful, wicked men. There is a severe problem with this: sinful men do not want God, not as He truly is. So to keep sinful men around, they church had to change God. Instead of being the sovereign, righteous king who is coming back to judge the wicked and rescue the righteous, “God” became just a nice, fuzzy blanket to keep you warm in front of a fire. It’s truly blasphemous what most have done in their depiction of God.
And when Christendom as a whole goes that direction, when the few people who still stand for the true God and the true message, we are the ones who get ostracized for rocking the boat. I see it happening very often. I’ll say the hard thing and the backlash is quite sharp. It does not matter how much “love” or “tact” I give it. It is rejected, and the problem is “me” because what I say is not letting “them” play this game they call “Christianity,” a game that God does not play.
There is one detail about the Gospel message that drives it to such an unpopular level: the denial of self. When we receive the Gospel, we are admitting that we have nothing in and of ourselves that is good that we can bring to the table. Getting us to that point requires us to acknowledge that we never had anything or ever will have anything good in us. Before Christ, we had nothing to start with. After, any goodness we have comes from Christ, not us, even in our regenerate spirit. And even harder to receive is that to be a Christian, it is going to cost us everything – not merely our sinful lifestyles of doing bad things, but everything. Jobs, finances, family, friends, hobbies, entertainment, sports, your education, your reputation, everything is secondary or less compared to Jesus.
Paul was the intellect of intellects, the Benjamite of the Benjamites, the most zealous upholder of the law, and when he met Christ, he saw everything he was pursuing as total dung, worthless, rubbish. He scrapped everything and started over with Jesus as the #1 and as the center. He still learned and knew many other things, but they had a new focus and a new place in their value. His faith in Christ cost him a LOT, and throughout his missionary journeys, his greatest enemies were the Jews – those who knew who he was and deemed him a total traitor. There is a cost to being a Christian. There is also a cost to proclaiming the faith. And one thing you cannot have with the truth is friendships with those who oppose it. Something has to go; it is your choice which.
The Gospel is an unpopular message. Next week, we’ll look at different ways the Gospel has been watered down and diluted so it will be more “acceptable” to sinful man.
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We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children —open wide your hearts also.
- 2 Corinthians 6:3-13
For quite a while now in this letter, Paul has been discussing various aspects of being an apostle. In this passage, he shares more about the hardships he endures, emphasizing the integrity and perseverance required in the Christian faith.
Paul begins here in verse 3 by addressing the importance of integrity in ministry. He and his fellow workers strive not to cause others to falter in their faith. This commitment to avoiding actions that might lead others astray is crucial for maintaining the credibility of their ministry. It is not at all surprising that Paul was accused of various things, but his main concern was that any of those accusations would not be based in the truth. As a minister of reconciliation, he should keep a clean conscience and do what is right as a good example for those to whom he was sharing the gospel message.
In verses 4-5, Paul provides a list of adversities he and his companions face. The mention of "great endurance" suggests that these challenges are not occasional but ongoing. Paul highlights physical and emotional sufferings, such as beatings and imprisonments, which were common experiences for early Christian missionaries. This vivid depiction of their struggles serves to illustrate the depth of their commitment and the high cost of their ministry. They did not just face a little social discomfort but rather many physical adversities, including beatings and imprisonments.
He continues his list in verses 6-7, but here it has a more positive spin. Rather than simply focusing on the negatives, Paul and his team remain steadfast in their virtues. They exhibit purity, understanding, patience, and kindness—qualities that reflect the character of Christ—even in the face of the adversities listed previously. The mention of the Holy Spirit and sincere love highlights that their ministry is not merely human effort but is empowered by divine presence and genuine compassion. Their truthful speech and reliance on God's power are crucial for combating the challenges they face, depicted metaphorically as "weapons of righteousness" that they hold in both hands, reminiscent of the armor of God we see in Ephesians 6.
In verses 8-10, Paul brings up contrasts that they face in ministry. They experience both honor and dishonor, positive and negative reports. Despite being genuine, they are sometimes seen as impostors. Known to some, they are obscure to others. These contrasts highlight the paradoxes of Christian ministry, where external appearances often give a false representation of deeper spiritual truths. Despite facing death and sorrow, they live with joy and spiritual richness. This section underscores the resilience and inner strength that faith provides, not only for Paul and his companions but for all believers throughout time.
Paul concludes this section in verses 11-13 with an appeal to the Corinthians. He emphasizes the openness and affection he and his colleagues have shown, urging the Corinthians to reciprocate. This plea for mutual love and understanding reflects the relational aspect of ministry. Paul’s use of paternal language ("I speak as to my children") underscores his deep care and concern for their spiritual well-being.
There are several key points that Paul makes here that we need to apply to our lives as followers of Jesus today.
First, have integrity and avoid causing others to stumble. Paul’s emphasis on not placing stumbling blocks before others challenges us to consider how our actions impact those around us. In our own lives, this might mean being mindful of our behavior, ensuring it aligns with our professed values, and avoiding actions that could cause others to falter in their faith.
Second, be prepared to face adversity and endure it. The list of hardships Paul endures serves as a powerful reminder of the perseverance required in the Christian walk. Today, while we might not face physical beatings or imprisonments, we encounter various trials that test our faith. Paul's example encourages us to endure these with steadfastness, knowing that our struggles are part of a larger spiritual journey.
Third, live out Christian virtues. Paul and his companions exemplify virtues such as purity, understanding, patience, and kindness. In our own context, these qualities remain essential. They not only reflect our faith but also serve as a testimony to others. By relying on the Holy Spirit and demonstrating sincere love, we can navigate life's challenges with grace and truth.
Fourth, realize that there will be paradoxes and things that won’t make worldly sense in our faith. The paradoxes Paul describes—glory and dishonor, sorrow and rejoicing—mirror the complexities of our faith journey. These contrasts remind us that external circumstances do not define our spiritual reality. In moments of sorrow, we can find joy. In times of lack, we can experience spiritual abundance. Embracing these paradoxes allows us to find strength and hope in seemingly contradictory situations.
Finally, focus on the relational aspect of ministry. Paul’s heartfelt appeal to the Corinthians highlights the importance of relationships in ministry. His openness and vulnerability set a model for how we should engage with others. Building genuine, reciprocal relationships based on love and trust is crucial for fostering a supportive and nurturing faith community.
By internalizing these teachings from Paul’s message here and applying them in our lives, we can navigate our faith journey with resilience and grace, reflecting the love and truth of Christ in all that we do.
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“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
– 1 Corinthians 2:2
Paul had one message as he went out from city to city to plant churches and to make disciples of Christ: he preached Christ, and he preached the crucifixion and all that came with it. He absolutely knew far more things than that, but he saw no value in any other topic unless they could point to Christ. Paul knew the Greek culture and Greek mythology, and that’s why in Acts 17 when in Athens, Paul could not only use their own statue to the unknown God but cite two Greek poets who had echoed the truth of who Christ is, even if they did not know it. But in all his preaching, he had one goal and one destination: to proclaim Christ.
Paul understood what it means to be an evangelist. He described himself as a herald. In those days, a herald was the official “news reporter.” A herald would get a message from the king, go to the assigned town, get his soapbox, and then proclaim the message, precisely as the king gave it. The herald would only clarify when questions were asked but never depart from the message. At any point, if word got back to the king that the herald did not give the message in the exact way the king meant it, the herald would be put to death.
The prophets in the Old Testament were treated the same way. If they were going to claim to speak for God, they had to have a 100% fulfillment rate. Any prophecy not fulfilled in their lifetime was held until validation or failure took place. God had a purpose in all this: He wants any who speaks for Him to say exactly what He said and only what He said. It is amazing how God chose to use any of us at all to give His message, but He has chosen to work through weak, frail, fallible, and untrustworthy humans to get His message across. This is not what man would ever think of, but it absolutely is what a God who wants to prove without question that it was His doing and not anyone else’s.
What does this mean? It means we have no say in what the message is. I can picture many readers picking up on that and immediately thinking that everyone has to listen to what I say because I am the only one with the truth. That is not what I am saying at all. But those who think that way are doing precisely what Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for doing: searching and seeking their favorite celebrities and chasing opinions and appearances instead of chasing after Christ. If anyone takes my advice here properly, they won’t need me afterwards, because all I am doing is pointing the way. My book Biblical Foundations has a testimony of a couple getting back to Christ and their marriage being saved. I did not write about marriage; I wrote about following Christ. That saved their marriage. It wasn’t any fancy trick. It wasn’t special counseling (though I do not knock a right application for that). It was simply preaching Christ.
As I wrote over the last several weeks, the Gospel reaches every type of person; I just sampled out seven categories. It is the Gospel that has the power of God unto salvation in every area of life. The Gospel can even deliver someone from writer’s block or answer some scientific mystery by putting everything in the right perspective. Knowing the supremacy of God and how He will determine how much we need to know and when we need to know it can often remove blinders that keep us from seeing the answers. The Gospel has it all, so we need to preach the Gospel as God gave it.
One of my greatest peeves today is when I hear someone professing some very obscure teaching found nowhere in Scripture and then say that “the Gospel doesn’t change” or “it’s not necessary to deal with that to be a Christian.” Watch out for that, because most of the time, those are mere excuses to say, “I can believe whatever I want as long as I agree to a core set of doctrines, and I’ll get into heaven regardless.” That mindset is not a Christian one; it’s a humanistic position that is using God as a means for the self’s end. With that mindset, these people are not seeking after Christ because He is worthy to be worshiped; they are using Jesus as a means to get to paradise where they can celebrate eternity without any regard for their sin.
This false gospel came primarily in the mid-1800s spearheaded by Charles Finney who sought to make sinners as comfortable as possible for when they came to repent of their sins. He is the one who made the “altar call” popular and just by professing doctrines one is proclaimed to be “saved”. That is nonsense. The Gospel was changed from man needing God to save him to God needing man in heaven so He would not be lonely and from God-honoring to man-glorifying. That’s not the Gospel. I’ll address more of these issues as I continue in the series, but I will wrap up this post with these final words.
We have one message to share: one message and one message only. Anything we have to say must have that goal and target in mind no matter where we start from. Every text of Scripture is about Jesus in some way, shape, or form. Therefore, there is a message of the Gospel that comes out of every passage of Scripture, from Creation to the Fall, to the Flood, to the Tower of Babel, to the Old Testament history, to the law, to the judges, to the kings, and to the prophets. They all point to Jesus. We are to proclaim Jesus no matter what our context is, but we are ALSO to proclaim Jesus as He is revealed and not as anything else. Many people would indeed be better off staying silent than opening their mouths and preaching something other than what God said. That is why so few of us should be teachers. It is a serious position to take, but those who do it faithfully will be greatly rewarded. I have much more to share about how to preach the Gospel and how to handle responses to the Gospel over the next few weeks.
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We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
- 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2
Right before this, Paul wrote about how all of us as believers are part of the ministry of reconciliation and what that should look like in our lives. Here, he elaborates more on how to live that out by living our lives as Christ’s ambassadors.
In verse 20, Paul uses the metaphor of ambassadors to describe the role of believers. Ambassadors represent their home country in a foreign land, carrying the authority and message of their homeland. Similarly, Christians represent Christ in the world, carrying His message of reconciliation. This role is both a privilege and a responsibility. When you’re an ambassador, you’re not living in your homeland but rather in a foreign territory. Our true home is in heaven with God, but we are living in this sinful world that is not truly our home.
The authority to be an ambassador has to be given to you; it's not something we naturally have. We are given authority by our relationship with Christ, but we also have the responsibility to represent Him well. As ambassadors of Christ, the opportunities to show God's love are not always easy. He loves us even when we disobey Him, but that perfect love is not often easy for us to live out. God is going to send us into places as His ambassadors, to do His work, and to bring about reconciling the world to Himself.
The phrase "as though God were making his appeal through us" emphasizes the gravity and importance of this role as ambassadors. Believers are the means through which God communicates His message of reconciliation to the world. Paul’s plea of “Be reconciled to God” is urgent and heartfelt, reflecting the importance of this message. It is a call for everyone to accept the reconciliation that God offers through Christ.
Verse 21 encompasses the heart of the gospel message. Christ, who was sinless, took on the burden of our sins. The phrase “to be sin for us” signifies the depth of Christ’s sacrifice. He bore the penalty of sin, taking upon Himself the consequences that humanity deserved.
The purpose of this sacrificial act is “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” This statement highlights the transformative power of Christ’s work. Through His death and resurrection, believers are not only forgiven but also made righteous in God’s sight. This righteousness is not based on human effort but is a gift from God, received through faith in Christ.
This is where chapter 5 ends and chapter 6 begins in our English translations, but this is one of those times that it’s important to note that Paul did not include chapter and verse markings when he originally wrote this letter to the first-century church in Corinth. The ideas in the first two verses of chapter 6 fit well with this idea of ambassadors that Paul has been talking about.
Paul begins verse 1 with a powerful exhortation. As God’s co-workers, believers are partners in God’s mission. This partnership underscores the importance of active participation in God’s work. Paul’s plea is for the Corinthians not to receive God’s grace “in vain.” This phrase suggests the possibility of receiving God’s grace without allowing it to transform one’s life. To receive God’s grace in vain would mean to accept the gift of salvation but not to live out its implications. Paul urges the Corinthians to let God’s grace have its full effect on their lives, leading to transformation and active participation in the ministry of reconciliation.
Paul concludes this section in verse 2 with a quotation from Isaiah 49:8, emphasizing the urgency of responding to God’s grace. The time of my favor and the day of salvation refer to the present moment when God’s offer of reconciliation is available. Paul’s declaration that "now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation" underscores the immediacy and availability of God’s grace. This call to action reminds us that the opportunity for reconciliation and transformation is now. It is an invitation to respond to God’s grace without delay, embracing the new life that is available in Christ.
As ambassadors of Christ, believers carry the message of reconciliation to a broken and divided world, reflecting God’s love and grace in their interactions. The urgency of Paul’s plea reminds us that the time to respond to God’s grace is now. This passage challenges us to live out the implications of our reconciliation with God, embracing the new creation we are in Christ and actively participating in His mission of reconciliation.
May we as believers faithfully fulfill our role as His ambassadors, bringing the message of reconciliation to all who need to hear it!
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Another area where evangelicalism has greatly dropped the ball is with the notion that all that matters is getting someone saved and everything else takes care of it. This reduces the Gospel to a one-time thing and ultimately nothing else matters, because once you get saved, you are in, and once you are in, you can’t lose it. This is an abuse of the “Once Saved, Always Saved” doctrine because the Gospel does not teach that you can live your life however you want once you get saved.
The Christian life has two major parts to it: sanctification (the removal of sin and the purifying of the heart/mind/soul) and sharing the Gospel with others. My pastor made this very clear in his sermon series on Exodus. He said when God rescued Israel from Egypt, they were freed from slavery to Egypt, just as we are saved immediately from slavery to sin. But it took 40 years in the wilderness to get Egypt of out Israel and likewise, it takes our entire Christian life to get the sin in our lives out so we can be ready to meet Christ as a pure and spotless Bride.
The Gospel is an ongoing process. The moment of salvation is not a one-time thing but something that started at a single point in time and continues, ongoing. It is a work that Christ started, and He will see it through to completion. That is why we can have confidence that we will not lose our salvation; if we could, then Christ would have work ruined and never finished. And that’s not the God I worship. I worship a God who finishes what He started, whether salvation or judgment. It is our job to see that we have made terms of peace with God before that judgment happens. It is still God’s job to save. We can only ask for it.
But the Christian has this war with sin that will not go away while we are on this earth. The unsaved don’t have a war with sin; they are fully indulged in it. We do have the war, and the holier we get, the fiercer the war gets. This is why we as believers need the Gospel. We do not need the Gospel just because we need reminders; we do need reminders. We need the Gospel because it is the Gospel that has the power of salvation from leftover sin and struggles. It STILL has the power to continue to deliver us.
If we are struggling and not seeing the victory of sin, there are a couple of reasons for it. One, we aren’t believing the Gospel for THAT sin. Or, we love that sin too much to want to let it go. If the latter, a follow-up question should be asked: are we actually born again? Again, I don’t knock true and real struggles. I have them myself, and that is why I need the Gospel still. I need to keep listening to the Gospel. I need to keep going back to the same message, that Christ died for sinners, and we are to give up the sinful life to be able to take on the new life. This needs to be done on a daily basis. I have learned that when I actively and intentionally deny myself and ask God what I need to do that day, my struggles with sin all but disappear. But when I do struggle, it is very clear why.
We as believers need the Gospel. We always need the Gospel. If we don’t remind ourselves of the Gospel daily, we get hard-hearted and proud because the Gospel is not being allowed to continue the work it started in us. We begin to think we no longer need the Gospel, and we can just live out intellectually correct and moral lives the rest of the way. I know this danger very well because it is such an easy trap for me. I need the Gospel, and so do you. We must never let the thought that we move on from the Gospel or that we “graduate” from the Gospel enter our minds.
It is the Gospel that enables the prodigal to return home. It is the Gospel that gives the saved the grace to seek the salvation of the lost. It is the Gospel that keeps the saved freed from sin. It is the Gospel that restrains lingering sin from getting too strong of a hold. It is the Gospel that was preached to us that makes us want to preach the Gospel to others because it has the power to save us and it can save others too. It is the Gospel that has made terms of peace between us and God. And if we truly have been saved by the power of the Gospel, why would we be ashamed of speaking of it? Over the next several weeks, I will address how to share the Gospel, how not to share it, how to receive it, and how to deal with those who will either receive it or reject it.
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So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
- 2 Corinthians 5:16-19
In the previous section of this letter, Paul discussed his motivation for being a servant of Jesus Christ – a reverent fear of God, a heart-centered faith, and the compelling love of Christ. Here, he elaborates on the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection and what it means for the lives of Christ's followers. Just before this, Paul emphasized Jesus’ death and resurrection, which are for everyone.
Verse 16 starts out with “so,” which could also be translated as “therefore;” this shows that Paul is building on his previous thoughts to make a point. His point is that because of the transformative power of Christ’s death and resurrection, we are to change the way we view others. He speaks against the worldly perspective, which often values people based on external factors such as status, wealth, or appearance. Instead, Paul calls for a spiritual perspective that sees people as new creations in Christ.
Paul admits that he once viewed Christ from a worldly point of view, likely referring to his time before conversion when he persecuted Christians. This acknowledgment serves as a powerful testimony of the transformative power of encountering Christ. Just as Paul's view of Christ changed, so should our view of others change. We are to see them through the lens of God's redemptive work in Christ, recognizing their potential for transformation and reconciliation.
Verse 17 is one of the most celebrated declarations in the New Testament. It explains the essence of what it means to be a Christian – being "in Christ" signifies a profound union with Him, resulting in a complete renewal of one's identity. The phrase "new creation" suggests a radical transformation that goes beyond mere moral improvement.
The old life, characterized by sin and separation from God, is gone. In its place, a new life has emerged, which is defined by the indwelling presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit. This transformation is not just an individual experience but also a communal reality. As members of the body of Christ, believers collectively embody this new creation, witnessing to the world the power of God's redemptive work
But it is important to keep reading into the next verse, where Paul emphasizes that this transformation and reconciliation are entirely God's work in verse 18. Human effort has no part in this divine act. God is the initiator and sustainer of the reconciliation process, and Christ is the means through which it is accomplished.
Having been reconciled to God, believers are now entrusted with the "ministry of reconciliation." This ministry involves more than just proclaiming the message of reconciliation; it also entails living out its reality in relationships with others. Christians are called to be agents of reconciliation in a broken and divided world, embodying the peace and unity that come from being reconciled with God.
In verse 19, Paul expands on the nature of God's reconciliation. Through Christ, God is reconciling the entire world to Himself. This global scope underscores the inclusivity of God's redemptive plan. The phrase "not counting people’s sins against them" highlights the gracious and merciful aspect of reconciliation. In Christ, God offers forgiveness and a fresh start, breaking the cycle of sin and condemnation.
The message of reconciliation is entrusted to believers, making us ambassadors of Christ. This responsibility involves proclaiming the good news of God's forgiveness and actively participating in the ministry of reconciliation. As bearers of this message, Christians are called to reflect God's love and grace in their interactions, helping others to understand and experience the reconciliation that God offers through Christ.
So what is this ministry of reconciliation? It is a divine calling to proclaim the message of God’s love, mercy, and grace to a world in need of redemption. We have broken our relationships with God and with others due to our sinfulness, and those relationships must be repaired. This ministry of reconciliation is based on God’s love and mercy to us; we do not deserve it, but He is merciful and shows us His love in this way. The message through which reconciliation happens is the gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ. This reconciliation is not just about individuals being reconciled to God, but it is God’s desire to reconcile His relationship with all of humanity.
In this passage, we see the core message of the Christian faith. Through Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection, believers are reconciled to God and called to live transformed lives. This transformation involves a shift from self-centered living to Christ-centered living, viewing others through the lens of God’s redemptive work, and participating in the ministry of reconciliation.
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The Gospel is for everyone, including those who openly and defiantly reject it. The Word of God never returns void and never fails to accomplish what it was intended to do. The Gospel is a call to sinners to repent and turn back to God, but what happens if someone rejects that call? Did we fail as a preacher? Did we fail as an evangelist? Did the message not do its job? These are serious questions because modern evangelicalism has answered these questions by changing the message and going “seeker sensitive,” literally seeking to lower the bar of acceptance so anyone can get in. That was the wrong answer because they lost the point and purpose of evangelism, which is not to win as many people as possible but to proclaim the truth regardless of who accepts it.
So how does the Gospel reach the reprobate, the ones who refuse to listen? It is like the sun. It will give heat and energy to good plants, but it also hardens hard soil. The Gospel will be received by those whom God has been plowing and preparing, but it will also harden those who have no intention of hearing it.
Pharoah is such a great example of this. He endured all ten plagues and his heart only got harder and harder. God finally convinced him to let Israel go in the emotional grief of the loss of his son, but even that grief turned to outright rage when he chased after Israel only to get buried in the Red Sea. God gave him more and more evidence, and all that did was make his heart harder and harder. Some people get so stubborn that any rebuke will only make them hate further.
By giving the Gospel message to the reprobate, God shows such great mercy by still offering the opportunity to get saved. Cain is another example. He refused to do things God’s way and got mad when he was rejected. But God still offered Cain a way out. Cain refused to take it and killed his brother over it. But the offer for rectification was there. This makes Cain’s rebellion even worse because he was offered a chance to make things right and knew it and intentionally refused to take it.
The word gospel literally means good news, but the good news requires the bad news for the good stuff to be able to work its magic. The bad news is that each of us is a stubborn sinner set in our ways with no intention of departing from them unless God miraculously pierces through our hard hearts. Only the Gospel can do that, but there are some whose hearts the Gospel will only harden further. The bad news is that we are all condemned already, and without divine intervention, we will all be going to hell. The good news is there is a way out and there is a means of salvation. But the bad news is that rejection of that offer only seals the doom that is already placed upon us.
The Gospel enables none to have an excuse when they face God on Judgment Day. Those who receive the Gospel and submit their lives to Christ will have Jesus be their defense attorney and intercede on our behalf. Those who reject the Gospel will have all the evidence laid before them showing every time where they heard the Gospel and refused it. There will be none who have an excuse. There will be none whom God will hold accountable who did not hear. God judges based on the light and truth someone has heard and received or rejected. So the innocent child who died before having a chance to hear, let alone understand the Gospel, will be judged according to God’s righteous standards including what they had access to. But those who have heard cannot use those who haven’t heard as an excuse.
The Gospel will save those who God has chosen to save, but it will also harden those who love their sin and want to stay in it. And as with King Saul, there comes a point where God says, “Enough! He can no longer be saved!” God did that with the Flood too. He gave Noah 120 years’ notice, and while there are some who may have been saved had they listened and gotten on the ark, God knew none would, and thus only Noah and his family were saved. Yet for 120 years the message of warning and salvation was preached even in just the building of the ark.
The message of the Gospel is not to be taken lightly. It also is not able to be received at anyone’s convenience. It can only be received when God offers it. It tells that every person is given the opportunity to be saved, and it only further reveals the condemnation of those who reject it. The Gospel is a two-edged sword. It rescues and saves those who receive it, and it judges and condemns those who reject it. The Gospel does the latter to the reprobate.
However, the Gospel is still needed by another group of people (among others because this study is not comprehensive): the saved. Yes, the Gospel is for those who have been born again as well.
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Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
- 2 Corinthians 5:11-15
Since way back in 2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul has been discussing the apostolic ministry. He has described the privileges of being an apostle, competence for serving in this way, the old and new covenants and how that relates to their ministry, and the suffering and rewards of being an apostle, including having confidence when faced with death. Here, Paul continues to talk about apostolic ministry but in the context of motivation for serving God in this way.
Paul begins this section in verse 11 by acknowledging the fear of the Lord. This fear is not a paralyzing terror but rather a profound reverence and respect for God's holiness and justice. Recognizing the reality of God’s judgment (as mentioned right before today’s passage in verse 10), Paul and his companions are motivated to persuade others about the truth of the gospel. This truth includes both sharing what God’s Word says about Jesus and the Kingdom and how we should practically apply it to our lives. The apostles’ transparent and sincere lives are open before God, and they hope that is evident to the Corinthians as well. This verse highlights the integrity and earnestness of Paul's ministry, driven by the awareness of God’s omniscience and the desire for others to come to the same understanding.
We see Paul’s humility in verse 12 where he clarifies that his intent is not self-promotion but rather to provide the Corinthians with a reason to be proud of their association with him and his ministry. This is in contrast to those who boast about external appearances and superficial achievements. Paul’s focus is on internal, heart-centered transformation and genuine faith. By emphasizing the importance of what is "in the heart," Paul challenges the Corinthians to value authentic spirituality over outward appearances. Being transparent before God and other people so that they can see the state of our hearts is more important than simply appearing as good to others but in an unrighteous manner.
Paul addresses criticisms that he and his companions are "out of their mind" in verse 13. This accusation likely stems from their zealous and unconventional approach to ministry. Paul asserts that if their actions seem irrational, it is because they are wholeheartedly committed to God. On the other hand, if they appear rational and sensible, it is for the benefit of the Corinthians. This verse highlights the dual motivations of Paul’s ministry: an uncompromising dedication to God and a thoughtful concern for the well-being of the believers. Paul emphasizes that he is not motivated for his own selfish gain but that it is all for God’s glory, as he had previously written about in 1 Corinthians 10:31 and 2 Corinthians 4:15 among other places.
In verse 14, Paul reveals the driving force behind his ministry: the love of Christ. This compelling love is not just an abstract concept but a powerful, active force that motivates and directs his actions. Paul is deeply convinced of the foundational truth that Christ died for all humanity. This sacrificial death implies that all have died to their old, sinful selves and are called to live a new life in Christ. The universality of Christ's atonement is emphasized, underscoring the fact that the gospel message is truly for everyone.
Paul concludes this section in verse 15 by explaining the purpose of Christ’s sacrificial death. It was not just for the forgiveness of sins but also to transform the lives of believers. Those who have received this new life are called to live not for themselves but for Christ, who died and was resurrected for their sake. This verse shows us the essence of Christian discipleship: a life lived in response to Christ's love and sacrifice, characterized by selflessness and dedication to God’s purposes.
This section gives us some great insights and applications to our daily lives as followers of Jesus Christ.
First, Paul’s motivation is deeply rooted in the fear of the Lord, a reverent awareness of God’s holiness and justice. This fear drives him to persuade others about the truth of the gospel. In our contemporary context, cultivating a healthy fear of the Lord involves recognizing His sovereignty and holiness, which should lead us to live lives of integrity and urgency in sharing the gospel. We, too, should have that fear, awe, and reverence of the Lord.
Paul emphasizes the importance of heart-centered faith over superficial appearances. This challenges us to evaluate our own lives. Are we more concerned with how things look on the outside or with genuine transformation and spiritual depth on the inside? Living an authentic Christian life requires transparency, sincerity, and a focus on internal character rather than external praise from others.
The compelling love of Christ is the driving force behind Paul’s ministry. This love is not passive but active, urging us as believers to live sacrificially and passionately for Christ. The call to live for Christ rather than for ourselves is central to Paul’s message, and it should be central to our lives as well. This involves a radical reorientation of our priorities and desires. As believers, we are called to live in a way that honors Christ, reflecting His love and grace in our interactions and decisions. This means putting aside selfish ambitions and embracing a life of service and dedication to God’s will.
Reflect on your own life this week. Are you driven by a deep reverence for God and a passionate love for Christ? Are you focused on genuine spiritual growth and transformation? Are you living for Christ, seeking to honor Him in all that we do? May Paul’s words inspire and challenge us to live faithfully and fervently for the one who died and rose again for us.
This forum is meant to foster discussion and allow for differing viewpoints to be explored with equal and respectful consideration. All comments are moderated and any foul language or threatening/abusive comments will not be approved. Users who engage in threatening or abusive comments which are physically harmful in nature will be reported to the authorities.
