S
E C O N D C O R I N I T H I A N S
CHAP. V.
The
apostle proceeds in showing the reasons why they did not faint under their
afflictions, namely, their expectation, desire, and assurance of happiness
after death (ver. 1-5), and deduces an inference for the comfort of believers
in their present state (ver. 6-8), and another to quicken them in their duty,
ver. 9-11. Then he makes an apology for seeming to commend himself, and gives
a good reason for his zeal and diligence (ver. 12-15), and mentions two things
that are necessary in order to our living to Christ, regeneration and
reconciliation, ver. 16, to the end.
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The
Believer's Prospect beyond Death.
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A. D. 57.
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1 For we know that if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly
desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3
If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we
that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we
would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of
life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is
God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home
in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith,
not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing
rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of
him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made
manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
The apostle in these verses pursues the argument of the former chapter,
concerning the grounds of their courage and patience under afflictions. And,
I. He mentions their expectation, and desire, and assurance, of eternal
happiness after death, v. 1-5. Observe particularly,
1. The believer's expectation of eternal happiness after death, v. 1.
He does not only know, or is well assured by faith of the truth and reality of
the thing itself--that there is another and a happy life after this present
life is ended, but he has good hope through grace of his interest in that
everlasting blessedness of the unseen world: "We know that we have a
building of God, we have a firm and well-grounded expectation of the future
felicity." Let us take notice, (1.) What heaven is in the eye and hope of
a believer. He looks upon it as a house, or habitation, a dwelling-place, a
resting-place, a hiding-place, our Father's house, where there are many
mansions, and our everlasting home. It is a house in the heavens, in that high
and holy place which as far excels all the palaces of this earth as the
heavens are high above the earth. It is a building of God, whose builder and
maker is God, and therefore is worthy of its author; the happiness of the
future state is what God hath prepared for those that love him. It is eternal
in the heavens, everlasting habitations, not like the earthly tabernacles, the
poor cottages of clay in which our souls now dwell, which are mouldering and
decaying, and whose foundations are in the dust. (2.) When it is
expected this happiness shall be enjoyed--immediately after death, so soon as our
house of this earthly tabernacle is dissolved. Note, [1.] That the body,
this earthly house, is but a tabernacle, that must be dissolved shortly; the
nails or pins will be drawn, and the cords be loosed, and then the body will
return to dust as it was. [2.] When this comes to pass, then comes the house
not made with hands. The spirit returns to God who gave it; and such as have
walked with God here shall dwell with God for ever.
2. The believer's earnest desire after this future blessedness, which is
expressed by this word, stenazomen--we
groan, which denotes, (1.) A groaning of sorrow under a heavy load; so
believers groan under the burden of life: In this we groan earnestly, v.
2. We that are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened, v. 4.
The body of flesh is a heavy burden, the calamities of life are a heavy load.
But believers groan because burdened with a body of sin, and the many
corruptions that are still remaining and raging in them. This makes them
complain, O wretched man that I am! Rom. vii. 24. (2.) There is a
groaning of desire after the happiness of another life; and thus believers
groan: Earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from
heaven (v. 2), to obtain a blessed immortality, that mortality
might be swallowed up of life (v. 4), that being found clothed,
we may not be naked (v. 3), that, if it were the will of God, we
might not sleep, but be changed; for it is not desirable in itself to be
unclothed. Death considered merely as a separation of soul and body is not to
be desired, but rather dreaded; but, considered as a passage to glory, the
believer is willing rather to die than live, to be absent from the
body, that he may be present with the Lord (v. 1), to leave this
body that he may go to Christ, and to put off these rags of mortality that he
may put on the robes of glory. Note, [1.] Death will strip us of the clothing
of flesh, and all the comforts of life, as well as put an end to all our
troubles here below. Naked we came into this world, and naked shall we go out
of it. But, [2.] Gracious souls are not found naked in the other world; no,
they are clothed with garments of praise, with robes of righteousness and
glory. They shall be delivered out of all their troubles, and shall have
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, Rev. vii. 14.
3. The believer's assurance of his interest in this future blessedness, on a
double account:-- (1.) From the experience of the grace of God, in preparing
and making him meet for this blessedness. He that hath wrought us for the
self-same thing is God, v. 5. Note, All who are designed for heaven
hereafter are wrought or prepared for heaven while they are here; the stones
of that spiritual building and temple above are squared and fashioned here
below. And he that hath wrought us for this is God, because nothing less than
a divine power can make a soul partaker of a divine nature; no hand less than
the hand of God can work us for this thing. A great deal is to be done to
prepare our souls for heaven, and that preparation of the heart is from the
Lord. (2.) The earnest of the Spirit gave them this assurance: for an
earnest is part of payment, and secures the full payment. The present graces
and comforts of the Spirit are earnests of everlasting grace and comfort.
II. The apostle deduces an inference for the comfort of believers in their
present state and condition in this world, v. 6-8. Here observe, 1.
What their present state or condition is: they are absent from the Lord
(v. 6); they are pilgrims and strangers in this world; they do but
sojourn here in their earthly home, or in this tabernacle; and though God is
with us here, by his Spirit, and in his ordinances, yet we are not with him as
we hope to be: we cannot see his face while we live: For we walk by faith,
not by sight, v. 7. We have not the vision and fruition of God, as
of an object that is present with us, and as we hope for hereafter, when we shall
see as we are seen. Note, Faith is for this world, and sight is reserved
for the other world: and it is our duty, and will be our interest, to walk by
faith, till we come to live by sight. 2. How comfortable and courageous we
ought to be in all the troubles of life, and in the hour of death: Therefore
we are, or ought to be, always confident (v. 6), and again (v.
8), We are confident, and willing rather to be absent from the body.
True Christians, if they duly considered the prospect faith gives them of
another world, and the good reasons of their hope of blessedness after death,
would be comforted under the troubles of life, and supported in the hour of
death: they should take courage, when they are encountering the last enemy,
and be willing rather to die than live, when it is the will of God that they
should put off this tabernacle. Note, As those who are born from above
long to be there, so it is but being absent from the body, and we shall very
soon be present with the Lord--but to die, and be with Christ--but to close
our eyes to all things in this world, and we shall open them in a world of
glory. Faith will be turned into sight.
III. He proceeds to deduce an inference to excite and quicken himself and
others to duty, v. 9-11. So it is that well-grounded hopes of heaven
will be far from giving the least encouragement to sloth and sinful security;
on the contrary, they should stir us up to use the greatest care and diligence
in religion: Wherefore, or because we hope to be present with the Lord,
we labour and take pains, v. 9. Filotimoumeqa--We
are ambitious, and labour as industriously as the most ambitious men do to
obtain what they aim at. Here observe, 1. What it was that the apostle was
thus ambitious of--acceptance with God. We labour that, living and
dying, whether present in the body or absent from the body, we may be
accepted of him, the Lord (v. 9), that we may please him who
hath chosen us, that our great Lord may say to us, Well done. This
they coveted as the greatest favour and the highest honour: it was the summit
of their ambition. 2. What further quickening motives they had to excite their
diligence, from the consideration of the judgment to come, v. 10, 11.
There are many things relating to this great matter that should awe the best
of men into the utmost care and diligence in religion; for example, the
certainty of this judgment, for we must appear; the universality of it, for we
must all appear; the great Judge before whose judgment-seat we must appear,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who himself will appear in flaming fire; the recompence
to be then received, for things done in the body, which will be very
particular (unto every one), and very just, according to what we have done,
whether good or bad. The apostle calls this awful judgment the terror of
the Lord (v. 11), and, by the consideration thereof, was excited to
persuade men to repent, and live a holy life, that, when Christ shall appear
terribly, they may appear before him comfortably. And, concerning his fidelity
and diligence, he comfortably appeals unto God, and the consciences of those
he wrote to: We are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made
manifest in your consciences.
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Apology
for Seeming Self-Commendation.
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A. D. 57.
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12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you,
but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer
them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 13 For whether
we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is
for your cause. 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because
we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Here observe, I. The apostle makes an apology for seeming to commend himself
and his fellow-labourers (v. 13), and tells them, 1. It was not to
commend themselves, nor for their own sakes, that he had spoken of their
fidelity and diligence in the former verses; nor was he willing to suspect
their good opinion of him. But, 2. The true reason was this, to put an
argument in their mouths wherewith to answer his accusers, who made vain
boastings, and gloried in appearances only; that he might give them an
occasion to glory on their behalf, or to defend them against the
reproaches of their adversaries. And if the people can say that the word has
been manifested to their consciences, and been effectual to their conversion
and edification, this is the best defence they can make for the ministry of
the word, when they are vilified and reproached.
II. He gives good reasons for their great zeal and diligence. Some of Paul's
adversaries had, it is likely, reproached him for his zeal and fervour, as if
he had been a madman, or, in the language of our days, a fanatic; they imputed
all to enthusiasm, as the Roman governor told him, Much learning has made
thee mad, Acts xxvi. 24. But the apostle tells them, 1. It was for the
glory of God, and the good of the church, that he was thus zealous and
industrious: "Whether we be beside ourselves, or whether we be sober
(whether you or others do think the one or the other), it is to God,
and for his glory: and it is for your cause, or to promote your
good," v. 13. If they manifested the greatest ardour and vehemency
at some times, and used the greatest calmness in strong reasonings at other
times, it was for the best ends; and in both methods they had good reason for
what they did. For, 2. The love of Christ constrained them, v.
14. They were under the sweetest and strongest constraints to do what they
did. Love has a constraining virtue to excite ministers and private Christians
in their duty. Our love to Christ will have this virtue; and Christ's love to
us, which was manifested in this great instance of his dying for us, will have
this effect upon us, if it be duly considered and rightly judged of. For
observe how the apostle argues for the reasonableness of love's constraints,
and declares, (1.) What we were before, and must have continued to be, had not
Christ died for us: We were dead, v. 14. If one died for all,
then were all dead; dead in law, under sentence of death; dead in sins and
trespasses, spiritually dead. Note, This was the deplorable condition of all
those for whom Christ died: they were lost and undone, dead and ruined, and
must have remained thus miserable for ever if Christ had not died for them.
(2.) What such should do, for whom Christ died; namely, that they should live
to him. This is what Christ designed, that those who live, who are made
alive unto God by means of his death, should live to him that died for
them, and rose again for their sakes also, and that they should not live to
themselves, v. 15. Note, We should not make ourselves, but Christ,
the end of our living and actions: and it was one end of Christ's death to
cure us of this self-love, and to excite us always to act under the commanding
influence of his love. A Christian's life should be consecrated to Christ; and
then do we live as we ought to live when we live to Christ, who died for us.
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Ministry
of the Apostles.
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A. D. 57.
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16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after
the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now
henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be
in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God,
who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the
ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then
we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we
pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For
he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be
made the righteousness of God in him.
In these verses the apostle mentions two things that are necessary in order to
our living to Christ, both of which are the consequences of Christ's dying for
us; namely, regeneration and reconciliation.
I. Regeneration, which consists of two things; namely, 1. Weanedness from the
world: "Henceforth we know no man after the flesh, v. 16.
We do not own nor affect any person or thing in this world for carnal ends and
outward advantage: we are enabled, by divine grace, not to mind nor regard
this world, nor the things of this world, but to live above it. The love of
Christ is in our hearts, and the world is under our feet." Note, Good
Christians must enjoy the comforts of this life, and their relations in this
world, with a holy indifference. Yea, though we have known Christ after the
flesh, yet, says the apostle, we know him no more. It is questioned
whether Paul had seen Christ in the flesh. However, the rest of the apostles
had, and so might some among those he was now writing to. However, he would
not have them value themselves upon that account; for even the bodily presence
of Christ is not to be desired nor doted upon by his disciples. We must live
upon his spiritual presence, and the comfort it affords. Note, Those who make
images of Christ, and use them in their worship, do not take the way that God
has appointed for strengthening their faith and quickening their affections;
for it is the will of God that we should not know Christ any more after the
flesh. 2. A thorough change of the heart: For if any man be in Christ,
if any man be a Christian indeed, and will approve himself such, he is,
or he must be, a new creature, v. 17. Some read it, Let him
be a new creature. This ought to be the care of all who profess the
Christian faith, that they be new creatures; not only that they have a new
name, and wear a new livery, but that they have a new heart and new nature.
And so great is the change the grace of God makes in the soul, that, as it
follows, old things are passed away--old thoughts, old principles, and
old practices, are passed away; and all these things must become new.
Note, Regenerating grace creates a new world in the soul; all things are new.
The renewed man acts from new principles, by new rules, with new ends, and in
new company.
II. Reconciliation, which is here spoken of under a double notion:--
1. As an unquestionable privilege, v. 18, 19. Reconciliation supposes a
quarrel, or breach of friendship; and sin has made a breach, it has broken the
friendship between God and man. The heart of the sinner is filled with enmity
against God, and God is justly offended with the sinner. Yet, behold, there
may be a reconciliation; the offended Majesty of heaven is willing to be
reconciled. And observe, 1. He has appointed the Mediator of reconciliation.
He has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, v. 18. God is to be
owned from first to last in the undertaking and performance of the Mediator.
All things relating to our reconciliation by Jesus Christ are of God, who by
the mediation of Jesus Christ has reconciled the world to himself, and put
himself into a capacity of being actually reconciled to offenders, without any
wrong or injury to his justice or holiness, and does not impute to men their
trespasses, but recedes from the rigour of the first covenant, which was
broken, and does not insist upon the advantage he might justly take against us
for the breach of that covenant, but is willing to enter into a new treaty,
and into a new covenant of grace, and, according to the tenour thereof, freely
to forgive us all our sins, and justify freely by his grace all those who do
believe. 2. He has appointed the ministry of reconciliation, v.
18. By the inspiration of God the scriptures were written, which contain the
word of reconciliation, showing us that peace was made by the blood of the
cross, that reconciliation is wrought, and directing us how we may be
interested therein. And he has appointed the office of the ministry, which is
a ministry of reconciliation: ministers are to open and proclaim to
sinners the terms of mercy and reconciliation, and persuade them to comply
therewith. For,
2. Reconciliation is here spoken of as our indispensable duty, v. 20.
As God is willing to be reconciled to us, we ought to be reconciled to God.
And it is the great end and design of the gospel, that word of reconciliation,
to prevail upon sinners to lay aside their enmity against God. Faithful
ministers are Christ's ambassadors, sent to treat with sinners on peace and
reconciliation: they come in God's name, with his entreaties, and act in
Christ's stead, doing the very thing he did when he was upon this earth, and
what he wills to be done now that he is in heaven. Wonderful condescension!
Though God can be no loser by the quarrel, nor gainer by the peace, yet by his
ministers he beseeches sinners to lay aside their enmity, and accept of the
terms he offers, that they would be reconciled to him, to all his attributes,
to all his laws, and to all his providences, to believe in the Mediator, to
accept the atonement, and comply with his gospel, in all the parts of it and
in the whole design of it. And for our encouragement so to do the apostle
subjoins what should be well known and duly considered by us (v. 21),
namely, (1.) The purity of the Mediator: He knew no sin. (2.) The
sacrifice he offered: He was made sin; not a sinner, but sin,
that is, a sin-offering, a sacrifice for sin. (3.) The end and design of all
this: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, might be
justified freely by the grace of God through the redemption which is in Christ
Jesus. Note, [1.] As Christ, who knew no sin of his own, was made sin for us,
so we, who have no righteousness of our own, are made the righteousness of God
in him. [2.] Our reconciliation to God is only through Jesus Christ, and for
the sake of his merit: on him therefore we must rely, and make mention of his
righteousness and his only.
Contents
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