2 Cor 5:11-15 Mid-Week Study
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
FEARING THE LORD
What are you afraid of? In 2 Corinthians 5:11-15, Paul begins with the words "Knowing the fear of the Lord ..." And if you remember last week's text, he's not joking. Verse 10 stated, "We ALL must appear before the judgment seat of God," which seems directly connected with fearing God. We know that elsewhere the "fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," but from this passage, what else does fearing God accomplish in us? So let's open 2 Cor 5 and find out ...
2 COR 5:11-13
11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.
"WE PERSUADE OTHERS" - Because Paul fears God, he is given to a ministry of "persuasion". Read backwards a little, and then read ahead as well. What do you notice so far in 2 Corinthians (or in what's to come) that reveals what Paul wants to persuade the Corinthians about?
"WE ARE NOT COMMENDING" - Since 2 Cor 3:1, Paul has been talking about this topic. Look back at 3:1-3; what were the Corinthians caught up on as a means of being recommended to others?
"BOASTING" - In the same way, Paul's resurrecting the word "boasting". Look back at 2 Cor 1:12-14 where Paul mentions the word 3 times (and then hasn't brought it up again until now.) Clearly, we're not talking about "bragging" - but there's something behind it. Re-reading both texts, what other synonyms would you sub in for "boasting" that helps us read it in a way we might say it today?
"REFERRING TO THE FACE" - Pointing out what NOT to be confident in, Paul literally says that it's not to be "in reference to the face". Read verse 12 again, which English words are translations of that Greek phrase? What then is Paul getting at about where our ultimate confidence lies?
"BESIDE OURSELVES" - Apparently then, since Paul was judged on how polished he was, he just ... leans into it: "You think my methods are over-zealous or crazy? Fine ... If we're 'beside ourselves' (read: 'kinda eccentric or crazy'), it's for God; and if we're 'in our right mind' (read: 'polished and presentable'), it's for you." What about this kind of defense sounds similar to the way Jesus was evaluated in his day? How would we apply these three verses to our lives then?
2 COR 5:14-15
14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
"CONTROLS US" - Any level of introspective or confession of sin often shows us just how much we're driven by things we can't understand. In fact, sometimes it's hard to admit how much past hurts seem to "control" our future behavior. What is it that Paul says "controls" them?
"WE HAVE CONCLUDED THIS: ..." - For too many people, God's love sounds almost fluffy and sentimental; not for Paul. Instead, believers he says, should be controlled by the "Love of Christ" simply for one reason that has 3 results. Use the chart below to unpack what Paul considers to be the logic of love:
THE REASON - What is the one way Paul says that we see God's love: "that one has _____ for _____" (v 14 & 15)
THE MEANING - Since we're freed from an addiction to the approval of others (v 11-13), what do we live for? Well, not for ourselves ... we're now free to live for Christ's approval and purposes! Doesn't that sound great? What would it look like for you to have this level of ambivalence towards how you look in others' eyes since you were only aware of what pleases God?
Looking forward to Sunday with you,
Pastor Darren
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