Our Heavenly Dwelling
Study note
Paul compares the mortal body to an earthly tent and the resurrection body to an eternal building from God. While believers groan under the burdens of mortal life, they are sustained by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of what is to come. Paul affirms that walking by faith rather than sight gives confidence whether in the body or absent from it, and that all believers will ultimately appear before Christ's judgment seat.
1 We know that when our earthly body — like a tent — is taken down, God has a lasting home waiting for us in heaven. He built it himself, and it will never fall apart. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 Right now we groan inside this body, because we long to put on our heavenly home. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 When that happens, we will not be left without a body. If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 While we live in this body, we groan because life feels heavy. We do not want to lose our body. We want to receive our new one, so that our dying body will be replaced by real life. 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 God himself has been preparing us for this, and he gave us his Spirit as proof that it will happen. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6 So we stay confident. We understand that while we are living in these bodies, we are away from our home with the Lord. 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. (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 Yes, we are confident, and honestly, we would rather leave these bodies behind and go home to be with the Lord. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9 Therefore we work so hard to please him, whether we are still in these bodies or have already left them. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
10 Every one of us will stand before Christ to be judged. Each person will receive what they deserve for the things they did while living in their body, whether those things were good or bad. 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.
The Ministry of Reconciliation
Study note
Motivated by the fear of the Lord and the love of Christ, Paul describes the radical new perspective that comes from being in Christ: old things have passed away and everything has become new. God has reconciled the world to himself through Christ and entrusted believers with the message of reconciliation. The chapter climaxes in the profound exchange at the heart of the gospel: Christ, who knew no sin, was made sin so that believers might become the righteousness of God in him.
11 Because we understand how awesome and serious God is, we do our best to bring people to him. God knows everything about us, and I believe you know us well in your hearts too. 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.
12 We are not trying to make ourselves look good again. We are giving you real reasons to be proud of us, so you have an answer for people who care more about outward appearances than about what is in the heart. 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 If we seem crazy, that is between us and God. If we seem calm and reasonable, that is for your benefit. For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
14 The love of Christ is what drives us. We have concluded: one person died for everyone, and so in a sense, everyone has died. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
15 He died for everyone so that people who are alive would stop living for themselves. Instead, they would live for the one who died and came back to life for them. 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.
16 From now on, we do not judge anyone by human standards. Even though we used to think about Christ that way, we do not anymore. 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 anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 God is the one behind all of this. He brought us back to himself through Jesus Christ, and then he gave us the job of helping others come back to him too. 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 What happened is that God was working through Christ to bring the whole world back into friendship with himself. He chose not to hold people's sins against them, and he gave us the job of sharing this amazing message. 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 So we represent Christ himself. God is reaching out to people through us. On behalf of Christ, we are begging you: let God bring you back to himself! 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 made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. 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.