2 Corinthians 5 is a chapter in which the apostle Paul explains the state after death, the nature of faith, and the motivation for his ministry. This chapter gives hope and courage to Christians, and emphasizes their life and mission as new creations in Christ. The main contents are explained in detail as follows:
1. Hope for a heavenly abode (verses 1-5)
Verse 1 : "For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
- Paul is confident that even if our flesh (the tent) is destroyed, we have an eternal home prepared by God.
Verse 2 : “For indeed we groan here, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven.”
- He laments as he longs to be granted a heavenly home in his present physical state.
Verse 3 : "We are clothed so that we will not be found naked."
- May we not be found naked (dead) by putting on our eternal dwelling place.
Verse 4 : “For indeed we who are in this tent are burdened and groan, not that we may be put off, but that we may be clothed, that death may be swallowed up by life.”
- Paul explains that the reason he groans under the burden of the flesh is not simply to put off the flesh, but to put on eternal life.
Verse 5 : “It is God who brought this to pass for us and gave us the Holy Spirit as a pledge.”
- He emphasizes that God has made this hope come true for us and has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee.
2. A Life of Faith and Hope (verses 6-10)
Verse 6 : “Therefore let us always be of good courage, knowing that when we are in the body we are apart from the Lord.”
- Paul is courageous because he knows that his life on this earth is apart from the Lord.
Verse 7 : “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
- He walks by faith, following not what is seen but what is unseen.
Verse 8 : “We are confident and desire rather to be absent from the body and be present with the Lord.”
- Paul wants even more to be away from the body and be with the Lord.
Verse 9 : “So whether we remain or go, we strive to please the Lord.”
- Whether he stays or goes, he strives to be a person who pleases the Lord.
Verse 10 : “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad.”
- Paul emphasizes that everyone will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and be rewarded according to their actions.
3. Ministry of reconciliation (verses 11-21)
Verse 11 : “We persuade men because we know the fear of the Lord. But since we have been found before God, we hope to be revealed also to your conscience.”
- Paul exhorts people because he knows the fear of the Lord, and he reveals that he is exposed before God.
Verse 12 : “We are not recommending ourselves to you any more, but to give you an opportunity to boast in us, so that you may answer for those who boast not in their heart but in outward appearance.”
- He explains that he is not recommending himself, but rather giving the Corinthian believers a chance to brag.
Verse 13 : “If we are mad, then it is for God’s sake; if we are in our right mind, it is for your sake.”
- Paul says that even if it seems that he is crazy, it is for God, and if he is perfect, it is for the saints.
Verse 14 : “The love of Christ compels us, for we consider that if one died for all, then all died.”
- The love of Christ compels him, emphasizing that Jesus died for all people.
Verse 15 : "He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again."
- Jesus died for everyone so that we would no longer live for ourselves but for Jesus.
Verse 16 : “Therefore we no longer know anyone according to the flesh; although we also knew Christ according to the flesh, we no longer know him in the same way.”
- Paul explains that from now on no one knows Christ according to the flesh, but that they have known Christ according to the flesh, but no longer do so.
Verse 17 : "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
- He emphasizes that those who are in Christ are new creations, and that the old has passed away and the new has come.
Verse 18 : "All things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."
- All things are from God, and God has reconciled us through Christ.
Verse 19 : “For God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses on them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
- God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not counting our sins against us and entrusting us with the message of reconciliation.
Verse 20 : “Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, just as God made his appeal through us. We appeal to you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”
- Paul is an ambassador for Christ, pleading with the saints to be reconciled to God.
Verse 21 : "For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
- He explains that God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
summary
Chapter 5 of 2 Corinthians emphasizes Paul's hope after death, his unwavering faith despite present suffering, and his life as a new creation in Christ. He lives a new life through reconciliation with God, and explains everything based on the love of Christ. This chapter brings great comfort and hope to Christians and encourages them to continue their journey of faith.