2 Corinthians 5:12-15 (WEL) We don’t promote ourselves to you again, but give you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have the facts [literally something] to answer those who place importance on appearance, instead of the heart. 13 So what if we are crazy? It is for God, but if we are sane, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us because we have concluded that if one died for all, then all have died. 15 He died for all, so that those who live wouldn’t live for themselves but for him, who died for them and rose again.
V12 We don’t promote ourselves to you again, but give you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have the facts [literally something] to answer those who place importance on appearance, instead of the heart.
Many pastors have charisma and the young stud look. Many pastors have great oratorical gifts. By those two traits, they trick and deceive many. It is not appearance, charisma, or speaking ability that means anything. It is, rather, the power of God, the fruit of the Spirit, and the traits of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a). A true pastor interprets the Bible from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 in its plain, normal sense. Avoid those who come into a church teaching doctrines that split the church under the heading of “true doctrine.” Any pastor who splits a church is not even a Christian. The church can discipline a pastor and throw him out for false doctrine, etc.(1 Timothy 5:19-21). Avoid those who interpret the Bible with a theological framework redefining, twisting, redefining, etc. All those interpretation methods are evil. We must believe the Holy Spirit and define the words of Scripture as the Holy Spirit intends them to be. A true pastor does not promote himself, his books, his conferences, his numbers, his ministry, etc. Who cares what ism you follow? Honor God and follow the Scriptures. The facts are important to God and should be to us as well. The purest facts are found in the words of the Bible and must not be tampered with.
Revelation 2:2 (EHV) I know your works, your labor, and your patient endurance, and that you are not able to tolerate evil people. You have tested those who say they are apostles, but are not, and have found them to be liars.
V13 So what if we are crazy? It is for God, but if we are sane, it is for you.
People might call Paul and his team crazy (Acts 17:32 and Acts 26:24), but the standard of truth and sanity is the Bible in its plain, normal sense. Whatever deviates from the Bible is error.
V14 For Christ’s love compels us because we have concluded that if one died for all, then all have died.
All means all; it does not mean all the elect. Believe the words of the Holy Spirit instead of false teachers, scholars, and other “experts.”
It is God’s love that motivates us so the Greek word intimates. Love is a strong motivating force compelling an action. Christ’s love is seen in His ministry. In verse 14, it is for evangelism, living the Christian faith in society and daily life.
The Greek word for compels is (G4912) συνέχω synechō, which means (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains (Louw & Nida)) “to exercise continuous control over someone or something – to control, to restrain.”
V15 He died for all, so that those who live wouldn’t live for themselves but for him, who died for them and rose again.
Jesus died as the Passover Lamb for all people. Those who do believe and trust are the ones who live. Now that we believe, we do not live for ourselves, our goals, our desires, etc. We now live for God—His goals, His desires, and what pleases Him.
We learn:
- About false vs true teachers.
- About Christian motivation.
Questions:
- How do you interpret the Bible?
- Do you believe the words of the Bible or your theology?