A New Creation

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Key Verse 5:17

In this passage the Apostle Paul encourages believers to regard everyone in and through Jesus Christ, so that all peoples on earth for whom Christ died and rose would come to know the way of salvation, and thereby be reconciled to God.

Read verse 11a. What is it to fear the Lord? Why did Paul try to persuade men?

** Arguably it refers us back to what the Apostle Paul mentioned in verse 10, that is, the judgment facing all men. Salvation is a very serious matter affecting the eternal destiny of a man. Nothing is more important than the gospel. To fear the Lord means to maintain an absolute respect for God’s word especially on his message of salvation and judgment. 

** He tries to persuade man for he is under God’s mandate to serve the gospel to all peoples on earth, because the gospel is the power of salvation for those who believe in it. It is in reverent fear and respect for God’s command that Paul did not become emotional or personally entangled with the Corinthians spreading slander about Paul.  

Read verses 11b-12. What does it mean to take pride in “what is seen” rather than “what is in the heart”?  

** Paul is referring to what Jesus said in John 7:24 or 8:15. Read also 1 Samuel 16:7.

 

Read verses 13-15. What is in the heart of the Apostle Paul? [Cf. 2Co 2:4]

** He has Christ’s sacrificial love in his heart. 

Read verse 16. Why should we no longer regard anyone from a worldly point of view? When people regarded Christ from a worldly point of view, what did they think of him? 

** It is because of what Jesus did, that is, he died for ugly sinners, that all who believe in Jesus would find an opportunity to come back to their senses, and be reconciled to God. 

** Some regarded Jesus as a poor country Rabbi, or a mere son of a carpenter, or a poor physician who even could not save himself. Paul once upon a time regarded him as a blasphemer. 

Read verse 17. What does it mean to be “in Christ”? What does “a new creation” mean?

** It means to live a Christ-centered life, accepting Christ as the Lord and Savior. 

** A new creation means a man whose sins have been forgiven by God, and is seen by God as God’s child, growing up under his grace and truth, until he develops in him Christ-like character. 

 

Read verses 18-19a. What does “reconciliation” mean? What made men remain un-reconciled to God? How did [an otherwise sinful] man come to be reconciled to God? What does this passage tell us about God? 

** Miriam Webster: to restore to friendship or harmony; to make consistent or congruous; to cause or to submit to or accept something unpleasant; to check (a financial account) against another for accuracy; to account for. 

Overall it means to have one’s sins (which the Bible calls debts) forgiven, and restore man back to the clean state where he can make a new beginning, living life in the Lord, obeying the Lord maintaining a friendly loving relationship with the author of his life. 

** Sins caused by unbelief

** Through Christ dying for all. Read verse 21 also. 

** It shows that God is love, for in love (that even sacrificed His one and only Son Jesus to forgive us of our sins) he sent Jesus Christ to open the way for us to repent, regain faith in Him, and be reconciled to Him. 

Read verses 20-21 and describe: a) the position of a man carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ; b) the message he is called to carry; and c) the blessing that comes to those who accept the message of the gospel.

** Ambassador of Jesus Christ

** The message of reconciliation

** He becomes the righteousness of God. [By righteousness, Paul means being in a right relationship with God, bearing the character which is true of God, like his loving and sacrificial character.] The expression ‘becoming the righteous of God’ is a poetic expression of a man giving out the living example of who God is. 

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