2 Coríntios 5
John Calvin · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Coríntios 5:1-3
Calvin wrote "The mind of a Christian ought not to be filled with thoughts of earthly things, or find satisfaction in them, for we ought to be living as if we might have to leave this world at any moment." Believers of all people should be living in preparation for dying which is the way Paul lived (cp Gal 2:20+)! I like the way Spurgeon so aptly described this style of "living" "No man would find it difficult to die who died every day. He would have practised it so often, that he would only have to die but once more; like the singer who has been through his rehearsals, and is perfect in his part, and has but to pour forth the notes once for all, and have done." (Amen!) J I Packer asks the question we all do well to answer..."How many Christians live their lives packed up and ready to go?" D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it well noting that "If a philosophy of life cannot help me to die, then in a sense it cannot help me to live." Brian Bell takes an interesting excursus noting that... Man has done everything to soften the impact of death…especially by coming up with different theories to either dismiss it entirely or at least soften its blow! The 3 most popular are: (1) Reincarnation – It is a new birth into another body. They believe we are recycled eternally. Reaching higher levels of happiness IF you’ve lived a good life, lower levels of misery if you haven’t. Yet the bible says differently, “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” (Heb 9:27+) (2) Soul Sleep – “The Last Hoorah!” This leads to despair, or you develop the attitude of “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you die!” (3) Purgatory – (root/purge) means “a place of spiritual purging.” Basically death moves into a temporary state where others can pray to free us from punishment. The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church defines it as “an intermediate place between heaven & hell, where the unfinished business of earth is settled.” This doctrine derives from 2 Maccabees 12:39-45 where it says, “thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be free from this sin.” There are definitely some contextual problems, and even my Catholic bible says in its foot notes and I quote, “His belief (Judas) was similar to, but not quite the same as, the Catholic doctrine of purgatory.” This is of course an apocryphal book which we do not see as part of the Canon of scripture. {These books do not claim for themselves the same kind of authority as the OT writings. They were never part of the Hebrew bible; They are never quoted in the NT, nor by Jesus. They contain teachings inconsistent w/the rest of the bible. Many people are sincere in their beliefs but they are sincerely wrong! When it comes to theories about death you hear, “we think”; “we believe”; “we hope”; yet the bible says, “we know” (see 2Co 5:1)! (2Corinthians 5 Sermon Notes) Rod Mattoon adds a Number 4 - Don't be duped by the deception that says, "When you die, that's it. There is nothing else beyond the grave." (Ed: Annihilation is a wishful deception!) You will be in for a rude awakening if you do, for there is a Heaven and there is a Hell where those who die without trusting Jesus Christ as their Savior will be tormented for eternity in the Lake of Fire. (Ibid)
2 Coríntios 5:10
Calvin adds: Those are fools who depend on man’s estimation, so as to reckon it enough to be approved by men, for (at the Judgment Seat of Christ - Jn 5:22) the only work that will have praise and recompense (is that which) has stood the test of that day. 1Cor 4:4+ For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. 5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time (What time? - In context a reference to the Bema Seat of Christ), but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God. 1Cor 9:24+ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. (See more in depth commentary = 1Co 9:24+, 1Co 9:25+, 1Co 9:26+, 1Co 9:27+) Comment:
2 Coríntios 5:10
Calvin wrote, It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone. Good deeds can be spoken words… Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29+) Believers prepare themselves for good deeds by separation from spiritually unhealthy influences… Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. (2Ti 2:21) (Compare Peter's exhortation to turn away from evil in order to do good works - 1Pe 3:11) Intake of the inspired Word of God prepares us for good deeds… so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2Ti 3:17 ) Good deeds are related to prayer and the supernatural equipping by God… Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip (God's part) you in every good thing to do His will (our responsibility), working in us (God's Spirit in us) that which is pleasing in His sight ("Good works" that will stand the test of the Refiner's Fire at the Bema Seat), through Jesus Christ, to Whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (He 13:20, 21) Many believers minimize the place of good works in the Christian life reasoning that because we are not saved by good works, then good works are something to be shunned. But our Lord reminds us that our incredible privilege is to Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in heaven. (Mt 5:16+) It is not only by words that we give testimony to the greatness of God, but also by our works… works that point to a Divine Source, and such works will be rewarded at the Bema Seat. As an aside, our good works pave the way for witness with good words. If our walk contradicts our words, we lose our testimony. Our “walk” and our “talk” must agree. Good works and good words must come from the same yielded heart. Too many believers today emphasize guarding the truth, but downplay living the truth. One of the best ways to "guard" the truth is to put it into practice. It is good to be defenders of the faith, but we must not forget to be demonstrators of the faith by letting them see our good works! It is these works which will be rewarded! You are writing a Gospel, A chapter each day, By the deeds that you do And the words that you say. Men read what you write, Whether faithful or true: Just what is the Gospel According to you? -Author unknown The writer of Hebrews exhorts believers "do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased" (Heb 13:16 - +) so that good works are actually “spiritual sacrifices” that we offer to God! Do not misunderstand. Believers do not manufacture good works but these works are the fruit of God's Spirit working in our heart for as Paul reminds us in Php 2:13 (+) it is God Who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Paul acknowledged what all believers must come to understand and depend upon, that the key to good works is the grace of God for as he wrote… by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored (our responsibility) even more than all of them, yet not I (humility is the soil that receives the refreshing rains of God's grace), but the grace of God (God's provision of sufficient power) with me." (1Cor 15:10). Peter writes Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1Pe 2:12+). Thus good works can serve as testimonies to the lost and even win us the right to be heard, as well as the reward "Well done" at the Bema Seat. In sum, all of these truths about good works indicate that God has a plan for each of our lives and that we should be motivated to walk in His will and fulfill His plan, for which we will one day be rewarded! O, the amazing, undeserved grace of God! “We are making or marring a destiny, winning or losing a crown” In a passage which parallels 2Cor 5:10 Paul warns believers who are judging each other… But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, "As I live , says the Lord , every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall give praise to God." So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. (Ro 14:10-13) Comment: "We" indicates Paul is speaking of believers. The Bema seat "of God" is the same as the Bema seat of Christ in 2Co 5:10, for the Father judges through His Son (Jn 5:22, 27). We will all give an account of ourselves, not of our brothers. Paul is saying that for believers the only "judgment" that matters is God's judgment. His point is that if we live with the Judgment Seat of Christ in view, we will be motivated to live lives that honor God and (in context) not seek to judge each other! WHAT HE HAS DONE… BAD Bad (5337) (phaulos) means worthless, corrupt, good–for–nothing, depraved, mediocre, unimportant, of no account, vile, evil, wicked, foul, depraved. Worthlessness is the central notion (see Trench below). The word indicates the impossibility of any true gain ever coming forth. Phaulos pertains to being low-grade or morally substandard and thus base. It means being relatively inferior in quality.
2 Coríntios 5:14-16
Calvin writes that Paul… makes mention here of Christ’s resurrection, on which the hope of our resurrection is founded, for death everywhere besets us. Hence, unless we learn to look to Christ, our minds will give way at every turn. By the same consideration, he admonishes them that Christ is to be waited for from heaven, because we will find nothing in the world to bear us up, while there are innumerable trials to overwhelm us. (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10) Illustration - In 1858, Frances Ridley Havergal visited Dusseldorf, Germany where she saw a copy of Sternburg’s great painting "The Crucifixion" which depicts Christ, wearing His crown of thorns as He stands before Pilate and the mob. A which had a subtitle associated the picture asking… “All this I did for thee; what has thou done for Me?” Inspired by this probing question, she wrote her famous poem, “I Gave My Life for Thee.” As the story goes Frances was not pleased with the poem but a strong downdraft blew the paper out of the fire and onto the hearth. Feeling that this might have been Providential, she took the slightly-scorched paper, folded it, and sent it to her father in England, who composed a tune to match the words and had it published. Years later by Phillip Bliss wrote the more familiar tune of this now great hymn… I Gave My Life for Thee I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed, That thou might’st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead; I gave, I gave My life for thee, What hast thou given for Me? Kenneth Osbeck (borrow Amazing grace) records a slightly different version of the preceding story (which is the true story is uncertain) -- A vivid painting of Christ, wearing His crown of thorns as He stands before Pilate and the mob, is displayed in the art museum of Dusseldorf, Germany. Under the painting by Sternberg are the words, “This have I done for thee; what hast thou done for Me?” When Frances Havergal viewed the painting during a visit to Germany, she was deeply moved. As she gazed at it in tears, she scribbled down the lines of this hymn text on a scrap of paper. After returning to her home in England, she felt the poetry was so poor that she tossed the lines into a stove. The scorched scrap of paper amazingly floated out of the flames and landed on the floor, where it was found by Frances’ father, Rev. William Havergal, an Anglican minister, a noted poet, and a church musician. He encouraged her to preserve the poem by composing the first melody for it. The present tune was composed for this text by the noted American gospel songwriter, Philip P. Bliss, and was first published in 1873. (Amazing Grace : 366 inspiring hymn stories for daily devotions) (See yet another variation of the story of this hymn) 2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: Hoste hemeis apo tou nun oudena oidamen (1PRAI) kata sarka; ei kai egnokamen (1PRAI) kata sarka Christon, alla nun ouketi ginoskomen. (1PPAI) Amplified: Consequently, from now on we estimate and regard no one from a [purely] human point of view [in terms of natural standards of value]. [No] even though we once did estimate Christ from a human viewpoint and as a man, yet now [we have such knowledge of Him that] we know Him no longer [in terms of the flesh]. (Lockman)