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2 Corinthians 5:13-15
The Apostle Paul has been speaking about being confident in the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6) as it is because of Him that Paul and his fellow ministers are sharing the message of the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:9-12). This ability comes as a gift from the LORD (2 Corinthians 3:5) and is to be viewed as such – not as from one’s own self which would be prideful.
The shock to the Jews of Paul and his ministry team preaching the new covenant over the law of Moses most definitely led to some criticizing of this “new way” to God that was being preached as the “only way” to God. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 (NKJV) Paul declares, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” And in 1 Corinthians 12:31b he continues, “And yet I show you a more excellent way.” This “way” is not to be confused as Jesus explains the “way” to us in John 14:6 as He declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Paul defends himself and his ministry team from the obvious outburst of the critics to those of the church in Corinth in 2 Corinthians 5:13-15 as the Bible teaches us, “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”
This is a promise that our confidence in our salvation is found only in Jesus.
There were critics throughout history of anyone or anything that differs from the decided norm. But even when the decided norm comes to a point of known change, the critics continue to abound as if they are so amazed at the fulfillment of the known in their own time that they cannot bring themselves to believe it. This is Satan working in this world as he will do everything he can to prevent us from believing in Jesus as the only way to salvation/heaven. The Apostle Peter teaches us in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” The devil works through the critics of Christianity today to try to prevent us from believing in Jesus as our Savior, but we have the Holy Spirit inspired words of the Bible to lead us to salvation in and only in Christ Jesus. The Bible teaches us in Romans 6:3-4, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Paul reiterates this throughout Romans 6 and gives reason to it reflecting back to his comments in Romans 5:20-21 of the connection between the law and grace as he states, “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The Apostle Paul is simply saying in 2 Corinthians 5:13-15 that if no one believes in the gospel message that they are preaching, then they are still yet doing their part as called by God to share the gospel message, and in doing so, they are bringing praise to God through following His will for their lives; and if the gospel message that they preach is taken to heart and believed by those who hear it, then it is for their benefit unto salvation and new life in Christ Jesus. This same gospel message continues to lead us to salvation in Christ Jesus today – if you will believe!
Dear LORD,
In this secular driven world that we live in, there are many critics that strive to lead us away from believing in salvation in and only in Jesus – the Savior of the world who came to save the world from sin (John 3:16-17). I pray that this gospel message will touch the hearts of all who read/hear it and lead us all to a new life of salvation in and only in Christ Jesus. Please help us to overcome the false accusations of the critics today through the way, the truth, and the life that is Jesus (John 14:6). In Jesus name I pray, amen.