Bible Study - Broken (5) - A Passion to Share the Gospel - 2 Corinthians 5:11, 14-21 - August 20, 2017

Bible Study – Broken (5) – A Passion to Share the Gospel – August 20, 2017

This is lesson five (5) in our series entitled “Broken Vessels: How GOD Uses Imperfect People.”

Our focus scripture is 2 Corinthians 5:11, 14-21.

GOD calls us to share the gospel.

Many Christians are fearful, intimidated or get uptight when they think they will have to share the gospel or witness to another person regarding his or her relationship with JESUS. Of course, Satan is the source of this hesitation or fear. If Satan can get Christians to remain silent regarding salvation then he has done his job. It is an important event in the life of those in need of salvation. The forces of evil will do all they can to prevent the unsaved from becoming saved.

It is important that Christians are led to witness to others regarding salvation. GOD will provide the opening, cease it when it happens.

Some people ask, “saved” from what?” It is to be “saved” from sin and its consequence, eternal death. “So what”, is sometimes a response?  Christians “know” the truth and “know” via the indwelling Holy Spirit they are eternally secure through their faith in JESUS. Salvation has to be experienced before a person “knows” the meaning and begins to understand what it means for him or her to be “saved.” Salvation happens in an instant but it takes a lifetime to complete. Along life’s journey a person never loses his or her salvation once born Spiritually into GOD’S family. A person will have trials and temptations but those are the times when a person’s relationship with JESUS is perfected. Such perfecting is when that person’s “knowing” is also perfected.

It is during such times that the Christian must “practice in the dark what he or she has learned in the light.” During such times is when much of our Spiritual growth takes place.

Let’s explore!

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:10-11:

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad. 

Verse 10, is the key to help us understand “knowing” in verse 11. When we as Christians “know” that “all” will appear before the Judgment seat of CHRIST, it compels us to tell those who have not received JESUS as their Savior, to do so. Why? It is summed up in the words of JESUS as recorded in John 5:24: (To be expounded upon later.)

24 "I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life. 

11 Knowing, then, the fear of the Lord, we persuade people. We are completely open before God, and I hope we are completely open to your consciences as well.

”Knowing” is more than “knowing about” but truly knowing without a doubt, with positive assurance of your relationship with GOD, through faith in JESUS. It is really knowing the eternal consequence for those rejecting JESUS as a person’s Savior. Those without JESUS will face eternal judgment by JESUS. Those who reject JESUS will be cast into outer darkness and are eternally separated from GOD, who loved them. They reject GOD WHEN THEY REJECT HIS only SON, JESUS.

When Christians know this truth, they are compelled and persuaded to share the Good News of the Gospel to others without hesitation.

The Apostle Paul in verses 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 wrote about eternity. All humans have an earthly body that is used for us to relate to the things of earth. All humans need the things earth offers for our earthly bodies to be sustained while we are upon earth. But when we die physically will we be a disembodied spirit or what?

As you recall, it is believed that Paul either died or had a near death experience when he was stoned. Not pot! But with rocks. Paul found himself in the third heaven. He saw things that were beyond human words to explain. Check out my Bible Study dated August 6, 2017 entitled “The Gift of Grace.”

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:1-3:

Our Future after Death

1 For we know that if our earthly house, a tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 

2 And, in fact, we groan in this one (body), longing to put on our house from heaven, 

3 since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

When Adam and Eve sinned, they saw that they were naked. GOD had to kill an animal and make clothing from the skins of the animal or animals for them to be properly clothed upon earth. By the same token, GOD is fashioning Spiritual clothes for all who place their faith in JESUS so that when Christians die, exit their earth suit/tent, they seamlessly and in the twinkling of the eye slip into their special Spiritual clothes which GOD has fashioned for them for Heaven. Christians will be fashioned in their Heavenly suit that GOD made for them until JESUS returns to earth and raptures all the Christians from earth. All Christians will receive their new Glorified bodies at the instant of HIS second coming and it will be their eternal Glorified body.

All people will stand before JESUS on Judgment Day. JESUS will separate the sheep/Christians and the goats/non-Christians. (Matthew 25:31-34) JESUS revealed in John 5:22 that HE will do the judging and in John 5:24, HE reveals why faith in HIM is vital, when it comes to judgment. Let’s begin with verse John 5:21-27:

21 And just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to anyone He wants to. 

22 The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 

23 so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

24 "I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life. 

25 "I assure you: An hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 

26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted to the Son to have life in Himself. 

27 And He has granted Him the right to pass judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 

JESUS was obedient unto death on the cross to pay, in full, the penalty for sin. JESUS trusted GOD, HIS Father, fully to raise HIM from the physically dead. The resurrection of JESUS is proof HE paid the debt for sin and conquered its consequence, eternal death. After the resurrection of JESUS, GOD clothed HIM in HIS new eternal Glorified body, which is the type of body Christians will receive at the second coming of JESUS.

When Christians stand before JESUS on Judgment Day they have already passed from death to eternal life through faith in JESUS and will not be judged but they will receive their rewards for obedience, as followers of JESUS.  

So why all of this information? Simply, when one knows, really knows, the eternal process, those who know are compelled to share it with those who are ignorant of Spiritual matters. The key is that those who “know,” really know about Spiritual matters do all they can, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, to reveal truth to those who are oblivious to Spiritual truth.

Looking back at 2 Corinthians 5, verse 11, the key word is “knowing,” “really knowing” results in having a healthy fear/respect of what eternity is all about and the role of JESUS in the eternal life of each person. Knowing what the passion of JESUS means to a Christian compels every Christian or should compel every Christian to share/witness to those who do not know JESUS as their Savior and LORD. It is all about life upon earth and life in eternity.

JESUS painted a dismal picture of life in eternity for those who reject HIM as their Savior as written in Matthew 8:12, 13:42, 13:50, 22:13 to list a few references to Hell.

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:14-17:

14 For Christ's love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: if One (JESUS) died for all, then all died. 

15 And He (JESUS) died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One (JESUS) who died for them and was raised.

In essence, when JESUS died on the cross, all who accept HIM as their Savior died with HIM. When JESUS was resurrected, in essence, all who place their faith in HIM were resurrected. All who place their faith in JESUS are eternally secure. As Christians, it is a matter of us completing our mission upon earth in obedience to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

16 From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him like that. 

17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

All who have received JESUS as their Savior have been Spiritually born into GOD’S family. Their citizenship is in Heaven. They are a new creation because of their faith in JESUS and are empowered, enlightened and secured by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Christians look through eyes that that have been changed by GOD and behold all things are new. Thus Christians view their fellow humans and the world with a Heavenly prospective through the eyes of GOD. 

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:18-21:

18 Now everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 

19 that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. 

What is reconciliation? It is the restoration of once friendly relations which went awry and became hostile.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were in an intimate, loving relationship with GOD until sin broke that relationship. Since that moment GOD has been at work to reconcile mankind with HIM. HE sent HIS only Son, JESUS, Who, through HIS life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension, opened the path for reconciliation of mankind with GOD through faith in JESUS.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ; certain that God is appealing through us, we plead on Christ's behalf, "Be reconciled to God." 

Those who are reconciled with GOD, through faith in JESUS, have their citizenship in Heaven but remain upon earth as GOD’S ambassadors.

21 He (GOD) made the One (JESUS) who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we (all who place their faith in JESUS) might become the righteousness of God in Him.

The ultimate reconciliation is expressed in verse 21.

GOD allowed JESUS to leave HIS home in Heaven to come to earth to be born as a human, live as a human subject to sin, yet HE remained sinless. JESUS gave HIS sinless life to pay, in full, the penalty for sin through the shedding of HIS blood.

GOD placed the sin of mankind upon JESUS so that all who place their faith in JESUS might become the righteousness of GOD. Notice the words “so that we might become righteousness of GOD in JESUS.” This opportunity is open, free and available to every human who will accept it. 

Every human has a choice whether or not to accept or reject JESUS as his or her Savior.

Keep in mind that Christians are ambassadors and as ambassadors represent the Kingdom of GOD upon earth. The Spiritual body, upon earth, represents the safe haven for those seeking asylum from the evil that surrounds them. Come LORD JESUS come soon. May, we as your Children and your ambassadors, be compelled to share the Good News of salvation as we are led by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Blessings!!!