“What is your favorite Bible verse?” some may ask. I have favorite verses, but not a single favorite verse. By the time I determine that a certain verse is my favorite, lo and behold, I read another verse that becomes a candidate to be my favorite. There is a chapter in the Bible that contains several of my favorite verses, and that chapter is II Corinthians 5.
The book of II Corinthians is so named because it is the second epistle (letter) that Paul the Apostle wrote to the Corinthian church, or at least the second letter that we have preserved for us. In Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, we see the Corinthian church as a carnal, troubled church. No sane pastor would volunteer to serve as pastor of the church at Corinth. In Paul’s first letter to them, we learn that those in the church were steeped in favoritism (chapter 1); they were carnal (chapter 3); there was gross fornication among them (chapter 5); they were taking each other to court (chapter 6); they had questions regarding marriage and divorce (chapter 7); some were eating meat sacrificed to idols, knowing it was offensive to a weaker brother (chapter 8); they misused and abused the Lord’s Supper (chapter 11); and they needed instruction regarding the gifts of the Spirit (chapter 12), especially with regard to tongues and prophecy (chapter 14). According to Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, it is clear that the Corinthians were troubled.
When we begin reading Paul’s second epistle to the Corinthians, the situation is changed. The church seems to be much more spiritually minded. Even the man who had committed fornication had repented! Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians reads, in some ways, so much better than his first letter.
In the fifth chapter of II Corinthians, there are several verses that have been a blessing to me through the years. I have leaned on them, learned from them, listened to them, and lectured on them.
The first verse of the chapter has repeatedly been a source of encouragement to me.
II Corinthians 5:1 – “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
Whether you like it or not, the current body in which you live is deteriorating. No matter how beautiful or handsome you believe yourself to be, as far as your body is concerned, you are dying. This becomes more apparent to us as we grow older. But, in the first verse of this chapter, what a blessed promise we have. We are promised, first, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle (our bodies) dissolves (dies), we have another body – a building of God reserved for us in heaven! My favorite part of the verse is found in the words, “we have a building of God.” We who are saved are not trying to earn a new body; we have one! I have a new body right now. I am not wearing it at this time; and I will not wear it until I lay this robe of flesh down. But thanks be to God, I have a new, glorious body, like Christ’s glorious body!
Another verse in the fifth chapter of II Corinthians that has been a blessing to me is the seventh verse.
II Corinthians 5:7 – “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”
Although the words are in parenthesis, the meaning is not. The meaning of this verse is of utmost importance. In order to have faith, obstacles must be overcome. There are at least three enemies that try to hinder the believer from having faith. The first is fear. When the disciples awoke Christ on that stormy night upon the sea, they were concerned that they might perish. In Matthew 8:26, Christ rebuked them, saying, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” Fear hinders faith. A second enemy to faith is doubt. In Matthew 14, Christ came walking on the water toward His disciples. Peter launched out, and began to walk on the water toward Christ. But, seeing the waves, he began to sink. In Matthew 14:31, Christ asks Peter, “Wherefore didst thou doubt?” Doubting what God said is a hindrance to our faith. We cannot walk by faith as long we are doubting God’s word. A third enemy that hinders faith is feeling. I believe this is the enemy most responsible for many believers’ lack of assurance of salvation. There are many Christians who, as long as they feel saved, are sure of their salvation. But as soon as they fail; as soon as they do not feel as good as they did; they question their salvation. This is a tragedy because those who have no assurance of their salvation are not soul winners, mainly because they are not sure of their own salvation, let alone sure of how to secure someone else’s. I have often said, “I do not know I’m saved because I feel good; I feel good because I know I’m saved!” So many people say, “As soon as I feel good, I’ll know I’m saved.” It doesn’t work that way. Rather, it works the other way around. You first know you’re saved because of the written word of God; then you feel good! It’s amazing how good you’ll feel when you get the question of assurance settled! We do not walk by sight, as this verse shows us. What we see does not determine how we walk. We walk by faith in what God said, not by the feeling of our senses. We walk by faith, not by sight.
Another tremendous verse in this chapter is the tenth verse.
II Corinthians 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
That every Christian will stand before God is a sobering thought. I spoke to an individual this week regarding this solemn judgment where Christians will be rewarded as they stand before God. “I do not believe,” I told him, “that the judgment seat of Christ will be a ‘walk in the park.’” Some seem to think that, because they are saved, they will breeze through the judgment seat of Christ. Not so! Our failures will be presented before all. All of our sins, thoughts, and deeds that displeased our Lord will be brought to the forefront. All the missed opportunities to pray, read the scriptures, and win souls will be presented to the hosts of heaven. All our selfish motives will be on display. There will be no place to hide. We will be examined thoroughly. We should work for God for that day in mind.
Another verse from this chapter that has influenced me greatly is the fourteenth verse.
II Corinthians 5:14 – “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead.”
“The love of Christ constraineth us!” Webster defines “constrain” this way – “to compel or force; to urge with irresistible power.” I am compelled by the love of Christ. This should be our motive for all our service. We should do absolutely nothing for Christ out of obligation. On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “If a man compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.” The first mile was compelled; it was forced. I do not have a choice about the first mile. But Christ goes on and says, “When you finish the first mile, then, though it is not mandatory, go the second!” Because I am saved by God’s grace, I live a certain way. I do not strive to live in a godly manner for the purpose of trying to “stay saved.” I live the way I live because I love Christ. I do not listen to wicked, ungodly music. My reason for abstaining from such music is not because my church won’t let me. It is not because I’m “not allowed” to listen to such music that I refrain from it. I have no desire whatsoever to listen to music that does not honor my Lord. If you convinced me that listening to such music would not hurt me spiritually in any way, it would not change my behavior. I do not listen to such music because I do not wish to do so. I love the Lord, and songs that uplift Him shall be my only song. Why do you live the way you do? Is it because you feel like you must? If so, you need a revival of the love of Christ in your soul. Christ does not want you to be constrained with rules and regulations; He wants you to be constrained by His love. However you live, do so because you love Christ.
The last verse in the chapter has great depth, and has been a blessing to me.
II Corinthians 5:21 – “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
The depth of the gospel is contained herein. I cannot grasp it all, but what a great truth is found here. Christ was made sin for us that we might be made righteous in Him! I may fill several pages with the truths contained in this verse. Christ loved His Father, having always enjoyed unbroken fellowship with Him. But when Christ went to the cross, He became something that the Father hates; He became sin (II Corinthians 5:21), and He became a curse (Galatians 3:13). This is unfathomable, but it’s what happened to our Lord nonetheless. The remainder of the verse states, “…that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” That we sinful creatures could become the righteousness of God – as righteous as is God Himself – is just as unfathomable! The truths in this verse are simple in their presentation, yet profound in their depth. What amazing love Christ has for us!
