Upwards Church

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)

Paul used the Greek word for “gift” that is commonly used for Jesus’ gift of righteousness (see Romans 5:15), Paul certainly was thanking God here for Jesus’ gift of salvation. That God freely saves all those who believe in Jesus is truly an “indescribable gift.” God’s extraordinary gift of salvation should motivate you to give generously to others. Spend time meditating on how much God has given you. Then evaluate your generosity in light of God’s generosity to you.

1. God’s Gifts are Personal

1:20 For in him every one of God’s promises is a “Yes.” For this reason it is through him that we say the “Amen,” to the glory of God.^NRSV This verse reiterates Paul’s point: Christ has fulfilled all of God’s promises. His earthly ministry is an example of God’s faithfulness to his people. God had promised he would provide a Savior, and he did. Christ obediently and faithfully said “yes” to God and his great promises.

As he did in the beginning of this letter (1:3), Paul once again quoted from first-century liturgy. This time it is the Amen. The frequent use of this Old Testament Hebrew word in the letters of the New Testament indicates that first-century Christians used this word in their worship services (see 1:20; Romans 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 15:33; 16:20, 27; 1 Corinthians 14:16; 16:24; Galatians 1:5). The Hebrew word amen conveys a firm agreement with what has been said. The Israelites used this word to express their agreement to God’s law and its blessings and curses (see Deuteronomy 27:15). In this verse Paul explained why Christians use the word. It is the way Christians acknowledge that Jesus has fulfilled all of God’s promises. Jesus is the great “Amen” (Revelation 3:14) because he has been faithful to God. When Christians say “Amen,” they are joining Jesus in saying “Yes” to God. By doing this, Christians everywhere bring glory to God. They give God the proper respect and honor that he deserves. With this type of reasoning, Paul made it clear that his own integrity stood on Christ’s integrity because his message was consistently Christ’s gospel.

Paul’s approach with his opponents in Corinth is instructive. In the beginning of the letter, he resisted the temptation to defend his actions and attack his opponents. Instead, he began his letter by praising God (see 1:3-11). With these praises, Paul spoke of the Corinthians. It was only because of Jesus that they were connected in the first place (1:6, 14). Christ had joined Paul and the Corinthians together in the struggle to preach and live out the truth of the gospel. Their fervent prayers benefited him, and his sufferings for the gospel in Asia in turn would benefit them (1:6, 11). Their lives were inextricably intertwined in order to bring praise and glory to God. In other words, Paul—in this troublesome situation—emphasized the common ground between him and the Corinthians: Jesus Christ and his message. Paul refused to address the differences between them until he had reminded the Corinthians of the greater cause of Christ to which they were both dedicated.

Differences will occur in any church. Disputes will break out. In mediating these disputes, the first thing to do is to focus on the primary purpose of the church in the beginning: to spread the gospel and bring glory to God. Many times when church members resolutely focus on their common Savior, differences begin to fade into the background. The church becomes what it was made to be: a community of believers who consciously bring glory to God.

1:21-22 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.^NIV In these two verses, Paul described how he, his coworkers—Timothy, and Silas—and the Corinthians themselves were all tied together. They had all received God’s Spirit, an indication they all belonged to God through Christ. It was God’s undeniable work in the lives of all of them that guaranteed Paul’s trustworthiness in such things as his travel plans (see 1:23).

These verses use four key terms to describe how God made them all part of his family.

1. The first, “stand firm,” is derived from legal terminology. In the first-century Mediterranean world, this was a technical word for a legal guarantee that would confirm a sale as valid. All terms of the sale would be carried out as promised. In the New Testament, the word is used for the miraculous signs and spiritual gifts that confirmed that God was indeed working at that time and place (see Mark 16:20; 1 Corinthians 1:6). Here Paul used the word to express that it is God himself who guarantees the salvation of those who believe in Jesus. Having the guarantee or confirmation of God Almighty would be the greatest amount of security a person could ask for—especially since the Lord God had already proven his faithfulness to his promises in the life of Jesus Christ.

The next three terms are found in these words:

He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.^NIV

2. The second word, “anointed,” was derived from an Old Testament concept. In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed to signify their commission to be representatives of God to the Israelites (see Exodus 28:41; 1 Samuel 15:1; 1 Kings 19:16). The Hebrew word for “anointed” was masiah (the English word “Messiah” is derived from this word). The Hebrew word was eventually used to refer to the promised Savior of the Israelites. The Greek translation of the Hebrew word masiah is the word christos, or in English, “Christ.” So when Christians speak of Jesus as the Christ, they are confessing him as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. Here Paul used the Greek verb chrio for “anointed” to speak of the anointing of God’s Spirit. Luke, the author of Acts, used this Greek word in the same way: to speak of the Spirit’s power coming on a person (see Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38).
3. The third word Paul used for salvation, “seal,” was derived from the commercial language of the first century. The Greek word for “seal” referred to the practice of sealing letters so that they would not be tampered with. A seal would identify whose letter it was and also guarantee the authenticity of that letter. In the first century, a seal might also be used for the packages containing money. A first-century seal was similar to the present-day brand that is burned on the hide of an animal. The brand identifies the owner of the animal and warns others against tampering with this animal. Many people do essentially the same thing when they engrave serial numbers into their valuables as a mark of their ownership of those items.

Paul used this image of a seal or brand for Christians also. God himself has sealed, or stamped on us, his mark of ownership when he gave us his Spirit to live in us (see Paul’s use of this word in Ephesians 1:13; 4:30).

4. Paul used yet another legal term of his day, “deposit.” The Greek word for “deposit” refers to the down payment that a buyer will give a seller to declare the intent of paying the full amount. In our credit-driven modern society, we pay down payments or earnest money on everything from a house to a coat placed on layaway. Here and in Ephesians 1:14, Paul used this word to refer to the Holy Spirit. God gives his Spirit to his children as a down payment. It is only a foretaste of the glorious joy they will experience in heaven—the full payment that God has promised.

With these four key terms, Paul reiterates again and again to whom he, along with the Corinthians, belong. They are owned by God, who has not only placed the down payment of his own Spirit in their hearts but also has guaranteed, sealed, and anointed them in Christ. These four assurances are the basis for a believer’s certainty that he or she is saved and will live with God forever in heaven. It is the Spirit of God, not a Christian’s works, that guarantee a believer’s salvation.

2. God’s Gifts are Practical

 4:7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.^NRSV People keep treasures in safety deposit boxes and vaults. But God places his glorious treasure—the message that frees people from sin—in fragile, cheap, and ordinary clay jars. In Paul’s day, clay pots had many uses. Made cheaply, these pots held everything from food to fuel. They could be seen just about everywhere—in window openings, near cooking fires, and in marketplaces. If they broke—and they broke easily—they would be discarded.

Paul compared his life, and that of his fellow evangelists, to these cheap clay jars. In contrast, the message of freedom that God had entrusted to them was a treasure of great worth—an eternal treasure that would last much longer than their frail bodies. Why would God do this? Because he delights in empowering the weak in order to confound the strong. The Lord loves to answer the prayers of the needy and bring down those who take pride in themselves (see Luke 1:51-55; Jeremiah 20:13). God works through the weak and powerless so that it is clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from people (1 Corinthians 2:3-4). In fact, God was choosing the weak and powerless among the citizens of Corinth to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit within. Today, the church seems weak, unable to withstand the tidal wave of immorality in society. The fact that God loves to work through weakness should inspire the same courage that Paul possessed (see 4:1). Weakness and powerlessness should provide the basis for a renewed hope in God. The Lord loves to deliver, rescue, and save. He loves those who consciously remember to praise him for his acts of mercy. For a Christian, powerlessness is never a limitation but an opportunity for God to work in mighty and powerful ways.

The supremely valuable message of salvation in Jesus Christ has been entrusted by God to frail and fallible human beings (“clay jars”). Paul’s focus, however, was not on the perishable container but on its priceless contents—God’s powerful presence indwelling his people. Though his people are weak, God uses them to spread his Good News, and he gives them the power to do his work. Knowing that the power is his should keep believers from pride and motivate them to keep daily contact with God, their power source. Believers’ responsibility is to let people see God through their lives.

4:8-9 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.^NIV Yet Paul refused to stoop to comparing his credentials to those of his opponents. Wisely, he steered away from boasting in himself. Instead, he recounted his sufferings (see 11:23-33 for a list of the experiences to which Paul here alludes). He freely admitted he had been hard pressed and perplexed. Few teachers would admit to being confused because they might lose the respect of their audience. Paul did not shrink from admitting his own weaknesses. At times, the pressures of his ministry had left him feeling surrounded and trapped. At times, he did not know which way to turn, where to go, or what to do (see Acts 16:6-10; 22:10). Then there is the but . . . the “but God.” The Lord did not abandon Paul to his own inadequacies. God had saved Paul from being crushed by his responsibilities and from reaching utter despair.

The next two entries speak of external opposition: Paul had been persecuted and struck down. Paul had received most of his opposition from Jews. They had persecuted him, even following him to different cities to malign him (see Acts 14:19). The word Paul used for “persecuted” means “tracking down a prey.” Thus, Paul was picturing himself as being hunted down. God never abandoned him, however. God always came to his rescue, not leaving him to be devoured by his enemies. Paul had even been struck down. This may have been an allusion to the time the citizens of Lystra dragged him outside of the city and stoned him, leaving him for dead. But the Lord enabled the bloodied and bruised Paul to live—to get up and continue preaching in the name of Jesus (Acts 14:19-20).

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.^NIV Paul and his colleagues would not lose heart because they knew the great power behind their message (3:16-18).

This passage contrasts the outward with the inward. Most people automatically read into this passage a distinction between the material, physical body with the inner soul. This idea, however, is more of a Western idea. It is clear from the context that Paul was contrasting the temporary with the eternal. He was not merely talking about how his physical body was beginning to waste away. Instead, he was speaking about how all the things of this life—his wealth, his influence, his power—were deteriorating. These were temporary in the first place, so this could be expected. Troubles were besieging him. Opponents were attacking him. In the midst of it all, Paul saw his inner soul—the part of himself that was destined for eternal life—as being renewed day by day (see Isaiah 40:31; Colossians 3:10). The hardships of Paul’s ministry were real and were having their effect. Paul, however, did not gripe or complain about how much he was giving up in order to preach the gospel. Instead, he knew that every trouble, hardship, and difficulty endured for Christ’s sake was making him spiritually new. This occurred day by day, trouble by trouble. Paul saw every difficulty as an opportunity to mature in the faith.

4:17-18 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.^NRSV Present-day society is constantly changing. Change is expected, and people spend their lives trying to keep ahead of the changes in their workplace. This passage highlights what is permanent, something on which believers can plant their feet and know that it is solid. It will always be there, no matter what changes. It is the gospel message that is preparing all believers for eternity with their loving Creator.

Paul knew that nothing in this life lasts forever. Paul knew that the hardship he endured was a slight momentary affliction in comparison to how long he would enjoy God’s presence. He concluded, therefore, that the troubles of this world are an extremely light burden compared to the eternal weight of glory. Millions, billions, and trillions of years do not even compare to the length of infinite time.

What really matters—what is eternal and permanent—cannot be seen, touched, or measured. Only with the eyes of faith can people look . . . at what cannot be seen. Only with eyes of faith can they begin to understand, with God’s help, the eternal significance of their actions. A believer’s hope is not in this world. A Christian’s hope is not in the power and wealth that can be accumulated on earth. Instead, a Christian’s hope is in Christ—someone who cannot be seen at the present moment (Romans 8:24; Hebrews 11:1). Nevertheless, Jesus Christ and his significance to every person’s life is real enough. That is why Paul encouraged the Corinthians to live by faith and not by sight (5:7). The Corinthians were to take their eyes off of this world—for what can be seen is temporary—and place them on the Almighty, the One who possessed all power. They were to invest in what was permanent and eternal and would withstand the unpredictable changes of life, in heavenly treasures that would never deteriorate (see Luke 12:33).

• God’s Gifts are Permanent

 As a Christian evangelist in the first century, Paul was insulted, ridiculed, and taunted. For the cause of the gospel, he faced angry mobs, irate local officials, and conceited philosophers. He spent many anxious nights in prayer and long hours working to support himself and studying the Scriptures. He received no applause, no reward, no appreciation.

Why did he do this? Paul answered this question for the Corinthians. He measured all of his troubles in the light of eternity. Paul knew that he would experience infinite happiness and unending joy in the next life. This confident hope was Paul’s motivation to never stop preaching the truth to all who would listen.

5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.^NIV Paul knew the Corinthians were wondering how he could endure so many hardships and difficulties (see 4:8-10), so he outlined his hope: the resurrection of his body to heavenly glory.

The Corinthians had difficulty understanding the resurrection and its place in the Christian worldview. Greeks did not believe in a bodily resurrection (notice how the Greek philosophers in Athens sneered at Paul when he spoke of a bodily resurrection; see Acts 17:32). Most Greeks thought that only the soul would survive death. They thought of the soul—the essence of a person—as imprisoned in a physical body, a body that was intrinsically evil. Upon death the soul would be released from its imprisonment. According to the Greeks, only the soul would enter an eternal state. Because of the strong Greek influence in the church, some believers in Corinth had begun teaching there was no bodily resurrection from the dead (see 1 Corinthians 15:12, 35). Thus, Paul had thoroughly explained the doctrine of the resurrection to them (see 1 Corinthians 15:12-57). Paul underscored its significance and made it clear that denying the resurrection of believers was tantamount to denying the resurrection of Jesus himself and, thus, the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 15:12-34). Paul did not mince words: “If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless” (1 Corinthians 15:17 nlt). Paul would not risk his life for a futile and meaningless message (1 Corinthians 15:30).

In 2 Corinthians, in the middle of discussing his own sufferings for the gospel, Paul once again broached the subject of the resurrection. His confident hope that he would be given an eternal body by God inspired him to consider his present troubles as nothing, in light of the heavenly glory he would enjoy forever and ever (see 4:17-18). Paul compared his present earthly body to a tent, a temporary structure designed to be dismantled (see also 2 Peter 1:13-15). Although the image of a tent may suggest that the physical body covers the soul, the point of this passage is to contrast the temporary nature of earthly bodies to the permanent nature of heavenly bodies. Paul never conceded in his New Testament writings that the physical, mortal body was a covering for the immortal soul. Instead, he consistently taught the Jewish concept of the soul as the source of a person’s life. The soul and the body are not separate identities. That is why Paul could speak of the “redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23 niv). Not only are believers’ souls saved, but their bodies will also be redeemed from the tragic consequences of sin.

And when this earthly tent is destroyed—a reference to physical death—believers will be given an eternal house in heaven, an eternal body. The contrast is clear. Our earthly bodies are like temporary, flimsy tents, while our eternal bodies will be permanent buildings. In the same way, earthly troubles are temporary, while the glory and joy of heaven are eternal (compare with 4:17-18).

Life in this earthly body makes believers “groan” for their perfect heavenly bodies (see 5:2-3 and the commentary on the following verses for more on the nature of spiritual bodies; see also Romans 8:22-23). Although these spiritual bodies will somehow be associated with our old physical bodies (Romans 8:23), they will be of an entirely different nature. They will be imperishable, glorious, and eternal (see Paul’s discussion in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44). They will be perfect bodies for our new eternal existence with Jesus Christ.

5:8 Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.^NRSV This verse straightforwardly asserts that to be away from the body means being at home with the Lord. Paul also wrote in his letter to the Philippians that departing from this life means to “be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23 niv). These passages have been the subject of much debate over the exact state of believers at death—what theologians call the “intermediate state” between being at home in the body (5:6) and at home with the Lord. Since Paul wrote about the bodily resurrection occurring when Jesus returns (see 1 Corinthians 15:51-54) and also of believers being with Jesus immediately after they die, several theories have been proposed to explain this transitional state of the believer. In recent years, all of the theories about the disembodied state have been severely criticized. Many commentators have pointed out that these theories are based more on philosophical ideas about a person’s soul than on Scripture. Some of the confusion is due to very little scriptural explanation.

There are four main views of the “intermediate state”:

1. Soul sleep—This view is held by Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses. They believe that the soul rests in unconsciousness or oblivion until the resurrection. They base this view on verses where death is referred to as “sleep” (see Acts 7:6; 13:36; 1 Corinthians 15:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15, and even Jesus’ words in John 11:11). Some have modified this view to say that believers are “with Christ,” but not in a conscious state. However, Scripture teaches the believer’s immediate presence with the Lord at death in Jesus’ words in Luke 23:43 to the thief on the cross, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (nlt) and in his final prayer, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” (nlt). Stephen, the first Christian martyr, said right before he died, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (nlt).
2. Purgatory—This is the Roman Catholic view that at death those who have died in their sins and rejected Christ go to Hades for eternal punishment; those who died in a perfect state of grace go directly to heaven. Those who are not spiritually perfect go to purgatory for a refining process and purification of sin. This view has developed largely from church theologians and church councils rather than the Bible itself, although 1 Corinthians 3:15 has been used by Catholics to justify this view: “If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire” (nrsv).
3. Immediate resurrection—This view states that at death there is an immediate separation from the earthly body and an immediate reclothing or reconstituting of the resurrection body. Proponents teach that in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul believed in the resurrection of the body at the Second Coming and fully believed that believers would see it in their lifetime. After Paul’s brush with death and the reality that he might die before Christ returns, Paul explained what would be the case for those who died in the interval. Romans 8:19 and Colossians 3:4 are used to argue that believers are already resurrected but will be “revealed” or glorified at the Second Coming.
4. Incomplete resurrection—This view is the most commonly accepted view of Paul’s words in the New Testament. There is a conscious, personal existence for the believer after death. At death, a believer goes to a place and condition of blessedness. The time interval between the believer’s death and the full resurrection of the body will be imperceptible to the Christian. No anxiety or discomfort will mar this condition. Most do not believe this will be a bodiless existence because of Paul’s teaching that he abhorred nakedness (5:3-4). However, it is true that the body will not be in its complete and final form because Paul points to a future resurrection as a specific event (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17), as does Jesus (John 5:25-29). At death we will assume a different expression or condition of the bodily self; then, at the Second Coming, this will be exchanged or reconstituted as the resurrection body.

In the final analysis, Christians can only affirm exactly what the Bible says: (1) When a believer dies, he or she will be with Jesus (see also Philippians 1:23). Believers will not float in a limbo state. Instead, they will have a personal encounter with the Savior. (2) When Jesus returns in all his glory, all believers will be given heavenly bodies that will be perfect and will last forever (see 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). A believer’s life in eternity will involve some type of bodily existence. We have the example of our Lord’s resurrected body as he appeared on earth. (3) The Spirit imparted to believers in this life not only guarantees that they will be resurrected to eternal glory but also begins that transformation within believers’ souls (see 4:16; 5:5).

Although this verse, along with others, has provoked much speculation, Paul’s point is abundantly clear: A believer’s destination—his or her eternal home with Jesus—should inspire confidence and courage in the face of life’s difficulties. Although Christians may moan under the strain of persecution, their problems should never push them to despair. Like a woman in labor, believers endure the pain and suffering joyfully, because they know it is temporary and will lead to something much better: a perfect and eternal home.

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Sources:

Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Corinthians, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “2 CORINTHIANS 9”.

Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Corinthians, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “2 CORINTHIANS 4”

Bruce B. Barton et al., Life Application Bible Commentary – 1 & 2 Corinthians, (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 1999), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: “2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-6:2”.