2Corinthians Chapter Five

 

Paul continues to illustrate the distinction between what is heavenly and what is earthly, using once more the issue of resurrection from the dead, and the fact that these earthly bodies will one day be replaced by heavenly bodies. It is clear that Paul thinks at this stage in time, that he and many others of his fellow Christians will be alive when Jesus returns to earth, an opinion that was to change afterwards. He wants to be ‘clothed upon ‘ by a new heavenly body, and not be ‘unclothed’ in the sense that if he dies before Jesus returns he will have to exist in a spiritual disembodied state till the day of resurrection. He makes this clear in verses 2 -4; ‘2. Living inside this earthly body with all of its limitations really gives us a desire to exchange it for that perfect heavenly body 3. And we would rather have that resurrected body than have to be a spirit in a disembodied state. 4. Being in this temporary earthly body with its concerns and difficulties makes us long for something better, not just the disembodied spirit state, but the full resurrected state, when this mortal body of ours turns into a glorious resurrection body.’

He then encourages them that this is what helps us to maintain a positive attitude in all situations, fully aware that while we are located here in this body we are still not there where Jesus is. And he explains that this is why we have to live by faith and not just by what we experience in the natural. This makes our goal in life, whether we are on earth or in Heaven, to be in perfect harmony with God through Jesus Christ. He counsels them in absolute terms that this is the reason for our existence and that everything else is secondary


Paul continues to challenge the Corinthians to accept him and the authenticity of what he preaches instead of listening to others who are absorbed with image and appearance and who don’t do things sincerely from the heart. He tells them that it is Christ’s love that determines everything that they do, and that because of what Jesus did for humanity, all people should live with him and for him and not just for themselves. This is a tall order but it is nothing less than what the outcome should be in a life that has been joined to God through a work of love that continues to flow to humanity from the Godhead.


Paul tells them he doesn’t consider any person as a mere human being anymore. He says he even used to regard Jesus from a human point of view, but doesn’t see him this way anymore. This is because anyone in Christ is a new species of creation. All the old order of creation in Adam has been superseded. We now perceive the whole order of humanity as become new - Everything is now according to a new order that emanates from the life of God himself, who has changed us into the same elemental being as himself through what Jesus has done. He then describes the true meaning of the ministry of ‘reconciliation’, that God was in Christ, changing the elemental nature of humanity into a new oneness with himself, not counting the frailty and failure of the old order of humanity against them. Paul tells them that his prayer, which comes from the heart of Jesus is - Please let this reconciliation, being a part of God’s life, become your total life experience. He finishes by proclaiming that God has made Jesus to be the be all and end all of sin for our sakes - Jesus, who had no experience of sin and separation from God, so that we can live in the same harmony with God that he does.












RIGHT Click here to view parallel Spiritcode (CAV) with the KJV in a new Web page window - OR to download the PDF file to your desktop2Corinthians5_files/2%20CORINTHIANS%205.pdf

2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 5- CONTEMPORARY ALIGNED VERSION (SPIRITCODE)


SPIRITCODE


1. We know that if these bodies of ours, like earthly tents, just pack up, that there are perfect heavenly resurrection bodies waiting for us to occupy for eternity


2. Living inside this earthly body with all of its limitations really gives us a desire to exchange it for that perfect heavenly body


3. And we would rather have that resurrected body than have to be a spirit in a disembodied state.


4. Being in this temporary earthly body with its concerns and difficulties makes us long for something better, not just the disembodied spirit state, but the full resurrected state, when this mortal body of ours turns into a glorious resurrection body.


5. It is God who has created this condition

deep inside of us and he has put his life giving Spirit in us to give us a taste of what

to expect one day.


6. This helps us to maintain a positive attitude in all situations, fully aware that while we are located here in this body we are still not there where Jesus is.


7. (That is why we have to live by faith and not just by what we experience in the natural)


8. So we stay positive as I’ve said, but we would still be quite happy to be out of this body and be with Jesus where he is.


9. Nonetheless our greatest goal

in life, whether we are here in this body or there with Jesus, is to be in perfect harmony with him.


10. For each person will face a personal tribunal with Jesus to take accountability for whatever they have done while on earth in this body, and whether those things have been worthwhile or worthless.


11. So because we understand what it means to have a proper fear of The Lord, we seek to be as persuasive as we can to get people to take seriously what we say. Everything we are and what we do is open before God, and I also hope it is open to you so you can weigh it all up in your own consciences.


13. We are not trying to endorse ourselves before you again but we want to give you an incentive to speak well of us, and have something to answer those who are absorbed with image and appearance and who don’t do things sincerely from the heart


13. If we get excited and stirred up it is because of our feelings for God, and if we seem to be serious or severe it is because we believe it is appropriate for you at the time


14. It is Christ’s love to us and through us that determines everything we do. The way we see it is that if the one man Jesus died for all mankind, then all humanity died with him


15. And the fact that he died for all of us means that everyone who is alive on this earth should not live for themselves but rather live with and for him who died and rose for us and with us.


16. That is why we don’t consider any person as a mere human being anymore. We even used to used to regard Jesus from a human point of view , but we don’t see him this way anymore


17. Because anyone in Christ is a new species of creation. All the old order of creation in Adam has been superseded. We now perceive the whole order of humanity as become new


18. Everything is now according to a new order that emanates from the life of God, who has changed us into the same elemental being as himself through what Jesus has done. And he has given us the ministry of bringing this into reality in peoples’ lives.


19. The way we do this is the same as the way Jesus did it. God was in Christ, bringing humanity into a new order, a oneness with himself, not counting the frailty and failure of the old order against them. He has now committed to us this creative Word of his divine reconciling process.



20. Now we fully represent Christ in this elevated mission. It is as though God himself is imploring you through us – And our prayer, which comes from the heart of Jesus is - Please let this reconciliation, being a part of God’s life,  become your total life experience.


21. For God has made Jesus to be the be all and end all of sin for our sakes -  Jesus, who had no experience of sin and separation from God, so that we can live in the same harmony with God that he does.


Back to MainTranslations.html