(Tap footnote to read it. Old Testament quotations are underlined. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.1"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings – agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. )
Cost and Reward of the Gospel
- For we *know that if our earthly house (the tent of our body1“tent of our body” is one word in Greek. It literally means “tent”, but figuratively means the body in which our spirit dwells.) is destroyed, we have a building from God; a house of ages in the heavens which is made without hands.
- For we also groan internally in this tent, longing to clothe ourselves with our dwelling from heaven.
- And indeed, if we clothe ourselves we won’t be found naked.
- For we also groan internally as the men who are in the tent; being burdened since we don’t want to unclothe ourselves, but to clothe ourselves so the mortal might be swallowed up by life.
- But the One who prepared us for this same thing is God, who gave us the down payment2“down payment” is literal. The Greek word here is imported from Hebrew and refers to “earnest money” given as a surety that the rest of the payment will be given. of the Spirit.
- Therefore, we’re always being courageous and *knowing that while being at home in the body, we’re away from our home with the Lord.
- For we walk by faith, not by sight.
- Yet we’re courageous, and think it better to be away from our home in the body and to be at home with the Lord.
- Therefore, we’re also zealous to be pleasing to Him, whether being at home or being away from home.
- For all of us must be revealed before the judgement seat of the Anointed so each might receive back the things done through the body, whether good or evil; to each according to what he did,
- Therefore, *knowing the reverent fear3“reverent fear” is one word in Greek. It’s primary meaning is “fear”, but it can also mean “awe” or “reverence” depending on the context. (The Hebrew word for “fear” has the same range of meaning) Since both fear and reverence are appropriate toward God, both definitions were included. Further, the word can mean both, and both were likely intended. of the Lord, we convince men and we have been obvious to God, and I also hope to have been obvious in your consciences too.
Jesus’ death and Reconciliation
- We aren’t commending ourselves to you again; but giving you an opportunity to boast on our behalf, so you might have an answer to the men boasting in appearance and not in the heart.
- For if we were beside ourselves, it’s for God; if we’re of sound mind, it’s for you.
- For the ^love of the Anointed compels us, having judged this: that One died for the sake of all, therefore all died.
- And He died for the sake of all, so the men living might no longer live for themselves; but for the One who died and was raised for their sake.
- So then, from now on we *view no one according to the flesh. Even if we have known the Anointed according to the flesh, yet now we don’t know Him that way anymore.
- Therefore, if anyone is in the Anointed, he’s a new creation. The original things passed away; behold, the new things have come.
- And all things are from God, the One who reconciled us to Himself through the Anointed and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
- so that in the Anointed, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not taking their missteps4“missteps”. The Greek word used here doesn’t quite mean “sin”. It’s the word “παράπτωμα” (paraptóma) and is also used in Ephesians 2:1 in the phrase: “dead in your ‘paraptóma’ and sins”. It carries the connotation of a “slip-up” with the strong implication – but not certainty – that it was unintentional. into account against them, and having put the message of reconciliation in us.
- Therefore, we are ambassadors on behalf of the Anointed. As God is calling through us, we plead on behalf of the Anointed: “Be reconciled to God”.
- He made the One who didn’t know sin to be sin for our benefit, so that we might become God’s righteousness in Him.
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