We know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn
WEEK 30
REMEMBERING WHAT WE WERE
RESCUED FROM
2 CORINTHIANS 5
We know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.
Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight—we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. We are not again commending ourselves to you but are giving you an occasion to be proud of us, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we mightbe come the righteousness of God in Him.
FATHER, through the cross of Christ
we have been reconciled to You, and we exult in the hope of future glory.1
In the meantime, we plead for grace
to walk uprightly each day of our lives
under the power of Your sanctifying hand. We are instructed by Your Word to thank You even for our troubles,
because we know You use them to work Your character in us. Give us clarity of mind and purity of heart to embrace that truth,
that we might enthusiastically rejoice in our trials, knowing that suffering produces Christlike character.2
How grateful we are that through the death of Christ
we have been saved from Your wrath, forgiven our transgressions, washed from all guilt, freed from the law's condemnation, and declared righteous before the very throne of heaven! You not only reconciled us to Yourself through Christ;
You also commissioned us to be ministers of reconciliation. May we be faithful and fearless ambassadors,
proclaiming the good news
and beseeching sinners to be reconciled.
Keep us humble, Father.
May we always be mindful of what we are in ourselves. We are fallen creatures,
without merit of our own, guilty to the core of our beings, justly deserving everlasting destruction. You initiated the reconciliation;
You sent us a Savior, who is Christ the Lord;3
He supplied everything we need
by way of righteousness and redemption. We have nothing of which to boast,4
and everything to be thankful for.5
You are the One who opened our understanding to see the gospel,
and then You opened our hearts to embrace it.6
Your Spirit revealed to us the hidden wisdom
which even the rulers of this age do not understand.7
You gave Your Son to die in our place, and with Him,
You freely gave us everything we lack.8
Nothing we could ever do can augment or add merit
to what You have already accomplished on our behalf. We simply rest in the perfect, finished work of Christ.
We receive Your love with glad and humble hearts, dear Father. May the Spirit of wisdom and revelation unfold to us
a yet more intimate knowledge of You. May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened. May we know what is the hope of Your calling. May we realize the riches of the glory of Your inheritance. And may we experience the surpassing greatness of Your power.9
We thank You that the work of Christ
is applied to us effectually and continually. We know that we are thereby secure
in the forgiveness Christ won for us at Calvary. Strengthen our faith,
seal our wills unto obedience, and empower our lives to glorify You.
In the blessed name of Christ we pray. Amen.
1. Romans 5:2 2. Romans 5:3 3. Luke 2:10-11 4. Ephesians 2:9 5. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 6. Acts 16:14 7. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8 8. Romans 8:32 9. Ephesians 1:11-19