The Fear Factor
2 Corinthians 5:11-17
vs. 11. A believer, who has as his ambition to please the Lord (verse 9), and who knows that he has an appointment to ap-
pear before the judgment seat of Christ (verse 10), is motivated by fear.
This is not "terror" (KJV), a fear which causes one to cringe, but a proper reverence for the Creator God.
This fear is always combined with trust in God and love toward him. This fear shrinks from offending God.
This fear moves a believer to persuade men by sharing the Gospel with them.
His hope was that his and his fellow-workers' motives were manifest to the Corinthians as pure, right, God-pleasing.
vs. 12. The commendation that he had was his consistent, constant, preaching of the Truth, from which he never strayed. (4:1-2)
One's success in ministry depends on his having a clean reputation and an ability to speak to people who recognize him as a God-sent messenger.
vs. 13. One who is on fire for the gospel and for the Lord may be seen as a lunatic by those who do not believe, and even by some who claim to believe.
The accusation of being lunatics was because of their zeal for God.
Their sound-mindedness was for the eternal benefit of the ones who had been won by their preaching.
VS. 14. The believer is also motivated by love.
The mainspring of energy for the believer in his service for God is this all-controlling love,
love so strong that God sent His Son to die.
love so strong that God the Son died for sinners.
love which is now in us in the Person of God the Holy Spirit.
love which holds us so tightly to our God-appointed ministry that nothing can keep us from serving!
In Christ every believer died to sin. - Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:10-11
vs. 15. The ones who live are those who have believed that the death of Christ was subsitutionary, that His death was accomplished in the place of the death of sinful human beings.
For such believers His life is now ours. Romans 6:5
This life is to be lived no longer for self - for selfish interests,
gain, goals - no longer are we to be looking out as of first importance for #1. - Philippians 2:1-4
This life is to be lived first and foremost for the One Who died for us. - Living for Jesus
vs. 16. On the Damascus road, he saw Jesus for Who He really is, Lord and God. - my Maker, Redeemer, Master
vs. 17. When one is in Christ he looks at life, at God, and at others differently. His way of seeing others is no longer fleshly but is spiritual.
Be controlled by love of God and motivated by proper fear of Him.