JANUARY 2, 2022
PAUL’S DEFENSE AGAINST THE CHARGE OF SELF-COMMENDATION
INTRODUCTION:
1. Paul was very aware that some at Corinth (false teachers particularly) were accusing him of self-commendation. He took up this issue back in Chapter 3:1-3, where he asserted that he needed not to commend himself, because his success among them was all of the commendation he needed. He said that they were living letters, written not with his hand, but by the Holy Spirit Himself; not on tables of stone, but in their hearts. In other words the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit through his ministry was sufficient recommendation. He again addresses the subject in Chapter 4:1, 2, where he declared that it was his faithful ministry of the Word that commended him to the conscience of every man.
2. Now, here in our present passage, as he speaks of his actions, he is not commending himself, but rather declaring his sense of responsibility to God.
I. THE APOSTLE SPEAKS OF THE REASON FOR HIS ZEAL AND DILIGENCE, WHICH WAS NOT SELF- COMMENDATION. (VERSES 11-15)
A. HE DECLARES THAT HE ACTED UNDER A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO GOD. (VERSE 11)
1. This verse is an inference from what precedes it, as indicated by the word “therefore.” Paul had asserted his earnest desire to be acceptable to the Lord, and “therefore, knowing the terror of the Lord…”
a) “The fear of the Lord” is most likely what is meant. This is that reverence which the Lord excites, or of which He is the object.
b) This expression if often used in Scripture to stand for true religion. (Prov. 9:10; Acts 9:31; Rom. 3:18;
Eph. 5:21)
c) Paul therefore, having a pious reverence for Christ, acted under the influence of that sentiment, and not from selfish unworthy motives.
2. Another understanding is that knowing the terror of the Lord, i.e. the terror that belongs to the Lord (how terrible He is in His judgment) Paul persuaded men to repent and turn to Christ.
B. HIS OBJECT WAS NOT SELF-PRAISE BUT RATHER TO AFFORD THEM THE MEANS OF VINDICATING HIS CHARACTER. (VERSES 12, 13)
1. In speaking of his fidelity and diligence in the former verses, it was not to commend himself. (Verse 12a)
2. The true reason was this, to put an argument in their mouths wherewith to answer his accusers, who made vain boasts, and gloried in appearances only. (Verse 12b)
3. Whether his way of speaking of himself was extravagant or moderate, sane or insane, his motive was a sincere regard to the glory of God and the good of the church. (Verse 13)
C. THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONSTRAINED HIM TO LIVE NOT FOR HIMSELF, BUT FOR CHRIST WHO DIED AND ROSE AGAIN FOR HIM. (VERSE 14, 15)
1. The love of Christ here means Christ’s love for us, not the love of which He is the object. This is clear from the fact that he goes on to illustrate the greatness of that love. (Compare Gal. 2:20; Rom. 8:35; Eph. 3:19)
2. The greatness of Christ’s love for us constrains us. It coerces, or better still, presses us in. It is the governing influence which controls the believer’s life.
3. The reason why the love of Christ has such constraining power is because we thus judge that His dying for us obligates us to live for Him.
4. The phrase died for all may be understood in a general sense, (for the benefit of), or the stricter sense (in the place and stead of). The context will indicate which it is. When the idea is substitution, as it is here, the stricter sense is meant. (See Verse 20; Philemon 13; Eph. 6:20; Rom. 5:6; 7:8; 14:15; I Thess. 5:10; Heb. 2:9, etc.)
II. THE APOSTLE MENTIONS TWO THINGS THAT WERE NECESSARY TO THIS LIVING UNTO CHRIST. (VERSES 16-18) These two essentials are first regeneration, and second reconciliation. The same two things are a necessity for all who will live for Christ.
A. PAUL WAS MADE A NEW CREATURE BY VIRTUE OF HIS UNION WITH CHRIST. (VERSES 16, 17)
1. Regeneration consists, for one thing, in a change which causes one to no longer see or judge of things according to the flesh. (Verse 16)
a) Paul speaks this of himself, as a part of his self-vindication. He was acting from a pure motive. For a sense of the love of Christ constrained him not to live for himself but for Christ, and therefore he no longer judged of persons or things as he was before accustomed to do.
b) Paul’s experience, however, was his experience as a Christian, and therefore not peculiar to himself. It is true of every regenerate soul that he does not estimate, judge, or feel in reference to any man according to the flesh.
(1) Either he does not judge according to outward circumstance, such as one’s birth, station, nationality, etc.
(2) Or he may mean that he does not make determinations by carnal or selfish considerations. Paul was not led to approve or disapprove any man from selfish corrupt motives.
c) Paul speaks of having known Christ after the flesh. Before he became a new creature, he only knew Christ as one who claimed to be Messiah, but he denied that He was so. Now, however, he knows Him, not after the flesh, but by revelation, and by union with Him, and by a personal relationship. The love of Christ now governs his whole life.
2. Regeneration also consists in a thorough change of the heart and being of a person. (Verse 17)
a) What was true of Paul must be true of all who are truly regenerate. “If any man be in Christ, he is anew creature.”
b) To be in Christ is a common scriptural phrase to express the saving union between Christ and His people. They are in Him by covenant, as all men were in Adam; they are in Him by faith which lays hold and appropriates Him as the life and portion of the soul. (Rom. 8:1, 9; Gal. 5:6)
c) So great is the change the grace of God makes in the soul that “old things are passed away, and all things are become new.” The renewed soul acts from new principles by new rules with new ends and in new company. Regenerating grace creates a new world in the soul.
B. PAUL HAD BEEN RECONCILED TO GOD BY CHRIST JESUS. (VERSE 18)
1. “All things are of God.” By this Paul means all things pertaining to the change of which he had been speaking. Regeneration is God’s work. (I Pet. 1:3) He said before, “He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God.” (Verse 5a) It is God alone Who can give us new birth and new nature. The new life we now have by the Holy Spirit is the earnest of that which is to come. (Verse 5b)
2. Paul, who had been an avowed enemy of Christ was in fact at enmity with God, as all men are who have not believed on Christ. (I John 2:23) But, he was now reconciled. To reconcile is to remove enmity between parties. In this case God is the reconciler.
3. Now seeing that in all of his former zeal for God he was actually fighting against God, Paul is now giving himself without reserve to the work of God. He is now engaged in the ministry of reconciliation which God had entrusted to him. (Verse 18b)
III. THE APOSTLE WAS GIVEN BY GOD THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION. (VERSES 19-21)
A. THE WORK OF RECONCILIATION GOD HAS FINISHED THROUGH THE ATONING SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. (VERSE 19)
1. “To wit,” i.e. seeing that, or because. Because God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, he has committed unto us the WORD of reconciliation.
a) The Word of reconciliation and the ministry of reconciliation (Verse 18b) are the same thing. It is the Gospel ministry.
b) Had not God in Christ accomplished the work of reconciliation, we would have no Word to proclaim.
2. Christ accomplished the necessary requirements for reconciliation by substituting Himself for the sinners. He took our sins upon Himself so that they should not be imputed to us. “Not imputing their trespasses unto them.” The only way this could be, is that our trespasses had to be imputed to Him. (Isa. 53:6) Then, the other side of that matter is that His righteousness would be imputed to the sinners for whom He became the substitute.
(Rom. 4:6)
3. This Word, God had committed to i.e. had deposited in the Apostle.
B. THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION WAS COMMITTED TO PAUL AS AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST. (VERSE 20)
1. Since God in Christ is reconciled, and seeing that He had commissioned Paul to make it known, that made him, as are all preachers of the Gospel, an ambassador of Christ.
2. All true ministers of the Gospel go forth “in Christ’s stead.” As Christ’s ambassadors, they go forth as His substitute and representatives to speak for Him in an official capacity. They go forth in His Name, to deliver His message. (Ch. 4:5)
3. When they preach the Word of reconciliation, it is as though God Himself were beseeching by them, i.e. beseeching sinners to be reconciled to God.
C. AN ABUNDANT AND TRUSTWORTHY PROVISION HAS BEEN MADE FOR RECONCILIATION. (VERSE 21)
1. See here the truth of substitution. Christ was made sin for us.
2. The doctrine of imputation is here seen. “Not imputing their trespasses to them.” (Verse 19) “That we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (Verse 21b) Our sins are laid on Christ so that He became the sinner. (Isa. 53:6) His righteousness is imputed to us, i.e. put on our account, so that we are made righteousness itself in the sight of God.
3. There is probably no passage in the Scriptures in which the doctrine of justification is more concisely or clearly stated than this.
CONCLUSION:
1. Reconciliation is presented as a wonderful privilege. The sinner is totally to blame for the enmity between himself and his God. He has waged a war the outcome of which can only mean his complete and eternal destruction. Yet, it is the offended Majesty of Heaven, Who has nothing to gain, Who has initiated a settlement. It is He Who has made the unspeakably gracious arrangements for reconciliation. It is He Who sends forth ambassadors of peace to plead on His behalf.
2. Reconciliation is presented as our indispensable duty. It is the great end and design of the Gospel. That word of reconciliation prevails upon sinners to lay aside their enmity, and be reconciled to God.
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