2 Corinthians 5:11-15

The thought of this coming “exit interview” with the resurrected Christ is, frankly, almost overwhelming.  We will see Him face to face.  We will be in the presence of infinite power, majestic authority, and the perfect beauty of holiness.  We are gripped with awe as we look forward to this momentous event.  God has given us a commission to preach this gospel.  It is our deep desire to obey this awesome God that compels us out into the world to persuade everyone to accept this message.  We know that God understands what is really motivating us and we hope that it is clear to you as well.

We’re walking a fine line here in what we are trying to communicate to you.  We aren’t trying to brag, and we trust that you understand that.  What we are trying to do is to give you a defense to use against the many slanders that are being brought against us.  An understanding of what we are trying to do and why we are trying to do it will keep your hearts and minds clear of the lies and slanders that could poison our relationship.  It will also give you information you can use to respond to the windbags who are only interested in outward appearances without really have a heart understanding of any of the issues they are blabbering about.

Our critics think that we are just like they are and they try and interpret every single thing we do in terms of self interest.  So they misunderstand everything.  Our whole outlook is God centered and others centered.  Self interest comes in at a distant third place.  So if we sometimes seem consumed by enthusiasm for our task, well, that’s because we are totally focused on the will of God.  And when we try and translate the glorious realities that God has made so real to our hearts into clear, plain, easily understood language, we are doing that for your sake.

God’s love will rewire your brain and captivate your heart.  That same person we are going to meet in judgment, that being of infinite power and majestic authority became a man and died to save us.  He not only died to save us, but He incorporated us into His very being so that we participate in His experience of death and resurrection.  God has never explained to us exactly how it happened, but by some mysterious, supernatural process God can take a man living in the here and now and release inside of him a manifestation of the power of something that happened in the past:  Christ’s death and resurrection.

The power of the death applies to our relationship to sin enabling us to die to that old self centered, “it’s all about me” manner of living.  And that resurrection power is the new God centered—others serving manifestation of the very life of Christ within us.  So here’s your bottom line.  He lived and died for us.  As the reality of that rewires your mind and captivates your heart you will find yourself willing and eager to live and die for Him.