God Made Him Sin: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.

Fear the Lord. Phobon tou kuriou. The fear of standing before the judgment seat. The reverence. The awe.

We try to persuade others. Peithomen anthrōpous. Convince. Compel. The fear of judgment drove Paul to evangelism.

We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.

Not commending ourselves. Paul's critics accused him of self-promotion. He denied it.

Giving you an opportunity to take pride in us. Material for their defense of him. So that you can answer those. The opponents who questioned Paul's legitimacy.

Who take pride in what is seen. En prosōpō. In face—outward appearance. Rather than in what is in the heart. En kardia. Externals versus internals.

If we are "out of our mind," as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

Out of our mind. Exestēmen. Ecstatic. Mad. Some accused Paul of being crazy—his visions, his intensity, his claims.

It is for God. The ecstasy was for God. In our right mind. Sōphronoumen. Sensible. It is for you. The clear thinking served them.

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

Christ's love compels. Sunechei—constrains, controls, presses together. The love of Christ—his love for us—drove Paul.

We are convinced. Krinantes. Having judged. One died for all. Huper pantōn. Christ's universal scope. Therefore all died. In Christ's death, all died. The representative death included everyone.

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

He died for all. Repeated. That those who live—the beneficiaries. Should no longer live for themselves. No more self-centered existence.

But for him who died for them and was raised again. The new orientation. Living for Christ. The crucified and risen one.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

From now on. Apo tou nun. The change marked. We regard no one from a worldly point of view. Kata sarka—according to flesh. No longer human categories defining people.

We once regarded Christ in this way. Paul had seen Jesus as impostor, blasphemer, threat. The flesh-perspective.

We do so no longer. The conversion changed everything.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

The climax. If anyone is in Christ. En Christō. The location. The new creation. Kainē ktisis. The old has gone. Ta archaia—the ancient things. Passed away. Parēlthen.

The new is here! Idou, gegonen kaina. Behold—new things have come! The transformation announced. Present reality. Already true.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

All from God. Not human achievement. Reconciled us to himself. Katallaxantos. The estrangement ended. The relationship restored.

Through Christ. The mediator. The means. Gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Not just received reconciliation—commissioned to announce it.

That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

God was reconciling the world. Theos ēn en Christō kosmon katallassōn. God in Christ reconciling the world.

Not counting people's sins against them. Mē logizomenos—not reckoning, not imputing. The ledger closed. The debts forgiven.

He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. The trust. The stewardship. The message entrusted.

We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.

Christ's ambassadors. Huper Christou presbuemen. We represent Christ. We speak for him.

As though God were making his appeal through us. Tou theou parakalountos di' hēmōn. God himself appealing through the messenger. The ambassador carried the king's word.

We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

We implore. Deometha. Beg. Plead. On Christ's behalf. Huper Christou. As his representatives.

Be reconciled to God. Katallagēte tō theō. Passive imperative. Let yourself be reconciled. Accept what God offers.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The exchange. The great reversal.

Him who had no sin. Christ. Sinless. Perfect. To be sin. Hamartian. Made sin. The sin-bearer. The curse-taker.

For us. Huper hēmōn. On our behalf. In our place.

So that in him. En autō. The location reversed. We might become the righteousness of God. Dikaiosunē theou. Not just forgiven—made righteous. God's own righteousness—ours in Christ.

The sinless one made sin.

The sinful ones made righteous.

The exchange at the cross.

New creation.

Reconciliation.

Ambassadors with a message.

God made him sin for us.

Be reconciled to God.