2 Corinthians, 5:11-15
Jim Pool · Oct 31, 2004
2 Corinthians (2004-05), No. 18
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://www.hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/48262314495638

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

Well, we don't have quite as difficult a passage as we did last time, two weeks ago. So, for that, I'm thankful. It's a little easier to interpret this one. Yet, as we end, towards the end of verse 14, there's going to be a little bit of a tough interpretation there. But just trust the Lord to guide us through it.

So, we're going to look at verse 11. down through verse 15. Now you notice that we skipped over verse 10. We left off last week, Hal left off last week with verse 9. And so we're going to go to verse 11. Hal said last week verse 10 is, there's lots of different interpretations, thoughts, opinions. Verse 10, so he is actually going to take two whole weeks simply on verse 10 in the month or six weeks to come. So we've kind of put that on hold. and await and expectantly to anticipate Hal's presentation of verse 10 there.

So we're going to start in verse 11. He's the only one capable. Yeah, he's the only one capable of verse 10, as Bob just said. I thought he did a great job of wrapping up the previous week, last week. It kind of brought us to some conclusion there and did a wonderful job. So let's start in verse 11.

It says this, 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 conscience. 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." Alright. Amy, good to see you. No baby yet? Not yet. Okay. Let's see if it could be within the hour here during our path in 2 Corinthians. Alright, verse 11.

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, and there's a couple different thoughts about the word fear. Fear can be looked at as one in a positive sense and one in a negative sense. What we see here is fear here is a reverential fear. Not as in God having this big huge stick or club just waiting to clobber us if we were to do something wrong. That kind of fear. That's not the fear that is being mentioned up here. It's a reverential fear.

And to kind of help us to see what he's talking about, it's also used over in chapter 7, verse 1 of 2 Corinthians. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit for effecting holiness in the fear of God. So it's a reverential fear, not one as in fearfulness, kind of cowering back in the corner of God having this huge club that's going to pound on us if we were to do something wrong. In and over in Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 21 we also see the use of the word fear here giving us the idea of what we're talking about. Ephesians 5, 21 let me start back and catch the context here in verse 19 Actually, verse 18, do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. Always give thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God, even the Father, and be subject to one another in the fear of the Lord.

So those are the three same usages of the word fear, is what we're talking about there. Now let's look at a usage that it's not talking about. Romans chapter 8 and verse 15. It's not fearfulness of God as Romans chapter 8 and verse 15 is talking about. For you have not received the spirit of slavery leading to fear again but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out Abba Father. So that is an example, we're not talking about that kind of fear. You have not received the spirit of slavery, leading to fear. The slavery there that they're talking about comes from the law. And what does the law produce? Death and fear.

You have to perform for God, and if you don't meet these expectations and these performance, then you're fearful of the punishment and the retribution that comes from God. So that's the idea there that we're seeing in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 11. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, it's a reverential fear.

Christ's desire was to please the Father, and we have the mind of Christ, as I mentioned earlier. So, it's a reverential fear to please our Father. your relationship with your dad, and Henry isn't even near this quite yet, but there was that relationship between you and your father, you just wanted to please your dad. Now, sometimes that example doesn't work because relationships can be a little bit off from where God would have them to be, but that's what we're talking about there. Christ's desire was to please the Father, and we also have the mind of Christ, so it's that one of pleasing God out of reverence. It appears that the context means a wholesome dread of not pleasing God, and Hal covered that in chapter 5 verse 9 last week, by not being faithful to the ministry that God has given to Paul and Timothy, as opposed to God's righteous retribution because God desires to reward us for the works that He performs through us.

So let's read that verse 9 again. We also have as our ambition, whether we are at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. So there's God's desire, that we would be pleasing to God. And then verse 10 talks about being rewarded for the works that He does through us, and Hal's going to talk about that in a few weeks.

So it's important for us to get a proper understanding of fear. We don't want to be walking in our relationship with God thinking, that God is going to be, you know, His righteous retribution or with the big club mindset of God. It's just one of reverential fear as He is our Heavenly Father. Therefore, we want to please Him. That's the idea there of fear.

Any thoughts? I think that's important for us. Can you also use sort of the word respect? I think so. Right. That's right. So much of Christendom, I think, lives in their relationship with God in light of a wrong concept of fear. So I think it's really key that we get a proper perspective had a proper concept of the fear of God. So... Right, right. In a negative context, the fear of God. I think some denominations focus on that more than others. Sure. Sure. Sure. And tying into Romans 8, when you come at it from the perspective of legalism, That produces great fear.

If you don't meet this, this, this, this, and this, then God's not going to do this. He's not going to bless you, but he's going to feel the wrath of God. The wrath of God is going to come down on you with this heavy hand. Boy, what a burden, what a bondage. Instead of living in freedom, because God has already given us everything, thus there's that reverence or respect, because God has already given us everything as a Father.

Just a comment on what you said. I think it's really relevant. However, I think one of the skills of God's great grace in parenting is to recognize that transition from law to grace as your children grow up. Right, right. And like it or not, kids are under law, right? They have to be. But, you know, maybe some kids are ready for more of a freedom. You have God's grace in an age in which it's earlier by five to ten years. I mean, in other words, I think, admittedly, Jim, you're a parent now. Henry's got to be under the law to some extent. Sure, that's right. That's right. But it's your law. You should realize that you're the one that's going to come down on me. Yeah, right. But that's being a responsible parent. That's not wrong, right? Right.

We could have a 12-week Sunday school class on that, which would probably be real helpful to me. It's Scott and Amy. Where we are with both having young kids, how do you do that? But we'll save that for possibly down the road. Anybody got any answers? I definitely need some help. What are you doing in the meantime, you know? What are you doing in 20 years, you know?

Alright, so therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men. The idea here of persuading is to win over or to bring about the change of mind. And what they're persuading men of is of the gospel. They're involved in this ministry where they want to be pleasing to God and they're sharing the gospel and they are persuading men of the gospel. So, in light of this reverential fear of the Lord, wanting to please God, they are engaged in bringing people to the change of mind of the gospel. Where they're going to believe in the gospel and stop believing what they have believed in in the past and now they're going to put their faith and trust in Christ and the gospel.

Now notice that there's no persuasion of God. It's interesting that they're persuading men. Obviously they're not trying to persuade God, they're simply just persuading men of the gospel, but we are made manifest to God. So they're not persuading God, but they're just seen by Him for who they are. But they are being seen, open, and being manifest to men and also to God as well.

So this idea here of being made manifest is in the perfect passive indicative both times because this idea here of being made manifest is said twice in the verse, we are made manifest to God and I hope that we are made manifest to you in your conscience. So that's repeated statement there in that verse and both times it's in the perfect passive indicative.

So the idea here is to be made known or to be known, and the idea here is to uncover, as in removing of a lid. You know, Rachel's cooking something on the stove, and the aroma is making its way to the upstairs, and I'm smelling the delightful smell, and I come down to the stove, and I remove the lid, and oh, that's what it is. It's made known. I know what it is that she's cooking, and that's the idea here of being made manifest.

We're open before God in the Corinthian church, that Christ was their source of life, making his motives, Paul's life, making his motives and his character appear. They're open with them, and we've talked about this in the past, several different times, several places.

So let's look at this. We need to remember what we've already talked about. So let's go back to chapter 1. Let's look at verse 12. Anybody, just read this out. Chapter 1 and verse 12. Anybody that finds it? Okay, so they're open. They're proud, confident in the testimony of their conscience. They're open. We've talked about that. They're not hiding anything back. They're being exposed to the people, to the believers there. other folks here at Corinth.

Over in chapter 3, someone just read down for us verses 1 through 3. Chapter 3, 1 through 3. Do we begin again to command ourselves, or need we as some other epistles of commendation to do as letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written on our hearts, known and read of all men. for as much as you are manifestly declared to be the Episcopal Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of...

Okay. They don't need to commend themselves again to the people. The people of Corinth is their testimony of Christ to them. They don't need to commend themselves. I'm going to talk about this a little bit more. But they're being open. They're not hiding. Anything at all. And then chapter 4 verses 1 and 2. Somebody just please read that out for us. Okay, look at the middle there of verse 2.

But by the manifestation of truth, very important there, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. They're not trying to make themselves look better, they're just pointing people to the truth. They're just pointing people to Christ, and showing forth Christ, really through the people, and through Christ as being a source of their own life. So they're made manifest there, They're being made manifest before God and they're being made manifest before the people.

It's open. It's a completed action in the past that has ongoing results. It's a perfect tense. The subject is receiving the action and it's a reality. So they are being made manifest. They're being made manifest by God. They're being, in a sense, they're being exposed. And as I thought about that, we are being exposed by God. God knows us. He knows our motives, whether they're pure or not. He knows what's going on. And He is in the process, I think, of allowing people to see our lives.

Either way. Some people can do a better job of hiding their flesh than other people can. Some people's fleshes might be a little more trained than other people's might. Some people's personality just tends to let it all hang out, and so it's seen that way.

But I think God is in the process of showing, He sees us, He's in the process of showing us ourselves, and He's in the process of letting other people see us. We are salt and light in the world, right? He's using us for other people to see Him. You know, Hal's made the comment that our lives might be the only part of the Bible that people ever read. I think I might be a little misquoting him there. But yeah, He's involved in doing that. God is manifesting that in our lives. Which is, you know, that's something to think about. They got it that God's doing that. Okay, let's ask this question. Why didn't Paul need to commend himself again to the people? He says there in the verse, we are not again committing ourselves to you, are we? So why didn't Paul need to commend himself again to the people?

What are your thoughts? He says it a couple of different times in the verses that we've already read about not committing himself again unto them. So why not? Chapter 3, verse 1, are we beginning to commit ourselves again? And then here he says, we're not committing ourselves again to you.

And remember the idea there of commendation was that someone would carry a letter and if someone was, let's say, traveling or or if it was a person that needed recommendation or commendation or someone to speak for them, they would carry a letter, literally would carry this letter, and where they went, they would give a letter to that person, a letter of commendation, kind of speaking for them, validating them, saying, okay, this person is really who he is, he's done this, he's done that, please let him into your home or whatever the situation. That's what we're talking about there. So why does Paul, not need to commend himself again to the people. That's right. He's had lots of interaction with them. They know who he is. They know what he's done. There's no need to continue to commend himself to them again. What else? Well, he stated repeatedly that the powers of God and not of himself. That's right. This has been reiterated in 2 Corinthians 4 and even before. That's right. That's right. Right. Verse 5, 4, we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus our Lord. Ourselves your servants.

For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge That's right, that's right. So he has been, all this time, exalting God, pointing people to the glory of God, pointing people to Christ as the source, that's what he's been doing all this time, and they're wanting somewhere, another letter of commendation? Paul's like, give me a break! I've been pointing you to the source, we've been talking about Christ, He is the source of our ministry. He is the source of the life in the Corinthian church. You want us to continue to give you letters of commendation?

No way. We've already done it. There's no need to do that again. That's kind of what he's driving at there. I thought that was right on there. That was good. So Christ's glory, and this passage has been talking about glory. The glory of God has really been one of the main themes in this whole passage.

Christ's glory was seen by the Corinth believers in Paul and Timothy. Christ as a source for the ministry was seen in them. His glory was manifest in them. They were the epistles of Christ and this is also true of and seen by the people of Corinth and the believers of Corinth. By the people, the unbelievers of Corinth, they were seeing Christ as a source in the lives of the Corinthian believers.

So Paul is not going to give another letter of commendation. He continually came to them with truth and pointing people to Christ. To give them another letter of commendation was just ridiculous. So Christ and them was his letter of commendation. I'm not going to write you something else out. Their worthiness was only in Christ's worthiness. I didn't really point that out, but the word commend there is to present as worthy. And so their worthiness, they want to be commended. Their worthiness was only in Christ's worthiness. And that's where their focus was all the time. They were never drawing attention to themselves. They were not preaching to ourselves. They were preaching to the Lord Jesus Christ.

See? That's why they're not going to commend themselves again to the people. Thoughts or questions? If you're Paul you're probably like, man I hope these guys are getting the picture of what's going on here and I hope they don't ask me that again. How many times did we hit this in chapter 1 and then in chapter 3 and now again in chapter 4? Aren't they getting the picture yet of what's going on here? I start at the beginning of verse 12 again.

We are not again committing ourselves to you, but we 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. The word glory is really a better word than proud. The NAS uses the word proud, but the KJV reads that we would give you an occasion to glory on our behalf is the way that it comes across in the KJV. I really think that glory It's a better translation of the word than being proud. If you think about proud, it's kind of a self-source. Puffed up. Yeah, arrogant is kind of what proud, at least in our minds, that's kind of the way that we think of that term. So glory is really a better, I think, translation because glory, as we've seen in the context of the previous chapters, glory is seeing Christ as a source.

So we're giving you an occasion to glory on our behalf, so what was the occasion to glory on their behalf? That's the next question. What was the occasion to glory on their behalf? We're giving you an occasion, Paul says we're giving you an occasion to glory on our behalf, but what's he talking about? What's the occasion that they're able to glory on their behalf? Why are they able to do that? Because they're great people? Is it because Paul is an excellent communicator? He's good-looking? He's gotten 5,000 people saved in the past three weeks? What was their reason for being able to glory on their behalf?

It's the source. That's right. It's the source. That's exactly right. Because Christ in them, this gave the Corinthian believers the opportunity to glory. Because Christ in them, the hope of glory. We've talked about that a lot. So, they're able to glorify God on their behalf. That's really what he's driving out there. This whole verse is just steeped in seeing Christ as a source. And glorifying God because of Christ and them as being the source. Very, very key.

You know, I hope that Paul said, we're giving you an occasion of glory. Do we glory in people? Think about that. Do we kind of put some people on a pedestal. Do we glory in Vern as one of the key leaders here? Do we glory in Hal? Do we glory in Mike? Hopefully we glorify God in those people because God is the source. Hopefully we don't get to where we're really exalting people or we're elevating people.

That would be a wrong thing to do. Christ and people is really where it's at. kind of botch this, but where Paul was being greatly exalted by the people, what did he begin to do? Tear his clothes. Remember, he began to rip off his robes. He says, no, no, no, wait a minute. It's not me. Please don't glorify me. Please don't exalt me. But it's Christ. I think that's what he's driving at here.

That needs to be our same mindset as well. But there were some people in the area, we've talked about this a little bit in the past, that were more concerned about the externals than the internals. There were those people that were around rubbing shoulders in the same community in the same neighborhood as Paul and Timothy and the Corinth believers who they were more concerned about the externals than they were the internals.

And so one group of people, we talked about them I think maybe two months ago, they were the Sophists who criticized Paul and these folks they were smooth talkers who could give a clever argument, but their main purpose in doing this was to make themselves look good. So you have to kind of put yourself in that scene there, in that culture there, in that community of Corinth, and there is this group of people who are not buying in to glorying because of the inward source of Christ. They're saying, wait a minute, your appearance is bad, Your speech is bad, they're glorying in their appearance. And so it's causing some problems there for the Corinth believers.

Let's just take a peek here that Paul's externals weren't very good. Before we do that, let me read verse 12 again, starting at the beginning. We are not again committing ourselves to you, but are giving you an occasion to glory in us, because of Christ, so that you will have an answer for those who take pride in appearance and not in heart." So, see, those people are taking pride in appearance, externals, the outward, not the inward, heart, life source of the person. So, the problem here is that if they're taking pride in the externals, Paul's externals weren't very good. Let's take a look at this for a second. First Corinthians, chapter 2, verses 3 and 4. Just so we can kind of get a picture of what's going on, what the scene is here. 1 Corinthians 2, verses 3 and 4. Someone would just read out, whoever finds that. Okay, thank you.

So it's with them in weakness, fear, trembling, that their wisdom would not rest on men by the power of God. What are the Sophists doing? They're smooth talkers, and they would be able to give a clever argument, and what would that do? That would make them look good. Where is their wisdom? It's in their own ability to communicate creatively, articulate smoothly, to win an argument. over to 2 Corinthians, chapter 10, verse 10.

Someone just read out. That's exactly what these folks are saying about Paul. Okay? Incredible. His letters are weighty, They're strong, but his personal appearance is unimpressive. Now, we just read that these folks are concerned about their appearance. Well, it says here that they're saying that his personal appearance is unimpressive and his speech is contemptible. Incredible stuff. That's causing the conflict here. Galatians chapter 4 and verse 13. Galatians chapter 4 and verse 13. Someone just read that out.

Do you know that because of physical infirmity that I preached the gospel to you on the conversion? Okay. Talking about his physical illness, his physical infirmity that he had there. It's interesting the kind of guy that God chose to reveal the mystery to, isn't it? That he didn't reveal the mystery to someone who would naturally be able to be self-confident. Now I'm sure there were areas of Paul's life where he could easily rely upon himself. I mean, all of us have those. qualities that we can tend to be self-dependent and self-focused. But it appears that God chose someone who would not have a lot of room to be self-confident and self-dependent.

So Jim, what's the evidence that the source is the Lord? This is a general question. When you look at human behavior and the scriptures clear and what the source of the evil is, what's the evidence we have? Right. Well, Christ in them, the hope of glory. I know that in me, in my flesh, dwells no good thing.

And then when you compare that with Christ in us, the hope of glory, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It doesn't say that we can do all things through our own abilities or through our own talents, because we're such great people. You know, we can do all things through Christ, who is the source. Don't you think, too, that when the source is Christ, it's all pointing back to Christ?

Whereas when the source, no matter how smooth you are, it's always going to point back to you, to the flesh. Don't you think? I mean, when someone's... Like you said, the flesh is capable of hiding and masquerading. But still, the end result is still going to be, if the source is not Christ, it's going to still eventually point back to the person.

Exactly. And the flesh. Right. That's right. Because the flesh is not going to glory or give glory to Christ. The flesh is not going to do that. Right. Eventually, it's going to be seen. Right. The end result is that someone is going to be exalted in themselves.

Their self will be the one that is exalted and not Christ. I think continually, Paul is pointing people back to Christ. You never see Paul drawing attention to himself. I'm not going to write you another letter of commendation about me. We've pointed you to Christ all this time. Haven't you got the point yet? And then, let's see, over in 2 Corinthians 12, It talks about where Paul received the revelation from God. He went up into the heavens and he received this revelation from God.

And then in verse 5, On behalf of such a man I will not boast, but on my own behalf I will boast, except in regard to my weakness. And then he continues on, where he asked God to take this thorn in the flesh away. And then verse 9, he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.

Most gladly, therefore, I would rather boast about my weakness, or that the power of Christ may dwell in me. I think, if we go back to the beginning of that verse, it says, My grace is perfected in you, for God's power is perfected in our weakness. I think that's what he's driving at there. God's power is what is perfected in our weakness. So I'm going to boast about my weaknesses or my infirmities so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I'm content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. When I'm weak in self, when God is bringing me to the point to where I'm resting in my depth of self, then I'm strong in Christ. So I think there's... If that's what you're driving at, Bob, I think there's multiple places where we see this source cellular.

Is that what you were getting at? In part? Okay. And was Paul going through some distresses here? And trials here? Absolutely. We're going to continue to see that. These people are being critical. They're probably being slanderous towards him. Yeah, he's going through some of these times. Somebody took a deep breath?

Well, a deep breath always came before a question. he wasn't under distress or thrown in prison because of what he was in his own flesh, but because of what he was in Christ. That's right, sure, that's right. It was obviously manifested to those unbelievers that did throw him, because otherwise they couldn't have put him in prison.

So when we look at this here, We see, I just think it's interesting to compare those who need commendation with those who don't. This whole idea here of commending or needing commendation with those who don't. And let's read through these verses. Some of them we've already read. But every one of these verses are going to mention commendation. And let's just do a little bit of a comparison and contrast here. And I'll just read through these here. So let's start in 2 Corinthians 3, verse 1. And every one of these is going to mention needing commending or commendation. Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you? Then over in chapter 4, verse 2.

But we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." Chapter 5, verse 12, the one we're on right now. 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. Over in chapter 10, verse 12. for we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves.

But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without knowledge." That's a powerful verse right there about this whole idea of needing commendation or of commending. So there are those people who do commend themselves, but notice what their commending themselves look like. They measure themselves by themselves, they compare themselves with themselves, and what is the result? They're without understanding. Paul says, we're not like that. Christ is our source, Christ is our life, Christ is our focus. These guys are comparing themselves with themselves. See? And then one last, chapter 10, verse 18. Great one to end with.

For it is not he who commends himself that is approved. but he whom the Lord commends." That's what Paul is saying. We're not about commending ourselves, but Christ is our letter of commendation to you. So when we compare these, we see those who needed commendation, they needed letters, they walked in craftiness, they adulterated the Word of God, they took pride in their appearance, they were not interested in the inner qualities, they measure, commend, and compare themselves with themselves, they're without understanding, and ultimately they're not approved. kind of the bottom line there. Those who do not need commendation, Paul and Timothy, they renounce the things hidden in shame, they're not walking in crackiness, they're not adulterating the word of God, they're manifesting the truth, they do not compare themselves with themselves or with others, ultimately what are they? Commended by the Lord.

Just a good thing to look at there and compare, see the contrasting. Committing ourselves with other people or with ourselves, you know, a question of application. We looked at the passage, we interpreted the passage, and an application is, are we comparing ourselves with others? I hope not. Are we comparing ourselves with ourselves? Boy, I really could be doing better at this. I could be doing better at that.

Or are we saying, boy, I see myself as Christ, I'm in Christ, I'm complete in Him, I'm accepted in Him, that's fine, that's enough for me, I'm going to rest and abide and walk by faith right there. Hopefully, that's where we're at. Easy to get caught up in the other though, I know that. When we walk in the flesh, we certainly are trying to commend ourselves approve ourselves based on other people or self-improvement.

Back to chapter 5, verse 13. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God, and if we are of sound mind, it is for you. So based on the Greek structure of this sentence, Paul is responding to accusation from the critics. We already talked about the critics, who they are, what their source of criticism is, where their emphasis and where their focus is.

So basically, People are saying, Paul, you're beside yourself. You're out of your mind. And that's what this word actually means here for being beside ourselves. Being out of your wits. You're out of your mind. Paul, you've lost it. You don't have a clue as to what's going on. You don't have a clue with reality. You've lost your wits or you're out of your mind. It's an unusual word usage here by Paul and it's found interesting in popular rhetorical handbooks to describe an orator who fails to persuade because of his unpolished delivery.

That's how they're coming at him from. And the critics, the worldly, seeing things from a worldly perspective, that's how they're coming at him, that's what they're saying about him here. And another use of the word there, Mark 3, verse 21, that I'll let you guys look up on your own there. Okay, let's ask this question. What are some possible reasons that people would think that he is beside himself. What do you think? What are some possible reasons? Yeah. Right. I see right here. Yeah, please change that. Thank you.

I didn't have Rachel read through my slide this week. and she is the grammar hound. We're taking the Greek class, and there's a lot of English review and sentence diagramming, and she is all over it. Incredible. She said, if I could have any job, I would diagram English sentences all the time. I could get paid to diagram sentences. Isn't that incredible? She's out of her mind. She's beside herself. What are you talking about? Yeah, but thank you, Larry. I appreciate that. And my grammar is just the opposite. It's horrible. Grammar to me, when I was in high school, I was so uninterested. It was bad. So I'm having to relearn all that in the Greek class.

It's a lot of work. And now I'm beside myself with that. Okay, what are some possible reasons that people would think that he's beside himself? What do you think? Just anything. I've got a little list here, but there's all kinds of answers why. Just logically, what do you think?

You know, look at his history. Why would he give up being so high in the Jewish realm? Sure. Why would he give all that up? Pharisee of Pharisees. Right. Right. And go around in ragged clothes and be in prison and all this for this cause. That's right. And you're nuts. That's one thing, right? You know, if, say today, there's an announcement on the TV where President Bush said, I'm stepping out and I'm going to go and I'm going to serve the poor for the rest of my life. What would we think? The guy's lost his mind. What is he talking about? I mean, you know what I'm saying? That kind of draws your analogy there. Yeah. Yes. That's right. Right, right. You need a self-help class. Right.

And when we tell people that nowadays, they look at us a little weird. Their eyes kind of scrunched down and their head cocks a bit. They might be drawn into it a little bit. They might be interested. And it might create an open door later on down the road. But they're also seeing us as a little bit different. And you're a little bit out there. Talk about as Christ is our life.

So, yeah. Alright, a couple I came up with. Just a couple that have already been mentioned. It's conversion. I mean, you mentioned that already. His physical appearance, his endless service, his seeing of visions, and his self-commendation, but he was only pointing people to God. That's just a couple of reasons, and I'm sure there's many, many more why people thought that he was beside himself. Okay.

We all have a sound or sober mind. Again, it's in the present active indicative, meaning that he's involved in the action there. He's involved in being of a sober mind, meaning sane, or to be in the right mind. Now, it's interesting, it's just the total opposite of the other. Contrast between out of one's mind and in one's right mind. Out of one's mind, the view of those who gore in appearance towards Paul's life and ministry, they say, well, you're out of your mind. But, to be in one's right mind, is the view of those believers who glory in the Lord towards Paul's life and ministry.

You look at the same guy, it's not a different guy, it's not like he's one way on Monday and he's another way on Tuesday and another way on Wednesday. He's the same guy and he's always the same. But what's the perspective of the group of people that are looking at him? One sees him out of his mind, one sees him as being in his right mind.

You know, when you think of literature and you've seen that term, but I'm beside myself. I never knew that that was from a biblical source, which it is. And then to be in the right mind, the right meaning the truth. Right. And we still use that term today. He's in his right mind. But of course, it's a secular use. But in truth, It meant the right mind was the truth. The mind of Christ. The mind of Christ.

That's right. I mean, that's really what it meant. That's right. Yeah, that is. And it's used so secularly now, but it came from that. Yeah. 1 Corinthians 1, 18-25 kind of shows these two groups of people. Let's look there, because I think it helps a little bit. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 18 down through verse 25 and I'll just read through this for us.

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. There you have the two groups of folks, those who are in a sense being critical, who are unbelievers, and those who are seeing things from God's point of view. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world, through its wisdom, did not come to know God, God was well pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." Boy, you're out of your mind. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Just looking at things from two different perspectives. It's a citizenship deal. Right, that's right. OK, so this is a summary of this section here. It's interesting. If they were considered to be out of their mind, it's for God. And if they are of a sober mind, in their right mind, it's for the people. So either way, God was the source and they were walking in dependency upon him in their ministry. That's kind of what he's driving at there. OK.

Let's just stop there. This is a good point to stop. I was hoping to get a little farther, but we decided we'd slow down. So let's accept that. But you're welcome to read through your notes if you want to, or we can just cover it initially next week. So either way is fine. Let's pray. I'll teach the rest next week. Yeah, because it needs to be gone over. It's some key stuff. And actually there's a section There is a section in verse 14, I'll just read it.

Therefore, one died for all, therefore all died. And in your notes, you'll see that there are two potential interpretations presented. And the question is, who is the all? Therefore, all died. I'm sorry, all died for one, therefore all died. So, who is the all referring to?

And what I was going to do today, I was going to present two different interpretations which you'll see in your notes. and Hal and Bob and I haven't had time to get together and decide, look to the Lord, exegete the passage, try to come to a conclusion. Bob's gone, super busy, Hal's left today for two weeks, so we're going to let you guys study it, exegete it as we do the same, and then when we come to a conclusion on the passage, we'll let everybody know. That's the way that Bob and Hal and I decided to handle that one there. So, my point is study it, but we'll go over it next week, But it's before you guys is homework for the next month. What is that saying? It's on all of our plates for some homework, so let's pray.

Father, thank you for just your life and for what you're doing in our lives, for conforming us to the image of yourself. And thank you that we do not have to get caught up in being persuaded to fall into the world's thought about how we need to appear or how we need to. talk or what we have to say or those kinds of things. We're thankful that we can just rest and abide in our position in You, our acceptance that we have in You, and being blessed with every spiritual blessing that we have because of You. That's a place that we can find assurance, that we can find rest, and that we can find peace, and not having to get caught up in the world system and thought and philosophy of always trying to wonder and commend ourselves against ourselves and other people. Thanks, we don't have to be caught up in the rat race of that. In your name we pray, amen.