II Corinthians 5

Take your Bible and turn to II Corinthians tonight. II Corinthians, the fourth chapter. I wish we had time tonight to read this entire fourth chapter, but we do not have that time available at the present. But I would like to suggest to you that you read it very carefully some time with a great alacrity and understanding.

For instance, in the first verse, it says therefore and whenever the Bible says therefore, you ask yourself one question. Why for? And you have to go back into the previous chapters of II Corinthians to find out why He says:

THEREFORE seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; -- II Corinthians 4: 1

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. -- II Corinthians 4: 2

Apparently it’s possible to handle the word of God deceitfully, isn’t it? In many places across our nation, people who are sincere are still handling the Word of God deceitfully. Sincerity is no guarantee for truth. The accuracy of God’s Word is it’s own truth. And the apostle Paul writing this tremendous revelation to the church, said that he was thankful to God for His mercy. That they had allowed him to renounce the hidden things of dishonesty not walking craftily nor handling the Word of God deceitfully. And so as you go on, he says in verse 3:

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are [what] lost: -- II Corinthians 4: 3

Why? Verse 4.

In whom [Because] the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. -- II Corinthians 4: 4

And the people get saved and filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. If the gospel is hidden today, it’s hidden to men and women who are lost. Why? Because the god of this world and the god of this world is Satan. There are very few people who believe that there are two Gods. They think there is only one God and that God is the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that’s all that’s to it. The Bible says that there are two gods. One who is the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the other is the god of this world. And the god of this world is a spiritual power, even as our heavenly Father who is the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ is spiritual power. And spirit can only operate if it has a body to utilize or a body to operate via or through. Now the greatness of this tremendous record here in Corinthians. If you follow it down through that chapter, it tells you in verse 14 for instance:

Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus [Christ] shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. -- II Corinthians 4: 14

And he goes on to say in verse 16:

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the [our] inward man is renewed day by day. -- II Corinthians 4: 16

So that we are two people, so to speak. We are the outward man, the man of the flesh. That which you see standing here before you, that which I see seated before me. That’s the outward man, the outward person. But you are something else. You have Christ in you. And when you’re born again of God spirit having Christ in you, you have an inner man, it is Christ in you the hope of glory. And that inward man, that power of God in you which is called holy which is called spirit, that is renewed day by day by the operations of the manifestations of the Spirit. So he says in verse 17:

“For our light affliction” -- our light affliction, Doctor Williams was talking about the hardships we endured in India. I never thought about it ‘til he mentioned it tonight. They weren’t hardships, they were just opportunities. Why, time and time again, I’d take a cow and just on the rear a little bit, and push it to the side because it was standing on the roadway or in the sidewalks or it was standing in the place where we went up to go to sleep someplace. The hotel, he was standing in the front door so I push him over a little. And I remember one time we were driving in a Jeep and we had to stop to push the baboons off of the road – the monkeys. Reckon you’d enjoy this place with all those wild animals. That’s right. They were so thick, you just couldn’t get through them driving. You just drove down the road and then you’d go over in the ditch a while and then they’d come over toward the ditch and you would go back on the road. You’d just play like cat and mouse with them. But I never thought about this, the places we went, like we had as he said 6 people 5 plates. He forgot to tell you we had only one knife and three forks. But it was tremendous, never thought about them being hardships.

I remember the Halftime Institute. Is the doctor still there at the Halftime Institute in Bombay? He has left. The Halftime Institute in Bombay is where the Cholera serum was developed many, many years ago. You remember cholera was referred to as the Black Death. And it was conquered via the work that was done at the Halftime Institute. And because of travels and the places we were going to go, I believe we had to have some kind of shot or something, I forgot what it was for anymore. Typhoid, and everybody was concerned about us because it was such a hardship to take a typhoid shot because your arm swells up like a big balloon and all the rest of these little matters. So as soon as we’ve gone to the Halftime Institute and Dr. Soloman, if I remember his name accurately. Was it? At the time, Dr. Soloman, a very wonderful gentleman. He gave us that shot and he was all concerned about it he said I hope you get along alright, and so on, if not, come back and see me. We went back to the hotel room at the Taj Mahal in Bombay and all five of us laid our hands on each other’s arms where we had received these shots, and we commanded them in the name of Jesus Christ they couldn’t get sore and low and behold, they never did get sore. They never swelled up or anything else. If I remember correctly, all those months when we were in India, not one of us was ever sick. We never lost a day, we never lost an hour. And these things looked to people, you know, like great afflictions. But they’re not. It all depends on how you look at afflictions. They become light when you’ve got a big enough vision. Why, when I think of what some of our people went through in past for a knowledge of God’s Word. How they used to take one sheet of the Bible, bake it in a loaf of bread that’s looked across the boundary line from one county, so to speak, into another county in Germany that they could even read a little bit of the Word of God. When I think of the thousands that who thrown to the lions and to the other animals in the great coliseum at Rome. When I think of the sacrifices that were made of Christians in Ephesus and the rest of the places. Where is there anyone seated in this auditorium tonight or listening to my voice who has paid anything for their knowledge of God’s Word or the power of God that’s in us? Why, they are not afflictions, they’re just opportunities. Remember the illustration I give in my foundational class many times? About the brook. The reason the brook sings is because it has some rocks in it. And that brook doesn’t know any different, so it just sings. The rocks do not obstruct the water. If the rock is big enough, the water simply increases itself and goes around the outside of it. And if the rock is still too big, that water never argues with it. It just builds up and finally goes over the obstruction. But for most people, a little rock in their life becomes the focal point and they center on that as a problem and then before they know it, they succumb to the problem rather than to go around it or go over the top of it. These are just opportunities. Why, when that greatness of God’s Word lives within the heart or life of a young man or an older man or a young woman or an older woman, they burn with that enthusiasm of the glory of the presence of Christ. And you just walk with an effervescence and with a glow. And things that were problems before simply now become opportunities. Things that were obstructions before are no longer there. We just go around them or go over the top of them.

Therefore, my people, when he writes things like this, it thrills my soul. He said these light afflictions are but for a moment for they work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; -- II Corinthians 4: 17

Verse 18: While we look not at the things which are what? seen, but at the things which are not seen. And isn’t that tremendous? You don’t keep your eyes upon things of the world. You don’t keep your eyes upon that which you can see with your senses. You don’t condition your spiritual reaction by what the senses tell you. You condition your spiritual reaction by what the Word of God says. Isn’t that wonderful? We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are but what? temporal. But things which are not seen are eternal.

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. -- II Corinthians 4: 18

And the greatness of the power of God in you, which I cannot see for it’s spirit. I cannot see God for God is Spirit. But I can see the little obstacles with which we sometimes are confronted in life. They simply become opportunities for we no longer look at those as obstacles. We look at Him, the power of God. Even though we cannot see Him, we can see His Word. We can read His Word, we can hear His Word and therefore we do not look at the things which are seen, they are temporal, they’re only momentary. But the things which are not seen, they are eternal. And you and I born again of God’s spirit filled with the power of the Holy Spirit are determined that men and women once again may have the opportunity to fasten their eyes on something which is not momentary. Something which is not temporary, something which will not let them down tomorrow. But that which is eternal and that is the power of God.

Chapter 5, verse 1:

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved. And whenever the Bible talks about the individual believer, it talks about the tabernacle. When it talks about the united body of believers who are born again of God’s spirit, they are called the Temple. The individual is never called the Temple in the Bible. The individual believer is only called a tabernacle. But the whole body of believers are the Temple, understand? If our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved. We know this. It doesn’t say we question, we doubt. We know it and when you know it, then you know it, that you know it, that you know it. We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building from or of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. -- II Corinthians 5: 1

For in this, in this what? In this earthly house or in this tabernacle, we grown, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from, where? Heaven.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: -- II Corinthians 5: 2

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found [what?] naked. -- II Corinthians 5: 3

And to be found naked, is to be found that you must die. When you die, you are unclothed, you become naked. And the desire of the heart of the Revelation of this man was that the Lord might be returning. And that we might be clothed upon and never get to the place that we be found naked indicating thereby never to die. You’ll see it. Verse 4:

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not that we would be unclothed, not that we want to die, not at all. Because when you’re dead, you’re worth nothing to God. You cannot do anything for God when you are dead. You can only work for God while you have breath life and strength like you and I have tonight. Tonight we can speak for the Lord. Tonight we can work for Him. Tonight we can magnify His name. But if we are unclothed, if we would die, we could no longer what? Speak for Him. Therefore, he says not that we would be unclothed, not that we’d die, but that we would be clothed upon, that mortality, which is a mortal individual, might be swallowed up of life. Whose life? The return life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. -- II Corinthians 5: 4

Verse 5: Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is who? God, Who also hath given unto us, He’s given it unto us, the earnest of the what? Spirit. Well, if he has given it to us, then who’s got it? We have. That’s the Lord, that’s what it said. So you act like it. Well, He said it. God said it. I didn’t say it. I didn’t write the book. He said He has given to us the earnest. The word ‘earnest’ is the word token. A little bit of the real thing. He has given to us the earnest of the Spirit – the token of the Spirit. The evidence of the Spirit. Well, what are the evidences of the spirit if the Bible is right? There are only 9. Speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, operation of the word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits, faith, miracles, and healing. He has given these tokens to us - earnest of the spirit.

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. – II Corinthians 5: 5

Therefore, verse 6: Therefore, because of these tokens, we are confident. You have no confidence, you have no confidence any other way in the senses world. You have no proof outside of the manifestations of the spirit that Christ is in you. Therefore we are confident knowing, knowing, no question mark, no doubt, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, right now, we are absent from what? For the Lord has not yet what? Returned. He has not yet come. That’s right.

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: -- II Corinthians 5: 6

That’s why verse 7 is a parenthesis. While we’re present in this body, absent from the Lord, we walk by what? Faith. The word faith there should be translated ‘believing’. We walk by believing. Believing what? The revelation of God’s Word and not by [what?] sight. For we look not at the things which are what? Seen. But at the things which are what? Not seen.

(For we walk by faith [pistis - believing], not by sight:) -- II Corinthians 5: 7

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. -- II Corinthians 5: 8

Now the only way you can be present with the Lord and be absent from the body would be if the Lord did one thing. What? Came back. Returned. And if he clothed us, otherwise we would be what? Unclothed.

Wherefore, verse 9, we labour, that, whether we are present with the Lord’s coming, and our change, or absent, the Lord not yet come, we may be accepted. The word ‘accepted’ is well pleasing. That we may be well pleasing unto Him. This is why we labour and work. This is why we minister. This is why we believe for men like Dr. Williams and others to come to the Way Biblical Research Center. This is why we work day after day sending out tapes, preparing them. Not that we would be accepted of Him because by grace are we saved, not of works should any man boast, right? So we do not labour to be accepted of Him, but we labour because He has made us acceptable as Corinthians says and here Corinthians says to be well pleasing unto him who loved us and who gave himself for us.

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. -- II Corinthians 5: 9

Verse 10:

For we must all, we must all, everybody all without exception appear before the judgment seat. But here, I’d like to say this all referring specifically without any distinction to the believers. Because here the word judgment seat is the word bema. There are 2 judgment seats in the Bible. One is the judgment seat where condemnation is handed out. The other is the judgment seat where the rewards are handed out. - The trophies for the victories which you have accomplished, being a Christian. This is the second of those. This is the bema where the rewards are handed out, the trophies for the victories which you have accomplished. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. That everyone may receive the thing done in his body according to that he has done whether it be good or bad.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. – II Corinthians 5: 10

Knowing therefore the terror. The word terror in the Greek text is the word fear, reverence, awe, respect of the Lord. Knowing the awe, the reverence we have for the Lord, we persuade men. Yet we are made manifest unto God and I trust also made manifest unto your conscience.

Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. -- II Corinthians 5: 11

For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which [who] glory in appearance, and not in heart. -- II Corinthians 5: 12

For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: And some of the people at the church of Corinth, the unbelieving believers, perhaps on the outside were saying well that Paul fellow is off his rocker. He’s out in left field. He’s too cool or something. They said he’s beside himself. You know what it means to be beside yourself, the accusation. And Paul said well bless God if I’m beside myself, that’s the best thing that ever happened. Or whether we be sober, he said that’s wonderful. It is for the cause of Christ and to your honor that this is true.

For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. -- II Corinthians 5: 13

Verse 14:

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we just judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: -- II Corinthians 5: 14

And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose [what?] again. -- II Corinthians 5: 15

Wherefore [because of this] henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more [after the flesh]. – II Corinthians 5: 16

For Christ is not here, for he has ascended up into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God. Right? Sure. Therefore….Verse 17:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. -- II Corinthians 5: 17

If he is in Christ and he renews his mind, to the end he renews his mind, old things pass away and all things become new.

And all things are of God who hath, past tense, reconciled, past tense, us to himself. God has reconciled us to himself by whom? Jesus Christ. And hath given to us something that you prayed about tonight, namely, the ministry of what? He has reconciled to us and he has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. Well, praise the Lord, isn’t that a tremendous ministry? You see why these summer schools are the greatest thing in the world today? Because we have this Word of God, he hath reconciled us, he hath delivered us, he hath made us to be complete and then he has given us the ministry to help others to be reconciled unto God. What greater life could you have in this world than to have that kind of a ministry as a child of God? Isn’t that tremendous?

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; -- II Corinthians 5: 18

Verse 19:

To wit, [verse 19] that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and had committed unto us the word of [what?] reconciliation. -- II Corinthians 5: 19

Not only do we have the ministry, but we got the Word to go with it. What good is it if to have a ministry - what good is it to the be a minister or a pastor unless you’ve got the Word? That sets men and women free. Isn’t that something? Why sure, bless your heart.

Now then, verse 20: We are absolutely nobodies. Nope.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to [whom?] God. -- II Corinthians 5: 20

We are ambassadors, we carry the Word, we speak the Word that our Father says we are to speak. Whether people want to hear it or whether they don’t, it doesn’t make any difference. We still speak the Word of the God whom we represent.

For he [God] had made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. -- II Corinthians 5: 21

We are made the righteousness of God in Him. He has reconciled us. He has given to us the Word of reconciliation. He’s given us the ministry of reconciliation. That’s why, class, we do not get our eyes on things which are seen, we do not look at other people and judge our lives by other people. We look unto Him, who is the author and the finisher of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ. We set our eyes on him. We put ourselves at the place where we look at him. Sure, we’d like to be clothed on with our new body from heaven. But while we are absent from the Lord and we are here, he’s given us a ministry. And people by the grace of God, let’s dedicate ourselves, our thinking, our actions, our life, our material things. Everything we have or ever hope to be to the greatness of the ministry that God has set in our midst. A ministry that touches men like the great Dr. Williams bring him all the way from India. Like it touched P. J. Wade from Australia, Dr. Poetzi from Samoa and other people across the nation. My friends, I say to you, these men come into our midst and to your lives because they want to know the greatness of the power of God and take it back among their people.

Lets believe God for the ministry to move out across the nations of the world because of the power of God in your life. What a thrilling day and a thrilling time we’re having. And these things with which we’re surrounded, even at the most negative situation are nothing but light afflictions. And we have more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. And this is why people we ought to believe God this week to be the greatest week in our life. We ought to believe that next Sunday will start the greatest and most wonderful class on power for abundant living we’ve ever had. With the people in here who really God wants. There is only one way God is going to get them - you and me. For we have been given the ministry of what? And we’ve been given the Word and God is a spirit, God does not move until our people move. And our people are moving. That’s why you’re in here tonight. That is why you come every Sunday night. That is why some of you travel long distances. Not because I’m so good-looking – that’s for sure. Or the way I comb my hair or wear my tie or take my coat off. You come because you know here is one place. We maybe do not know it all, but we know him who knows it all. And here is one place we hold the Word of God with the greatest ability we have. And they’re men and women like you all over the nation surely, who ought to again have the privilege of hearing that Word.

And once more as we move out this week, don’t be afraid to talk. Somebody said the other week or I heard this. They said well, you can say too much. You show me chapter and verse where you can say too much, ha? You know why they said that because they don’t want to say nothin’. It gives them an excuse, boy, when all the world is crying their message, surely you and I can cry the Word of the Lord again. Can we not? Like the prophets of old, like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the rest of the men of God. Surely we can speak the Word. What do you care what they think about you at NCR? You’re only interested in getting your check anyways. So bless God, give them the Word. In the shops and factories, what difference does it make? People, unless you and I speak that Word, they’re not going to hear it for the Word has been given to us, the word of reconciliation and the ministry. Oh, they’ll look at say you’re a crackpot. Shoot. Do you know what they’re saying about you already? What difference is it whether you’re a a pot with a crack or a crackpot? Same difference. If you think you’re going to wait to get all the plaudits of men and for everyone to pat you on the back, you learned long ago, that’s impossible. So why not just continue to take a great stand for the greatness of God’s Word. Speak to men and women. Maybe you don’t know it all, so what, nobody does. But I want to tell you something, you know a thousand times more than the person you’re going to be talking to. He don’t know nothing. Shoot, they’ve been to these dead places for centuries. No life there. They’ve been fed on a word that says God is dead, the miracles are dead, faith is no longer. But you people sitting under this ministry, having these wonderful teachers in the area week after week where your nurtured on the Word. Why you’ve got everything to win and nothing to lose by standing forth. And you got everything to lose, nothing to win if you don’t. So it’s the greatness of God’s wonderful matchless Word. And you know, my people, I can’t say it enough.

This is a Bible research center. We are a training center. We’re a place where we can work the Word of God, where we an endeavor to put our arms into operation to become strong for the battles in the world with which we are surrounded and which we have the opportunity of dealing with. This is why this place must always stay a place of prayer. It must stay a place where men and women can come. I think my friend Dr. Williams was tremendously impressed with the amount of telephone calls that I have to answer. Were you not, Dr. Williams? I think from his questions, it must have surprised him how people call 2:30 in the morning, 3:00, 5:00 how they call during the day. Well, bless God why shouldn’t people call? At least there’s a place they can the call. When I was 20 years younger, I had no place to call. I didn’t know who to call. When I had a need, I didn’t know what to do. But thank God, there are men and women like you in the communities, in the areas and when they need help, they know where to go. The way ministry must always, here at this place, has to stay here. It must always be a place of prayer. It must always be a place where anybody can come with any need and we never laugh at them, we never criticize them, we simply help them. It has to be a place where men and women still want to try to believe God’s Word.

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