2 Corinthians 5:14-6:10 ~ For the Love of Christ

 

2 Corinthians 5:14-6:10

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: 

4 that One has died for All, therefore All have died;  

and He died for All, 

that those who live might no longer live for themselves

but 

for Him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer. 

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 

The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 

18 All this is from God, 

who through Christ reconciled us to Himself

and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 

19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, 

not counting their trespasses against them, 

and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, 

so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

6 Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you

 not to receive the grace of God in vain. 

2 For He says,

“In a favorable time 

I listened to you,

    and in a day of salvation 

I have helped you.”

Behold, 

now 

is the favorable time;

 Behold, 

now 

is the day of salvation. 

3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: 

by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 

By purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 

By truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. 

We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

This Scripture is ALL encompassing. 

And tremendously exciting. Alive in all aspects.  This is the Liturgy of today and the combination goes from our bodies, right where we know and live, today, the flesh and carries us far, far, far into God's Heart and His Kingdom invitation forever

and ever. Alleluia. AAAAAAALLLLelluia.

God begins in the place, exactly where He determines to tell us of His Love. He has Created, and He looks at Creation and says, "This is Good." To make His point without wavering, He says, "It is Good," 14 times. And when God begins and tells us, He is saying yesterday, today and tomorrow. Psalm 139 explains yesterday telling us in His Plan, He knows about His creation before birth. 

God does not look with dismay upon us. He understands far more than we ever will. He determines to keep us as His own child forever. And ever. Alleluia. Alleluia, Alleluia. Today encompasses US. Today.

A Clean Slate. No more grievance against you. Clean in Jesus Christ with a new beginning. Alleluia.

All of this is from God Himself.

What will this Relationship of Eternity look like? God Himself will listen to you. The Gates of Heaven, Revelation tells us, are always open. 

And then God continues to Tomorrow.

Papyrus 46

University of Michigan

This is 2 Corinthians 5

Labelled First Century

By truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. 

We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

Romans 12:2 

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

If you are older than 25 years old, you grew up being told the Scriptures could be avoided as unimportant, the Disciples were illiterate and the Bible is actually made up in the year ish 400 A.D. This is false.

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:

[above] Papyrus 46 

Codex Vaticanus (325–350) 

Codex Sinaiticus (330–360) 

Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (c. 450) 

Codex Freerianus (c. 450; extant verses 8–10,17–18)

 Codex Claromontanus (c. 550).

The thing about Scripture, there are notable and heavy hitters.  This is St Catherine's Monastery.  The Mountain behind this is Mount Horeb, where most scholars believe, in faith, Moses received the actual 10 Commandments.

St. Francis of Assisi is one of the Heavy Hitters. He didn't just talk to the wildlife and communicate with them, so that they would turn and do as he asked, according to witnesses.  There was a monastery for Women during the fabulous Renaissance, where so many women were gladly handed over for prostitution, it was considered a sport. And a way for families and husbands to pick up extra cash and maybe a born servant in the household.  The men were concerned, and so was St. Francis' dear friend, St. Catherine.  She began a foundation of nuns with good works in the Renaissance. Not just men, but ALL. 

There have been several instances of archaeology, like Indiana Jones and his movies. St. Catherine's Library at Mt. Sinah had a scrap of the Gospel people considered the earlies scrap ever. And one day it disappeared and is now called Ryland's Papyrus of St. John's Gospel. First Century.

Scraps of paper are rare for the 1st Century. Rome has plenty. But when you get to the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek of the Bible, it becomes AN UNBELIEVABLE SCARCITY.

And in fact, Papyrus 46 is 300 pages of Scripture as intact as a Hallmark card before emails took off quickly. 

And the Scriptures are bits and pieces. So suddenly, when the world went woke in academia,  Papyrus isn't 90 A.D. It is 2nd century.  But it's not. The argument is verbs aren't correct in Papyrus 46. Uh huh. What scraps say that?  Only the announcement.

By truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. 

We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

This is the real God, His real love for you and the facts of History about

Papyrus 46.

This is considered to be the oldest Scripture. The Ryland Papyrus of John's Gospel.

It does not invalidate Papyrus 46.

And these verses are speaking of Jesus as human. In the first Century, there was an intense squabble as the world was hearing of Jesus that He was just another god. This is the truth of the News of Jesus.

Blessed are those who did not see Jesus, but believe in faith. It's a good quote! Would bet Jesus likes the quote.

John 20:29 

Jesus said to him, 

"Have you believed because you have seen me? 

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

The Scriptures are chosen before knowning what they will be. This post and yesterday's Post fit together like Creation. A Plan of God, The Almighty. Amen!

Yesterday's Post was God Knows.  And these prayers:

Joshua 24

In your sight to serve the LORD, 

then 

choose for yourselves 

this day 

Whom you will serve, 

whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, 

or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. 

As for me and my house, 

we will serve

The LORD! 

The people replied, 

“Far be it from us to forsake the LORD 

to serve other gods!"

Abba, Father,

We ask Your blessing upon ourselves, the ones we Love, 

the people 

You have given us. 

These Nations. Peace for all.

 Psalm 139:17 

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! 

How vast is the sum of them"

Matthew 6:8

Your Father knows what you need 

before 

you ask Him.

John 15:3

Abide in

God's Love

I consider myself fortunate 

to stand before you today

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

And we will finish well, 

in 

Jesus Christ. 

Father,

Help us 

to speak sincerely,

mercifully

Lovingly

The healing of Edward's eye

and my eye with a healed tear duct.

Blessings of health!

Help us seek and find 

and bring,

to become,

 more Heaven

to this earth.

To be rid

of

Evil

hiding

lying

harm.

To end what is Unrighteous.

Harmful

Plotting

Absorbed by self in all manners

Malicious.

Lord Jesus Christ soon.

Invited to meet Jesus.

The Glory

of

the Paths of

Righteousness

Gift of God

Help us, Father,

Like Jesus did for the father who asked for more assured faith,

We sing the song:

Thank You, Thank You, Jesus,

Thank You, Thank You, Jesus,

Thank You, Thank You, Jesus,

in my heart, heart, heart!

Thank You

for

our first grandbaby

Arriving this summer,

All Your Love

Blessings upon

this little one.

You have 

Answered our

Prayers!

And in Jesus - This Hope.

Faith and Love - we will rise up Believing Jesus.

Thank You, Father.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes, The Lord Fulfills His Purpose

Thank You, Jesus The Lord

†