Understanding the Motivation of the Apostles and Ambassadors

© 2026 by C. O. Bishop

2^nd Corinthians 5:11-17

¹¹ 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. ¹² 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 glory in appearance, and not in heart.  ¹³ For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.

¹⁴ For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

¹⁵ 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 again. ¹⁶ Wherefore 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. ¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Introduction:

Last week we studied how to set priorities as believers. Today we will see what motivated the Apostles, and how that motivation should set an example for our own lives.

The Fear of the Lord:

Five Judgments

Last week we ended on verse eleven, “¹¹ 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.”

We saw five of the main judgments that a human can face. And all five are a source of fear for us.

We know that we were born sinners and that we faced God’s eternal judgment.

Next, we know that Jesus offered the only way to escape that judgment. He took the sins of the entire world upon Himself at the Cross. Thereby God judged our sins, at the Cross, instead of us bearing that judgment ourselves. That is God’s Grace: We respond in Faith and He saved us.

God tells us, here in chapter 5, about the Judgment seat of Christ. There we either receive (or fail to receive) reward, based on how we responded to Jesus during our life. And He explains how it works, in 1^st Corinthians 3:11-15.

Also, He tells us about the Judgment of the Living Nations. It will occur right here on planet earth, just after the end of the Tribulation. That judgment will be a terrible, fearsome thing. People either enter the Millennial Kingdom in their natural body after surviving the Great Tribulation, as believers. Or they will enter Hell, having survived the Great Tribulation as an unbeliever and still an enemy of God.

Finally, we saw the final Great White Throne Judgment. There, those who rejected the Lord’s Grace will face God’s irrevocable judgment.

Godly Fear Moved The Apostles

God says that “knowing the terror of the Lord” is part of what motivated the Apostles to serve faithfully. They did not have to fear punishment: God judged their sins at the Cross. But they were fully persuaded that the whole world does face the wages of sin. And they did not wish that judgment upon anyone at all. So, they committed themselves to Being Ambassadors. They lived to persuade their fellow humans to be reconciled to the Holy God whose Judgment they otherwise will face.

Judgment is Already Here, But it is Also Yet To Come

That judgment is already in place, and has been since Genesis chapter three. That is where Adam fell into sin and dragged all of us with him. Jesus said “He who believes is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he does not believe.” It does not say, “he will be condemned IF he does not believe.”

I was already under God’s judgment as a rebellious sinner and as an enemy of God. I’m grateful that God had many believers praying for me. I’m grateful that someone finally shared the portion of God’s Word that broke through my defense. God poured out His full Judgment upon Jesus at the Cross.

However, I know that I will face the Lord Jesus at the Judgment Seat of Christ. I fear feeling ashamed at His appearance, because I have wasted so much time in my life. I know he has made us each an ambassador for Him. But I feel that I have spent far too much time distracted by the “urgencies” of daily life, instead of realizing the eternal cost of dealing with a slack hand.

What is the Alternative?

Paul said, along with that fear of the coming judgment, He has given us a desire for transparency, so that the Light of Christ can shine through us to the dark World.

Others, those who only wanted to “look good” were deliberately cloaking their motives with false piety and claims of great spiritual gifts. Paul says (v. 12) that was not his motive at all. He had no desire to boast, or make false claims. He wanted to provide the believers with a cause for thanksgiving, as they saw God at work in him, and in their own lives.

The false teachers claimed that they were the “real thing” because they “looked better” than Paul. They were an on-going problem . (And, after continuous hardships, savage beatings, and stonings: No, Paul didn’t look too good!)

Someone once told my wife, that initially, they assumed I could not be a valuable teacher. Why? I failed to dress well enough to impress them. But their heart was open, and within a few classes, they decided that “how I looked” was not a reasonable predictor of the value of the teaching. (Glad to hear it!)

Also, some (Acts 26:24) accused Paul of “going mad,” due to excessive study and learning. His reply was that if he really was “beside himself,” he was accountable to God for whatever excess he demonstrated. (v.13) But, if he was actually “sober” (seeing things clearly: preaching reality: Compare Romans 12:3) then it was for their benefit, and, ultimately, they would be accountable to God for their response.

The Love Of Christ Constrains Us: WHY?

¹⁴ For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: ¹⁵ 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 again.

¹⁶ Wherefore 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.

Paul says everything has changed for him and the other Apostles, (and, in fact, for all believers!)

The Love of Christ Constrains Us… Why?

Because the apostles understood (and were teaching others to understand) that when Jesus died as our representative, we died with Him! God addresses this concept over and over. Romans 6:8 says we are dead with Christ so that we can Live with Him…living inHim, and forHim!

 In Galatians 2:19-21, Paul states it as a personal reality for him: “¹⁹ For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. ²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

The Law did not constrain Paul’s behavior. The Love of Christ did. He knew the Law had demanded his death. He also knew that Jesus had died as his representative. Therefore, according to God’s Law, he, Paul, was dead to the Law, and the life he now lived was not his own.

He openly confessed that no works of his did anything to qualify him for God’s gift of eternal life: Rather, he boldly stated that if it is possible to gain righteous standing before a holy God on the strength of one’s own works under the Law, then Jesus had died for nothing!

The Conclusion?

Paul and the other Apostles (and the lesson is for us, too!) no longer looked at other humans the way they did before. We must not allow our old flesh…our old sin nature…to control how we see others. We need to see them as precious souls for whom Jesus gave His life.

And even for those who once knew Jesus during his life on earth, (and for those of us who tend to remember him from during that time,) He says, we are not to see Him that way anymore. We now see Him as the Savior, and as the Incarnate Creator, God, and as the Eternal Judge of all the Earth, and as the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords!

We see (at least we should see) Him in His exalted, present state, as our Intercessor and as our Lord and Master, as well as our loving Heavenly Father. Of course, we should be looking to Him as our Great Shepherd, to guide us and to provide for us, and to defend us from all enemies.

And, we should be looking for His return as the Conqueror of all nations, and the King of the Millennial Kingdom. God says for us to no longer see Him only as “Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild.” That is not what He now is offering to the World, nor, even to the Church!

We Are New Creations in Christ!

¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Compare Ephesians 4:24…the new nature is a new creation, created in the likeness of God, in righteousness and true Holiness. We have a difficult time grasping this truth, because we daily experience the reality that we also still have our old Sin nature.

From God’s perspective, the Old Sin Nature is a dead thing, and He makes no effort to correct it or give it life. Romans 8:7 says that it is not subject to the Law of God and it cannot become subject to God’s Law. So, God recognizes only our new nature and desires to bless, teach and encourage our new nature. He addresses the New Creature, and says that everything about it is new!

How Can God Love A Sinner Like Me?

Sometimes we wonder. “How can God Love me, when I continually fail Him?” But that is not how He sees you! He sees you as His precious child. He leads you along through the hard times, and encourages you to learn to walk with Him.

Does He still hate sin? YES! But He has separated you from your sin, “as far as the East is from the West.” (Psalm 103:12) He recognizes that the real culprit is the sin that still dwells in us, according to Romans 7:17. He works to cleanse us and correct us, and to love us into a stable walk with Him. But He will never condemn us again. Jesus said so! (John 5:24)

If any of you have questions about these things, please call me or text me. We can address your questions personally.

Lord Jesus, please work Your Love so deeply into our consciousness that we no longer fear Your Judgment, but rather, we will anxiously desire to please You as Our true Heavenly Father. Bring us to understand that we died  with You and that we now liv in You. Teach us the reality of walking with You by faith.