Assurance of the Resurrection
1 For we know that ifour earthly house,thistent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a housenot made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in thiswe groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,
3 if indeed,having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.
4 For we who are inthistent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed,but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thingisGod, who alsohas given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6 Sowearealways confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
7 Forwe walk by faith, not by sight.
8 We are confident, yes,well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,that each one may receive the thingsdonein the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
11 Knowing, therefore,the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
Be Reconciled to God
12 Forwe do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunityto boast on our behalf, that you may haveananswerfor those who boast in appearance and not in heart.
13 Forif we are beside ourselves,itisfor God; or if we are of sound mind,itisfor you.
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: thatif One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all,that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh,yet now we knowHimthusno longer.
17 Therefore, if anyoneisin Christ,heisa new creation;old things have passed away; behold, all things have becomenew.
18 Now all thingsareof God,who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, thatGod was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we areambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we imploreyouon Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 ForHe made Him who knew no sintobesin for us, that we might becomethe righteousness of God in Him.