Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of II Corinthians Chapter 5
Metaphysically Interpreting II Corinthians 5:1-10
5:1For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens. 5:2For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven: 5:3if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 5:4For indeed we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but that we would be clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up of life. 5:5Now he that wrought us for this very thing is God, who gave unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
5:6Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord 5:7(for we walk by faith, not by sight); 5:8we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. 5:9Wherefore also we make it our aim, whether at home or absent, to be well-pleasing unto him. 5:10For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
March 20, 1927: II Cor. 5:1-10
What is the meaning of the statement: “For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens”? Those who understand the subconscious become aware of an invisible thought body that is the pattern upon which the invisible body is based. This is the spiritual body, which endures after the material body is dissolved.
“For verily in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our habitation which is from heaven?” Explain. This Scripture passage brings out the thought that the ideal body will clothe itself again in the process known as reincarnation. However, it is possible for man to cooperate with divine law and re-create out of the heavens of the mind a heavenly or Christ body! In verse 4 Paul teaches that our souls are groaning for this new body consciousness, groaning for the when that which is mortal shall be swallowed up of life. “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
Define this text: “Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.” lf we abide in the consciousness of flesh alone we are absent from or unconscious of Spirit. We should be conscious of the Lord and at the same time abide in the body.
May 28, 1944: II Cor. 5:1
What is the “building from God, a house not made with hands?” It is the character that we build into life, as we live well and truly; and it is the consciousness of Truth in which we rest as in our own place; a place that we make for ourselves.
What are the walls of this building? Peace, safety, well-being, and good will form its walls. In these we relax in mind and rest in God.
May 28, 1944: II Cor. 5:5-8
What is the “earnest of the Spirit”? The Spirit of Christ within us and the power to express it is an assurance that we are spiritual beings and are to inherit the riches of the spiritual kingdom as we learn to make them our own by consistently thinking and living in harmony with them.
April 17, 1949: II Cor. 5:1
What and where is the “house not made with hands” that is “eternal, in the heavens”? It is the spiritual consciousness, and it is established in us by the exercise of the quickened Spirit or mind of Christ in each one of us.
Metaphysically Interpreting II Corinthians 5:11-21
5:11Knowing therefore the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. 5:12We are not again commending ourselves unto you, but speak as giving you occasion of glorying on our behalf, that ye may have wherewith to answer them that glory in appearance, and not in heart. 5:13For whether we are beside ourselves, it is unto God; or whether we are of sober mind, it is unto you. 5:14For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; 5:15and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again.
5:16Wherefore we henceforth know no man after the flesh: even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more. 5:17Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. 5:18But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; 5:19to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 5:20We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. 5:21Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
March 6, 1927: II Cor. 5:14-20
What is Paul explaining in verses 14 to 20 in II Corinthians? Paul is interpreting the metaphysical meaning of the death of Jesus. The real man did not die on the cross; only the personal man died. By giving up his personality Jesus made it possible for all who enter into his consciousness to give up their personalities and to live with him in spiritual consciousness.
In order to reap the reward of Jesus' sacrifice of personality for us, what shall we do? First we must cease to worship or look to the personal man Jesus for salvation. As Paul plainly says, “Though we have known Christ after the flesh [personality], yet now we know him so no more.” Second, we in all our ways must seek to realize the spiritual nature of Christ; we must put on Christ in thought and in act. “We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God.”
January 25, 1948: II Cor. 5:20-21
In what respect are we “ambassadors” of Christ? We represent the Christ insofar as we show the Christ Spirit in our daily life. We are ambassadors in the sense that we represent the Christ to others, who see that Spirit in us.
Do we possess the understanding to make ourselves truly representative of Christ? Not fully, but daily we grow in our understanding of the Christ Spirit and a knowledge of what we can accomplish by our faithful expression of it.
What do we need besides understanding? We need the unfailing will to carry on our work as ambassadors to its completion.
Is the instinct to save life divine in origin? It is. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save.” We see this instinct manifested whenever anyone undertakes to save the life of another at the risk of his own.
How do we reconcile ourselves to God? By so adjusting our thought and our manner of life as to develop the spiritual faculties within us and to express them in spiritual ways.
What is the “righteousness of God,” and how do we become “righteous”? The “righteousness of God” is perfection of understanding, of will, and of every other faculty. We become “righteous” by developing perfection harmoniously and consistently in all our faculties.
May 28, 1944: II Cor. 5:14-19
How is the Christ known to us? By the Spirit that animates us and true followers of the Way everywhere. The Christ is not to be known after the flesh as a person. “Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.”
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 11-30-2013
