We Persuade Men

2 Corinthians 5:9–11 NKJV

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 things done in 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.

2 Corinthians 5:1–11 NKJV

1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we 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 in this tent 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 thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we 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. 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 things done in 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.

2 Corinthians 5:11 NKJV

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.

Fear of the Lord

Fear involves reverence for Christ, His mercy and sacrifice.

What does it look like to ‘fear’ the Lord?

Fearing the Lord:

means the believer holds His name up high.

means the believer desires the things of God.

means the believer has an intimate understanding of what He did for them.

‘Fear’ of the Lord can indicate terror or dread, but it also expresses awe or reverence.

Fearing God is seen when a believer shows loyalty to Him, and is faithful to His covenants and statutes.

Those who fear Him also trust Him. They are obedient to Him.

God recognizes Abraham’s obedience when he was willing to sacrifice his only son.

Genesis 22:12 NKJV

12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

shows the close link between fearing God and keeping His commandments.

Deuteronomy 5:29 NKJV

29 Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!

One of the reasons we fear the Lord is to gain true wisdom.

Proverbs 15:33 NKJV

33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility.

Believer, why would we place value on ‘fear’ of the Lord?

2 Corinthians 5:10 NKJV

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

We will ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

Listen to Warren Weirsbe’s words on this verse:

We Persuade Others

How can the Christian prepare for the Judgment Seat of Christ? To begin with, he must maintain a clear conscience (). No doubt some of the enemies at Corinth were saying, “Just wait until Paul stands before the Lord!” But Paul was not afraid, because he knew that his conscience was clear (see ). The truth about each one of us shall be revealed and Jesus Christ will commend us for those things that have pleased Him.

Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 647.

We Persuade Others

Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.

Persuasion is hard work.

Acts 18:4 NKJV

4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

Persuasion is lengthy work.

Acts 19:8 NKJV

8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.

Persuasion is costly work.

Acts 28:23 NKJV

23 So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening.

Persuasion is necessary work.

Persuasion was necessary for the Jewish leaders to acquit Barabbas and convict Jesus.

Matthew 27:20 NKJV

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

It was necessary to convince the disciples that He’d risen.

Luke 24:6-

Luke 24:6–12 NKJV

6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” 8 And they remembered His words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

Persuasion is necessary for you and I as believers.

One of the verses I use when I do my evangelistic fishing clinics is .

John 2:17 NKJV

17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

Another translation says, “zeal has consumed me.”

When was the last time we’ve been “eaten up” with a burden to share the gospel?

Check out this verse in .

Acts 20:31 NKJV

31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

Here we see Paul warning people night and day WITH TEARS!

Friends, we have a fear of the Lord as believers. A respect and reverence that comes with knowing who He is; His power and righteousness.

We also know the fear that non-believers should have, but don’t because they don’t know the Lord.

Let me encourage you to lovingly help people get a healthy fear of the Lord that leads to faith and repentance.

Persuade them that they are sinners in desperate need of God’s saving grace.