2 Corinthians 13:11-14 Finally, brothers, rejoice, be restored, be encouraged, think the same, live in peace.And the God of love and peace will be with you.
These verses mark the closing of the letter marked with the word finally. Letter closings often gave personal greetings, final exhortation, and often some form of benediction. The closing of this letter is similar to other letters Paul wrote. First, he gives some final exhortations that are positive, which is refreshing after the strong rebukes of the letter.
He urges them to rejoice. Be glad for what God has done for them in Christ. No matter what challenges we may also face, whether they be internal to the church, or external from persecution, we can have a deep joy because we have the presence of the Almighty God within us. The Holy Spirit will produce this fruit as we submit to God.
Paul’s goal for this church is for them to be restored and renewed in their commitment to Christ. They are in a dangerous place spiritually. It is too easily for any one of us to be deceived and led astray, so we must be vigilant. Revival and renewal will keep our fires burning.
They can also be encouraged. The subject of this verb is not given since it is a passive voice. This is the same word Paul uses at the beginning of the letter in 1:3-7. We can be encouraged by many things. The Corinthians needed to encourage one another and work together as a church. They could find comfort in God who comes alongside them and gives them comfort so they can comfort others.
They can develop a stronger fellowship and unity together by thinking the same. The mind is where we make decisions and what guides our actions. Believers can have the same mind when we make Jesus our Lord and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us into his image and likeness. The Corinthians should already be aware of this since Paul wrote about this in 1 Corinthians 2:16 and 11:1, among other places. This was one of his key ideas for them. Any divisions can be resolved in Jesus Christ is put first and not selfish ambitions or vain conceits (Philippians 2:3).
If they follow the above goals, then they will live in peace. This is what all people long for. So much stress is created in this world because people cannot get along with others. The tension in the world can explode at any time. Selfishness and pride drive this battle. This tension is on the global level all the way down to the personal level. The only true and lasting source of peace is God who grants peace through the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). In order to live in peace, one must find the source of peace.
The Corinthians can be assured that the God of love and peace will be with them. Love and peace were what this church needed and it is what each of us needs. Sadly, the world around us distorts both of these and offers counterfeit versions of these. Sometimes people will get close to having these but too often they are fleeting and temporary. God is the source of both of these. If there is any love and peace in the world, it comes through God’s prevenient grace drawing people closer to him through the gift of life and relationships. The saddest part is when believers who know God miss out on these because they are stuck under slavery the desires of the flesh or are too concerned with themselves. There may be non-believers who have more love and peace than believers. The challenge is to find our resource for these. It cannot start with ourselves, although we must make a decision and act in obedience to the commands of God which will bring these as a result. It must start with God, in worship to God and full submission to God’s will. From this position of faith, we can then experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit who will grow these two attributes within us. This will result in healed relationships and clear purpose for living. This is also what the Corinthian church needed.
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