Interpretation of the Bible / 2 Corinthians 13:11

2 Corinthians 13:11 is Paul's final instruction to the church in Corinth in his second letter. In his letter to the Corinthian believers, Paul rebukes them for their sexual immorality and disorder in their worship services.

After calling them to repent and reform, Paul gives them instruction and encouragement to pursue unity and harmony in Christ and to live joyful and perfect Christian lives.

A call to perfection in Christ

The word "perfect" comes from the Greek word "katartizesthe," which means to fit, equip, prepare, or restore. It is used to describe the preparation of a person to accomplish a task or to correct something that is crooked or faulty. In this verse, Paul calls the Corinthian Christians to reach Christian maturity, to forsake sin, and to enter into a deeper relationship with Christ.

This call to perfection does not mean that we are to be perfect as God is perfect, for that is impossible for man, but that we are to be perfect in our love for God and others, in our obedience to God’s will, and in the development of our Christian character. We are to continually seek to transform and renew our minds and hearts through prayer, study of God’s Word, and fellowship with other believers.

A call to unity in Christ

Paul also calls the Corinthians to be “of one mind” so that they can live in peace. Unity is essential to the church because when believers are divided, the church loses its power and influence. We are to strive for unity and harmony in all things, always seeking to put the interests of others above our own and forgiving the offenses others have done to us.

The truth is that unity is not something we can achieve by our own efforts, but rather the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work in us as we submit to Him. We must ask the Holy Spirit to give us a humble heart and a renewed mind so that we can love our brothers and sisters in Christ, even when we disagree with them.

The God of peace and love will be with you

Paul’s final promise in this verse is that if the Corinthian Christians pursue perfection, unity, and peace, the God of peace and love will be with them. This promise applies to us today. As we pursue perfection, unity, and peace in our lives and relationships, God will be with us to guide and strengthen us.