2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Paul has just ended his condemnation of and exhortation to the Corinthian church about, false teachers. Paul, in these last couple of chapters, has both exposed the false teachers motives and methods, while at the same time defended his actions and mission. Paul was called by Christ on the Damascus Road (see Acts chapter nine). He was later given a vision by Christ (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). He did not want to boast about these things (2 Corinthians 12:1), but did, in order to make sure that the false teachers did not gain good ground and footing in the body of Christ. Now that this was accomplished in chapters eleven and twelve, Paul moves on in chapter thirteen, in a large change of direction, to unite the body. He wants them to know that the direction of the body out to unity. False teaching will always fracture the Body. True Biblical teaching will unite the Body. Paul wants us to "aim for restoration." In some texts (NIV) that phrase is translated "aim for perfection." The difference between the two is the "voice" in the Greek. Suffice it to say for this brief writing that the context seems to be one favoring "restoration." Paul realized his writings were going to tear at the church. He know that there were those who had struck a loyalty with the false teachers and were deceived by them. He even stated he knew they could make themselves "angels of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). He is closing the letter and he wants them to make sure that the false teachers have not divided them and wants them to be sure to aim for a restorative attitude. He wants them to "comfort one another" and to "agree with one another." The context here is that of harmony in the Body (Romans 12:16). We need to make sure that our aim in our ministry is one that keeps us pure without separating us. The NASV states the same verse as follows:
2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
The emphasis is that of harmony. Note that all three translations tell us that it is the God of love and peace that will be with us. As we seek restoration we can be assured that God can give it. God is the one who enables us to recognize false teachers and still maintain harmony in that pursuit of purity. This is not a human effort, it is a pure effort of God doing something in us all, to draw us all together. "Aim for restoration!!!" What a great aim in life.
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