Our One Desire | 2 Corinthians 5:9–10

The 2016 film Hacksaw Ridge tells the real-life story of Corporal Desmond Doss, who courageously served as an army medic during World War II. Though Doss felt compelled to serve his country during the war, he struggled to reconcile his service with his Christian faith and his personal conviction that he should not take another man’s life. As such, he entered the military as a conscientious objector and refused to carry a weapon. As you can imagine, he was subjected to much criticism and disdain by his fellow soldiers. But Doss’s one desire was to please Christ, and this aim drove Doss to accomplish extraordinary feats of courage. 

During the Battle of Okinawa, the American forces were forced to retreat, leaving many wounded soldiers stranded on the battlefield. Over a 12-hour period, Doss selflessly risked his life, dragging men to safety, ultimately rescuing 75 lives. His nobility and courage were recognized upon his return home when he became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Desmond Doss endured ridicule and criticism. He was called foolish and mentally unfit. He even risked his very life. Why? He was obsessed with one thing—pleasing His Lord and Savior. When asked about his motivation, Doss explained that he was fully committed to doing what he believed would be pleasing to God.   

Are you that committed to pleasing God? Are you willing to endure criticism or rejection? Are you willing to lay everything on the line? Are you willing to give your very life to please Christ? 

The Bible says our primary ambition in life should be to please Jesus Christ. Our driving concern should be to bring honor, glory, and great pleasure to our Lord and Savior. But what does it mean to make pleasing Christ our one desire and how do we do it?   

Context of 2 Corinthians 5

The Apostle Paul wrote the Book of 2 Corinthians as a letter to the church in Corinth after making a difficult visit to the church, during which he called them to repentance. 

In writing this letter, Paul expressed his joy in their subsequent obedience and urged them to remain steadfast in their faith. Specifically, in chapter five, the apostle encourages all believers to maintain the confidence of the Christian life. 

The Confidence of the Christian Life (2 Cor. 5:6-8)

In 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, the Bible says that we are to be “always of good courage.” In Greek, the word for courage or confidence indicates that we walk in bold assurance. 2 Corinthians 5 says that we have this confidence for three reasons.

1. We Have Hope in the Resurrection.
2. We Are Prepared for the Eternal.
3. We Draw Courage from Our Faith.

Our One Desire is to Please Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:9-10)

2 Corinthians 5:9 says the aim of our lives is to be pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ. But what is it “to please Christ?” This means much more than just following a set of rules. It is more than not messing up or not grieving Christ. It means that we are to bring great joy, pleasure, and satisfaction to our Savior.

When I was thinking about what it looks like to bring great pleasure to the Lord, I was reminded of my one-year-old daughter, Landry. When I come home at the end of a long day, and she hears me unlock the door, she comes running with a big smile on her face and her arms open for a hug. And that brings me joy and great pleasure. Paul is saying that we are to live our whole lives in such a way that when Jesus looks upon us, it gives him great pleasure. 

Well, you say, “I have a lot of desires in life: I want to be a good husband or wife, father or mother, business leader or mentor.” All of these things are good—it is God who has given you these desires, and it is God who enables you to fulfill them. But these are not separate from your desire to please Christ; they are subject to your desire to please Christ, and you are to fulfill them to further that goal. 

The Bible says, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17). We should view and approach every aspect of life as a means of pleasing our Savior. 

Paul goes on to say that this desire is so preeminent in the Christian life that it is not limited to this world. It transcends time and place, it transcends death, and it remains our undiminished ambition forever. It doesn’t matter whether we’re here on earth (at home in the body) or whether we’re in heaven (away from the body and present with the Lord). Our ambition is to please Christ when we stand before His Judgement Seat. And our ambition will be to please Christ for all eternity.  

Application: Three Means of Pleasing Jesus Christ in the Here and Now

So, you ask, what do I do? How do I live a life that is pleasing to Jesus Christ? In verses 11-15, the Bible reveals three means of pleasing Jesus Christ in the here and now.

First, we are to live with godly sincerity and purity. In 2 Corinthians 5:11, Paul says, “We are well known to God, and I hope that we are also well known in your consciences.” In other words, God knows I am living for Him, and I hope it is obvious to you that I practice what I preach.

Second, the Bible says to live for God’s approval rather than human praise. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:12: “We are not commending ourselves to you again…” Here, Paul anticipates what his critics might say about him and makes clear he is not trying to impress them or anyone else. He is not seeking man’s approval or recognition, and he is unconcerned about praise or profit. As he wrote in Galatians 1:10, he was not striving to please people; he was seeking God’s favor. Living for human praise skews your thinking and behavior. 

Third and finally, the Bible says that we please Christ by living with astonishing selflessness. In 2 Corinthians 5:13, Paul says: “For if we have lost our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.” Paul knew that he would be ridiculed for his devotion to Christ and that some would even call him insane or unstable. So, he was determined to live with astonishing, shocking selflessness. In fact, the Greek word for the phrase he uses here—out of our minds—means astounding or astonishing. 

Paul says, if I seem crazy to you, it is because I am living wholly for Christ. And if my life makes sense to you, it is because I am trying to point you to Christ. In either case, I am not living for myself. I am living for Christ. 

Like Corporal Desmond Doss, the Apostle Paul was willing to be thought a fool, to endure ridicule and persecution, to give his very life, to please his Lord and Savior, and to lead others to faith in Christ. 

What drove these men to live in such a way? They were following the radical model of their Savior. Jesus, the Son of God, said he did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). 

Talk about astonishing! The Son of God left His throne and came to this earth on a rescue mission to seek and save us. Our sins separated us from God, but Christ took the punishment we deserved by giving His life on a cross so that we could be saved, forgiven, and reconciled to God. When you trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, you are justified, declared not guilty, and you are promised eternity in heaven with Him. And when you truly grasp what Jesus did for you, you will make pleasing Him your one desire. 

Full Passage: 2 Corinthians 5:9–10