2 Corinthians 5:9 Meaning: Our Aim

The Greek word behind ‘we make it our aim’ is philotimoumetha. It literally means to love honor, to be ambitious. Most of the time ambition gets a bad name, but Paul takes the word and fills it with a new meaning. This is not the ambition that pushes others aside to get ahead. It is a deep desire to bring honor to the One who matters most. The only ambition a Christian is allowed to keep.

The pair of words ‘at home’ (endēmountes) and ‘absent’ (ekdēmountes) come from the same root. Paul uses them in the previous verses to contrast life in the body and life with the Lord. Here he applies them directly to the aim: wherever you are, here or there, this is the goal. It does not wait for heaven.

And ‘well-pleasing’ (euarestoi) is the same word used for a sacrifice that is fully acceptable. The point is not bare obedience, but something that genuinely brings joy to God, like a gift offered with love.

Christians across traditions have heard this verse as a call to holy focus. Wesley called it ‘the only ambition which has place in a Christian,’ setting it apart from every selfish drive. Calvin saw it as the natural result of believing in the resurrection, when we truly expect to meet Christ, we want to please Him now. Clarke noted that the word carries a sense of honor: believers act ‘on the principles of honor,’ living in a way consistent with their high calling. Some commentators, like Gill, apply the verse to both ministers and ordinary believers. Others, like the Cambridge Bible, see the phrase ‘present or absent’ as referring to whether we are at home with God or away from Him. All agree: this ambition is not about earning favor, but about responding to grace.

Some read this verse as though Paul is trying hard to earn God’s acceptance through his own efforts. They see ‘labour’ as anxious striving. In fact, the whole chapter is written to people who already have the Spirit as a guarantee. Paul’s ambition grows out of confidence, not fear. He is not working for approval; he is living from the certainty that he belongs to Christ. The Greek word philotimoumetha is better understood as a noble aspiration, a devoted aim, not a heavy burden.

You have one life. It is easy to spread yourself thin, trying to please everyone, your boss, your family, your friends, yourself. This verse narrows it down to a single aim: to be well-pleasing to Him. That does not mean you ignore your responsibilities. It means you do them for Him. This week, when you are at work or at home, when you are tired or full of energy, when you are frustrated or at peace, you can pause and ask: What would please Him in this moment? That question changes how you speak to the person who irritates you, how you handle the task nobody sees, how you carry your own worries. You are not performing for God; you are living in a way that makes Him smile. That is an ambition you can hold without regret.