2 Corinthians 5:11-6:13, "We
are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an
opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take
pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. 13 If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died."
Paul doesn't want the Corinthian Christians to think he is deliberately acting in a way that some might think crazy, just for the sake of acting crazy. Instead, he is doing it for God. Then again, if the Corinthian Christians want to think Paul is of sound mind, they can think he is acting that way for them.
For the love of Christ constrains us: Paul is motivated - even pushed on by - the love of Christ, that is, Jesus' love towards him. Paul had to do what he did in ministry, because he received so much love from Jesus that it compelled him to serve others.
This is the greatest foundation for ministry, wanting to give something to others because Jesus gave you everything. When we really receive the love of Christ, it touches us and makes us want to serve others.
Paul felt compelled by the love of Christ. If someone asked, "Why are you doing it all? Why all the pain and all the trials?" Paul would answer, "I have to. I have received the love of Christ. I have the love of Christ in my heart in the sense that I love Jesus. I also have the love of Christ in my heart for all the people Jesus loves. I am compelled by the love of Christ!" "The apostles labored much, but all their labor sprang from the impulse of the love of Jesus Christ. Just as Jacob toiled for Rachel solely out of love to her, so do true saints serve the Lord Jesus under the omnipotent constraint of love." (Spurgeon)
To say, "the love of Christ constrains us," is to say that the love of Christ has power. It has a force that can bind us and influence us. "The love of Christ had pressed Paul's energies into one force, turned them into one channel, and then driven them forward with a wonderful force, till he and his fellows had become a mighty power for good, ever active and energetic." (Spurgeon)
If one died for all, then all died: How did Jesus die for all? In the sense that His death is able to save all who will come to Him and is a demonstration of God's love to all; but not in the sense that all are saved because Jesus died (which is the false doctrine of universalism).
However, it is probable that in this context Paul means "all the saved" when he says all. There is no doubt that there is a sense in which Jesus died for the whole world: And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2). But the all Paul mentions here is probably "all the saved," because he also writes then all died. It can only be said that those who join themselves to Jesus by faith have spiritually died and risen again with Him (Romans 6:1-6).
That those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again: If Jesus died for us, it is only fitting that we live for Him. Jesus gave us new life, not to live for ourselves but to live for Him. The question is simple: Are you living for yourself, or are you living for Jesus? "He died for us that we might die to ourselves." (Calvin)
God created us for the purpose of living for Him, not for ourselves. It is a corruption of our nature that makes us want to live for ourselves and not for the Lord. In Revelation 4:11 it says in the King James Version: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. We are and were created to live unto God, not unto ourselves. Jesus lived completely unto God the Father.
What does it mean to live no longer for themselves, but for Him? It doesn't mean that we can say, "I won't love or serve anyone else but God." Instead, our love for God, and our life for God, is expressed in the way we serve others. When we say that we live for God, we can not use it as an excuse to neglect serving others.
For the love of Christ constrains us: Paul is motivated - even pushed on by - the love of Christ, that is, Jesus' love towards him. Paul had to do what he did in ministry, because he received so much love from Jesus that it compelled him to serve others.
This is the greatest foundation for ministry, wanting to give something to others because Jesus gave you everything. When we really receive the love of Christ, it touches us and makes us want to serve others.
Paul felt compelled by the love of Christ. If someone asked, "Why are you doing it all? Why all the pain and all the trials?" Paul would answer, "I have to. I have received the love of Christ. I have the love of Christ in my heart in the sense that I love Jesus. I also have the love of Christ in my heart for all the people Jesus loves. I am compelled by the love of Christ!" "The apostles labored much, but all their labor sprang from the impulse of the love of Jesus Christ. Just as Jacob toiled for Rachel solely out of love to her, so do true saints serve the Lord Jesus under the omnipotent constraint of love." (Spurgeon)
To say, "the love of Christ constrains us," is to say that the love of Christ has power. It has a force that can bind us and influence us. "The love of Christ had pressed Paul's energies into one force, turned them into one channel, and then driven them forward with a wonderful force, till he and his fellows had become a mighty power for good, ever active and energetic." (Spurgeon)
If one died for all, then all died: How did Jesus die for all? In the sense that His death is able to save all who will come to Him and is a demonstration of God's love to all; but not in the sense that all are saved because Jesus died (which is the false doctrine of universalism).
However, it is probable that in this context Paul means "all the saved" when he says all. There is no doubt that there is a sense in which Jesus died for the whole world: And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2). But the all Paul mentions here is probably "all the saved," because he also writes then all died. It can only be said that those who join themselves to Jesus by faith have spiritually died and risen again with Him (Romans 6:1-6).
That those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again: If Jesus died for us, it is only fitting that we live for Him. Jesus gave us new life, not to live for ourselves but to live for Him. The question is simple: Are you living for yourself, or are you living for Jesus? "He died for us that we might die to ourselves." (Calvin)
God created us for the purpose of living for Him, not for ourselves. It is a corruption of our nature that makes us want to live for ourselves and not for the Lord. In Revelation 4:11 it says in the King James Version: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. We are and were created to live unto God, not unto ourselves. Jesus lived completely unto God the Father.
What does it mean to live no longer for themselves, but for Him? It doesn't mean that we can say, "I won't love or serve anyone else but God." Instead, our love for God, and our life for God, is expressed in the way we serve others. When we say that we live for God, we can not use it as an excuse to neglect serving others.
Dear God, I pray that I will live for You and not myself ever again.
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