2 Corinthians 5:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;

NIV: For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

NASB: For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;

CSB: For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and therefore all died.

NLT: Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.

KJV: For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

NKJV: For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;

Some of Paul's detractors may have been suggesting he and his co-workers were out of their minds. Paul used the phrase "beside ourselves" to suggest that level of insanity (2 Corinthians 5:13). It's to be expected that a non-believer would think it insane for Paul to keep doing the very thing that brought him pain and suffering (1 Corinthians 2:14). Despite all the danger, they simply would not stop preaching about the gospel of Christ to as many people as they could.

Now Paul answers firmly that he is not crazy. Instead, he is compelled to act by the "love of Christ." That is, Christ's love for him and for others is so motivating that Paul cannot bring himself to respond to it in any other way. He is driven—compelled—to keep telling others about it. In some sense, Paul may even be saying that Christ's love literally controls his choices. Christ's love has essentially taken Paul captive to do Christ's work on earth, no matter what Paul may have considered doing otherwise. Because of Christ's love for him and the world, Paul must continue.

Paul and his co-workers for the gospel are absolutely convinced of one simple truth: One has died for all and therefore all died. By this, Paul means that Christ has died to pay for the sins of all humanity and His death has become the death required for all to pay for their personal sin. In a spiritual sense, all who trust in Christ died with Him when He died. Paul is describing what Bible scholars call "substitutionary atonement." Christ, as the perfect sacrifice for sin, died in our place to atone for our sin. His substitution for us makes it possible for us to be forgiven for our sin by God's grace through our faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Second Corinthians 5:11–21 describes an appeal to those in Corinth who know Paul. It's important they understand he is not crazy for continuing to preach the gospel, even though it leads to so much suffering for him. Christ's love compels Paul to continue to tell all people that they be reconciled to God through faith in Christ, just as he was. In Christ, God is not counting people's sins against them, but instead giving them credit for Christ's righteous life. As Christ's ambassador, Paul begged all people to be reconciled to God through faith in Christ.

Why does Paul endure so much suffering for preaching about Christ? He continues here his discussion of eternity, comparing our earthly bodies to living in a tent. Paul would rather live in the eternal body God has prepared for those who trust in Christ, free from the groaning and burden that afflicts everyone here. With that to look forward to, he preaches with courage that all in Christ are new creations. In Christ, God is reconciling people to Himself, not counting their sin against them. Paul implores everyone to be reconciled to God in this way through faith in Christ.

Second Corinthians 5 follows Paul's confident declarations in the previous chapter. His suffering, though severe, is only a light, momentary affliction preparing him for eternal glory beyond all comparison. He would rather occupy his eternal body, which gives him the courage to continue his mission to preach the gospel that God is reconciling people to Himself, forgiving their sin, through faith in Christ. Those in Christ become a new creation. He concludes by imploring all to be reconciled to God, which he continues to do in the following chapter.

Second Corinthians returns to similar themes as those Paul mentioned in his first letter to this church. Paul is glad to hear that the church in Corinth has heeded his advice. At the same time, it is necessary for Paul to counter criticisms about his personality and legitimacy. Most of this text involves that subject. The fifth chapter, in contrast, contains comforting words which Christians have quoted often in times of hardship. Paul also details his expectations that the church in Corinth will make good on their promise to contribute to the needs of suffering believers in Jerusalem.