2 Corinthians 5:14-15

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

[14] For  the love  of Christ  constraineth  judge,  that  one  died  for  all,  then  all  dead:  [15] And  that he died  for  all,  that  they which live  not henceforth  live  unto themselves,  but  unto him which died  for  them,  and  rose again. 

What does 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The primary reason Paul could not live for himself, however, was God"s love for him. The Greek construction is probably a subjective genitive. [1] God"s love extended to Jesus Christ dying on the cross. Jesus provided the example that all His disciples must follow. He gave His life for others. Yet Jesus" death was much more than an example. Paul had come to appreciate the widespread effects of that death (as being "for all") and the essence of that death (as a substitute).
"Paul is not suggesting that, irrespective of their response and attitude, all men know forgiveness of sins or experience selfless living. There is universalism in the scope of redemption, since no man is excluded from God"s offer of salvation; but there is a particularity in the application of redemption, since not all men appropriate the benefits afforded by this universally offered salvation." [2]
The apostle had also become aware that such love merited complete devotion (i.e, making the fulfillment of God"s desires rather than selfish desires the goal of life). We "all died" ( 2 Corinthians 5:15) in the sense that all believers died in the person of their representative, Jesus Christ. [3]
". . . Christ"s death was the death of all, in the sense that He died the death they should have died; the penalty of their sins was borne by Him; He died in their place ..." [4]
". . . One died on behalf of all (not only, for the benefit of all ... but instead of all ...)..." [5]
Moreover as Jesus died to His own desires and rose to continue serving us, so we should die to our own selfish interests and live to serve others. Paul himself modeled what he observed in Jesus" experience and called on his readers to duplicate His example.
"Thus there emerge from 2 Corinthians 5:11 and 2 Corinthians 5:14 two motives for apostolic evangelism, the "fear of the Lord" and the "love of Christ." ... The one relates to Jesus" role as Judges , the other to his role as Savior." [6]
In this section Paul identified two motives for Christian service: an awareness of our accountability to God ( 2 Corinthians 5:11) and the example of Jesus Christ ( 2 Corinthians 5:14). Jesus is both our Judge and our Savior, and His two roles should have an impact on how we live.