2 Cor 5:14

[~~Susita~~]

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

I'm sure this is speaking of spiritual death, but at the moment it is making no sense to me. Maybe I'm just having a blonde moment What is he talking about?

Also, I frequent another board ( www.hannity.com ) and there are so few true believers on there, so if a few of you guys showed up it would be great!

[Edited on 2-19-2006 by ~~Susita~~]

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Susita,

I'll pass on the Hannity site but I'll do my best to help here.

a. The verse is connected to verse 13 in which we, who would seem to be out of our mind, have a mind for God. In this case, Paul is in his right mind as he proclaims the Gospel. The Gospel demonstrates the profound love of Christ for his people.

b. The love of Christ is mentioned in Rom 8:35 ("Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?") and Eph 3:18-19 (where Christ's love surpasses human knowledge).

c. The sense of "love of Christ" in the verse that impels, compels, urges, or controls us is the love that Christ has for us. In other words, it could be said this way: "Christ's love for us compels us...." Paul is expresseing that he, and all believers, are completely overwhelmed by the love of Christ so that they live for Him. Unlike Paul's opponents who are controlled by ambition, Paul is impelled by Christ's love.

d. That Christ died for all is the most profound statement of Christ's love as he died in a substionary way for all His people. He became a curse so that we could be redeemed and receive the adoption as Sons and sent his Spirit into us that cries out "Abba, Father" (Gal 4) as we exult in utter amazement at the wonders of his love. Our love answers Love - the love of God that sends that Spirit and brings to Him a people far off and calls them His own adopted children.

e. All died is a continuation of the preceding clause: "one died for all." Christ died literally and physically with his death on a cross. All of His own died figuratively, in their crucifixion with Him, and the removal of the curse of death. The death of all who died points to Christ's death as our representative. It is useful to note that the death occurs in the past tense (not all who will die but all who died).

Finally, read verse 15 which kind of amplifies verse 14:

"And he died for all, so that those who live might no loger live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised."

Jesus died for us, we have died to our sins and the curse is removed. Such wonderful love impels us to live for him Soli Deo Gloria!

I'm sure somebody else can do better but I hope this helps.

[Edited on 2-19-2006 by SemperFideles]

 

[~~Susita~~]

Yes, actually. Please DO pass on the Hannity site. I'm such an idiot. My father just made me realize. What is the point in throwing huge doctrinal discussions in the faces of non-believers or weak believers when we should really be discussing "smaller" issues such as the gospel? We're wasting our time and increasing the accountability of others. On boards such as that, it is pretty much impossible to witness, as almost everyone wants to argue argue argue. They're more concerned with presenting their point of view when they have no firm foundation. I'm so retarded at times I amaze myself.

Thank-you for your post, it makes more sense.

 

[Pilgrim]

Originally posted by ~~Susita~~
Yes, actually. Please DO pass on the Hannity site. I'm such an idiot. My father just made me realize. What is the point in throwing huge doctrinal discussions in the faces of non-believers or weak believers when we should really be discussing "smaller" issues such as the gospel? We're wasting our time and increasing the accountability of others. On boards such as that, it is pretty much impossible to witness, as almost everyone wants to argue argue argue. They're more concerned with presenting their point of view when they have no firm foundation. I'm so retarded at times I amaze myself.

Thank-you for your post, it makes more sense.

Susan,

Most of the people on the Hannity board are probably like I was 10-15 years ago, thinking that politics was the way to change things and that all religions are pretty much the same. At any rate, they think political issues are far more important than theological ones. Hannity is RC, so probably a good number of them there as well.

Here is an interesting article I read earlier from the early days of Modern Reformation. It's "Great Commission or Great Society" by D.G. Hart

http://www.modernreformation.org/dgh94greatcom.htm

Much of the push of the "Christian" Right is basically toward a Social Gospel, albeit one with more "conservative" concerns instead of liberal.

[Edited on 2-20-2006 by Pilgrim]

 

[Puritanhead]

Susan,

I think the Lt. Colonel summed it up nicely. It is confusing on the surface. It stumped me until it was explained... my first instinct was to read v. 16, and see where it went, and than I gained clarity reading the notes and the aforesaid remarks.

I think the first thing we should do when a verse confuses us, is to immediately contextualize it within the parameters of connecting verses and the paragraph it embodies. Though that doesn't always help.