LIFE'S PURPOSE

The death of Christ generates our purpose in life.

Paul wrote, He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again for them (2 Corinthians 5:15).

He died for all repeats what Paul said in verse 14 in order to expand the idea of Christ's substitutionary death to our purpose for life in verse 15. Some have argued that the preposition ὑπὲρ cannot be equated with the preposition ἀντί (Meyer, 1-2 Corinthians, p.530). The latter means "instead of" while the former means "on behalf of" so here Jesus died on our behalf and not in our place according to some. The idea that the preposition ὑπὲρ can never carry a substitutionary sense is erroneous (Hughes, 2 Corinthians, p.193, fn.24). The context determines the usage of the preposition, and here the context clearly makes the preposition substitutionary. Paul says, One died for all, so then all died (v.14). Christ's love for us motivates us by His death in our place. The "all is the "us!"

The atonement is effective only for those who are regenerated to new life.They who died are they who live. All who died Christ's death, live Christ's life. Jesus died so that (ἵνα) the living ones (οἱ ζῶντες) might no longer live (ζῶσιν) for themselves. The present tense subjunctive verb is used to express continuing purpose (Rienecker & Rogers, Linguistic Key, p.469). Believers (the living ones) no longer live for themselves (ἑαυτοῖς). The pronoun is a dative of advantage. We no longer live for the advantage or benefit of ourselves once we have died to live again. We died to life for our benefit and live now for His benefit.

Regenerated people live for the one who died and rose again (τῷ ἀποθανόντι καὶ ἐγερθέντι) for them (ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν). It is possible that the prepositional phrase "for them" (ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν) should only be connected to the dying (ἀποθανόντι) and not the rising (ἐγερθέντι) because of word order. However, it is best to take both Christ's death and resurrection for us (Hughes, 2 Corinthians, p.196, fn.33). The article (τῷ) governs both participles. He died our death and rose again for our life. Our sanctification is built on a substitutionary foundation just as much as our justification.

The "one who died and rose again for us" is also a dative of advantage. The two datives are parallel in the structure. Regenerated people no longer live for the advantage of themselves but live for the advantage of Christ who died and rose again for us. We live for His benefit. Life's purpose is bound up with life's origin.

The words on my coffee mug remind me of my purpose.

Lord, I have nothing to do today but to please you!

MOTIVE FOR MINISTRY

Love moves us to serve Jesus. Paul wrote, "For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died" (2 Corinthians 5:14). Is it our love for Christ that motivates our ministry or Christ's love for us? His love or our love, that is the question.

The expression "love of Christ" (ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ) can be either a subjective or an objective genitive. The use of the genitive (Χριστοῦ) can only be determined by context (Robertson, Grammar, p.499). The phrase could be understood as an objective genitive meaning Christ is the object of our love. However, the better interpretation is a subjective genitive meaning that Christ is the subject of the love. Christ's love for us is the basis of our love for Christ (Martin, 2 Corinthians, p.128).

God establishes the relationship. He initiates the love. Our love is a response to His love. Paul explains the statement by pointing to Christ's love on the cross which is why we should take it as a subjective genitive. Paul is talking about Christ's love for us "having concluded" (κρίναντες) that He died for us. The cross is on Paul's s mind. Christ's love is the motive for his ministry. Christ's love is faithful. Our love is fickle. If our love for Christ motivates our ministry, our ministry will be like riding a roller coaster. Our love for Christ has highs and lows. Our love is inconsistent. The only solid foundation for our ministry is Christ's love for us proven on the cross. Because He loved us enough to die for us, we are moved to love Him enough to live for Him.

Christ's love "controls" us. There are 3 basic meanings of the word συνέχει, 1) to hold together, 2) to enclose or lock up, and 3) to oppress or overpower. The third meaning derives from the second. To enclose or hem in leads to controlling or ruling (TDNT, 7:877-879). The New Testament does not use the word to mean hold together. Luke commonly uses the word with the sense of to enclose or to close. Paul seems to use the word to mean dominate or overpower (TDNT, 7:882-883). Christ's love controls us not so much in the sense of urging us to serve but in the sense of hemming us in on all sides or pressing us into service. He locks us up in love. Christ's love confines us, limiting our choices. It may even be said that Christ's love harasses us so that we have no rest until we do all we can for Him (Meyer, 2 Corinthians, 6:528).

The love of Christ controls us like a narrow pipe restricts the flow of water. The velocity of the water increases as the flow of water is restricted. The intensity of our ministry increases as His love for us constricts our service for Him. We are squeezed by His love on the cross until we can do nothing else but serve Him in response. The verb (συνέχει) is a present tense indicative. Christ's love for us dominates us continually in life.

Oppressed by His love we are pressed into His service.