2Cor 5:14-21 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Cor 5:14-17: 5:14-17 Paul’s doctrine of reconciliation arises from his conviction that (1) Christ died for all believers; (2) in Christ, believers also die to sin and self; and (3) now all believers should live for Christ . The new life in Christ thus leads to a fresh evaluation of other people and of Christ. 5:14 Christ’s love controls us: This could refer either to believers’ love for Christ or (more likely) to Christ’s love for us, which urges believers on in making Christ known through their service (see 1 Cor 9:16 ).

Summary for 2Cor 5:14-17: 5:14-17 ^a Paul’s doctrine of reconciliation arises from his conviction that (1) Christ died for all believers; (2) in Christ, believers also die to sin and self; and (3) now all believers should live for Christ. The new life in Christ thus leads to a fresh evaluation of other people and of Christ. 5:14 ^b Christ’s love controls us: This could refer either to believers’ love for Christ or (more likely) to Christ’s love for us, which urges believers on in making Christ known through their service (see 1 Cor 9:16 ^c).
Summary for 2Cor 5:16-17: 5:16-17 ^d merely from a human point of view: Paul might be reflecting on his belief at one time as a Pharisee that the Messiah would come to set the Jews free from political oppression.

• How differently we know him now! Christ rose from the dead, ushered in the new creation (5:17 ^e), and was established as the redeemer from sin and Lord of the universe (Rom 1:3-4 ^f; Phil 2:6-11 ^g; Col 1:15-20 ^h).
Summary for 2Cor 5:18-21: 5:18-21 ⁱ God entrusts to his servants the message and ministry of reconciliation through Christ.

• God has given us this task of reconciling people: Paul is speaking of his own ministry, but sharing this wonderful message is the responsibility of all believers. Christ’s ambassadors call people to accept what God has done so they can be made right with God through Christ.

• Christ paid the penalty for people’s sins—to take away all that stood between God and humans and to make us right with God.
5:20 ^j The great privilege of believers is to be Christ’s ambassadors (cp. Eph 6:20 ^k).

• God is making his appeal through us: Paul doesn’t say that he speaks for God; rather, God speaks his word through us.

• Christ’s redeeming work for sinners opens the way for them to “Come back to God!” and be reconciled with him (see Rom 5:1-11 ^l; Eph 2:11-22 ^m; Col 1:15-23 ⁿ). Christian witness has this appeal at its heart. Paul was also appealing to the rebellious Corinthians to come over to his side (see 2 Cor 6:1 ^o).
5:21 ^p Christ became the offering for our sin on the cross when he took sin’s penalty on himself and died a criminal’s death. He did this, though he himself never sinned (John 8:46 ^q; 1 Pet 2:22 ^r; 1 Jn 3:5 ^s), so that we might be made right with God—i.e., set in right relationship with God and accepted by him (see Gal 3:13 ^t).