2 Corinthians 4:15
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
All things means everything suffered and worked and preached by those who preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord as servants for Jesus' sake, and it was for the sake and benefit and good of those they served, including the Corinthians and their hearers, to save souls and to help many accept the truth and receive its saving benefit through Christ, not to gain wealth or honor or pleasure nor to exalt themselves or seek their own glory.
This ministry takes place where Satan blinds unbelieving minds lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine to them, while God who commanded light to shine out of darkness shines in hearts to give the light of the knowledge of His glory in Jesus Christ, and this treasure is in earthen vessels so that the excellency of the power is of God and not of men.
Those entrusted with the truth were fully convinced of it and therefore would not handle the word of God deceitfully or hide their convictions in order to conform to the world.
The hope of saving souls led them to devote their lives to preaching the gospel and kept them working without stopping despite constant danger and suffering and threat of martyrdom.
They could persevere because they knew that God who raised Jesus would also raise them and present them to the Father.
Though afflictions come upon believers and workers may lay down the armor from lack of physical strength, God's purpose will still be accomplished, just as when the Saviour was laid away the disciples thought His earthly work was at an end, yet His death on the cross was in reality the very life of the cause He had advocated.
Through that self-sacrificing ministry God's abundant and rich grace reaches and is given to many people, and grace received moves many to thankfulness, so that through the thanksgiving of many it overflows and results in glory to God.
In Christ's kingdom the verse states a broader principle that all things exist for the sake of even the lowliest disciples, so power and position and talent and education give no authority for self-aggrandizement but place their possessor under greater obligation to serve his fellows, with the strong bearing the infirmities of the weak, because men are called not to authority but to service.
The institutions God has established exist for the benefit of mankind, so all things exist for people's sake, including the Sabbath which was made for man and not man for the Sabbath, and the law of ten commandments of which the Sabbath forms a part, given as a blessing to preserve life and to do good always.
Christ is the pattern for this work, and ministers who direct perishing souls what they must do to be saved must continually study and copy His life and character and manner of teaching, standing in the same relation to Christ that Christ stood to the Father and doing what the Son does.
The instruction of the verse is precious for every believer and is to be applied personally, calling for attention to eternal interests and humility before God, which are needed to meet what God requires of teachers in His church.