2 Corinthians 5:15, commentary and pictures

He died for every person and rose again for them, buying each one back with his own precious blood at infinite cost. Those he has thus purchased belong to him and not to themselves, so they have no right to live merely as they please but must no longer live unto themselves and for self. His love is what constrains this self-giving life, transforming the whole person and becoming the abiding motive that qualifies for divine achievement with the eye single to God's glory. Living unto him means a complete change to a new life, no longer following the world and transgression but obeying all his commandments with the will in harmony with his will, in perfect trust and surrender. That consecration is unreserved and undivided, with heart, mind, soul, strength, abilities and possessions devoted to his honor and to the good of others, making the salvation of souls the grand aim above ease, pleasure and personal gain.

Christ Died for All

He died for all people, for every single person, and rose again for them, purchasing every person with His blood, so that those who live through Him no longer live aimless, selfish lives for themselves but live for Him who died and rose for them. Because He died for all, every soul is to minister and not live for self, using every physical, moral, and mental power to labor together with God, devoting self actively and unreservedly to His service and cooperating with Christ in helping others. His love constrains this self-giving life, making them His own and calling them to unreserved consecration and undivided service in which heart, mind, soul, and strength belong to God, with self not cherished and His honor and glory put first. This call reaches daily life rather than personal plans pursued at the expense of others, and is expressed in willing support for God's work rather than giving under pressure or for personal return.

He paid a ransom to buy them back with His own precious blood and life-blood at infinite cost, giving His life on the cross for salvation. By that price He redeemed the powers they had misused through sin, so the abilities He ransomed must not be wasted by disregarding the laws of life and morality. Because Jesus gave His life as a ransom, everyone who lives belongs to Him and is obligated to devote soul, body, and spirit actively and without reservation to His work as He directs, asking what He would have them do. He died to obtain willing obedience and love, so service belongs to Him by right and must be given freely and without reserve, with entrusted abilities and God's gifts and resources used faithfully to honor God and build His kingdom rather than serve selfish interests.

Sin had perverted the gifts of God and sold human powers to the prince of darkness, bringing degradation from which Christ ransoms His own. Every faculty of being was given to render acceptable service to the Maker, and His death ransoms every faculty for that end, transforming by the renewing of the mind so those who live through Christ no longer follow the customs of the world. Those He died for become His purchased possession and belong to Him rather than to themselves, bought at infinite cost as sacred trusts to be used for God's glory and the good of others. They are not free to use their lives merely as they please but are solemnly bound to give themselves actively and without reserve to serving Christ, bound to Him by mercy and love in life and death to join His work of saving the lost, and as they abide in Him selfishness gives way to consecrated service.

His death gives each soul infinite worth, placing His estimate upon every person. Those who come to Him in faith receive complete forgiveness of sin, no longer dishonoring God by transgression but obeying all His commandments and revealing by obedience that they are transformed by grace. His death for every person, including each member of a family, must not be in vain for any of them, and each is to be ready to meet Him in peace.

No Longer for Self

Christ died and rose again for all, and those who live through him are no longer to live unto themselves but unto him who died for them and rose again, devoting life, abilities, possessions and all they have and are to him rather than serving themselves. His death makes them his own and calls for a life devoted to him, shown in appreciation for the price paid for redemption by caring deeply for the salvation of others, working together with heaven to bring people to Christ, and spreading truth through earnest, wise, unselfish service. His death and resurrection break down barriers between people and lead the sinner to repentance and faith, and those united with him consecrate themselves to the Master with desire to win souls, so that lack of this desire should cause concern for one's own salvation and prayer for a spirit of service. This devoted life is expressed in willing support for God's work rather than giving under pressure or for personal return.

His death changes the purpose of life, so the one who lives because Christ died for him lives for Jesus Christ and not for himself. Becoming a Christian calls for a complete change of life to a new life lived for God rather than for self, with self-forgetfulness, dedication to God, doing good for others, clinging to Christ as the Eternal Rock, and leaving past folly behind. Those who live must no longer live for themselves or for this present life but for him who died for them and for the future immortal life. This means fighting individual temptations and inherited traits of character that seek supremacy, gaining victories over self every day, emptying the heart of selfishness, and working for the Master from principle in darkness and gloom as well as in light and sunshine, and when truth as it is in Jesus is treasured in the heart and built into the being, settled and grounded so no temptation or argument can leave Christ and his wisdom out of the life, the believer gains a firm, solid experience that stands trial and exerts a masterly influence over all connected with him, so that they also do not live for themselves but for him who gave his life for them.

Living for self is incompatible with being a Christian, calling for unreserved consecration and undivided service to God. His death takes away any right to live only for self, for the mind is not to stay shut in the narrow chambers of self but is given a broader sphere of action inspired by a deeper, truer motive. Living for self is self-love controlling the life and breaks God's law, while living for Christ means acting on true principle by seeking the good of others with thoughtful attention to their needs. Every unselfish action makes the character more Christlike, for when self is crucified the wrong tendencies transmitted as a birthright and strengthened by education are dropped out, the current of thought is changed, and a broad, deep, noble, Christlike love fills the heart and overflows to all Christ's children as a constant wellspring of joy ever flowing forth to others, while time and attention absorbed in self-gratification breaks God's law and makes a record that will be unwelcome to meet when the judgment sits and the books are opened. To live unto him is to live to glorify him and to please God alone rather than self or one another, keeping ever before the mind how to please him. This is done by making the salvation of souls the highest interest through soul-saving work such as establishing publishing work to make known received truth and by building the old waste places, repairing the breaches, and raising the foundations of many generations. This change cannot be made by self-effort but Jesus makes it for those who ask him and submit wholly to him, by not seeking one's own will but God's will, forgetting self, no longer trying to please self, learning to be useful, and spending precious time laying up treasure in heaven.

Accepting him as Redeemer means accepting him as Ruler, since he gave his life to redeem the soul and those who live give their life with all its possibilities into his keeping and no longer live unto themselves but unto him. Perfect confiding trust in him as Saviour comes only through surrender to obey his commandments, giving evidence of allegiance to God, and when the will is brought into complete harmony with the will of God, faith works by love and light shines into the heart and fills the chambers of the soul. He died to obtain willing obedience and love from those he died for, having bought them with an infinite price, so their service belongs to him by right and must be given freely and without reserve. To withhold that service is to spend years of life in the service of his worst enemy, which will bring bitter lament when he comes or when life is called for, while being unlike the world in spirit and example in choosing him and the truth will bring no regret.

Love and Example of Christ

The love of Christ constrains the self-giving life called for by his dying for all, so that those who live through him no longer live for themselves but for the one who died and rose again for them. That love is an abiding motive that will be seen and felt and cannot be hidden, exercising a controlling influence on everyday life. It leads young men and women to fit themselves for usefulness in this life and for special service with the eye single to God's glory, imparting more than finite energy and qualifying for divine achievements, with works showing the strength of the motive. Because an infinite price was paid, salvation becomes the grand aim of life above home, family, and social enjoyment, so life is spent for Christ rather than for self.

That love exerts a wondrous power that transforms the whole person, making the timid bold, the slothful diligent, the ignorant wise, the stammering tongue eloquent, the dormant intellect new in life and vigor, the desponding hopeful, and the gloomy joyous. It leads a person to accept responsibilities for his sake and to bear them in his strength, undismayed by tribulation and unturned from duty by reproaches. A soul without this love for Jesus is none of his.

Christ, the Son of the living God, did not live unto himself but unto God, and his life in humanity reveals God's character and works out God's ideal of what humanity may become through entire obedience to his will and way. In this he gives the perfect exemplification of God and his purposes and the perfect pattern and illustration of the ministry that God approves, marking out with perfection every feature of true ministry. True ministry is therefore more than merely preaching the word; it is unselfish service after his example, and those called to minister occupy a place worthy of the highest consideration.

Beholding his mercy and love and his condescension in suffering to accomplish redemption breaks down the barriers between people and leads the sinner to repentance and faith. It turns attention from self to Christ, and as barriers fall the character is changed. Contemplating his love calls those who live to sacrifice and to give love and sympathy to others, devoting abilities, possessions, and whole lives to God's service and working for the salvation of others. That contemplation sinks worldly splendor into insignificance and fills the heart with tender love and lively devotion, leaving selfishness and worldliness inconsistent with his name and making true followers willing to go about doing good and to suffer cheerfully for his sake.

Through him God vests people with an influence that makes self-centered living impossible, for no one can live unto himself or stay in selfish lines. Christ's life shows this life as a representation of God, an ever-widening, shoreless influence which bound him to God and to the whole human family, the mightiest element that could be bestowed upon the human race. People are connected to one another, have mutual obligations, and cannot be independent of their fellow human beings. Those who live are therefore to be united with fellow workers to merge their interests in forwarding God's work in little as well as larger interests, for the field is the world and needs no separate distinctions or verbal restrictions saying another cannot come on one's part of the field.

Transformed Obedient Living

His death buys back the whole person, paying ransom with his own precious blood after sin perverted God's gifts and sold human powers to the prince of darkness, so that every faculty given to render acceptable service to the Maker is redeemed from misuse. Those who live through him therefore no longer live to themselves nor follow the customs of the world, but live to him who died for them, transformed by the renewing of the mind. They must not waste the ransomed abilities by disregarding the laws of life and morality, for those abilities are sacred trusts bought at infinite cost to be used for God's glory and the good of others. Bound to him by mercy and love in life and death, they join his work of saving the lost and drawing others into his love, which makes a new, transformed life possible.

Truth treasured in the heart and built into the being gives religious vitality rooted in hope wrought in God, so believers are not deterred by difficulties but work in gloom as well as glory, in shade as well as sunshine, in conflict as well as peace. Settled and grounded so that no temptation and no argument induces yielding to Satan's suggestions or devices, the truth works important changes upon life and character and exerts a masterly influence over words, deportment, thoughts, and experience. The soul that appreciates the truth lives under its influence and senses the tremendous reality of eternal things, with God living and ever cognizant of all words and actions. This means fighting individual temptations and inherited traits of character that seek supremacy, gaining victories over self every day, emptying the heart of selfishness, and working for the Master from principle in darkness and gloom as well as in light and sunshine. Such firm, solid experience stands trial and reaches others so that they also do not live for themselves but for him who gave his life for them, no longer living for this present life but for the future immortal life.

When truth sanctifies the soul it leads to humility and meekness, self-denial and self-surrender, with effort made in harmony with sacred truth of heavenly origin. Then the Holy Spirit is imparted and the church becomes consistent and fulfills the call to arise and shine because its light has come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon it while darkness covers the earth. The one for whom believers live is risen and lives to make intercession for the saints, moves upon hearts by the Holy Spirit, and adds daily to the faith of those who shall be saved. Believers are therefore to look to Jesus, study his life and character, and manifest disinterestedness, self-denial and devotion to his service and become a power for good in the world.

Living to him means no longer dishonoring God by transgression of his law but being obedient to all his commandments, revealing by obedience to the will of God that the life is transformed by his grace. Those who come to him in faith receive complete forgiveness of sin and give their life with all its possibilities into his keeping, accepting him as Ruler as well as Redeemer through surrender to obey. When the will is brought into complete harmony with the will of God, perfect confiding trust comes, faith works by love, and light shines into the heart and fills the chambers of the soul. Obedience to the first four commandments leads to obedience to the last six, shown in tender, pitying love toward every person for whom he died, in consecration to be a missionary and laborer together with God deriving zeal and energy from him as Chief Missionary. The piety and attainments seen in eminent Christians are not beyond reach, for every Christian has the privilege and duty to maintain close union with him and have a rich, fruitful experience in the things of God, since God is more willing to give his Holy Spirit to those who ask than earthly parents are to give good gifts, and character is perfected not by miracle but by using the means placed within reach so that all who put forth the same effort secure the same results.

The change shows in a changed moral taste, with one purpose in all spending and in all actions to keep the glory of God in view, to exert a right influence in the church, and to testify to unbelievers as children of God. Through faith believers share in his self-denial and great love for perishing souls, constantly fearing to lift a worldly standard in place of his banner. Eternal life becomes the mainspring of action, and words, conduct, testimony, and prayers are used to encourage others toward salvation and lead people to him, with each Christian responsible for influence that honors him and shows faith by works. Speech and influence in the home and among others are used to represent his character, build others up, and guide them toward God rather than being harsh, careless, indifferent, critical, or condemning and following the world's ways.

Living for self gratifies beloved self, confines mind and life to the narrow chambers of self, and absorbs time and attention in self-love and self-gratification, which breaks God's law, and no one has a right to live only for self. Living to him means living for the good of others with thoughtful attention to their needs, laying ease, pleasure and comfort as a sacrifice and holding oneself ready to suffer labor, fatigue, pain, hunger, cold and heat to do good, finding happiness in making others happy. When self is crucified and unselfish good is done from true principle, the character becomes more Christlike, wrong birthright tendencies transmitted and strengthened by education are dropped, the current of thought is changed, and a broad, deep, noble love fills the heart and overflows to all his children as a constant wellspring of joy ever flowing forth to others. Such a life makes a record that will be met without reluctance when the judgment shall sit and the books shall be opened, while a life absorbed in self-gratification makes a record unwelcome to meet then.

The change to live to please God alone cannot be made by self-effort; Jesus makes it for those who ask him and submit wholly to him. Living to him means not seeking one's own will but God's will, forgetting self, no longer trying to please self, learning to be useful, and spending precious time laying up treasure in heaven. It requires aiming high in lifework by the standard of God's word, respecting oneself as his purchased possession, living for something besides self with pure unselfish motives, looking to do work that must be done, showing kind attentions and courteous acts, and doing good and self-denying self-sacrificing deeds to be a blessing wherever placed, in home life, in the church, and in the world representing him in character. It means being faithful to duty, obtaining grace and power from God that transforms the character even at nearly thirty years old, making God a friend and shield and basking in the light of his presence, holding firm principles and never deviating from principle nor stepping off the path of denial and duty nor hesitating or turning back. It means facing responsibilities as one who must give account for the talent of time, drawing inspiration from righteous, fixed religious principles and convictions as to what God expects, and doing individual work manfully even when united effort with others is not possible, doing one's best for his sake moved by his abiding love in the heart.

Devoted Service for Others

To live for him who died and rose again is unreserved consecration and undivided service, with heart, mind, soul and strength belonging to God and self not cherished. Love is the principle of that life and is revealed in sacrifice, so because he gave all, those who receive him are ready to sacrifice all for their Redeemer and put his honor and glory first rather than living only for their own pleasure. To live for self is incompatible with being a Christian.

Because he ransomed every person by giving his life on the cross for salvation, everyone who lives belongs to him and is obligated to devote soul, body and spirit actively and without reservation to his work rather than living an aimless, selfish life. He directs each believer's service, and all should ask what he would have them do and examine motives to use entrusted abilities to honor God and build his kingdom rather than serve selfish interests or depart from appointed work. Not all are called to enter the ministry or to speak publicly, yet every soul is to minister, using every physical, moral and mental power through sanctification of the Spirit to labor together with God and cooperate with Christ in helping others, and for anyone to choose a life of self-serving is an insult to his Holy Spirit.

This life lives for the good of others and blesses them, making the salvation of souls its burden and grand aim above home, family and social enjoyment. It shows appreciation for the price paid for redemption by caring deeply about the salvation of others, working with Heaven to bring people to Christ, and spreading truth through earnest, wise, unselfish service. Those united with him devote abilities, possessions and whole lives to God's service, reproduce his character, aims and purposes, and work continually in self-denial and self-sacrifice to seek and save the lost. It does not henceforth live to gratify beloved self but lays ease, pleasure and comfort as a sacrifice, holding itself ready to suffer labor, fatigue, pain, hunger, cold and heat to do good, and finds happiness in making others happy.

No one who claims to believe in him is to remain silent and selfishly and wickedly indifferent and idle, for he expects every human being to become an entirely consecrated worker for God and take a God-appointed place as a laborer together with God. Living unto him is shown in diffusing the knowledge of Jesus Christ, ministering the gospel to those in darkness and error, presenting Jesus as the only mediator, working for the enlargement of his kingdom and the celebration of his glory, and using entrusted talents, intellect and reason to diffuse known truth, gather and unite other agencies, and win souls. Those who so live work with angels each standing at his own post, joining divine power to human effort so that opposition is made of none effect and a way is opened to walk even among principalities and powers while beating back spiritual wickedness in high places and restoring the moral image of God in man so that light is reflected to the salvation of many.

His death calls for a life devoted to him expressed in willing support for God's work rather than giving under pressure or for personal return. The Lord's goods are to be invested where he directs and where they will best advance his work, rather than according to human preference or for personal gain, devoting what is had to Christ and his cause. Those who live give themselves fully to his cause and serve from love for Christ rather than for large wages, seeking to save the people for whom he died.

Because he purchased every person with his blood and with the life-blood of his only begotten Son, people no longer belong to themselves and are not free to do with themselves as they please but are solemnly bound to give themselves actively and without reserve to serving him. Married people are to devote their united life to God, children who appreciate God-given abilities are not to live for themselves but for him who died for them, doing right because it is right, controlling self, being kind, loving and gentle, and forgetting self in effort to help others, and Sabbath school teachers are to make careful self-examination to know duty and fitness the very first work with constant prayer to know what God wants them to do. Nurses and all workers for God, and especially those connected with schools and sanitariums because time is short and the work must be done quickly, are his servants who no longer live to themselves but give entire consecration and united influence with body, soul and spirit to save souls and make the earth radiant, wholly converted, abiding in Christ with lives hid with him in God until he who is their life appears and they appear with him in glory, refusing to exalt self and disparage others and finding peace and joy in looking to the Saviour. This gives responsibility to help those nigh in households and those afar off, including workers laboring in difficult fields and the colored people since release from slavery, sustaining the Southern field and properly paying suffering ministers, maintaining a living connection with pure, holy lives ready for the great day, and enlarging borders and extending labors.

A Christian consecrates all that he has and is to the Master and desires to win souls to him, and those who lack this desire should be concerned for their own salvation and pray for a spirit of service, for failing to work earnestly for others leaves people unprepared to meet the Lord. Because he died for every human being, each soul has infinite worth, and those who live in communion with him place his estimate upon every person and feel for others the same deep love he has felt for them. That love wins instead of driving and attracts instead of repelling those for whom he died, and it works by personal effort as he did to rescue souls, discerning the need of those suffering, sinning against God and oppressed with guilt, going out in sympathy with a helping hand, bringing them to him in the arms of faith and love, and watching over and encouraging them so that sympathy and confidence make it hard for them to fall from steadfastness. Seeing those going down to death forbids resting in quiet indifference and ease, and the greater their sin and the deeper their misery the more earnest and tender the efforts for their recovery become, keeping ever before the mind how to please him and making the salvation of souls the highest interest by soul-saving work such as establishing publishing work to make known received truth and building the old waste places, repairing the breaches and raising the foundations of many generations.