15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
15 For all things are for your sakes,
“All things” are the afflictions and labor of the gospel team (vv. 8-11). The suffering that Paul’s team endured was for the sake of the Corinthian church (2 Ti 2:10). They did not consider their safety because of their love of Christ and concern for the lost.
that grace,
God’s design is that the Corinthian believers might understand His grace.
having spread through the many,
It was Paul’s desire that the grace of God would spread so much that many without Christ would appreciate it. God multiplies grace when more and more people come to Christ (1 Pe 1:2; 2 Pe 1:2; Jude 2).
may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
Many people became Christians based on God’s grace. Because God made all the provisions of salvation, grace glorifies what He did. The ultimate purpose of creation is the glory of God.
PRINCIPLE:
We need to keep the penultimate and ultimate in perspective.
APPLICATION:
There is a difference between the penultimate and the ultimate purpose of God. The penultimate is the second highest, and the ultimate is the highest, in priority. The next-to-last purpose of God is to win as many as possible to Jesus; the final or ultimate purpose of God is to give God glory for all that He does for us. It is vital to put our ministry into the penultimate and ultimate perspective. Evangelism is for the ultimate purpose of bringing glory to God. He deserves the distinction for providing the gospel.
