14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
If some thought that Paul’s team was imbalanced mentally, then they needed to know the motivating principle that directed their ministry. Paul explained their protocols of doing what they did in this section.
14 For
The “for” explains why some called Paul’s team crazy (2 Co 5:14).
the love of Christ
The “love of Christ” here is not the Christian’s love for Christ but His love for them.
PRINCIPLE:
Christ’s love for the believer is the primary motivation for evangelism.
APPLICATION:
The primary motivation for service to our Lord is His love for us. Our Lord never stops loving us. He does not stop loving us when we step out of fellowship. It grieves Him, but He loves us, nevertheless (Jn 11:3-5; 13:1; 13:23; 14:21; 15:9; Ga 2:20; Eph 5:1-2, 25; Re 1:5).
The belief that Christ loved the Christian enough to die for him is the supreme motivation behind all service for Him. If a person accepts, believes, and appropriates what Christ did for him, it will compel or motivate Him to serve his Lord. It is transformative. Christ’s love should hold the believer in its grip. Its powerful influence places a person in a position where he has no choice but to serve Him.
The wonder of Christ’s love for the Christian will never cease (Ro 8:35-39; Ga 2:20; Eph 3:19; 5:25). His love is unconditional because He died for our sins; we are free from anything that would hinder fellowship with Him.
The governing influence on how Christians put priority on their lives should be Christ’s love for them, His self-sacrificing action on their behalf.
