Compelled by Love
2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Rev. Brian Bill
October 18-19, 2025
I sense you want to break out into praise for what God is doing, so let’s stand and give Him the glory by singing the Doxology together.
Sing the Doxology
Let’s remain standing as we read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21.
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Here’s the main idea: The love of Christ compels us to share His love with the lost.
1. The compulsion we feel. When we ponder the love of Christ, we can’t help but want to share that love with others. This is stated in verses 14-15: “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” The word “controls” means, “to compel or constrain” and has the idea of “being compressed forcibly so as to push out.”
One pastor offers this great perspective: “Being a Christian does not mean merely believing in our head that Christ died for us. It means ‘being constrained’ by that reality. The truth presses in on us; it grips and holds; it impels and controls. It surrounds us and won’t let us run from it.”
The phrase “for all” is used twice and is a term for substitution. Jesus died in our place, on our behalf. I think of Isaiah 53:5-6: “But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace…and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Hudson Taylor, the pioneer missionary to China, was motivated for missions not by a sense of duty, but because of the compelling love of Christ. He realized that if Christ died for him, then he could no longer live for himself. That truth became the driving force behind his obedience and endurance through years of trial and isolation. God used this verse to ignite his heart with a holy passion to reach the unreached in China. The same love that rescued him also propelled him to go with the gospel. When we’ve been gripped by the love of Christ, we can’t help but share it with the world.
2. The contrast we see. Because the love of Christ controls us, we’re compelled to tell others about Him. But first, we must see people as Jesus sees them. Notice verse 16: “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer.” Instead of viewing people through the filters of race, ethnicity, economic status, ideology, education, appearance, or lifestyle, we must see them as eternal souls who will live forever.
When a plane goes down, reporters don’t just say how many passengers were lost; they tell us how many souls perished. Why? Because even the world recognizes that every person is more than flesh and blood. Every face you pass, every voice you hear, every hand you shake belongs to someone who will spend eternity either with God in Heaven or separated from Him in Hell forever. That reality ought to shake us, stir us, and send us to rescue perishing souls.
C.S. Lewis put it like this: “There are no ordinary people. You have never met a mere mortal…it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit.”
The love of Christ compels us to share His love with the lost.
3. The change we experience. Listen to verse 17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” If you have been born again through the new birth, you are a brand-new creation. The phrase “in Christ” indicates someone who has been saved from their sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The word “new” means, “new in quality, freshly made or created.” When you are saved, you literally become someone you never were before.
The “old has passed away,” means the old life has “perished.” The use of “behold” is designed to call attention to this fact, “Look! Don’t miss this because the new has come.” If you are saved, you have been created anew, and the old you has been abolished. As Jesus declared in John 3:3: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Reconciliation is the result of regeneration.
Over thirty years ago, I read a very captivating book by David Needham called, “Birthright: Christian, Do You Know Who You Are?” I ponder the premise often: “A Christian is not simply a person who gets forgiveness, who gets to go to heaven, who gets the Holy Spirit, who gets a new nature. Mark this—a Christian is a person who has become someone he was not before.”
4. The calling we receive. Our calling is spelled out clearly in verse 18. Those who are reconciled are called to be reconcilers: “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” The phrase “all this is from God” places the emphasis on God. Our enmity against God has been eliminated by God Himself! I think of Jonathan Edwards’ famous quote: “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” I provide my sin, and He takes care of everything else.
The word “reconciliation” means, “to restore to friendship by bringing harmony between enemies.” The opposite of reconciliation is alienation. At its root it refers to “change, or exchange.” In Hebrew, it means “to take pleasure in.” Ancient Greeks used this word to describe two people in previous conflict who are now at peace with one another.
Notice how Christ “reconciled us to Himself.” We can’t make ourselves right with God because our relationship with Him has been ruptured, and God’s wrath is rightfully directed against us. If there’s going to be peace, He’s the only one who can make it happen.
As recipients of reconciliation, we’ve now been given the responsibility of the “ministry of reconciliation.” The word “gave” has the idea of “entrusting to” and “bestowing upon.” The word “ministry” is the word from which we get “deacon” and means “service.” We are saved to serve and to send. 2 Corinthians 3:6 says God “has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant.”
The love of Christ compels us to share His love with the lost.
5. The content we share. Once we receive the miracle of the new birth and strive to live out our roles as ministers of reconciliation, verse 19 tells us we must get the gospel right: “That is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” love the phrase, “not counting their trespasses against them.” The word “count” means to, “impute, calculate, or reckon.” Because of the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross, when we are born again, no charges are counted against us, since the righteous wrath of God was fully satisfied through the shedding of His blood.
The miracle of reconciliation comes about by being reborn. When you come to Christ, your guilt is gone, you are made new, and your relationship with God is restored. Your enmity with God has been eliminated through Christ’s substitutionary atonement. Propitiation has taken place, meaning God’s righteous wrath has been fully and finally satisfied, and you have been adopted into His forever family as a beloved son or daughter of the Father.
The word “message” is the Greek word logos, which in John’s gospel is a clear reference to Jesus. Our message is not how to “Have your best life now” or “How to be healthy and wealthy and happy” or “Name it and claim it.” Our message is the gospel that brings redemption and reconciliation. We have been “entrusted” with this precious message, which refers to “depositing, laying down, and assigning.” We are obligated to share the message of reconciliation with those who are still at war with God.
6. The commission we fulfill. In verse 20, we’re called to passionately urge people to be reconciled to God: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” We are more than messengers; we are representatives of the Sovereign who sent us.
We have been called by the King to give a message of reconciliation to those who are in rebellion. As ambassadors, we have the authority and obligation to act on His behalf. We are sent with the endorsement of the King and are entrusted to speak on His behalf. John 17:18: “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”
I love the reminder of how God is “making His appeal through us.” We are simply the instruments God chooses to use. This takes pressure off because it’s not all up to us. Our responsibility is to enter conversations with people so we can make a bridge to the gospel. The results are all up to Him. If someone is interested, God will make it clear. When they’re not, just smile, say a prayer, and see who else God wants you to speak with.
When we do have an opportunity to have a gospel conversation, we’re to “implore” people to be reconciled to God. “Implore” means, “to urge, to beseech, to beg.” The idea is to make an impassioned plea. When you think about it, the only reason we are still here on earth is to urge people to be reconciled to God. If you only have brief window to witness to someone, this summary of the gospel may be helpful to remember.
• The gospel in four words: Jesus took my place.
• The gospel in three words: Him for me.
• The gospel in two words: Substitutionary atonement.
• The gospel in one word: Reconciliation.
That’s the message we’ve received, and that’s the mission we’re responsible to carry out. Let’s make sure we’re living on mission by glorifying God and making disciples of Jesus in our families, among our neighbors, and among the nations.
The love of Christ compels us to share His love with the lost.
7. The Christ we proclaim. Verse 21 contains a concise statement of what Christ completed on the cross for our reconciliation: “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Our sins were placed on Christ and in their place, Christ gave us His righteousness.
When we repent and receive Christ, we are reckoned as righteous. We could call this the “great exchange.” God treated the One who knew no sin as sin, so our rottenness could be exchanged for His righteousness. I like how one commentor said it: “The one who knew no sin was made sin for us, that we who knew no righteousness might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
So, here’s a question: Do you want to be reconciled to God so you can become someone you’ve never been before? Are you ready for God to write your salvation story?
Gospel Invitation
Let’s stand for this closing benediction from Philemon 6. Our next sermon series will be a verse-by-verse study of this remarkable, and yet often overlooked book: “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”
