2 Corinthians 5:11-21 - Controlled By The Love Of Christ

¹¹ Therefore, because we know the fear inspired by the Lord, it is true that we are trying to win men, but our motives are plain to God; and I hope that in your inmost hearts they are plain to you also. ¹² We are not "commending ourselves" again to you, but rather are giving you cause for pride in us, so that you may have an answer ready for those who pride themselves on appearances and not on character. ¹³ For, if we were "beside ourselves," it was in God's service! If we are not in our senses, it is in yours! ¹⁴ It is the love of the Christ which compels us, when we reflect that, as one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵ And that he died for all, so that the living should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose for them.

¹⁶ For ourselves, then, from this time forward, we refuse to regard any one from the world's standpoint. Even if we once thought of Christ from the standpoint of the world, yet now we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if any one is in union with Christ, he is a new being! His old life has passed away; a new life has begun! ¹⁸ But all this is the work of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the Ministry of Reconciliation-- ¹⁹ To proclaim that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning men's offenses against them, and that he had entrusted us with the Message of this reconciliation. ²⁰ It is, then, on Christ's behalf that we are acting as ambassadors, God, as it were, appealing to you through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf--Be reconciled to God. ²¹ Him who never knew sin God made to be Sin, on our behalf; so that we, through union with him, might become the Righteousness of God.