Jesus, Paul reminds, died for all. (14-15) But who are the “all”? Are they everyone who has ever lived, is living, and will live? Is it all who say, “I believe in a god?” or “I believe in God?” Is it all who attend a congregation and/or a religious group? Is it the kind-hearted, those who love their family and friends, those who are charitable? Is the “all” Jesus died for those who celebrate their freedom to make choices and are grateful for this? The definition of “all” does not contain any of these.
Defining just who Jesus died for is understanding why he died and what his death did. Jesus died so all could die to sin and self. Jesus died “that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (15) Jesus, in a sense, died for all mankind, but not all mankind dies to sin and self. Most deny the presence and work of Jesus’ Spirit, and so his death bears no fruit in their life. “Away from me” means all mankind won’t be affected by the actions of his death. They do not die, and thus, will not live with Christ. They were dead, remain dead, and will physically die.
Paul said in the previous chapter, “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.” (2 Corinthians 4:10-12) Jesus died for all, but not all die for Jesus.
