foundational stuff

2 Corinthians 5: 14 ...Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
15 He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. (dan note: so much for the obsessive focus on the "American Dream" or a life filled with stuff - if we live for Him, then that means we do what He says - which could mean living in the USA in tghe lap of luxury but not being touched by it, or it may mean living in a tree in Borneo) Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!
17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. (dan note: don't forget that Paul knew what he was talking about; he had persecuted, imprisoned, & killed a lot of Christ followers before the Damascus Road encunter with Jesus) The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (dan note: some much for the attitude, "I can be a Christian & still live like I always have. Besides, I don't know about you, but I needed & need a new life. The one outside the control & influence of God isn't all that wonderful!!!))

18 And all of this is a gift from God, (dan note: "a gift" - not something we earn - how many of us are trying to earn God's love &/or earn our way into His good graces & into heaven?!) who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him.
19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.
20 So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. (dan note: as ambassadors, we represent Him - & He's doing His work through us) We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God! " (dan note: "we speak for Christ"? WOW!)
21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.