“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.” (2Corinthians 5:14-15)
Paul writes to the Corinthians that he is compelled or obligated by the love of Christ to live for Him. Jesus said, “He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:37) The love for Christ is based on His love for us. “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1John 4:19) As Paul states in Corinthians. When Adam died to life in the Lord for death, we all suffered the same consequences. We all died. And when Christ died, He died for us, taking the debt of death from us so that we could live forever more. “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25-26)
Jesus took our sin, our faults and failures so that we could come up to God’s standard. And He placed on us His perfection, His holiness and righteousness. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6) As John proclaimed, He is the Lamb of God. He took our sins on Himself so that they’re not imputed to us, but to Him when we receive His merciful gift of grace. “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)
We show our love and devotion to Jesus by keeping His commandments, obeying Him and living for Him. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:21) It is not a burden, nor an obligation out of a sense of duty or law, but out of love and gratitude. At the same time, we know that we live for Him not alone and not wandering around not knowing how to live for Him but guided by Him and helped by Him. We make ourselves available to be used for His glory. “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:39)
Those who don’t have Jesus find it hard to understand the love we have for Him. We cannot even understand it, but in terms we can understand it’s gratitude for the life He gives us. Scripture tells us that it’s beyond understanding. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)
This is a work of God and not of human effort. It’s not something that can be duplicated in the natural or any other power. It’s a supernatural work that only God does. “And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:1-10)
What God does is perfect. His work in us is perfect. He gives us perfect gifts of peace, joy and love. And the life we lead in Him, trusting and depending on Him is perfect. The new life in Him is the evidence. Our daily walk is evidence. We surrender all to Him, the good, the bad and the ugliness of life and He gives us what is best for us. We cannot but be constrained like Paul to live a life in Him.
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