The Constraining Love of God

by Terry Ivy

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What is the compelling force or impetus behind the Christian life? To outsiders or unbelievers, the answer may appear to be one of the many types of fear: fear of approval, fear of judgment, fear of rejection, etc. And sad to say, many times fear is the impetus behind the actions of believers. However, for those who have surrendered their life to the Lamb of God, the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians tells us what it should be.

"For the love of Christ constraineth us;" (II Cor. 5:14)

The greek word for constraineth means, "to press on every side, to hold, arrest, to compel." It is used as if a prisoner is 'held or arrested.' There is no getting away! This is what happens when we are born again through receiving the gospel. We become prisoners of the love of Christ, arrested by His compassion and truth, and held captive by the power of His great Love!

Oh, what a fresh breath of freedom in the Holy Spirit we experience when we enter into this power. Too many times we let various fears control or compel us. This produces the ultimate bondage of religious legalism! Whenever any impulse other than the love of Christ moves us, the product will not have the spirit, power or tenderness of the Lamb of God. We become talking heads with hard hearts, religious egotists with arrogant dispositions, or wild eyed fanatics with faulty doctrine.

We can check our motives very quickly by praying and asking ourselves, "Am I doing this because the love of Christ is moving me, or because of something else?" The genuine power to obey the Lord only comes from the Love of Christ pulsating in our hearts. The persuasiveness to convince others of God's truth only comes from the penetrating presence of God's Love. The freedom to walk in genuine Christian liberty only comes from the arresting force of the Love of Christ.

Let us surrender to the arresting power of Christ that we may be prisoners who are held and compelled by the power of His Love! Let us call out to Him in prayer with a fresh surrender to His marvelous Love. Also, let us refuse to allow anything other than His Love to control us. Then we can fulfill our destiny and soar like eagles!

Because of His Love,
Terry