The love of Christ compels us (2 Corinthians 5:14).

In this scripture, we find that the love Christ has for us has been so poured out that we now have the ability to love as He loved us! His love is so convincing that with certainty, we know He died for us, therefore we all died which means that we, being a new creation, can execute that for which Christ has saved us! From the moment of salvation, we were made new! And through the process of sanctification, being set apart by God, we now grow in this grace and knowledge and are certain of who He is and who we have become in Him!

“He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:5-6). John tells us that whoever keeps God’s word has the continuing work of being perfected in the love of God. Because of His great love for us, we can now walk as Christ walked. We are tethered to Him and each other by this love which flows from Him through us and has caused us to willingly love Him and others! This love is compelling, not subjugating, entreating, not abusive; it is long suffering and always kind! “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). “If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit” (1 John 4:12-13). Since we have His Spirit, we have His ability to love His creation as did He. He was so tethered to His creation that He laid down His life for it. Therefore, we are instructed by that same focused love to lay down our life for our fellow believers, our wives, husbands, children, and all humanity! His will is accomplished by being tethered to each other with the bonds of His love! There is no other way!

Pastor Don