LOVE’S
PERSUASION
“For the love of Christ constraineth us…” 2Co 5:14
All of mankind is driven by either of two undeniable inward powers or
passions. We are born into this world with a love for self, and a love
for the things of the world, a love for every thing that will satisfy
our fleshly appetite. Those who are born from above have a love for
Christ and the things that are not of this world. The child of God has
both, yet the latter one has preeminence and dominion and will ultimately
prevail in the course of time and events. This insatiable desire and
appetite directs the path of one’s life. The scriptures term this “constraining
love”. This love is twofold in respect to God’s love for His people
and because of His love for them we love Him with the love that He has
given us. We have often heard “love” defined as “commitment”, “dedication”,
“devotion” , “faithfulness”, and etc. These are not what love is, these
are the evidence of existing love. Where these abide there is love.
Where these do not exist there is no love. All men have love, but all
men do not love Christ. The Object is non-existent in the hearts of
those that know not Christ, and the evidence is clearly revealed. The
Word of God declares that “If any man love the world, the love of
the Father is not in him” 1 John 2:15, and that “if any
man love God, the same is known of him“ 1Co 8:3. A profession
of love for Christ without commitment, devotion, dedication and faithfulness
to Him and His work is like a dead body with only a name tag on it’s
toe. The constraining love of Christ does exactly that…it constrains
us…it moves us…it persuades us…it compels us to come to Christ, loving
Him, worshipping Him, desiring the things of God. My prayer is:
“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.”
Eph 3:17-19
Tommy
