HELD TOGETHER BY LOVE By Stephanie M. White For Christ's love compels us…2 Corinthians 5:14 NIV
Christ’s love compels us. What exactly does that mean?
To compel means to compress or arrest, to preoccupy, hold together, to constrain (to bring under control), to perplex.
The love of Christ compels us; it keeps us in the Word of God. If we are in the Word for any other reason, then the Word will not produce the Spiritual fruit God intended. Some read the Word out of duty or out of fear, for example; this is not the way the Word is to be received. The Word is God’s love letter and it must be received that way. God's wants His love to preoccupy His children.
The love of Christ is useful; it holds us together! As we abide in the love letter of the Word we will find that God is holding us together. The Word will keep us from falling apart in the midst of trials and problems. The Word induces faith and faith produces Spiritual actions that will overcome our carnal reactions. His love brings us under control – it keep us in the Spirit and out of the flesh. The love letter of the Word is our Spiritual weapon. If we ignore the Word, we ignore our Spiritual power!
Christ’s love can even sometimes be perplexing. Christ’s love is the catalyst for change in us and we cannot even explain exactly how the transformation takes place. All we know is that the Word works – and it works because Christ loves us! The Bible is God’s love in word form and we can never completely understand its worth, but it compels us!
Stephanie is a Bible teacher and the author of several books. Find her books and articles HERE. Contact |