Compelled By The Love Of Jesus Christ

For if we are beside ourselves,

it is for God; or if we are of sound mind,

it is for you.  For the love of Christ compels us,

because we judge thus: that if One died for all,

then all died; and he kept that died for all,

that those who live should live no longer

for themselves, but for Him who died

for them and rose again.

2 Corinthians 5: 13 -- 15

            Paul is not putting forth self--commendation, for their own sakes, when he was speaking about their fidelity and diligence, he was giving an answer to those who suspected him and were speaking against him.  This argument was to answer his accuser who made vain boasting and glorified themselves in appearances.  All that Paul had done and was doing was for them and for them to come to the truth and knowledge of Jesus Christ's who had died for their sins.  It was this love of Christ that him and should be driving them and was his and theirs, foundation enabling him and them to teach to the Gospel and to answer any accusers.The English word used "compels" does not give the actual sense of the Greek word: συνέχει: this word speaks and as it is understood by the Greeks and should be by us that the love of God should confine you, and should stop your ears so that you are not hearing that which is in contradiction to God's Word so that you become a believer of that contradiction.  This word is for you to exercise a constraining of any influences on you that is in any contradiction to God's Word.  You are to be affected with a fear, to have a mental constriction and can be hard pressed by urgency of circumstances, most circumstances that once again would drive you away from being an Authentic Christian.  Why?  Because Jesus Christ died for all, that is His death paid for sin, that has condemned the world.  And then, by His death and His payment to exercise justice as needed by God you should now no longer live for yourselves bought for Him who died for you.  As with the Corinthian Christians that required Paul to address certain exercises within that church and was occurring even in other churches, and even incurring in many churches today is that there is a need for people to satisfy themselves.  This they do by the exercises of certain rituals that are not to be found in the Bible but make them feel holy as though by doing so somehow God will be more pleased with them.  Return to the Bible for guidance not just the New Testament, the Bible.  One such example is David and his battle against the Philistines where he had a great victory.  David was thirsty and had asked for a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem.  Now this well was in the camp of the Philistines by three mighty men broke through the camp and drew some water and took it and brought it to King David.  Now here's where it gets interesting, David was thirsty, was he not (2 Samuel 23: 15)?  Yes!  Here is what David did: "so if that the three mighty men broke into the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David.  Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD" (2 Samuel 23:16).  The love of God constrains us and compels us not to be influenced by those things which are not Scriptural and yet many churches today have influenced many people to exercise a type of faith in rituals: i.e.; laying down on gravestones as somehow this has some effect for the dead or for themselves as though they're doing something for God, or running through tunnels of fire or simply falling over swooning and as being slain by the Spirit.  Or running around trying to heal everyone, almost as though they are in a treasure hunt game.  This is like water drawn from the enemy's camp and as David knew this he would not drink it but poured it out to the LORD.  What has been your water from the well of Bethlehem?  Was it love, or some friendship, or a spiritual blessing?  If you take to satisfy yourself that you're doing so at the peril of your own soul for you cannot if you're doing this for yourself pour it out before the Lord.  You can never sanctify to God that with which you long to satisfy yourself.  Self-satisfaction because of a blessing from God done only to satisfy yourself you will become corrupted.  You must pour it out, you must sacrifice it, and to do with it what your common sense may say to you is an absurd waste: it is not!  We are to be compelled, constrained, by the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and to pour out unto the Lord even our natural love or spiritual blessing.  How can one do this?  By the determination of your mind.  We must pour out unto the Lord everything then these things pour out into rivers of living water.  Until I do pour these things out before the Lord, they endanger those I love as well as myself because they will turn to lust.  We can become lustful towards things which are not sordid and vile.  This love, this love of God, our love for the Lord Jesus Christ, has to get its transfiguration point by our pouring out everything unto the Lord.  If you are always taking blessing to yourself and never learn to pour out everything, other people do not grow in the Lord through you.  We are to be the ones proclaiming living water, and that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ for we are His ambassadors.  Are you being compelled, are you becoming determined, are you allowing the love of Jesus Christ to be all in all in you because He died for you once, and rose again and sits at the right hand of God the father making eternal interests section for you even though you are sinful, and at times must pay the consequences of your sins, your sins have been paid for, so then why not live according to this truth?

Some trust in chariots, and

            some in horses;

but we will remember the

            name of the LORD

our God.

                        Psalm 20:7

Become an Authentic Christian

Richard L. Crumb