Examining 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 (Part Three)

From the desk of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D., Bible Expositor & Teacher. We read, “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). The love of Jesus which converted Paul, now compels him! This brings us into a face to face confrontation with a great biblical declaration of the transforming character of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This good news does what nothing else can do. That is why Paul was never ashamed of it, because it can do what nothing else in the world – no philosophy, no line of argument, no education process, no self-help or reformation of any type – can ever achieve! It is a transformation by the implantation of a new life! This is authentic Christianity! Here is the great motive in Paul’s life, “the love of Christ controls us.” In other words, it constrains us, drives us out, motivates us, and then guides us after we get there, which sets the limits to what we should and what we should not do. That, he says, comes from the sense that Christ loves him. How about us? Is the love of Jesus controlling us? When it does, we’ll no longer live for ourselves, but for Jesus who died and rose again on our behalf. That is what Paul is experiencing here, the awareness that he is loved by God. There is nothing like it. It gives him a sense of security, a sense of self-worth, and a good self-image. If you suffer from a bad self-image, then hurry up and start thinking about what God says about you, how He loves you, and how Christ loves you and has given Himself to you, and that will change everything! Be encouraged!