The Christian Life: His Love Constrains Us

The love of Christ constrains us (2 Cor. 5:14-21). To understand what the word “constrains” means, we need to know that we owe a debt to Jesus for our lives, like someone saving your life in war, and then you do all you can to protect and save the life of that person. Jesus’ death for our lives constrains us because it is a covenant bond, and God has the right to ask everything of us. Rom. 13:8 states that what we owe is to love one another. LOVE IS A DEBT, BOND, OBEDIENCE, COVENANT, ALLEGIANCE. The word “constrains” can also be used when someone is “taken with a fever”, meaning is has a hold on someone. We love God, and He loves us (1 John 3:14-18). You must forgive others, because Jesus has forgiven you (Col. 3:13). Pastor Dale shares a power testimony of Smith Wigglesworth’s wife and one that matched that in Mariupol, Ukraine. Eph. 5:2 tells us to walk in love. Pastor Dale tells of an example when he walked in love when his assistant took a church from him. The debt we owe Jesus is one we can’t work off. You belong to your Master. God doesn’t postpone your debt. He forgives it! Another meaning for “constrains” is to be put into debtors’ prison for a debt owed. Love in Christ Jesus is to lay down your life. LOVE NEVER FAILS! God’s love is in you (Rom. 5:5). Love is a commandment. Don’t feel love for someone? Don’t fake it. Faith it!