Living By Faith Blog

A Heart-Capturing Love

That’s what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 —

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

The Greek word “controls” means that Christ’s love “holds [Paul] fast as the controlling factor in his life” (David Garland, 2 Corinthians (1999), p. 277).

In other words, Paul has been so overwhelmed by the beauty of Christ’s love that his one aim is to behold, and magnify, Christ’s love.

And that’s what will happen to all those who see and feel the love of Christ.  As Paul puts it at the end of v.15 — they will “no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

Seeing Christ’s Love

But where do we see Christ’s love most clearly?

Paul’s answer is that we see it most clearly in the cross, because the cross shows Jesus dying for all of us.

Our sin dishonors God’s infinite glory, and so we deserve infinite punishment.

But by lowering himself to become a man, and by being punished on the cross, Jesus paid the infinite punishment we deserve.

He Loves Us

But why did he do that?  Because he loves us.

We dishonored him — but he loves us.

We rebelled against him — but he loves us.

We rejected him – but he loves us.

We shouted “Crucify him!” — but he loves us.

Be Captured by This Love

Take time right now, or as soon as you can, to let your heart be captured afresh by Christ’s love.

Ask for more of the Spirit’s work of revealing Christ to you.

Think deeply on verses like the following —

“And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore…” (Revelation 1:17-18)

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

And let this worship song by Chris Tomlin and Christy Nockels help you –

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj_s9_45QpI

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