2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: I. HOW A SINNER MAY COME TO KNOW THAT CHRIST LOVED HIM, FOR A VERY OBVIOUS REASON — THAT NO TRUTH NOR FACT CAN HAVE ANY INFLUENCE UPON OUR CONDUCT, UNLESS WE KNOW IT AND HAVE SOME INTEREST IN IT. We come to a knowledge of the love of God and of Christ by faith. "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in His Son." II. CONSIDER SOME OF THE QUALITIES OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 1. It is eternal love. "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee." 2. The love of Christ is free love. For it is offered without conditions or qualifications. We are to buy Him without money and without price. 3. The love of Christ to sinners is sovereign love. 4. His love is constant and everlasting love. Like the sun, it may sometimes be obscured to the believer's view by unbelief, ingratitude, and remaining lusts and idols; but the obscurity is in the believer's darkened eye, not in God. III. THE CONSTRAINING EFFECTS OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 1. The love of Christ, when truly believed by the renewed soul, carries away the soul by its moral power both to will and to perform our duty earnestly and constantly. The soul when under the influence of this love, may be compared to a bark set down on the cataracts of the Nile: whether the seamen will or not, they are carried down the stream. 2. The love of Christ constrains us to give all diligence to make our calling and our election sure. 3. If we believe that God and Christ love us, it will constrain us sweetly and powerfully to love Him again, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 4. But the love of Christ received into the heart by faith in the record constrains, not only to holiness in general, but to every particular duty required in the holy law. (F. Frew.) Parallel Verses KJV: For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: |
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