Convinced and Compelled.

“For Christ’s love compels us,” wrote Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:14, using the present indicative of sunecho, meaning Messiah’s love is constantly driving us forward in the Mission, urging us onward in His Cause, impelling us toward the objective of our good and His glory.  Christ’s love is what holds us on course!  It pushes us to seek for the greatest good of others, to serve without concern for self as our foremost priority, to give generously and love graciously.  Our love for our Lord, and our willing embrace of His love for us, is the deepest and most powerful motivation we possess for ‘reaching out’ to the lost and the lonely with the Glorious News of redemption in Him.

Why?  “Because we are convinced that One died for all [meaning the entire human race, not merely the Elect], and therefore all died.  And He died for all [none excluded, without exception], so those presently living should no longer live for themselves but start living for the sake of Him who died on their behalf and was raised again,” v. 15.  You see that little word “for” in vv. 14-15?  It’s a preposition of substitution; it means- ‘for the sake of someone else, in behalf of, instead of.’  I.e., in someone else’s place, which tells us two things.  [1] Jesus took our place on the Cross so we could take His place in the world.  And [2] Jesus died for us so that we could live for Him.  If we’re living for ourselves— following our own plans, seeking only our own desires— then we’re not fulfilling the purpose for which Christ came into the world.  He died so those of us “living in the here and now would no longer continue directing our own wayward course, but would begin to live on behalf of and in place of this One who died for us and was raised to Life” {RRExp}.

‘Substitution’ is the first of two profound themes in 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:2.  This initial idea is that Someone would come one day who could stand in our place, on our behalf, for our benefit, and mediate between a righteous God, a holy Father, an impeccable Creator and His fallen Creation, One who could bridge the gulf our sin had created: One who would pay a price none other could pay and undergo a suffering and separation none other could endure!

Paul in vv. 14-15 said Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the Messiah, is that One-- the Son of the Living God, the Savior of all mankind.  He is the “One” who “died for all,” for each and every one of us, to bring us the precious Gift of His very own Life.  And this, my friends, is the ultimate substitution = of the Righteous for the unrighteous, the Sinless for the sinners, the Innocent for the guilty!

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296 | hjcommunity.org
Heart’s Journey – where the Word and the Spirit are one.