The Compelling Love of God!

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” – 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NIV

When we love someone wholeheartedly, we naturally want to give our lives to them. Moreover, we want to sacrifice everything for them, even if they are our desires. The main reason for this is probably because we want them to have joyous life around us. I do not have a girlfriend yet but I trust that God is providing a right girlfriend for me, who put God as the first priority and who can respect my work for God (Ephesians 2:10). Nevertheless, the love of God compels me all the time to be close in relationship with the church members as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, that I can share almost everything to them. This is because church is actually followers of Jesus Christ and I cannot be the church all by myself. I need some encouragement from others, even though I am a Christian or Devotional Writer who tries to encourage others powerfully from the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:19-22).

It is same with Jesus Christ, who is the perfect image of God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3). God has loved us so much that He sent Himself, as Jesus into the world. to crucify Himself on the cross for our sins. In addition to this, God has exchanged our eternal and final destinies from the death to the life. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) The main reason for this is that God has desperately wanted to share His kingdom with us (John 3:16-17; 1 John 4:9-10). To be honest, we do not deserve any of this since all of us have sinned by falling short of the glory of God but it is because of God’s love, mercy, and grace that we are saved spiritually (Romans 5:6-8), especially to those who believe in Jesus Christ “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10).

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:21-31)

Not only we should start to believe in Jesus Christ through repentance (Acts 2:38-39; Acts 3:19-20), we also should surrender and give our lives to Him (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). This is probably the reason why 2 Peter 3:8-9 declares, “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The main reason for these is that everything actually belongs to God (Colossians 1:16-20), including us since we have been created by Him to be His image (Genesis 1:27). Therefore, sacrificing and denying ourselves is necessary to be true worshipers of God and followers of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:24-27). I have the conviction of sacrificing myself to write devotionals in the mornings if I stay at home, but I really cannot write them throughout the week except Sunday because of my fatigue. Because of this, I really have to sleep early, in order to wake up early to write devotionals. I do not only just have to do devotionals throughout the week, I have to read devotionals, the word of God and listen to my podcasts, which is filled with sermons or audio devotionals, and I also have to pray and do theology course(s). This does not mean that I am a religious person, but I am doing all these things to gain knowledge of God and I want to express what my faith of Jesus Christ really looks like to God. In other words, I am doing all these things for the glory of God. Lastly, when I go to school, I will become more busy regardless of my changing schedules. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)