Under Constraint

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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. UNDER CONSTRAINT. Here is a man who beyond all others enjoyed the greatest spiritual liberty, glorying that he is under constraint.

1. A great force held him under its power. "Constraineth."(1) Consider the various meanings of the word "constrain." "Restrain."

(a)  The love of God "restrains" from self-seeking, and forbids the pursuit of any object but the highest.

(b)  The believer is "coerced or pressed," and so impelled forward as one carried along by pressure.

(c)  Christ's love "keeps us employed"; for we are carried forward to diligence by it.

(d)  The Lord's servants are "kept together and held as a band" under a standard. "His banner over me was love."

(e)  All their energies are "pressed into one channel, and made to move" by the love of Christ.

(2) All great lives have been under the constraint of some mastering principle. A man who is everything by turns and nothing long is a nobody: but a man, even for mischief, becomes great when he becomes concentrated. What made Alexander but the absorption of his whole mind in the desire for conquest? Hence come your Caesars and your Napoleons — they are whole men in their ambition. When you carry this thought into a holier sphere the same fact is clear. Howard could never have been the great philanthropist if he had not been strangely under the witchery of love to prisoners. Whitfield and Wesley had but one thought, and that was to win souls for Christ.

(3) Now, this kind of constraint implies no compulsion, and involves no bondage. It is the highest order of freedom; for when a man does exactly what he likes he expresses his delight generally in language similar to that of my text. Though he is perfectly free to leave it, he will commonly declare that he cannot leave it. When the love of Christ constrains us we have not ceased to be voluntary agents; we are never so free as when we are under bonds to Christ.

2. The constraining force was the love of Christ. That love, according to our text, is strongest when seen in His dying for men. Think of this love till you feel its constraining influence. It was love

(1)  Eternal;

(2)  Unselfish;

(3)  Most free and spontaneous;

(4)  Most persevering;

(5)  Infinite, inconceivable!It passeth the love of women and the love of martyrs. All other lights of love pale their ineffectual brightness before this blazing sun of love, whose warmth a man may feel, but upon whose utmost light no eye can gaze.

3. The love of Christ operates upon us by begetting in us love to Him. "We love Him because He first loved us."(1) His person is very dear to us: from His head to His feet He is altogether lovely. We are glad to be in the place of assembly when Jesus is within; for whether on Tabor with two or three, or in the congregation of the faithful, when Jesus is present it is good to be there.

(2) Your endeavours to spread the gospel show that you love His cause.

(3) As to His truth, a very great part of our love to Christ will show itself by attachment to the pure gospel, especially to that doctrine which is the corner-stone of all, namely, that Christ died in the stead of men.

4. This force acts proportionately in believers. We are all of us alive, but the vigour of life differs greatly in the consumptive and the athletic. You will feel the power of the love of Christ in your soul in proportion —

(1) As you know it. Study, then, the love of Christ.

(2) To your sense of it. Knowing is well, but enjoyment as the result of believing is better.

(3) To the grace which dwells within you. You may measure your grace by the power which the love of Christ has over you.

(4) To your Christ-likeness.

5. It will operate after its kind. Forces work according to their nature. He who feels Christ's love acts as Christ acted.

(1) If thou dost really feel the love of Christ in making a sacrifice of Himself thou Wilt make a sacrifice of thyself.

(2) If the love of Christ constrain you it will make you love others, specially those who have no apparent claim upon you, but who, on the contrary, deserve your censure. I do not know how else we could care for some, if it were not that Jesus teaches us to despise and despair of none.

(3) The love of Jesus Christ was a practical love.

II. THIS CONSTRAINT WAS JUSTIFIED BY THE APOSTLE'S UNDERSTANDING. "The love of Christ constraineth, because we thus judge." When understanding is the basis of affection, then a man's heart is fixed and his conduct exemplary. Paul's judgment was as the brazen altar, cold and hard, but on it he)aid the coals of burning affection, vehement enough in their flame to consume everything. So it ought to be with us. Paul recognised —

1. Substitution. "One died for all." This is the very sinew of Christian effort. Did He die for me? Then His love hath mastered me, and henceforth it holds me as its willing captive.

2. Union to Christ. "If one died for all, then they all died."Conclusions:

1. How different is the inference of the apostle from that of many professors! They say, "If Christ died once for all, then I am saved, and may sit down in comfort and enjoy myself, for there is no need for effort or thought."

2. How much more ennobling is the apostle's than that of those who do give to the cause of God and serve Him after a fashion, but still the main thought of their life is not Christ nor His service, but the gaining of wealth or success in their profession! The chief aim of all of us should be nothing of self, but serving Christ.

3. Such a pursuit as this is much more peace-giving to the spirit. If you live for Christ, and for Christ alone, all the carpings of men or devils will never cast you down.

4. A life spent for Jesus only is far more worth looking back upon at the last than any other. If you call yourselves Christians how will you judge a life spent in money-making?

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