“The love of Christ constrains us, for we decide this way: If one died for all, all are dead; and He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14,15).
There is a healthy balance between security and inspiration in the gospel. The central fact of the gospel is that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). But this information is more than just interesting. This is inspiring. “Christ’s love compels us.” If Christ died for us, we must live for him. Thus the gospel balances the two things we need: a source of comfort and a sense of responsibility. “He died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”
Since different people need different things, the gospel addresses each of us where we are. If we are worried, downtrodden, and afraid, we need to hear about God’s love. But if we are lazy, irresponsible, and arrogant, we need to hear about God’s need for us to actively serve Him. But even when we are being warned, we need to be reminded that God is on our side. And on the contrary, when we are being reassured, we dare not forget that obedience is necessary. The gospel never loses sight of comfort or responsibility – and neither should we.
Jesus applied emphasis wherever it was needed. If that was what his audience wanted, he did not hesitate to emphasize one of these more than the other. Depending on the audience, Jesus could have said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28), but he could also have explicitly asked, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) This does not mean that Jesus contradicted Himself. It simply means that he knew the difference between those who needed sedative medication and those who needed stimulant medication. For our part, do we understand the gospel’s provision for both needs? And do we have the honesty to see where our own personal needs are greatest at any given time?
“It is true that the convert has such obligations laid upon him as there are no obligations in the whole world because he has been loved like no other love in the world; but the convert has been given peace like no other love in the world, because he knows that God loves him, not for what he is, but for what God is” (William Barclay).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com AreYouaChristian.com
