Compelling Love

Christ loves us and calls us to be His own, walking in love, as He loved us “and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering  and sacrifice to God.”  By our conduct, our lives should say to others,  “I love you. Period.”

Ephesians 5.1–2 ESV
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

We are God’s sons and daughters through the Spirit, as Paul declares:
“As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

Romans 8  NKJV
¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.  ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

God makes all things work together for good to those who love Him, and absolutely nothing can separate us from His love.

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love
³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

 ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus declared, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you… These things I command you, that you love one another.”

John 15  NKJV
⁹ “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another.

Paul writes, “Therefore, If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation”…
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ”.  (2 Cor. 5:17 ,20)

2 Corinthians 5  NKJV
¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Peter enjoins believers to “love one another fervently with a pure heart”, as we live in the light of God’s Word.

1 Peter 1  (NKJV)
22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 6/10/17  https://compellinglove.net/

Christ’s Love and Call
(Song by David Krause, 2016)

1. Beloved, Beloved,
   Christ loves you and calls you
   To be His own.
   Brother, Sister,
   He loves you and calls you
   To be His friend,
   Strong and pure,
   Ambassador,
   Reaching out to others,
   That they may know Him too,
   And they may be His friend.

2. Yeshua Messiah,
   You love us and call us
   To be Your own.
   Master, Savior,
   You love us and call us
   To be Your friend,
   Strong and pure,
   Ambassador,
   Reaching out to others,
   That they may know You too,
   And they may be Your friend.