The heart of it all #2
| For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. (2Corinthians5:14) |
Because he has been gripped/compelled/constrained by Christ's love and by Christ's actions.
Paul is very clear about Jesus' actions: His death on the cross was the equivalent of everyone's death. Let's say that more fully... My eternity without God, which is the rightful result of my sin, was borne by Jesus as He hung on the cross. Your eternity without God, which is the rightful result of your sin, was borne by Jesus as He hung on the cross. All of humanity's eternity without God, which is the rightful result of its sin, was borne by Jesus as He hung on the cross.
As He hung on the cross, Jesus was the scapegoat for all humanity, and, in those three hours of dark God-forsakenness He carried the full weight of God's holy wrath in my place, your place and in the place of every human being to ever live.
One died for all and therefore all died.
The enormity of what Jesus died on the cross compels and grips Paul.
But what is equally astounding and gripping is Jesus' motive: He did this out of great and awesome love. Not because He had to or was forced to. He did it because He wanted to. He did it out of love.
Can you imagine a love willing to suffer so?
You don't have to imagine it - you've seen it.
Paul saw it and it gripped him.
