Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we
also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so
that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves.
Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. (2
Corinthians 5:14, 15 NLT)
Control (Webster): a
person who acts as a check; controller; to eliminate or prevent the flourishing
or spread of; to exercise restraint or direction over; dominate; command; to
hold in check; curb
It was revealed to me that many people shy away from a
relationship with God due to their negative belief (and unfortunately some
personal experiences) that they will be (or have been) "controlled"
by a:
• Preacher;
• Church/organization;
• God,
himself
I can dig it. The idea of
someone "controlling" you gives the impression that you become a
robot, with no choice over what you eat, drink, your activities, where you go,
how long you stay, who you see, phone privileges, what you buy--if anything,
and consequences for breaking the(ir) rules. Wait! That sounds like jail or an
abusive relationship.
How about this: It's the 676th time you said you were not going
to do XY&Z but you did and now you feel like absolute CRAP
(confused, rejected, ashamed, purpose-less). You promised your children, Momma-Nem,
friends, the dog you weren't going to do “it” again, but something stronger than
yourself made you do it. Wait!! Sorry, that sounds like an addiction.
In actuality it’s the "C" word -- control --
but to the negative power causing you to be someone that you were never
designed to be. What do I mean?
• For
some it (control) stole your dreams, beat you down so badly you're almost
unrecognizable because of the excessive weight gain and/or the seemingly
permanent black and blue raccoon marks around your eyes from constantly
"falling" or "running into" fists, I mean doors.
• For
others they have lost control, hope and desires (can't find them with a
flashlight). They are just fading away
and if they lose another pound, no one will be able to find you.
• But
there's another group who drank the "koolaid of pride", right down to
the last drop and it leaves a bad taste in the mouth of everyone that comes in
contact with you because you are so full of yourself no one can stand you. You are controlled by your own selfish
ambitions and the formal education you received has turned you into a
bougy-monster.
• Bougy
(Urban dictionary “boo-ghe”: of or pertaining to someone who is
not only pretentious but believes themselves to be financially and physically
superior. Those who succumb to elitist ideals.
May I go deeper?
2 Corinthians 5:14:
Either way, Christ’s love controls
us. I realize the beginning of this text sounds like entering a
conversation in the middle, and it is.
Here’s a little background.
The text prior to verses 14 refers to the zeal that the Apostle Paul and
those working with him had for the ministry, the Saints were they serving. They were so zealous people accused them of
being crazy but they didn't care because it was to the benefit of those they
ministered to. Paul admits that they are
"controlled" by Christ's love.
This type of control is far different from the control I described
above. First we need to define Love:
Love (The Word of God): Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints,
it isn’t happy with
injustice, but it is happy with the truth. Love puts up with all things, trusts
in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Common English Bible)
I don't know about you but I will take that kind of "controlled
love" any day. In fact, some of us
desperately need "controlled love" because our lives are an absolute
shipwreck to put it mildly, with the sea of life flooding our ships (lives),
quickly causing us to sink into the depths of despair that will drown us if we
are not saved/rescued.
May I go deeper?
2 Corinthians 5:14-15 goes on to say: Since we believe that Christ died for all, we
also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so
that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves.
Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. (2
Corinthians 5:14, 15 New Living Translation)
Christ died for everyone, no matter what you have done. Listen to me, Sweetie, there is nothing you
have done that is unforgivable. Christ's
death and resurrection make it possible for us to have a new life, no longer
bound to hurtful unproductive lifestyles.
That doesn’t mean you get a new Social Security
Card, new Parents, Siblings, physical body, new hair texture (find a good
stylist they can hook you up), etc. I
mean a brand new spiritual you, the real you, your body is nothing more than a
shell that houses the real you -- your mind and spirit. How?
Simply by believing in Him (Christ) and confessing him as Lord and
Savior -- it's called belief and confession -- and it's just that simple. Once we do that, we die to our sinful nature,
the old way of life, thinking and existing; not physically, but spiritually. We are set free from the will and desire to
do the wrong things and to be controlled by sinful desires. We don't need a preacher or anybody else
telling us what is wrong or right because we know. The problem is that as long as we fail to
accept Christ we are slaves to sin, powerless to the enticement and influence
of fleshly desires that lead to us feeling CRAPy about the wrong decisions we
make.
The Good News is that by accepting Christ we are restored back to
our rightful position as children of God entitled to a New Life, no longer
bound to the old lifestyle, unless we chose to return to it. Again, this is only possible through a
relationship with Christ. Don’t
get it twisted to “joining a church”
that is not the answer alone. We can't
buy it, work for it, win it or steal it because it (salvation) is a free gift.
As a result of what Christ did for us and the fringe benefits
that come along with the gift of Salvation, we freely live for Christ because,
even though it’s a FREE gift, it is a privilege.
Submitted in His Excellence
Tan
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