Compelled by Love by Rev. Vince Finnegan

2 Corinthians 5:14 -- “Controls” means pressure applied not so much to control as to cause action. It is motivation rather than directional force. The source of the pressure is the love of Christ.

Philippians 1:23-25 At this point in his life, he is an older man who is thinking about dying, but for love’s sake he will continue to live.

Acts 9:23-25 - escaped death; Acts 15:19-24 - stoned to death; Acts 16:22-40 - beaten with rods, thrown in jail; Acts 19 - the center of a city-wide riot....

Acts 21:27-22:21 The love of God compelled him.

2 Corinthians 5:15 -- The word “for” is from a Greek word that can be understood as “instead of” or “in place of.”

Galatians 3:13 -- The curse of the cross was endured by Christ instead of by us.

Romans 5:6-11 The reconciliation is the restoration of a loving relationship with God. God miraculously placed the love of God and the love of Christ in us. We are not compelled by our own virtue, rather by God working in us.

Galatians 2:20 - Who loved me and gave Himself up for me

2 Corinthians 5:15 Paul’s motivation was this great love and is ours also.

Ephesians 2:4-10 The work of God is the ministry of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:15 - He died for us so that we would live for him.

16 -- Previously, Paul had a completely inadequate knowledge of Christ based upon a human viewpoint; now his understanding and ours are not limited to the flesh.

21 -- Christ knew no sin (Matthew 27:4; Luke 23:47; John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:19 and 2:22). Jesus did not become sin; rather, he was the sin offering. The same word for “sin” in the Greek Old Testament is translated “sin offering.”

Righteousness of God - Romans 3:21-26 and Philippians 3:7-9