That They Might Live for Him
For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.
– 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Who are you living for? Or to rephrase it for English teachers, for whom are you living? Either way, when you make decisions about how you’re going to spend the next twenty minutes or the next twenty years, whose priorities drive those decisions? Do you make those decisions with a conscious awareness of the fact that you belong to someone other than yourself?
In our culture, possibly more than in any other, we bristle at the idea of being owned by someone. We’re not used to absolute authority. In our world of at-will employment and no-fault divorce, we’re unaccustomed to permanent relationships that require us to serve another without condition. But Scripture makes it clear that we are in just such a relationship. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 describes this by telling us that we are not our own, because we have been bought with a price.
Much could be said about the fact that we are owned by Christ. But for now, it is worth simply considering the fundamental fact that we belong to Him and not to ourselves. We are not volunteers or independent contractors or employees. In the happiest imaginable way, we are His property. Therefore, His will takes absolute precedence over our own.
This passage makes it clear that this relationship has been brought about by Christ’s death and resurrection on our behalf. Christ’s work for us should result in our living for Him, and it’s important to understand just how these two things are connected. Our motivation to live for Him is not simply a matter of gratitude, but of ownership. It’s one thing to serve someone who has paid your debts. It’s another thing to serve someone who has purchased you.
It is also important to remember that while Christ’s will is the ruling principle in our lives, we are still called to make real decisions. We don’t have every required step of our lives listed out for us. But we are to make those decisions in light of the priorities of the One to whom we belong, and to whom we will each give an account.
And what is the central priority of that One? It is love – first to God, and then to man. So this living for the One who died for us is another way of describing the idea of being controlled by the love of Christ. Christ died and rose again for us, so that we might be united to His death and resurrection, and might as a result live a life that is subject to His universal rule. In other words, a life controlled by the love of Christ.
May we prayerfully pursue this life together by the power of His Spirit and His Word.
Tags: 2 Corinthians, commentary
July 17th, 2011 at 10:57 am
buy@generic.LEVITRA” rel=”nofollow”>……
Need cheap generic LEVITRA?…
July 29th, 2011 at 5:02 am
Purchase@Discount.Coral.Calcium” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyit now…
July 29th, 2011 at 5:26 am
Cheap@Coral.Calcium.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric meds…
July 29th, 2011 at 7:07 am
Buy@Discount.Abana” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription…
July 31st, 2011 at 4:18 am
Order@Acai.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow…
August 1st, 2011 at 5:52 pm
Purchase@Abilify.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric pills…
August 2nd, 2011 at 2:05 am
Buy@Coral.Calcium.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription…
August 2nd, 2011 at 2:38 am
Buy@Cheap.Coral.Calcium” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buydrugs without prescription…
August 2nd, 2011 at 8:58 am
Buy@Abana.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it…
August 3rd, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Buy@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buyno prescription…
August 3rd, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Buy@Acai.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyit now…
August 3rd, 2011 at 10:39 pm
Order@Discount.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow…
August 4th, 2011 at 3:46 am
Purchase@Discount.Acai” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buyit now…
August 4th, 2011 at 7:03 pm
Order@Acai.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…
August 4th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
Cheap@Acai.500mg” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric drugs…
August 5th, 2011 at 4:17 am
Order@Energy.Boost.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…
August 5th, 2011 at 8:52 am
Purchase@Cheap.Energy.Boost” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyno prescription…
August 6th, 2011 at 1:10 am
Get@Accupril.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs…
August 7th, 2011 at 5:48 am
Buy@Aciphex.Online” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric pills…
August 7th, 2011 at 11:48 pm
Buy@Generic.Aciphex.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buyno prescription…
August 10th, 2011 at 2:51 am
Buy@Actonel.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric meds…
August 10th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
Purchase@Generic.Actonel.35mg” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric drugs krg…
August 11th, 2011 at 6:45 am
Order@Actos.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric pills zdg…
August 11th, 2011 at 5:02 pm
Purchase@Generic.Actos” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs zfk…
August 12th, 2011 at 6:45 am
Order@Acular.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric meds qmo…
August 12th, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Buy@Advair.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buynow it vhx…
August 14th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
Buy@Acai.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs itj…
August 15th, 2011 at 8:41 am
Buy@Energy.Boost.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buynow it cey…
August 15th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
Purchase@Energy.Boost.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buydrugs without prescription faj…
August 15th, 2011 at 8:59 pm
accupril@and.muscle.pain” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buynow it zdg…
August 16th, 2011 at 6:39 pm
Get@Accupril.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyit now irl…
August 18th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Cheap@Aciphex.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription gdt…
August 18th, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Buy@Generic.Aciphex.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buyit now knc…
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:17 am
Buy@Generic.Actonel.Without.Prescription” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs ouw…
August 22nd, 2011 at 9:38 am
Buy@Cheap.Advair” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buygeneric drugs hwi…
August 23rd, 2011 at 5:50 am
Purchase@Advair.Online” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buyno prescription jui…
August 23rd, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Purchase@Generic.Advair” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buynow it lmg…
August 24th, 2011 at 7:09 am
Buy@Generic.Advair.25mcg50mcg.25mcg125mcg.25mcg250mcg.50mcg500mcg.50mcg100mcg.50mcg250mcg” rel=”nofollow”>..< …
Buydrugs without prescription hak…
August 24th, 2011 at 8:29 am
Buy@Generic.Advair.25mcg50mcg.25mcg125mcg.25mcg250mcg.50mcg500mcg.50mcg100mcg.50mcg250mcg” rel=”nofollow”>..< …
Buyno prescription lka…
August 24th, 2011 at 9:48 am
Buy@Generic.Advair.25mcg50mcg.25mcg125mcg.25mcg250mcg.50mcg500mcg.50mcg100mcg.50mcg250mcg” rel=”nofollow”>…<…
Buywithout prescription ccw…
August 24th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Order@Aggrenox.Online” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buyit now sge…
August 26th, 2011 at 10:17 pm
aciphex@cancer.buy” rel=”nofollow”>..…
Buygeneric drugs…
August 28th, 2011 at 6:30 am
can@you.get.acai.berries.in.the.grocery.store” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buydrugs without prescription…
August 29th, 2011 at 2:16 am
..…
Buyit now…
August 29th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
buy@real.strong.armour” rel=”nofollow”>.…
Buydrugs without prescription…
October 17th, 2011 at 11:47 pm
mike divorce cancer tiffany…
Buy_generic pills…
October 19th, 2011 at 5:21 am
boulder valley asthma and allergy clinic…
Buy_no prescription…
October 25th, 2011 at 3:12 am
red wine and lipitor…
Buy_no prescription…
October 26th, 2011 at 4:10 am
follistim increase estradiol levels…
Buy_generic drugs…
October 27th, 2011 at 10:08 am
effexor xr 75…
Buy_generic pills…
October 27th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
genital erection…
Buy_now it…
October 27th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
low fat diets history…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
October 29th, 2011 at 9:41 am
hives rash from coming off prednisone…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 1st, 2011 at 5:09 am
what is metoprolol succinate used for…
Buy_it now…
November 1st, 2011 at 1:29 pm
zocor and ms…
Buy_it now…
November 1st, 2011 at 8:08 pm
adderall then tylenol pm…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 2nd, 2011 at 1:09 am
abdominal pain lutenizing hormone…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 2nd, 2011 at 11:09 am
ic tramadol hcl 50 mg…
Buy_generic meds…
November 2nd, 2011 at 2:28 pm
asthmatic inhaller mask for children…
Buy_it now…
November 4th, 2011 at 2:17 am
hot dog hospital diet substitutions…
Buy_generic drugs…
November 7th, 2011 at 7:52 am
allergic reaction to topical miconazole…
Buy_generic meds…
November 9th, 2011 at 4:04 am
twin pregnancy obstetrician specialist dallas…
Buy_drugs without prescription…
November 9th, 2011 at 2:04 pm
psychotic depression and philadelphia…
Buy_generic meds…
November 9th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
shampoo for people with dog allergies…
Buy_now…
November 11th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
menopause thyroid cancer…
Buy_without prescription…
November 12th, 2011 at 12:04 pm
boniva and bone thinning and breaks…
Buy_now it…
November 15th, 2011 at 5:02 pm
free fast diet tips…
Buy_generic meds…
December 10th, 2011 at 4:17 am
children@prozac.buy” rel=”nofollow”>……
Buywithout prescription…
June 29th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
…
Purchase Quality Generic Drugs Now!…
July 1st, 2012 at 6:08 am
…
Buy Generic Drugs Now!…