- Lesson Fourteen in the Connect360 unit “Ambassadors for Christ: The Ministry of Reconciliation” focuses on 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
In 2 Corinthians 5:14, Paul began by stating, “For Christ’s love compels us.” The phrase encapsulates the deep motivation behind the ministry of reconciliation.
The love of Christ is not just a theological idea; it is a living, breathing force that drives believers to action.
Paul’s personal testimony about the transforming power of Christ’s love was rooted in the knowledge Christ died for all people, reconciling them to God.
The apostle further explained the love of Christ compels believers to live “for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:15).
It is a sacrificial love—shown in Christ’s death and resurrection—that becomes the central push behind the Christian’s desire to share the message of reconciliation with others.
Moreover, Paul’s use of the term “compels” (Greek, sunechō) speaks to a deep inner driving force, one that controls andmotivates the believer’s every action.
The compulsion comes not from external pressure or obligation but from a heart transformed by God’s love.
The experience of God’s love is so profound, it compels believers to step into the world as ambassadors, representing Christ’s message of hope to a broken and desperate world.
The motivation is also rooted in the theological understanding that humanity is estranged from God due to sin, and the only means of reconciliation is through Jesus Christ.
Paul wrote in Romans 5:10 that “while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son.”
This passage (Romans 5:10–11) reinforces the reality that God’s love is not contingent upon human worthiness but is agracious initiative from God to restore the broken relationship. The Christian response to unmerited grace is a desire toshare the message of reconciliation with others, inviting them into the same restored relationship with God.
Experiencing God’s love profoundly and personally changes us forever.
Christ’s love toward us draws our response to him. Christ’s love in us spurs us to care about others. Christ love through us stirs others to know and embrace him.
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