Love for God Constrains
The love of
Christ constrains or compels us. (2Co 5:14) Here's what I
found when I looked up the Greek for "constrains" (sunecho, Strong's
4912): http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4912&t=KJV.
The usage of the word implies a level of control that could lead one
away from that which he would naturally desire.
Jesus said, "If
ye love Me, keep My commandments." (Jn 14:15) Is this a
command to keep the law, or a description of the one who truly loves
God? I believe it's the latter. This is one of the few instances where
I prefer the NIV: "If you love me, you will obey what I
command." Closer to the KJV, here's how the NASB puts it: "If
you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
When we truly
love God, we do not obey just because we are required to. We are
re-created such that righteousness becomes natural, and sin
becomes abhorrent. "All true obedience
comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent,
He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our
hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we
shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and
sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we
know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of
continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of
Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us."
{DA 668.3} "True obedience is the
outworking of a principle within. It springs from the love of
righteousness, the love of the law of God. The essence of all
righteousness is loyalty to our Redeemer. This will lead us to do right
because it is right--because right doing is pleasing to God."
{COL 97.3}