Living for Self

St. Paul says this in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, "For the love of Christ controls us (or compels us in some translations), because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised."

There are a lot of things in our life that can and usually do control us besides Christ's love; personal comfort or security, family, relationships, money, career, pleasure, past hurts and disappointments, anxieties, etc. And when any one of these things apart from Christ is the primary force that is driving us, we slowly begin to grow colder and colder toward others around us and toward God Himself. The reason is because we are living for ourselves. And many people in this world will go through their entire life doing everything they can to worship the idol of self. And no matter what goals or accomplishments they attain, at the end of their life they are empty inside.

Life was meant to be lived for others. We are part of a bigger story that Christ is writing and he wants to us to be a part of it, but he can't if the only story that we think is important is our own personal story. The reason why Christians begin to get controlled by things other than Christ is because they have for gotten the deep, deep love that God in Christ has for them. You and I who believe in our hearts that Jesus was raised from the dead by God the Father so that we could be made righteous, are so loved that it is unfathomable. God loves you. It doesn't matter how well you are performing, if you messed up this week and snapped at a friend or relative, if you forgot to read your Bible, or you missed a church service; God loves you. That can never change (Romans 8:1; John 6:37). And many times when we are living for ourselves and not for God or others, it is because we have forgotten the sweet, unmerited, fully satisfying Gospel of God.

I am convinced that what changes people into mature Christians is that they grow more and more into a deeper understanding of the Gospel. For in doing so, you realize how selfish and ugly you really are, but yet how much Christ still loves you despite your filthiness. Jesus in John 7:47 says, "Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." This is the story of the woman that came to Jesus, poured expensive perfume on him and then proceeded to kiss His feet, wipe them with her hair while using her tears as a cleaning solution. The reality is, we have all been forgiven much. It is just that at times in life we can take our minds and hearts off of the Cross, off of what God has done for us, off of His love for us. If love for others and for God has grown cold in your heart, when was the last time you meditated on the Cross? When was the last time you meditated on all the things that God has given you in your life? Of which the most important is eternal life. Following more rules, trying harder, or pulling yourself up by your bootstraps will never cause you to love people or God more. But knowing that you are unfathomably loved by God solely through the work of Jesus Christ and nothing in and of yourself, that will change you.

Devotion written by our RTS intern and friend, Nik Franks