What Constrains You?

By Thomas Cosmades

People are possessed and controlled by all sorts of passions:--politicians to win position for office, athletes by the fever to finish for the medal, artists by effort to produce their best, lovers of rock music by the beat of the band, etc.

There is a word in the Greek New Testament—synochi, synecho, synechomai—which tells of being possessed in a different way. In its various usages it conveys the same meaning: “…and they brought Him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains” (Matthew 4:24). “Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever” (Luke 4:38). “The father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery” (Acts 28:8). “For they were seized with great fear” (Luke 8:37).

In each of these cases the same Greek word is employed in passive tense: synechomai. The exact translation of the word is to grip, spur on, constrain, compel, force.

It has to do with repressing natural feelings or behavior. The same word is employed in four striking usages in the New Testament. These four utterances constitute the four basic axioms which ought to govern the life of the true Christian believer.

I. THE CONSTRAINING FORCE OF THE CROSS (Luke 12:50)

From the moment he contemplated his earthly ministry, Jesus Christ was possessed by the reality of the Cross. He could have done everything he did – miracles, healing, teaching, etc.,-- without becoming flesh, except for taking away our sins. “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world” (I John 4:14).

Christ’s earthly life was one totally controlled by the inescapable constraint of the Cross. He spoke about it frequently and clearly: “Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” (Matthew 22:20); “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death” (Matthew 26:38). “Now my soul is troubled …For this purpose I have come to this hour” (John 12:27).

His was a life under the constant distress caused by the Cross, spoken also prophetically: “My soul is also sorely troubled, but thou, O Lord – how long?” (Psalm 6:3). “For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol” (Psalm 88:3).

Taking the place of us wicked humans put the Prince of Peace under continuous storm and stress. This cannot be easily comprehended.

The genuine follower of Jesus Christ cannot be considered apart from the effect of the Cross upon his life. “And anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:38).

The Christian’s life has many undesirable traits. Deliverance from these is possible only through the power of the Cross: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him” (Romans 6:11). “But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness” (Romans 8:10). Only this kind of death is death with glory, out of which total victory emerges. “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).

Jesus Christ was constrained by the baptism of the Cross. And the believer ought to be spurred on by the same. “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, that we may live a new life. If we have been united with him in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection” (Romans 6:4-6). Let the power of the Cross envelop your life and bring you to deliverance from all undesirable tendencies and habits.

II. THE CONSTRAINING FORCE OF THE WORD (Acts 18:5)

“When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with preaching, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus” (Acts 18:5 critical text).

Paul came from Athens to the wicked city of Corinth. The wickedness and immorality of Corinth was a byword in the Greek world. The great Temple of Apollo was the home of two hundred temple prostitutes. In the name of religion all sorts of evil and abomination were committed. There was also the organized opposition emanating from the quarters of the synagogue. Corinth was a totally degenerated society. Who could stand against it?

Paul was possessed by the authority of the Word. And what was the essence of the Word? Testifying that Christ was Jesus (Acts 18:5). Every one of us must encounter a depraved environment and society in the state of being totally possessed by the Word. The nature of the Word is described in Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” But its total effect can be realized only when the believer is possessed by it. Then the Word starts producing the desired impact on lives. Only through it can a wicked world be touched and conquered.

What did Peter and John say to the religious rulers prohibiting them from proclaiming the Word? “For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). They could not but speak because they were possessed by the Word.

Jeremiah who was derided and denigrated for his preaching, and threatened severely, considered shutting his mouth. But then he felt the consequence of doing so in his being: The Word by which he was possessed became like burning fire in his heart. His bones felt the same agony. Like a burning house with fire coming out of every door and window, Jeremiah’s whole being was in flames. It had to come out. He had no alternative but to speak. “I have become a laughingstock all the day; every one mocks me. For whenever I speak, I cry out. I shout, ‘Violence and destruction!’ For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. If I say, I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name, there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot” (Jeremiah 20:7b,8,9).

Then comes the cheering support of God to the person possessed by the authority of the Word in reassuring language: “Behold, I am making my words in your mouth a fire and this people wood, and the fire shall devour them” (Jeremiah 5:14b). Let the believer be ready and willing to yield to the power of God’s Word, and He will accomplish the needed work.

Jeremiah was a remarkable messenger through whom the divine Word manifested its effect. “Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have put my words in your mouth’” (Jeremiah 1:9). The Word was like fire and a hammer in his whole being, achieving the mighty work of God. On the other hand, the so-called prophets who irreverently peddled the Word came under strong censure by the Almighty: “Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer which breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who steal my words from one another” (Jeremiah 23:29,30). And the prophet brings us to the climax, where he says, “Thy words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by Thy name, O Lord, God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16). The Word ends up being his food, strength, delight and point of identification.

Take another Word-possessed man – Amos, who cries: “The lion has roared; who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken; who can but prophesy?”` (Amos 3:8). The Apostle Paul was very aware of these prophets’ ministry and their effectiveness when he himself became possessed by the all-powerful Word. This eventually shook the foundations of a Corinth built on sinking sand.

III. THE CONSTRAINING FORCE OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST (II Corinthians 5:14)

“For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (II Corinthians 5:14,15).

The risen Christ three times demanded Peter’s reaffirmation of his love – “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him: ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me? He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep’” (John 21:15-19). Remember, Peter denied his attachment to Jesus three times: “Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a maid came up to him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus the Galilean.’ But he denied it before them all, saying, ‘I do not know what you mean.’ And when he went out to the porch, another maid saw him, and she said to the bystanders, ‘This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.’ And again he denied it with an oath, ‘I do not know the man.’ After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, ‘Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you.’ Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, ‘I do not know the man.’ And immediately the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, ‘Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly” (Matthew 26:69-75).

The Lord requires from his follower that kind of love which cannot be quenched by many waters, nor be drowned by floods: “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it” (Song of Solomon 8:7a). Love for Christ is not a self-generated sentiment. It has none of the connotations of the love found here on earth. It is not a sporadic expression or vacillating sentiment. In order to have the enjoyment of a constant flow, it has to be a possessing and constraining force. Then it can fully activate the cold heart for superlative love for the One who deserves our all.

The Ephesian epistle – believed to be a general letter – ends with a striking emphasis: “Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love undying” (6:24). The kind of love mentioned here never decays, corrupts or degenerates. But, alas! This is exactly what happened to the love of the church in Ephesus: “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what place you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent” (Revelation 2:4,5). The failure of these believers was to voluntarily abandon their first love for Christ, all because they did not let the supreme love of the Redeemer possess them entirely.

The constraining love of Christ leads the believer to total submission. He is spurred on and constrained by it, like an electric generator activating a factory to constant productiveness. This love will never abandon you. The many waters of trial and tribulation, the ferocious floods of testing and temptation will not be able to drown it. The supply will grow healthier. However, it can be forsaken and abandoned by the recipient actively, as happened in the case of the Ephesian Christians, and has been happening throughout the ages everywhere. When this occurs, then all our orthodoxy, organization and ornamentation becomes useless. It can lead to the removal of the candlestick.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that love for Christ goes hand-in-hand with love for His people: “Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love” (I John 4,7,8&20). Only true love for Christ can stimulate true longing for His return: (I Corinthians 16:22). The opposite can create a dangerous condition with the word anathema pronounced.

IV. THE CONSTRAINING FORCE OF SERVICE FOR CHRIST (Philippians 1:23)

“I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith” (Phiippians 1:23-25).

What does a person do when left to choose between two valid options? He finds himself in a dilemma. The Apostle Paul was in such a situation. While in prison in Rome, he was longing to depart and be with Christ. What could have been better than to find his rest and reward? But a stronger force was possessing him: to remain in this earthly life and continue serving Christ, no matter how hard the circumstances. Service for Christ was the constraining force of his existence to which he gladly yielded.

Being under this constraint, he boldly states: “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls” (II Corinthians 12:15). “Even if I am to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all” (Philippians 2:17). These are words of a person who is identified with the One who said, “Even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).

Such a person could say, “If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation” (II Corinthians 2:6). Only when the urge of service for Christ possesses one, is he able to put the benefits of this service high above all personal considerations, including anguish and suffering.

Our generation needs to rediscover this constraint which spurred previous generations on, starting with the apostles, but which got lost somewhere along the way!

Jesus Christ chose Paul to be His servant and martyr: “But rise and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and bear witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you” (Acts 26:16).

We ought to remember the two-fold meaning of the word martyr: bearing witness for Christ or dying for Him. The constraining force of service for Christ will accomplish such an a achievement in the life of the believer, whether he be a minister or an ‘ordinary’ follower of His. At the end he will be in the position to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (I Timothy 4:7).

In closing, this faithful servant offers us another clue about the person fully constrained in his service to Christ: “Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy” (I Corinthians 4:2). Being found trustworthy should be the aspiration of our hearts. The believer possessed with the urge to serve Jesus Christ is a trustworthy steward. The Holy Spirit makes him so. He removes all untrustworthiness from that life.

The constraining force of the Cross, of the Word, of love for Christ and of service for Christ is God’s mighty appointment waiting to grip you also.