Gripped by Grace: When the Love of Christ Controls Christian Ministry

Christian ministry isn’t a casual calling; it’s an intense spiritual warfare. It’s not just about resisting personal temptation, but actively engaging in The Lord’s battle against forces that attack God’s character, work, and people. As 2 Corinthians 10:3–6 reminds us, “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.” Our ministry is about destroying arguments and taking every thought captive to Christ’s obedience, setting the captives of sin and lies free. This monumental task demands strong men and women whose strength and courage are intertwined, recognizing that a lack of courage on a day of distress shows meager strength (Proverbs 24:10).

The Modern Paradox and the Core of Ministry

We live in a modern-day paradox: we value freedom above all else, yet often find ourselves held captive by the very things we thought would liberate us. The core truth about Christian ministry cuts through this confusion: Christian ministry is servanthood, patterned after the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

• Christ is our example of perfect service.
• The Spirit of Christ is our power for service.
• The love of Christ is our motivation.

This love of Christ isn’t a passive, comforting feeling. It’s an active force that compels us to reach out to the lost and serve those in need.

Ministry as a Life “Under Control”

The Apostle Paul defines ministry in a radically profound way in 2 Corinthians 5:14: “For the love of Christ controls us…” He chose the Greek word synecho—a strong term meaning to compel, constrain, urge, or be forced into action. This love is not merely an inspiration; it is a controlling power.

The Bible makes it clear: the freedom we receive through Christ’s finished work on the cross is a freedom from the bondage of sin and the dominion of Satan. But this freedom has a deliberate, divine purpose. As Romans 6:22 states, “having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.”

Biblical ministry is, therefore, not about “freedom of expression” but about servanthood—a life willingly under the control of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word control (synecho) describes:

• Being held in custody (Luke 22:63).
• Being surrounded and hemmed in (Luke 19:43).
• Being pressed on both sides (Philippians 1:23).
• The profound distress or constraint Jesus felt by the baptism He must undergo (Luke 12:50).

The love of Christ, then, is a force that takes charge over our life! God saved us so we could carry out the specific works He designed for us (Ephesians 2:10), with the primary goal being the salvation of souls through the preaching of the Gospel. True servanthood means giving your life in the service of another, not for your own benefit or advancement.

Three Spheres of Christ’s Controlling Love

The love of Christ desires to take over and transform our whole being in three key areas: our mind, our relationships, and our lifestyle.

1. Control Over Your Mind or Intellect

In 2 Corinthians 5:13–15, Paul addresses the accusations that he and his team were “out of their minds.” He essentially says, “If we have lost our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us.”

This controlling love leads to a radical conclusion and a transformed way of thinking:

• A Conclusive Death and Life: We conclude that because “one died for all, therefore all died” (2 Cor 5:14). This is a death by representation—the believer is dead to sin through faith in Christ, and simultaneously alive to God through His resurrection.
• A Selfless Life: The ultimate conclusion is that “those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf” (2 Cor 5:15). The Christian’s thinking is transformed from self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness.

2. Control Over Your Relationships

The love of Christ radically changes how we view people. Paul states, “Therefore from now on we recognize no one by the flesh” (2 Cor 5:16). He no longer views believers based on their past mistakes or present shortcomings (their “old life”). Instead, he looks at them through the lens of God’s finished work: “if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor 5:17).

When Christ’s love controls you:

• You see fellow believers as the beautiful work of God, looking ahead to the completed “new creation.”
• You see sinners not as people to be avoided, but as lives waiting to be cleansed and transformed by the Gospel.
• You stop separating yourself from sinners and actively make yourself available to minister the word of life (2 Cor 5:18-19).

3. Control Over Your Way of Living (Lifestyle)

Paul demonstrates the ultimate transformation of lifestyle by declaring, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Cor 5:20). He was once a judgmental, intellectual Pharisee and a religious fanatic. Now, he is an ambassador—one sent to discuss the terms of surrender and peace, pleading with people on God’s behalf: “be reconciled to God.”

When your life is gripped by Christ’s love, you gain a genuine concern for the salvation of the lost. Like Jesus, who “felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36), you begin to see sinners as people who desperately need God and yourself as an instrument for reaching them.

This perspective is crucial. Are we seeing fewer missionaries, preachers, and evangelists and more church artists today because modern ministry has become about self-expression rather than servanthood? Until our hearts are captive to the love of Christ, we will continue to prioritize our own talents and comfort over the desperate, self-sacrificial work of reconciliation.

Conclusion: Why the Love of Christ?

The motivation for ministry is not simply the love of God, but specifically the love of Christ.

• The love of God is the origin: the reason the Son came into the world.
• The love of Christ is the application: the reason Jesus suffered and died on the cross to minister the Gospel to us.

The love of Christ sets the true believer apart from the unconverted. The unconverted is perpetually obsessed with self-love, but the true believer is gripped by the love of Christ for others. It’s this active, compelling, controlling love that drives us into true, biblical servanthood.

Is the love of Christ currently controlling your mind, your relationships, and your way of living, compelling you into His work?