EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH
Live for Jesus, not ourselves

By Russell Stephen Pang

In the movie "Pretty Woman," one of the final scenes has Vivian looking out of her open apartment window at Edward, who is afraid of heights, climbing the stairs with a bouquet of flowers between his teeth.

As they meet on the steps, he asks her, "What happens when he (the prince in her dream) rescues her?"

Vivian responds, "She rescues him (Edward) back."

That reminds me of 2 Corinthians, when Paul tells us about the compelling love of Jesus and what our response should be. Paul's words: "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again."

We use the word "love" to express favor and affection, but unlike the Greeks, we only have one word for love and a tendency to use it rather glibly.

We easily say we love family members, good friends, hobbies from sports to shopping, activities from traveling to reading, certain foods and cars, our pets, etc.

As we meditate on Paul's words, we know Jesus' love for us is beyond question as he paid the ultimate price so we could be reconciled with God.

As we consider our love for Christ, we wonder: Do we love Jesus back the same way that he loves us? Or is our affection at a lesser level? Dare we honestly say that Jesus is our first love? Or is our love for Jesus no greater than our love for a family member, a good friend, a pet, a hobby or our love for ourselves?

Verse 17 states: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come." If the disciples of the early church readily accept their new roles as bondservants, why are we having difficulty making a similar commitment?

Are our priorities so misplaced that we desire to live primarily for ourselves?

While we readily embrace Jesus as our savior, are we as quick to accept him as our redeemer? Have we overlooked what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians, that we are not our own, that we have been bought with a price, redeemed by the precious blood of the lamb?

Charles Finney said: "The conviction of deserved punishment must precede the acceptance of God's mercy."

Are we forgetting that we are sinners and were on the road to hell but for the grace of God and our Lord's tremendous sacrifice on Calvary?

Surely our Lord is worthy of everything we have, so let us not disrespect him by giving less than our all. At this moment, let us dedicate ourselves to Jesus as living sacrifices and ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with himself.

With this absolute commitment to please Jesus, the Holy Spirit will give us a life of purpose and significance as we have made the apropos response to God's agape love.

Russell Stephen Pang is a member of First Presbyterian Church. Expressions of Faith is a column that welcomes written works from leaders in faith and spirituality. E-mail faith@honoluluadvertiser.com or call 525-8035. Such works may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.