2 Corinthians 6:12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
As Christians, we are given a heart like Christ. We can surrender to it or we can fight against it and let our, flesh rule. What is the heart of Christ like? It IS LOVE! Jesus describes His love to us when He says, John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.
He even commands us to love in this same way. John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
Then He also tells us how to do it. John 15:9-10Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
To abide in means to live/dwell in. His love should become your abode. He says it will if you keep His commandments. Then He commands us to Love one another. Do you see that It forms a circle? We live in His love, when we love each other, which obeys His commandment, which puts us back to living in His love and the circle starts again. This should make it so easy. So why do we struggle which is what Paul is speaking of in our text above? Have you ever loved somebody so much that in truth you KEEP telling them that they are doing wrong? They often will accuse you of messing up their lives. They start to blame you for their situation. They blame everyone but themselves. They are in jail because of you. Their marriage failed because of you. They lost their job because of you. They stopped attending church because of you. They are in debt because of you. They do drugs because of you. The list of things they blame you or somebody else for just keeps building. Then you start to think did I not love them enough? Paul tells these people, You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. The problem is not you unless you stop loving. The problem is their affections. Their love is not for God and each other. Their love is for themselves. So we must make sure that we stay in the Love that we abide in and that we continue in truth to share that love with them. Love often hurts. If you doubt this think of Jesus' love for you and the cross it took Him to. Lastly, if you are the one blaming everyone else look to yourself and see if your love is for Jesus and others or if your love is for YOUR OWN AFFECTIONS.
This is some truth in love from Paul and now from me. 2 Corinthians 6:12 You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.
Love Bro. Scott