Eight reasons why Christ must be loved
Eight reasons why Christ must be loved—or the sinner accursed.
The fourth general head in the method propounded, is: Why there is such an absolute necessity of our sincere love to Christ, for the escaping of this accursed curse? Why does God so much insist upon our love unto his Son, that whoever does not love him, shall be Anathema?
This is not to be understood exclusively, as if other graces and conditions were not also necessary; for in other texts we find, that for lack of FAITH, this curse will overtake many: "He that believes not, shall be damned," Mark 16.16. "He who believes not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him!" John 3.36.
And for lack of REPENTANCE, "Unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish," Luke 13.3.
And for lack of CONVERSION, "Truly, I say unto you, Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven," Matthew 18.3. "Truly, truly, I say unto you, Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," John 3.
And for lack of OBEDIENCE: "And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who were disobedient?" Hebrews 3:18
Sometimes the condition is expressed by the term of a new creature: "For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature," Galatians 6.15.
Sometimes faith and love are put together: "For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith which works by love," Galatians 5.6.
And indeed, all these are requisite, and are found together in the same person, for . . .
he who has faith—has also love;
and he who has love—also repents;
and he who repents—also obey;
and he who believes, loves, repents, and obeys—is a new creature.
Yet LOVE is thus insisted on for such reasons as these.
I. Love commands the whole man; for it is in the will, which is the commanding faculty.
1. Love commands and sets on work all the other affections. If a man loves Christ, it sets desires on work, if he is absent. It sets joys on work—if he is present. If Christ is absent, and the soul sees a probability of obtaining him—love sets hope on work. If there are any impediments which hinder a man in his prosecution—it sets anger on work for the removal of them.
2. Love commands the thoughts and mind—for love to Christ sets the mind on thinking on Christ, and meditating upon him. The mind muses upon what the heart loves. Where love is fixed—the thoughts dwell: "O how love I your law! it is my meditation all the day!" Psalm 119.97.
3. Love commands all the outward members of the body. Love to Christ sets . . .
the tongue to speak of Christ, and for him;
the ear on hearing of his word;
the eyes in seeing the tokens of his love and goodness;
the hands in acting, and the feet in walking to those places and duties where Christ is to be found, and enjoyment of him to be had.
II. If Christ has our love—then he has our all. Christ never has our all from us—until he has our love. Love withholds nothing from Christ, when it is sincerely set upon him.
Then he shall have our time,
and he shall have our service,
and he shall have the use of all our abilities, and gifts, and graces!
Yes, then he shall have our estates, liberty, and our very lives, when he calls for them.
As when God loves any of us—he will withhold nothing from us that is good for us; no, not his own only begotten Son! Romans 8.32. And when Christ loves us, he gives all unto us:
his merits to justify us,
his Spirit to sanctify us,
his grace to adorn us,
his glory to crown us.
Just so, when any of us love Christ sincerely, we lay all down at his feet, and give up all to be at his command and service: "And they did not love their lives unto the death!" Rev. 12.11.
III. Love gives the character to a man, according as the object is which he superlatively loved . As is the love—such is the man. As is the love—such might you boldly call the man.
If he is a lover of honor—then he is an ambitious man.
If he is a lover of pleasure—then he is a voluptuous man.
If he chiefly loves the world—then he is he is a covetous man.
If he loves holiness—then he is he is a pious man.
If he loves the things above—then he is a heavenly-minded man.
If he loves Christ with a supreme love—then he is a Christian man!
"The upright love you!" Song of Songs 1.4.
IV. Without love, all other things, though ever so many, great, and excellent in themselves—are not acceptable unto God. He does not regard your prayers —if you do not love him. He does not value your hearing —if you do not love him. All your alms-deeds are poor things in his esteem—if you do not love him. Yes, all your suffering for religion, and for Christ, are nothing—if you do not love him. If a man could preach like an angel, and yet not love Jesus—he would not be accepted by him! " If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love—I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love—I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love—I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Love therefore is above all these—for all these without love are nothing!
V. Love makes us most like to God—for God is love! John 4:8. God loves Christ above all the men on earth, and above all the angels in Heaven—he therefore calls him his beloved Son.
God loves all men with a common love, John 3:16 Titus 3:4.
God loves holy men with a special love. God loves angels with a higher love. But God loves Christ most of all—as he is the Son of his love, Colossians 1.13.
In the same way, our love should be graduated. When we love as God loves, our love makes us most like to God. We ought to love . . .
all men with some degrees of love,
holy men and angels with a higher love,
and Christ with the highest love!
VI. Love is the highest improvement of the faculties of our souls.
1. We have understandings to know God and Christ—and love to God and Christ is the highest improvement of all our knowledge. For if we know him and do not love him, then the more we know of him—the more our knowledge increases our sin, and will aggravate our condemnation.
2. We have wills to choose the Lord Jesus Christ; and when we choose him—then love is the improvement of our wills, in taking delight in him who is the object of our choice.
3. We have consciences , which dictate to us that Christ is best, and best for us—and we improve those dictates, when we love him; else all those dictates of conscience are lost, and come to nothing.
4. We have memories , wherein the sayings of Christ to us, the sufferings of Christ for us, and the benefits of Christ bestowed upon us—should be lodged and laid up. And when we love him—we shall love to remember all these things which we have by him, and from him—and himself , who is the purchaser and the giver of them!
But if our love is supremely placed upon anything below Christ—then all the powers of the soul are debased!
The reason of man is degraded in contriving the getting of such ignoble and sordid enjoyments as his highest end. The will is debased in choosing them, and the memory in being stuffed with the remembrance of them, forgetting God and Christ, and better things—so that the man is more a brute than a man—without sincere love to Christ!
VII. Love is the end of all other graces, and that in which they terminate their operations. Our knowledge of Christ ended in our loving Christ. Our believing on him, hoping in him, trusting to him—like so many streams, at last run into the love of Christ.
VIII. Love is the everlasting grace which shall abide and be in use and exercise, when the actings of other graces shall cease. There are some graces suitable especially to our state of imperfection in this world.
To live by faith,
to repent, and mourn for sin,
to live in hope of the glory that is to be revealed,
to wait until we be possessed of the mansions which are above,
to desire all the good that is promised to us—but not yet conferred upon us.
But in eternity . . .
faith shall be turned into vision,
hope shall be turned into fruition,
desires shall be turned into possession,
and waiting shall be turned into obtaining.
And then we shall . . .
believe no more,
hope no more,
desire no more,
wait no more.
But then we shall love still—yes, more than ever, more abundantly! Yes we shall then love . . .
perfectly, without diminution;
continually, without intermission;
and eternally, without cessation!
In which respect, among the three cardinal graces, love has the pre-eminence, "Now abides faith, hope and love, these three—but the greatest of these is love"—because it is the longest in duration. So that those who love Christ sincerely here on earth—shall love him perfectly hereafter, and be forever blessed in that love. But those who do not love him on earth—cannot love him in the eternal world; and for lack of such love, shall be accursed forever!