Heartless Faith

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. within...: Heb. in the midst of my bowels - Psalms 40:8

    These are the words of our King David, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the eternal covenant of grace. Here he reveals to his people his heart’s desire for their salvation and the glory of his Father. Not only did he agree with, and to do his Father’s will, he delighted to do so. Yea, even, this was in his heart. This was not something that he must do only out of obligation and fulfillment of promise, he must accomplish salvation as our substitute because of love for his Father and for his people.

    The great work of redemption is more than doctrine, it is more than systematic theology, it is one perfect man dying for those sinful creatures whom he everlastingly loves, in obedience to God whom he loves. This truth makes the passage in Romans 8:38-39 (For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord) more than a dogmatic doctrinal truth. It reveals the heart and soul of Christ in the Gospel.

    The desire of our Lord is not unlike his children’s desire. Is this not the cry in our hearts? I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart? Love for Christ, which he has given us, must be the singular motive and rule of life for what we do, no matter how noble the work, or it is even as a sounding brass and a tinkling symbol, and will be burned with fire.

    I have no heart for a heartless Christ preached by a heartless preacher.