I Have Loved thee

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. of...: Heb. from afar with lovingkindness...: have I extended lovingkindness unto thee - Jeremiah 31:3

    The love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, is the foundation of all things concerned with the accomplishment of the salvation of his elect. In fact, it is his love for us that is the cause of our love for Him. We love him, because he first loved us (1 Jn 4:19). The union of Christ and his sheep is a union of love. It is not just a judicial agreement between the Father, Son, and Spirit. Although the law must be satisfied, love is the motive and moving cause.

    When love is absent, all that is left is a legalistic system of works, both with God and with man. Christ’s love for his sheep is revealed in God’s eternal covenant of grace, in the person and work of Christ, and in the glorification of his elect. The love of God grips the hearts of all to whom he reveals himself. The union of the love of the blessed Trinity is amazing, yet conceivable. But the love of the blessed God for sinful man is incomprehensible. The only way that we can comprehend the love of God for us, to any degree, is that he died for us. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us (1 Jn 3:16).

    In love, God sent Christ into the world—In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him (1 Jn 4:9).

    In love Christ lived for us—fulfilling the law, thereby he worked out a righteousness for us. Not only do we see God’s justice satisfied in the cross-death of the Lord Jesus Christ, we see his love displayed and fulfilled. God commendeth his lovetoward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8).

    If it be not Christ’s love for us that captivates us and Christ’s love in us that motivates us in religious privileges and duties, then it is all in vain. It is nothing more than self-righteous works of the flesh and will condemn us in that great day of judgment.

    That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph 3:17-19).