"LOVEST THOU ME?"
By J. C. Ryle
THIS QUESTION WAS addressed by Christ to the apostle Peter. A more important question could not be asked. Nineteen hundred years have passed away since the words were spoken, but to this very day the inquiry is most searching and useful.
The true Christian is one who is so in his heart and life. It is what he feels by himself in his heart. It is seen by others in his conduct and life. He sees Jesus Christ to be that Divine Saviour whom his soul needs, and commits himself to Him, Christ Himself is the cornerstone of his Christianity. Ask him in what he trusts for the forgiveness of his many sins, and he will tell you, in the death of Christ. Ask him by what pattern he tries to frame his life, and he will tell you that it is the example of Christ.
But, besides all this, there is one thing in a true Christian which is eminently peculiar to him. That thing is LOVE to Christ. Knowledge, faith, hope, reverence, obedience, are all marked features in a true Christian character. But his picture would be very imperfect if you omitted his "love" to his Divine Master. He not only knows, trusts and obeys. He goes further that this -- he loves.
Hear once more what our Lord Jesus Christ said to the apostle Peter after He rose from the dead. Three times He asked him the question, "Simon, son of Jonas, Lovest thou me?" (John 21:15-17). The occasion was remarkable. He meant gently to remind his erring disciple of his thrice-repeated fall. He desired to call forth from him a new confession of faith before publicly restoring him and giving him His commission to feed His own. And what was the question He asked him? He might have said "Believest thou? Art thou converted? Art thou ready to confess Me? Wilt thou obey me?" He uses none of these expressions. He simply says, "Lovest thou Me?" This is the point He would have us know, on which a man's Christianity hinges. Simple as the question sounded, it was most searching. Plain and easy to be understood by the most unlearned, it tests the reality of an apostle. If a man truly loves Christ, all is right -- if not, all is wrong.
Would you know THE SECRET of this peculiar feeling towards Christ which distinguishes the true Christian? You have it in the words of John, "We love Him because He first loved us." (I John 4:19). That text, no doubt, applies specially to the Father, but it is no less true of the Son.
A true Christian loves Christ for all He has done for him. He has suffered in his stead, and died for him on the cross. He has redeemed him from the guilt, the power and consequence of sin, by His blood. He has called him by His Spirit to self-knowledge, repentance, faith, hope and holiness. He has forgiven all his many sins and blotted them out. He has freed him from the captivity of the world, the flesh and the devil. He has taken him from the brink of hell, and set his face toward heaven. He has given him light instead of darkness, peace of conscience instead of uneasiness, hope instead of uncertainty, life instead of death. Can you wonder that the true Christian loves Christ?
And he loves Him besides, for all that He is still doing. He is daily supplying all the needs of his soul, and providing him with an hourly provision of mercy and grace. He is daily leading him by His Spirit to a city of habitation, bearing with him when he is weak and ignorant, raising him up when he stumbles and falls, protecting him against his many enemies, preparing an eternal home for him in heaven. Can you wonder that the true Christian loves Christ?
Does the debtor in jail love the friend who unexpectedly and undeservedly pays all his debts, supplies him with fresh capital, and takes him into partnership with himself? Does the prisoner in war love the man who at the risk of his own life breaks through the enemy's lines, rescues him and sets him free? Does the drowning sailor love the man who plunges into the sea, dives after him, catches him by the hair of his head, and by a mighty effort saves him from a watery grave? Just in the same way, and upon the same principles, a true Christian loves Jesus Christ.
This love to Christ is the inseparable companion of saving faith. A mere intellectual faith, a man may have without love, but not that faith which saves. Love cannot usurp the office of faith. It cannot justify. It does not join the soul to Christ. It cannot bring peace to the conscience. But where there is real justifying faith in Christ, there will always be heart-love to Christ. He that is really forgiven is the man who will really love. (Luke 7:47). If a man has no love to Christ, you may be sure he has no faith.
Love to Christ is the mainspring of work for Christ. There is little done for His cause on earth from sense of duty, or from knowledge of what is right and proper. The heart must be interested before the hands will move and continue moving. Excitement may galvanize the Christian's hands into a fitful and spasmodic activity. But there will be no patient continuance in well-doing, no unwearied labour in missionary work at home or abroad, without love. The nurse in a hospital may do her duty properly and well, but there is a vast difference between that nurse and a wife tending the sick-bed of a beloved husband, or a mother watching over a dying child. The one acts from a sense of duty -- the other from affection and love. The one does her duty because she is paid for it -- the other is what she is because of her heart. It is just the same in the matter of the service of Christ. The great workers of the church -- the men who have led in the mission field and turned the world upside down, have all been eminently lovers of Christ.
Love to Christ is the common meeting-point of all believers, for on one point, at any rate, they are united, they "love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity." (Ephesians 6:24). They all know what they feel toward Him who died for their sins -- "I cannot speak much for Christ, sir," said an old, uneducated Christian woman, to Dr. Chalmers; "but if I cannot speak for Him, I could die for Him!"
Love to Christ will be the distinguishing mark of all saved souls in heaven. The multitude which no man can number will be of one mind. Old differences will be merged in one common feeling. All will find themselves joining with one heart and voice in that hymn of praise, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Revelation 1:5-6).
Let me show, in the second place, THE PECULIAR MARKS by which love to Christ makes itself known.
Happily, the point is one which it is not very hard to settle. How do we know whether we love any person here upon earth? In what way and manner does love show itself between people in this world -- between husband and wife -- between parent and child -- between brother and sister -- between friend and friend? Let these questions be answered by common sense and observations, and I ask no more. How does affection show itself among ourselves?
If we love a person, we like to think about him. We do not need to be reminded of him. We do not forget his name, or his appearance, or his character, or his opinions, or his tastes, or his position, or his occupation. He comes up before our mind's eye many a time in the day. Though perhaps far distant, he is often present in our thoughts. Well it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The true Christian does not need to be reminded that he has a once-crucified Master. He often thinks of Him. He never forgets that He has a day, a cause, and a people, and that of His people he is one. Affection is the real secret of a good memory in Christianity. No worldly man can think much about Christ, unless Christ is pressed upon his notice, because he has no affection for Him. The true Christian has thoughts about Christ every day that he lives, for this one simple reason, that he loves Him.
If we love a person, we like to hear about him. We find a pleasure in listening to those who speak of him. We feel an interest in any report which others make of him. We are all attention when others talk about him and describe his ways, his sayings, his doings and his plans. Some may hear him mentioned with utter indifference, but our own hearts bound within us at the very sound of his name. Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The true Christian delights to hear something about his Master. He enjoys that society most in which people talk of the things which are Christ's. I have read of an old Welsh believer who used to walk several miles every Sunday to hear a preacher, though she did not understand a word of English. She was asked why she did so. She replied that this preacher named the name of Christ so often in his sermon that it did her good. She loved even the name of her Saviour.
If we love a person, we like to read about him. What intense pleasure a letter from an absent husband gives to a wife, or a letter from an absent son to his mother. Others may see little worth notice in the letter. They can scarcely take the trouble to read it through. But those who love the writer see something in the letter which no one else can. They carry it about with them as a treasure. They read it over and over again. Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The true Christian delights to read the Scriptures, because they tell him about his beloved Saviour. It is no wearisome task with him to read them. He rarely needs reminding to take his Bible with him when he goes on a journey. He cannot be happy without it. And why is all this? It is because the Scriptures testify of Him whom his soul loves, even Christ.
If we love a person, we like to please him. We are glad to consult his tastes and opinions, to act upon his advice, and do the things which he approves. We even deny ourselves to meet his wishes, abstain from things which we know he dislikes, and learn to do things to which we are not naturally inclined, because we think it will give him pleasure. Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The true Christian studies to please Him, by being holy both in body and spirit. Show him anything in his daily practice that Christ hates, and he will give it up. Show him anything that Christ delights in, and he will follow after it. He does not murmur at Christ's requirements as being too strict and severe, as the children of the world do. To him Christ's commandments are not grievous and Christs burden is light. And why is all this? Simply because he loves Him.
If we love a person, we like his friends.
We are favourably inclined to them, even before we know them. We are drawn to them by the common tie of common love to one and the same person. When we meet them we do not feel that we are altogether strangers. There is a bond of union between us. They love the person that we love, and that alone is an introduction. Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The true Christian regards all Christ's friends as his friends, members of the same body, children of the same family, soldiers in the same army, travelers to the same home. When he meets them, he feels as if he had long known them. He is more at home with them in a few minutes that he is with many worldly people after an acquaintance of several years. And what is the secret of all this? It is simply affection to the same Saviour, and love to the same Lord.
If we love a person, we are jealous about his name and honor.
We do not like to hear him spoken against without speaking up for him and defending him. We feel bound to maintain his interests and his reputation. We regard the person who treats him ill with almost as much disfavor as if he had ill-treated us. Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The true Christian regards with a godly jealousy all efforts to disparage his Master's word, or name, or church, or day. He will confess Him before princes, if need be, and be sensitive of the least dishonor put upon Him. He will not hold his peace and suffer his Master's cause to be put to shame without testifying against it. And why is all this? Simply because he loves Him.
If we love a person, we like to talk to him.
We tell him all our thoughts, and pour out all our hearts to him. We find no difficulty in discovering subjects of conversation. However silent and reserved we may be to others, we find it easy to talk to a much-loved friend. However often we may meet, we are never at a loss for matter to talk about. We have always much to say, much to ask about, much to describe, much to communicate. Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The true Christian finds no difficulty in speaking to his Saviour. Every day he has something to tell Him, and he is not happy unless he tells it. He speaks to Him in prayer every morning and night. He tells Him his wants and desires, his feelings and his fears. He asks counsel of Him in difficulty. He asks comfort of Him in trouble. He cannot help it. He must converse with his Saviour continually, or he would faint by the way. And why is this? Simply because he loves Him.
Finally, if we love a person, we like to be always with him.
Thinking, and hearing, and reading, and occasionally talking, are all well in their way. But when we really love people we want something more. We long to be always in their company. We wish to be continually in their society, and to hold communion with them without interruption or farewell. Well, it is just so between the true Christian and Christ! The heart of a true Christian longs for that blessed day when he will see his Master face to face, and go out no more. He longs to have done with sinning, and repenting, and believing; and to begin that endless life when he shall see as he has been seen, and sin no more. He has found it sweet to live by faith, and he feels it will be sweeter still to live by sight. He has found it pleasant to hear of Christ, and talk of Christ, and read of Christ. How much more pleasant will it be to see Christ with his own eyes, and never to leave Him any more. And why is all this? Simply because he loves Him.
Those who love Christ should never be ashamed to let others see it and know it. Speak for Him. Witness for Him. Live for Him. Work for Him. If He has loved you and washed you from your sins in His own blood, you never need shrink from letting others know that you feel it, and love Him in return.
"Man," said a thoughtless, ungodly English traveler to a North American Indian convert, "Man, what is the reason you make so much of Christ, and talk so much about Him? What has this Christ done for you, that you should make so much ado about Him?"
The converted Indian did not answer him in words. He gathered some dry leaves and moss and made a ring with them on the ground. He picked up a live worm and put it in the middle of the ring. He struck a light and set the moss and leaves on fire. The flame soon rose and the heat scorched the worm. It writhed in agony, and after trying in vain to escape on every side, curled itself up in the middle, as if about to die in despair. At that moment the Indian reached forth his hand, took up the worm gently and placed it on his bosom. "Stranger,' he said to the Englishman, "Do you see that worm? I was that perishing creature. I was dying in my sins, hopeless, helpless, and on the brink of eternal fire. It was Jesus Christ who put forth the arm of His power. It was Jesus Christ who delivered me with the hand of His grace, and plucked me from everlasting burnings. It was Jesus Christ who placed me, a poor sinful worm, near the heart of His love. Stranger, that is the reason why I talk of Jesus Christ and make much of Him. I am not ashamed of it, because I love Him."
If we know anything of love to Christ, may we have the mind of this North American Indian! May we never think that we can love Christ too well, live to Him too thoroughly, confess Him too boldly, lay ourselves out for Him too heartily! Of all the things that will surprise us in the resurrection morning, this, I believe, will surprise us most: that we did not love Christ more.
(From "Things Concerning Himself," published bi-monthly by Charles Nunnerley at High Down, Cokes Lane, Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks., England.)
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"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
(in Christ) without the deeds of the law." -- Romans 3:28
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WHEN SHALL WE BE DELIVERED?
By Herbert L. Roush
"How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? -- Psalm 13:1,2
THIS IS THE LAST of the deep questions always asked by the believer in affliction. There is an answer in the Word of God. First, let me assure you that you will be delivered.
Paul says it in Second Corinthians 1:10 -- "(God) who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in Whom we trust that He will yet deliver us." The great death (Romans 6:23) that God delivered you from at the Cross of Calvary assures you that He will deliver you out of every present and future "death" into which He has delivered you.
Paul says it again in Second Timothy 4:16-18, " . . . all men forsook me: I pray God that it will not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood by me . . . and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
God promises in First Peter 1:7-8 -- Even though, "if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love, in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."
Your present afflictions can be the source of joy unspeakable and full of glory now by believing that your trials of faith will one day fill up the glory of the Son of God; heap honour at His feet; and provoke heaven's hosts to praise Him Who is altogether worthy. You will be delivered in the fullness of time.
Deliverance for Israel from Egypt's suffering was deliberately delayed while God, in patience, waited for the cup of the Amorites' iniquity to fill up, then He used Israel to glorify Himself in their destruction. Hence, the very delay in your deliverance may hint at a future work of glory, now being prepared by the Lord to be done through you.
Your deliverance will come at a strategic time and most likely in the darkest hour of the night and in a way which is befitting the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ, (Mark 6:48) -- but it will come! It will come when the "all things" of Romans 8:28 have worked together for your good and God's greatest glory. The poet knew this well when he wrote:
He sat by the furnace of sevenfold heat
As He watched by the precious ore,
And closer He bent with a searching gaze,
As he heated it more and more.
He knew He had ore that could stand the test,
And He wanted the finest gold
To mold a crown for the King to wear,
Set with gems of a price untold.
So He laid our gold in the burning fire,
Though we fain would have bid Him "nay,"
And He watched the dross that we had not seen,
As it melted and passed away.
And the gold grew brighter and yet more bright
But our eyes were so dim with tears,
We saw but the fire -- not the Master's hand --
And questioned with anxious fears.
Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow,
And it mirrored a Form above
That bent o'er the fire, though unseen by us,
With looks of ineffable love.
Can we think that it pleases His loving heart
To cause us a moment's pain?
Ah, no; but He saw through the present cross
The bliss of eternal gain.
So He waited there with a watchful eye
With a love that is strong and sure,
And His gold did not suffer a whit more heat
Than was needed to make it pure!
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SERMON SERIES
Romans 8
No. 17
GOD'S SALVATION -- FIRST AND LAST
"Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." -- Romans 8:30
GOD'S MASTER-PLAN vitally involves Christ and the Christian. It has been His purpose from ages past to conform His children to the likeness of His only begotten Son with Whom He is well pleased. And we may be "confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ," "working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ." Our part in this conforming work is to be "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfecter) of our faith," Whom as beholding in the Word of God we "are being changed into the same image . . . even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
The process, though purposed in eternity past and perfected when we see Him face to face, begins in us in actuality when we believe in Christ. The process includes the saving experiences outlined in our present text.
CALLED
All those whom God the Father "appointed beforehand (predestinated) to be conformed to the image of his Son . . . them he also called."
There is a call of God that is without repentance, described elsewhere in the Scriptures as a high calling, a holy call, a heavenly calling, and is an effectual call which results in the justification and glorification of the ones called. This is the call that is in view here. "Whom he called, them he also justified . . . them he also glorified." These are they "who are the called according to his purpose." These are they "whom he did foreknow . . . (and) did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son."
This is a call with both a negative and positive result. Those being exercised thereby are both called OUT and UNTO. The word "Church" includes the first. In the Greek the word is "ecclesia." The prefix "ek" means "out of"; the remainder of the word "klesia," comes from the word meaning "to call." Thus the Church is an assembly of called-out ones. The nation of Israel was called "the church in the wilderness." Indeed that assembly was a Church in the truest sense of the word. They were a called-out people. Israel was enslaved in Egypt, horrible afflicted, and discouraged. But God was not unaware of the sufferings of His people, and He wrought a mighty deliverance through His servant Moses. And so it is with God's children today. We too have been "called out" -- called out from the bondage of sin into the glorious liberty of the sons of God; called out of Satan's kingdom into the kingdom of God's dear Son; called out of darkness into light. Yes, we are called OUT, but that's not all; we are also called UNTO.
Jesus says, "Come unto me . . . and I will give you rest." It is not enough just to come out from among them; this cannot in itself save. We might spend our life separating from one thing or another, abstaining from this and that, but to have the "rest" Jesus speaks of we must "come unto" Him. Many people have the idea that religion consists of doing something or not doing something, but true religion, that which gives "rest unto your souls," is a vital meeting and fellowship with Jesus Christ.
We come to Him by faith. The call is to "Come!" Faith says, I come. You make the call of God to your soul effectual by coming to Christ by faith. It is God's will that you come. If you miss God's eternal "rest," it is not that God purposed it so, for He is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," "who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge or the Truth (Christ)." But many are like Israel when they came to their promised land, "they could not enter in because of unbelief." Christ says, "Come . . . I will give you rest." Believe Him, take Him at His Word and come. "All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me," says He, "and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
The call comes by the Spirit through the Church. "The Spirit and the bride say, Come." Each individual Christian is to add his voice to this great invitation. "Let him that heareth say, Come." This is the reason for our publishing this paper -- we too would add our voice to the "call." Come unto Christ!
JUSTIFIED
"Moreover . . . whom he called, them he also justified . . . " There is a universal call of the Gospel. But not all will hear or heed. Not all, therefore, will be justified. "The Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." But some hearing, believe to the saving of their souls. The call becomes effectual with them. These are the ones here in view. They love God and are called according to His purpose, were foreknown and predestinated by Him. "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified . . . "
Justification in the Scriptures has basically to do with righteousness. For God to justify someone, therefore, means that He declares and treats that individual as righteous. But the problem is that all men are sinners and God's holy law condemns the sinner and passes the death sentence upon him. It is contrary to the holy character of God to overlook sin to declare man righteous. There would be no problem for God to justify a righteous man; but there is none righteous, no, not one. The Bible says, "God justifies the ungodly." How can a just God justify the ungodly, and Himself remain just? "God justifies the believing sinner on the basis of that satisfaction rendered fully to the Divine moral law by God's own Son when He died for our sins in our stead upon the cross" (McClain). How is it then that God can justify the ungodly? Simply, through His Son. We are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," "being now justified by his blood"
We were full of sin; Christ bore our sins on the cross. We were guilty; Christ took upon Himself our guilt and our shame. We were condemned to die; Christ died for us. And in turn God imputed to us His righteousness. This is how God justifies the ungodly sinner. This is why He can declare us righteous.
But the next question is: How do we appropriate this justification through Christ? It is by faith. "Knowing that a man is . . . justified . . . by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified . . . " "And by Him all that believe are justified . . . " Do you want to be declared righteous and treated as such by the holy God? There is no other way into His holy presence, for without holiness no one shall see God. Then believe in Jesus. Put your faith in Him. For HE is our righteousness. God is "just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."
And so when God called with an effectual call, He also justified, declared them righteous, and it follows, "whom he justified, them he also glorified."
GLORIFIED
God the Father "called" us TO Christ; "justified" us THROUGH Christ; and "glorified" us WITH Christ. These are all in the past tense. As far as God is concerned they are all an accomplished fact. And they are all given to us in Christ Jesus. The Father foreknew and predestinated us in CHRIST, and so He called us to HIM, justified us through HIM, and glorified us with HIM. Apart from Christ we have nothing. All we have, we have in Him. God will not deal with us except through His Son. If we want anything from God, then we must come God's way -- through Christ. When we thus come to God, we may expect the very best from Him. "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up (to the cross) for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
This includes being glorified together with Him. We are by faith the children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. The mighty power of God was manifested when He raised Christ from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. This same power is directed to us-ward who believe, for even when we were dead in sins, God hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
If God so desired and worked out our salvation as He did, from first to last, what kind of persons (I was about to say, ingrates) are we if we neglect or turn away from so great salvation? Notice, it is HE who foreknew, HE predestinated, HE called, HE justified, HE glorified. What presumption to suppose we can have these by our own efforts. Our part is to believe and receive what HE has done for us in and through Christ Jesus. In eternity past -- predestinated; in the present time -- called and justified; in eternity future -- glorified.
"Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee . . . "
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