The Love of Christ

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 3, 1884

The Love of Christ.

THIS subject, as exemplified in the life of the true Christian, is a mysterious one to the skeptic and the mere philosopher. In all their inquiries and examinations into the operations of the human mind, and the workings of the human heart, they find no way to account for the phenomena of the conversion of a soul, for the radical change of life and character, and for the constant devotion and consecration to the cause of Him whose name the Christian bears.

It is not an emotion. Its fervency and constancy forbid the idea of its being merely emotional, as emotions are temporary in their effects and manifestations.

It is not mere passion. While it possesses all the elements of a passion, it presents characteristics not to be found in any human mind. A passion may be fervent and constant, as is often shown in the love of individuals to one another; but in proportion to the strength of attachment for one another, is the dislike to the enemies of the loved one. But, contrary to nature, the deeper the love, the higher the reverence for Christ, the more sympathy and pity is felt for his most bitter enemies and revilers. The sincerity and strength of love to Jesus, is manifested by desires and efforts to benefit his bitterest foes. Here is an element above nature—supernatural—a heavenly quality bestowed by divine grace to the believer, to which nature cannot attain; which worldly philosophy in vain endeavors to account for.

Said the apostle Paul, “The love of Christ constraineth us,” and his life was a notable illustration of this heavenly principle. Worldly ambition and influence were renounced, and a life of reproach, of toil, of severe suffering, chosen in their stead. Sometimes men do renounce or forfeit all worldly benefits in sheer recklessness, and without regard to consequences; but not so with him in whose heart the love of God is shed abroad. His sensibilities are refined and elevated, and he is still further removed from the spirit of caprice and recklessness. A man may renounce the joys of home, and endure privation and toil, to gather gold, as well as for the sake of Christ; but the effect is to benumb the sensibilities and harden the heart; the very opposite of that which is wrought in the life of the servant of Christ. Not realizing this, some have supposed that the minister of the gospel endures no more privation—bears no more crosses—than the worldling; a supposition only arising where the motive and spirit of Christian effort and sacrifice are not appreciated.

It is not even tinctured with love of applause; for very frequently the whole life is attended with scorn, reproach, and persecution; and the characteristics and manifestations are alike, in the city and in the most secluded wilderness.

It is not the result of pride; for the rich, the honorable, the haughty, and the vain are prompted to take a humble position of constant, life-long self-denial.

Possessed of this, crosses, privations, toils, dangers, persecutions, and death, are no longer irksome necessities, borne because they cannot be avoided, but are chosen as the best earthly heritage, and with cheerfulness and joy. Thus Moses chose affliction and reproach as the richest treasure he could obtain on earth. Heb. 11:24-26. And Paul wrote, not as a theorist, but as one bearing in his own experience the fullest force of his words: “We glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience; and experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Rom. 5:3-5. It is not surprising that one, contemplating this subject, expressed his belief that it was not merely our love to God, but the love of God—the love that God bore to us, and to a ruined world—godly, heavenly love, that was the subject of this passage. However this may be, it is a love so refined, elevated, and purified by the presence of the Spirit of God, that in its very nature it appears to be widely different from any worldly or natural affection.

The love of Christ in the heart is a power—a living, vitalizing principle, renewing all, governing all, guiding all. But oh, how small the measure we possess! how far we come short of the heavenly standard! Brethren and sisters, let us strive to have a love presenting these heavenly qualities—that will love as Christ loved—that will lose sight of self, and reach out toward the fullness enjoined, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, and soul, and mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourself.