Lovest thou me?

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 9, 1861

"Simon, son of Jonas lovest thou me?"—John xxi, 16.

Many things arise which throw a doubt upon our love; our Lord may well therefore put the question, "Lovest thou me?" We cannot love Jesus except we know him. We do not know Jesus except we believe in him. We do not believe in Jesus except we surrender ourselves and all we have to him. Just in proportion to our faith in Christ will be our love to Christ: "Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious." Do you love to read of Christ, to hear of Christ, to think of Christ, to speak of Christ, to work for Christ, to commune with Christ, and do you desire if the will of God be so, cheerfully to suffer for Christ? Does Jesus appear to you as the chiefest among ten thousand, and the one altogether lovely? If Christ could only be obtained for purchase, what wouldst thou give for him? If he could only be acquired by labor, what wouldst thou do for him? If he could only be procured by suffering, what wouldst thou suffer for him? Do you love him? Then you desire to please him, you fear to offend him; then you are willing to deny yourself for him, and you will seek his interests before your own. Love is often better proved by what we do than by what we say, or even than by what we feel. After the first flash of excitement is over, love settles down into a habit, and instead of inflaming us with violent emotions, inspires us with gratitude, and leads us to a self-denying obedience. "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me." We must judge by what a man does rather than by what he says, whether he loves Christ or not. Some doubt their love to him, when no one else can; and some feel sure they love him, when others stand in doubt of them.

"For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous."—1 John v, 3.