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for many Christians if they were to remember that this mighty principle
applies to them as well as to the Jews。 No love to Christthen no
sonship to God I
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 xxi。 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 to him his mission to
feed the Church。 And what was the question that He asked him？ He might
have said：〃Believest thou？ Art thou converted？ Are 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 poor man； it contains matter which tests the reality of
the most advanced apostle。 If a man truly loves Christ； all is
rightif 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 St。 John；
〃We love Him because He first loved us。〃 （1 John iv。 19。） That text； no
doubt； applies specially to God the Father。 But it is no less true of
God 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 the consequences 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； placed
him in the narrow way； 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 feels that
He is daily washing away his many shortings and infirmities； and
pleading his soul's cause before God。 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？
A very child can answer such questions as these。 Just in the same way；
and upon the same principles； a true Christian loves Jesus Christ。
（a） This love to Christ is the inseparable panion of saving faith。 A
faith of devils； 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 vii。
47。） If a man has no love to Christ； you may be sure he has no faith。
（b） 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； may give the sick man his
medicine at the right time； may feed him； minister to him； and attend
to all his wants。 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 dutythe other from
affection and love。 The one does her duty because she is paid for
itthe 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
Churchthe men who have led forlorn hopes in the mission…field and
turned the world upside down； have all been eminently lovers of Christ。
Examine the characters of Owen and Baxter； of Rutherford and George
Herbert； of Leighton and Hervey； of Whitfield and Wesley； of Henry
Martyn and Judson； of Bickersteth and Simeon； of Hewitson and M'Cheyne；
of Stowell and M'Neile。 These men have left a mark on the world。 And
what was the mon feature of their characters？ They all loved Christ。
They not only held a creed。 They loved a Person； even the Lord Jesus
Christ。
（c） Love to Christ is the point which we ought specially to dwell upon
in teaching religion to children。 Election； imputed righteousness；
original sin； justification； sanctification； and even faith itself； are
matters which sometimes puzzle a child of tender years。 But love to
Jesus seems far more within reach of their understanding。 That He loved
them even to His death； and that