The Love of Christ
As Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour. — Ephes. v. 2.
As God is incomprehensible in his eternity, his power, his immensity, his knowledge and his wisdom; so is he in his love.
There is a breadth and length, and depth and height, in the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. But though we cannot comprehend this love; yet we are permitted to know of its existence, and of some of its properties, which will now be the subject of our contemplation.
1. The first thing which strikes us as wonderful in this love of God is, that it should have sinners as its objects. When we consider, that God is infinitely holy — that holiness is his very essence — it cannot but strike us, as an incomprehensible thing, that depraved and guilty creatures should be from eternity the selected objects of divine benevolence. For it should be understood and admitted, that for God to love sinners with the love of complacency or esteem, is a thing evidently and absolutely repugnant to his nature; and therefore impossible. But a holy being may love those who are unholy, with the love of benevolence; as this consists, not in any delight in their character, but in a desire for their well-being and happiness. Such love contemplates the recovery of its objects, not only from misery, but from depravity; and their restoration to the image and enjoyment of God.
But as the Almighty possessed the power of creating with a word, innumerable intelligent beings, who might become the objects of his love, it is wonderful that he should fix his love on sinful, ruined creatures. It could not be merely as creatures, that men became the objects of this love; for then fallen angels, as being of a nobler nature, had a higher claim. But “Christ took not on him the nature of angels.” Devils were not the objects of his love.
2. Another thing which is incomprehensible in the love of Christ to sinners is, that among men, all of whom were equally lost and helpless, it should select a certain number, as its objects, and leave all the rest under condemnation and depravity, as they were before.
If men are the objects of divine favour, why a part only? Why not all? especially, as the means necessary to redeem a part, are sufficient to redeem the whole.
If those elected were uniformly better than those passed by, there would be some small ground of making a difference. But this is not tV e fact. Some of the elect, we know, were among the greatest sinners upon earth; and, generally, they were no better than others, in heart or life.
This doctrine of sovereign election is so offensive to human reason, or rather to human prejudices, that every evasion which human ingenuity could devise, has been resorted to, in order to avoid it; or so to explain it, that it might be rendered more palatable to the children of men.
The most plausible evasion of the doctrine is, that God, who is omniscient, foresaw that a certain number of the human race would, in the exercise of their free-will, cordially receive the gospel, and persevere in obedience until death; and on this account they were elected unto life. But this is inconsistent with the condition into which the human race are sunk; which is one of entire depravity, or alienation from God. We might as reasonably expect the dead to rise out of their graves, by their own power, as that men dead in trespasses and sins, should of their own accord, put forth any holy act. It is also diametrically opposed to the teaching of Scripture on the subject: where no such reason is ever offered why certain persons were elected unto life, but they are predestinated, that they might be holy. They are not chosen, because it was foreseen, that they would be holy; but they became saints, because God, in his incomprehensible counsel, was pleased to choose them to be heirs of salvation. Their love to God is not the cause of his love to them, but the consequence. 41 We love him,” says John, “because he first loved us.” And again, “Not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” When Christ rejoiced in spirit, and thanked God that he had hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes, he ascribes it entirely to divine sovereignty: “Even so, Father, for thus it seemed good in thy sight;’7 and Paul attributes all to the “good pleasure” of the divine will.
3. A third characteristic of the love of Christ is, its degree of intensity, which is unparalleled. “Greater love hath no man than this,” says Christ, “that a man lay down his life for his friends;” but Paul says, “God commend eth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” “God so loved the world,” says Christ, “that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The love of the Father and the Son is the same; but the evidence of the love of the Son strikes us more forcibly, because he it was who became incarnate, and was crucified. He was made of a woman, and made under the law, that he might be capable of suffering, which as God he is not; though some entertain the opinion that the divine nature suffered. This, however, seems to us inconsistent with the immutability, felicity, and absolute perfection of Deity. But the divine and human nature constitute but one Person, and therefore, it may truly be said that the Son of God suffered and died, that is, he suffered and died in that nature which was susceptible of suffering and death. The intensity of Christ’s love is manifested by his voluntary giving up his life for the salvation of his people.
He gave himself for us, says our text, an offering for a sweet smelling savour unto God. He was, by an oath of the Father, designated to be a priest after the order of Melchisedek; and as our great high Priest, he must needs have something to offer. As Isaac said, My Father, where is the Lamb? so we may say, Here is the Priest, but where is the sacrifice? The answer is, “sacrifice and offering, and burnt-offering, and offering for sin, thou wouldst not, neither hadst pleasure in them. Then said he, Lo, I come, to do thy will, O God. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.” “This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God.” “Such a high Priest became us;” and such a sacrifice was necessary for the salvation of one soul, and is in value sufficient for a thousand worlds, for it is infinite.
How exceedingly great was that love, which could induce the Son of God to veil his glory, and leave the riches of heaven, to become a poor, despised, and sorrowful man; yea, to give himself up freely into the hands of wicked men, who maliciously sought his life! He says, “I lay it down of myself, no man taketh it away from me.” “He humbled himself and took upon him the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man, he was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
The efficacy of this sacrifice in procuring reconciliation is signified in the text, by its being called “a sweet smelling savour unto God.” God was well pleased with the mediatorial work of his Son. A rich reward was given to him for his humiliation and death. This, we read, he had before him, when “he endured the cross, despising the same.”
As the death of the Son was agreed on. in the eternal counsels of Jehovah; and as he perfectly complied with all the stipulations of the covenant; and not only obeyed the law, but endured its curse, his work and his offering could not but be pleasing to God.
4. As this love did not originate in time, but, from eternity, the delights of the Son were with the children of men; so it will never have an end. Many waters cannot extinguish it. Whom Christ loves, he love to the end. It is an everlasting love: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” If it should be alleged, that the objects of this love may cause it to cease, by wickedly forsaking Christ and becoming reprobates; it may be answered, that his grace is sufficient to save from apostasy, those whom he has effectually called. “They are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”
If, indeed, true believers should ever apostatize, they would forfeit the love of Christ; but his promise is express, that such an event shall never take place. “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me.” Christ prays for them, as he prays not for the world: and the Father heareth him always. Again, he says, “Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me, be with me, that they may behold my glory.” United to Christ, and members of his body, they cannot perish.
5. The love of Christ to his people is manifested by the revelation which he has made for their instruction; by all the institutions of his church for their edification; and by all the dispensations of his providence, whether afflictive or prosperous. But, especially, the love of Christ toward his chosen people is evinced by the gift of his Spirit, the Comforter, to abide with them for ever. By his effectual agency the soul is renewed, and sanctified, and made meet for the enjoyment of the heavenly inheritance. He takes of the things of Christ, and shows them unto us, and is a Monitor, a Comforter, an Advocate, and a Helper in every time of need and of distress.
6. Finally, the love of Christ to his disciples is a tender, condescending love. He deals with them, as a mother with a child; carries them in his bosom, and gently leads them in the right way; and as they are prone, like lost sheep, to stray far away from his pastures, he goes after them and brings them back. “He restoreth my soul,” is language which every disciple has occasion, with gratitude, to use. We see, in the gospel history, clear evidence of the forbearance and condescension of Christ toward his disciples. Now that he is exalted at the right hand of God, he exercises the same tenderness and condescension, as the experience of every true Christian can testify. Even the tenderness of a mother for her suckling is not sufficient, fully to exhibit the tenderness and constancy of the love of Christ to his people. This language, by the prophet Isaiah, is remarkable: “But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget; yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands — thy walls are continually before me.” The love of God to his people is often, in the Old Testament, called loving-kindness. A stronger expression for tender love could not be used.
“The Lord,” says the Psalmist, M is merciful and gracious, slow, to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” But after all, the love of Christ is too great, too wonderful to be comprehended. It passeth knowledge. Paul says, “Who loved me and gave himself for me.” He compares the love of Christ to that of a tender husband toward his wife. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies; for no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it; even as the Lord the Church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. This is a great mystery, but h speak concerning Christ and his church.”
1. The first inference from this subject is, that if Christ so loved us, we ought to make all the return possible, by loving him supremely, constantly, tenderly. Love to Christ is the only satisfactory evidence we can have that we are the objects of his love. We should love him, because he has manifested such love to us. * If we love Christ, we will keep his commandments.
2. The second inference is, that if Christ so loved us as to give himself for us, an offering of a sweet savour unto God, we ought to love one another, and to walk in love; for thi is the exhortation of the apostle in our text. To walk in love, our minds should be imbued with this holy affection. Love should be our aliment — love should be our active principle, ever prompting and influenc-# ing us. Those whom Christ so intensely and tenderly loves, we ought to love with a pure heart fervently.
3. The love of Christ should be the constant object of our contemplation, and the subject of our continual praises. This will make us meet for heaven; for the everlasting song of the redeemed is, “To 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.”