A Three-Fold Reason For Loving Christ

That God loves us is abundantly attested in the pages of revelation (Jno. 3:16; I Jn. 4:9-10,16) as well as from observation of His gracious provision for us in the natural world (Acts 14:17). And as with the Father, so with the Son of whom Paul could say, "who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). The "kindness and love of God our Savior toward man" (Tit. 3:4) is calculated to melt the stony heart of sinners so that "the goodness of God leads you to repentance" (Rom. 2:4). Truly, His love for us should prompt our love for Him. "We love Him because He first loved us" (I Jn. 4:19). While many reasons may be offered as to why we should love Him, consider these three.

WE SHOULD LOVE HIM BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DID FOR US. (1) He became poor-"though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9). Though "being in the form of God," He "emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:6-8). Though the devil in tempting Jesus offered Him "all these things" of the kingdoms of the world (Mat. 4:9), Jesus said during His sojourn, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay His head" (Lk. 9:58). (2) He left us an example showing us how to walk (I Pet. 2:21; 4:1-2). (3) He died for us and then triumphed over death. God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). But he "was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification" (Rom. 4:25). (4) He then gave His terms of pardon for those who would come to God by Him (Mk. 16:15-16).

WE SHOULD LOVE HIM BECAUSE OF WHAT HE IS DOING. Let us not think that just because the day of miracles is in the past that He is doing nothing for us. (1) Through His word, He is inviting sinners to receive rest from the burden of sin (Mat. 11:28-30). (2) He is saving those who accept His invitation and come to Him. "He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God by Him…" (Heb. 7:25). He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (Jn. 14:6). (3) He is adding the saved to His church, the relationship of the saved, His body (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:23). (4) He who appears in the presence of God for us (Heb. 9:24) is our advocate and His blood cleanses us from our sin (I Jn. 1:7-2:2). (5) He is preparing a place for us (Jn. 14:1-3: cf. Mat. 25:34).

WE SHOULD LOVE HIM BECAUSE OF WHAT HE WILL DO. (1) He will come again, appear a second time, and that without sin, for salvation of those who eagerly wait for Him (Heb. 9:27-28). In words intended to comfort, Paul told the saints at Thessalonica, "The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (I Thes. 4:16-17). (2) He will raise our dead bodies. Jesus said, "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth-those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (Jn. 5:28-29). This will mean salvation for some (Heb. 9:28), but condemnation for others (2 Thes. 1:8). (3) He will give the faithful, those who have sought for glory, honor, and immortality, eternal life (Rom. 2:7). (4) He will present us to the Father who will ever be with us. (I Cor. 15:24; Mt. 10:32; Rev. 21:4).