“He that loveth not knoweth not God.” — 1 John 4:8
The distinguishing mark of a Christian is his confidence in the love of Christ, and the yielding of his affections to Christ in return. First, faith
sets her seal upon the man by enabling the soul to say with the apostle, “Christ loved me and gave Himself for me.” Then love gives the countersign, and stamps upon the heart gratitude and love to Jesus in return. “We love Him because He first loved us.” In those grand old ages, which are the heroic period of the Christian religion, this double mark was clearly to be seen in all believers in Jesus; they were men who knew the love of Christ, and rested upon it as a man leaneth upon a staff whose trustiness he has tried. The love which they felt towards the Lord was not a…
quiet emotion which they hid within themselves in the secret chamber oftheir souls, and which they only spake of in their private assemblies whenthey met on the first day of the week, and sang hymns in honour of ChristJesus the crucified, but it was a passion with them of such a vehement andall-consuming energy, that it was visible in all their actions, spoke in theircommon talk, and looked out of their eyes even in their commonestglances. Love to Jesus was a flame which fed upon the core and heart oftheir being; and, therefore, from its own force burned its way into the outerman, and shone there. Zeal for the glory of King Jesus was the seal andmark of all genuine Christians. Because of their dependence upon Christ’slove they dared much, and because of their love to Christ they did much,and it is the same now. The children of God are ruled in their inmostpowers by love — the love of Christ constraineth them; they rejoice thatdivine love is set upon them, they feel it shed abroad in their hearts by theHoly Ghost, which is given unto them, and then by force of gratitude theylove the Saviour with a pure heart, fervently. My reader, do you love Him?Ere you sleep give an honest answer to a weighty question!
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Producer: Todd Adkins
Voice Artist: Ian Cullen