LITMIR.BIZ

      THE LOVE OF CHRIST

      CHRIST JESUS, the eternal Word of God Most High, was with the Father before the creation of the world and made all things together with his Father. As it is written, “Before the world was, I was, and rejoiced in his presence continually, and when he prepared all things I helped him, for through him all things are made, and nothing was made without him.” Everything that has been made, however, has being and remains in him and through him will once more be perfected. He came from above to what was his own, but they did not receive him; but to those who received him he gave the power to become children of God. What great love that is! Christ Jesus, the eternal Father’s Son, left the glory beside the Father which he had had before the world was made and came into the world in the form of a servant, endured poverty, temptation, and suffering to set us free from the yoke of misery and servitude. The lord of all lords and king of all kings became poor for our sake that we might become rich in him. We see the love of Christ in that he gave his life for us and suffered death to free us, who were guilty of death. For it is written, “No one has greater love than to give his life for his friend, and you are my friends, if you do all that I command you. I lay down my life in order to receive it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down myself.” Christ had such love for us that he gave his life and suffered the most humiliating death, namely death on the cross. Thus he became a curse for our sakes, for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree.”

      How could he have a greater love than this: he suffered so much poverty and misery, and shed his blood in death and so broke down the middle wall of partition and wiped out all that was written against us. He made a sure path to the Father for us and earned for us the Father’s favor. See how he spared no effort but did all that was necessary for our blessedness simply so that we might find joy with God and that he might cast off the heavy load that had lain upon us. We could rid ourselves of this in no other way than through him, since Satan had bound us so tightly with his ropes and stood like an armed man, keeping us in his power until the appointed time of grace came to us from God, when he sent the strong hero, Jesus Christ our Lord, against whom no one can prevail. He took away Satan’s power, burst the chain and the prison that held us, and forced Satan to obey him. He redeemed us, his people, in order that we might cleave to him alone and serve him with all our hearts.

      Now, all who recognize the love of God the Father and of his dearly beloved Son, and take to heart the great grace that has come to us through him, will truly set their hearts to serve him, obey his commandments, and delight in them by day and night; they will treasure and love the testimony of their God, and have no fear of what may happen to them as a result. They will let nothing hinder them in this or turn them aside: as it is written, “What can separate us from the love of God – can tribulation or death, hunger or thirst, heat or frost, fire, water, or sword? As it is written, we are killed all day long and are counted as sheep for slaughter, but in all this we more than overcome for the sake of him who loved us.” Such people, however, will watch carefully over their witness to the Lord, and will hold unhindered to God’s will against their own will, which they give to die with Christ. They strangle and kill it, so that their whole will is changed and renewed, and they become a new creation in Christ. They put on Christ and truly surrender themselves to God. Just as previously they surrendered to sin, obeying it and serving it, and going from one sin to the next, now, after having recognized God, they give themselves and their bodies to God as weapons of righteousness that they may be holy. Now they no longer live, but Christ lives in them and brings to perfection everything in them that is pleasing to God, so that they may praise God with an honest heart. For the true praise of God is to keep his testimony and love his name wholeheartedly.