Them That Love God

The Lord Jesus Christ tells us that men ought always to pray and not to faint. Actually, there are many things men ought always to do but by nature we cannot and will not do them. For example, we will not give God the honour, praise and love He is due from His creatures. We will not glorify His name. Far from loving the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength we hate Him by nature and despise His claims upon us.

A long way down

Paul has in this very chapter described our fallen nature as ‘enmity against God’. Enmity is mankind’s governing principle of aversion and hostility towards God in heart and mind. It is the state of all who do not possess the Spirit of Christ. However, the apostle also draws a distinction between this innate hatred and divine love. In the verse before us today he speaks of ‘them that love God’. This contrast shows how new life in Christ brings new desires and new affections, not least toward God. 

A new creature

When God gives the gift of faith to a sinner His Spirit indwells the heart and soul of His new creation. Paul tells the Corinthians, ‘if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new’. In the soul of a believer a new principle springs to life. With faith comes love, peace, joy, longsuffering and all the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost. Every spiritual grace is fully formed and operational and though it begins small, it lives, it grows and it thrives.

A good work begun

‘Them that love God’ are the same people for whom it is said, ‘all things work together for good’. Having begun a good work in them by implanting spiritual life these blessed people learn to love God; Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The Lord does His people good and bestows every blessing, saying ‘no good thing will I withhold’. He is our Sun and Shield. He gives grace and promises glory. The born again child of God cannot do other than love the Lord who does all things well. 

Grace exercised by trial

Perhaps you feel your love is weak, variable and shallow. This is true for every child of God. Just as faith is tried, or patience is tried, so our love for God is tried and often the devil tempts us to question whether there is any real love within us at all. Paul says there is. John tells us we love Him because He first loved us and Peter speaks of Him ‘whom having not seen, ye love’. Even when we lose sight of our Saviour completely and wonder how that is possible, the One who loved us and gave Himself for us is the One who maintains the ties that bind.

He who first loved us

As a believer’s faith is exercised so it grows. So, too, a believer’s love. Despite our feelings the Lord teaches us nothing can ‘separate us from the love of Christ’. Through our troubles He reveals love’s breadth and length, depth and height. When the infinite dimensions and eternal origin of Christ’s love begins to be felt, sensed, experienced and enjoyed by the Lord’s elect people our own love for Christ grows in proportion and is drawn out. It deepens and expands as our admiration of our Lord and Saviour is enlarged.

Loving God in three persons

Our love for God grows as He reveals to us His covenant purpose of grace and peace. It grows when we discover the righteousness of His designs in salvation. It grows for the Lord Jesus Christ when we see by faith His suffering and death for our good. The Spirit, too, endears Himself to us in His constructive convicting and subsequent comfort. 

We shall be like Him

Indeed, so much do we love the Lord our God that it becomes our desire to be like Him. We want to be dressed in His righteousness, to walk in His likeness, to love what He loves and seek what He desires. We long to live our lives according to the will and direction of the One we love. Love, not law, compels a child of God to be like Him. We long to be with Him that we might consummate our love and embrace His person and beauty.

Perfect love

Glory will be the perfecting of our love. While Paul says we are ‘them that love God’ yet still we see through a glass darkly. Soon we shall see face to face. Soon our love for God will be as pure and unmixed as any creature’s love for God can be. Angels love the Lord but they were never redeemed from the depths of sin. He who is forgiven much loves much and the church’s love for God will grow to all eternity, in harmony with the praises of His saints. 

Amen.