The Sunday Sermon

The Love of Christ Part 3

by Robert Murray M'Cheyne (1813-1843)

"For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead"

The Second Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians

Chapter 5 Verse 14

III. HIS LOVE STIRS UP OUR LOVE

The love of Christ to man constrains the believer to live a holy life; because that truth not only takes away our fear and hatred, but stirs up our love. (Leviticus 19:2; Numbers 15:40; Romans 11:16;)

When we are brought to see the reconciled face of God in peace, that is a great privilege. But how can we look upon that face, reconciling and reconciled, and not love him who has so loved us? Love begets love. (Psalm 8:4; Isaiah 56:2; John 16:27; Galatians 2:20;) We can hardly keep from esteeming those on earth who really love us, how worthless they may be. (Luke 11:11-13; Matthew 5:44-48;) But when we are convinced that God loves us, and convinced in such a way as by the giving up of His Son for us all, how shall we but love Him, in whom are all excellences - everything to call forth love? (John 3:16-18; James 1:17;)

I have already shown you that the gospel is a restorative scheme; it brings us back to the same state of friendship with God which Adam enjoyed, and thus takes away the desire of sin. ( Romans 5:15-19; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 45; ) But now I wish to show you, that the gospel does far more than restore us to the state from which we fell. If rightly and consistently embraced by us, it brings us into a state far better than Adam's. It constrains us by a more powerful motive. Adam had not this strong love of God to man shed abroad in his heart; and, therefore, he had not this constraining power to make him live to God. But our eyes have seen this great sight. Before us Christ has been evidently set forth crucified. If we really believe, His love has brought us into peace, through pardon; and because we are pardoned and at peace with God, the Holy Spirit is given us. What to do? Why, just to shed abroad this truth over our hearts, to show us more and more of this love of God to us, that we may be drawn to love Him who has so love us, to live to Him who has so loved us, to live to Him who died for us and rose again. (Titus 2:12; Philippians 1:21; Psalm 22:26; Luke 20:28; 2 Corinthians 5:15;)

It is truly admirable to see how the Bible way of making us holy is suited to our nature. Had God proposed to frighten us into a holy life, how vain would have been the attempt! Men have always an idea, that if one came from the dead to tell us of the reality of the doleful regions where dwell in endless misery the spirits of the damned, that that would constrain us to live a holy life; but what ignorance does this not show of our mysterious nature!

Suppose that God should this hour unveil before our eyes the secrets of those dreadful abodes where hope never comes; suppose, if it were possible, that you were actually made to feel for a season the real pains of the lake of living agony, and the worm that never dies; and then that you were brought back again on earth, and placed in your old situation, among your old friends and companions; do you really think that there would be any chance of your walking with God as a child? I doubt not you would be frightened out of your positive sins; the cup of godless pleasure would drop from your hand; you would shudder at an oath, you would tremble at a falsehood, because you had seen and felt something of the torment that awaits the drunkard, and the swearer, and the liar, in the world beyond the grave; but do you really think that you would live to god any more than you did, that you would serve Him better than before? It is quite true you might be driven to give larger charity; yea, to give all your goods to feed the poor, and your body to be burned; you might live strictly and soberly, most fearful of breaking one of the commandments, all the rest of your days: but this would not be living to God, you would not love Him one whit more. You are sadly blinded to your curiously formed hearts, if you do not know that love cannot be forced; no man was ever frightened into love, and, therefore, no man was ever frightened into holiness. ( See note “a” below)

But thrice blessed be God, He has invented a way more powerful than hell and all its terrors; an argument mightier far than even a sight of those torments; He has invented a way of drawing us to holiness. By showing us the love of his Son, He calls forth our love. He knew our frame; He remembered that we were dust; He knew all the peculiarities of our treacherous hearts; and, therefore, He suited His way of sanctifying to the creature to be sanctified. ( John 17:19; Acts 26:18; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 2:11; Hebrews 10:10; Jude 1:1; ) Thus, the Spirit does not make use of terror to sanctify us, but of love: "The love of Christ constrains us". He draws us by "the cords of love, by the bands of a man". What parent does not know that the true way to gain the obedience of a child, is to gain the affections of the child? And do you think that God, who gave us this wisdom, does not Himself know? Do you think He would set about obtaining the obedience of His children, without first of all gaining their affections, which by nature rove over the face of the world, and centre anywhere but in Him, God has sent His Son into the world to bear the curse of our sins. "Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be made rich." ( 2 Corinthians 8:9;)

If there is but one of you who will consent this day, under a sense of undoneness, to flee for refuge to the Saviour, to find in Him the forgiveness of all sins that are past, I know well that from this day forth you will be like that poor woman which was a sinner, who stood at Christ's feet behind Him weeping, and began to wash His feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet and anointed them with the ointment. (Luke 7:38, 44; ) Forgiven much, you will love much; loving much, you will live to the service of Him whom you love. ( Luke 6:37;) This is the grand master-principle of which we spoke; this is the secret spring of all the holiness of the saints.

The life of holiness is not what the world falsely represents it, a life of preciseness and painfulness, in which a man crosses every affection in his nature. The system of restrictions and self-crossings is the very system which Satan has set up as a counterfeit of God's way of sanctifying. It is thus that Satan frightens away thousands from gospel peace and gospel holiness; as if to be a sanctified man were to be a man who crossed every desire of his being, who did everything that was disagreeable and uncomfortable to him. (see note “b” below) My friends, our text distinctly shows us that it not so. We are constrained to holiness by the love of Christ; the love of Him who loved us, is the only cord by which we are bound to the service of God. The scourge that drives us to duty. Sweet bands and gentle scourges! Who would not be under their power?

( a ) Editor’s thought - Interesting point, we cannot live for him through fear of what He can do to us, but through love for what he HAS done for us. Indeed it is necessary to believe in Him in faith; and we should acknowledge the alternative. But both are not the same nor are they synonymous. Fear in terms of the Lord is a healthy respect for Him, an honor due Him, wherein Love for Him is much much deeper.

( b ) Editor’s thought - I myself before my rebirth into Christ, believed that I was not worthy because I was a sinner. I did not know that it was FOR that very reason and for FOR those very sinners that Christ came for me and laid down his life for me. This is a lie that infects many today in this world and keeps them from the love of Christ in that they believe themselves unworthy and as such remain locked out from God’s plan for salvation because of that lie and their view of unworthiness.