If you’re a Christian, how would you describe your affection
and admiration for Christ? Honestly.
Here are some options;
- He’s my Savior, but I guess I don’t think about Him that much.
- I relate to God mainly as my Father, so I don’t really focus on Jesus.
- I just feel lucky I'm going to heaven.
- None of your business. That’s private—between Jesus and me.
- I love Christ more than anyone. My life is about pursuing Him and knowing Him better, and as I do, I find I love Him even more.
Jesus Himself said the sure proof of our love for Him is obedience: If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15). So we're not talking about emotions only.
But I have the impression that many people who say they are Christians do not have much love for the Savior. And I think I've figured out why some do and some don’t.
It goes back to something Jesus Himself said. Remember when Jesus visited the home of a Pharisee named Simon (Luke 7:36ff)? During the meal, a repentant prostitute started weeping at His feet. She washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with perfume.
It goes back to something Jesus Himself said. Remember when Jesus visited the home of a Pharisee named Simon (Luke 7:36ff)? During the meal, a repentant prostitute started weeping at His feet. She washed His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with perfume.
The Pharisee was indignant because, after all, a woman of
the street wasn’t fit company for Jesus. But Christ told a story to defend the
woman. He talked about two debtors, neither of whom could pay back their creditor. The moneylender forgave both their debts--the first man of about two months’ wages, the second of
nearly two years’ worth.
Then the Savior asked Simon a question: which
forgiven debtor will love the moneylender more? And the Pharisee admitted, the
one who had the larger debt cancelled. Jesus then pointed out that the woman was acting out of incredible love and gratitude, in contrast to Simon
who hadn’t even treated Christ with normal courtesy.
So here's what makes the difference whether you truly, deeply, obediently love Christ or not. Jesus said, He who is forgiven little, loves little (v. 47).
The people who seem to love the Savior the most are also the ones who are the most in touch with the sin of their old life. They seem to know how much they've been forgiven. They are overwhelmed with how unworthy they were, and humbled by Jesus' willingness to pay their penalty. Because the truth is, any Christian has been forgiven much. The sins our Savior atoned for were, each one, wrath-earning and hell-deserving.
If we don't love Christ in an obvious, unashamed, obedient way, maybe we don't know how guilty we really were. Maybe we think Jesus kind of did us a favor, but one we deserved. Instead of accepting the gospel truth that, out of free, sovereign grace, the sinless Christ died in our place to free us from our own sin and to throw open the blessings of God.
Do you think you're more like the prostitute or the Pharisee?
