Westminster Theological Seminary Devotional - 97-07-07 - As Christ Has Loved Us

As Christ has loved us, so we should love one another.

These thoughts are taken from a sermon preached by Sebastian Benefield in 1595. This sermon was preached at Oxford University in London on James 4:10. I have maintained some of the original spelling to give a flavor of what the original text said.

  1. The cause that moved Christ to love us. Wee have been chosen in Christ, by the Father, that we might be saved by Him, and therefore Christ loved us with a peculiar love above all others, Galatians 2:20. Therefore must we also love our brethren peculiarly in the Lord, for that very cause, because they are also chosen of the Father in Christ, that they might be saved by Christ.
  2. The time that Christ loved us. He loved us first, 1 John 4:19. Therefore we must also treat one another in love, wee must not looke that they love us first (for the heathans can be content to yeeld love for love, Matt. 5:46) But we must love them first, and by so loving them stirre them up to love us again.
  3. The quality of the persons, whom Christ has loved. He has loved us, John 15:9, that is all, all the elect, Iews, and Gentiles, Grecians, &barbarians, bond, and free, men, &women, the base, and poore as well, as the noble, and rich: for all which, and therfore for all of us He dyed, when as yet we were sinners, Rom. 5:8. Therefore must we also love all men, be they sinners, or seeme they iust (just); seeme they our friends or be they our foes, bee they of what estate and condition forever.
  4. The end, for which Christ has loved us. He loved us for no profit of his owne, but for our soules health. Therefore must we also love our neighbours, not for our owne gaine, but for their good: and there doth St. Paul counsell us, Let every man be carefull for the things of his neighbour, Phil. 2:4.
  5. The measure of Christs love to us ward. It is a true love; for Christ is truth it selfe, John 14:6. It is an ardent love, for Christ laid down his life, he shed his blood, for his sheepe, John 10:15. It is never a dying love, for Christ loves His unto the end, John 13:1. And therefore must wee also love our neighbours truly, earnestly, &constantly. We must abandon al false, feigned, and vaine love, all corrupt love, all gainefull love, al tongue love, and the like; as Christ has loved us, even so must we love one another.

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-