To Love Jesus

In a recent Sunday Nite Live service at Allowera, I spoke on the matter of God versus Grief. In that talk, whilst reviewing 1 Peter 1:3-9 I looked at the subject of grief and why, or for what reasons, suffering people still rejoice. In verse 8, Peter says, the means through which faith finds expression is loving and believing in Jesus.

My question: What does it mean to “love Jesus”?

Is it the mushy infatuation of a teenager towards a particular boy or girl they “like”? Is it the emotional bond of a spouse during an engagement or wedding? Is it something that resonates with the (so-called) greatest love songs of all time?

The biblical answer may upset some who cling to an emotionally laden view that borders on romantic infatuation. They need to adjust their perspective to have a biblical understanding of this.

A plain reading of the New Testament indicates “loving Jesus” as a normal experience for Christians:

“If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God” (John 8:42).

“If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed” (1 Corinthians 16:22).

“Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible” (Ephesians 6:24).

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).

However, so few men today, find it appealing, admirable, or even acceptable to love Jesus. Why?! Because they are presented with conflicting imagery of childish or soppy romantic infatuation. No-where in scripture is a man expected to relate to the Sovereign Lord God in the same way ‘chic-flick’ heroes sheepishly seduce their girlfriends! Yet this is how many Christians (and Sunday School Teachers, Worship Leaders, Singer & Preachers!!!) depict the way they love Jesus.

John Piper clarifies this for me: (HT: Adrian Warnock)

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Obedience to the commandments is the result of loving Jesus, not the same as loving Jesus. Love is something invisible and inside. It is the root that produces the visible fruit of loving others.

Some specific examples of what this looks like (I’ve slightly amended Piper’s list).

• I admire Jesus Christ more than any other human or angelic being.
• I revere and worship him alone as my Lord and King.
• I desire to only see him as he reveals himself and not as I or others might conceive him.
• I want my family to revere, worship, admire him more than me or anyone else.
• I enjoy his ways and his words more than I enjoy the ways and words of anyone else.
• I want his approval before and more than I want the approval of anyone else.
• I want to be with him (i.e. listen to & talk to him) more than I want to be with anyone else.
• I feel more grateful to him for what he has done for me than I do to anyone else.
• I trust his words more fully than I trust what anyone else says.
• I am more glad in his exaltation than in the exaltation of anyone else, including me.

“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8).