Reasons why believers love Jesus more than anyone else

Reasons why believers love Jesus more than anyone else

Reasons why believers love Jesus more than anyone else
Richard Cameron (1647-1680) was a famous Covenanter preacher during the times of persecution, preaching to thousands at religious meetings in the fields, known as conventicles. He was killed by government dragoons at Airds Moss, Ayrshire and his supporters went on to form the Cameronian Regiment.

The deeper we reflect on who our Lord Jesus Christ is and where He has come from, the more it serves to highlight the adorable beauty of what He has done for His sinful people. If by faith we accept His gifts of salvation – what He has done and what He gives – the only appropriate response is to love Him. The following updated extract gives Richard Cameron’s reflections on this theme as he expounds the love for Christ that animates the soul of a believer.

Love is misplaced if is not bestowed on Jesus Christ Himself. David bestowed his love well when he said, “Whom have I in the heavens but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee” (Psalm 73). In Song 3:3 the spouse says, “Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?” It is not a mouth or lip love, it is a soul’s love.

Think of where Christ came from

What is His birth? You know if a man comes to make suit to a woman, she will be sure to enquire what parents he is descended from. And is there any like our Lord? He is descended of honourable parentage. He is the Son of the Father. He is the Son of God, and as He is man He is the Son of David.

This is a wonderful thing, that the Son of God should offer marriage to the most insignificant man or woman in all the land. You would be very impressed if the king, having one lawfully begotten son, was to send him to you, and desire marriage with a low-ranking girl. But oh wonderful! God has sent His only begotten Son, who is God equal with Himself—He has sent Him down from heaven to earth, to discuss terms for marriage with the poorest believer there.

Think of the possessions He has

Jesus Christ is heir of all things. All power in heaven and earth is given unto Him. Such is the believer’s Beloved! It is He that has power, ruling over heaven, earth, and hell, and the absolute disposal of all things. He has grace and glory, and every good thing to give unto them that wait on Him. Is it any wonder then that the spouse says, “Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?” She could not endure the loss when He absented Himself. But many, because they cannot get the present things, think little of Christ. Some even say, “If you are faithful and honest, you get nothing! So much misery comes of following Christ; follow Christ and lose everything!” You think Christ is not a good husband, since His followers are so badly treated on earth.

But I will tell you—nay, I assure you—that the believer has as good a right to the world as anyone else, and the one who is cast out of house and hold for Christ has as good a right to it as anyone. Oh then, saw ye Him whom my soul loveth in this night of persecution on the Church—when the Lord’s people are meeting with such bitter things? They will however have much more than their persecutors have. Supposing you did not have twopence to rub together, you have more than all the persecutors have—you have Himself, and that is more than all other things.

Think of His precious person

Let us consider what Jesus is, as to His person. You know when a young man makes suit to a young woman, she not only asks what is his birth and what he has, but has some desire to know what he is in himself. Is he a well-favoured man? So the spouse goes to the watchmen, and to the daughters of Jerusalem, that is, to professing Christians in general, and says, “I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, that if ye find my well beloved, ye tell him, that I am sick of love.” She cannot go without Him any longer.

But they reply, “What is thy beloved more than another beloved? that thou makest so much noise about him.” There are many who say, “What do you mean, making so much ado about Christ?”

“Indeed,” says she, “my beloved is white and ruddy; fairer than the sons of men, and the chiefest of ten thousand.” And indeed so He is, and always will be to any who know the power of religion. He will be to them the pearl of great price. He is refreshing to them every way; He fills the desires of the hungry and longing soul. “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”

Love Christ for taking our nature

Now let us consider what Christ has done for the church and for believers. Our Lord has been at much pains, and cost too, for believers. Will this not give us reason to love him?

I tell you one thing He has done for us: He has taken on Him our nature.

This is a very familiar thing that you have heard of very often, but it is soon forgotten, and little thought of. He took upon Him our nature. He took not upon Him the nature of angels, but the nature of poor ruined man. Oh, this is a heart-engaging consideration!

Many think nothing of it, that Christ left His place in heaven, came out from the Father’s bosom, and took upon Him our nature. But is it not a great wonder? The eternal Son of God, the second person of the glorious Trinity, came down here on earth, and took on Him the nature of the seed of Abraham!

O wonderful condescension! Many think nothing of it, but let me tell you, poor sinners could never otherwise have gone up to heaven to Him. No; for if He had appeared like Himself, the second person of the ever-blessed Trinity, if He had appeared in His regal robes of glory and majesty, we could not have looked near Him. The Lord became bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh. And should not this engage us to love Him very much?

Love Christ for taking the form of a servant

He not only took on Him our nature, but He took on Him the form of a servant. He came not only like man, but like an insignificant, low-ranking man. Indeed, had He come like a rich or great man, poor folk would not have got to come near Him—not so much as to touch the hem of His garment. But our Lord has His own way of coming. He comes like a poor mean man into the world, and He goes ofttimes to poor men’s houses. And seeing He came in such a poor mean way, should not this make us look to Him?

Love Christ for taking all our infirmities

I will tell you further what He has done. He has taken on Him all our infirmities and our diseases. “He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. He was tempted in all things like unto us, that he might be able to succour them that are tempted.” Here there may be some that are hungry, thirsty, and cold, as were some after the affair at Pentland. Although it has not been exactly the same with those who were at Bothwell, at Pentland they were likely to perish in the woods. They were both cold and hungry and thirsty. You know what persecutions they suffered by enemies. But may not this be matter of comfort to all sufferers in affliction: “We have not an high priest that cannot be touched with our infirmities,” but one who was exercised with sad afflictions, and suffered, and was persecuted in His body, in our nature, and therefore knows well how to support and succour His people in all their afflictions. And should not this engage us to love Him, and to desire conformity to Him? For indeed He knows well how to see to us, and how to comfort us under all cases and conditions.

Love Christ for bearing the wrath of God

I tell you further yet, what He has done for us. He bore the wrath of God for believers, for all that come to God in and through Him. This is a strong reason for all the people of God to love Him with their whole heart and soul – that He has borne the wrath that would have crushed all the elect, yea, all the world, and kept them in the place of torment for ever and ever. He bore the wrath that made Him sweat great drops of blood, and cry out, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” What shall I say? He was so deserted of God as made Him cry out on the cross, “Eli, Eli, lama sabbachthani? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” I think the person that has soul’s love to Christ has good reason to and may well bear the wrath of man: for that wrath is far inferior to the wrath that Christ has borne for His people. Oh, how this ought to endear Christ to us!

Love Christ for dying for us

I will tell you what else Christ has done for believers. Listen carefully. He has even died for them, even the cursed death of the cross. This is how He has taken away the sting of natural death, and He will keep us from eternal death if we believe in Him; for while “we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.”

Love Christ for going into the grave for us

Christ not only died for us, but went down and perfumed the grave for believers, so that they may say, “O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?” Take note. For, I think, if you are believers you will have love to Him on this account. Those who have gone to the scaffold for Christ did it cheerfully, as if their dying day was the best day that ever they saw in their life. They were sometimes so joyful that their souls, as it were, leaped out of their bodies, because our Lord has gone through death and the grave for them. That is why they have the victory and have overcome death and the grave.

Love Christ for rising again for us

Which leads us to something else that He has also done for believers, and that is, He rose again and overcame death. But oh, how few are buried with Him in baptism! How few have mortified every sin and corruption arising within them, that they may partake of His resurrection unto eternal life and salvation!

Love Christ for interceding for us

Lastly, I will tell you another thing that Christ does to make Himself loveable to us. He is interceding always at the Father’s right hand for you, if you are a believer. Christ’s praying refers to every believer in the Church of Scotland. He prays even for ministers and members who have largely given up praying for Him and His cause! And this is how He “is able to save all that come unto Him; because He ever lives to make intercession for us.”

I say, consider these things, and you will think it no wonder that the believer loves Him above anyone and everything else whatsoever!

FURTHER READING

Read more articles from the Richard Cameron blog

AUTHOR MENU

READ MORE

LIKE THIS

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and receive an updated article every week.

9 Ways to Demonstrate Your Love for Christ

9 Ways to Demonstrate Your Love for Christ

9 Ways to Demonstrate Your Love for Christ
Richard Cameron (1647-1680) was a famous Covenanter preacher during the times of persecution, preaching to thousands at religious meetings in the fields, known as conventicles. He was killed by government dragoons at Airds Moss, Ayrshire and his supporters went on to form the Cameronian Regiment.

It’s not difficult to say, “I love Jesus”–some people even claim this while quickly confirming that they are not religious. Others profess their love for Christ while disclaiming the label “Christian”. It’s easy to shape the Christ we want and then claim to be a follower of Jesus. We also live in a world where it is easy to segue from saying “I love Jesus” to saying whatever else you love without losing a beat. But the reality of loving Christ is far more demanding than mere profession. We need a life and heart that demonstrates love for Christ.

Richard Cameron preached about love for Christ in the context of persecution. People were suffering due to loving Christ enough to honour His sole authority in the Church. Hearing a sermon preached in the hills about love for Christ meant walking many miles to be there. But simply listening to the sermon could mean imprisonment, banishment, loss of everything or indeed execution. We can, to a limited extent, listen along with Cameron’s congregation to the message that they heard. Cameron gives a gospel-centred view of who Christ is and what He has done and still does for His people to stir their hearts with love towards Him. Those who can say that Christ has heard their prayers and that all their sins are forgiven cannot do other than love Christ. In this updated extract Cameron goes on to describe the ways that true believers express their love for Christ. 

1. Think Much About Him 

These who love Christ will be thinking of Him much. If someone loves a person or object much they will not readily let that person or object be out of their mind for long. The blessed man’s “delight is in the law of the Lord”(Psalm 1:2). He meditates in it “day and night”. Now the person that loves Him will be thinking much on Him. They will be constantly striving to get much love towards Him. I know some men in the world that do not think of Him much, nor of what He has done. But they deceive and cheat themselves. Strive to think of Him much and to get more love to Him. There are some persons who, the more they are loved, the less they care for those who love them. But it is not so with Christ.

Oh, how few they are who hate vain thoughts but love the law of the Lord (Psalm 119:113). How few hate vain thoughts, they would rather entertain them. But do not entertain vain thoughts of God, of Christ, of what He has done and what an excellent one He is. I believe many of you have your thoughts running out after other things but seldom have a thought of Christ. All this declares that there is little love to Him. The wife loves her husband although he is away from her. The spouse loves Christ though He is for the present absent from her. Her love to Him still rises up, leading her to ask for the one her soul loves (Song 3:3). 

2. Speak Much About Him 

Those who love Christ will speak much about Him. But there are many folk among whom there is not one word of Christ to be heard. I tell you, there is much talk about religion and religious matters but little talk of Christ. There is much talk of other men’s faults and failings. It is sad that we should have so many of these to talk of. But, believer, you should not spend your time so much in this. When you are met together do not let not your discourse about controversies crowd out speaking about Christ and love to Him. Do not let the esteem of His worth and excellence go down amongst you. But I believe you may be among professing Christians for a long time before you hear much talk of this kind. 

Oh, sad, sad, that the defections of the time should be the only talk of professing Christians. There are many who, if they are met together in company, and if one asks them a question about Christ, will just look down. If they can, they will bring in another subject to put it out of head and heart. But when anyone starts a conversation about the divisions of the times, they will not let the conversation fail from their side. But I am sure that the man that ever met with Christ, that ever was united with Him, and has any impression of that on His soul, cannot be long in company without high and honourable thoughts of Him. If he lacks Him he will pursue after Him, especially if he has love in activity; he will be longing for Him. But sadly, religion is likely to wear out these days. 

3. Bring Others To Him 

Those that have love to Christ will do what they can to bring others to Him. The spouse who seeks Christ finds Him and says, “I held him and would not let him go” (Song 3:4). And then she says to others to go and behold Him crowned (Song 3:11). 

She had met with Christ herself and had much love to Him. She therefore invites her companions to go out after Him, to go out from a lost world and behold Him with the crown on His head. Oh, then take a view of our Lord Christ with the crown on His head with which His mother crowned Him. There are not a few ministers and professing Christians who do not think little of themselves. There are almost none now except those who are saying, “Do not go out and behold Him.” 

I believe there are many professing Christians up and down the country that have cast off what God has commanded in His word. Many have endorsed this but away with them! No matter who they are, it would be better for us if we were rid of those that urge us to abandon the good old way for which our ancestors lost so much before they would abandon it. They parted with relations, estates, and all things for it. But there are many folk that cry, “Away with both Christ and His ordinances!” They have us cast off even the most pure and living ordinances. But now says the spouse, “Go forth, and behold the king.” So, I would have you go forth that you may obtain salvation to your souls from Christ. This is no cruel advice. Love Christ, and get salvation from Him, though you would lose all you have in the present world. 

4. Fear to Offend Him

 Those who have true love to Christ will be loath to offend Him. Thus, they will abhor all sin. They will love Christ’s “commandments above gold” and “hate every false way” (Psalm 119:127-128). These always go hand in hand. Away with the love of that man who says he has love to Christ yet does not hate every false way! Sadly, you may see that there is little love to Christ in Scotland. Iniquity abounds, and the love of many grows cold. Those who comply with Christ’s enemies have little love to Christ—at least not in exercise. 

5. Do Not Help His Enemies

Those who have complied with Christ’s enemies—whether they are godly men or whatever they are—do not have love towards Christ in exercise. Wherever this love is in exercise, people will be loath to offend Christ. They will be afraid that He may stand at a distance from His ordinances. David says that he hates those who hate God (Psalm 139:19-21).

I tell you, I do not like those who are familiar with the stated and avowed enemies of our Lord and Master Christ and are fond of receiving favour from them. Away with them! Whatever they have been, they do not have love in exercise at present. Whatever they have been before, this declares to the world that their love is now gone. And when it is recovered again, such conduct will grieve them. Indeed, the lack of love to Christ portends a sad case. Therefore, beware, all of you, of being cheated and drawn out of God’s way. Beware of being too familiar with those who have taken away the royal prerogative of Jesus Christ to the harm of religion. Do not beguile yourselves. 

But you may say, “Should we not love our enemies?” True; we should love our enemies, but as they are the stated enemies of Christ, and going on in a state of enmity and defection from Him, they are more than our enemies. They are enemies to Christ, and going on in persecuting God’s cause, enemies to the gospel, and to a covenanted work of reformation. In this view we should hate and abhor them (Psalm 139:19-21). We declare against them,  all that comply with them, and all that stand upon their side. A sad day awaits them. They are worse than those of Laodicea, who were neither cold nor hot, whom for this reason Christ threatens to spew out of his mouth (Revelation 3:16). They have done more hurt to the work of reformation by their compliance than all other open and avowed enemies.

6. Respect All His Commandments

Those that love Christ have a great respect to all His commands. They have a great love and respect to His tabernacles (Psalm 84:1). We would not want you to show repugnance towards ministers who strive to keep the ordinances of Christ pure and entire. If they really have love to Christ they would have the tenderest possible respect for Him and hate every wicked way. They would love the saints—the excellent ones in whom is all His delight (Psalm 16:2). There is little love to Christ where there is so little love and sympathy for one another. 

7. Be Ready to Lose Anything For Him

Those who love Christ will always be ready to lose and leave all other things for Him. Christ Himself says, anyone that loves anything “more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37). They are not for Christ. They prefer other things to Him, when it comes to this that they must leave one or the other. You must leave all and buy that pearl of great price. Those who do so will not be losers, they will have “a hundredfold now in this time…and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:30).

I assure you, if you had love to Christ you would think it much to get an opportunity to give Him proof of it. You would even thank God for this opportunity, and say, “Although I should lose all, yet I have got an opportunity of giving a proof of my love to Him in this evil time”. And it is the best time that many ever saw, because they have had an opportunity to give a proof of their love to this excellent Prince and ever lovely One.

8. Hate Sin

If you want to have love to Christ, see that you keep your sins ever before you. The reason for this is that there is always a conviction and sense of guilt in relation to your danger. One sees the danger he is in by his sins, there is a concern to run to Him and make use of the blood that speaks better things than that of Abel. In this case you have recourse to that fountain that is opened to the house of David and inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. Think always on the wrath due to us for sin.

I assure you, those who keep their hearts under the greatest sense of their sins will have much love to Christ. The lack of this is one reason that so many have so little love to Him and so much love to other things. If you had a true sense of sin, wrath and judgment, you would have much love to Christ, and He would be above all in your hearts. You would exalt Him in your souls. It is through faith in Him that we stand and rejoice in trials, as the apostle expresses it (Romans 5:2-3). And the apostle was conscious of this. It is in Christ that we have the hope of the glory of God. We can rejoice in trials knowing that they produce patience. Patience works experience, and experience hope. Hope does not make us ashamed or disappointed because “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts” by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Be much in the grace of repentance.

9. Pray Much to Him 

Be much in prayer and much in exercising true love to Christ in an evil time, when the Lord is calling us to exercise this in all these duties. But above all, I exhort and charge you to be much in love. Have the love of God “shed abroad” in your hearts. Fix on Jesus Christ by faith. Strive to be much in love towards Him, for He is an able Saviour to bring about deliverance to the Church in the saddest condition she can be in.

 

READ MORE

LIKE THIS

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and receive an updated article every week.

How to Have Inward Calm During Outward Trouble

How to Have Inward Calm During Outward Trouble

How to Have Inward Calm During Outward Trouble
Richard Cameron (1647-1680) was a famous Covenanter preacher during the times of persecution, preaching to thousands at religious meetings in the fields, known as conventicles. He was killed by government dragoons at Airds Moss, Ayrshire and his supporters went on to form the Cameronian Regiment.

​Calm confidence during a storm of outward troubles is true strength. Many think it is virtually impossible. Yet by grace, Paul learned the secret of being content in every situation (Philippians 4:11). We live in a culture of discontent. People have their hearts tied to things in this world and when the world is thrown into turmoil so are their hearts. It is not outward troubles themselves that disquiet our heart. The root cause is within not without. How do we get our hearts settled and fixed so that they can be calm during times of trouble?

Richard Cameron (1647-1680) addressed this in his last sermon before he died. The outward troubles that he and his fellow Covenanters faced were intense. Many were anxious or cast down. Persecution was fierce against those who would not conform to the government take-over of the Church in Scotland. Faithfulness meant suffering through fines, imprisonment, banishment and execution. What text of Scripture could Cameron choose as a motto to leave with the afflicted remnant?

It was brief but contained profound depths: “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). “Many are the mysteries that are contained and wrapped up in the shortest sentences of Scripture”, he said. These brief words forbid us from being disquieted and murmuring against providence – “Be still”. These words also command us to have a fixed and composed heart: “know that I am God”. We are to do this because God is still God and worthy of all our confidence.

 

1. Why We Lack Inward Calm During Outward Troubles

(a) Love of the world

This makes us fear that we will lose all our possessions. But if we can say with Paul, “the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14) then we learn the lesson “I have learned in whatsoever state I am…to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

(b) Fear of men

We may have much love to Christ and faith.  Yet, if the fear of men prevails over the fear of God we will be greatly cast down during times of outward troubles.  The fear of man brings a snare (Proverbs 29:25).

(c) Lack of acquaintance with God

Looking to God and seeing His hand in all our troubles would greatly help to still our minds in every difficulty (Job 22:21).

(d) Unbelief

When the disciples were tossed in the sea their minds were as much troubled as the waves. This was because they were of little faith.

(e) Impatience

“Some folk’s minds will be in a strange hurry”. They have an excessive, impatient desire to see God fulfil His promises.

 

2. Why We Must Not Lack Inward Calm During Outward Troubles

(a) It does no good

“What can you profit yourselves, or the Church of Christ either, by your sinful carefulness or by your unbelieving anxiety?” We must not be disquieted about worldly things. David rebukes his soul for being cast down and disquieted within him (Psalm 42:5).

(b) It Involves quarrelling with and murmuring against God

“Be still,” that is, “Beware of murmuring against Me,” says the Lord.

(c) Fretting because of evil doers is foolish

“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath” (Psalm 37:8). Beware of envying the wicked, though everything appears to prosper with them. “Be still,” says God, “for I sit in heaven and am laughing at them all the while.”

(d) Because God is God still

He is the same God yesterday, today and forever. We need to have high and honourable thoughts of Him. How often our thoughts about Him change!

 

3. What Inward Calm Involves

(a) A fixed mind and heart

Our mind and heart is to be fixed on God (Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 112:7).

(b) A composed spirit

This too requires submission to God.

(c) Past, present and future submission to God and His ways

He that has submission has need of much patience. We should not limit or set bonds to Him, but let Him take His own way in granting that which is most upon our spirits, and fulfilling the desires of our hearts.

submission…will make the soul triumph and rejoice in persecution, famines, and in every trial and tribulation whatsoever.

 

4. How We Can Have Inward Calm At All Times

(a) Stand in Awe of God

Strive to have much of the awe and dread of God on your spirits. “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still” (Psalm 4:4). “Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread,” and then follows the promise, “And he shall be for a sanctuary” (Isaiah 8:13). O that you would set the Lord always before you! If we looked to the greatness, sovereignty and power of God, and could say, “The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge,” we would have a composed spirit.  If you are against God He will be against you also.

(b) Beware of sinning or complying with anything sinful

“Stand in awe, and sin not…and be still” (Psalm 4:4). The man that has a good conscience has a good bed to sleep on, were it in a bog, moor, or mountain in the open field exposed to wind and weather. But there is no getting free from a guilty conscience. An evil conscience is never without fears. Many folk venture on sin to get outward peace and quiet, but by getting that they forfeit inward peace and tranquillity of mind.   It is true when in providence a man with a composed heart is cast here and there, he thinks that this will ruin him. But when the confusion is past, and he is come to himself, he finds himself better or at least as well as he was before.

(c) Commune with your heart

“Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still” (Psalm 4:4). A man that is not talking or communing with himself, either concerning his state or condition, cannot be right.

We must begin and commune with our heart concerning ourselves, and then about the providences of God, and say, “Does this dispensation come from God?” Then, says the soul, “Will God hurt me or do me wrong? No”. If a providential dispensation comes on us before we commune with our hearts, it will be ready to cast us on our backs. But let us trace it back to its first appearance, and examine our hearts about it, and hold our grip, that we may get to the end. Though it seems terrible, yet it may be of great advantage  to our soul, and so there may be great calm in the mind all the time.

(d) Strive to have faith in exercise at all times

The least faith in exercise has more strength than thousands of men and armies!… If you have any, use the little you have, and you may get more, and this will tend much to establish and compose your heart in an evil time.

 

Conclusion

This inward calm is of great benefit. “He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD” (Psalm 112:7). If our heart is fixed on God “evil tidings” will not move us completely.  We must still look to God for assistance and direction as to how to respond to providence. Yet a pleasant life during such outward troubles is possible with this fixedness of heart. It helps us to praise God and pray to him aright. This sermon is of great value and worth reading through entirely. Cameron expresses the brightest hopes for the future of the Church in Scotland. He also anticipated the end of persecution eight years later. His final words in preaching before he died three days afterwards are well worth weighing:

be patiently waiting on God, and…beware of grudging, murmuring, despondency, fearfulness and disquiet of mind.

READ MORE

LIKE THIS

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and receive an updated article every week.